Back to life, back to reality! Fall is upon us, meaning that once again, it's time for us college students adjust to campus life. With classes, clubs, volunteering, and the social scene, day-to-day life can get overwhelming--and fast! However, just because you may have four classes back to back or feel like you constantly run from one meeting to the next doesn't mean that you should cut out your social life completely. Here are 10 tips for tackling your busiest days while maintaining your sanity.
1. Get a good night's sleep
Adequate rest is essential for getting through any long day. If you know you need to be up early, make sure to go to bed at a decent time. If not, you'll be relying on coffee buzzes to get you through the day--a rush that, I can say from experience, tends to lose its effects after habitual use.
2. Start your day off with some quiet time
Instead of waking up and chatting it up in the bathroom with your floor mates, try making yourself some breakfast, sitting down, and reading a passage (one of my favorite Bible devotionals here) that will start your day off right. If reading isn't your thing, try listening to a podcast or some feel-good music. This way, you are charged up and ready to take on your day without using up all your social energy within your first 15 minutes of being awake.
3. Schedule in a work-out
As much as you may dread it, try working out when you have a headache, are tired, or feel like you just can't focus anymore. On my busiest days (five classes ranging from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.), I work out about halfway through, and it truly does renew my energy for the second half of the day. On days where I don't have class until late morning, I hit the gym as soon as I wake up, and it puts me in a positive mindset for the rest of the day.
4. Keep up your planner
A planner is essential for staying organized. It's a central resource for meal tracking, meeting planning, homework assignments, work schedules, social commitments, and almost every other obligation under the sun. A planner helps lessen the risk of forgetting a commitment, double-booking yourself, or scrambling last-minute to find time to get something done.
5. Pack your meals the night before
If you know you'll be missing a meal the next day, pack a sandwich, leftovers, can of soup, or even just a piece of fruit and a protein bar to eat while you're out and about. As Snickers so truly points out, you're not you when you're hungry, and it's no secret that staying well-nourished helps you focus and puts you in a better mood. At the very least, if not for your own sake, feed yourself so the rest of us don't go insane.
6. Schedule social time on the less busy days
With everything from birthday celebrations to catch-up dinners, those of us overachievers who are lucky enough to have good friends tend to get a little overwhelmed with making time for socializing. That being said, even if you are an introvert, it's important to find "your people" in college. They are the ones who pick you up when you are down, take risks with you, and give the best advice.
Instead of leaving your friends on "Read" when they ask you to hang out on days where you are so busy you don't even feel like a human being, try taking some time to debrief and then replying with a plan to meet up on a day where you aren't as overwhelmed.
7. Be present
Remember that where ever you are, be all there. If you aren't paying attention in class, having to reteach yourself later will cost you even more of your time. If you're on your phone the whole time you're trying to do homework, you'll never get it done. Even the simple things, like blowing off a friend who says hi in passing because of your busy schedule, will probably turn into regrets later.
8. Keep your inbox clean
One of the most stressful parts of my busy days is sifting through my inbox to find specific e-mails. Unsubscribing to retail stores who constantly send me e-mails was the first of many successful steps I took to organize my e-mail. Other helpful habits have been flagging important messages, writing down important dates/times/information from e-mails as soon as I receive them, and regularly scheduling time to delete irrelevant messages.
9. Find your passions.
Pro tip: If you don't like to do it, DON'T DO IT. Enjoying what you do will help the time pass by SO much faster on your long days. On the other hand, if you're stuck doing something you hate, it will seem to drag on forever.
Getting involved in a club, meeting up with people who share your interests, and finding a hobby that reduces your stress all help add a little fun into your most cringe-worthy days!
10. Communicate
Above all else, when it comes to being busy, remember that the way you treat others will greatly affect your day-to-day life. If you're too busy to help someone with something, let them know that. If you're too tight on money to go out to dinner, explain that. If you forget to pack your lunch or won't have time to run all your errands, reach out to a friend and ask for help.
Don't be afraid to admit you can't balance everything on your own. You are just as much, if not more, of a superhero when you are able to recognize when you need help.
