College Survival Guide: Managing time on campus

Cartoon by Carolina Guillot/FIUSM 

Adrianne Richardson/Contributing Writer

Being in high school as a senior is probably one of the most accomplished feelings one can have, knowing that you are about to graduate and will be seen as a young woman or man.

However, as college freshmen, you will soon find that high school was merely a method of practice used to help prepare you for what was to come.

College is in many ways different from high school.

One difference is the teaching methods and the amount of material you are expected to comprehend.

Depending on your professor, you may have one who spaces out assignments in an easy, come-and-go manner, as long as you don’t procrastinate. Sometimes, if you do procrastinate, you still have time to get the assignment done because your professor’s syllabus is just that flexible.

Then, there are the other professors that are great at teaching but strongly dislike slackers. Their reason is probably that they offer help when needed so that all their students should be able to complete assignments by the due date.

Personally, these are the best professors because they teach you to take pride in your work and to heed to responsibility if you don’t know how to do that already.

There is also the professor, that many students get, who can probably care less who you are or if you get the work done in time. You earn your grade – pass or fail.

Another difference you will notice is the amount of “free time” that you seem to have available to you, especially if you decide to live on campus.

In college, there is no bell to tell you when to go to first or third period, there is no “block schedule” with lunch included. You make your own schedule and your own study time. After a short 50 minute class, there is no study hall required; you decide what to do after class and on the weekends.

Usually, sleep is the most popular activity among college students during the week. According to www.sleepphones.com, college students’ biological clock is set to 26 hours instead of 24 like it should be.

For example, if you wake up at 8 A.M., then you should be tired by midnight. Since most of us have a biological clock of 26 hours, then we wouldn’t be sleepy until 2am, even though we have to wake up at 8am the next morning. Consequently, we deprive our body of sleep.

This is something to keep in mind when attending college, understanding that time management is the key.

One of the ways that I stay focused and organized while living on campus is by using Google Calendar; wherever it says I am supposed to be at the hour, that is where I am.

Another way to manage time correctly is by utilizing campus resources and organizations like Academy of Leaders, Student Government Association, Students with a Goal, philanthropic organizations, Student Support Services, Multicultural Programs and Services and many others.

Through working with these organizations, you can form study groups and learn how other students manage their time and pass classes, maybe even the very class you struggle with.

Basically, living on campus takes a lot of maturity and common sense to avoid distractions and focus on what is really important. You will have fun, undoubtedly, but do it the safe way and make yourself proud.

Thank me later.

 

opinion@fiusm.com

Sources:

1. “College Students and Sleep,” via www.sleepphones.com