The College Balancing Act: Tricks of the Trade

Looking back to my freshman year of college, I remember being overly confident in my abilities to balance my personal life, work, and school. My young, naïve, and overly confident self quickly learned that balancing my life was not something that came easily, rather required consistent consideration and adjustment. As I start my senior year, I still have not mastered this balancing act, but I have learned some tricks of the trade.

People often associate asking for help with failure. When it comes to balancing the important things in your life, seeking help can only be a benefit to you. Balancing so many things at one can quickly become out of hand and stressful. Use your support group around you and other resources to help reduce the weight of this balancing act.

As college students, we always hear that we should set aside a specific time to study. While true, it is also important to set personal time aside. Our minds can only take so much schoolwork before they start to burn out. Setting time aside to binge-watch a show, spend time with family or friends, or take a nap is crucial. College careers only last so long, so it is important to enjoy this time of life while you can.

Putting yourself first as the great big college world revolves around you is not a selfish thing to do. It is easy to fall into the trap of putting all of your energy into everything else but yourself. There is nothing wrong with saying no to give time to yourself so you can be impactful in other areas of your life. Also, always remember, sleep is a precious commodity in college, so make time for it.

While not required for success, having some source of income during college is helpful. Having an income gives students the ability to invest more in their lives outside of school and work. Not only that, but an income creates a peace of mind that if you need something, you can get it. Whether it's a random meal or something that specifically supports your education, it’s helpful to know that you can provide that for yourself if need be.

A cliché as it sounds, time management does help make balancing all aspects of life easier. Cramming everything into a too-small amount of time will burn you out quickly, and pushing everything off for another time makes that future time more stressful than it needs to be. Even just a little bit of time management allows you to give time to everything important to you.

Unfortunately, this balancing act is different for everyone, but these simple tips can help anyone find some balance. Even the smallest amount of effort into this balancing act will help make it all easier.