Video Filmed and Edited by Kristen Miller
Managing time effectively is one problem all students deal with, but not all students do something productive. Being punctual is a key skill for everyone’s professional career. So, starting as a college student, all students should adopt a good time management technique.
There are simple ways to better manage your time.
According to an article by Anna Heinrich titled “7 Effective Time Management Tips for College Students” on Rasmussen.edu she writes, “Save yourself the late-night scramble and write everything down as you hear it.”
Dan Hulit, a Communication major at Mercer, says, “It’s not the easiest thing in the world to manage your time…I’m definitely not the best at time management.” He is not alone.
We all might have been in a situation where we trust ourselves to remember an important upcoming test or assignment, and as soon as we leave the class so does the mental note from our minds of that upcoming test.
Then, one fine evening, while binge-watching Netflix, we suddenly remember that test the next day and if we don’t start studying right away we will eliminate the possibility of even passing the class.
Bryan Apacaja, a third semester Mercer student, says he meets deadlines, “by struggling through them, drinking enough coffee, doing late nights and not stopping ‘til the assignment’s done”.
One of the most foolproof ways to remember something like a test is to write it down according to the upcoming date. That way you can have it on you as a reminder and plan ahead by giving yourself enough time to prepare for it. WRITE THINGS DOWN!
As students, we can end up putting off important tasks and procrastinating to the last minute. Some of us just find it easier not having to worry about something early on but for the most part that is just being lazy.
Even while working on important projects or assignments, we might get swayed to check our email or notifications on our phones or go down the YouTube rabbit hole while searching something on the web for a class.
A good solution to tackle that situation is to limit yourself to the amount of time you use for unimportant tasks.
In the article by Anna Heinrich she says “Use your phone for good… Your phone can serve as an on-the-go calendar and scheduler. Setting reminders can help you keep due dates and other important commitments in mind as you go through your day.”
Nichol Killian a Success Coach at Mercer for the Health Professions division says, “One of the strategies I have students use, is set timers…be all about Facebook and Instagram but set a timer so you’re only doing it for 15 minutes.”
Our phones are not only good for watching cat videos and taking pictures of our tacos for Instagram. A lot of smartphones can be personal assistants right in your pockets.
With voice activated AI (artificial intelligence) like ‘Siri’ for iOS and ‘Ok Google’ for Android it has become as simple as ‘said and done’ when it comes to having to note something down or to set a reminder all that without even having to unlock your phone.
Jehan Mohamed, the Success Coach for the Business and STEM division at Mercer, says, “if you utilize [your cellphone] the right way and make effective use of it then you are good to go.”
Another way to get ahead of things is to set a goal and plan to achieve it. In the beginning of each semester, we are given a syllabus for each of our courses. Most often our instructors provide a break down of what will be covered each week through the entirety of the semester.
So, a great way to get things done is to put dates in your phone calendar and get a planner to note down all upcoming assignments, projects and tests according to the dates they are due. Put your planner up in your room and start crossing out the days and assignments as the weeks go by.
This can also help you keep track of where and what you need to catch up on for your course work, and how well you are doing overall. A digital and/or paper planner system can also help prioritize your time and can make it easier to balance you work life with your school life and give you a sense of accomplishment when you’re completing all the assigned work on time.
