College can feel very overwhelming, and many people end up dropping out or taking time off because of the excessive stress that comes alongside being a full time student. It can be difficult to balance school, work, relationships, friendships and life all together. Many students at UMass Boston are commuters, which adds to the stress because of the time they have to use to get to and from school every day. Time management can be one of the most helpful things for problems that can arise from having too much on your plate. Below is a list of helpful things to keep in mind that may alleviate the stress that is inevitably being put on your back as the semester is in full swing.

1. Make priorities

Some things are always more important than others. Because we’re all paying to be students here, I’m going to say it’s safe to assume grades are very high up in our importance list for many of us. Make sure you can dedicate the time that is needed for each assignment, so you don’t feel pressured and on a time crunch. I know many of us claim we work better while under stress, but procrastination simply creates anxiety and really won’t help you overall, regardless of whether you get the work done or not.

2. Lists help

I may be biased saying this, but I have found lists really help me feel a sense of organization. Being able to look at one specific page and figure out all the tasks you need to get done can allow for you to then decide what’s most important, what will get done first and how much time should roughly be allotted for each assignment. For example, you may only need 30 minutes to an hour for a reading homework assignment, but for a big paper, you should set aside multiple days where you can work on it just a little bit. It helps you begin and to put your foot in the door, and it makes life a lot easier on a day to day level. Giving yourself a half hour for a paper per day just forces you to start it, which I think can be the hardest part of all for some of us.

3. Don’t take on more than you can handle

It’s easy to say yes, but things pile up and suddenly your weight load is very heavy. Of course it is great to be involved and it may even be really fun, but committing yourself to multiple organizations or groups can add stress to what you’re already dealing with. It may be easier and better for you to find something that isn’t so time demanding and commitment based in comparison to a weekly club. It is always nice to be involved so I definitely don’t want to discourage that, just make sure that you’re caring for yourself and your mental health first.

4. It’s okay to take a day to yourself

We all need a breather day. Everyday life can be hard and overwhelming and if you don’t take care of yourself, you can end up feeling depressed and anxious about it. A personal day shouldn’t be used as a habitual excuse (try to use the weekends to allow yourself to recoup rather than during the week), rather a conscious decision to put your mental health first. Sometimes we just need a break to be able to continue to push through.

College is hard, and it can be easy to fall behind and let the stress weigh you down. However, you’re not alone at UMass Boston. There are many resources you can use to help you better time manage and figure out the best game plan for you. Mental health is an important topic we all have to remember to bring up, and to check on each other regularly as well. Though things can be hard, they feel a lot easier when you know you’re not alone.