Student Blog: Class, Sleep, Repeat: A Practical Guide to Balancing College

As the temperature begins to cool, leaves begin falling from trees, and the days get noticeably shorter, we all start to feel a subtle shift in the air. With schools having recently started back up for the academic year, a common challenge gets presented to all students, regardless of age or grade: the transition back from a sort of flexible freedom back into the demands of academics. Between classes, assignments, and extracurriculars, gaining a sense of structure can feel overwhelming.

The most common mistake students make at the start of a semester is trying to overhaul their habits overnight. We set very ambitious goals: hitting the campus gym at 6:00 AM, studying for four hours straight in the library every day, cooking balanced meals, and turning off all screens by 10:00 PM. By week two, that feeling of burnout kicks in, a single missed task feels like a dramatic failure, and the whole routine slowly falls apart.

In order to create a routine that actually lasts, one must start by shifting your mindset from a massive overhaul, to simpler step-by-step adjustments.

Step 1: Base Your Schedule Around Your Classes

Unlike high school, class schedules can vary wildly. There is no way to construct your schedule to be the same day after day, everyday will always be different. Use the gaps in your schedule as a sort of designated work block. You will rather take the time to study or review notes or assignments during those gaps, rather than dealing with the late night crams 

Step 2: Stagger Your Assignments

Once the semester starts getting more serious, you may be staring down the barrel end of a 10 page essay, group assignments, and extensive research papers. My advice is to reduce the friction of these assignments by taking them at a steady pace. For example, if you know in advance when an assignment will be due, (say a multi page essay), write a paragraph or two a day or so until the deadline. This will greatly improve your work ethic and mental health. 

Step 3: Combine Your Study Habits

Attaching your study habits with things you already do will greatly improve your studying. For example, say every morning you go to your student center for coffee every morning, take the time you're there to look over your notes and study guides. If you go on walks around your campus after classes end for the day, use that time to listen to an audio or recording of your lecture to mentally recap that lesson. By anchoring your studying with existing habits or pastimes will make it effortless to maintain.

Step 4: Protect your Sleep Schedule 

Getting consistent sleep is the foundation of your brain for maintaining a great cognitive performance and retaining memory. Try to establish a consistent sleeping schedule as early in the semester as possible. Pick a realistic time to lie down that allows for at least 7-8 hours of rest, and create a way to wind down at the end of the day, this will help tell your brain that the day is over.

So to sum it all up, getting back into a routine is never easy, but I hope these have given you a good guide to creating your own system to stay on top of your coursework, while making time to enjoy the life campus has to offer. You've got to start small, focus on steady momentum, and give yourself grace as you find your own balance this semester.