Max — Academic Catch-Up Protocol
Academic Catch-Up Protocol · v3.3 · Interactive

Catch-Up & Completion Protocol

Fri Apr 24 — Sat May 23, 2026 · English + Poli Sci only · Interactive
English
10.11%
45/445 · May 12 is the wall
Poli Sci
26.67%
Make-up open · Final Exam TBD

How This Protocol Is Designed

Read first

This isn't a task list — it's a behavioral scaffold overlaid on Max's existing daily rhythm. Grades move through action before insight, evidence accumulation before belief change, and externalized structure that holds when internal structure doesn't. Every study block is broken into initiation-level micro-steps because the hardest moment in any task is the first 60 seconds.

Fixed anchors — wake, meals, gym, meds, sleep — are already in place. This document adds what goes into the study blocks, and how.

Action → Insight
Don't wait to feel ready. Opening the doc is the intervention. Motivation follows action.
Shrink the Unit
"Write essay" isn't a task. "Open doc + 5 messy minutes" is.
Externalize
If it's only in your head, it doesn't exist under stress. This doc is the prosthetic.
Drift ≠ Collapse
Missing a block is drift. Drift is recoverable. Only concealment turns drift into collapse.

Daily Operating System

Three moves every study block uses
01 · Every writing block

Pre-Writing Ritual

Before any essay or paper block. Bypasses performance freeze.
  1. Open the doc. That's the whole first step. Don't plan. Don't read. Open it.
  2. 5 minutes of messy writing. What you actually think. Ungraded. No audience. No structure.
  3. Re-read yesterday's writing (if any). Don't edit. Just read.
  4. Pick the easiest next section from the outline. Start there — not the beginning.
  5. 25-min timer. Work until it rings. Then decide whether to keep going or stop.
02 · Every submission

Verification Protocol

Submitting is half the action. Confirming it landed is the other half.
  1. Submit in Canvas / LMS.
  2. Refresh. Status should shift from "Missing" to "Submitted."
  3. Screenshot the confirmation — timestamp + filename visible.
  4. Send to Jonah with one line: assignment name + "submitted."
  5. Mark done on the tracker sheet.
03 · When you can't start

If You Can't Begin

This is drift, not collapse. There's a defined move.
  1. Name it mechanically: "I'm stuck at initiation." Not "I'm lazy."
  2. Do the smallest version. If block is "draft intro," smallest is "open doc, write one sentence."
  3. Move body 5 min. Walk. Stretch. Outside. Shift the nervous system first.
  4. Still stuck after 15 min — text Jonah. One line: "stuck on [task]." Don't explain.
  5. If day collapses entirely: Shame Spiral Recovery protocol applies.

Daily Rhythm Template

Fixed anchors · same every day unless noted

These anchors are already operational. The academic work below sits inside the study blocks — not added on top. Classes swap in on class days, gym rotates to whenever the day's study block structure allows.

Morning & Midday
  • 8:30 amWake · coffee + breakfast
  • 9:00 – 9:30Shower
  • 9:30 – 11:00Study Block 1 (1.5h) — non-class days only
  • VariesClass times (see day)
  • ~1:00 – 2:00Lunch
  • 1h middayGym — reward/HW break
Afternoon & Evening
  • 2:00 – 4:30Study Block 2 (2–2.5h)
  • 4:30 – 5:30Meal prep / dinner
  • 5:30 – 7:00Downtime
  • 7:00 – 7:30Dog walk (Mon/Wed/Thu)
  • 8:30 pmWind-down · screens off
  • 9:00 pmMeds · non-negotiable
  • 10:00 pmLights out

Priority Anchors

Two deadlines that shape the whole protocol
Tue · May 12
English — Research Paper: Ethics of AI
HARD WALL · no negotiation · paper + all English make-up must land by this date
TBD · Week 5
Poli Sci — Final Exam
100 pts · in-person · prep intensifies Week 3–4

Confirmed · Open · Assumed

  • Only two classes remain: English (Tue/Thu 11:15–2:00) and Poli Sci (Wed 9:45–10:45). Art = Theater = dropped. This opens significant Mon/Wed morning capacity for catch-up work.
  • May 12 is a wall. No drafts currently exist for the Research Paper. Paper work starts today's session and dominates English study blocks through Week 3.
  • Peer review partner confirmed. Coordinate with partner early Week 2 for the Apr 30 peer review swap.
  • Midterm Rhetorical Analysis — Max emailing teacher + tutor today/tomorrow to confirm tutor session vs. in-class completion.
  • PoliSci 7.3 notes & 8.2 paper confirmed open for makeup.

Essay Outlines

Reach for these during any writing block

English · Meat Consumption Essay

Draft Apr 24–26 · submit Apr 26
  1. Introduction (½ page)
    Hook: concrete image or stat about meat consumption. Context: Berry's defense vs. Kennedy's critique. Thesis: does meat consumption belong in an ethical life, and on what grounds?
  2. Body ¶ 1 — Berry's position
    "Let's Keep Eating Meat" — meat as rooted, traditional, ecological. One short quote. Name what's persuasive.
  3. Body ¶ 2 — Kennedy's critique
    "Cowboys and Vegetarians" — industrial rupture, factory farming, land disconnect. One short quote. Name the force.
  4. Body ¶ 3 — your synthesis
    Where do you land? Scale / framing / economic reality. Pick one. Defend it.
  5. Conclusion (¼ page)
    Don't restate — extend. What should a reader do differently? Concrete, not moralistic.

English · Data Center Essay + Works Cited

Apr 27–29
  1. Introduction
    Open with scale — Stargate Abilene numbers. Frame: AI infrastructure vs. local cost. Thesis — what do we owe the places hosting these facilities?
  2. Body ¶ 1 — What's being built, why
    Compute demand, investment, stated benefits.
  3. Body ¶ 2 — Costs borne locally
    Water, power, noise, land, displacement. Tie to specific places.
  4. Body ¶ 3 — The asymmetry
    Who decides, who benefits, who bears cost. Ethical core.
  5. Counterargument
    Strongest case for faster build-out. Name fairly. Respond with conditions.
  6. Conclusion
    One concrete policy proposal grounded in the argument.
  7. Works Cited (separate submission)
    MLA unless course specifies. All sources cited + any from annotations.

English · Research Paper — Ethics of AI

Apr 24 → May 12 · THE WALL
  1. Introduction (~1 page)
    Specific vivid case. Context. Precise thesis — a defended claim. Roadmap.
  2. Body ¶ 1 — Ground the problem
    Specific AI ethics issue (bias / autonomy / labor / privacy / power). 2 sources.
  3. Body ¶ 2 — First evidence
    First main argument. 1–2 sources. Your voice carries.
  4. Body ¶ 3 — Second evidence / case study
    Different angle. Specific case. Specificity > abstraction.
  5. Body ¶ 4 — Counterargument + rebuttal
    Strongest opposing case, steelmanned. Rebuttal by showing why your position still holds.
  6. Conclusion (~½ page)
    Answer the "so what?" Return to opening with new weight. Forward-looking.
  7. Works Cited
    Separate page. MLA or course style.

English · Beef Culture Essay Revision

Apr 30 – May 3
  1. Don't write new
    Save copy of Meat Consumption Essay as "Beef Culture Revision."
  2. Read teacher feedback first
    Address it directly. If no feedback, strengthen thesis, evidence, counterargument.
  3. Sharper thesis
  4. Deeper evidence
    One more quote or example per body ¶.
  5. Strengthen or add counterargument
  6. New conclusion
    Rewrite to match revised argument.

Peer Review Guide · applies to every peer review

Universal
  1. Read twice before writing
    First: understand. Second: note reactions.
  2. Name what works
    Specific: "the thesis is clear because..." not "this is good."
  3. Name what's confusing
    Not "bad" — confusing. Mark sentences that made you re-read.
  4. Ask 2 questions
    Real ones — things the draft made you wonder.
  5. One suggestion
    One concrete direction. Not a rewrite.

Poli Sci · 8.2 Political Socialization Paper

Draft Apr 26–27 · 10 pts
  1. Intro
    Define political socialization. Thesis: most powerful agent in your life, and why.
  2. ¶ 1 — Family
  3. ¶ 2 — School / peers / media
  4. ¶ 3 — Your thesis agent
    Why it outweighed the others.
  5. Conclusion
    What this means for adult political views.
Week 1 · Fri Apr 24 — Sun Apr 26

Session Day · First Wins · Research Paper Begins

Partial week · today is session · start small
FriApril 24
Session Today
8:30 am
Wake · coffee + breakfast · shower
9:30 – 11:00
Session PrepPull tracker + essay list into one place
~11:00 – 1:00
SessionMeeting with Jonah — walk through this protocol · address open questions · identify biggest friction point
1:00 – 2:00
Gym + lunch (reward after session)
2:00 – 3:30
PoliSci3.3 Quiz (US Constitution) + 4.2 Quiz (Federalism)
If stuckPick whichever unit feels easier · start there. Momentum > order.
3:30 – 4:30
EnglishRe-read Kennedy + Berry · 5 min messy-write on meat/ethics
4:30 – 7:00
Meal prep · downtime
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds (9pm) · Lights out
SatApril 25
No Class
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · coffee + breakfast · shower
9:30 – 11:00
EnglishMeat Consumption Essay — pre-writing ritual + draft intro + body ¶ 1
If frozenSkip intro · start with ¶ 1. Intros usually get written last anyway.
11:00 – 12:30
EnglishResearch Paper — intro draft
1:00 – 2:00
Gym + lunch
2:00 – 3:30
PoliSci5.4 Quiz (CA Gov) + 8.3 Quiz (Public Opinion) + 9.3 Quiz (Voting) + 9.4 Feedback
If energy dropsFinish 2 minimum · save the rest for Sunday. Drift not collapse.
3:30 – 4:30
EnglishSubmit Peer Review of Intro (Apr 20 overdue)
If submission closedData, not failure. Redirect hour to Research Paper body ¶ 1.
4:30 – 7:00
Meal prep · downtime
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
SunApril 26
Submission Day
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · morning routine
10:00 – 12:00
Weekly meal prep (batch cook for the week)
12:00 – 1:30
EnglishMeat Consumption Essay — ¶ 2 + ¶ 3 + conclusion + submit
1:30 – 2:00
PoliSci8.2 Political Socialization Paper — draft
2:00 – 3:00
Room + bathroom reset (weekly)
3:00 – 4:30
PoliSci12.3 Obama's Deal Notes (10 pts) + 12.4 Quiz Congress (5 pts) — DUE TODAY
4:30 – 8:30
Downtime · recovery before week
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
Submit by EODPoliSci 12.3 · PoliSci 12.4 · Meat Consumption Essay
Week 2 · Mon Apr 27 — Sun May 3

Research Paper Scaffolds Up · English Backlog Clears

Paper body ¶s + Apr 30 peer review + Data Center + Beef Culture Revision
MonApril 27
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · coffee + breakfast · shower
9:30 – 11:30
EnglishResearch Paper — body ¶ 1 (grounding the problem)
11:30 – 1:00
EnglishData Center Essay — outline + intro + body ¶ 1
1:00 – 2:00
Gym + lunch
2:00 – 3:30
PoliSciFinalize 8.2 Paper · submit
3:30 – 4:30
EnglishResearch Paper — body ¶ 2 draft begin
4:30 – 5:30
Meal prep
7:00 – 7:30
Dog walk · put out garbage cans after dinner
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
TueApril 28
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · morning routine · bring in garbage cans
9:30 – 11:00
EnglishResearch Paper — body ¶ 2 (first evidence)
11:15 – 1:00
ClassEnglish — ENGL-C1000 · Tore Langmo · CLOU 268
1:00 – 2:00
LabEnglish Lab — ENGL-1AS
2:00 – 3:00
Gym + lunch
3:00 – 4:30
EnglishData Center Essay — body ¶ 1 + ¶ 2
4:30 – 4:45
EnglishText peer review partner — confirm Thu swap
4:45 – 8:30
Meal prep · downtime · bathroom check 7:30
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
WedApril 29
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · morning routine
9:45 – 10:45
ClassPoli Sci — POLS-C1000 · Megan Sweeney · HBB 340
11:00 – 1:00
EnglishData Center Essay — finish + submit + Works Cited
1:00 – 2:00
Gym + lunch
2:00 – 3:30
EnglishResearch Paper — body ¶ 2 finish
3:30 – 4:30
EnglishPeer Review of One Body ¶ — receive partner's ¶ · do review
4:30 – 7:00
Meal prep · downtime
7:00 – 7:30
Dog walk
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
ThuApril 30
Peer Review Due
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · morning routine
9:30 – 10:15
EnglishSubmit Peer Review of One Body ¶ — DUE
10:15 – 11:00
EnglishResearch Paper — body ¶ 3 start
11:15 – 1:00
ClassEnglish · Tore Langmo
1:00 – 2:00
LabEnglish Lab
2:00 – 3:00
Gym + lunch
3:00 – 4:30
EnglishResearch Paper — body ¶ 3 continue (second evidence / case study)
4:30 – 5:00
EnglishBeef Culture Revision — open · save copy of Meat Consumption · review teacher feedback
5:00 – 7:00
Meal prep · downtime · sweep front stairs
7:00 – 7:30
Dog walk
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
Submit by EODPeer Review of One Body ¶
FriMay 1
Buffer Day
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · morning routine
9:30 – 11:00
BufferCatch up on whatever slipped
11:00 – 1:00
PoliSci13.2 Annotation (Presidential Power) + 13.3 Quiz prep
1:00 – 2:00
Gym + lunch
2:00 – 4:00
EnglishBeef Culture Revision — work · OR Research Paper if ahead
4:00 – 8:30
Room + bathroom reset · meal prep · downtime
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
SatMay 2
8:30 – 9:30
Wake · morning routine
9:30 – 11:30
EnglishMidterm Article Rhetorical Analysis — tutor session (if confirmed)
If session falls throughReschedule immediately · redirect block to Beef Culture Revision.
12:00 – 1:00
Gym + lunch
1:00 – 3:00
EnglishBeef Culture Revision — continue
3:00 – 3:45
PoliSci13.3 Quiz Presidency — complete
3:45 – 8:30
Downtime · meal prep · car wash window if needed
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
SunMay 3
Submission Day
8:30 – 10:00
Wake · rest morning
10:00 – 12:00
Weekly meal prep
12:00 – 1:30
EnglishBeef Culture Revision — finish + submit
2:00 – 3:00
Room + bathroom reset
3:00 – 4:30
PoliSciSubmit 13.2 Annotation + 13.3 Quiz
4:30 – 5:30
EnglishResearch Paper — counterargument ¶ start
5:30 – 8:30
Downtime · recovery
8:30 · 9:00 · 10:00
Wind-down · Meds · Lights out
Submit by EODPoliSci 13.2 · PoliSci 13.3 · Beef Culture Revision
Week 3 · Mon May 4 — Sun May 10

Research Paper Drives the Week

Same daily rhythm · study blocks dominated by Research Paper
Study block allocations
Mon May 4
AM block: Research Paper · finish counterargument + rebuttal · PM block: Intro Peer Review (backlog) + Peer Review of PIE Body ¶ (backlog) + Works Cited Page (backlog) batch-submit
PoliSci14.2 Quiz (Supreme Court) — begin study · evening block
Tue May 5
EnglishResearch Paper · conclusion + works cited build (2h)
PoliSciRemaining backlog quizzes/notes · final sweep
Wed May 6
EnglishResearch Paper · full read-through · mark weak spots
Thu May 7
EnglishResearch Paper · revision pass 1 (structure + argument flow)
Fri May 8 Buffer
Catch-up · lighter load · polish if ahead
Sat May 9
EnglishResearch Paper · revision pass 2 (line level · read aloud)
PoliSci14.2 Quiz Supreme Court — complete · submit
Sun May 10
EnglishResearch Paper · revision pass 3 (citations + formatting)
Week 4 · Mon May 11 — Sun May 17

Ship the Paper · Pivot to PoliSci Final

May 12 submission · then full Final Exam prep
Study block allocations
Mon May 11
EnglishResearch Paper · final polish · sleep on it before submitting
PoliSciFinal Exam prep · Units 1–5
Tue May 12 WALL
EnglishRESEARCH PAPER — SUBMIT · morning block · not last-minute
Verify · screenshot · send to Jonah · THEN English class 11:15–2:00 · THEN integration afternoon (light)
Wed May 13
PoliSciFinal Exam prep · Units 6–10 · scope Honors Project if pursuing
Thu May 14
PoliSciFinal Exam prep · Units 11–14 · practice questions
Fri May 15 Buffer
Catch-up · drill weak areas · Honors Project continue
Sat May 16
PoliSciMock exam (timed) · review · drill weak areas
Sun May 17
PoliSci16.3 Course Evaluation (5 pts · due today) · confidence pass on Final material
Week 5 · Mon May 18 — Sat May 23

Close Out

Final exam · Honors Project · close the semester
Study block allocations
Mon May 18
PoliSciConfidence pass · finalize Honors Project if pursuing
Tue–Sat May 19–23
PoliSciFinal Exam (when scheduled) · submit Honors Project if applicable · semester closes
v3.1 · EF-informed protocol · English + Poli Sci only · Fri Apr 24 – Sat May 23