I have compiled a list of my most useful tips and tricks as a college student, on how to feel that you are using your time and life to the best of your ability and happiness. Here are some tips to help even the most exhausted soul, feel accomplished and successful in everything from day-to-day, to the big picture.
1. Make a list or keep an organizer around.
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This may seem obvious, but having a solid, physical list of what you need to do, as well as what you have gotten done, is a good way to see your accomplishments, however small. Finding an organizer or planner that you like, as well as one that is small, will make it easier and more convenient for you to carry it around and actually use it. Whether it is a catalog of social outings, a grocery list or homework tasks, this will help you organize and visualize your need-to-dos and have-dones.
2. Cook yourself a meal.
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Now while it might seem random, I find that cooking myself an actual meal, and not just mac and cheese, helps me feel like I have accomplished something. Everyone needs to eat and the dining hall can feel monotonous and robotic, so I like to create my own meals on occasion and see the work that I was able to make. Even in dorms you can create some sort of meal, all it takes is thoughtfulness. Cooking is also just a great stress-reliever and it makes the steps in the recipe feel like accomplishments as well.
3. Use one platform to take notes with.
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In the past, I have rotated between taking notes on my laptop and taking notes by hand. This can make your life feel unnecessarily cluttered. Having to dig through files and notes instead of having them in order for you to sift through makes your life much more difficult, and therefore you are less willing to do the work.
4. Work from most time-consuming to least.
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Obviously do what works best for you, and if you have a paper due the next day you haven't started obviously it's going to be a long night. But I tend to find that if I get my long and time-consuming assignments done earlier in the day, I feel more accomplished later when my assignments seem to be flying by before bed. It also allows you to have time to scramble for the small assignments instead of not turning anything in for the larger ones.
5. Try to plan your weeks ahead of time.
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Or at least try to get a sense of what is going to take up your time and then plan accordingly. As you get assignments and know what is going to be due, you feel a little less overwhelmed and can set doable goals that don't make you feel more overwhelmed.
6. Have a solid resume and cover letter.
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Literally the whole point of a resume is to show off your accomplishments. If you have a well-put together resume, you will feel much more accomplished than not. If you have an old one, update it. You can take the time to make it really shine and this in itself will help you reach for your goals and show of what you have done.
7. On that note, set reasonable goals.
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If you know you have an 8 page paper due in less than 48 hours, I would say that the best course at that point is to do a little bit each hour. Set time limits of working on certain assignments and they will become more manageable. Know when to put away a frustrating assignment and work on another to get more done and to progress more evenly.
8. Do something that you enjoy after completing a task.
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Whether it's rewarding yourself with a snack, or going to take a walk, doing this can help get you through those days that feel like they will never end. I find that on the really tiring, gloomy days, being able to reward myself or get to a stopping point, feels like a huge victory. One recommendation for this is to set a list of things you want to get done before you have to leave for something like dinner, and then work and try to get those things done. This can work as a good mental motivator.
9. Don't let yourself get too stressed.
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If you start meditating on all of the things you have to get done, then more than likely you are going to stress yourself out more than you need to, and end up getting less done. If you spend more time worrying about what you have to do then actually doing it, it makes starting the actual work that much harder.
10. Listen to music without lyrics.
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Often lyrics can be distracting because you want to sing along and focus on them more than the work. If you listen to music that doesn't have lyrics, this can help you feel like you are powering through everything you need to do. It can also just act as a stress-reliever while you are working and is a reminder to again, don't let yourself overwhelmed.
All in all, I hope that as we hedge towards the middle of the semester, these tips and tricks have helped me to manage my time and make me feel successful, even at the little things and I hope that they will do the same for you.
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