Time management necessary factor in avoiding college stress

Dealing with classes, sports, friends, organizations, homework, jobs and "you" time seems all too impossible while attending college.


Many times students are unable to properly cope with all the activities that they face.

Some of the items such as homework and sleep get pushed to the side or ignored all-together due to a lack of time.

Kendra Mott, a sophomore at Muskingum University, has found out just how hard time management can be.

"I came into this school so motivated and driven to do everything," said Mott. "It has gotten harder to stay on track the longer that I have been here."

The more comfortable students become in their new college environment, the harder it becomes to distinguish how much time each event, paper and game will take.

"Now that I have been able to get used to how things run around here, I have come to the conclusion that I can put things off as long as I can," said Mott. "But now I find myself unable to keep up with my work at times."

Mott is not the only person on campus who finds that juggling school and life is harder than he or she originally thought.

Here are some ways that students can manage their time without giving up these activities that they love so much.

First, be sure to keep a daily planner because this allows you to keep track of where you need to be and what needs to get done by a certain date.

There are resources in which anyone can test out just how good of a planner you really are.

At Academic Skills Center at Dartmouth College, there is a planning test that can help you improve your planning skills and learn a little more about yourself.

Second, prioritize your assignments. Decide what assignment will be the most difficult and which one will take the most time.

Assignments put off until the afternoon may not get done.

Thirdly, do your homework the day that it is assigned. This may seem like it is a hassle to start with, but it will free up your time on the weekends; leaving more free time for you.

Next, take a short break in between studying. Studying too much can leave your mind feeling fried. Every couple of hours, try to take a time out.

Spend some time on a hobby such as doing a coloring book, or surfing the web. It does not matter what it is just as long as you take your mind off of studying for just a little while.

The next sep is to make plans for a study group. By making a study session with some of your friends or people from your class, you are creating a time for social interaction along with studying, so essentially you are killing two birds with one stone.

Some students have already figured out that these steps work.

Jacob Graham, a junior at Muskingum has so much on his plate and says he doesn't know where to even begin sometimes.

"I work about 25 hours a week," said Graham. "I'm in the Marines so I had to do that for one weekend out of every month on top of worrying about all the bills I have to pay. I'm just maxed out on my stress level."

This happens to many students who have a job and are paying for college on their own.

"I find myself studying about 10 minutes before a class starts if I have a test and if I don't, I usually don't study at all," said Graham. "I usually do pretty well in classes; I've just learned I have to take time out for me."

Finally, be sure to make time for you.

Whether you go out, or take the time to read a book (not including your text books), just remember that all work and no play can leave you completely tired and stressed and can actually do more harm than good.

"I have started to use that planner that we students get at the beginning of the year," said Mott. "It has helped me keep track of what papers are due and what tests are on certain days and I make sure that Friday and Saturday nights are all about me."