Time Management
It is my second month in the states. Thinking back to my two-months studying abroad life, the most meaningful thing I learned is time management.
During my studying life in my hometown Shanghai, my study schedule was planned by teachers and my life was arranged by my parents. What I used to do was just follow the arrangement.
But since I came to UCSB, I chose classes all by myself. I’m taking 17.5 units for this quarter , which means I have 3 classes on average everyday and I need to spend at least 3 hours on doing homework, reading materials and review the classes. I also have a plan to go to gym twice a week. At first, I usually messed up, being late for classes, missing the time to do laundry which made me face the embarrassing condition that I had no more clean socks to wear.
I realized that I had to make some changes. I put all my schedules on the online calendar, which can remind me of important things to do. I made specific time table like Tuesday and Thursday 5:15–6:00PM is my cycling time and Sunday night is my laundry night. It worked for weeks. College life should not be composed of just academic studies. Then I joined the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, and the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, which take me time to attend meetings and organize events. Building timetable was not enough, how to build it reasonable and efficient bothered me. Interviewing the active members and pledges in fraternity takes me at least an hour and I still want to leave enough flexible time that can let me go to CLAS or CAPS for academic and mental assistance. I find out that because the class time is fixed, I should make other events as compact as possible, which means I don’t leave fraction time between events. I try my best to leave a completely integral time period, in which I can do more random events like focusing on preparing midterms or going to office hours.
Moreover, I’m trying to save as much time as possible. For example, my volleyball class is over at 9:50AM, and the next lecture begins at 12PM at Campbell Hall. I have a brunch at Coral Tree Cafe which is close to Campbell Hall so I don’t waste time on meaningless walking. Also, it’s a quiet place where I can preview for the lecture. Besides, I check the bus schedule in advance in case that I spend too much time at bus station just waiting for bus.
It is properly managing time that makes my college life full but in good order.
