Balancing school, jobs and a social life
by Carly Gartner, political science and psychology double major
I think for most college students, coming to college brings a lot of big emotions — excitement over new people and places, satisfaction with new-found freedom, and also usually nervousness due to the unknown. Whether this is your first semester or your final one, these feelings are common. If you are particularly worried about balancing everything you need and want to do in college and managing your time wisely, then this article might be for you!
For a little background on me — hi, I’m Carly and I am a junior double majoring in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. I have two on-campus jobs: I’m a resident assistant and I work in Herbie’s Markets. I’m an undergrad research assistant for the Political Attitudes and Cognition Lab, I volunteer for the Center for Advocacy, Response, and Education, and I am a member of the Husker Vote Coalition. I love going to home football and volleyball games with friends, working out, and reading in my free time. I love all the things I do, but I will admit it’s a lot, so I have some tips and tricks I use to balance my life.
Time Management
The first might be somewhat obvious but is still super important: use a calendar or planner! I love using Google Calendar because I can have it on my computer and my phone so I can see it whenever I need. I fill my calendar with all my classes, work shifts, and volunteer times so I can be intentional with my day. Also, I make sure to note when assignments are due so I can work ahead if I need to. This can help me determine when some classes will be more demanding than others, or when I might have time in my week to pick up an extra shift at work.
In addition to keeping track of school and work things, I also use my calendar to plan out time for fun things. Taking care of yourself is super important, so intentionally setting aside time for myself helps me make sure I don’t get burnt out. Don’t hesitate to put “bike ride”, “coffee date with friends”, or “movie night” into your planner so you can make sure you are devoting enough time to yourself and doing things that you love.
Setting Boundaries
Something that we might forget about when trying to balance everything in our lives is that you don’t have to do everything. Learning what your limits are can be difficult, but once you figure out what you can and can’t do in a day or a week, you will be able to better balance your schedule and your life. Be realistic and remember that it’s ok to say no to things — you won’t be able to pick up every open shift, or make it to every friend get-together, or even make it to every study group session, and that’s ok! Setting boundaries can help us make sure we are dedicating the appropriate time to something, whether it be school, work, or personal.
Ask for Help
My final piece of advice is to not be afraid to ask for help if you need it. We are all human, which means that everyone will need some help sometimes. If you are struggling with class, talk to your TA or professor, or utilize tutoring resources on campus. If you need help with mental health or life stressors, CAPS, CIR, or BRRWB are all great resources available to us as students. If you live on campus, your RA or Residence Hall Director are also a resource that you can use if you find yourself needing help with anything. These are all resources that I and many people I know have used at some point, so don’t be afraid to reach out!
The bottom line is there’s a lot around here to do and only so much time to do it all — classes, work and social life. Practice managing your time, setting boundaries for yourself, and asking for help when you need it and you will find that you can make the best of every day and accomplish a lot.
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