Let’s say that you’re in college and the semester has started. You are really caught up in all of the craziness that is your college experience. Maybe you’ve moved into a new place and taken a little time to settle in. Perhaps there’s been some romance, some parties, some social events, new friends to be made. Perhaps it takes you just a bit to settle into a routine. Fast forward a month, then two months, then you’re suddenly facing finals. You have huge papers / projects / exams looming and you’re nowhere near prepared. How did this happen? Sometimes the semester deadlines sneak up like little ninjas with silent steps. They attack you when it is too late to react. A throwing star takes out the time you had to study. Nunchucks beat out any hope for getting help in time. And finally the ninja’s swift sword jabs you in the self esteem. You feel yourself crumple under the weight of your own anxiety or depression. It is too late to be as awesome as you truly want to be. Ugh. Gah. Sob.

Ahem, let’s set those ninja images aside and talk about how to *avoid* this scenario. Read More…