Chelsea Mills
Time Management Skills at Dartmouth
One of the biggest struggles that comes with moving to college is learning how to navigate the new freedom. Doing so involves a delicate balance between self-discipline, time management skills, and scheduling. If you're anything like me, this will prove to be the hardest for your academic commitments. Dartmouth's quarter terms move quicker than you would expect, but there are ways to feel less overwhelmed with your schedule. Here are some strategies I used to stay on top of them.
- No. 1
Be realistic.
Sure, it’s important to not fall behind. But if you overload your schedule with a ton of clubs and DOC trips, it’s easy to realize that you might not even have the time to truly enjoy any of them. Not to mention, this would all be on top of your 3 classes and any office hours that may accompany them. I prioritize what’s important to me, and let go of any “filler” activities that I did just for the sake of doing. I was so excited to try everything at Dartmouth, but I had to be realistic about how much I could juggle at once. It’s totally fine to scale back commitments. Now, I have extra time to pour into the hobbies I'm most passionate about!
- No. 2
Find a study buddy!
I love hanging out with my friends, and I am quick to say “yes” to spending time with them. Yet, my homework awaits. It can be hard to prioritize academics when you also want to make fun memories (Baker is a gorgeous library, but maybe not the place I'd like to spend my entire day). I balance the two by doing homework alongside friends. Studying with friends can help hold yourself accountable. Even if they aren’t in the same class as you, simply being next to someone else might motivate you to finally start doing that textbook reading you’ve been procrastinating. And you’ll have a friend to spend your study breaks with.
- No. 3
Don’t forget your goals.
As cheesy as it sounds, we do indeed discover ourselves in college. I think I’ve grown a lot after just one term. It’s been helpful for me to keep my overall goals for college in mind. They serve as a motivator to do things that don’t seem as fun short-term. My high-school-senior-self had a couple regrets that she promised to not repeat in college. Maybe you do too. I knew that I wanted to work on exploring my academic interests, which means getting good grades across different subjects to set a strong foundation. Keeping this in mind, it’s easier for me to set my goals into motion today. I urge you to do the same.
Posts You Might Like
Here is a little peek into how I made my spring break after studying abroad and before Spring term; a relaxing, rejuvenating & explorative experience!
The Upper Valley is full of great places to visit and things to do beyond the Dartmouth campus. Here's one of my favorites!
Greek Life can seem scary to some —including freshman year me. Here are some things I learnt when navigating these spaces!
If you're an admitted student, Dartmouth chose you. Here's why you should choose Dartmouth, in my opinion.
When I first got into Dartmouth, I was confused as to how you get there. Let me break it down!
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
I have written about being a student worker plenty of times in the past, but I have yet to talk about one of my favorite jobs ever: ticket selling at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
Congratulations to all the amazing, intelligent, passionate and outstanding members of Dartmouth's Class of 2028.