During the school year, especially at the beginning of Fall semester, I find my life basically overflowing and cluttered. It feels like I’m back high in school clubs, outside activities and homework. So over the years, I’ve found a few simple life tricks that had made things a bit easier for myself and I would like to share them with you.
- “What is really important?” This list isn’t really ranked in any particular order but I knew for a fact that I wanted this question at the top. This question is particularly important when it comes to friends and school. You need to compile a short list of some sorts and rank from most important to least important and divide your time and energy accordingly. The most important things should be done first and then slowly make your way down the list. It may seem a bit crude to rank people but they can take away from school work, important meetings that can help you in the future, and even that hour nap that you’ve been in desperate need of.
- Look at the tasks that you’ve committed yourself to. One of the bigger problems when it comes to college students is over exertion and the overflow of prior commitments. So, examine your commitments, accept what you can and can’t do and try to eliminate the commitments that aren’t as important.
- Give yourself time to breathe between tasked and engagements. Running from building to building or working on one paper before moving to the next will stress you out and you will burn yourself out quickly. So leave yourself some space between tasks or appointments. Give yourself a little breathing room.
- TO-DO LISTS ARE EVERYTHING. I write this statement in capital letters because I live by it. A checklist will be your saving grace in college. Trust me, you will not remember that short essay due two weeks from now and writing a due date down on the corner of some loose sheet of notebook is not the best idea. Checklists simplify everything and I promise you will thank me later for this suggestion.
- Be in the moment and enjoy every task. Slow down and try to enjoy whatever it is that you are doing. I know it sounds weird now, but sitting back at looking over a paper that you just but two hours of work into is one of the most satisfying things to me. Savor the moment you accomplish something, reward yourself with a short break and then keep on working.
This short list is something I try to incorporate into my everyday life and results from it has produced some of the best college days by far. Even though everything I’ve said may seem simple or like a no brainier, maybe it will serve as a reminder to some of you that little, everyday things go a long way and help serve a major purpose.
