This is my sixth semester of college, yet I still find myself asking, “How am I supposed to balance everything?” Between 17 credits of classes, a new job, and clubs, I am still attempting to have a vibrant social life. But it feels nearly impossible to fully devote myself to all these things, and I can forget about even trying to get 8 hours of sleep every night. Even when I am able to complete all my assignments, make it through a successful shift at work, go to a club meeting, and hang out with my friends, I still find myself thinking, “I wish I had time to work out today” or “I really should’ve used that gap in between classes to call my mom.” I never feel like I am able to do enough within a single 24-hour period. I am also surrounded by so many other busy and accomplished students that I wonder, “How do they do it all?”
The simple truth is, juggling all these things at once is going to be hard. There will be days when I don’t finish my to-do list, and days when I have to cancel on friends to finish an important assignment. I won’t always be able to evenly split my time among all my priorities. Learning how to balance all the important things in my life is a challenge. Here are some tips I’ve found useful, but note that I am still learning how to manage everything, and this list is not exhaustive.
Tip 1: Cut yourself some slack
College is hard. Being away from home is hard. Getting good grades and still making time for your friends is hard. Not every day is going to be 100%. It’s ok. Make a to-do list. List everything you need to get done; that list is probably going to be pretty long. Then, reorder the list based on urgency. Items that need to be completed by the end of the day go to the top, and less important items can fall to the bottom. Learning how to prioritize action items is an extremely valuable skill that will be useful post-college.Â
Tip 2: Schedule in advance
Make Google Calendar your best friend. Start simple by putting your classes, work shifts, and club meetings into your calendar. From there, find some times where it makes sense to go to the library, call home, and do your laundry. Make sure to find some time to spend with your friends. Find someone to go try a new cafe with, and then study together after. Make your hangouts purposeful and relaxing, yet still productive. For me, it helps to find someone to work out with, because then I actually have to go. Sitting down every week and outlining a productive schedule helps me stay on track. And yes, sometimes it’s ok to skip an event to go take a nap; your body will tell you what you need.
Tip 3: Slow down
This might sound counterintuitive. If I need to get everything done within a short amount of time, how does slowing down help me? Well, the to-do list is valuable here. If I have 10 things I need to do, but only 3 of them are urgent for today, then today I should really just focus on those 3. I should complete them to the best of my ability and take my time on them. Multitasking really isn’t as efficient as you think it is, especially if it leads to a decrease in the quality of your work. Slowing down and really evaluating your to-do list is helpful to manage your time efficiently.
Tip 4: Have fun
At the end of the day, yes, your grades are important, but you also need to enjoy where you are in life and have fun. It’s ok to change your schedule at the last minute because a friend invited you out to dinner. Make reasonable adjustments to your schedule that allow you to flourish in both your academic and social life. Go shopping with your friends and do homework after. Being all work and no play is not beneficial for your well-being.Â