Time is a strange thing. It's always there when you don't want it and there's not enough of it when you do. After my first week of classes at Purdue, I'm struggling to keep up with my reading already (religion class, I'm looking at you). In addition, my schedule between and after classes is already starting to fill up with practice, clubs, and movie nights with my friends. While my classes, for the most part, fly by quickly, I've found that my free time goes by even faster. With a few friends' help, I've figured out a few ways for me (and you!) to manage your time better than you ever thought possible.

1. Buy a planner.

You've probably seen this tip a thousand times, but I can't stress it enough. GET. A. PLANNER. Better yet, buy two planners. I use one for strictly academics and one for clubs, appointments, practices, floor events, you name it. I also have a dry erase calendar in my dorm so my roommate and I have an idea of each other's schedules for the week/month. One of my planners also has a weekly checklist, where I write down the textbooks I need to buy, who I owe money to, and if I have to get in contact with anyone important. I never thought I'd be the type of person to use a planner, but I can't live without it now.

2. Use your phone.

Using the calendar on your phone can be your best friend. Having a constant reminder to get to class or to leave for class at the right time can be a lifesaver. Taking the time to set the alarms can be a pain, but it is worth it in the end just to get the little notification saying class starts in twenty minutes. Your phone also has amazing apps that can be used for everything, from finding out what the dining courts are serving to convert your math homework to a PDF file. However, make sure your phone doesn’t become a distraction. Put it away in class unless specifically told to use it. When you’re doing homework, don’t use your study breaks to play Pokemon Go! (Well….it is a really fun game to play on college campuses, but that’s another article.) Your phone, when used strategically, can be a wonderful tool to not only manage your time wisely but to motivate you to get your work done.

3. Have two or more days before the readings due? Split it up!

In my religion class, I had to read three chapters of the most boring book ever in one night. It took me FOREVER. It got to a point where I was so frustrated I couldn't understand a single thing I was reading. After talking it out with a friend, I realized that the book I was reading wasn't going to be discussed in class for a while. We figured that as long as I get it done before the exam, I should be good to go. So instead of reading multiple chapters a night, I would read one chapter a night. With this new schedule, I would still finish the book a week before the exam. Learning this simple little trick has saved me so much time this week, and I've used it with my history and sociology readings. Most people do have two days (at least) between each class, even just splitting up the readings in half can help ease the stress.

4. Food breaks are key.

Yes, we all want to avoid the Freshman Fifteen, but it's still important to get some sort of food into your body. Sometimes you just need a little break with some friends and food to get you back into motion to finish that biology reading. I've found that nothing is better than getting some pizza with a friend. Besides, breaking up studying time is scientifically proven to lessen stress levels.

5. Don't sign up for all the clubs.

I know that theater club looks amazing, but if it meets on the same day you have crew practice, do you really want to make that commitment? Personally, I'm super forgetful of my plans and I often overbook. (Just another reason to have those planners!) Only sign up for clubs you're truly interested in and plan on going to most meetings. If you’re going to a club just for the free pizza, be warned. It may not be worth it and you may just end up with a bunch of club presidents trying to get you to come back. I joined my campus Cru, the bowling team, and my dorm's student government, and that's already way more than enough for me! Just keep in mind how long you need to study, then go and sign up for clubs.

6. Prioritize!

It's super important to set priorities throughout your day. Are an extra twenty minutes of sleep more important to you than getting twenty pages of reading done? You need to be able to decide between two or more events. Finding a balance between homework, social life, and sleep is essential for a successful college career.

Good time management is key to having a wonderful college experience. It's never easy to sit down and organize your time, but you'll be glad you did when all your homework is done and you're having a blast with your friends. Hopefully, this advice helps you all as much as it helped me in the past week!