The Time Messages

    Time is tricky. It is difficult to control and easy to waste. When you look ahead, you think you have more time than you need. For example, at the beginning of a semester, you may feel that you have plenty of time on your hands. But toward the end of the term you may suddenly find that time is running out. You don’t have enough time to cover all your duties, so you get worried. What is the answer? Control!

    Time is dangerous. If you don’t control it, it will control you. If you don’t make it work for you, it will work against you. So you must become the master of time, not its servant. As a first-year college student, time management will be your number one problem.

    Time is valuable. Wasting time is a bad habit. It is like a drug. The more time you weast, the easier it is to go on wasting time. If you seriously wish to get the most out of college, you must put the time message into practice.

    Message 1: Control time from the beginning.

    Time is today, not tomorrow or next week. Start your plan at the beginning of the term.

    Message 2: Get the notebook habit.

    Go and buy a notebook today. Use it to plan your study time each day. Once a weekly study plan is prepared, follow the same pattern every week with small changes. Sunday is a good day to make the plan for the following week.

    Message 3: Be realistic.

    Often you know from experience how long it takes you to write a short essay, to study for a quiz, or to review for a final exam. When you plan time for these thins, be realistic. Allow for unexpected things. Otherwise entire plan may be upset.

    Message 4: Plan at least one hour for each hour in class.

    How much study time you plan for each classroom hour depends on four things: your ability, the difficulty of the class, the grades you hope to achieve, and how well you use your study time. One thing, however, is certain: you should plan at least one hour of study for each classroom. In many cases, two or three hours will be required.

    Message 5: Keep your plan flexible.

    It is important that you re-plan your time on a weekly basis so that you can make certain changes when necessary. For example, before mid-term or final exams, you will want to give more time to reviewing. A good plan must be a little flexible so that special projects can be done well.

    Message 6: Study for some time each class day.

    Some solid work each day is better than many study hours one day and nothing the next. When you work out your schedule, try to include at least two study hours each day. This will not only keep the study habit alive but also keep you up to date on your class assignments.

    Message 7: Free on Saturday – study on Sunday.

    It is good to stop all study activities for one full day. Many students choose Saturday for sports or social activities. Sunday, on the other hand, seems to be the best study day for many students. It is a good day to catch up on back reading and other assignments