Ethan Maglione
Staff Writer
Very few people know what Get Your Life In Order (GYLIO) is, however, students in the University of Melbourne swear by the practice as an effective studying tool that has helped them succeed in their studies and has helped them deal with the stress of modern collegiate life.
GYLIO is a practice where a school designates one week every semester where students are encouraged to take time off and to get their studies and personal life back on track, without being concerned with external factors like school assignments or their social life.
A big goal of GYLIO is to reduce something known as attention residue, which is created by overwhelming stress and lack of a general plan. This can result in a person being unable to focus and create less quality work.
“I think that homework comes at a reasonable amount, however, I feel like it can be too much at times. Professors sometimes use it as a way to teach stuff they don’t have time for in class, so understanding it can be hard,” said UW freshman, Daniel Whistler.
GYLIO is mainly used so students can catch up on all of the things they did not originally have time for. This includes organizing upcoming tasks, finishing late assignments, and finishing chores. For example, a student from the University of Melbourne, Henri Currie, was asked about her GYLIO routine.
“The list included updating my study notes and getting started on upcoming assignments. I also got my exercise regime back, including runs with my friends. To relax, I took some time to see a movie, call my family and chat with friends,” she said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
While GYLIO can be a huge boon in a person’s life, it may have some drawbacks. Overcrowding a GYLIO to-do list can still leave a person with lots of attention residue and ruin the point of GYLIO; thus, students may need to prioritize their tasks and take it one small step at a time.
The University of Wyoming does not have a practice like GYLIO, however, students could try creating their own version of GYLIO if they are looking to get their schedule in order or just reduce stress.
