Balancing It All
Some words from my friends and I on keeping our you-know-what together.
Time management is a flower that does not grow in everyone's garden. I asked some friends how they manage their time, and how much room there is for improvement. Here's what they said:
1. Andy, freshman music education major
I, unlike most people, do not have a planner. Since most of my schedule has no breathing space (I literally go straight from classes to my job to rehearsal Tuesdays and Thursdays), I always know what I'm gonna be doing next. I have a calendar that is both on my phone and my laptop that lists all the things I'm doing that day on a daily basis.
As I go through my day, I figure out what I have to prioritize and what I can push aside for that day. Whenever I have free time, I always try to use it to do work ahead of time so I don't have to worry about it later; this is a rare occurrence. I definitely need to know when to let go of things in my schedule, which I've had a lot of trouble before. With that said, I'm quitting my job.
2. Kristina, freshman acting major
I write everything down in my planner, and I have an organization app. It's very important for my major!
3. Kathleen, senior music education major
The most important thing for me is planning very far ahead. I rarely have to run to the store last minute, or Bird to print something last minute, etc. I plan very very far in advance, so I'm never in bad shape if something happens or things are particularly crazy. By planning ahead, I find I avoid any meltdowns or feeling like my life is spiraling, or « last-minute » running around.
For example, I always keep cake ingredients on hand bc I end up volunteering to bake for so many events throughout the semester. I always buy shampoo when my BACKUP runs out. I always know exactly how much of everything I have at all times. If those things are taken care of and I'm taking care of myself, I feel calm, excited about, and prepared for all my time-consuming obligations!
4. Sydney, freshman public relations major
My time management skills desperately need improvement. I'm a multitasker, so I like doing a lot of things at once. But sometimes, I do that too much to a fault and bite off more than I can chew.
5. Samantha, freshman public relations and political science dual major
My time management skills could definitely be better. I work really well at night, so I can go as long as I need to at night, but I'm really sleep-deprived because I don't use my time well during the day. As an honors student, I'm aware that I have extra requirements and am going to have a heavier course-load, so I'm going to have to account for that and balance it with my extracurriculars.
6. Taylor, senior broadcast & digital journalism major
I am an avid planner. I have a planner and use the calendar app on my phone consistently. I also am about the furthest thing from a procrastinator that there can be. I'll stay up late getting something done for the next day before I go to bed rather than putting it off, and I'm the type of person who will mentally pick out my clothes for the night before.
I even have a coffee pot with a timer and set it the night before! I also set my alarm for earlier knowing I'll snooze it. I think the biggest thing is just being organized!
7. Sophie, junior public relations/information management & technology dual major
PLANNER. Planner planner planner planner P L A N N E R. Did I say I keep a planner? I'm not saying I have great time management skills, but I just TRY to keep my planner running my life. (haha)
8. Shannon, junior cyber security major
Time management is something that can always be worked on. I try to deal with everything by creating an organizing system that works for me and sticking to it as best as I can. When assignments start to line up, I break it up in order of when they're due and write them all down on a sticky note, and I color-code it to make it pretty. I know it sounds like a ton of effort but it works!
9. Evan, senior physics and applied math dual major
I have a planner that I write all my assignments in, and I have a dry erase calendar in my room that is literally my lifeblood. When things get really crazy, I have a note on my phone broken down by day, and I just plan out what I need to do each day in order of when everything is due!
10. Annelise, sophomore public relations major
At the beginning of every semester, I go through all my syllabi and put all the due dates in my planner! I also make daily to-do lists on the Notes app on my phone because I love the checklist feature. I also have a whiteboard calendar in my room because it helps me to see the visual of everything I have to do!
11. Erin, junior newspaper and online journalism major
My friend Ghufran told me to get a Google Calendar, and it changed my entire life!
12. Missy, freshman biology & forensics major
I usually manage my time by prioritizing things based on urgency and importance, and I have a chart to break it all down. I also use a paper planner! Writing things down makes it feel more like I have a set deadline. I think my time management skills could use a little fine tuning, but for the most part, I feel like I use my time well!
13. Maddie, freshman communication & rhetorical studies major
I have horrible time management skills.
14. William, senior music education major
I like to take time on Sunday to plan out my week on Google Calendar and put in blocks of time for things like classes when I'm eating when I'm going to do homework, and when things are due. Some other things I would do is put the extra reminders on what I should be doing during said homework hours.
Making a to-do list of things you want to be done on that day and just being able to break down BIG tasks into little steps to figure out what you can get done within a set time frame is really helpful! The hardest part about it is actually sticking with what you're going to do for the week, because things might come up, so make sure you also plan for those things as well.
15. Hannah, junior television/radio/film major
I have a tiny notebook where I write daily to-do lists. I also have a weekly planner that I occasionally use!
Gabriel, junior music industry major
You know that Daft Punk and Pharrell song that goes "I'm up all night to get... my work done because I procrastinated"? Yeah that's what I do.
16. Christopher, junior history major
I break everything I have to apart evenly by day. It makes everything seem more manageable when my law professor decides to assign us 250 pages to read in 5 days. Also, everything that's fun in college - partying, playing video games, etc., happens at night and during the weekends, so I get my work done on weekday mornings if I can and I make sure I do what I have to do for that day before I go to sleep.
If I make little deadlines for myself every day, I avoid screwing myself over by the end of the week. Generally, goodie-two-shoes studying tactics work for me, but they require a certain level of discipline. I also hate working when other people are having fun.
17. Collin, senior public relations major
Sometimes, I keep a notepad document on my computer with assignments. Other times, my computer shuts off and deletes said notepad document...
18. And finally... me! (freshman public relations major)
I have a weekly pull-apart planner that I write everything down in. Every class and their times, deadlines for assignments, rehearsal and where I'm rehearsing, sorority meetings, work... you name it, I write it down. I used to have a dry-erase one, but I'm so busy nowadays that I needed something bigger!
My time management skills definitely need improvement. I didn't join any social extracurriculars last semester, so I dove in headfirst this semester. I've been balancing my school work with an on-campus job, a rehearsal schedule, AND new member requirements for my sorority. Things have been crazy, to say the very least. I'm 100% not complaining; I'm loving every minute, but I need to plan out said minutes more accordingly. It's a work in progress!
