Hey! I just started two college classes last week and even though I know that most people do like four a semester I'm tired just with two! It feels like the work never ends and that I don't have a limitless amount of time to write and that can be overwhelming. So, I have decided to share some things that I have learned about getting writing done in the past week today.
1. Time Management: This one is huge! Last week I had a mental breakdown because I felt like I had so much work and I hadn't written anything during the morning which is when I get my creative fix that allows me to stay sane for the rest of the day. Anyways I learned that this week and the rest of the semester I'm going to be managing my time and that includes time to write. I need that time. You can't tell an author to stop writing and focus on school. That would drive me nuts! So, this week I have a better plan of doing work but also getting plenty of writing time.
2. Be Flexible: Now this can go both ways. If your too flexible then you won't get anything done and if your not flexible at all then you'll be stuck doing work all day and won't get too much writing done. My English class is on Wednesday mornings and like I said mornings are my writing time. I eat, shower, and write so that my head can be clearer for the rest of the day. Wednesday... I didn't get to write in the morning because I was too busy stressing about my first class and getting everything perfect. Afterwards I broke down because I hadn't written anything all day. But I learned an important lesson. Shove all books and work away. Completely ignore them all for that day and just write and be creative. Wednesday is going to be my work free day.
3. Have a Planner: My big sister is in college so I kind of got a head start and a lot of helpful tips on how to prepare. At first I didn't really use the planner I got but by the end of the week I knew that that thing was going to be a life saver. You can put whatever you want in there. The days that you have blog posts, days for studying, and times and days for writing.
4. Journal: I sort of have a journal. Its more of a Bible/prayer journal and so technically writing out a prayer or some verses or whatever you want is a form of writing. That can be so helpful. I've had days where I've only had time for a page or two of actual writing and by the end of the day I feel too tired to write. So I get that journal out and I just write whatever I want. It helps me to know that I did write today and it releases tension and stress.
5. Don't Freak Out: There will be those days where you just don't have time for writing and that's ok. Especially for those who live in a dorm and are taking multiple classes. You and I both just next to accept that some days won't be writing days or some days I'll only get a few pages done instead of a whole chapter.
And here's a bonus tip: God is always with you. Ask him to help calm you and to give you the time and energy to get all your work done so that you can write.
This is what works for me and I hope it works for you too. :)
Are any of you in college? How do you get time to write?
2. Be Flexible: Now this can go both ways. If your too flexible then you won't get anything done and if your not flexible at all then you'll be stuck doing work all day and won't get too much writing done. My English class is on Wednesday mornings and like I said mornings are my writing time. I eat, shower, and write so that my head can be clearer for the rest of the day. Wednesday... I didn't get to write in the morning because I was too busy stressing about my first class and getting everything perfect. Afterwards I broke down because I hadn't written anything all day. But I learned an important lesson. Shove all books and work away. Completely ignore them all for that day and just write and be creative. Wednesday is going to be my work free day.
3. Have a Planner: My big sister is in college so I kind of got a head start and a lot of helpful tips on how to prepare. At first I didn't really use the planner I got but by the end of the week I knew that that thing was going to be a life saver. You can put whatever you want in there. The days that you have blog posts, days for studying, and times and days for writing.
4. Journal: I sort of have a journal. Its more of a Bible/prayer journal and so technically writing out a prayer or some verses or whatever you want is a form of writing. That can be so helpful. I've had days where I've only had time for a page or two of actual writing and by the end of the day I feel too tired to write. So I get that journal out and I just write whatever I want. It helps me to know that I did write today and it releases tension and stress.
5. Don't Freak Out: There will be those days where you just don't have time for writing and that's ok. Especially for those who live in a dorm and are taking multiple classes. You and I both just next to accept that some days won't be writing days or some days I'll only get a few pages done instead of a whole chapter.
And here's a bonus tip: God is always with you. Ask him to help calm you and to give you the time and energy to get all your work done so that you can write.
This is what works for me and I hope it works for you too. :)
Are any of you in college? How do you get time to write?
It's important to have good time management skills, especially when you're a college student. Although college is where you'll be developing and improving most of your intellectual skills, it's also a place to develop your social, physical and emotional skills, and that's where everything gets complicated. That is why I agree with your list of tips for good college survival. Flexibility should come hand-in-hand with time management. Anyway, I hope a lot of college-goers stumble upon your post, Melody. Thanks for sharing! Kudos to you for writing a highly insightful article! :)
ReplyDeleteValerie Casey @ The Studemont Group CFS