My Freshman Year: Learning To Beat The Clock

Over the past three months, I’ve found myself falling victim to a peril of college life that most don’t consider an issue until it hits them. It’s that feeling of uncontrollable anxiety when you realize you have three papers, several long reading assignments, classes, TA sessions, club meetings, play rehearsals, study sessions, and exams (breathe) all happening in a very, very short time span. And in said short time span, you are simply incapable of getting it all done.

Yep, I guess you could say I’ve been experiencing a bit of a time management crisis.

I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later, since I’m pretty compulsive when it comes to my work and I have a hard time saying no to an extra-curricular opportunity. But, then again, it seems counter-intuitive that I, a devout non-procrastinator, should have trouble budgeting my time. Aren’t procrastinators the ones who usually feel the crunch when 500 pages of reading come crashing down on them at 3 in the morning? Since when does actually completing all the work assigned to me do more harm than good?

On the verge of a meltdown and a stress-induced chocolate binge, I turned to my college-grad-turned-medical-student brother for advice. I told him what my weekly schedule was like and asked what – if anything – I’m doing wrong. Much to my surprise, he told me that I’m actually doing much more than is necessary to do well in my classes.

Huh??

According to his – erm – medical advice, skimming readings here and there doesn’t hurt, nor does skipping some readings altogether when I just don’t have time – prioritizing, basically. It turned out that I was also studying far more than necessary for my exams, starting my review two weeks in advance in some cases; although I was getting good results, I could’ve cut my study time in half and still have done as well, as long as I had a structured and effective study plan. He also suggested that I cut back on my dozen or so extra-curricular commitments, at least until I get my bearings in college and can balance my schedule better. It was difficult for me to do so, since I have an interest in pretty much everything my school has to offer, but I trimmed down my schedule until I was sure I could handle the load in addition to my classes.

I’m also discovering ways to maximize my working time and minimize time wasted. To keep myself from getting distracted while I work, I’ve been hitting the library without my laptop, since I tend to fall prey to the allure of e-mail/Facebook/Twitter even when I’m in my most intense work mode. Also, instead of going on the Internet multiple times throughout the day, I’ve started setting aside time in the morning and the evening for that business so that I’m not breaking my focus every twenty or so minutes. That’s been the hardest habit to kick, given my love for being wired every second of the day, but it’s been paying off in efficient studying.

Still, there are certain weeks when I find that everything seems to be converging at once. An English paper due here, a history research paper there, an article for the paper and an exam to study for and a club meeting – all going on in the same weekend, usually a weekend that is also hosting the opening of a student play or a concert that I’m dying to go to. That just seems to be the nature of college, though, and one of the many reasons I just love being here. At least now, thanks to a little help from my bro, I’m better equipped to handle these tougher times.

What are some of your own time management tips for the busy college girl?