Not to mention the amount of pressure to perform well and to spend time with friends while we still can before we all go our separate ways or get buried with books all over again are how most students feel at the end of every year. All of this tends to be overwhelming for students sometimes and makes them feel like a balancing beam trying to please everybody and themselves.
In situations like these the stress levels are usually at their peak levels and students are at their wit’s end trying to juggle all of this. It is times like these that spending time with friends relaxes and also calm’s one down and then take an informed decision on what to do.
There are simple steps that students can avail off to prevent their balance beam from tilting or getting heavier such as these simple steps can eliminate the chaos that students experience at this time of the year.
Step 1: Prepare a To Do List
Students can prepare a list of all the things that they need to do for instance a project that is due next month, a test due tomorrow, assignments that are due at different times during the week or a power point presentation that is due on Monday or if you have a party to attend too the following day while an assignment that is due the next day. Once they have listed out all the tasks with their deadlines they then need to sort out the tasks that are important.
Step 2: Prepare a Calendar
Once they have all the tasks along with the deadlines, then preparing a calendar comes into play. In the calendar you can make a note of the tasks that are due alongside the date. This will give you a clear view of the tasks that have to be completed and by when.
Step 3: Prepare a Time Table
When you have a lot of tests or exams in the coming week, it is probably a wise decision to prepare a time table for the purpose of allotting time for each subject. That way you cover more portion within a small amount of time.
Step 4: Learn to Prioritise
It is said, “Experience is the best teacher”, meaning that what you learn via experience is a lesson learnt well and are sure to remember it too. In chaotic situations such as this you learn the skill of priotising well as you are pushed into a corner and need to learn how to manage the entire tasks at hand. It is common sense that the tasks that are due later in the current week or tomorrow need to be completed first and as soon as possible. For instance, if you have an assignment that is due tomorrow and a party to attend to today, it’s obvious you will have to cancel attending the party.
Step 5: Formulate a Plan
You need to plan for the worst-case scenario. For example if you have a test due tomorrow but you have to attend a get together that you cannot get out of it is understood that you have to have finished preparing for the test or if you fall sick the previous day it would have helped if you were held way through your preparation.
Step 6: Time Management
I’m sure you’ve come across these words quite often so I assume that you know what they mean by now. Nevertheless, to jog your memory, you need to make use of the time that you have wisely if you wish to get all the tasks done in time. For instance if you had to go for a football practice for the match tomorrow and you had an assignment to submit tomorrow itself then if you have managed your time well and completed it way before its deadline then you wouldn’t have to sit down with it immediately when you got home from practice thus you would have got the rest that you would need to perform well in the game tomorrow.
Step 7: Refrain from Procrastination
Along similar lines of time management is procrastination. It means that if a task is given it is preferable to begin with the task rather than putting it off for another time and then realising that you should have done the task at the time instead of postponing it for another time. For example if you have a project submission tomorrow and a family get together to attend today, if you had worked on it at the time it was given to you and managed to finish it by now you could attend the get together. If not then you would have to finish it in a hurry, if you weren’t able to get out of it.
Step 8: Be Organised
The best and only way to make both ends meet is by getting organised. For example; If your room is not organised get it organised by reserving some time from your busy schedule for this task. Remember that if your room is not organised finding things when you want them will be difficult therefore it will hinder your task completion as well.
Step 9: Interact with Friends
To be able to make time for your friends is easy as it is only you and you can move things around to accommodate them. But what is the use if your friend is unavailable at the prescribed time hence you need to find out from your fiends what their schedule is like because if you are so busy it’s only obvious that they too will be busy. So make sure you find out when exactly all of them are free so that all of you can meet up at the same time and spend quality time with them while you all still can. This will also help you to plan your schedule to accommodate everyone and also ensure that you finish your tasks in time.
Step 10: Inform Each Other
Apart from communicating your plans it is equally important that you inform each other if there are changes in either of your plans by calling if possible or sending a text message is also fine. If some other plan comes up that you cannot get out of when a plan has already been made, make sure you inform all the individuals concerned and come to a solution that everyone concerned agrees with. Remember that your friend also has plans, has a life and is not just sitting around and waiting for you so that you can do as you please and not inform them. If you insist on going through with this type of behavior you are bound to lose that friend for lack of consideration on your path. Don’t be surprised if your best friend chooses another friend over you simply because you don’t value their time and effort.
Step 11: Try and Stick to the Plan
If possible always try and stick to the plan at all times, as this will make your friend’s appreciate you, your time and your effort. Apart from this your friend will be more than happy to hang around you more often and this will strengthen your bond of friendship with them. Trust me when I say that these are the type of friends you would want to hang around with in the long run and you are most likely to count on in times of trouble, so choose your friends wisely. People aren’t fond of individuals who keep making excuses whenever a plan has been made and implemented, they would rather hang around people who value them, their time and their effort.
Following these simple steps will ensure that you make time for your friends, family and yourself thus reducing the stress levels and maintaining a balance without utter chaos. Therefore your entire year will go smoothly and you will be able to have fun and cherish the moments that are of importance to you.
