As a Sophomore Nursing student, having time management is very crucial as the program progresses. Regardless of what major you are in, in general, I believe mastering the art of managing time will help you succeed in college. I understand what it’s like to have a tight schedule and let me tell you, it is rough. At the beginning of this semester, I had two part-time jobs, working six days a week. The one job was an hour away from me which took up my time.
With that being said, let’s cut to the chase. How did I manage my time having to work six days a week, and on top be a full-time student without having a mental breakdown? It’s simple, I have a planner. Now, I cannot suggest a specific planner for you as it is personal. What works for me might not work for you, you just have to try out what works best for you. Now, having a planner did not automatically make me manage time better. It was a consistent responsibility I had to force myself to open the book and actually engage with it.
This is how I utilize my planner: I found a YouTube video that helps me better understand how I can work around my schedule without feeling so overwhelmed. The YouTuber, Clarissa, suggests having an hour-by-hour planner and pencil in any activity, class, work, or anything else you have going on that is set in stone. This way you can clearly see how much free time you actually have. Then she wants you to break down your day in 3 sessions. The first session being a study session where you get all the reading, note-taking, research, and more done. Then she suggests scheduling freedom sessions, including hanging out with friends, shopping, or anything else that your heart desires to reduce burning out. Finally, she suggested having an adulting session, like calling your mom, doing laundry, or grocery shopping.
It took awhile for me to get used to her formula but once I did, let me tell you, it is very satisfying and I feel a whole lot more relieved. I hope you guys can learn a little bit from this post. Make sure to check out her whole YouTube video for more information as it helped me hearing it from her and good luck!
Written by Jasmine Y., a Rutgers—Camden Undergraduate Student and Raptor Ambassador.