The School-Life Balance: Managing Studies and a Social Life
In my freshman year of college, I wanted to solely focus on my academics. I thought I didn’t need any more friends; I just need my degree. However, as my first few semesters passed, I realized that college isn’t all about the classes; it’s also about the connections you make. Therefore, I joined clubs and went to social events to meet like-minded people. Some of the best college memories involve socializing. However, once you’re having fun with friends, it is easy fall behind in class. To get the most out of your college experience, you have to find a balance between your academic and social life. This article describes the two key strategies I use to keep my academic and social life balanced.
I use the Google Calendar app on my phone to help me manage my time. I schedule my weekdays with studying and my weekends for hanging out with friends. This way I can see what needs to be done first and how much time I have to work on it. Sometimes I find it tempting to go out instead of studying, but making a schedule has helped me sort through my priorities and has made me less stressed.
I also integrate my social life into my academic life. For example, I form study groups in my classes so I can make new friends without neglecting my studies. I met some of my best friends through a biology study group that I formed in my freshman year. Moreover, this group kept me motivated and helped me understand the class better, so that I (and several others in the group) passed this class with an A! Joining clubs is another way to combine academics with your social life. There are many major/program specific clubs that help students succeed in their future career paths. By joining a pre-health organization, I learned more about my career path and made friends who were experiencing similar struggles. Joining study groups and academic clubs allows me to socialize and reach my academic goals simultaneously!
Even with these tips, you may still find it difficult to have a fulfilling social life and do well in your classes. If you find you are too stressed, this suggests you haven’t found the right balance yet. I recommend you reassess your priorities. Once you’ve figured out what you want to get out of college, look at your schedule again and evaluate the activities you are involved in, to decide how to make these among the best years of your life.
Trixie Cruz has been a member of the Interactive Measurement Group since Fall 2017. Trixie is a pre-nursing student with a minor in psychology. She plans to enroll in UNLV’s nursing program and eventually pursue a Doctorate in Nursing Practice.