Many of us here at Cornell find ourselves stressed out as we attempt to juggle our schoolwork, extracurricular activities, health, and social life. Semester after semester, it proves to be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Yet, before every new semester begins, we make the same promise to ourselves: that we will find a way overcome our poor time management skills in order to get everything done.
If you’re one of these Cornellians who has not succeeded in following their (un)balanced schedule, then listen up. We’re smack in the middle of the semester, so there is still time to get your priorities in order before finals stress kicks in!
1Take care of yourself
Most importantly, your health must come first! If you don’t have your health, you really don’t have anything. No matter how many iced coffees you think can power you through the day, nothing beats natural energy. Getting a good night’s rest is too important to neglect. Make it a priority because sleep deprivation causes memory loss, so staying up all night cramming before a prelim will not be as effective as you might have once thought.
2Have a plan
The key to achieving your goals is planning. Although it can seem annoying, writing down due dates and choosing the specific times when you will study or finish that paper will keep you on track. It is also vital to put in dates for clubs and events in your calendar to prevent conflicts and overbooking yourself.
3Don’t waste time
Those fifteen-minutes in between classes add up! Try getting ahead on your homework for the night while you are waiting for class to begin. If your classes are more spread out throughout the day, then make sure to head to the closest cafe or library and use your time wisely.
4Follow through
Making a schedule is great, but you do have to actually stick to it. Not only will you feel less overwhelmed when due dates come creeping up, but you will also feel a sense of satisfaction after crossing off tasks on your to-do list.
Figuring out how to manage your responsibilities as well as having time for yourself is a tough lesson in college. However, if you do it right, then you will be able to (ideally) achieve your goals without too much unnecessary stress and anxiety. Try these tips and your future self will thank you when you are able to get a guilt-free eight hours of sleep every night.
