Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.

This semester, I have decided to be ambitious. In an attempt to graduate a semester early with a degree in psychology, minors in business and creative technology & design, and a certificate in public health, I have loaded up my semester. The goal? Juggle all the balls I have tossed myself. For me, this includes 20 credits, a part-time job, a volunteer research position and two clubs, all while maintaining my relationships with the important people in my life and taking care of my mental well being. 

It’s officially been four weeks of this seemingless endless juggle of activities and I have found a system that works best for me. Here’s what I’m doing to stay organized, keep up with my life, and stay (mostly) sane. 

  1. Making to-do lists 

I love a good to-do list – that’s why I have four different versions at almost any given time. In my notebook, I write out the tasks I need to complete each day, such as homework or writing this article. At the end of each day, I briefly jot down what I’d like to accomplish the next day. Then, I have a digital sticky note that lives on the side of my screen with upcoming assignments for each class. I also have regular sticky notes plastered around the walls of my room with random reminders, such as doing laundry or grocery shopping. If all else fails or I have nothing around me to write down a task, I’ll send myself a text, put it in my calendar, or head straight to my notes app with the intention of adding it to one of the main to-do lists later. 

  1. Updating my Google Calendar 

If you know anything about me, then you know I live and breathe through my Google Calendar – if it’s not on my calendar, it doesn’t exist to me. In my G-Cal, I’ve created different calendars with different colors, each for a different activity. Currently on my calendar, I have my class and work schedule, clubs and other events such as networking opportunities hosted by Career Services, and other commitments such as planned activities with friends. I’ve found that using a visual tool that allows me to see when I have time to fill lets me better plan out my days. 

  1. Planning ahead 

Speaking of planning out my days, planning ahead of time is one thing I’ve found most helpful. I try to plan at least one day in advance, whether it be assignments or activities. This allows me to break down busy components of my day into smaller, more manageable pieces. 

  1. Staying on campus 

Since the pandemic and online school, I’ve learned that I am not able to focus or do any sort of productive work in my house or room – unfortunately for my productivity, my bed is simply too tempting to avoid. To combat that, I stay on campus to work on assignments after my classes. It is hard to jump straight from class to studying immediately, but walking to the other end of campus for a different study location lets me take a quick break.

  1. Taking breaks and making time for myself

To avoid burnout, taking care of myself is incredibly important. While self care can look different for everyone, I take care of myself by giving myself some extra time, usually in the mornings. I try to wake up at least 2-3 hours before I need to leave for class, which lets me take my time getting ready with extra time to read or make a yummy breakfast. 

  1. Looking good, feeling good

I feel the most productive when I’m wearing real pants. Maybe it’s a psychological thing, but when I look good, it makes me feel good, and feeling good helps me be more productive. With that, I also try to keep my personal space clean and looking good, so I try to tidy up my room (or at least hide the mess) as often as I can. 

  1. Knowing when I need to take a break 

The most important thing to do while being busy is knowing when you’re hitting your limits. To be the best version of yourself that can accomplish all the things you want, you have to recognize when you’re about to hit a wall. It’s hard and unhealthy to push yourself to breaking points. It’s okay to ask for help if that’s what you need. It’s also okay to have a bed rotting day if that’s what you need. Not every day needs to be a productive day if it means taking care of yourself. 

These are some of the things that have been helping me not only this semester but in the past when I’ve been busy. These strategies may not work for everyone, which is totally okay! As long as you can find a routine or habits that work best for you, that’s all that matters.

Eera Vedavyas

CU Boulder '26

Eera Vedavyas is the Co-Editor-in-Chief and contributing writer at the Her Campus Chapter at the University of Colorado Boulder. As the Co-Editor-in-Chief, she has developed and published the weekly HCCU newsletter and helps to organize and lead writing workshops. Beyond Her Campus, Eera is a junior at CU Boulder studying Psychology with a minors in Business, Creative Technology & Design, and Public Health. In the future, she hopes to apply her knowledge in an interdisciplinary approach, hoping to design products that help people live better lives. In their free time, they enjoy reading and creative writing, learning how to cook, discovering new music, playing video games, spending time with friends, learning how to DJ. and exploring new places.