exams and such.

I'm just starting to feel the strain of exams. Wednesday and Thursday are going to be busy for me, with three and four exams each, at least. It's good that I've had a few days for downtime and preparing before the worst hits. I've been practicing and studying a little bit each day. Tonight, I'm going to study a little more after I've written this entry.

I had my second (and last, for the semester at least) counseling appointment today. It was incredible! I'm writing down her suggestions so that I can remember them on a rainy day in the future:

1) Journal daily. This way, I can track my moods and patterns, but also I can assess how I'm feeling each day and maybe help control my moods a bit more.

2) Read books over summer. My counselor gave me a suggested reading list of about 20 books for moods and anxiety. I'm definitely hitting up Barnes and Noble when I get home. It'll give me something to read when it thunders at the pool or nobody shows up.

3) Notice how I feel right before I start spiraling with my moods. What triggers it? What could prevent this? How can I react during it to lessen the mood?

4) Notice what things make me happy over the summer. How can I make these fit into my schedule next fall and later one? I'm going to start building healthy habits over the break in the hopes that I can continue them next semester and beyond.

I'm tired of being unhappy. I was so happy last summer, and then it all seemed to spiral out of control. I really have NO idea how I got so unhappy or so busy...one minute things were alright, and the next, I was in over my head. It's ridiculous how things get so crazy so quickly. I'm hoping a new living situation and a chance in life will really jumpstart my positive attitude. Summer is exactly what I need right now.

Alright...no more procrastinating. I'm going to study some more and head to bed...I'm going to try and write a lot more like my counselor suggested. Love you all. :)