How do you reverse brain muscle atrophy?

I guess just jumping in and exercising them?

I am referring to, of course, the fact that my first Master class started last Monday. It has definitely been an interesting week, one that required use of brain muscles that have not been exercised in a while. I forgot what it feels like to have to manage time around when assignments are due. I forgot what it feels like to have a sort of clear understanding about what an assignment is, but to feel fear that my understanding is different from the professor's. What if the other students do more? What if I don't do enough? It has been a long time since I have felt those emotions (since the legendary 4-honors-classes-and-a-job-and-chores-and-church-and-family-nervous-breakdown Junior Year of High School fiasco, really) and it was a wierd kind of adjustment.

In addition to that there are added new things, like the fact that I am a grown up, I guess? When I was feeling those things before, I was 17. Now I am not 17, have a husband, 3 dogs, a demanding job and everything else. Also, as much as the whole program being online was a huge selling point for me, it has also been hard to get used to. I can't ask the professor when I have a question, everything invovles reading from a screen, and I will never see any of the other students.

All of that said... I LOVE IT! I love having assignments, I love having things to read, I love having something to do when I get home. I love learning new things, I love using my laptop, I love that my first post on the discussion board was the longest and most detailed of anyone in the class. I love the feeling of being done with a week's assignments, and getting an early start on the next weeks. I love feeling like I am planning my future and being wise with my time by doing this program now.

Even though it is a wierd adjustment, I think I needed it. It is showing me that I have more space in my brain than previously thought, and that it is not impossible to manage your time. Also, it is way better being a student with a husband and a house than living out of one bedroom and fighting with your sister constantly.

What I need to work on now is not allowing school to take up all the space in my brain. I have gotten really talented in multi-tasking in my classroom (I am not usually functioning unless I am doing 3 things at once, and I LOVE that feeling) and I am hoping that this will help push me to do the same thing at home. I want to do well in school and concentrate on it, but I also want to continue to meal plan, cook dinner most nights, be spiritual and have fun!

I guess, duh, that's life? :)