In college, it can seem like your to-do list will never end. Between class, homework, clubs, commitments to family and friends at school and at home, and figuring out internship and future plans, your brain shifts gears a hundred times a day. And then, some other random to-dos will inevitably pop up.

But, as many of you have learned by now, managing it is actually possible. You are way more capable than you give yourself credit for, insert Pinterest-worthy inspirational quote here, yadda yadda yadda. But somehow you still find yourself looking ahead to each new week and thinking, “yikes.”

That’s why I’ve put together six of my most helpful strategies for managing, well, life. Whether you’re just starting college or are an upperclassman who is starting to feel overwhelmed by this semester (join the club), I bet some of these tips will work for you, too.

Table of Contents

1. Know how to use little pockets of time.

Most college students are familiar with what my BFF and I refer to as “awkward amounts of time.” You know, those 15-40 minute windows between finishing a reading and going to dinner, between class and a meeting, between the gym and brunch. Those amounts of time that seem a little too short to start an assignment but a little too long to waste.  

These windows can be annoying, but they can also be really useful. When confronted with one, think about what you have already done and what you have left to do that day. If you’d like to do a little more work, can you squeeze in a few pages of reading, send a couple of emails, or double-check your assignments for next week? If you’re feeling disorganized, can you pull together the books you’ll need for tomorrow or take out the trash?