You just failed the quiz yesterday and your boss nearly fired you for not being able to attend the meeting. You need to go to church with your mom this afternoon, but you haven’t studied for the next quiz tomorrow.
Pretty confused with your priorities? College life could seem overwhelming, especially if you do not know how to manage your time.
In college, students are also parents and sometimes, they are also employees as well. How do you beat the college life challenge?
Take it from the instructor
Dr. Dean Papadopoulos, an English and Speech instructor at Northern Marianas College said college students tend to “cram” if they do not finish term papers and homework ahead of time.
Starting on time is the best way to beat the deadline, he said.
Dr. Dean, as he is known by, notes that students must start doing their papers at least two to three days at the least before the deadline.
“This gives them time to read their work, edit it and revise it before submitting it,” he said.
He also recommends that students ask the help of their classmates and encourages study groups and collaboration.
An example, he gives, was that it would have been impossible to make it in graduate school without collaborating with a group.
Dr. Dean also said it is important to talk to your instructor and ask for help and encourages students to approach their instructors if they do not understand a certain lesson.
It’s all about time
Work, family and other obligations outside school is not a reason to fail a quiz.
Dr. Dean said students must learn to manage their time and know what their priorities are.
“There are 24 hours in a day,” he said. “Students must use the fragments of time in between work, school and family.”
As an example, he explained that one could grab a moment to study or read while waiting in a doctor’s clinic.
Other “fragment time” includes lunch breaks.
He strongly believes knowing your priorities makes you stay on focus.
“If I’m at work, I focus on work, if I’m in school, I focus on school and the same goes with at home,” he said.
According to him it is alright to bring school to work as long as your boss “is okay with it.”
Read to learn
Dr. Dean said successful people are good readers.
He said the best way to improve one’s self and develop the brain is to read and read and read.
“We cannot fulfill our potential without being book lovers,” he said.
He talked about the biographies he read and said he found out that the successful people are good readers.
For those who are busy with their families, working and studying, he suggests putting aside a time to read before bed time.
Dr. Dean said reading is a way to learn. “Stories in the books can also inspire us,” he said.
He recommends books like autobiographies, biographies, books about resiliency and books that students are interested in.
So if you are having a hard time at college, think about trying Dr. Dean’s tips. There is no harm in trying.
