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As this wise tea bag quote states, it is OK to “bite off more than you can chew.” But, only if it does not have a negative impact on you or those you love.

A year ago I began a Masters of Mass Communications through South Dakota State University. With it came the wonderful opportunity to teach a Journalism Senior Seminar. I loved teaching. I enjoyed the classes I took. But, juggling everything, while working fulltime was a balancing act I could only do for one semester.

My body needs about eight hours of sleep to function. My mind needs about eight hours of sleep to remain sane. Well, 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. days filled with work don’t bode well for achieving either sleep or sanity. So, I decided to take the summer off. Then, the fall semester. Then, spring semester.

Before I knew it, a year passed and I was only two classes closer to getting my masters than I had been when I began the process.

Then, one day this fall, it donned on me, that if I didn’t teach, and all I added to my fulltime work schedule was one class a semester, I could do it.

Well, I’m six weeks in, and it’s going great!

Better than great I should say, because I’ve begun working on my final master’s project: Developing a PR campaign to promote and encourage a positive perception of preserving properties found within Sioux Falls historic districts.

And, because it’s a passion project, instead of dreading homework, I look forward to it. This project energizes and excites me. In fact, I have to be careful not to pour too much of myself into it.

So, although I don’t have as much time to accomplish everything, I have enough time outside of work for the people and activities I enjoy the most.

And, about this time next year, I’ll be just one class away from a Masters of Mass Communications degree.