By Kathryn Manning

It’s no secret that College is difficult. While you may not be taking as many classes as you did in high school, the course load is ten times more demanding. And if you are involved in outside organizations (which you definitely should be), or working to support yourself, it can seem like there is way too much to do and not nearly enough time. 

Now I don’t know your story, dear reader of this blog post, but I do know that you clicked on this article which means you want to learn how to better manage your time, and in doing so you have already taken the first step. Brilliant reader, your interest in this article tells me that you have the drive to achieve this desired balance, and as long as you have the drive, YOU CAN DO IT! And I, the author of this article, want nothing more than for you to achieve all your goals and dreams. Therefore, I am going to give to you some tips and advice that have helped me throughout my years at university. I am passing on the knowledge that has allowed me to take 15+ credit hours of coursework each semester, work one (sometimes two!) job(s), and stay involved in organizations. Please take my knowledge and soar.

TIP 1: BUY A PLANNER – and keep up with it

I’m sure you’ve heard this before – but only because IT WORKS. I am a huge advocate for a small handheld planner. Buy one, use it, and take it with you everywhere.

What I like to do is buy a planner that has a weekly view. Then, every Sunday, I get my planner set up for the week. How do I set it up? Great question! So glad you asked. Here are some things that I do:

• Write down all the assignments due that week on the days they are due
• Write down my class schedule for each day
• Write down any organization meetings/other meetings on the days they occur
• Write down any outside engagements (doctors appointments, work shifts, etc.) on the days they occur
• Make an overall To Do list for the week (I like to put the letter of the day I plan on completing next to the item on the list)

Here is an example of what a page in my planner may look like after I’ve set it up:

The BEST part about a handheld planner is that you get the incredible satisfaction of physically crossing an item off your list when you’ve completed it. You can’t beat this feeling. I have literally been motivated to NOT procrastinate and do a certain assignment just so that I could have the satisfaction of crossing it off my list. 

Protip: Try to stay away from calendar apps or phone planners. You’ll go to check when an assignment is due and end up 3 hours deep in YouTube videos wondering how on earth you ended up on the “Ask a Mortician” channel.

TIP 2: Schedule things consciously

Do you like to sleep in? Then DO NOT schedule morning classes. As much as you may want to, you will not wake up for it. Do you like to clock out after 5pm? Then DO NOT schedule night classes. You will not be present in the class like you need to be. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. However, if you can’t avoid it (which may happen – sometimes a required class is only offered at one time) be aware of yourself and your habits and make adjustments to your lifestyle to accommodate. Go to bed a little early on those nights. Treat yourself to breakfast if you make it to class. Give yourself that honey butter chicken biscuit or chicken minis motivation.

I highly recommend block scheduling over spreading classes out throughout the day. While the thought of back-to-back classes may be daunting, think about all the consecutive time you’ll have during the rest of the day to get things done. Here’s what I mean for you visual learners:

See how with this schedule, while I may be in class for a couple straight hours, I’m done with everything by about 2:00pm. I have the entire rest of my day from there to schedule appointments, work on homework, or maybe… just maybe… relax a little!

TIP 3: Do not… DO NOT Multitask

You are amazing. You are incredible. You are capable of anything you put your mind to. But… you… CANNOT… multitask. Read that sentence again. Absorb it. Make your peace with it. And don’t worry, it’s not just you. I can’t multitask. No one can multitask. Don’t believe me? Boom. 

But here’s the thing, you don’t have to multitask. In fact, it’s way better if you don’t. Put all your energy into one thing at a time. Not only will your grades improve because you’re giving it your all, but you’ll find solace and comfort in knowing you’ve given your best effort.

TIP 4: Divide and conquer

College is full of large projects. From research papers, to cumulative finals, to formal presentations, you are going to have assignments that (and trust me on this – it’s coming from a student) you CANNOT do (and do well) the night before. That is not a challenge. I’m sure you could knock something passable out the night before, given you are a stellar start student, but remember when we talked about giving things your best effort? Yeah. So make a plan to divide and conquer. Here’s some tips for how to do that:

Cumulative final?

Look at your calendar and go backwards from the exam date. The first two days before the exam plan to review everything.  Then plan to review one or two chapters/sections each day. For example:

Research Paper/Big Class Project?

Look at your calendar and go backwards from the due date. The first day before it’s due review your paper.  Then plan to write/review one or two sections each day. For example:

TIP 5: MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

Self care is so incredibly important, especially in college. Make sure you are giving yourself time to relax and to do the hobbies/activities you enjoy. Schedule a day away from your computer and keep school completely off your mind for that day.

I hope these tips will be as helpful to you as they have been for me. Remember, you are amazing, incredible, and whatever it is (EXCEPT MULTITASKING!!) you can do it!