If you’re a university student, you’ve probably dabbled in procrastinating your schoolwork. It may or may not have had an impact on your grades, your social life, and even your well-being. Since I started university in Fall 2021, while the COVID-19 pandemic was still very much alive, I really only went to campus to attend my classes, and as soon as they finished, I went straight home. Some days I wouldn’t even come to campus if I only had virtual classes. With days like this, I didn’t get as much studying done as I would like to. I found that I’m able to focus more on studying when I’m outside the house. As the world has slowly gone back to normal, and I’ve had more in-person classes, I’ve realized I need to rethink how I structure my day and schedule myself Monday to Friday: I essentially treat my school day like a regular 9-5 job, where I’m on site 8 hours a day at “work”!
I started my first corporate job last summer, and I really got a taste of what working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week was like. Yes, it was tiring, but I also found I got a lot of things done. Since the start of the school year, I’ve treated my days on campus like a regular 9 to 5 on-site job, and time-blocked accordingly. This has really helped me stay organized, and stay on top of my assignments and homework more than any other strategies I’ve tried. I know this strategy won’t work for everyone, as people have part-time jobs and other commitments with varied hours and work days. I only have classes 4 out of the 5 days in the conventional work week, and the 5th day I’m at my part-time job. But on the days that you are on campus and don’t have any other obligations but to be on campus, I encourage you to try this strategy out.
On the days I’m on campus, I stick to an organized schedule and stay on campus from 7.5 to 8 hours straight, like a regular workday. I know it might sound like a lot, but I really get a lot of studying done when I commit to it. Let’s take my Thursday schedule for example. I have 2 classes on Thursdays, one from 10:00 am to 11:20 am, and another one from 11:30 am to 12:50 pm. Here is how I typically schedule out my Thursdays:
- 7:00 am: Wake up and get ready for the day
- 8:00 am: Leave the house and start my commute
- 8:30 am: Arrive on campus and do some flashcards for my Pharmacology class
- 10:00 am: Attend my first class
- 11:30 am: Attend my second and last class of the day
- 12:50 pm: Lunch time! I’ll either eat alone or meet up with my friends in a study room
- 1:30 pm: Do my weekly readings for my Political Violence class
- 3:30 pm: Work on a group assignment for my Environment and Health class
- 4:30 pm: Work day done! Time to commute home
- 5-5:30 pm: Arrive home. Sometimes the time I get home varies based on when the bus comes
- 5:30 pm: Chill!
- 6:00 pm: Make and eat dinner
- 7:00 pm: Head to the gym
- 7:15 pm: Start my workout
- 8:15 pm: Finish my workout and head home
- 8:30 pm: Take a shower, do my skincare, make my lunch and chill for the night! (Maybe some light reading for classes if I feel like it)
- 11:00 pm: Bedtime!
This 9-5 form of time blocking works for me as it makes me stick to a schedule during the day, but also gives me some leeway for fun things and me-time in the evenings and on weekends. I find that I am most productive during the day, so focusing on my schoolwork during these hours allows me to get a lot done. It also allows me to stay motivated and not get burnt out, as I’m giving myself ample breaks and time off. Of course, time-blocking like this takes a lot of organization and planning. I do some prep like making my lunch and planning my outfit for the next day to make the mornings a bit easier. And like always, going to bed at a reasonable time makes getting up at 7:00 am much easier!
One challenge to this schedule that I’ve had to iron out is being able to see my friends during the day. Some of my friends like to hang out on campus between classes during the day, which of course I would like to as well. However, instead of neglecting my studying, I’ll suggest we book a study room and hang out there, where we can get our studying done as well. Occasionally, we’ll go get lunch, which I’ll treat as an occasional team-building lunch! When I’m feeling unmotivated and tired from studying, I find getting together with friends to be quite energy-boosting. A little break with my friends it just what I need to stay on track.
Whether you’re most productive during the day or just looking to be more organized in 2024, try customizing your own 9 to 5 school schedule like this! You can always adjust this schedule for midterms and finals seasons, where studying more will be a priority. I like to treat these scenarios as just a super busy day at work when there’s a deadline approaching. Sometimes corporate employees work in the evenings too, and they put in more than 8 hours of work. That’s okay! In cases like these, I’ll add more studying to my schedule in the evenings and weekends. It’s only temporary, to allow yourself the best chance at what needs to get done. And even when it’s not exam season, staying organized will also help give you the best chance at excelling in whatever you put your mind to.