When you hear the term “time management,” what comes to mind? Probably busy executives or harried small business owners. Or maybe soccer moms with a van full of kids? Quite possibly all of the above come to mind. Yet, do you also consider that college students fall into this category? It is true; college kids need time management, too! Still young in heart and mind, these students enjoy a demanding social life; scratching just the surface of business achievement, they need to learn to spend their time wisely to do justice to the academic excellence demanded of them. It is interesting to note that while time management is an almost universal need, it is one of the qualities that do not have a “one size fits all” standard. Time management for a college student is actually quite different from time management for the office worker, soccer mom, or business owner.

Consider the life of the typical college student: there is a first apartment (or rented room) to be maintained, quite often a part-time (or even full-time) job, and some also find themselves in the roles of caregivers either for their own children or for their ageing parents. With these responsibilities to juggle and a fairly young age at which to juggle them, improper time management will have lasting consequences as evidenced in failing grades. To avoid the latter, here are some practical suggestions to help the college kid succeed:

1. Establish a study place.

Your home is probably fraught with distractions. The television set is right there, roommates are walking through, the telephone beckons, and many other distractions abound. Instead, find a quiet spot in the college library and do as much of your studying there as is possible. Information will be all around you, and interruptions will be kept to a minimum.

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