I was nervous to enter my junior year because I have more responsibilities this semester compared to previous semesters. I was not sure how to balance an internship, club responsibilities, and harder classes, along with making time for my social life and taking care of myself.
I was determined to stay on track with my assignments and work right before the school year started. I created a consistent schedule to ensure that I was completing all of my tasks. I’m able to remember everything that is on my to-do list while simultaneously planning out my week.
Here’s what I did to ensure that I am scheduling my time correctly, while also maintaining my social life.
- Keep a planner
This is a commonly known but underestimated tip, keeping a planner or schedule is a great way to remember all of the assignments or plans you have going on.
It’s easy to forget everything you need to accomplish, but writing everything down will ensure that you won’t forget. I prefer to use Google Calendar because I can clearly see my class or internship schedule, and it lets me know everything I have to do for the day.
I also like to write homework assignments down in a planner because I find that it’s easier to track my assignments that way. It’s important to try out different methods and see what works best for you.
- Go to bed at consistent times during the week
I was guilty of going to bed at inconsistent hours last semester. Sometimes, I slept early at 11 a.m., and other nights I would stay up until 2 a.m. I often woke up feeling groggy during the week, and the inconsistency affected my concentration in school or my performance in other activities.
I’ve learned that you cannot successfully accomplish your goals — whether it be doing well in school, a job, or a club — if you do not take care of yourself. This year, I’ve been trying to go to bed around the same time every night so I establish a solid routine.
I make sure to go to bed every night around 11 so I’m getting at least eight hours of sleep every night. If I can’t fall asleep, I usually take melatonin to help calm me down and get a restful sleep. Sleep is essential and important, so I’ve learned to make sure I get enough sleep consistently.
- Try not to take on too much at once
It can be easy to try to accomplish too much at once or sign up for too many activities, but it is important to be aware of how much you can handle to prevent burnout.
During my freshman year of college, I joined a lot of organizations. After trying to balance all of the organizations and schoolwork, I quickly realized that I should only focus on two or three clubs that were most important to me so I had time for schoolwork, my friends, and myself.
You know yourself best, so it’s crucial to be honest with yourself about how you handle stress or a lot of responsibility. It’s better to put your full effort into fewer activities than trying to juggle too many at once, which limits the amount of time you can devote to each task.
Always remember that it’s okay to drop something if you feel overwhelmed because your well-being and mental health should be your first priority.
- Take advantage of Temple’s resources
Temple has a lot of resources that you can use to stay on track. The student success center offers one-on-one tutoring or Peer Assisted Study Sessions where you can join a peer-taught tutoring group.
If you need assistance with resume, essay, or cover letter writing, the writing center allows you to work with other peers to revise your writing. If you enjoy creative writing, they also offer creative writing centers where you’re given a creative writing prompt to write about.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your schedule, Tuttleman offers counseling services where you can receive individual or group counseling.
Feeling stressed is unfortunately normal, but it shouldn’t take over your life. If you’re struggling to manage your time or keep up with your schedule in college, use what Temple has to offer or explore some other methods to ease your stress.
While you should strive to make sure you are succeeding in college, remember to take care of yourself as well, so you can accomplish your goals.