Written by Harli Broge
A girl sits on her bed, wondering how she got to this. Three papers, a project, a presentation, work and so much more. Also, there are only two days to complete it, and she is sick and severely sleep-deprived. She wants to cry at the sight of all her homework, wishing that she didn’t stay up until 3 am or go to that movie. She had already missed too many assignments, and if she would miss anymore she would fail two of her classes. How many times have you been this girl?
I have been her too many times to count, but I know a way that can change: better time management.
I am sure you are asking, is that really what it takes? I can tell you yes, that is all it takes. In fact, I have learned to manage my time so well, I spend more time doing things I enjoy than the time I spend doing homework. I didn’t think it was possible but here I am, and I know that these few simple tricks can help you too. The key is organization.
Number one: do homework during the day.
If you have an hour in-between classes, or ate your lunch quickly, break out that homework assignment. You would be amazed at how this can save you time. This frees up your evenings that you can spend with your friends or binge-watch your favorite Netflix show. I try to get as much homework done during my free hours so that I can have more time to have fun later that day, like going to an open house or hanging out with my friends. It may not seem like much, but it has been a huge time saver and a wonderful time management tool.
The second thing you can do: to write down all your assignments and plan out when you will start and finish them.
I know, that sounds like a lot of work, and you just don’t have the time to do that. What if I told you that it actually saves you time instead of consuming it? This organization tool saves you from doing your assignments last minute, and you can have a visual copy of what you must do. Writing them down can also reduce the stress of the assignments and help you see that it may not take as much time as you believe it will. While your classmates are racing to finish, you can just sit back and watch The Flash because you planned out your project. I have a specific notebook where I write down my assignments for each class, then create a list by day of what I need to do. It feels very satisfying to cross off each assignment and know that I completed it with plenty of time. When you are done you can celebrate with a cookie.
This next tip is harder to follow: leave your phone/tablet/iPad in your room and go somewhere else to do your homework.
There are so many distractions now, and it can be harder to concentrate on your homework when your phone is going off from text messages or Snapchats. When you leave the distractions behind, it takes you less time to do your homework without those phone breaks, again leaving more time for other things you would rather do. I know that if I leave my phone in my room and go to the library, I usually complete my homework in half the time it would take me with my phone.
However, I am not saying you shouldn’t take a break.
In fact, taking a break is my fourth tip. Sitting for hours on end is not good for your body and talking a walk occasionally can improve your ability to think. It increases your blood circulation, and it will help you formulate your thoughts better. I know that if I have been sitting for an hour, I need to go take a 10-minute walk, otherwise I will regret it and not be able to think as well as I good. Breaks are great, and they can rejuvenate the mind and give you a fresh perspective.
These are some of the few tips and tricks that I have learned over the years as I began taking college classes. I personally wish I knew these sooner, because I was drowning in stress and anxiety due to worrying about getting everything done. These tips have allowed me to spend less time on homework and more time on stuff that I love to do, and I know that they can help you find more free time and get your homework done faster too. What college student wouldn’t want that?
