Navigating Life as a Cardinal: Creating a Weekly Schedule as a College Student

Managing your time as a college student is not easy. I know, I’ve been there. If you find yourself constantly wishing that you could be more productive, or manage your time better, then you could benefit from creating a weekly schedule. Creating a weekly schedule of your assignments, obligations, and plans can help organize your time and take advantage of every hour you have. With a schedule, no assignment will be forgotten or rushed. In order to maximize your productivity, you should create a weekly schedule, a monthly schedule, prioritize tasks effectively, time block, and take breaks. The time you plan out is time that is intentionally spent.

The first thing you should consider are your goals. Are you trying to get all of your assignments done days before the due date or are you okay with day-of? What grade are you aiming for in each class? Setting these goals should help guide your weekly schedule and how you plan your time. These goals can fluctuate week by week or month by month, depending on how your view of your academic situation changes.

• A weekly goal might be: “I’m going to finish this assignment by Wednesday.”

• A short-term goal might be: “I am going to have all my research done for this paper by the end of the week.”

• A long-term goal might be: “I’m going to earn a B+ in this class.”

At the beginning of each week, sit down and write out all of your assignments and obligations for the week. Use a notebook, or apps like Canva, Google Calendar, Ticktick, Trello, and Todoist to plan out your assignments. Mark out when you’ll have time to get work done outside of class, work, and any extracurriculars or plans. Based on how much time you have to work, plan out what assignments you want to start or finish in each block of free time. Don’t forget to plan out when you’re going to study and review material! Be realistic about what you can get done in each work session. Prioritize assignments that will take longer, or are due first. Planning out your assignments for the week ensures that you have a plan for how to get everything done, and no assignment gets left behind. Having a plan will also reduce the stress of not knowing if you’ll have enough time to finish your assignments.

(Browse through Canva’s selection of schedule templates here.)

If you are someone that likes even more structure than just a weekly plan, try time blocking! Time blocking is a scheduling method where you break your tasks into categories, and work on one category at a time. For students, this might look like focusing on one class at a time. Switching between different tasks during a work session is like veering your kart off the road in Mario Kart! You’ll drive much faster (aka work more productively) if you stay on the road. Time blocking also helps you account for tasks that are often forgotten about when creating a weekly plan, such as time to eat lunch and commute. Apps like Google Calendar and To do list are great for time blocking.

Here is a quick beginners guide to time blocking as a student!

How to TIME BLOCK Your Schedule to Get More Done in Less Time (guide for beginners!)

Don’t forget to include breaks! Overworking yourself is a direct path to burning out. Take time at some point during your days and weeks for self-care time, whether it’s taking a nice bath, watching TV, going on a run, or engaging in other hobbies! Planning out your work is to help manage your life and time, not completely take it over. Taking care of yourself and your mental health each day helps you stay productive long-term.

Still completely lost or overwhelmed? Check out the ultimate guide to managing life as a college student here for more information about getting involved in student organizations, finding a job after college, and managing your time.