Struggling to 100, struggling generally

I had thought that reaching 100 posts before first year ended would be a breeze, having entered March with over 90 posts already. But lethargy has completely taken over. With the great time I've had in WIMWI since June, I hate to admit this, but all I've been able to think about this month has been when PGP 1 would be over and I would be able to run off to Tokyo.

There are all kinds of reasons contributing to this general feeling of being a bit down, but one factor has been the lack of free time. In college last year, I always seemed to have all the time in the world to waste - watching Buffy or the dozens of other shows I followed religiously, reading articles in newpapers and online, studying annual reports of Tata Steel and Tata Motors, writing and reading history and Shakespeare and what not. Came here and suddenly all I could manage was to follow basic current affairs and do little else. I have read only five full books in the past 9 months - Half-Blood Prince; Emperors of the Peacock Throne; My Name is Red; Guns, Germs and Steel; and Hitchhiker's Guide. I probably read 15-20 in the nine months preceeding these. Have written nothing in my book of essays. Haven't followed either Indian business or international events as closely as I would have liked to. Of course, I have seen only one full episode of any TV show in WIMWI - a not-too-great episode of Buffy.

All this was probably worse in the first two terms. In the third term, a lot more free time has opened up as I have withdrawn from mugging. I have been reading more (finished three of the five books in this term) and very lately have really been into watching Naruto, a Japanese anime show, on my computer. But my involvement in extracurricular activities has increased too, and that consumes time. Plus, the constant stream of assignments and presentations that we have had to prepare in this term has induced a seige mentality of living from day to day.

My grades have suffered to an extent that I did not anticipate. I can't bring myself to care much still. This is nothing new for me - have been through the same thing in engineering, when not even the very real threat of failing in the 7th and 8th semesters could motivate me to study a bit harder. I guess I have been sailing through life so far, and only a proper shock can shake me out of my stupor.

I am really looking forward to my internship now. Working in Tokyo should be a good experience. Hopefully I'll be able to travel through Japan during summer as well. Would be nice to watch some cherry blossoms - my current nick on DBabble :)