As a junior in college, many people are asking me what I plan to do once I graduate. Graduation will be here before I know it. Like many people, I have moments where I think I need more time. I always see people say that they can’t do something because of how long it takes. But, I don’t think time should have that much control over people.
My Experience
It wasn’t until a few weeks I started thinking about the college experience as whole. I started to think that I ran out of time to have that special, fun time people talk about in college. My previous years were so focused on studying, I forgot about my hobbies and goals.
My freshman year, I took two accelerated Spanish classes. Basically, I took four Spanish classes in two classes in a one year. We learned something new everyday and it was hard to keep up. Then, I spent most of my time being tutored because of how much work there was.
As an English major, most of my time is spent reading and writing essays. As expected, most of my classes require me to read multiple books at once. Because of that, I stopped reading in my daily life. I’ve been wanting to read Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins for so long but kept putting it off.
Nowadays, I try to go out and explore after class. Sometimes I go to the mall and window shop. Other days I get a nice, fun drink and just drive around! Doing these have helped me balance my time because it encourages me to do my work earlier.
In addition to that, I still have my senior year. I have the time to still go out with my friends. Just because I missed out previously doesn’t mean I can’t start now. Even if I am starting later than everyone else, I’m still enjoying my time in college just like everyone else.
Recommendations
Stop Comparing
Stop looking at other peoples accomplishments on social media. Doing that doesn’t help you. Your life, experiences, goals, and hardships will be completely different from people online. Recognizing that will help you focus on your goals.
@drrachelnyc via Instagram
Do It Now
This works best at home. If you are sitting around and thinking about doing something, start it. Even if its only for five minutes. Doing it for those five minutes is better than doing nothing. Do what you can when you can. Watching the minutes go by only harms you.
@courtneygosserdesign via Instagram
Fit Your Surroundings
If you’re like me and have a tight schedule, make your time work for you. Like many people, one of my goals is to workout. When I have small gaps in my schedule, I may go for a walk around campus. This way, I’m still being active.
Let’s say you want to read more. To fix that, listen to audio books in the car on your way to work. Don’t change your schedule to inconvenience yourself!
@chathamu via Instagram
Break It Down
If you have several little goals, see if you can put them into categories. Some categories you can compartmentalize are how long the goal will take, ranking tasks from easiest to most difficult, or tasking them together. One of my goals on weekends including cleaning. This includes washing and folding sheets and clothes, doing the dishes, sweeping the floor, wiping down the counters, and more. To prioritize my time, I do laundry first because I can do the other task while it’s in the washer and dryer machine.
@passionplanner via Instagram
While managing time can be difficult, mourning the time you could have spent on something hurts more.
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