Like many college students, this might be the first taste you have of truly living on your own. While this is certainly an exciting new adventure, it can also quickly become chaos without proper time management skills.
In college, you’ll have to learn how to juggle your course load, a sport if you’re a student athlete, your social life, and maybe even a job or three. This can become overwhelming, however the faster you learn and implement a few time management skills, the less you’ll feel like you’re drowning.
- The first thing you’ll want to do, and the seemingly most obvious, is to write down your schedule. Add in all your exam dates as well as project or assignment due dates as soon as they are assigned. Simple, I know, but it works. Get a day planner, create an excel sheet or a google document; whatever is most convenient for you. Just WRITE. IT. DOWN.
- Get organized. Think of your time as money, and your schedule as a budget. Budget all of your time down to the last second, that way nothing is left out and you are able to see where you’re spending the most. Remember that most things aren't set in stone, so adjust as necessary. You’ll obviously want to factor in your class schedule, and your practice schedule, as well as the schedule provided by your job(s), and regular homework and study sessions, but don’t forget to budget time for relaxation and socialization.
- Another thing that may help you to better manage your time, is to identify how you waste it. Stay off of Snapchat, Tik Tok, and Instagram while you’re supposed to be studying, and turn the TV off while you’re supposed to be doing homework. Instead, stick to your schedule and turn those distractions into rewards for finishing your study sessions or assignments, uninterrupted.
- Work intelligently. Don’t put off your most important projects until the end of the day, when you have the least amount of energy or motivation. Knock out a few quick to-do list items early in your day to get into a groove, and then tackle those bigger projects before you’re too tired to care.
- Finally, don’t forget to ask for help. There are tons of resources available to you as a college student. Take advantage of them! Schedule an appointment with your counselor, or ask your friends how they’re surviving and then breathe a sigh of relief when you realize you’re not alone.