Time Management Is Your Friend | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Time Management Is Your Friend

How to become better at organizing your schedule.

2
Time Management Is Your Friend
PlayBuzz

It’s the day before your group assignment is due, and you haven’t done your part. You’re scrambling to find resources, cite them correctly, and rid your assignment of errors before you completely run out of energy. You silently wonder why you waited until the last minute, why your partners got their parts done so early, why? You then crumble onto the floor and fold yourself into a ball, letting an existential crisis take over you.

We all know this reality all too well. Procrastinating is always fun in the moment. It means that you don’t have to do anything now, because everything can wait until later. You have what seems like an infinite amount of free time. That is, until later finally comes. Then you realize procrastination was a bad idea and vow to never do it again -- that is, until your next study session comes along.

In the long run, waiting until the last minute doesn’t help anyone -- except for people that do well “under pressure,” but we’re not talking of them. Avoiding procrastination is simple, and I’m surprised that more people haven’t gotten hip to the solution:

Time. Management.

That’s right, time management is the simple answer to all of your study, homework, and project problems. Here are some tips on managing your time well.

  1. Get a Planner: This is a good investment. A planner will help you keep track of assignments and their due dates, as well as things like club meetings and your work schedule, and it’ll give you a convenient place to write down your random ideas. Some schools give you planners at the beginning of the academic year. If your school isn’t one of those, they should only run you between $5 and $10.
  2. Use Your Syllabi: If your professor doesn’t give you a hard copy of the syllabus, print it off -- it’s worth the money. There you’ll find all of your reading, quiz, and test schedules for the duration of the class. Then you’ll know when you have something due, how convenient!
  3. Use Colors: Pens, sticky notes, and markers of different colors can be extremely helpful, especially for those of us that are visual learners. Associating certain times, classes, or levels of importance with a color may help you better remember them.
  4. Prioritize: Do important things first! Do the homework that’s due tomorrow before the homework that’s due a week from now. It just makes sense, guys.
  5. Pace Yourself (or Not): Some people find it easier to do group projects a little at a time. For instance, you may find it useful to split your assignment into smaller pieces and assign yourself a certain chunk to work on every day. On the other hand, you may want to do the entire project in one sitting. This is the course of action that I prefer, as I find that it offers the best results because I don’t allow myself to develop distaste for the assignment -- therefore, I don’t dread working on it down the line.
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times "Parks and Recreation" Summed Up Your Library Experience

"I've only slept nine hours over the past four days, so I'm right on the verge of a nervous breakdown." - Leslie Knope

3790
Parks and Recreation excitedly gathered around a laptop at a table in an office setting.

The library. Club lib. The place every college student goes when they want to try and be a productive member of society. Who better to explain your experience than Parks and Rec?

1. When you've finally found the energy to leave your dorm room and walk into the lib like

Keep Reading...Show less
Taylor Swift in orange dress playing a moss-covered piano on stage with bright lights.

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

28622
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Students walking on a sunny college campus with trees and buildings.

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

12363
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments