by Lisa Martens

Created on: July 28, 2009

College is great, but school gets in the way.

A friend of mine said this in a half-joking, half-serious sort of way. I don't know if she made that up or if she borrowed that line from somebody else, but it brought up a good point: College just isn't college if it's all about school. We've seen the movies about crazy parties, hilarious accidents, and great romances...but we've also seen that college is full of intensity and pressure to do well.

You don't live in a movie, so you have to find a balance between the two. That's not to say you can't have movie-like moments and nights out on the town...but remember how you got there in the first place! Here are a few tips on how to balance work and play.

1. Have set times to relax.

Plan your homework around specific periods where you MUST relax. It is important to actually plan time to take it easy. In your mind, this will structure that all the other times must be spent working. This will help delay procrastination. Let's say Thursday night is your "chill" night, and you end up with a paper due on Friday. Thursday is the only "chill" night you allow yourself until Saturday. You will be motivated to do your homework earlier so that Thursday will be kept free...or else you have to wait all the way until Saturday. It sounds cheesy, but it works as a psychological tool to help you manage your time. Scheduling free time is just as important as scheduling time to work, time to go to class, and time to exercise.

2. Study with friends

Combine work and play...if you can handle that. Studying in a group is not for everybody.

This is a great way to break the ice with people in your class. Studying in a group is great because you get the strengths of everyone in the group, and it's also motivating. Have each person summarize a chapter or a topic for the rest of the group, and then discuss. After studying, you can always go out to dinner together. And who knows, maybe your study group will start hanging out regularly.

3. Prepare in advance

If you know your friend is having a 21st birthday party that you CANNOT miss, do the rest of your work well in advance. The last thing you want is to come home from being out all night and then have to write a paper. Keeping a planner and making notes to yourself are good ways to keep organized.

4. Prepare to make up for lost time

If you go out to a concert, remember that you have to make up for that night by working doubly hard some other time. Work as hard as you play, basically.

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