Admission News Campus Life Going to College Social Life Student Success

3 Tips for Keeping Your Life Balanced While in College

two female college students standing in hallway holding books while talking to each other
Written by CB Community

Depending on who you ask, college can either be a learning environment or a place where young people go to waste their lives. The reality is, everyone who goes to college has some desire to attain higher education and improve their life. However, research shows that students who obsess over their studies suffer from stress, poor health, and even depression. Fortunately, there is a way you can create a work-play balance in college to avoid burnout.

1. Make and follow a schedule

In a single day, you might have to squeeze in classes, assignments, sleep, exercise, and time with friends. If you don’t have a schedule that keeps you on track, it’s easy to skip some of the stuff. The planner on your phone is a great tool to schedule all the activities in a day. Make sure to prioritize classes and schoolwork and then make time for play. You’ll also need to schedule entertainment time, even if it’s just two hours watching TV. If you don’t fancy going to the shared TV room, buy a TV for your dorm room. Choose a TV and TV stand that complement each other in terms of size. Your TV stand can also double up as a storage space to save room since dorms are not the most spacious places.

2. Join clubs

Colleges have amazing clubs that allow you to socialize with others as well as learn from them. To create a balance, join two social clubs and two study clubs. For instance, you can join the calculus club where you can sharpen each other on matters of all things calculus. For play, join the soccer club or art club and have some fun. Clubs have schedules, so you’ll have to make time to attend the meetings which are mostly on weekends instead of sleeping the whole day.

3. Learn to say no

There is no shortage of activities in college. Your friends will always have plans. And if you are not careful, you could be nursing a hangover every morning and/or missing classes. The word ‘no’ must become part of your vocabulary if you are to gain something in college. When your friends come calling with plans to go clubbing every Wednesday night, learn to say no because you’ll need to sleep.

Learn to also say no to too many activities. As much as joining clubs can be good for you, taking up too much time is not ideal. Our recommendation is that three clubs are more than enough. This way you have time for other things.

The work-play balance in college is critical if you want to enjoy life and be productive. Some of the connections people make in college become invaluable in the future, so don’t be afraid of making friends. While academic excellence is the main agenda in college, make sure to take ample time for yourself to exercise, socialize, eat well, and rest.

For more great tips on all things college, check out the other blogs on College Basics.

About the author

CB Community

Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.