BOZTEPE: Time management, healthy balance are keys to college life
How can college students make time to focus on our goals amid a busy semester? The answer is simple, but often ignored: time management. Time management is simply scheduling and pacing yourself, from when you work out, to when you study, to what time you can hang out with your friends and family. While this does not sound too difficult, without practicing correct time management, there is the possibility of crumbling under pressure. But, once you get into the habit and find a balance, it will become routine and will carry on through your entire life, not just your college career.
College is a stressful time, but life goes on and whatever seems like a big deal now will be a distant memory soon enough, so it is not worth the amount of anxiety we expel on current tasks. So, rather than stress over your next move, take the time to plan how you want things to go. Having goals and aspirations along with being passionate about them is great, but, it is important to break down each goal you have and give it a realistic timeline. Yes, you will make mistakes, but that is only human. Learning from your mistakes speaks volumes about your character as well as your resilience.
College is a crucial time for young adults and is a platform for students to build their resume, personality and level of ambition. But with that and time management, you must also be open-minded. Focus on your health, remember that one test grade does not define you, nor will it leave a blemish on your future. It will improve your decision-making ability if you are able to accept failure and learn from your mistakes. Time management already eliminates the probability of failure since you will now give yourself an appropriate amount of time to do assignments along with going over them. If time management is used effectively, you can eliminate the stress of feeling like you are always on a timeline or running late on your projects. The importance of list making and consistently using your calendar can prove to lead to more success in your career and more free time for different projects, increasing your work rate. After making your list, you will be able to control more of your time, which will bring down your anxiety levels since you will now have a clearer picture of what must be done, along with how long the project will take you to complete it.
As most college students already know, time is limited and every minute counts. Easing into good time management skills is important as it does take time to adjust to a specific schedule and routine. My advice would be to use a notebook and mark each thing you want to do, write down your homework, write down how much water you should drink that day, remind yourself that you should have an hour of meditation before you sleep and so forth. Every student has had late nights, but most of those late nights come down to accountability of that person. If their paper is due tomorrow and they do it the night before there is no wonder they are staying up until morning time. Rather than ruin your sleep cycle and affect your health, break down parts of the essay by doing some of it every few days including outlining it. This way, the night before you will be able to review your paper then sleep rather than essentially sending in your first draft.
Finally, know that it is better to modify your goals rather than abandoning them. When you achieve one goal, pat yourself on the back, then get busy defining the next one. Celebrate others’ successes, do not have ill wishes on anyone and praise people and share your happiness with others. A positive outlook will not only favor you in the business world, but also in your everyday life. In a world filled with negativity, it is our job to encourage positivity and balance in the lives of our younger generation in hopes that they pass it onto further generations. Have self-confidence and continuously reflect on yourself and celebrate your achievements. Find a healthy balance of your school life as well as your family, friends and work life. Continue to ward off any negative people or thoughts that bring any negative energy into your life, and before you know it, success will prevail.
Kaan Jon Boztepe is a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore double majoring in philosophy and history. His column, "Kaanotations," runs on alternate Wednesdays.
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