Pepsi, Chocolate Chips, and Pizza (Or How I Got My Degree)

March 14, 2013

I soon graduate with my Bachelor’s degree, and that’s no small feat! As an English major, the main facet of my education is reading books and writing papers. On average, I read between 20 and 30 books a semester, depending on the particular courses that I am taking. I average upwards of 20 hours for writing a single term paper; I normally compose about three at the same time. I also work for the Library on my off days. Needless to say, my time is in high demand.

Countless resources exist on how to time manage, but when in a time crunch to begin with, reading whole books on the subject is not really feasible. Through many seasons of trial and error, I have come up with a few habits that serve me well.

1. I program my schedule into Google calendar, so I always have it right at my fingertips.
2. I write down all of my due dates and special engagements in a planner for integrated reference.
3. Prioritizing is crucial – though I might be more interested in something else, I have to work on things that are due first.
4. This might seem a little superfluous, but I make sure to reward myself with some time off to recuperate every once in a while. Truthfully, it’s very important to do this in order to avoid burnout.

Beyond this, however, I would say that the most important time-management skill is knowing myself. I know generally how long that it takes me to do things, including the degree of efficiency that I will have in executing the task. Also, I’ve accepted that sometimes there just isn’t enough time, no matter how well you manage it; sometimes, you have to pull an all-nighter, and that’s okay. Perhaps adhering to the common idea of a college student, I owe much of my success to caffeine, sugar, and those pizzas that can be cooked for four minutes in the microwave and then eaten. Challenging the world record for sleepless nights at the same time as earning a degree – these are the days.

Heather G.
Oak Grove Branch