Project should not cause panic

Osman Bien Aime, Staff Writer

For those whose worst enemies are research and deadlines, the moment of dread is when the two join forces in the form of a major project.

But instead of hyperventilating into a backpack, make a plan for yourself. Your big assignment doesn’t have to be a painful experience.

When you have a deadline hovering overhead, it can easily get out of control.

It is a nerve-wracking and intimidating process to turn in A-grade work, but it isn’t impossible.

Break the assignment into chunks. It can be two hours a day, or even one whole day a week.

Setting a schedule and taking it one step at a time is a lot better than trying to tackle the whole thing at once.

One must also consider their classmates. They’ve got the same assignment to complete, after all; the process doesn’t have to occur in a vacuum.

Sharing ideas and refining concepts together takes a load off for everyone.

And don’t forget about professors. They have seen hundreds of students tackle large assignments, and they were once students too. They are here to help.

I recently had a similar conundrum with my own project. Again, the project had grown so massive in my head that it had completely outgrown my ability to even process it properly.

I decided to visit my professor’s office and seek advice. They had an answer to pretty much every question I asked.

Five minutes later, I walked out with a vastly smaller, more focused idea and newfound energy to tackle it.

The key is to have a plan of action. Take a moment, slow things down a bit. Work together with classmates, and ask the professor for help whenever you get stuck.

You all are trying to get this done, and if you work with each other, the process will be that much easier.