Advice Column: Time Management

Dear Nubian Queen,

I am a freshmen and it I find it difficult to manage my time. The transition from High School to college in respect to time is still a reality that I struggle with and cannot seem to master. How can I learn to manage my time more wisely?

Sincerely,

Time management

Dear Time management,

It takes time and effort to develop time management skills; they do not simply grow over night. Indeed it is extremely difficult to come to a decision on ways to balance class, homework, extracurricular activities, social activities, and maybe even work. It is imperative that you begin to analyze your past habits and discover ways to alter or eliminate them. The key is to plan and organize your days, weeks, and months. This can be achieved by purchasing a planner or using the calendar functions on smart phones, laptops, etc.

At the beginning of the semester many students including myself refer to their syllabi and notate the due dates of homework assignments, projects, and test for the entire semester. This is very smart because many of my fellow peers who fail to do so have missed vital assignments and critical days/hours of study time. After you have completed this step then you can also notate meetings and events that you plan on attending throughout the semester.

In 2001, The Academic Skills Center at Dartmouth College provided a list of thirty tips that was adapted from A. Lakein. How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life. It is important to “Remind yourself, there is always enough time for the important things. If it is important, you should be able to make time to do it.” With an agenda or calendar it should become easier to plan your day each morning or every night and begin to set attainable goals for yourself. Furthermore, concentrate on one thing at a time and be persistent. Good luck in all of your future endeavors and I hope that this will help manage your time not only in college but also in life.

Sincerely,

Nubian Queen