Welcome back! I've just finished my second week of college and while I'm still figuring a few things out, time management is not one of them. College is so much different, and better in my opinion, than high school because you make your own schedule as well as decisions about your priorities.
1. Know Your Priorities
While it might be tempting to try and do it all, you can't do everything all the time. If you know what's important to you, both short and long term, it'll be easier so figure out what you have time for and what you don't. I'm not advising you to skip class, but if you have an important interview that you should prepare for, then maybe your Econ recitation isn't your top priority.
2. Plan Your Time
I will praise planners 'til the day I die, honestly. Whether you prefer a physical planner of the Calendar app on your iPhone, religiously keep track of any and everything that might occur in your day. I write down my class schedule as well club meetings, information sessions, etc. so I can easily see when I have free time and figure out the best way to use it. Even a spare 45 min between classes allows me to go back to my dorm and start a load of laundry or pick up a package from the mail center and keeps my to-do list from getting to long.
3. Schedule "Me Time"
One of the biggest ways to avoid procrastination is my scheduling time to yourself. You'll be less tempted to watch the latest episode of Bachelor in Paradise in bed instead of doing your theology reading if you know that Friday evening you have hours to yourself to do whatever you want. It's also so much more rewarding to sit down and know that you go everything done that you needed to instead of thinking about all the work you could and should be doing.
4. Find the Balance
You've probably seen that thing on twitter or instagram that says "school, social life, sleep- pick two," but I find that completely false. The key is knowing yourself and doing what's best for you. I prioritize school and extracurriculars Monday through Friday, and make sure that I get my work done. On Friday evenings/nights I usually choose not to go out, but to have time to myself to watch Netflix or read a book or just surf the internet. Saturday's are for being social; I go to food festivals during the day and party with my friends at night. On week nights, I sleep from 11pm-7am so that I feel well rested and productive during the day. This lifestyle allows me to be the best version of myself, and while I don't follow it super strictly, I know that it works for me.
I hope these tips are helpful to all my college gals (and guys) out there! Let me know any time management tips you have in the comments. xx, Lauren
