Episode 91 Academics Versus Us - The Time Crunch

University was proving to be just as demanding as everyone had warned. The academic workload was intense, requiring hours of lectures, studying, assignments, and group projects. Finding a balance between excelling in our studies and nurturing our long-distance relationship became a constant challenge, a test of our time management and our priorities.

For Sakura, Todai was relentless. Her schedule was packed from morning till night. She was taking challenging courses, participating in demanding study groups, and felt the constant pressure to perform at the highest level.

"Just finished a 4-hour study session," she'd text late at night, her messages radiating exhaustion. "My brain is fried."

Me: Get some rest, Sakura! You need it! You're working too hard! Sakura: Can't! Got an early seminar tomorrow! And a paper due next week! 😭

Hearing about her intense schedule and her sheer exhaustion sometimes made me hesitate to call, even during our scheduled times. I didn't want to be another demand on her limited time and energy. But not talking also created distance.

My own university workload was demanding too, though perhaps not with the same level of intense, competitive pressure as Todai. I had long hours in the library, essays to write, and group projects that consumed significant time.

Sometimes, one of us would be completely swamped with work and have to cancel or postpone a scheduled call.

"So sorry, Hiroshi!" she'd text. "Have to pull an all-nighter for this paper! Can't talk tonight! 😔"

Or I would: Me: Mika and Ren are doing a last-minute study blitz for the midterm! Gotta join them! Can we reschedule?

These weren't intentional slights, but simply the reality of university priorities. Academics often had to come first. But each missed call, each postponed conversation, felt like a small victory for the distance, a reminder of the precious, limited time we had for each other.

It required a high level of understanding. Understanding that "I can't talk, I have to study" wasn't "I don't want to talk to you." It required trusting that the other person was genuinely busy and not prioritizing other things (or people) over the relationship.

"It's hard, isn't it?" I said to Sakura during a brief call that we managed to squeeze in between our schedules. "Balancing everything."

"It is, Hiroshi," she sighed. "Sometimes I feel like there's just not enough time for... anything. Especially for... us."

Her honesty, her admission of the struggle, was both painful and comforting. Painful because it validated the difficulty, comforting because she felt it too.

"We'll find the time," I said firmly, reiterating our promise. "We'll make the time. Even if it's just short calls or messages."

She smiled, a tired but genuine smile. "Okay, Hiroshi. We will. We promised."

The academic demands of university life were a constant, external force that tested our time and energy. They weren't a direct threat to our feelings, but they were a practical challenge to maintaining the connection. Navigating this time crunch, ensuring that our relationship didn't get lost in the shuffle of assignments and exams, required conscious effort, patience, and a shared commitment to prioritizing 'us' whenever possible, even in the smallest of moments. Our unexpected love story was learning that sometimes, the biggest challenge wasn't grand drama, but the simple, relentless pressure of everyday life and finding the time to hold on to what mattered most.