rnCollege life is like a mixer grinder. It takes everything happening and everything that has happened around you and mixes it all to brew a weird portion. Now, the final product can either taste like some kind of mouth-watering chocolate syrup or no less than rotten bread. It all dependence on what ingredients you pour into the jar.rnThere are tons of students across the length and breadth of the world who are juggling five balls in the air while making sure to not let drop anyone of those. In simple words, they juggle tons of responsibilities and stress on a daily basis. Examination pressure, haunting deadline, unfinished assignments, holding down a job, and so many gruelling to-do activities that hampers their productivity and health. With so much happening around, it becomes extremely crucial for a student to arrange his/her responsibilities, demands and time to lead a stress-free life. So what a student can do to better manage their time?rnWe have created a list of six simple time management tips that students can consider practicing. The following tips should help you both have fun, as well as adjust to college’s organizational hurdles while steering yourself in the direction of college success.
Pen Down Everything you Need to Do
Sounds like one boring and useless step but will help you keep track of majority of your tasks. When you have a million things to do, forgetting to complete a task is naïve, and adds up to your college woes. Universities are often very strict about various submission dates, and oversight can deliver a decisive blow to your grades during the semester.
rnAccording to a study in Psychological Science using pen and paper to write things down, instead of taking notes on a laptop, helps boost memory retention. Now you know why your mom always wanted you to write and learn. rnWrite down everything you need to do and, and make sure you prioritize the tasks as well. When you take notes using pen and paper in your own words, it deepens processing of thoughts thus you retain things for a long.rnIt is never too late to figure out how you can make sure you do not miss deadlines or even exams maybe. You can consider using planners like Google Calendar or set reminders for surprising alerts. It makes the job easy for you.
Balancing School and Work Life
According to a study conducted by Georgetown University, 40 percent of students ages 16–29 and 76 percent of students ages 30–54 years old work while in college. So if you are one of those students, you probably have a part-time or full-time job, which means you might be missing classes and not getting enough time to study right? Well, the best advice I can give you is to organize a schedule, so you are off work at least two days a week. Do anything, pick up an extra shift during one of your already scheduled days or work at night, but make sure you have at least two days off.
These two days are needed so that you stay dedicated to the prime purpose that you are there for which is studying. Be as productive as possible during those two off days. Get all the
assignment writing task done, take an extra hour nap, study for a test, etc. rnWe often think we can do it all until we realize it is too late and all we are left with is immense pressure. Considering that college is an expensive investment, your schoolwork should always take priority.
Sleep Well and Take Care of your Health
This is one advice that your mother always gives you over a phone call right? Well, mothers are always right. rnWhen you do not give proper attention to your health or do not get enough sleep after a grueling day, your brain does not function at its full potential. You start building stress level, which leads to unproductivity. Time management is all about getting things done within the scheduled time, and lack of sleep, causing health issues can hinder that experience.
rnTo avoid all-nighters at the last moment, break up your studying to focus on one particular section at a time. Once you are one week away from your exam, you will be delighted to know that you have gone over all of the material already. Make sure you mark all the important topics, and one you are struggling with as focusing on those topics is a lot easier than trying to focus on all the material at once. Moreover, exercising can keep up the energy levels and will likely cheer up your day. Exercising at least half an hour in the morning results in more engaged mind and can also increase your alertness and decrease stress level.
Prioritize Extracurricular Activities
Indulging in on-campus extracurricular activities will not only look good on your resume but will also offer you some downtime to relax and boost up your involvement with the outer world. Knowing the likes, you may be motivated to get involved in multiple extracurricular activities; however, it is very tough to keep up with all of them. So what you can do?
Pick a few that truly spark your interest, something you always wanted to do. It could be playing football or practicing playing the drum, anything. College is not only about studies it is about the overall development of an individual. These are some days you will look back and smile too when you in your 90s, so make sure they are worth remembering.
rnSelf-Awareness is the Key
The more you know about yourself, the better you will be adjusting to the challenges college life throws at you. You need to ask yourself the right questions. Sometimes our needs and wants conflict which encourages procrastination that can lead to a very stressful day ahead.
rnIf you are not a morning person, do not force yourself to get up and study in the morning as you will only waste time and will challenge your ability to be successful. Become cognizant of your energy level and abilities before you schedule any task. Ask if you will be able to complete a task in scheduled time. Knowing when you are most alert and able to concentrate is the key to scheduling your classes and homework time.
When you pay attention to your thoughts, emotions and the various manners in which you manage your educational responsibilities, you will become more responsible and confident in the challenges that lie ahead for you. In addition, the more you know about yourself, the more you will be able to tweak and utilize any given time management strategies.
Learn to Compromise
Sounds hard but yes, you need to learn to compromise because things will not always fall as you want them to fall. There will be times when there will not be enough time to get things done the way you want. When those times happen, trade in excellence for efficiency. rnDo not feel sad or down if you have to compromise as for now something else is important. Life will yet again give you many chances to visit an unknown island or be a part of Beyoncé concert that you missed. However, for now cheer up and do not let negative thoughts occupy your mind.
Earning a college degree is a cumulative ¬process. If you develop good time management habits early on – you will be able to reward yourself with a college degree sooner, while experiencing some of the most life changing years of your life.