You might have been advised to make the most out of your college experience. There are so many opportunities available to you as a student. Personally, I love getting involved in all the cool activities at Whitman, or maybe I just have a fear of missing out. Either way, I have unintentionally created a habit of signing myself up for everything I possibly can—including classes—until I’m triple-booked and my hair starts to turn gray.
Last semester, I ended up registering for 22 credits, including two musical ensembles and music lessons—pushing me well into academic overload (18+ credits). I knew the semester was going to be busy, so I sat down and planned the priorities I’d need to stick to. Here’s my best advice for anyone who accidentally (or voluntarily) finds themselves in the same situation.
- Utilize all of your time, even in between classes.
I made the break-through realization that I could do homework in between classes, instead of waiting until after all of my classes were done for the day. This changed my life for the better. Most of my classes were not back-to-back, so I took advantage of the time before the next class to knock out a lot of homework.
- A calendar will become your best friend.
I was very anti-calendar in high school which was often a bad thing for me. When I came to Whitman, I decided it was probably time to get organized. Using a calendar truly became a life saver. I can’t tell you how many times I *almost* missed a meeting or class but the calendar notification on my phone reminded me. Plus, seeing the schedule of my day at a glance really helps me plan my day by showing me what time I have open, free to catch up on school work or take a fun break!
- Make time for yourself. Don’t work yourself to death!
I know it’s hard to find time for yourself when it feels like all you can ever do is work, but I promise that time is there, and it is so worth it to set it aside to do the things you enjoy. I always made sure to do my work early on Wednesdays so I’d have time to go to trivia with my friends. I would also do all of my weekend homework on Friday and Sunday, so I could have Saturday off to fully relax.
With some good time management you’ll be able to find breaks throughout your day and week to do things for yourself. Live your life and don’t spend all day huddling over a laptop.
Carsten Wallace-Bailey (He/Him/His) is a Junior Psychology and Film and Media Studies major and music minor from Walla Walla, Washington. Carsten spent his summer working as a psychology research assistant where he hung out with pigeons for an hour every day.