Between a heavy course load, new friendships, and extracurricular activities, college is a balancing act that can be pretty hard to manage at times. The truth is, there are shortcuts you can take to create more free time for yourself that you may not be aware of yet. Read on to discover easy ways you can boost your time management skills and enjoy both work and play during the upcoming school year.
Take advantage of your course selection timetable
While choosing courses, consider the time and days of the week your lectures will be. You’ll probably find that with a few changes, you can schedule a day off for yourself to spend studying and catching up on coursework. Dedicating a weekday to studying is far more useful than scrambling to get work done between lectures. Make sure to schedule your day off mid-week to avoid temptation; if your “study” day is on a Friday or Monday, you’re more likely to use it as an extension of your weekend and go out rather than focus on your work.
Multitask efficiently
With a little planning, you can combine your social life and academic life by walking to the library with your roommates or quizzing classmates and teaching them concepts they’re struggling with. Explaining things in detail will help you get a better understanding of the course content, too. A great way for you and your friends to motivate each other is to plan a group study session and agree on a goal you want to reach (such as a textbook chapter to finish reading together) and doing something fun to reward yourselves after you accomplish it.
Choose the right work environment
College dorms are the perfect place to make new friends, but they can be a recipe for distraction while you’re studying. With other students constantly knocking on your door to chat, you are likely to procrastinate and cause yourself unnecessary stress later on. Your campus library is a convenient and quiet study spot, and being surrounded by other students who are focused might give you the motivation you need. If you feel like changing up your workspace, try a local coffee shop or a relaxing outdoor location if the weather allows for it.
Be selective with extracurricular activities
When signing up for activities on campus, try to choose the ones that count toward your co-curricular record and that you would enjoy most. Making too many commitments can be overwhelming and cause your grades and social life to suffer. As a college student, you likely already have a jam-packed schedule, so there’s no need for you to bombard yourself with activities that don’t benefit your personal development or academic record in the long run.
Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you ultimately have control over how you spend your time, and there are several changes you can make to ease your stress. Whether you’re going into your first year at college or you’re already an experienced student, learning the time management techniques that work best for you is an ongoing process. Now, you’re equipped with tools to make your hectic college life a little easier.