EduGuide asked three successful college students to give teens advice on managing their study schedules, classes, activities, and time with friends. Here are some of their suggestions.

Sarah Kawaguchi, a senior at McGill University in Montreal, juggles an intense premed program with volunteering and hanging out with friends. "If I were to give a first-year student only two pieces of advice regarding staying organized in university, they would be the following: plan ahead and write things down,” she says.

Sarah recommends leaving more than enough time to prepare for a midterm, write a paper, or complete an assignment. That way unexpected complications won’t mean you have to sacrifice things you want or need to do in order to finish everything.

She explains how she structures her time. “If I have a philosophy paper due the same day as a biology midterm, I will always write the paper first and study biology second so that the midterm material is fresh in my mind. Starting a paper a month early may seem strange, but ultimately planning ahead allows me to be less pressed for time and more flexible in terms of participating in extracurricular activities and spending time with friends.”

Sarah recommends keeping a planner to track details and get a global picture of assignments, exams, meetings, and other commitments. “Writing things down has been particularly important to me. One of the biggest changes from high school for most first-year students is having final exams worth sixty, seventy, sometimes even one hundred percent of the final course mark, while the most they were ever worth in high school was fifteen or thirty percent of the grade,” Sarah explains. “Understanding exactly how much time I will have to study for each final exam allows me to start early and not have to cram everything in at the last minute.”

Cassie Robertson, a junior at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, explains that organization is a big challenge for college students. Their schedules have much less structure than in high school, and no one tells students where or when to study. Time management becomes critical. “The best way to manage time and get organized is to make a schedule,” she says. “Living in a dorm means that there are always people around to talk to and hang out with, and if you don’t budget your time, you won’t end up getting your work done.”

One of Cassie’s strategies is working in the library rather than her dorm room. “If I do my work in the library, I avoid the possibility of getting sidetracked by socializing,” she explains.

Katherine Chasmar, a third-year student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, has these four main strategies for staying organized and getting all her schoolwork done.

  • Plan ahead. When you get course outlines at the beginning of the year, get out your calendar and mark down dates of exams and due dates of papers.
  • Make lists. Each week, note assignments and readings to be completed. Next to each task, put the estimated number of hours required to complete it and the date you need to have it done. Then prioritize tasks in order of importance.
  • Avoid clutter and distractions. A clean workspace improves concentration and productivity.
  • Develop a schedule. Try to get in the habit of studying, going to bed, exercising, and enjoying personal activities at particular times.