I'm taking five challenging courses this semester, and I feel completely swamped. There's too much reading, too many assignments, and I don't know how to prioritize everything.

Here are my five courses: 1. **Advanced Organic Chemistry:** The reading is primarily from a dense textbook with complex reaction mechanisms and theoretical explanations. Assignments are weekly problem sets that require applying these concepts to solve synthesis and mechanism problems. They are very calculation-heavy and require deep understanding. 2. **Advanced Algorithms:** Readings are often journal articles and research papers that are conceptually challenging and require careful analysis. Assignments are a mix of theoretical proofs and significant programming projects that involve implementing complex algorithms and analyzing their performance. 3. **Modern European History Seminar:** Readings consist of weekly book chapters and scholarly articles, often 50-70 pages each, focusing on specific historical periods and debates. Assignments include weekly discussion posts, a midterm essay, and a substantial 20-page research paper. 4. **Quantum Mechanics II:** The textbook is highly mathematical and theoretical. Assignments are weekly problem sets that involve solving complex differential equations and applying quantum mechanical principles to various physical systems. These require a strong foundation in calculus and linear algebra. 5. **Literary Theory:** Readings are a mix of primary literary texts and critical essays from various theoretical perspectives. Assignments include weekly response papers to the readings and a final analytical essay that requires synthesizing different theoretical approaches to analyze a literary work.

My typical week is pretty packed. I have classes Monday through Friday, usually with 2-3 classes per day, spread out. I try to dedicate about 3-4 hours of study time each evening, but that often gets eaten up by assignments. I also work part-time as a tutor for 10 hours a week, which is usually on weekend mornings. Beyond that, I try to squeeze in a couple of hours for exercise a few times a week, and I have a weekly club meeting on Tuesday evenings. Socializing is pretty much non-existent at this point.

Yes, I've felt overwhelmed before, but usually it's been in one or two courses, not five simultaneously. In the past, I've managed by really focusing on the most critical assignments and letting some of the less important readings slide, or by forming study groups to divide the workload. However, with these five courses, it feels like *everything* is critical, and the material is so interconnected that I can't afford to skip anything. I also used to be able to pull all-nighters more effectively, but I'm finding that's not sustainable or productive anymore.

I've tried a few things, but nothing seems to be sticking. I started by making a master list of all my assignments and readings, but it just made the sheer volume more apparent and frankly, more depressing. I've also tried to break down larger assignments into smaller steps, but I find myself getting stuck on the first few steps and then feeling even more behind. I've attempted to schedule dedicated study blocks, but they often get interrupted by unexpected tasks or I just feel too exhausted to focus effectively during those times. I've also tried to do readings before lectures, but with the sheer volume, it's becoming impossible to keep up.

Yes, definitely. My Advanced Organic Chemistry course has a massive amount of dense reading, and the problem sets are incredibly complex and time-consuming. Each problem set can easily take 8-10 hours to complete properly. In my Advanced Algorithms class, the readings are often research papers that require multiple read-throughs to grasp, and the programming assignments are substantial and often involve debugging tricky issues. My History seminar also has weekly readings that are 50-70 pages each, and I have a major research paper due at the end of the semester that feels like a mountain to climb.