Whether you are a college rookie or have been through the rhythm of it a few times, going back to school is always an adjustment. College also brings new aspects to navigate such as balancing school, work, roommates, social life and more. Getting back into the rhythm of college life requires finding your groove to help you navigate these things. It may have taken me three years of college to finally find the groove that works for me, but as I enter my last year, I wanted to share what I’ve learned. Listed below is my five-step guide to getting back into the groove of college.
1. Get a Planner and Actually Use It
At the beginning of every school year, students gather at Target, Staples, or the campus bookstore to buy that planner that they are definitely going to use all year long (not). Up until this year, I think my longest-standing planner to date lasted until week two. However, using a planner is all about commitment, and it can be an incredibly helpful organizational tool. Try using your planner week by week, only writing down what’s ahead for the current week. This will keep you from stressing yourself out with future tasks, and help you to focus your attention on more immediate tasks. I find that planning out my schedule for each day along with what I need to get done that day is extremely helpful for time management. Not to mention, it is also remarkably satisfying to cross off completed tasks (I’ll be honest, this is half the reason I write down my tasks in the first place). Now, being responsible for keeping track of a planner and remembering to bring it with you may also be an inconvenience, keeping you from sticking to using it. Luckily for you, there are great online planners as well, not to mention also eco-friendly! Google Calendar, Week Plan and Outlook Calendar are all great virtual planners that you can access on your computer or, even better, your phone!
2. Set Achievable Goals
We all naturally create goals for ourselves, and new goals come along with each new school year, whether that be academically, professionally, or even socially. However, the key to conquering those goals is making them achievable. In anything in life, unrealistic expectations never prosper. If there’s one thing I learned by trying to juggle too much in college, it is that burnout is very real. Burnout is dangerous because it can ultimately prevent you from achieving any of your goals because you’ve stacked your plate too high. By managing your goals and focusing on what’s most important, you can prevent burnout, aka a breakdown mid-quarter. Setting achievable goals will not only help to prevent burnout, but it will also make you feel more productive. This practice will help you identify your most important values as well, and is a great tool to carry with you in all life’s circumstances.
3. Time Management for a Balance of School & Social Life
So far I’ve only discussed school-related tips, and where is all the fun in that you ask? College is filled with fun, and that’s the way it should be. It’s still important to enjoy the college lifestyle while you still have it. That is why in college, time management is very advantageous. In college, I have found that most people thrive when they have found that perfect balance between school and social life. You don’t want to stress yourself out too much by focusing solely on school (remember, breakdown), but you also don’t want to focus all your time and attention on social activities that you forget why you’re actually going to college. Allocating your time between school and social life will help you find your groove back into college life, or help you to navigate college for the first time. And if you’re anything like me, and can feel guilty about putting off school tasks every once in a while to do something social, remember that quality time enjoyed is never time wasted, so enjoy college because it goes by fast!
4. Find a Study Spot that Works for You
I didn’t learn this piece of advice until much later in college, but since I’ve adopted it, it has made a huge difference in my study habits and staying on top of school work. There is a mental association made when you attach an environment with a habit. As for myself, I have definitely noticed this association that I have made when attaching a studying environment with being productive and staying focused. For example, I find that trying to get homework done at home can be unproductive and distracting because I associate that environment with so many more things than just studying (studying probably actually falls very low on the list of associations). Therefore, I have found other environments that I have created in my mind to be solely designated for studying. Some that work for me that you may also enjoy are the second floor of the University Union, the courtyard between the UU and Admin Building or an evening study session at Kreuzberg.
5. Prioritize Self-Care Activities in your Routine
Last, but most definitely not least, is the importance of self-care. Sometimes, as college students, we can get so caught up in everything we have to do, or think we should be doing, that we neglect to take care of ourselves, especially mentally. We often put off self-care activities because they don’t seem “productive,” but I can almost guarantee you that the first step to productivity is feeling good and taking care of yourself. When you prioritize self-care activities in your routine, they become a habit. I plan out my self-care activities ahead of time and make them out to be a task that needs to be completed, like a school assignment. This helps me to prioritize self-care and keep myself accountable for making sure I am taking care of my body and mind. Some low-time commitment and relatively simple self-care activities that I have found helpful in incorporating into my routine are a daily evening walk, yoga classes, making time for morning and night getting-ready routines, watching television with roommates and making a home-cooked meal.
Getting back into, or beginning, your routine of college can be an adjustment as college brings many obstacles when it comes to time management, burnout and taking care of yourself. However, it is important to find the routine that works best for you, and hopefully this simple, but validly tested guide will help you find your groove.