Time Management Tips for College Students
Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, it was 2 o’clock in the morning and I had not yet finish my term paper due at 7 o’clock in the morning of the same day. I was panicking. I only had at least 4 hours to finish it before I had to go to school. I was a college freshman then and was barely able to manage and pass the paper on time that day. I bet this is a familiar situation for college students nowadays. On top of the papers to finish, there could be a pre-written essay to pass, oral reports to present, quizzes and examinations to study and co-curricular activities to attend. It’s pretty stressful to think about but, with proper time management I was able to work my way out to college. Here are some 7 pretty useful tips that I have personally tried, to help you, to manage your time and ease your way through college life.
You are Your own key
In all things you do and decide, you are your own key. This means that you have to know yourself well. You should know your dreams, wants and desires. Is the course you are enrolled to your dream? Do you want to finish college in the time frame given for your course? These things matter a lot because it is part of your motivation. If you are not enrolled in your dream course or the course that you want or interested in, then this might greatly affect your motivation to study and finish your requirements on time.
A Goal Matters the Most
An athlete’s goal is to have a gold medal. An architect is to make the perfect home design, a teacher is to be the best teacher for the students and so on. Most people become successful in their careers because they have a goal to accomplish. As a college student, you need to set your goals to be able to achieve something. You can make long-term and short-term goals. For example, your long-term goal is to finish your course in just the span of four years while your short-term goals are something more immediate like, to write your essay and finished it in time.
Be Calm and Prioritize
It could be stressful when your professors bombard you with too many things to do. Do not be stressed out and be calm because you can prioritize. Make a list of all the things that you have to do per day and per week and classify them according to when they are due. It will be common sense to do the one needed the earliest first then proceed to the next until you accomplish everything.
Double your “S”, Structure and Schedule
Some people are morning persons. They like to get up very early in the morning and do things, others are more productive in the evenings. Some are even more productive in wee hours between 1 o’clock till 4 o’clock in the morning. You should know the time when you are most productive so you can structure it. Do the most important and more difficult task on your most productive time and do the easier ones and not urgent ones on your low productivity time. When you have structured your time, then make a schedule out of it and make it as a routine. You will handle tasks flawlessly this way.
Procrastination is your enemy
Once you have your structured time and scheduled routine, do not procrastinate. Have it in your mind that you and procrastination are enemies because once you befriend it, your schedule will be disrupted and you will most likely not going to accomplish things on time.
Kick out or Limit Distractions
We usually get side track when we entertain distractions. Kick them out of your life, so you can focus on achieving your goals. Video games, social media, drinking, clubbing and parties are mostly what gets you distracted so you have to kick them out. Some would argue that if you remove these, then your social life would also be non-existent which would also have some point thus, if you cannot completely remove them, then limit it or include it in your schedule. You can put at least 15 to 30 minutes in your schedule for your video games or social media apps and limit your parties at least once or twice a month. Or you can go for a healthier option of social interaction which is jogging in the park with friends, have a group study in the park and a lot more.
Your Health is your Gem
You need to take good care of your health. It is difficult to accomplish your requirements when you’re having colds and the flu thus, your health is your gem that needs to be handled with care. This is what your schedule is for to get enough sleep and do exercise. You also need to eat healthily. I know instant noodles or a donut and coffee are quick fix for your hunger but it would lower your immune system if you only eat that every day. Have time to cook your own meal, buy fruits and veggies or at least eat at restaurants or food stalls that offer variety of healthy dishes.
College life is a struggle that one has to pass in order to proceed to the next chapter of life, which is, the working adult life. Time management is usually difficult to do even when you are in that next chapter but with perseverance in following these tips, will make it easier to accomplish. Eventually, you won’t notice that you already reach the end, and graduation is just days ahead. Cheers to a smooth college life!