The Importance of a College Routine

By Emerson Driscoll

Edited by Taylor Morgan

ALESSIA / @giacomellialessia1 on Pinterest

The switch from high school to college is one that most of us take. We all remember the bittersweet feeling of leaving behind everything we knew and taking on a new chapter in our lives. Not only were we leaving behind family, friends and our homes, but we were also leaving a chapter in our lives that constantly had structure to it. Not only were you at school the entire day, but most of us had extracurricular activities that made us busy all the time. If you were not at those, you were doing your homework, and any time you had free was to be with friends. Your days were so busy and planned that you did not have to think about much, or how to plan out your day. Now, in college, you are the one left to set up your day and create a routine. Personally, I have noticed myself falling into slumps very easily, especially if those around me just want to hang out in a room, you are going to be inclined to do the same. When you are depending on yourself, there is a responsibility you have to yourself to complete your goals without someone telling you to do so. Here are a few things I have done to make this push that much easier.

Keeping an agenda is key to your success. I do not have a physical one, but I track my assignments using a notes app on my phone, listing out what I need to do each day or setting reminders for when each assignment is due. Not only does this remind you to complete the work, but it keeps you accountable.

Another tip is to literally write in your notes app or on paper your entire plan for the next day before you go to bed. Do not make it so rigorous that you will not be able to actually follow your schedule, and give yourself a little bit of leeway in some areas. Give yourself options based on timeframes to get everything done you are hoping to in a day. The feeling of success as you cross off your schedule and realize you have been keeping to it and following through with your plans is one I hope everyone can experience, especially after a few days of laziness and procrastination.

Finally, a tip I always follow, especially this semester, is booking a workout class the night before, try the Miami Recreation Center or Fitness on High. Wherever the workout fits in your schedule and you know you will actually go, book it then and make sure to follow through with it. By actually booking the class, you eliminate the decision to go or not, and it becomes just another part of your routine that you will stick to. 

By just incorporating any of these tips and tricks into your schedule, you can ensure you’re making the most of your day, without time being wasted on going back and forth on a decision. Just by taking a second to plan out your day the night before, you can get so much more done than you can imagine. Give yourself a chance to take on the day and get back into the routine you used to have, but this time, you are in control and can feel the success that comes with it.