Being in Salamanca can sometimes feel like a vacation. There are many sites to still see, I have plenty of free time, and living is easy. Or so I thought. This week, I have been brought back down to reality. Why, you may ask? I have my first test in two days. Easy living = over.

Of course, I know that my purpose here in Salamanca is for academics, but being in such a remarkable place has left me in a state of wanderlust fantasies. I have been spending most of my time searching for different countries to visit and drinking too much coffee and tea. With my test coming up in two days, I really need to start using these caffeinated drinks to fuel studying for school instead of booking more trips. I need to start to balance studying, interning, traveling, and having fun better… something I like to call the balancing game.

So far, I have done pretty well at the balancing game. Almost every afternoon and evening, I head out to a café or the library to do some homework. Usually, my homework consists of answering some questions in a packet, reading over some text, and writing a short essay or two. I generally like to blog while I am out, too, because there is just something that is so posh about blogging in a Spanish café. Silly, but true. As of right now my internship has not started, so that has not been added into the equation yet. However, I have been volunteering at a local English school once a week, which takes up about one to two hours on Monday. As far as traveling, I have only been traveling on weekends, and I have not left Spain yet. I have had a fairly easy time getting work done during the week to leave my weekends homework-free. Socially, I have been attending an intercambio (where I get to practice my Spanish skills) once a week for a few hours. I also try to get together with other students I have met while I have been here in Spain, and of course, we usually head to a café and just chat. So, the balancing game has not been terribly difficult thus far.

As I reflect on the ease of the balancing game until now, I realize that it will not be easy for long. This test that is looming over my head is the first indication that things will get more difficult. I am now being pushed to study more material than usual, while still blogging and completing my other homework assignments. In my very near future, I will be traveling outside of Spain and on longer trips. At one point, I will be traveling almost every weekend. My internship will be starting very soon, and I still want to volunteer with the English school. And of course, I would love to keep some part of my social life by still attending the weekly intercambio.

So, I need to get better at the balancing game. School, of course, comes first. Because of this, I see many more café visits in my future, which I do not mind. I have been heavily relying on my planner to make sure I do not miss any assignments or events. Being that my internship, volunteering, and intercambio have set times, the best thing I can do is plan, plan, plan. Traveling is important to me, too, but I cannot let that overtake studying or interning. Again, I just need to plan well. When I know I will be gone for the weekend, like this weekend for example, I will try to get my assignments done during the week. This way, I do not have to worry about schoolwork while I am traveling. I can fulfill my wanderlust fantasies without too many worries.

Well, as the balancing game gets harder, I need to be smarter. Organization and motivation will soon be my two best friends. With this test in two days, I need to start practicing what I preach… now.