#TransferTalk Series🇮🇳🇺🇸✈️⭐

#TransferTalk Series | Episode 6:  How GCAL keeps me sane!

Sorry to keep y’all waiting - I was home for the summer and now I’m back to my busy fall schedule at NYU. And oh my gosh… I’m officially in my senior year - someone pinch me! 😱

Honestly, I was never that person who used online planners, Google Calendar, or any of those fancy productivity tools. But I have definitely always been a person who follows a schedule - like, if someone messes with it, I get cranky about it (which, okay, I don’t fully encourage because life sometimes has other plans and everything is not linear - first life saying of this post, hehe). But ever since I moved to NYC, I’ve been maintaining my Google Calendar pretty religiously, and honestly, it’s been such a lifesaver. It’s honestly transformed how I manage my days, my classes, and my life here.

April 2025 GCAL

Let’s start with academics - because that’s where the big shift happened for me. Here, every class has a set syllabus with every reading and assignment clearly mapped out with dates. That was such a big change coming from India, where you never really know who’s going to finish the syllabus when honestly and sometimes everything just gets rushed at the end. Here, I could actually plan my semester ahead, pace myself, and avoid that last-minute chaos. And the coursework here, it’s like as soon as you finish one thing, another thing pops up on your to-do list. You complete five assignments, and suddenly there are five more waiting for you. That’s just the rhythm of school here because university isn’t just exam-focused - it’s everything: weekly readings, class discussions, presentations, quizzes, thought papers, research papers… the list feels endless sometimes. But I’ve realized that’s actually what keeps me on my toes and pushes me to stay consistent, rather than cramming everything at the very end. It’s challenging, but in a weird way, I’ve started to enjoy that structure.

And when you’re living away from home, studying isn’t the only thing on your plate. Suddenly, everything is your responsibility - right from laundry, cooking, cleaning to somehow squeezing in a little me-time too. I’ve started writing all of this into my Google Calendar as well - literally blocking time for when I’m going to clean, when I’ll do laundry, and which assignments I’ll work on that day. It sounds intense, but honestly, it helps me see the whole picture and stay sane. If I know I have a big assignment due, I’ll plan to make a simpler meal that day, so I don’t end up being stressed or starving. It’s been such a game-changer to treat these little life tasks as just as important as my classes because they actually affect how well I function during the week. And here’s the thing some days, you’re going to absolutely dread looking at your GCAL. Like, you open it and think, nope, not today. But honestly, on the days when I do manage to push through and check off those tasks, I feel so accomplished - it gives me this quiet confidence that I can actually handle everything that’s on my plate. Some days, sure, it makes my head spin and I wonder if I’ve over-scheduled myself. But other days, it gives me a real sense of pride - seeing how consistent I’ve been and how much I’ve been able to manage between classes, work, and life. It’s proof to myself that I’m doing okay, even when it feels like a lot.

Honestly, I don’t just use Google Calendar for studying or assignments anymore - I use it for everything. Meeting friends, planning social events, going out to try new places, even blocking time to shop or just wander around the city. It sounds a little extra, but it’s what helps me actually make space for the fun stuff instead of letting it get lost in the chaos of school and work. And also, helps me look forward to such times in middle of a busy schedule.

But here’s the thing - some days, no matter how perfectly I’ve time-blocked everything, life just throws me off. And I’ve had to learn not to be hard on myself about it. That’s the thing about calendars - they’re guides, not shackles. You can move things around, swap tasks, or just let yourself rest if you need to. Being kind to yourself on those days is so important because this whole system is meant to make life easier, not more stressful.

Coming back to the topic, one of the best things is that it’s on all your devices and sends you reminders however you want - notifications, emails, alerts so you really can’t miss what’s next unless you choose to. It’s like having a little personal assistant keeping you on track.

Over time, I’ve learned a few little tricks that make my calendar feel less like a stressful to-do list and more like my personal guide to the week. And there is no deep end to this post - it’s really that simple.

So I’ll leave you with three tips that have genuinely made my Google Calendar work for me:

📅 Add everything (yes, even the small stuff!) Not just classes or big deadlines but put in laundry, grocery runs, gym sessions, even that 15 minute phone call with a friend. It makes your day feel more intentional and helps you see where your time is really going.

📅 Color-code like a pro. Give each type of task its own color - classes, work, self-care, social plans so you can tell at a glance what’s coming up. It makes your calendar less intimidating and way easier to digest.

📅 Make it aesthetic The prettier and more “you” it feels, the more you’ll actually want to look at it. Think of it as a little mood board for your day. And who knows you might even start looking forward to opening it.

This was just a simple post I managed to write today out of my tiring schedule, but I really hope you felt good reading it, maybe even a little inspired to open up your own Google Calendar and give it some love! ❤️

Look out for the next episode, it might just be the last one so I can’t wait to see you there!💌👀

Feel free to reach out and chat with me till then if you have anything. I’d love to hear your thoughts 💭 and stories too!

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