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Managing Time as an Undergraduate Student: My Journey to Balance

                                                                                           By Joseph Ojehumen

When I started my undergraduate journey, I knew time management would be important. But I quickly realised that "important" didn鈥檛 quite capture it 鈥� time management was absolutely crucial. Between classes, assignments, extracurriculars, and (let鈥檚 be real) a social life, I often found myself overwhelmed. Over the past few semesters, I鈥檝e learned a few key things about managing time as a student that I wish I had known earlier. Here鈥檚 how I鈥檝e been handling it:

1. Planning Ahead Is a Lifesaver

At the beginning of every semester, I always think 鈥淚鈥檝e got plenty of time.鈥� I used to treat deadlines like distant clouds that didn鈥檛 affect my current plans. That was a mistake. By mid-semester, those clouds would turn into a storm full of essays, exams, and group projects. Now, I鈥檝e adopted a simple tool: a planner. Be it a physical planner or a mobile app, you just need a place to put down all deadlines as soon as you get your coursework. Every Sunday night, I take about 10 minutes to map out my week, making sure I break down big tasks into smaller ones. It鈥檚 amazing how much less stressed I feel when I know exactly what鈥檚 coming up.

                                                                

2. Prioritize Like Your Life Depends on It (Because It Kind of Does)

There are always going to be a thousand things pulling for your attention 鈥� clubs, friends, gym, Netflix, family, and that new hobby you swore you鈥檇 pick up this semester (but haven鈥檛). I鈥檝e learned that everything can鈥檛 get equal attention. Some days, I鈥檝e had to make tough choices, like missing out on a party to prepare for an exam or skipping a club meeting because I needed some downtime.

To keep it real, I use a strategy that works for me: the rule of three. Each day, I focus on just three main tasks that are my top priority. If I complete those, I consider the day a win. Everything else is a bonus.

                                                

3. Avoid the Procrastination Trap

Procrastination is the enemy, and I鈥檝e danced with it too many times. I鈥檇 convince myself that 鈥淚 work better under pressure鈥� (spoiler alert: I don鈥檛). The night before an assignment is due, I鈥檇 pull an all-nighter, and while I managed to get it done, I鈥檇 feel exhausted, and the quality of my work definitely wasn鈥檛 my best.

What鈥檚 helped me is the 5-minute rule: if there鈥檚 a task I鈥檓 dreading, I tell myself I鈥檒l work on it for just five minutes. More often than not, once I鈥檝e started, I keep going. It鈥檚 the getting started part that鈥檚 hard.

                                             

4. Learn to Say 鈥淣o鈥�

This was tough for me. I鈥檓 naturally a 鈥測es鈥� person, and I used to think saying yes to every opportunity was the best way to experience college. But I quickly learned that overcommitting leads to burnout. Now, I鈥檓 much more selective about where I spend my time. I鈥檝e learned that saying 鈥渘o鈥� is okay. In fact, it鈥檚 necessary. Saying no to certain things has allowed me to say yes to what truly matters 鈥� things that align with my goals and well-being.

                                                  

5. Take Care of Yourself

This one took me the longest to figure out. When you鈥檙e trying to juggle classes, work, and social obligations, self-care often falls by the wayside. But the truth is, if you鈥檙e not taking care of yourself, everything else that you do suffers too. I鈥檝e made it a point to get enough sleep, take breaks when I need them, and eat more than just instant noodles (though those have their place in college life).

Sometimes, managing time is less about squeezing productivity out of every minute and more about finding balance. It鈥檚 easy to feel like you should be constantly working, but I鈥檝e found that regular breaks and downtime make me more efficient when I am working.

                                              

6. Don鈥檛 Be Afraid to Ask for Help

This is something I used to struggle with 鈥� asking for help. Whether it鈥檚 time management or academics, there鈥檚 a huge support system around you, even if you don鈥檛 always realize it. I started going to office hours, talking to my professors, and even leaning on my friends when I needed advice or motivation.

At the end of the day, college is a learning experience, and not just in the academic sense. Learning how to manage your time is a skill that will benefit you long after you graduate. And while I鈥檓 far from perfect at it, I鈥檝e definitely come a long way.

If you鈥檙e struggling with time management as an undergrad, trust me 鈥� you鈥檙e not alone. Take small steps, find what works for you, and don鈥檛 be afraid to adjust as you go. You鈥檝e got this!