I must say balancing school, work, and a social life is most definitely hard, but achievable. As a junior majoring in Nursing, almost all my spare time goes to school work, but I seem to make it work. To those who are incoming freshman and nervous about making the transition into college, here are a few tips on how to balance it all:
1. Education comes first
When I first entered college it finally hit me that this is the real deal and my future depends on it. I'll never forget hearing the Head of the Nursing Program say in a meeting that not only do we have to hold a high GPA and receive at least a "B" in every math and science course we take, but that still may not be enough to move on to the nursing clinical phase. One "B-" could hold me back from advancing in my classes and hold me back from my career? I thought that was absolutely absurd. Two years later here I am, holding a GPA higher than I ever imagined, feeling so relieved I did what I had to do the right way.
2. Don't procrastinate
I'm sure everyone has heard this one before. Whatever you do, don't procrastinate writing that ten-page philosophy paper and only to have to rush to get in done five hours before it's due. I promise you, you will most definitely regret it. The one thing I can say about college is you rarely get written homework every single night. It's always big assignments and you know when they're due the first week of classes. As soon as you receive an assignment and you're up to date with all your other work start it. A little work each night won't kill you.
3. Missing one event doesn't mean you don't have a social life
I know missing that huge party or bar night might seem like the end of the world, but trust me it isn't. If you have an exam the next day worth 40% of your grade and you're choosing a party you're definitely doing it wrong. Believe me, at the end of the semester when you receive a "D" in that class the party will be the last thing you remember.
4. Buy a planner and actually use it
My all time favorite school supply, a planner! Yes, I am that girl that spends $60 on a personalized planner and takes it everywhere like it's a bible, but I do it for a reason. Whether you wanna buy a $60 planner or $6 planner, just buy one! The first week of classes print all your syllabuses and write down every single date you have an assignment, paper, exam, speech, etc. You'll always know what to expect and you'll never forget a thing.
5. Make your work schedule around your school schedule
I get it. You're a poor college student with $7.15 in your checking account and you still chose to buy that $5 shot, but don't put making money before school. Yes, we all want to have enough money to cover whatever it is that we want and/or need, but plan your work schedule around the school schedule. If you have classes Monday-Friday and still want to go out on the weekend, apply to a job just to fill the position Saturday-Sunday mornings and/or afternoons that way you have enough time to do everything.
