A Guide to Balancing Academic
and Social Commitments

How important is it for college students to be intentional about their time management, especially leading up to Spring Break?

LM: Spring break, when used wisely, can really give students a little breathing room to come back and finish out the semester strong. I advise my students to be intentional up front about how they will spend their time over the break. How much of the time do you need to just unwind and recharge, versus time spent studying and getting ahead on papers and projects. Having a clear plan helps ensure you come out of spring break feeling good about the time spent, and ready to succeed in the final weeks of the semester.

In your experience, what are the common challenges students face in maintaining a balance between academic responsibilities and personal time during the pre-Spring Break period?

LM: It’s easy to get stuck into our typical patterns and routines. Students who study and work non-stop sometimes have trouble slowing down during spring break, because that’s not their normal rhythm. But spring break is aptly named – and I remind my students to set aside time to really take a break and do something that brings them joy.

Can you share some practical strategies for students to identify their priorities and allocate time accordingly, ensuring they don't feel overwhelmed by coursework?

LM: Procrastinating and leaving assignments until the last minute can generate so much stress. That stress can become cumulative when there are multiple assignments due all around the same time. Having a consistent study routine and location(s) is important. It’s too easy to waste mental energy pondering about what should I work on today? What will I work on first? What are the key tasks I need to do to finish the project/paper? I’m a big fan of the ‘Sunday Planning Meeting’, where you plan out when you will work on what assignments and projects in the week ahead.

How can students effectively create a schedule that accommodates both academic commitments and the need for relaxation during Spring Break?

LM: This is likely dependent on whether the student is planning to take a trip during the break. Sometimes it’s as simple as planning part of spring break for fun and travel; and then devoting the other days to catching up and getting ahead on schoolwork. If you are the type of student who knows you’ll overwork if you remain on campus or around Houston, then maybe a get-away or road-trip with friends can help ensure you make time for some fun and relaxation.

Are there specific tools or techniques you recommend helping students organize their time efficiently?

LM: I am a dinosaur, and still like writing things down in a day planner. I also have a Word document called my Task List – and I list all the things I need to get done, and then I assign the priorities for that week to a specific day and time. It’s a system that takes a little while to get used to, but once it becomes a routine, students will often report dramatical increases in their productivity at school and work (which opens more time for fun stuff.)