College Study Time: Make it Priority One
Whether you are attending a traditional university or earning your degree via an online college, one thing is the same – your time is precious. There are only so many hours in a week and let’s face it, how you spend most of them is probably already determined. After classes, sleep, socializing and maybe even work there’s something else that should be your top priority. Study time. Below are some pointers to ensure that you leave yourself ample time to study your course work:
Don’t over commit. We all want to be super human; it seems, in pursuit of creating balance in our lives. But if you allow parties, sports, obligatory social events and even too many classes and work shifts into your life what can you truly do well? Nothing. You need to be very realistic about how much you can do and keep yourself from over promising anything further. If it takes you longer than four years to earn your degree, that’s okay. It’s better than over-extending and getting frazzled in the process.
Priority intact? Then it’s time to make some lists. A weekly calendar gives you a glance at everything you need to attend to before weekend rolls around. A daily “to do” list helps to break things down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Give yourself a few minutes for this every morning and you’ll be amazed at how much more in control you feel over your workload. Don’t fret if the day ends and you’ve not done everything on the daily list. Tomorrow’s a new day and you can always re-evaluate.
Look down the road toward long-term goals. Sure it’s important to prepare for quizzes and be on time for your study group, but don’t forget that you have a vision for your life once you graduate. That’s what makes all of the current work worthwhile after all. Keep your eye on the future and make sure that the things you do each day keep you on track for getting you where you want to be.
Do whatever you have to in order to avoid distractions. It may be fun to hit a movie instead of your books every once in a while, but if you have a friend who constantly tries to undermine your weekly priorities, steer clear of him when you have things to do. Keep things like televisions, your cell phone and anything else that pulls your focus off of your academic work out of sight. It’s also important to eat well, get plenty of rest and protect your health so that an illness doesn’t come along and derail your study plan.
Nobody said that earning your college degree would be easy, but with a commitment toward good time management skills it doesn’t have to be a four-year string of all-nighters and cramming for exams. Let time work in your favor by planning ahead.
Ruth Simmons is a columnist for an educational website development company. She writes on online degrees, higher education, online universities, and financial aid for graduate students.