One thing I have learned in college is that having a routine is essential. It's so important to have a routine that will ensure you are on top of school work and can help you make the most out of every day.

Having a routine has helped me so much in college. When there is a routine set, there is no anticipation of how your day is going to go. I know for me, I have classes three days a week. So my morning routine on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday looks a little like dragging myself out of bed after my third alarm goes off at 8:15, brushing my teeth, making coffee, getting ready for class, and making sure I have enough time to eat a greek yogurt before heading out the door. I have class all day, squeeze in some time for homework, and then come home and make dinner around the same time every night.

Having a routine that is the same every day will help make days easier, and less stressful. It is important when structuring your routine that you think about meetings and events that happen on a weekly basis. For me, my community group meets Monday nights, and Ignite meets on Tuesday nights. So when I structured a routine for myself at the beginning of the semester, I factored in those two things so I remember that it is something that I am committed to each week.

Another important part of a routine is making "To Do" lists at the beginning of every day. It will be easier for you to find time to do the little things you need to do if you have a to-do list. If you only have an hour between your classes, then you can look at your list and see maybe what assignment can get accomplished within that hour. As you go through your day you can keep that list in the back of your mind, and find times to do the little things on your list. It gets hard to try and remember everything that has to be done if you don't write it down. I know from experience that if I don't write down everything I need to do, I will forget about it. I write down everything from taking my vitamins, to making sure I remember to print out my assignments while I am on campus ( I can't express how many times I have come home just to realize I forgot to print out my notes, or that essay I wrote).

Having a routine helps ensure that you will be able to fit everything that you want or need to do, into your day with no problems. It is essential to still have time to hangout with friends, and do things that are enjoyable to you, so having a routine will help to be able to fit that kind of stuff in. I always set aside time to hangout with my roommate, especially on the weekends. Homework tends to take over my weekends, but it is important to give yourself a break at some point. I have found having a routine helps manage the stress I experience on a day to day basis.