Yash Goyal
One of the most enticing features of college life is the network you expand and meet people from different walks of life.
These people become your family away from home for a good 3-4 years and gelling well with them has to count high in importance, when looking forward to establishing a sense of community with peers.
However, the extent that one must go through to secure this while juggling a series of assignments and work pressure is a tough trade-off. But instead of viewing it as one pitched against the other, learn to manage time effectively.
While nobody can be perfect, it is key to note that the reason you have come to college is to first prioritise studying over anything else, unless you want to collaborate with others to create an entrepreneurial venture of your own.
This, in particular, is fantastic as it is productive and teaches you both professional as well as real-life skills, an achievement which can always look good for job prospects and so on. However, know the difference between when just whiling away your time with friends and using your time effectively to catch up with them.
Now, what does 'using your time effectively' even mean?
Weekdays spent in classes well until five in the evening exhausts almost all of us. But there are days when there are barely 4 hours of class time. Extract your highest productive time during late mornings and afternoons to get done with work. This way you can use evenings and late-nights to chill.
If you are an early bird, make sure you are finishing work early in the morning. This way you could chill during the day or some time in the evening.
You could also follow the strategy of working hard during the week and chilling with friends during weekends and vice-versa.
Most of the plans you make with friends also depends on whether your habits nearly mirror
theirs, with whom you can make plans that would be in congruence with their sleep and work habits.
However, this is not always important as you can still avoid slacking off by meeting your friends while both complete assignments and work. You could take sufficient breaks in between by talking or whatever all consent to, and enjoy work.
There are no necessities to these schedules of sorts. One can also decide as and when the day progresses. If you have chilled for almost half of the day, try to stay focused at work for the latter half.
In case you have worked well during the first half of the day and obeyed deadlines, reward yourself by chilling for the rest of the day and evening.
Just some simple strategies that you can use to work hard, yet stay socially fulfilled.
