Random Friday: Back to School Thoughts

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I know, I know.  It's a little early to be thinking about school for most of you.  I, on the other hand, have been thinking about school all summer.  Orientation at my university starts on August 12th, and classes start August 18th.  So I've been preparing all summer (ordering textbooks, finishing up forms for financial aid, waiting anxiously for the roommate email, buying and packing things for my room...).

I don't have many "first day of school" memories.  For fifth grade, it was a weird year.  It was my first year being homeschooled, and I wasn't attending a co-op at that point.  My mom just picked a day and I started my assignments then.  For the past few years, I've started my at-home subjects super early so I'd have about a month off for Christmas.  The first day of school was the first day back at co-op.  It was always great to see my friends and classmates again and to check out the newbies.

This year is going to be a very different experience.  As opposed to balancing my workload over the week and going to classes on Friday, I'll have classes every single day of the week.  On Mondays and Fridays, I'll have Understanding Old Testament, Cultural Influence (a 100-level required communications class), and chapel.  On Wednesdays, I'll have the aforementioned classes, as well as PE in the afternoon.  On Tuesdays, my schedule will consist of Intro to Business, Concepts of Math and Technology, and Engaging Liberal Arts.  On Thursdays, I'll only have the first two classes.  Plus, I'll have a job on campus, and I'll need to work studying, blogging, and reading into that schedule.  

My dad is utterly convinced I'll have no time for blogging and reading for fun.  I disagree.  I obviously know I won't have as much time as I do now, but I'm good at scheduling posts months in advance and I'm a quick reader.  Plus, studying for most subjects has always been pretty easy for me, and I took two college classes this last year, so I do know what to expect to some extent.  And most importantly, I can't let my life be consumed with studying, classes, and work.  I'd get depressed if I let that happen.  Blogging and especially reading, while are they are partially my job, are also something I thoroughly enjoy and they bring a certain light to my life.  I will get stressed out and, like I said, depressed if there's no fun in my schedule.

So I have to ask - for those who have blogged during college, how did you balance everything on your plate?  And for those who aren't at that stage of their life yet, what are your back to school thoughts?