Luke
How do college students balance work with fun?
I am currently a senior in high school and I struggle to have much of a social life due to my school work load. Is the work load going equal or more time consuming?
#Stressed #work-life-balance #college-advice
6 answers
Rachel Weinheimer
Rachel’s Answer
When you feel comfortable with your classes, that is when you make time to go out with friends and take it easy.
Kevin Cronin
Kevin’s Answer
focus on determining what the right career for your future is
you can and will squeeze some fun in
College is only 4 years use it to help plan what you want to do
when you graduate
trust me you'll have fun in college but keep your eye on doing well
in your classes and trying to determine what you want to do as a career
Richard A.
Richard’s Answer
Treat school like a job. Get up early and get to work. Go to class. Plan to spend 2-3 hours studying for every hour of lecture. Attend your professor's office hours and any TA review sessions. If there is a test bank, use that as a study tool to understand what your professor wants you to focus on for the test.
When your work is done at the end of the day, you can spend time on social life or organizations.
Rachel Resnick
Rachel’s Answer
<span style="background-color: transparent;">You have to set a routine for yourself and stick to it for the most part. Once you get into the groove of a routine it will be much easier for you to manage your time and have enough time for everything you need to do (including relaxing). Make yourself to-do lists on a weekly basis, use Google calendar or a planner to keep track of events, deadlines, and due dates. In addition to setting a routine and sticking to it, plan out relaxing activities into your day. Or set aside a time, after everything is done for the day, that you can have "me" time. I have also personally found it essential to not only find time for myself but also make use of that time in a way that is best for me and my holistic wellness. I have found the HeadSpace app to be an essential tool in helping me relax and generally feel more relaxed throughout the day, Guided meditation, even if you have a busy schedule, will make you feel more at ease and relaxed throughout the day as a whole (not just when you have the time to relax and focus on that "me" time).</span>
<span style="background-color: transparent;">Set a routine.Use Google Calendar.Set aside Me TimeWrite weekly to-do lists and use a planner.Find a peaceful and restful activity that will help you feel relaxed.</span>
Austin L.
Austin’s Answer
Luke, great question. I just graduated college last may and was totally able to manage a social life and my academic life through a few key strategies. First and foremost is don't delay. If you have an assignment due in two weeks, don't put it off until the last minute possible. Getting things done ahead of time is honestly the best as you'll have lots of free time to spend with friends and socialize. I'd always start a paper or studying for a test between 1-2 weeks ahead of time and I always had at least a week of free time to spare. Getting things done early will improve your grades, will keep you sane, and will ensure that you have a good social life.
Secondly, don't stress out. There were times as an undergrad that I would approach an assignment and felt as if the world was closing in on me. I, at first, pressured myself way too much and would stress out over the smallest assignments or tasks. It's important to breathe and get some perspective on the task at hand. Overpreparing is good for a final exam, but you shouldn't be losing sleep over those daily 5 point reading checks.
Thirdly, go outside and leave the library. College is a time to meet people and explore. Don't feel pressured by college and stay inside. I have a friend who was in the library 24/7 the first year and now regrets it because freshman year is honestly when people are the most social and friendly. Always get your work done, study, and prepare for all assignments and tasks, but don't neglect the other 50% of college which is your social life.
Austin recommends the following next steps:
Ben’s Answer
Here’s the long answer:
In college for the most part you get to pick your own class schedule. Which is pretty cool because you can set your own hours to an extent. You are not going to have the standard high school schedule with all your classes back to back. You might have some classes back to back and others spread out through out the day. You might have 3 classes one day and then 2 the next. It really depends on how you set up your class schedule and how many classes you take per semester. (Pro-tip: try to avoid Friday classes as much possible. Most students have this day off and this day is a great day to socialize with friends.)
Also, your free time depends on what major you pick. If you’re interested in doing some sort of engineering you probably will be preoccupied with a lot of homework, if you choose business or communications you aren’t given as heavy a load. Don’t let homework load discourage you from pursuing what you’re truly interested in though!
As an Advertising major, I would say I have a moderate amount of homework/studying to do. I try to plan out my day in advance and dedicate some time to studying and to friends. It helps to use a planner or Google calendar to plan things out. I have a full course load, a job, and a leadership position in a Student organization and I am still able to have some free time for fun. Some weeks you will have more free time and other weeks you will have way less. You just have to plan accordingly.
Lastly, I want to encourage you to make all the friends you can in college and join a club/Student organization or two. Just figure out your schedule and don’t try to over load yourself and you will be fine. Good luck and have fun in college!