Getting Rid of That (Yuk)ky Feeling

"Yuk" Year: It has been suggested that the term Yuk comes from the feelings of discontent that many Yearlings experience. They are really in an "in-between" time. They still do not have a great deal of clout in the area of leadership, they have many demands on their time from their academics as well as from their responsibilities of being Team Leader and they must choose if they really want to continue at West Point or if they will leave while they will incur no obligation. This is a time when Cadets still need someone to listen to them as they work through the process and make choices that will effect their lives for years to come.

How many of us feel like we are "in-between" time? Whether it is personal life or in the business world. Working on the side while having a day time job is difficult, but it's more about the uncertainty of what that is going to turn into. As a yearling, there is still some confusion on which major you're choosing, what branch you want and if you're even going to finish the Academy. Most cadets have no idea how fast the time goes there. For some reason, it just feels like Yearling year goes slower than the rest of them.

3 Things that I learned as a Yearling that helped me get rid of my Yuk(ky) feeling that I still use today are:

1. Mastering Time Management Skills - 2nd half of the year I had 24 credit hours in one semester. 7 Full semester classes and two 1.5 credit classes. Time management and learning to prioritize is not only important in the Military, but in the business world as well. Once you write your priority sheet for the day, doesn't it make it much easier to complete those tasks and then move on to the others?
2. Learning how to make a decision that will change the rest of your life. Wow. Do we even know when we are in that moment any more? Sure, it's pretty defining when we pick college, a profession or a time to settle down with our partners. Those are the moments when you DEFINITELY know that decision will change your life. I'm talking about the micro decisions that change everything. Going left instead of right, working on a trust/bond you are forming with colleagues, and ultimately, tiny decisions that we do at work that add up to completing a big project.
3. Learn techniques to get out of the funk. We all have "those" days when we are a little less motivated than usual. During that year, it somehow seems the whole year long and I don't doubt that some of us feel that way now. As a Yearling, the skies seem like they are always grey and that there's a constant chill in the air. A good friend of mine uses the phrase, "Inhale Confidence, Exhale Negativity". I love that phrase, because it is so true and can be applied to any part of your life, especially during the Yearling year at the Academy. I found that when I changed up my routine (go for a run, hang out with a buddy or enjoy a movie with friends) that would generally help me get through that moment. I still do that today, I change up my routine now when I feel that way (I have a hard workout, I write a blog or call an old friend I have spoken to in a while).

Three things that are still applicable to me today. They may seem simple, they are, but not necessarily easy. Especially time management skills, at some point we are all forced to learn those because the world forces us into it. Not to mention getting out of a funk isn't easy either. We all have our own techniques, especially this time of the year, but having the knowledge that the funk won't last forever and the day has to end is something I use consistently.

What are your techniques? What did you learn during a tough year in college? Would love to hear some responses.

Dave Swanson is a motivational speaker, author, and former U.S. Army infantry platoon leader who engaged in more than 100 firefights while deployed to Sadr City, Iraq. The Dot on the Left is his first book. For more information, visit www.DaveSwansonSpeaks.com.