It's that time of year again. Assignments due, books depleting your bank account, and pens losing ink. We all wash our ears out to listen really good and do our best to make good grades. College is one of life's greatest gifts because it is an important milestone as a learning experience. We learn how to be independent individuals regardless if it's because of taking a personal finance class or simply being hundreds of miles from home for the first time. This is the time to find out who we are and what it is we want to do with our futures.
Chaotic and hectic is an understatement when it comes to getting back into the groove after a break from school. There's a low level anxiety that resides in everyone about what's due when and what needs to be done in other aspects of our lives (hello giant pile of laundry, I see you staring at me!). There's a whole lot of things to do. It gets overwhelming very easily if not put in check. Here's a few tips I've learned, being a senior, about how to manage my time to get the most out of the college experience and how to keep my head on straight.
1. Create a morning routine.
Chances are your class schedule is fairly consistent. Take that as a blessing because without a foundation your house of routine would crumble like the House of Usher. You know when classes are, so you should find out how long it takes you to get ready for the day and plan your wake up time accordingly. If you want, make your bed as soon as you get out of it - this helps me personally to feel accomplished early on in the day. Try to make the mornings less stressful by having everything else ready to go. Pack your books and assignments the night before. Lay out your outfit as well. If you drink coffee, pre-load the filter for an easier time in the morning, etc. You want your mornings to be the time of day where you can get started at your own pace because this creates an optimistic outlook for the rest of the day. Take a few deep cleansing breaths, fill your heart with gratitude for this opportunity to learn and grow, thank the Universe for all that you have been given, and think about what it is you most want to accomplish for the day. Doing all of these things will cultivate a positive attitude towards your life, and as we all know - attitude is everything.
2. Set allotted time to do your homework and actually do it, or else you'll be doing it when you don't want to and thus breeding more procrastination.
The dreaded curse of procrastination hits everyone hard in college. Even the most studious among us find themselves putting off an assignment until it's nearly due. Find out what time works best for you, ask yourself when is your brain most focused and active? Are you a night owl or a morning lark? Figure out how your body and mind operate at certain times and plan your homework time to fit in the period where you are most calm and focused. Homework doesn't have to be frazzle dazzle ridden panic time, it can be a peaceful escape. The hardest part of doing the work is sitting down in the chair to do it. Make yourself sit and after that it'll be a breeze. If you're having trouble sitting in the homework chair, just start chanting to yourself, "Just do the freaking work. Just do the freaking work. It's not as bad as you think it will be. Just freaking do it."
3. Don't forget to have fun, hang out with friends, exercise, and simply relax.
With a to-do list long enough to fill up Santa's scrolls, it's easy to ignore your own needs as a human being. I can't count how many days I forgot to take care of myself while working and going to school. My advice to you is don't or it will make everything seem even worse. Learning how to relax and have fun is a challenge I'm still working on, but it's a necessary part of life. We cannot be busy accomplishing everything all of the time or we will end up too stressed out to function. Go to a party and dance, spend time in nature. Eat healthy food, take a yoga class, have a spa night once a week. Whatever it is that makes you feel abundant with joy, whatever helps you be spiritually happy, whatever helps you wake up rejuvenated and excited about life - do that. Don't let your well-being take a back seat to anything related to school. Separate them. Take care of yourself. Enjoy life. Don't let college drag you down, but use it as a way to help you get up and reach beyond your dreams.
