The end is in sight!

Tomorrow is the first day of week 10. The quarter is almost over, but like the most difficult quarters it is heavily backloaded. In fact, my last assignment is due on December 6th, which leaves 11 days (including today) to finish everything. I am counting down on my facebook page.

In reality, the end of the quarter does not mean that I will be able to just stop doing stuff related to school. I will still be going in to my research residency, which I am continuing through next quarter. Additionally, I will be focusing *HARD* on preparing applications for funding opportunities over the break. But, I will be able to actually focus more on those without feeling the constant worry that I am neglecting my classes. Also, next quarter I won't be taking as many classes as I did this quarter. In fact, I hope that I will never take as heavy a load as this quarter again.

I am staying motivated by having a list of things that I need to complete to end the quarter and then crossing off things as I finish them. Here's the list:
1. Edit Final Policy Paper
2. Turn in Final Policy Paper
3. Draft Final Theory Paper
4. Edit Final Theory Paper
5. Turn in Final Theory Paper
6. Final Review of Policy Presentation
7. Present Policy Presentation
8. Readings for Stats.
9. Prepare Stats Final Project Presentation
10. Present Stats Final Project
11. Prepare Stats Final Project Write-Up
12. Turn in Stats Final Project Write-Up
13. Theory Readings I missed last week
14. Qual. Readings
15. Edit Qual. Paper
16. Turn In Qual. Paper
17. Complete Statistics Final Exam
18. Review Completed Statistics Final
19. Turn in the Statistics Final Exam

Because it makes me feel less stressed, I will come back here and line out the things that I complete....
I *love* lists. They make it all seem achievable!

Also, what's getting me through these last 11 days is the knowledge that as soon as this stuff is done and turned in, I am going to decorate for the holidays, start doing yoga again, start jogging again and start taking weekends off again. Perhaps most importantly, I am going to start reading non-assigned things again!!!

For all my friends who are in nursing PhD programs: We're almost there! Good luck!