Time Management for College Students

Carmen Arias

English 102

October 26, 2003

Process Essay

Time Management for College Students

We all know the sound that is very familiar to us: tick, tick, tick. No, it's not the sound of our favorite movie coming on; It's time moving on. College students often find that time is the hardest goal to conquer. Time isn't really a goal. Finding time to complete all of our task is a goal. As a student there are some basic principals of time management that you can apply.

Identify the best time for studying. Everyone has high and low periods of attention and concentration. Are you a morning person or a night person? Use your power times for studying, especially if you have children. Use your down times for cleaning, laundry, and running errands. If you have a job like most of us do, make a slot in your day for studying.

Study difficult subjects first. When you are fresh, you can process information more quickly and save time as a result. You can also avoid falling asleep on the subjects you are not interested in. If you find yourself avoiding a particular subject, get up an hour early to study it before breakfast. With that chore out of the way, the rest of your day can be a breeze.

Make sure your surrounding are conductive to studying. This will allow you to reduce distraction, which can waste time. Use a regular study area. Your body and your mind know where you are. When you use the same place to study, day after day, your body and mind become trained. College libraries are designed for learning. The lighting is perfect. The noise level is low and materials are available for you to study. Some of us can study when our children are at school or even when they are asleep. If this doesn't work for you try to get up an hour early so you can have the quiet time you need to study.

Try to combine activities. If you are spending time at the Laundromat bring your notes to study. If you are cooking a meal for your family, read a chapter or two while you wait for supper to be ready. A tape recorder can help you use commuting time to your advantage. Make a cassette tape of yourself reading your notes. Then play these tapes in a car stereo as you drive, or listen

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