Your mom goes to college...

Your mom goes to college.

College: A rite of passage for many young people. It's an exciting time to step into adulthood and independence. However, stepping into the unknown can be very overwhelming for both students and parents alike! Here are a few essentials to help your entrance into the world of college and adulting go a little more smoothly.

Essentials Covered:

Part 1: Manage your Time.

Part 2: Manage your money.

Part 3: Know WHO to ask

Part 4: Get out there!

#1 Manage Your Time

As a high school student, your schedule was made for you. Your alarm went off at the same time every day. You knew what time the first bell rang. Another bell told you when you switch classes when to eat, when to go home. A coach told you when the practice was over. High schoolers have very little control over their schedule. Homeschoolers do have an advantage in this area, as they were responsible to get things done on their own; usually with a more flexible or less fixed schedule. However, whether you were a public school or homeschooled student, someone else was usually in charge of your schedule.

Not anymore.

Sure you have a class schedule, but don't expect your roommate to pull your covers off of you if class is about to start! If you are living at home, your mom may still be able to drag you out of bed for class, but seriously...she shouldn't have to! Be an adult! Refusing to manage your time is a fantastic way to acquire stress, anxiety and possibly a few failed classes. So in order to set yourself up for success, you must manage your time.

Time management is a life skill- one that many young people struggle with. So part of this preparation into adulthood is training you how to manage your time. Many people rely on their phone calendars to set alarms and keep track of their schedule. Some people still find it useful to have a planner or calendar that they can look at and see what is ahead. If you struggle in the area of time management, here are a few ways you can manage your time:

A. Transfer your data! Syllabus' with deadlines, work schedule, games, your social life- all of this needs to be managed, so all of this information needs to go on a schedule. Get into a habit of putting dates and times down immediately. You can easily do this on your phone or carry a planner around and be sure not to double-book yourself!

B. Keep a calendar in plain sight. A wall or desk calendar that you will put your eyes on on a daily basis is most helpful. Even if you put stuff on your phone, what if you don't check your phone calendar? Put events into your phone immediately and make a habit of transferring that info onto your paper calendar. Have a calendar in a space that you will see daily without even thinking about it, like on a fridge or on your desk or next your mirror or closet.

C. Plan your hours with a time-blocking. Many planners, like our College Game Plan provide daily, time-blocked sheets so you can plan out your entire day. These time-blocks are usually sectioned out every hour or half hour. There are electronic planners available as well. Either way, making a habit of using the planner each day is most important.

D. Start and End your day with your calendar. Before you go to bed each night, look at what is on the schedule for the next day. Each morning, check your calendar/planner again to remind yourself of what is ahead. If you are not in the habit of checking a planner each day, attach the action to something you already do. For example, "I will check my planner every morning when I sit down to eat my breakfast" or "I will check my calendar as I brush my teeth before bed." Attaching it to something you already do will build the habit (or any habit for that matter...but that's another blog.)

E. Plan for traffic! One way that time gets sabotaged is by not planning what time you have to leave to get where you need to be. Whether you're driving to work or walking across campus, know your travel time and plan accordingly. You don't want to be the one with the reputation for being late all the time. Also, recognize if you come from a culture that doesn't place a lot of value on being on time. You may have grown up in an environment where start times didn't really mean anything and being late was expected and acceptable. You don't live in that world anymore. While it is true that your professor will not get on your case about being late, one day your boss will! And it may drive your spouse bonkers (not speaking from personal experience or anything)! Also, being late is usually considered very rude. You are showing that you are not being considerate of or valuing other people's time. Don't be known as that person, in college or in life.

We must use time as a tool, not as a crutch. -John F. Kennedy

Let's Conquer that schedule!

I hope these tips help you manage your time. Go out and conquer your schedule! Next, let's look at an equally important skill: Managing your Money.