Being in college and trying to balance everything life throws at you can be a huge learning curve. If you’re a student, you are all familiar with our friend procrastination. Procrastination is very tempting and going to a social with your sisters is much more fun than writing a book report. So, you put it off and then before you know it the report is due in two hours and you are quickly trying to put together something that slightly resembles a book report just so you can get it turned in on time. Sound familiar?
The truth is that you have to find your balance. And that could mean a few trial and error attempts. At the end of the day, you are in college to earn your degree and as tempting as it is to attend that social, the book report is always more important. So how do you push out the distractions and get down to business?
Organize, Organize, Organize
Organizing is a sport for some people. They color code everything, schedule their day by the hour and never miss a deadline. For others, organization is not a strong suit and even buying a planner seems like an ordeal.
Experiment with what works best for you. Maybe making a weekly to-do list on your phone will help. There are tons of apps out there designed for this purpose. Maybe you just need to use some sticky notes in your notebook or use the sticky notes on your computer. Try different things until you find something that sticks (pun intended).
Whatever you do being even a little organized in some way can take a lot of stress off of remembering an assignment last minute or forgetting an assignment. Having assignments organized will also allow you to know if you have the time to go to the social. You can attend without worrying about assignments in the back of your mind and really have fun with sisters!
Schedule in Study Time
Scheduling in specific times every week to study can help ensure you have enough time to be ready for a test while still giving you time to relax and go to that social! Be aware of what times you work best. If you like to sleep in, starting off your day doing homework probably won’t work. This goes back to the trial and error. If you haven’t made a schedule like this before it might be tricky to figure out what time of day you work best. Be open to trying new things because you never know what will help you be the most productive. If you find yourself skipping your study times, ask a friend or sorority sister to join you. Having someone else to help keep you accountable always helps. Plus, you can be social while still getting your homework done!
Limit Distractions
This is huge! To ensure you can truly focus on your to-do list limiting the distractions around you is a great place to start. Turning off your phone or keeping it in your backpack takes away the temptation to check it every five minutes. There are apps that allow you to block you from certain social apps for a length of time as well. Maybe you don’t need this and you need to study alone because working with others makes you want to chat more. Be honest with yourself so you can focus on school first.
While some people have to schedule specific study times, others need to be in a certain type of environment to be productive and limit the distractions around them. Try different areas around campus to find the perfect study spot. Places like the library or a coffee shop are a great place to start. The environment works really well to be productive. While you might be comfortable at home there are often distractions like roommates or even Netflix that pull attention.
Schedule Downtime
As important as scheduling study time it is also important to give yourself downtime. Taking time away to recharge your batteries and let yourself rest is so important. To really give 100% you have to feel 100%. This is where you can say yes to the social or a dinner date with your friends. Just be sure you have met your deadlines first!
