The main goal of attending college for most people is to obtain a degree in a field of their choice. In the meantime it’s okay to have a little fun. Time management and good study habits are key when trying to balance doing well in college and having a vibrant social life. Following are four categories that will help determine the best way to do both.
Scheduling
The very first thing one needs to understand is how to schedule classes in order not to overwhelm themselves.
All universities have a required set of core curriculum for graduation in a chosen major. Then there are more than likely classes required outside the major that fill “liberal education” requirements. These classes are generally easier and less time-consuming.
It is most beneficial to schedule a good mixture of core classes with the “liberal education” classes. Not only is it imperative to have a combination of core classes with “lib ed” classes, it’s also important to manage the time of the classes.
Don’t schedule back to back classes that are equally guaranteed to fry your brain.
Also, don’t schedule one class at eight in the morning and then another at six in the evening.
A few good tips for scheduling good times are:
- leave at least twenty minutes between each class
- don’t schedule back to back labs or extensive lectures
- try to schedule your classes to start as late and finish as early as you can each day
Employment
Most college students have to support themselves in some manner. The most important thing to look for in an employer is flexibility, someone who will let you work around your school schedule and still leave time for social activities when necessary. Jobs on or very near campus are beneficial in the aspect of meeting other students.
Studying
The first thing that should be considered is time management. Some classes require daily work to be done.
A good idea for studying for these classes is to leave a little time window immediately after the class so you can get the work done immediately and not have to worry about it.
For most college students, weekends are big. Try to get most studying and homework done during the week or during the day on weekends.
Get involved
Like stated earlier, try to get a job on campus. Join a club or intramural sports team. Try to find people in your classes who have the same interests as you.
Most importantly, try to remember this one concept.
You can get the best grades, have the most knowledge, and be the best technical candidate for a job, but if you have no life experience, no common sense; that knowledge can be worthless.
So try to enjoy your time in college, learn a lot not only about logarithms, genomes, production possibility rates, and languages, but learn about people, and places. In the meantime, you’ll probably learn a lot about yourself.