First-Year Student Journals : Matthew : Journal 8

3 February 2003

After studying at the library from 5:30-9:30 p.m., I go to a Hook Up prayer meeting and then return to the library to study Differential Equations until 1:30 a.m. I have to say, this is probably the most studying I've done in one day for one subject in a very long time. I think the realization that I am extremely unprepared for my test just dawned on my friends and me.

This study-a-thon is not a daily routine or a weekly event. In fact, I think I have learned to balance studying, attending extracurricular activities and maintaining lasting relationships pretty well. Here are a few pointers that have helped me to manage my time and balance my schedule.

First of all and most important, get your priorities straight. If all you want is to have fun and party all the time, you'll see that your life will be a mess. If all you care about is getting good grades, then you'll find that your relationships with your friends will quickly die away. Think about what you believe is important in your life, and don't just dwell on one aspect. It took me a while to realize that my life revolves around something so much more important than my report card. And it's taking me a while to realize that I need to say "no" to social (and other) activities in order to make sure I don't slack off in my studies.

Also, don't forget your friends and family. It's very easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of college life and totally forget about your closest friends and the ones who love you the most. Call them often and spend time with them. If you don't, you'll definitely regret losing those relationships. However, don't take this to an extreme and sacrifice making new relationships because you can't let go of your friends and/or family. It's certainly possible to maintain old friendships, continue strengthening relationships with your family and make many new friends as well.

Lastly, procrastination equals stress. Yes, yes, you hear it all the time, and it's very true. For example, procrastinating for this test that I have coming up isn't freaking me out, but I know that I should have started studying a lot earlier than I did. With everything else around you in the college atmosphere, procrastination is an easy trap to fall into, but it's not inescapable. Having a calendar program on my computer has helped me tremendously in reminding me of the dates of meetings and when assignments are due. I highly recommend it.

In the end, it's about balancing your time, and that's something that I can't tell you how to do. It's about deciding what is important to you, and ultimately, it's about choosing what you want to live your life for and how you're going to do it.

I hope you enjoy the Web journals. Please send me an e-mail message if you have any comments or questions.



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	3 February 2003 After studying at the library from 5:30-9:30 p.m., I go to a Hook Up prayer meeting and then return to the library to study Differential Equations until 1:30 a.m. I have to say, this is probably the most studying I've done in one day for one subject in a very long time. I think the realization that I am extremely unprepared for my test just dawned on my friends and me. This study-a-thon is not a daily routine or a weekly event. In fact, I think I have learned to balance studying, attending extracurricular activities and maintaining lasting relationships pretty well. Here are a few pointers that have helped me to manage my time and balance my schedule. First of all and most important, get your priorities straight. If all you want is to have fun and party all the time, you'll see that your life will be a mess. If all you care about is getting good grades, then you'll find that your relationships with your friends will quickly die away. Think about what you believe is important in your life, and don't just dwell on one aspect. It took me a while to realize that my life revolves around something so much more important than my report card. And it's taking me a while to realize that I need to say "no" to social (and other) activities in order to make sure I don't slack off in my studies. Also, don't forget your friends and family. It's very easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of college life and totally forget about your closest friends and the ones who love you the most. Call them often and spend time with them. If you don't, you'll definitely regret losing those relationships. However, don't take this to an extreme and sacrifice making new relationships because you can't let go of your friends and/or family. It's certainly possible to maintain old friendships, continue strengthening relationships with your family and make many new friends as well. Lastly, procrastination equals stress. Yes, yes, you hear it all the time, and it's very true. For example, procrastinating for this test that I have coming up isn't freaking me out, but I know that I should have started studying a lot earlier than I did. With everything else around you in the college atmosphere, procrastination is an easy trap to fall into, but it's not inescapable. Having a calendar program on my computer has helped me tremendously in reminding me of the dates of meetings and when assignments are due. I highly recommend it. In the end, it's about balancing your time, and that's something that I can't tell you how to do. It's about deciding what is important to you, and ultimately, it's about choosing what you want to live your life for and how you're going to do it. I hope you enjoy the Web journals. Please send me an e-mail message if you have any comments or questions.