The spring semester has begun for several colleges in the U.S., and with it comes the determination to stay organized, be ahead on work, and maintain a social life. As a student graduating at the end of this semester, I’ve felt that motivation every time I move back to campus after summer or winter breaks- and it definitely hasn’t lasted all semester. Here are some tips to keep up with everything, so that if motivation fails, you have the system in place to keep succeeding! From organization to time management, these tips may help you feel more on top of things through the whirlwind of obligations that fill the semester schedule.
- Utilize a planner.
With classes, work, extracurriculars, workouts, and social obligations (or any combination of those), college students have a lot to remember, and prioritizing is key. Get a planner with space to write in assignment due dates and homework, fill in your schedule for each day, and note down the workouts you want to do that week. Pencil in a few dinners or study sessions with friends if that’s what you’re into, or list the extracurricular responsibilities you have, but if it’s all written down in one place, you’ll be able to relax a bit. There’s no better feeling than flipping open a planner to reveal exactly what you have to do that day- no confusion, no last-minute panic (usually), and you can decorate it to your heart’s content.
- Snack & meal prep!
As I said: we’re busy. Prepping some easy meals ahead of time, or simply saving leftovers for lunch the next day, can be a lifesaver on those days you don’t have time to stop in the dining hall. Snacks that are easy to bring on the go are also perfect: add granola bars, fruit cups, and anything else you like that’s grab and go to your grocery list and toss some emergency snacks in your backpack. There’s nothing worse than feeling that headache come on when you haven’t had time to eat all day!
- Have an “everything” day.
Having one day- whether it’s an afternoon, evening, or the whole day- that you spend tidying up your dorm, filling in that planner, getting laundry done, cooking; whatever you need to do to reset and feel prepped for the week, choose a day. It could be Sunday (per the Sunday Reset trend), it could be Friday, it could be Tuesday. Choose the day you either need to reset after a long day, or the day you have the least obligations and the time to fully delve into that cleaning routine, and get to it! It makes it easier to handle, and avoids things piling up over the weeks.
- Set aside *you* time.
Whether it’s thirty minutes or an hour, try and set aside time each day that is solely for you. Not a time when you meet up with friends, or call family, or study (this might have to be amended during midterms and finals), but a time to watch a show, read a book, scroll through social media, or whatever else you love to do. It’s a fun way to not be thinking about school or other obligations for a set amount of time!
- Establish a morning & night routine.
This is another place that planner will come in handy- establish how you spend your mornings and nights to help you feel sure about your routines. If you work best in the morning, wake up on time to get a good breakfast and spend some time studying. If you work best at night, any household task that might distract from that may be able to fit into your morning routine— for example, light cleaning or laundry in the morning for an uninterrupted work night. Being used to doing things at certain times is a likely way to make it a habit and get used to staying on top of everything.