Waking up at 7 am to shower, get dressed, grab coffee (or for those more put-together than me, breakfast), and get to your 8 am class is hell on earth, there’s no good way to spin it. Sure, getting out of bed early and getting going does make you feel good and productive once you’ve done it, but the Pavlovian response to that alarm clock in the morning is just not worth it. How did I used to get up at 6 am every day for school at 6:40 am in high school and stay there until 7 pm? I have no idea. But busy days in college are very different from busy days in high school, and they require a different approach in order to maintain your sanity.

Here are a few tips and tricks from yours truly (a super-organized-not-messy-at-all person):

1. Eat breakfast. My roommate will say I’m a hypocrite for this one, but it’s a “do as I say, not as I do” kind of tip here. Most days I skip breakfast and feel extra anxious all day from it. Eating breakfast (or even just a quick banana) is guaranteed to make you feel awake and ready for classes, organization meetings, and homework - science says so. So get the coffee but grab something to eat with it.

2. Do your homework beforehand. And by beforehand, I do not mean the morning-of. Even the night before is fine, but the second you decide you’ll “get up early and do it” you’re screwing yourself over. I promise it’s more work than you think and that 30 minutes in the morning isn’t gonna cut it. Ideally, you’d (I’d) have it done a day or so in advance, but from personal experience, I know that is often unrealistic. But cut yourself off at 3 am.

3. Check your email and delete emails that are not relevant. Waiting until you have 200 unread emails that clog up your inbox and hide emails from professors is a mistake I have made many a time and it always ends poorly or in me taking forty-five minutes to sift through my inbox to find anything I actually need. Keep the inbox clean - professors email as often as your friends’ text.

4. Speaking of emails, respond to them as soon as you can. Don’t worry about responding too quickly, if you have time to bang out a response right when you read it, do that. It saves you tons of stress in the long run because nothing will be weighing on you and you won’t worry about forgetting to respond.

5. This one should be obvious but make a checklist every day. Buying a planner can help, but often you’re going to forget about it or not feel like pulling it out. So make a to-do list on your notes app or on a sticky note or a scrap of paper. Crossing out tasks will make you feel awesome.

6. If you have extra work to accomplish, don’t save it until the end of the day when you get back to your dorm — do it in between classes. Not only does being in study spaces help you stay focused, but when you get home at night, you’ll have so much less to worry about and you’ll thank yourself (you can go watch Outer Banks or something).

7. Use meal times as your breaks to see your friends. You really don’t want to be doing your lab science homework while you’re shoveling down the dining hall’s build-your-own-tacos between classes. Save that time to socialize and recharge before going back to your day.

8. If you have to write a paper, PLAN IT. College papers are going to be different from high school papers, and if you have a ten-page paper due, waiting until the day before it’s due to even think about it is a suicide mission. Make an outline, start your paper at least a few days in advance, even if it’s just the introduction paragraph. You’ll do better.

9. Ask for extensions if you need them. Obviously don’t do this TOO often, but most professors are pretty reasonable people and will give you an extension if you don’t ask the night before it’s due (sometimes even then if it’s urgent). There’s no shame in asking, and the worst they can say is no.

10. If you’re having trouble balancing your social life with school, do homework with friends (but don’t let it be too chatty). Doing homework with friends is simultaneously very helpful yet occasionally detrimental. It’s very easy to get distracted with your friends around, but if you and your friends can focus well enough, it can become more fun to accomplish your work.

Reflecting on these tips, I have been trying to incorporate these into my own life, especially in this upcoming junior year, and I wish I had done more of this freshman and sophomore year. Developing good organizational skills is key to succeeding in college, and even if these tips don’t work for you, you will eventually find your groove and ultimately balance your school and social life.

Having busy days (pretty much every day for some people) is just a part of being at school and it doesn’t have to be intimidating. My friends will sometimes take naps in academic buildings. No one is doing everything perfectly, and taking breaks is vital — even if that means sleeping in a study lounge for a quick minute. Eat, sleep, and complain about how busy you are to your friends. And do your homework probably.

All love,

Megan Adams, Syracuse ‘23

P.S. The syllabus is your friend. Your professors will usually remind you when deadlines are approaching but do NOT rely on them doing so. They expect you to follow the syllabus and be prepared every day. Printing out all your classes’ syllabi is extremely helpful.