Hiii, it’s me—obligatory finals post—and I feel like I’ve done it all at this point, so it’s probably time I sit down and talk to you about the elephant in the room: time management. I get it—it’s snowing out, and who really expects you to trudge to Mudd from your very warm bed? And don’t get me wrong, I love Slow Train just as much as anyone else, but when you go there for an air quotes work sesh with your friends, how much work are you really getting done?
All right, maybe I’m projecting. Still, here are my best tips on how to manage your time in college, especially with finals coming up and that show at the ’Sco that you will practically DIE if you don’t see.
Hi, it’s actually me, your homework. I missed you.
Well, let’s start us off strong. Your homework? Not going away. You need to get that stuff done. But how to remember that you have two reading responses due on top of a paper on top of a coding assignment—I’ve already forgotten the first thing. My biggest advice is to take advantage of syllabi. Write down your homework two weeks in advance; that way, when it’s a Friday afternoon and you’ve got nothing better to do, you can start that reading response. Or, let’s be honest, you won’t have a Friday afternoon free.
P.S. My favorite software is Notion, and they give out a free Education Plus plan.
When are you free?
Answer: never. OK, so you weren’t thinking things straight when you made all of these commitments in September. Life just seemed so much easier then! Not to fret. You are about to meet the love of your life. Sit down; life just got so much easier. Meet GCal (aka Google Calendar). If you aren’t in the habit already, write down your commitments. I love to write down things that are non-negotiable as well, like meals, calling my family, or working out (OK fine, that one slips through the cracks). Write down your commitments, and that way, when someone asks if you want to go to a hot chocolate destressing event, you can check your GCal and say, “Yes, of course.”
What starts with an ‘s’ and rhymes with ‘beduling’?
Scheduling. Your worst nightmare. But Natalie, you may say, I made a GCal—I already know my schedule. Your GCal is not your schedule, my friend, or at least it doesn’t have to be, because you want to plan some fun stuff as well. Or maybe you have this commitment, but it’s OK to cancel once a semester. That’s where my Notes app comes in. I’ll plan out my entire day as such:
8 a.m. - Wake
9 a.m. - Gym
10 a.m. - Class
11 a.m. - Head to the library and pick up books
12 p.m. - Lunch
This is information that my GCal doesn’t need to know but that’s helpful for me to remember. And when I feel like I haven’t done anything, crossing off all the activities up until that moment is so helpful. Not to mention that if I’m stressed about my paper, I know that on Thursday at 2 p.m. I’ve set aside two hours to work on it, so I have no right to be stressed about it yet.
You time.
You heard me right. In all my jabbering about paper and work, I forgot to mention the most important thing: you! You should take time for yourself. I used to think that I didn’t need to take time for myself and I was just an elite robot who could function without self-care. And while it breaks my heart to admit this, I am not that person. I need time for myself just as much as everyone else. I don’t put it in my GCal, but if I’m scheduling my day, I must have at least one fun event or one “me time” event in my day, just to break up the relentless productivity—wink wink. If you are ever running out of fun things to do, check the Campus Digest or the Oberlin Events Calendar! Chances are, there's an opera, dance showcase, or concert going on this weekend, and it's practically begging for you to come.
Get enough sleep.
I know, I know—I sound like your doctor. But I’m not, I promise. It’s just that when you say you can live on four hours of sleep, you actually really can’t. And your attention span is not thanking you for that. Just set aside time for at least seven hours of sleep every night. I mean, come on, there’s no way that you are truly thriving if you go to bed after 2 a.m. What do I know? (But really.)
Forget all of this.
What right do I have to tell you how to time manage? You know your own deal. You know how you manage your time best. Or maybe you don’t—maybe this guide was helpful for you. But no matter what, I’ve left something out. You like making matchas in the morning. Or you know that you can procrastinate your work until the lasssssst second and then turn in a beautiful product. Or you know that if you don’t sleep for ten hours every night, your day is shot. Find your own balance and find your own rhythm.
My biggest advice? If you don’t rule your homework, your homework rules you. And that, my friends, is no fun at all.
