If you were like me in high school, I was happily winging my schedule at any given time. Small group meeting tomorrow? Totally fine – I will just file that away with the rest of my life’s schedule that I have memorized! When I arrived at Grove City, however, I realized that my laissez-faire attitude toward planning was not going to work anymore. Juggling anywhere from four to six syllabi in a given semester on top of any internships, jobs or social events that I had planned was not going to be covered by a note jotted down in my phone. Learning how to effectively organize your school, social and work life is pivotal to being successful when you transition into college. Here are three easy tips that can jump start your college planning.
Your first order of business: get a planner! This handy little notebook will become your best friend as you navigate the busy waters of life at Grove City College. The real first thing you should do, however, is write out your entire syllabi schedule in your planner. From every homework assignment, group project and exam, make sure you know when everything is due and what resources you may need to complete the assignments. If your planner has margins, write in the office hours of each professor or their email addresses so you can contact them with any questions. No matter how organized you try to be, you will probably lose at least one syllabus in your college career; make sure that information is written down in a planner so you do not have to worry as much about lost syllabi.
Second, make sure you write down every social engagement or when you have to work. When I say every single event, I mean it; the amount of times my friends and I have double-booked ourselves because we forgot to write down who we were having lunch with is embarrassing! This will not only help you keep a clear schedule for any additional meals or events you want to attend, but it will help you see when you have free time for yourself. College is hectic, and finding alone time can be important for your mental and emotional health. Being consistent with your schedule can help ease the stress of being in college.
Finally, schedule in time for homework. When you do not specifically plan to do homework, it can be easy to flip on Netflix and squander the next several hours bingeing the latest TV show. Instead, schedule time in your day to work on specific homework in your favorite workplace. When you have a homework goal and it is scheduled into your planner, you are more likely to get it done before it becomes last minute. It may feel tedious, but the feeling of freedom on the weekends when you have already finished your homework is totally worth it.
These three tips are simple, but powerful. Learning to schedule wisely can do wonders for easing you into your college career.
