College is an opportunity to test your wings. You are away from family, home, and all your old friends. The big question on everybody’s mind is: how to balance school, work, and play in college? It can be a challenge for many students, especially with the amount of partying in college.
There is no simple answer or one size fits all response to this question. Here is a simple guide on balancing school, work, and play while in college:
1. Take Time Off
Taking time off from the stress of school, work, and play is essential so you can rejuvenate and keep up your energy levels. Try scheduling some “me time” every week or two weeks. Plan something fun to get your mind off schoolwork or work and all the other responsibilities on your plate.
You might want to walk alone, go out with friends or family, read a book, watch a movie or play video games. Whatever activity you choose should be relaxing and enjoyable. Hence, you can recharge your batteries before returning to the fray.
2. Set Priorities
Setting priorities is the second step in balancing school, work, and play in college. You need to know what you want out of your life and how much time you dedicate to each area. For example, if you want to get a job after graduating, you will want to spend most of your time working on your career. Don’t plan on getting a job to concentrate more on your schoolwork. Instead, you can spend more time on your studies.
Moreover, you should also set priorities for each day of the week. For example, if Monday will always be your “work” day, schedule all meetings and appointments with friends around it.
Therefore, they don’t interfere with any projects or assignments that need attention from that day forward. In addition, try not to schedule too many commitments on Fridays because this will keep them from interfering with any weekend plans you may have made before it.
3. Make a Schedule
You will need a schedule to balance school, work, and play. The best way to make this happen is to create a schedule that works for you. You can start with a week-by-week schedule. However, it’s probably better to break it down even further.
Smaller chunks of time will help you stay on track and get things done without feeling overwhelmed. For example, instead of setting aside three hours each day for homework, break it down into smaller chunks, like 20 minutes before dinner or 30 minutes right after class.
4. Learn Your Learning Style
Knowing your learning style can help you to balance school, work, and play in college. For example, an auditory learner takes in a lot of things while in class. It means that you learn best by hearing information.
You might also be a visual learner who takes notes in class or watch videos online. In this case, you need to listen to what is being said. Then, write down or draw out what the professor was talking about.
Alternatively, you can think about how much time to spend on homework after classes. Then, ask yourself, are you getting help from experienced paper writers? Are there any strategies that could help?
5. Be Disciplined
One of the most important things you can do to stay on top of your school work is discipline. The key to being disciplined is having a schedule and sticking to it. You must plan your schedule to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
For example, plan everything, such as packing for classes, labs, and extracurricular activities. It can help you with your responsibilities.
It is also essential that you take breaks throughout the day so that you don’t burn out. Take some time out of the day to relax and unwind when stressed or overwhelmed with responsibilities. It will help keep your stress levels down so they don’t get too high.
6. Have Fun
It is easy to get caught up in the “business” of your life, the classes you are taking, the work you need to do for that fancy internship, and even the play. However, it’s important to remember to have fun.
It doesn’t hurt to take a few minutes of your day every once in a while. Remember to relax and take a breather. You will see things more clearly when you are not so stressed out, making everything else easier.
It is easy to balance all significant aspects of college life. After all, no one enjoys a stressed-out workaholic with no social life who gets poor grades and low self-esteem. However, it is something that students have to figure out for themselves. Fortunately, these tips should help them get there.
