College life can be exciting and a turning point in life for many of us. We want to get away from home and start a semi-adult life. That means we are putting more responsibility on our shoulders.

Just imagine being in an student organization, taking a heavy load of classes and getting involved in a relationship.

That is why we need good time management skills. I’ve talked to an adviser in the Student Success Center.

Stephanie Mueller, adviser at the Student Success Center organized a time management workshop. She used a strategy of treating the total of week’s hours as a week’s salary.

“There are 160 hours in a week. So I try them to look at it realistically,” Mueller explains, “If they thought of hours as dollars, they would plan spending them in a better organized way.”

Each hour equals one dollar, and it is up to you what you will spend it on, says Mueller.

With sleeping and eating, you will quickly go through $90 of free spending. Also, you have classes an average of 17 hours a week and study at least seven hours a week. It is up to you how to spend the remaining time.

Mueller is also teaching a College Studies class. Many students don’t realize the importance of time. So beware, time wasters! A planner is important. You will be able to schedule your day, but also to prioritize your activities by their importance and time you have available.

“Trying to remember do something is stressful,” Muller says. It is a full load of unnecessary information your brain has to keep up with.

With a schedule you will get better organized and wired up for each day, and save time for things you never thought you’d have time to do.

“You can start from simple pen and paper to an Ipod and Internet,” Mueller said. “You have to manage by month, by week, and by day.”

Procrastination is always an issue. Some say they work best under pressure. But Mueller said, what if there are too many deadlines to be met in a short period of time? Accumulating all the work till the “pressure time” will drive you crazy.

With good time management you can divide one big project into manageable parts by spreading it over a few weeks prior to deadline.

In addition to organizing your activities, you have to avoid any unnecessary interruptions, Mueller says.

If the phone is ringing, let the answering machine pick it up. Robert Beard, the coordinator at the Counseling Center touched upon the importance of a healthy life.

“Don’t forget to take care of yourself,” Beard says.

It is one thing to have a busy schedule, but it is another thing to have an unhealthy one. Don’t try to cram everything into one day.

Sometimes students forget to put important activities in their planner. Regular meals and moderate sleep are the essential elements that keep you moving and working, so they shouldn’t be overlooked.

For more information check out the Counseling Center on the second floor of the UC or the Student Success Center in Clement Hall.