Balancing Your Life

One of the toughest, yet most important things that I’ve learned while being in college is time management. Personally, I’ve always had to balance school with something else, and it has not always been easy. Whether it’s trying to balance school with work, an internship, or a sport, it’s crucial to learn how to give energy  to everything you do while still also being successful. Not only in college will we have to manage multiple things, but throughout life, so why not start now.

When I started school as a freshman, I thought I was prepared to handle everything all at once, but I was actually way in over my head. I was overwhelmed with schoolwork, tennis, and trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with my life. I learned quickly that the most important part of time management is prioritizing. When you have a list of 100 things that need to be done, finish the important ones first. Trust me, it will take a huge load off your back. The little things can be done later, even last minute since they won’t take long. The other important thing to remember is to take advantage of your free time. If you have a good amount of time where you’re not really doing much, try and knock out one of those little things in advance instead of putting it off. Even if you complete an assignment in front of the TV or listening to music, get it done like this you won’t have to think about it anymore. You’ll thank yourself later when everyone around you is cramming work and you get to do whatever you want.

The last piece of advice that I have is to not forget that you’re in college because having a social life is also important. Manage your responsibilities in a way that you leave yourself time to have fun as well. If you work your butt off during the week, then use the weekend to relax and go out with your friends. Sunday is a good day to either get a lot of work done, or just chill out after a long week.

With all that being said, always remember that no matter what you may be juggling, there are other students going through the same thing and you will get everything done, but prioritizing remains crucial. Put in the work now, and you will see results for the future. Whenever I feel stressed, I always remind myself that college is only four years compared to the rest of our lives, so make the best of it and set yourself up for success.