Tips on Time Management for College Students!
Do you manage your time well?
Elizabeth Potter, our 2010 Scholarship Fund finalist, has a very crazy schedule. Elizabeth is a junior science/pre-med student at Xavier University (Go Muskies!) and a very responsible young adult. With a 3.8 GPA, Elizabeth also works part time at the Xavier 
library and is responsible for paying her own bills, which includes things for her car, clothing, going out, and her entire tuition.
Elizabeth has said that:
“As a science/pre-med student, I have a very rigorous schedule, and I always have a large amount of homework and studying. Without the AMF scholarship, I would probably have to work full time, which would severely cut into my studying time and it would be very hard to keep up my academics. Sometimes when I am feeling overstressed, I think about the AMF and I am again inspired to do my best.”
When I first started at Xavier, I underestimated how much work I would have. Hanging out with friends and joining some clubs on campus was really important to me, but I wasn’t sure how to balance that and studying. Here are some great tips I found from Kelci Lynn Lucier on how to manage your time well and keep everything in order:
- Get — and use — a calendar. It can be a paper calendar. It can be your cell phone.
- Allow for flexibility. You may have forgotten that there is a Xavier basketball game and you want to see Dee Davis and Semaj Christon rule the court. Leave room in your calendar so that you can move things around a little when needed.
- Plan ahead. Don’t let a school project due date sneak up on you. If you think you’ll
need six weeks for the entire project, work backward from the due date and schedule the time into your calendar before it’s too late.
With such a busy schedule, Elizabeth does a really good job managing her time. Some of her tips for fellow college students are:
- Sacrifice: Know that sometimes you have to give up a TV show to get some work done.
- Know your limits: Adapt to having to focus and do good work while you are tired. But know that this does have a limit and you do have to sleep at some point.
- Allow yourself “You” time: This can be a great refresher, help you organize your thoughts, and recharge for the workload.
With the Foundation’s help, you have an opportunity to enter college less stressed and with a better understanding of how to manage your time. Make sure to apply today for the Scholarship Fund!
Mike Rizio
Programs Intern
For a full list of tips click here!