During college, we all try to fit as much as humanly possible into a simple 24 hours. The problem is, anyone who has had to run back and forth between classes on campus, while simultaneously trying to spend time with their friends and miraculously finding a second to actually eat something, will tell you that 24 hours just sometimes is not enough.
Finding the time to do just about everything you want almost feels like an Olympic sport, especially when you see your classmates somehow having time to complete several-page papers, show up to every class on time, and make it to each obscure Club Down Under (CDU) event without having to sacrifice their sanity. As a junior myself, I still struggle with the never-ending to-do list that is college, but there is hope yet. The key is to know how to use your calendar to its full potential.
Online Calenders
I’m a personal fan of having everything planned on my phone’s calendar, allowing me to see my entire day with the press of a button.
If you aren’t a personal fan of online calendars, then I suggest getting yourself a physical planner, something fun to keep you motivated, and honestly, it’s much cuter to look at. Whichever kind of planner works for you can get the job done.
The real task is setting up your time slots. Breaking up your day into classes, meetings, appointments, and homework is all very important, but most of the time, we forget to consider the real time-spenders: meals, commutes, and chores.
Putting in slots for classes is one thing, but making sure you don’t get overwhelmed lies in making room for the things you don’t usually account for. This also goes for any free time during your day; whether that’s just taking a break at the Union or sitting by the fountain at Landis, free time is just as important to account for as your classes.
Blank spaces in your calendar end up making you feel like you’ve got more time than you do, which can lead to overbooking yourself and end up with you overcommitting to two different events with friends that you forgot about.
Time-blocking
Time-blocking sort of becomes your best friend in college. Writing reminders like “study today” or “go to gym at some point” seems more like suggestions rather than actual goals for the day.
Setting aside actual time in your calendar for your studying or gym time is a lot harder to ignore and usually makes you more willing to actually complete the task if you already squared away time for it in your day.
I know we all want to feel like we can get it all done in a day, but stick to how much you can realistically get done in your schedule. I don’t try to fit writing an entire paper into one hour on my schedule because I know, realistically, I’ll need loads more time to get it done. I would rather just give myself the hour to get started and space out more time for my paper throughout the week.
What I’ve learned through my calendar-perfecting skills is that planning out your week on a Sunday usually helps to stay on track with your assignments that need getting done.
Being a die-hard calendar user only works if you take the time to consider how much time things actually take up, like your commuting times and assignments. That’s where buffer time comes into play. I always like to give myself that extra 10-15 minutes in between in my calendar to account for anything that might go a little off schedule. Call me an overthinker, I know, but don’t knock it till you try it.
Remember, college is supposed to be fun, the time to make memories with friends and to go out! Maximizing productivity in your daily schedule is important, but so is spending time doing things you enjoy, like hobbies and friends.
College is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest, so don’t let a poorly planned day mess that up!
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