With finals upon us, we thought we would ask one of our international students how they manage their time. We wish all students good luck with their finals this week!
Assignments, presentations, extra credit home works, exams and every other work, hold hands together and come greet you with a wicked smile. When it happens, the feeling is so dizzy-like that you start pondering how time flew so fast. We all face that even though we have completed work on time. So how do you efficiently manage time and do everything you are needed to do when you don’t have time? I would like to share with you what I follow –
1. Create a priority list –
The first thing you should be aware of is, what you need to complete and most important, when you need to complete! That’s the key point. Write down your assignments based on when you need to submit. The closer the deadline, the more priority it gets.
2. Success Map –
Once you know your priorities, form a map on a small paper calendar or in your smartphone app. Write down the priority list in the calendar and create a map which gives you an overall idea of your submissions and exams. If you want, you can mark related deadlines in color combinations. Also mark your available days so you know how much time you have for each deadline.
3. Work Smartly –
Follow your success map. If you are a quiet person, find a place by the gardens or library or any academic building. Listen to music if it helps you focus. Finish the work on the top of your priority list and work from top to bottom. Put a check mark next to completed tasks both in your priority list and success map. Trust me, when you can see your work being reduced, your stress will also reduce and you will be able to concentrate better on your next task. If you study in groups, book the library group study rooms in advance so that you don’t have to wait in the queue.
4. Time your breaks –
When you take a break, make sure you put an alarm in your phone so that you will not spend more than you are supposed to. This greatly helps during exams when time travels at supersonic. Make sure you take decent breaks. Don’t over strain you brain, it might short circuit when it should work.
5. Eat and sleep appropriately –
We all make the mistake of skipping meals and not sleeping properly. Don’t! Make sure you do eat and sleep because your body needs to function efficiently.
6. Be Positive –
No matter how you have prepared for your exams, be positive. It works in ways which you might not understand and it will help you score better.
Good luck for your exams!
Shashi Kiran
Graduate Student, MBA Business Analytics
Zarb School of Business
The university offers many resources to aid student success. The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) offers workshops about time management and other topics to help students build skills. As a part of the Student Success Collaborative, the CAE promotes improved academic performance and student persistence through strategies that lead to active learning, engagement and self-regulation.
