My first year of college wasn't the best time for me. First semester I found myself crying in the woods because I had a psycho roommate and wasn't adjusting well to the new environment. It happens, and I'll admit to my struggle. Now, reflecting on it, I realize I was miserable because I wasn't busy. I was the do-it-all girl in high school. I was doing 30+ hours of work, softball almost year round, I was in a club on top of all my school work. My down times were spent in the school greenhouse warming up and studying. I was busy, and I was happy. And, yes, I still had time to hang out with my friends. I had a healthy social life. Team dinners, friend dates, Saturday nights getting ice cream and people watching by the water front. So busy, and so happy.

Not doing anything made me miserable, on top of some other factors. Right now, I'm working two jobs, doing two summer courses, coached one team for softball and may possibly coach another soon, all on top of maintaining my vegetable garden, hanging out with friends and continuing to see and talk to my long distance boyfriend including doing weekly Odyssey articles. And, yes, I'm happy! Well, I'm happy with everything besides the jobs since they have nothing to do with my major. Being the do-it-all girl is what works best for me, on the go and always busy.

Being the do-it-all girl in college will probably work for you, too. Too much downtime in a foreign environment, with no real close friends to go to, or worse, no car to go explore, will probably make you miserable. I've got a couple of tips for you on how to do it successfully, because it can go bad. While these are tips that I've found work well, these may not work for you since we are all different. What might not be a lot for me may be a lot for you (See tip #4). So test the waters, see what works best for you.

1. Planners

Planning your week, or month even, always help. Write down your work schedule along side your class schedule. Making sure you get to these things on time, and probably well dressed and not in your pajamas, will help keep you on track. Scheduling helps you plan when you have free time to do other activities that will keep you on the move.

Keeping track of everything makes it easier for you to go about your day to day life without any worry that you're missing something. You can see whether you can make that improve show, or if you told you're friend you'd meet up at that same time.

Likewise, it helps schedule doctor's appointments outside of class times, or quick trips to the beach if you go to a college near a beach like me. Keep on top of deadlines for articles or homework and relieve some of the ease of having multiple deadlines, because trust me, there's more stress with not knowing deadlines and missing them.

Personally, I find monthly planners that also have weekly planners mixed in work best, that way you can show where birthdays are on the monthly, and homework on the weekly. Walmart has good, cheap ones that are good quality. Bonus: I found a planner that has coloring pages mixed in with it there! Go to AC Moore or the craft section of Walmart and pick up stickers, markers and colored pencils to color coordinate, organize or decorate to make it yours.

2. Join clubs

Joining clubs at your school will definitely keep you busy. Club meetings, projects or fundraising will give you something to free up time since college schedules can be light. I was done by noon most days, if I even bothered to go to class. I used to do kayaking with my school, and did plant giveaways to homeless shelters with it, too. This next semester I plan on joining the organic gardening club, and maybe even the outing club. Clubs will definitely be joined by me.

3. Keep in contact with friends

This is key. Setting up lunch or dinner dates ahead of time always helps, but actually talking to your friends and keeping in touch is key. You won't have friend lunch dates if you don't have friends. I regret not doing this. I isolated myself a lot towards the end of first semester, and this hurt a lot of friendships in college. I messed up close relationships that I valued with girls who literally lived one dorm room over, and others on the same floor. Even with my roommate, I let the friendships slip away. Don't be like me. Keep up the friendships, but make sure they're the healthy kind. You can definitely cut out the toxic people in your life, you don't need them for lunch dates if they're only going to bring you down.

4. Drop things if your schedule is too busy

There is such a thing as being too busy. Remember, you can look like you're doing it all without actually doing it all. You need time to breathe, time for yourself to relax and distress. If you don't have this, you're over taxing yourself and will probably be just as miserable as you would with nothing to do. Go back to your room, relax and recharge your batteries. This is absolutely key.

Find what works for best is you, and go out there and be the do-it-all person in college. Keep busy and have fun.