With the school year starting, students are experiencing the constant pressure of trying to finish either school assignments, studying, taking part in club activities, or work. These obligations easily consume a lot of their time, leaving less time for personal activities and such. So, you may ask: How do I balance school life with my personal life?  How do I have just a balanced schedule overal

1.Plan your schedule

•  Planning a week or two ahead is always a good idea. Not only does this remind you of what you have coming up, but the time you have in between can help you prepare for any upcoming assignments, assessments, or projects so you won’t feel stressed the night before everything’s due.   
• Calendars, planners and notebooks are common tools many students use to plan their schedule ahead of time. Don’t have any of these? Don’t worry, anything works! There are apps in the app store that can help you record your schedule if you’re not fond of pen and paper planning.

2.Time Management

• Having good time management can help prevent cramming and enables you to get more work done in less time. Work smarter- Not harder!
• Create and use a time log if you have to, organize yourself and set a time limit! Prioritize your activities wisely, and create goals if you have to!
  • One method that my sister finds particularly useful is the Pomodoro technique. You study at intervals of 25 minutes with short 5 minute breaks in between and repeat. After a few times, you reach a 15 minute break and then resume the 25 minutes of studying again. This method allows for the brain to rest and satisfy the impatience and tendency to go off task while studying or working.

3.Avoid Multitasking

• Although many say multitasking is a better way to finish tasks, the main problem that comes from multi-tasking is that it takes up a lot more time and energy overall, which can make you exhausted and unfit to complete any more assignments.
• Take breaks! Finish one task, and then move onto another one. No need to do everything at once!

4.Avoid Distractions

• Try and maintain your focus on what you need to accomplish. Don’t go off topic and think about something else. Stay focused!
• Put all of your electronics away from your point of view and don’t procrastinate!  You’re doing this for YOU, not anyone else!

5.Aim to be a High-Achiever, not a Perfectionist

• There’s nothing wrong with wanting to strive to do your best, but the key is knowing the limits of what you can and cannot realistically accomplish.
• Set standards that are high, but achievable, and don’t worry about making mistakes, because mistakes are a learning experience for growth.

With that being said, I wish everyone the best of luck this school year, especially my fellow freshmen!