How to Manage College Life
Don’t overburden yourself., Create a visual weekly schedule., Keep track of important dates and deadlines., Block out time for study., Prioritize your study time appropriately., Block out time for fun and socializing.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Don’t overburden yourself.
A normal college course load can be difficult to manage on its own.
If you have work or family obligations, it can feel pretty overwhelming.
Don’t sign up for more classes in a term than you know you can manage.
If you have a job or obligations at home, consider signing up for a part-time or online college program instead of a traditional full-time program.
Talk to your academic advisor about creating a manageable schedule that fulfills your program’s requirements for each semester or quarter.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to drop classes that aren’t working out for you.
You will probably get a chance to sign up for that class again at a later date. -
Step 2: Create a visual weekly schedule.
This should be a one-page sheet that shows what a normal week will look like during the semester or quarter, so you will have a quick reference until you get used to your class schedule.
Use a page from a pre-made weekly planner, or make your own.
Create a grid on paper, or use a program like MS Word to create a table with columns for each day of the week and rows for each hour of the day.
Fill in the appropriate blocks of time for each of your classes.
This will help you keep track of your class schedule and visualize the time that you have available for doing other things during the week. , Look over the syllabus for each of your classes and make note of assignment deadlines, test days, and other important dates.
Write these dates down in a planner, or use a program like Google Calendar if you prefer. , Once you’ve figured out your basic schedule, set aside a certain amount of time each day for study.
Ideally, you should be spending about two hours of study time for each hour spent in class., It can be tempting to get relatively fun and easy tasks out of the way first, but it’s generally best to focus on your most difficult and time-consuming assignments first.
Take a few minutes to assess your assignments each week, and decide which assignments are most urgent and which will take up the most time.
Make those your first priority. , Taking time for things other than classes and study is extremely important.
Relaxing and having fun are vital to your mental health, and can actually make you more productive.Schedule your fun and social time the same way you would your classes and other obligations.
For example, you might set aside an hour each night for hanging out with your friends over dinner, with a clearly defined start and end time.
This will help you maintain a structured and well-balanced routine. -
Step 3: Keep track of important dates and deadlines.
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Step 4: Block out time for study.
-
Step 5: Prioritize your study time appropriately.
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Step 6: Block out time for fun and socializing.
Detailed Guide
A normal college course load can be difficult to manage on its own.
If you have work or family obligations, it can feel pretty overwhelming.
Don’t sign up for more classes in a term than you know you can manage.
If you have a job or obligations at home, consider signing up for a part-time or online college program instead of a traditional full-time program.
Talk to your academic advisor about creating a manageable schedule that fulfills your program’s requirements for each semester or quarter.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to drop classes that aren’t working out for you.
You will probably get a chance to sign up for that class again at a later date.
This should be a one-page sheet that shows what a normal week will look like during the semester or quarter, so you will have a quick reference until you get used to your class schedule.
Use a page from a pre-made weekly planner, or make your own.
Create a grid on paper, or use a program like MS Word to create a table with columns for each day of the week and rows for each hour of the day.
Fill in the appropriate blocks of time for each of your classes.
This will help you keep track of your class schedule and visualize the time that you have available for doing other things during the week. , Look over the syllabus for each of your classes and make note of assignment deadlines, test days, and other important dates.
Write these dates down in a planner, or use a program like Google Calendar if you prefer. , Once you’ve figured out your basic schedule, set aside a certain amount of time each day for study.
Ideally, you should be spending about two hours of study time for each hour spent in class., It can be tempting to get relatively fun and easy tasks out of the way first, but it’s generally best to focus on your most difficult and time-consuming assignments first.
Take a few minutes to assess your assignments each week, and decide which assignments are most urgent and which will take up the most time.
Make those your first priority. , Taking time for things other than classes and study is extremely important.
Relaxing and having fun are vital to your mental health, and can actually make you more productive.Schedule your fun and social time the same way you would your classes and other obligations.
For example, you might set aside an hour each night for hanging out with your friends over dinner, with a clearly defined start and end time.
This will help you maintain a structured and well-balanced routine.
About the Author
Theresa Hughes
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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