Whether that be finishing up midterms or prepping for finals, time management is crucial in college.

1. Use a Planner

Whether that be a Google Calendar or a physical planner, have a visual of what needs to be done and what your day looks like helps you keep your priorities in check (see Tip #3). It’ll also help you remember that meeting you scheduled three weeks ago. Having your classes, meetings, assignments and extracurricular activities in one place has helped me keep everything in check and make it easier to manage my time.

2. Go to Class (But Actually)

Skipping class to study or to catch up on sleep might seem like a good idea at the time, but this is one thing that will always come back to bite you. Going to class is the easiest way to succeed in college. Not only could you be getting crucial information that you might not get by just reading the book, but you’re also showing your professors that you care, which can help you out later.

3. Have your Priorities in Check

Know what’s important. Balancing family, school and friends can get difficult as college is a busy time. But remembering to make that phone call home every once in a while is so important. Not everyone’s priorities are going to be the same, and that’s okay. But knowing what is most important to you will help you decide what amount of time goes towards which aspect in your life.

4. Prioritize Sleep

This one I can’t stress enough. Being someone who has pulled countless all-nighters, I can honestly say they would definitely cause me more harm than good. You might get a decent amount of work done at the time, but the recovery time required for an all-nighter will just put you farther behind. Getting a decent amount of sleep will help you stay more alert and stay focused.

5. Make Time for the Fun Stuff

You’re still in college, and will only be in college for so long. Although school work is important, it is still important to enjoy your time while you’re here. Whether that be taking time out of the day to get ice cream or watch a movie with friends, it is should be a priority to take time out of your day to do something you enjoy to help you unwind. I typically try and save an hour or two a night to hang out with my roommates to make dinner and talk about our days. It’s a nice study break and it helps me calm down after a long day.