How to Balance School and Social Time
Being a good student doesn't mean you have to drop everything else. It's possible to have a healthy social life while earning good grades. It's all about balance, young grasshopper.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Academic Counselings
- Palm Handheld Organizers
- Electronic Personal Organizers
- Personal Organizers
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1
Decide for yourself at the start of the term that you won't let schoolwork sweep you away. It's important to have this resolve as a foundation.
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2
Plot out your weekly schedule on a grid. Chances are, you'll have small gaps between classes during the week, and longer stretches of free time on the weekends.
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3
Focus in on those small gaps, and highlight them on your grid: It's here that you can do bits of schoolwork, leaving the larger weekend gaps free.
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4
Set aside at least one large chunk of time each week for free time - maybe all of Saturday, for instance.
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5
Make sure that every time you find yourself in one of those between-class gaps, you use the time efficiently: Read a few pages, run some quick errands, spell-check your paper.
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6
Keep in mind the law of diminishing returns. Past a certain point, studying harder will yield little. You're better off using that time to hang out with friends.
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7
Consider making rituals out of your transitions between school and social time - some people need this. Maybe just a walk around the block will do the trick. You're a student when you start your walk; you're a person when you return.
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8
Encourage your friends to follow a similar plan, so you can coordinate your free time with theirs.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Protect both your free time and your school time religiously. If you start to infringe on either, it's a long, slippery slope downward.
Whenever possible, find social activities that take you off campus and away from your schoolwork.
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Comments
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kcirtap
Apr 24, 2007
I never have to study out side of school unless I don't get the lesson. I have figured out after talking to differen't people that the ones that study rarely do better than people who just pay attention during class, and the ones who don't study are a lot happier with their social lives, lol trust me. -
kcirtap
Apr 24, 2007
I never have to study out side of school unless I don't get the lesson. I have figured out after talking to differen't people that the ones that study rarely do better than people who just pay attention during class, and the ones who don't study are a lot happier with their social lives, lol trust me.
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Nov 22, 2005
Look at your watch and tell yourself that you are going to study for 15 minutes. During that time, find something you like about it. When you start thinking about something else, remember that you just discovered something you like about history and if you study a little bit more, you'll get that out of it plus the added reward of a better grade. Also, if there are outside conflicts, they won't be as pleasurable to think about so you can shut them out quicker.
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Nov 22, 2005
Don't stay up late "cramming." Go to bed early and get up earlier than your normal time. You will be fresher, learn more and retain more than when you were falling asleep over your books.
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Nov 22, 2005
A wise aunt of mine told me to plan your social life around your responsibilities (school, work). Too often I found myself missing class to go out with friends - therefore accomplishing less. This tip also makes a more responsible and committed person.
