So you're in the thick of things. The days of blocked schedules, timed lunches, and dress codes are long behind you. Now your days look a little brighter, mostly due to the fact that you don't have to start them before the sun comes up. Though you could do a bit better with setting an actual alarm and not relying on your "natural body clock."
You have settled into life out from under your parent's roof. The independent life is great; no curfew, no rules, no structure. However, you could use a little more discipline with not wearing the same sweatshirt every day. As well as the "pajama day" theme you've been committing to all semester.
Classes are great. You've got a good handle on your academic load, but you are most definitely straddling that C+/B- line hard with your major specific courses. The easy A electives will save your GPA at the end the semester, so you're not worried.
Let's get real, you're drowning. You need help, and lots of it.
There's room for optimism here. Whether you know it or not resources are available so that you can not only survive but thrive in your classes while still maintaining a life.
Get on a schedule
Not talking about the university issued kind here, more along the lines of a paper or digital agenda. Having a great grasp of your time is a powerful tool that will allow you to decipher what activities you truly have time for. Your education is your priority during your stay at school so all activities should be planned around your class schedule. That doesn't mean that you don't have time for a life. It means that you have to manage your time wisely. Practicing great time management not only helps you as a student but in your future as an adult. Yes kids, the act of balance gets more difficult as time progresses. It's best to get a handle of your time while you're only responsible for yourself.
Treat your body well
You're still going to have that vessel long after you cross the stage. Treat your body well by maintaining it with a healthy diet and regular exercise regime. Sorry, sprinting across campus during finals doesn't count as working out. Get the most out of that tuition dollar and visit the campus gym. Dining services may not be featuring the salad bar at the campus mess hall, but it's there.
Get an academic guide
If there was a way to get an advantage over your competition in landing your dream job would you go for it? If you didn't your direct competitor would. Apply that same logic to your university courses. Your future employer isn't going to want to be fishing in the waters of the bottom half of your graduating class. So you don't need to be swimming there. Tutors don't only help you pass your chemistry midterm but they guide you in crafting successful life skills. Such as, determining your best mode of learning so that you can be mindful of how to study. Preparing you for tests if you experience testing anxiety, and advice on what questions to ask your professor to gain the most of each lecture.
Have fun!
You only get this experience once. Make the most of it by getting involved on campus. Join a club, rush or cross with a fraternity or sorority. These years are for your enjoyment. Maintaining a healthy social life while in school is a positive way to create memories, form life long bonds, and possibly aid your future career. The best business relationships are formed when there is a common thread between both parties. You never know what that membership, or university knowledge may do for you in the future. Stay connected to your university peers on social platforms like Facebook as well as LinkedIn. Those endorsements add up and make a great impression on recruiters and head hunters searching for a candidate like you.
Your S.O.S. has arrived, you now have some clarity on how to not throw away your college fund while still making it that Bows and Brews party on Thursday night (Must be 21 or older to laugh at that joke).
Finding balance while settling into the brand-new world of independence is tough alone. Which is why this advice is best integrated into your life gradually. If you find yourself facing challenges, you might benefit from finding an accountability partner that will make sure that you are accomplishing all the goals you want done.