Tips for Your First Year
The First Step
You are on your way to a college degree and there are many transitions ahead. It will be exciting and challenging. You will make new friends, adjust to new surroundings, and learn new things. College is very different from high school. You can set your own time schedule and choose courses that interest you. In high school you were in class an average of 30 hours per week. In college you will spend an average of 15 hours in class, however, you will be expected to spend more time studying out of the classroom.
The average out-of-class work will equate to approximately 2 hours for every hour spent in class. This means that you will need to spend an average of 30 hours a week in independent study. You will be more independent. This means that you will need to find a comfortable balance between your social and academic life. Success is your responsibility.Most people admit they are not very good managers of time.
Are you a good time manager? Critical indicators of time management problems include:
- consistently being late
- always feeling pressured and under the gun
- never having enough time to get everything done
- making errors because of time pressure
- forgetting important dates and events
- never having time to relax and enjoy life
Time Management
It's making the best use of the most precious resource you have, time. Here are some helpful hints.
Make a Schedule to Organize Your Week
Remember to include all of your activities, including sleeping, eating, working, attending classes, studying, socializing, exercising, free time and visiting with family. Be realistic. Organize a schedule that you will be able to stick with and don't over-schedule yourself.
Use a Calendar
Find a calendar form that you like and keep it with you at all times. Record events as soon as they arise, such as examination dates, assignments, and reports. Build in checkpoints for long-term projects.
Use "To Do" Lists They will be helpful in organizing your weekly tasks. You can use them to prioritize all of the things that you need to do in a certain week or even in a specific day. Rank your tasks in order of their importance.
Time management should be an aid in organizing your day, not a task to feel guilty about or to cause you stress. Don't become compulsive about organizing your time. When you find a system that works well, stick with it.