Dilemma

"Grades, Social Life, and Sleep; you can only pick two", this is what Tingting told me.

It’s going to be my fourth week in Pittsburgh, I am now pretty used to this place and having a couple of friends. However, there are some messages telling me that I may not manage my time well. I was so focus on my course assignments last week, and I rejected quite a few events or parties. My roommate said that the life of exchange students shouldn't be like this way.

Grades, which shouldn't be an important things for an exchange student. But, I think I am falling in love with every course I take. They are so fun, which also require lots of time to work on assignments or studies. For example, one of the course I took has a 5000 lines of code assignment within a week.

Social life may be pretty meaningful for me. I should spend more time exploring this world, and meet more people then reach more possibilities which I have never tried before. I've joined few parties, and events on campus. Most of them are fun and I met new friends. I also believe that these relationships between friends may last for a long time.

While I was think about this question last night, Tingting texted me and gave me helpful advices. She said that I should definitely think about the initial intention of the exchange plan, which is so true. I spent a little time today, and I found my initial intentions are well written in this website: "be humble and learn", "open, and talk with people", and "observe and think".

So, the answer is getting more clear now. I should try not to say ’no’ and be anti-social as possible, and be as nice as possible to everyone I met. I should also think more on my time management, and try my best on study things. It's hard to get everything right; therefore, I decided to give up my sleep if I can't have all.

The Duquesne Incline @ Pittsburgh. February 2, 2015