As the semester is winding down, it seems that all the work is just pilling up. We have papers, presentations and finals just for the academic portion. Then, those of us who also decided to join almost every club possible, we are planning events, having initiations and getting new leadership positions. As college students, we are supposed to be able to balance all the different pieces of our life and still keep good grades, a functioning social life, eat healthy, work out, work and find time to sleep. Somehow, I’ve mastered the art of balancing everything, and I’ll explain how I manage to do it. This is not something I picked up freshman year, it took me until the beginning of my sophomore year before I started balancing everything perfectly. Now, I’m a junior and I’ve had the busiest semester ever, but also the most successful semester yet.
1. Use a planner or a calendar.
This should be the first thing you do when you start a new semester, or you can even start filling out your planner with classes before the semester even starts. Personally, I find it easiest to already have your classes filled in so all you have to add is assignments and whatever else you have going on. It’s also helpful to have an excel spreadsheet of your whole week. This semester I’m busy every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so I had my whole schedule on the excel spreadsheet. This also makes it easier to remember your schedule by seeing it all written down.
2. Plan ahead and don’t procrastinate!
I’ve never forgot an assignment or turned one in late. One of the reasons is because I don’t procrastinate. I’ve found a few different benefits from starting projects early, especially those you know will take a while. I can only concentrate on something for so long, which is why I start early. The earlier you start, the longer you have to work on it, so you can work on it for a little bit and then take a break. You aren’t in a position where you have to work on something for 10 hours straight to get it done. You can work on it one night for two hours and the next five days, and then have the whole paper done. This also helps get a better quality paper, you are not pressured for time so you can put more time and effort in it. Once your professors learn you do this, most likely they will like you more. In my experience, once a professor learns I do this and get things done early, they respect you more and view you as a better student.
3. Your work schedule.
Most college students
have part-time jobs on top of everything else they do. Plan your work schedule
so it works best with your other activities and classes. I have two on-campus
jobs, so I work before, between and right after classes. This way once, I’m on
the quad, everything I have to do is back to back and the day gets over quicker.
I’m lucky for my jobs because when there is no work for me, I get to do
homework. Definitely take advantage of that as much as possible. Then you will
have less to do in the evenings.
4. Even with your busy schedule (which you now have all written down) you still need free time.
Spend this free time doing whatever makes you the happiest and helps relieve your stress. Whether it’s scanning through social media, Pinterest, hanging out with friends, going for a walk, playing video games, take a nap or anything you feel will help you relax. Your mental health is very important. I’m a psychology major, so I can say that.
Now, I'll tell my story of how I use time management skills. I actually perform better when I have more to do it seems. This semester, I have three positions in my sorority (one is an exec position), I was just inducted into four honoraries, I have two on-campus jobs (now I also work for Odyssey), taking full time classes, I’m on the Big Concert Committee and still find time for free time. Even with all that I have going on, I still balance everything in my life. I’m an honor student, I hang out with friends, I work and I even got an academic award this year. If someone would have told me freshman year what all I have to do now, I wouldn’t have believed them.
As a freshman, I was afraid to join too much. I’ll leave you with my favorite quote. You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. – Unknown