It’s no surprise that almost all students struggle at some point, especially in college. From experience, I know the liberty of not having a set schedule each day definitely comes with both pros and cons.
As someone who was once a highly disciplined high school student, I now find myself struggling to get out of bed for my 10:40 am class. Change has definitely happened when it comes to getting my tasks done.
But even though these challenges are inevitable, they’re also something we can change once we recognize them.
If you’re wondering about my credentials for giving time management advice. here is everything I juggle: I’m a freshman representative of Project Sunshine, a writer for HerCampus (duh!), involved in research on PARP inhibitors, working two jobs (one at a restaurant and another as a barista), serving on the board for a multicultural festival and most importantly a biomedical sciences student.
Here are my best time management tips:
- Set Goals for Each Day
I can’t stress enough how important it is to organize your day the night before. If you’re anything like me, you want to accomplish a million things in one day. But with only 24 hours, having a set list of goals helps you visualize what needs to be done.
- Prioritize What You Need to Do vs What You Want to Do
Being ambitious is not a bad thing, but prioritizing deadlines, urgent assignments and important tasks will help you feel more accomplished. And who knows? Maybe once you finish everything you’ve been meaning to do.
- Take advantage of free time
Personally, if I don’t block out specific times for tasks, I end up doom scrolling on TikTok for way longer that I’d like to admit, I use apps structured to plan out tasks while also scheduling breaks to encourage productivity.
- Don’t make excuses
I’m guilty of making excuses, whether it’s “I’m too tired,” “I’m too stressed,” or any other reason I can attach to too. But better time management means making fewer excuses and constantly playing the balancing act.
- Don’t Overthink, Just do
Whenever I overthink everything I have to do, I get even more stressed about the time I need, when to do it, and how I’ll feel. Effective time management means taking action — just doing what needs to be done instead of dwelling on it.
I hope these tips help balance college just a little bit better. After all, being a college student is already a difficult task, and managing life outside of it can feel almost impossible. But just know there’s always a light ahead