A Day in the Life of a College Student

College life is a balancing act — classes, jobs, clubs, friends, and somehow making time to just be. Juggling everything college throws at you can be hard, but with time and a little organization, it is possible. Here’s a glimpse into a day in my own hectic college life.

The Importance of a Morning Routine

6am - 8am

I wake up at 6 a.m., and in a perfect world where the snooze button goes unbothered, I am up by 6:15 a.m. My day will start at 8 a.m. — with or without me — so I like to give myself the chance to have an intentional and slow morning. The early morning hours before 8 a.m. are perfect for mornings like this. Everything is still, the sun is just rising, and the day’s pending task list hasn’t had the chance to fully register for me.

In my experience, college can make you feel like your time doesn’t belong to you. You may spend most of your time in classes, working or doing extracurriculars. Of course these are important, but your “me” time is just as much of a priority as school is.

I’ve learned (the hard way, unfortunately) that a good morning lays a stable foundation for a good day. So, when I have a little pocket of the morning where I can take my time, practice gratitude, move my body a little, indulge in a lengthy skin care routine, and make or get a breakfast I enjoy, I feel more prepared to manage the day’s responsibilities.

A Time Management Starter Pack

8 a.m. - 10 a.m.

It’s time for work. A signifier that the day has officially started is the good morning message I send my supervisor. She, in a way, stamps my metaphorical timecard, and now I am clocked in.

For 16 hours a week, I work as a student content writer for the marketing team that supports USF’s Office of Admissions. It’s a Federal Work Study position afforded to me through my financial aid reward. It is during these 16 hours, spread across 4 days, that I write and edit the blog post that you are currently reading.

I’ve been a content writer with Admissions since my sophomore year, and it’s been a great experience. There was a learning curve in figuring out how to balance it alongside school, life, and other extracurriculars. But working here has taught me a few things about time management:

Time Block

Having a block of time dedicated to all things admissions marketing has helped a lot. Not only does it help me get my tasks done, but it also helps settle the scatterbrain caused by having too many things happening at once. I also recently started setting aside blocks of time, within my work hours, for specific tasks. While I am getting through my tasks at relatively the same speed, what I produce is better quality.

Take Breaks

Part of tapping into my mind’s true power, I’ve learned, requires me to know when to stop. In order for you to do well in any capacity, you must give your mind, your keyboard-fatigued fingers, and your eyes a break. The assignment or task will not grow limbs and get curious; it will be there when you get back. When I ignore my body’s clear indications that she needs a break, I start to miss things, make little mistakes and my overall performance begins to lack. Also, burnout is very real. So, I really have become intentional with taking breaks.

Ask for Help

This seems like common sense, but it can really be challenging. The pressure of college, combined with the cultural ideals we grow up with, can foster a sense of individualism. Many students are fearful of being seen struggling or in need of help. I used to have an incredibly hard time asking for help, until I really needed it, because I had pride in being “self-sufficient.” But when tasks had conflicting deadlines with school assignments, I had to learn to ask for help. While it is good that you can handle things and take care of yourself, you do yourself a disservice if you neglect the resources given to you to succeed.

Take a Break

10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

It’s time for me to log off. I have a bit of time before my 12:30 p.m. class and it's time for a little recharge and a change in scenery. My list of the perfect campus spots has grown; even though USF St. Petersburg’s campus is small, I discover new places to sit or work every so often.

Today, I want to feel like I am outside without having to interact with all the elements. I choose between:

• The Campus Grind. The family-owned local coffee shop right on the edge of campus.
• The USC. Right in the center of campus, it gets a lot of foot traffic
• The library. Specifically, the first floor. It gets the most natural light and puts you right near the harbor, a beautiful outdoor section of campus.

The library just feels like the right choice, so I go there.

A recharge, for me, could be anything; it just cannot have anything to do with school or work. What I do depends on what I get distracted by the most as I work. When I lost focus, what did I think about? Food? The book I was reading? How it is such a nice day outside? If I think about food, I eat; books, I read; outside, I touch grass. Today, I read.

As I mentioned earlier, I am becoming more intentional with taking breaks, so recharging between classes or tasks is nonnegotiable.

Balancing Academics and Extracurriculars

11 a.m.

At 2 p.m. today, I have a Crow’s Nest meeting. So in my free time before class and after my mandatory recharge, I do Crow’s Nest-related things: looking for stories to pitch, contacting sources, editing stories, or actually working on a story. This semester, I have taken on the role of managing editor, which essentially means I help the editor in chief carry out their duties.

12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

It’s time for class!! This semester I am taking a course called Advanced Reporting. I am a junior digital communication and multimedia journalism major so I take journalism courses. I don’t take a lot of notes in class, I usually just write down what sticks out to me, common mistakes or reminders. I do, however, get distracted very easily. So, what I like to do in class or in any meeting really, is have an empty doc open and write down any random thoughts. Paying attention in class really does help you get the most out of your classes.

2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Located in the same building, known as the Peter Rudy Wallace Florida Center for Teachers, where most journalism courses are held, is the Crow’s Nest office. Since I get out of class at 1:45 p.m. I have 15 minutes to gather my materials: notes, updates on my ongoing stories, pitches and questions.

I’ve been with the Crow’s Nest since my freshman year and I credit working there for much of my growth, not only as a writer but as a person. I often ignored the pleas of my high school counselor to get involved non-academically, because I thought, what's the point, school is enough.

But I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t started working there. From being the online editor to the managing editor, so much has changed. I’ve grown more confident in my skills, I’ve met so many cool people, and I’ve watched my weaknesses grow into strengths.

Getting involved has allowed me to grow in ways I didn't even realize. Another advantage in getting involved is you can mess up, make mistakes and learn from them without the threat of financial instability, because it’s not a full-time job. You will never regret getting involved on your campus.

4 p.m.

Once the meeting ends, I head to the dining hall to grab lunch. Because I haven’t seen my friends all day, I ask if they’ll join me. Having lunch or dinner with my friends improves my mood drastically and if gabbing over food was a sport, I’d be an Olympic gold medalist.

5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Another meeting (I promise my life is more than just a series of meetings). This time it is the e-board meeting of the book club. The USF St. Petersburg book club is a fairly new club and this semester I am the treasurer. This is my first time being on the e-board of any club and it is a lot more work than I thought it would be. From event planning, to making flyers or social media graphics to making purchase requests and budgeting, I learned very quickly that running a club is no joke. During today’s meeting we go over our goals for the semester and prepare for the first book club meeting, and by the end, I am tired.

6 p.m.

I am tired. I head to my room with the intention that I am not leaving my dorm for the rest of the night. Around this time, I have the urge to write. My brain is filled to the brim with…today’s events and I need to empty it out. So, for however long I need, I write. My journal gets an earful of the day's happenings, my passing thoughts and current feelings. As you probably noticed, I like to write things down, and it really does help with clarity and is a method that helps deter overwhelm.

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

It’s time to do some work. I try to give my Tuesdays and Thursdays to non-school related tasks. This includes book club things, Crow's Nest things and random remote tasks from my family (which don’t stop even when you are 300 miles away). Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays, are for school tasks only.

This semester I am making an extra effort to prioritize school. You might be thinking, you're a junior, you weren’t doing that before? Well yes … and no. Your priorities are a daily choice. Yes, school was the default priority, but for a while, I wouldn’t treat it as such.

Now, I plan ahead: if I have any pressing assignments, I will do those before I touch anything else, regardless of the day. Today, I didn’t have much homework. So shortly after finishing, I search for a friend to bother and we spend the rest of the night together, eating dinner and talking.

9 p.m.

Once 9 p.m. hits, it's time to retreat. I drop everything, head to my room, find a pair of pajamas, wrap my hair and create the environment perfect for winding down. This is new and still something I am trying to be consistent about, but 9 p.m. is also known as enrichment time in my enclosure. Enrichment time could be anything, but, like my morning routine, it was implemented to make sure that I have enough time to do the things that I love. If I skip out on enrichment time, I don’t get to read, or watch a movie I have been meaning too, or put together my little Legos and puzzles or write my stories or poetry, and I start to grow resentful. This is time just for me and my whims. Today I just read and finished a book.

11 p.m.

It is time for bed. My rule is, I don’t need to be asleep, but I need to make sure that my room is conducive to a good night's rest. That includes:

• Turning off the big light
• Closing blinds
• Putting all electronics out of immediate reach

It’s an easy recipe for a healthy sleep schedule.

Practice Makes Perfect

The process of me creating a routine and sticking to it was not an overnight success. In fact, before this academic year, balance wasn’t something I kept in mind when I thought of academic success. It took me quite a long time to realize what I needed to make sure that I am doing the best that I can in everything. Every day, try putting balance into practice. Time block, take breaks and have enrichment time in your enclosure! Taking care of yourself alongside your responsibilities is the key to success.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help

It can be hard to keep up with the things college life picks up and throws at you, so don’t carry the burden of your responsibilities by yourself. USF offers both telehealth and in person counseling services, where you can get help in navigating busy days like this by talking and receiving helpful tools from professionals. Learn the art of balancing your well-being with your ambitions.