Make the Most of College by Building in Time Management and Organizational Skills

The college lifestyle experience is your first stab at navigating adulthood. Balancing your studies and personal life takes time and patience. Here’s how life is different after HS, and 5 tips to help you navigate. 

1. Lean on friends and fellow students.
2. Sync with your college advisor.
3. Determine a schedule that works for you.
4. Go easy on yourself.
5. Find tools to help you stay organized.

It’s 7 a.m. I roll over in my dorm bed as my roommate sneaks out for a run…or something…I actually don’t know. It’s Saturday, so I get to sleep in and take my day at a slower pace versus my weekdays as a first-year college student. 

Is it different from high school? Absolutely. But how? I’ve had to learn to be a lot more organized, for one thing. But what else? 

As a high school student, it’s never too early to start preparing for life on your own. Maybe you've been hyper-focused on extracurriculars, like sports or college prep courses. Or, perhaps your academics are your biggest goal. Either way, preparing for how college-life changes, and how to best manage your time, is important. Let’s take a look. 

Ways in Which College Life Differs from High School

Your schedule has more flexibility — and time is spent building bonds.

Although some students take 9 a.m. classes (sometimes it can’t be avoided), most try to start their day a little later — typically starting class at 10 or 11 a.m. Also, you’ll find yourself spending much more time with fellow students.  

In addition, while some students operate alone (whether by preference or lifestyle), many travel in packs as a means of solidarity and safety. There is typically a scheduled meeting place beforehand to discuss upcoming workload or tests before heading together to class. This meeting place can become a ritual for the semester.

College classes do not meet every day, meaning you will spend less time in class than you did in high school. However, for each hour of class time, you will have a minimum of 2–3 hours of outside academic work. How you approach this study time depends on you (more on that later).

Mealtime is very important.

Coffee and meals are a huge part of a college student’s day. Although meals-on-the-run are more typical in high school, meals at college are a social activity done in groups, can last one to two hours, and are planned in advance.

Some school work may be done in the afternoons after classes are over, although after dinner is a preferred time for study sessions, both alone or in groups. Most students also use this time to go to the gym, do laundry, and go grocery shopping.

Activities fill the extra hours.

Evenings are when meetings for various clubs and activities, such as Greek chapter meetings, service organizations, cultural awareness groups, performing groups, spiritual and religious groups, sports, and games clubs, student publications, and working for television or radio stations. 

Although you typically have help from family and financial aid, you might also consider working a campus job (or a work-study job through financial aid) a few hours a week to supplement your funds.

Your days are longer.

After studying, athletic practices, and meetings/rehearsals are concluded, there are usually late-night movies or streaming binge-watching sessions. Bedtime is later; the hour's you will keep are definitely different from high school and those you must adhere to after graduation. 

Weekend schedules often run even later — waking up in the early afternoon is not unusual after a party or activity the evening before. Studying is done Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Sunday nights, because Friday and Saturday nights are set aside for socializing.

Of course, there is no one exact routine for all college students. In fact, from semester to semester, your schedule can vary tremendously.

With all this in mind, how do you keep it all organized? Overall, it depends on you. But, there are tips to consider.

Five Tips to Maintain Good Time Management in College

As mentioned, time management and organization are big pluses as you navigate college. Here’s a list of five tips to help you make the most of your time in college:

1. Lean on friends and fellow students: These individuals are in the same boat as you, and like you, are actively learning as they go. Is there a study method they find especially helpful? Do they find group study sessions particularly useful? Learning through trial and error is a group sport in college; learn from those around you.
2. Sync with your college advisor: These mentors are your support system as you navigate the advantages and pitfalls of college. They can help you organize your schedule, review your intended major and workload, and facilitate relationships with like-minded students.
3. Determine a schedule that works for you: Are you an early riser? Perhaps your best studying happens midday. This varies for everyone, and do your best to organize your schedule around your personal preferences.
4. Go easy on yourself: Remember, your schedule will change each semester, and so will how you approach it. You will make mistakes and learn from them. Be patient and allow yourself leeway for growth. Also, if you feel over-scheduled, what can you scale back on?
5. Find tools to help you stay organized: Here, you’ll find a handful of useful time management tools that will help you find your own personal organization methods. These include:

- Learn to populate an active calendar, whether digital or paper. Set deadlines, alarms, alerts — anything you need to stay on track. 

- Learn how to identify the average amount of time certain tasks take. This will help you carve out the appropriate amount of time needed for each project.

- Organize each day’s study requirements to break down how much time to spend on each assignment.

- Learn to prioritize. What is an immediate need versus something that can be done later?

As you get ready to experience college for yourself (beyond academics and extracurriculars like college prep courses online), going into the experience with a greater sense of what’s ahead is your best bet. 

College is a time for great growth and independence. By building from your own personal learning skill set, and utilizing time management tips and tricks, you’re bound to have a successful college experience.