Being a full-time student is stressful. After homework, professors, volunteering, taking care of your health, roommates, and exams, you seem to not really have time for anything else but school. Now add a part-time or even full-time job to the equation. It's often hard to fit that job, which 4 out of 5 college students have while going to school, into your life without seeing a decline somewhere else. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to balance my work, school, and social life until my first year of college. By the end of that year, I was more tired and drained than I had ever been in my life. I was also, however, more experienced than I had ever been. I learned how to manage my time well and how to cope with stress in non-destructive ways. I learned how to take advice from women wiser than I and how to ask for, and accept, help. And I learned, most of all, the things to have and use so that you can work hard even when you feel like you can't.

There are some tools of the trade to help you balance work and school. The most important one, in my life at least, is a planner. Using a planner saves me from chaos daily. I use it to remember homework assignments, projects, tests, club meetings, and work hours. I also use it to schedule my days and weeks, which is very important if you've got a full plate. Not all planners are created equal, however. My mother said to me once, "Don't buy something if it doesn't inspire you." Choose a planner that has a look, style, and size that makes you feel better about donating all of your time to productivity. I've found that a weekly planner works better than a monthly one for work and school. You can find nice planners at Target, but if you're willing to spend a little more for your scheduling, you can find stylish planners over at Rifle Paper Co and Kate Spade. Having a planner that feels like another part of you really helps to inspire the energy to work and study. You can also find apps on your phone to use as planners, if you're more of a tech person than paper. I use the app Handle to set reminders for myself every day and Mint as a financial planner. I highly recommend them both.

Another tool important to have is a laptop. It really helps if you can work on homework during breaks at work, instead of prolonging all the work until you get back to your campus or home. Laptops also help you cope with the inevitable stress of working and studying. My favorite laptop past-time is watching Netflix, but you can also play games, surf the web, listen to music, and talk to friends. Being able to unwind with a laptop of your own helps immensely with thriving under stress. Find a good support system of friends or family and invite them over to watch movies or Netflix. Just make enough popcorn for your roommate, too.

Exercise tools are so important to have while trying to survive the grind. I'm not talking about buying expensive treadmills or elliptical machines. I've found that just having a good pair of running shoes, workout clothes, and a yoga mat keep my exercise routine steady. It is so important to set aside some time for your health, whatever you might doing during that time. Find good, dependable running shoes and set them where you can see them every day. This will remind you to make some time for your body in your hectic schedule. You don't have to run to work out, though. Yoga and Pilates are great workouts for your mind and body, but find a peaceful and roomy place to practice them. I was lucky enough to have a room by myself for a semester, so I made a space for my yoga mat and left it there, inspiring me to do my poses every day. Set a specific time for your workouts, so you don't go through the day working hard and then realize you don't have any time left for your health. I like to do it at night because I'm a night owl, but if you value a good night's sleep, wake up early to do some pre-coffee yoga or go for a morning run.

While doing all the new tricks you've learned to work, study, and still survive, you have to remember to sleep. It's entirely too easy to skip sleep to work on homework, study for tests, stay at work late, or get a workout in. Set a time to go to bed every night, and remember that another day is coming and you shouldn't stay up late if you don't have to. It's recommended that young adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, so find your perfect number within that range. I have been at work or in class way too many times after a sleepless night, ready to pass out at any moment. I've tried surviving on more coffee than sleep, and it has proven disastrous for my health. Use the java to inspire, but not to survive. You deserve to feel your best during the day, and you have to schedule some sleep time in. With the right amount of energy in your mind and body, you can do anything. Now, go get 'em, tiger.