Don’t let the title fool you, I wasn’t always good at balancing my academic and social life. In fact, I was actually terrible at it. Comparing the person I have become in my fourth year at Chico State to the person I was in my first year is something I tend to admire.Â
During my first year, I let the excitement of new experiences and new people overtake the importance of why I was actually at college; to earn my degree. Especially here at Chico State, there seems to always be some sort of social event occurring. But learning how to find the right balance between academics and social life is an incredibly beneficial and crucial aspect of the college experience, and these are some tips on how I eventually learned to be successful at it.Â
1. PrioritizeÂ
When I first came to college, I thought the most important part of being here was how many people I met and places I went. I spent all my time making sure I attended every party or gathering, rather than making time to be able to. School was not my main priority, and because of this, I struggled immensely. Both my mental health and grades dwindled due to the poor habits I had created for myself. After realization that I needed to reevaluate my choices during my second year at college, I flipped my priorities. School became the most important thing to me (as it always should have been) and I’ve spent the past two years learning how to be able to make time for social events, rather than making sure I have time for them.
2. Create a schedule
Creating a week-by-week schedule for myself is something that has truly saved my unfortunately, poor time management skills. What works best for me is setting time aside every Sunday to look ahead and plan my week in order to get everything I need to do done, but also making sure I have time for friends. Getting homework done early in the week has helped my stress levels diminish by the weekends and allows me to have stress-free hangouts when I’m with my friends. Having all your homework done early can definitely help the Sunday scaries be a little less scary!Â
3. Know your people, and keep them close!Â
Quality over quantity is always the way to go when it comes to friends. It’s always great to want to meet as many people as possible, and that was something I definitely strived for during my first and second year of college. But, in this, finding a few true friends to stick together with is what I found brought me the most happiness and balance within my life. Trying to please everyone is only ever going to cause harm to your own mental health, which leads me to my last tip…
4. Learn how to say no
While socializing is valuable, remembering to prioritize my academics is what I struggled to realize in my first years here. Saying yes to stuff is great, but can become overwhelming when you don’t set boundaries with yourself when it has become too much to handle. Don’t feel obligated to attend every social event. It’s okay to say no and prioritize academics and self-care when you need it most. There’s always going to be another party or gathering, and a good reset is what can make you feel your best once it rolls around!Â
