By Emily Winters
One of the biggest challenges facing incoming college students is how to effectively manage time. This challenge is doubled when it comes to balancing work, schoolwork, and everyday life. Here are a few tips, from one student to another, on how to balance a full course load and effectively manage your time.
1. Invest in a planner - bonus points if you use a color coded system! This has been a life saver for me many times over the years. I even write down outside of school activities like going to see a movie with friends. This lets me see what I have coming up throughout the week, and visualize when I have time to study. This is an important step to actually sitting down to study!
A planner functions similarly to the “modules” function on Canvas. However, it is proven that physically writing notes or other things down
improves your memory. (Don’t believe me? Check out this article)
2. Set aside time to visit the library. An hour a day, four hours a week… whatever you can make work! Perhaps you have an hour after you finish class - use it to head to the library and get to work on that paper you have due Friday. Because you are not at home, and because you have a limited time frame, you will be more inclined to complete your tasks than if you were at home and had all night to study.
3. Know your limits. We all know study cramming isn’t effective, and neither is trying to accomplish all your homework and writing assignments in one sitting. Our brains have a difficult time comprehending everything if we push ourselves too far. Remember to take breaks, and enjoy time with your friends and family! You are not only a student or a worker, but a whole person.
4. Know your boundaries. Similar to the #3, it is important when negotiating your work and school schedule that you set aside time for work, time for school, and time for play. You don’t want to be answering work emails or answering your boss during your designated study times.
5. Cycle through different types of classwork. Do you have two hours to complete three assignments? Work on each in fifteen or twenty minute intervals, with small breaks in between. This will give your brain time to process what you are writing or studying, and once you return to a topic, you may have new insights and fresh eyes!
Do you have other time management suggestions that you think should be added to this list?
Email us at learningcenter@camden.rutgers.edu with suggestions, and as always, head to http://raptorconnect.camden.rutgers.edu/ to schedule peer tutoring today!
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