Late nights in the library, snoozing your alarm, pushing aside homework to go out with friends and grudgingly making the walk to work. Sound familiar? A busy schedule is not a foreign concept to me. This semester, I’m balancing 18 credit hours, work, a club sport, and three organizations. Not to mention the time spent hanging out with my friends, working out (as if), studying, oh and that thing called sleep.
The first week may have been tough but now three weeks into the semester I have my feet back under me and things are running relatively smooth. If any of you are in the same boat, here’s some advice.
Keep an agenda
This is the number one, absolute best, Holy Grail piece of advice. If you don’t write it down how else will you remember that you have a paper due at noon, work immediately after and a Her Campus meeting at 5:30 p.m.? Keeping an agenda and actually using it is the simplest thing, but really makes a difference. Don’t restrict it to just your classes, write down the times of your meetings, dinner with your friends, and that two-hour gap you need to save for studying.
Learn to say no
If you say yes to everything you will get burnt out. If you have a full day and someone asks you to lunch, don’t be afraid to say no so you can get that hour long nap in before class. Remember that you are the most important person in your life. You need to take care of yourself first and worry about pleasing other people after. Joining clubs can be a great thing, but saying no to the majority will be so much better for you.
Value sleep
Sleep is very important to your success. In the media it is portrayed as glamorous to not get enough sleep; to be staying out late but still waking up for your 6 a.m. yoga class. In reality lacking in sleep is the exact opposite of glamorous. Your body needs sleep to recharge and repair itself. Getting eight hours of sleep should be a reasonable goal, and setting aside an hour for a nap should be applauded.
Keep your social life
Nothing makes you more annoyed with your busy schedule than that moment when you realize you’ve barely talked to your friends all week. Make sure you are setting time aside to go out to dinner or have a movie night with your best buds. Your friends are the ones who are going to make the semester fun.
If any of you are struggling with keeping afloat this semester, I hope these tips helped!
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