Too many things to do

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At the moment I just started school again after one year abroad. The school is the same but I'm in a new class. I'll have a huge exam at the end of the year for which I have to start preparing now, plus I have to finish my university application in less than a month.
I'm having a really hard time organizing my time between homework and thinking about university, which ones to apply in, what to write in my application statement... Every day I tell myself I have to do a certain number of things, but I don't know when to start, what to start from, then I realize just how many things I have to do and I get anxious and I can't do anything anymore, I completely lose my concentration. I just sit somewhere without doing anything because I'm too anxious to do what I'm supposed to do and too afraid of wasting time to do something I like.

How do you deal with situations like this?

Oh, you are so not alone. I posted as I am doing an applied study this term and I am feeling a lot like you are from the sounds of it. There is a paradox between the independence of thought and exploration, which I enjoy, and the requirement to report my structure (akin to making a giant outline, which I suck at) and process for evaluation. It's all these freaking redundant and time consuming administration tasks that overwhelm me.

I am working from a detailed list with check boxes. I am literally writing down: 'stretch' and 'have a snack', as well as 'write objective list' and 'complete section 1 of form A'. ARGH! I spent the past week very clean as I probably averaged 3 baths a day just trying to calm down. All I have to give is: just keep at it as best you can and try to break everything down into small tasks as much as possible. When you can get something behind you, it feels better. Even if it is a number of seemingly small things at first.


The best to you, LM

^^^^^^^Yep, starting small is a good idear.

Like if you have to study for a test, first figure out which materials, like notes and books, that you have to review, then start small to review a set of notes about one topic or a couple of chapters of a book. When you are studying one topic, don't think about the other topics that you have to study or the overwhelming amount of stuff that you have to do. Just do that one task in the moment with all your focus to get it done. That makes the task more enjoyable too, I think.

Thank you for your advice. It sounds like a good idea

Just get a pad of lined paper, then write down EVERY thing you need to accomplish.
It sounds intimidating, but as you cross things off you feel the sense of accomplishment.