Effective Time Management for College Students
Between 18 credit hours, volunteering
at the local hospital, loads of homework, and a job, there doesn’t seem
to be enough hours in a day. You never have time to sit back and enjoy
the college life. You always seem to be on the move.
Is it because you don’t have enough
time or because you don’t use effective time management. Try using
these strategies to accomplish the most you can in a single day.
Write a “to do” list. It’s a lot
easier to know what you need to do when you can see a “to do” list. Make
this list daily in a planner, on a wall calendar, or even in your PDA or
cell phone. Make the list first thing in the morning and look at it
often.
Schedule a time for each task.
Start with the most time consuming and most important, starting with
your class schedule. Make sure you can attend class, schedule study
time, mark down the hours you have to work, and so on until you find out
how many empty time slots you have.
Break down your tasks. If you can,
break a task down into blocks. Doing a marathon study session won’t be
as effective as studying in bits and pieces. It also helps to break down
large assignments, as well. A term paper will be written better if you
do it in segments.
Be realistic with the number of credit hours
you can take. The more classes you take per semester, the less tuition
you have to pay overall. That being said, if you take on more
than you
can handle, your grades and personal life will suffer. It is very
difficult to take on more than 18 credit hours and have enough time to
post good grades. Twelve credit hours is a good case load if you have to
work 20-30 hours a week to pay for college. What ever you decide, don't
sacrifice your grades. In the long run, your GPA will mean much more in
the job market.
Use time in between classes wisely.
Since there will usually be an hour or two in between your classes,
use that time to do your homework and study. The classes lecture will
still be fresh on your mind. You’ll be much more productive if you do
your homework when you can do it quicker and better.
Say “no” when you have to. When a
large assignment is due, it takes priority. Even if the entire dorm
floor is going to the basketball game or a concert, you need to set your
priorities. Say “no” when necessary, even if it’s your boss asking you
to cover a shift.
Work on campus if you can. This is
a wise idea for two reasons. First, a lot of on campus employers will
give you time off if you have to study for a test or write a paper.
Second, many on campus jobs let you multi-task. When you’re not busy,
you can do mini study sessions. You’re killing two birds with one stone.
Studying and paying your way through college. This is something you
should try to do even if you aren’t employed on campus.
Schedule some down time. Everyone
needs time to sit back and relax. It keeps you sane. Even if it’s just
for a few minutes, make sure you spend time doing something relaxing
each day. Watch some TV, hang out with friends, take a long shower,
whatever will keep you loose.
College is a hectic time for most
students. However, It can be the most rewarding and exciting time of
your life if you plan your days wisely. You’ll find more time to
dedicate to things you want to do and still accomplish much more than
you ever thought you could.
Time is the one resource you can never
get back. Use it wisely. You’ll be glad you did.
