Students Must Budget Their Time

One of the principal determinants of whether or not a student will do well in college is how well he or she can budget time. For many students new to college life, this will be a new experience.

New students are tempted to put off studying, term papers and other assignments until "the last minute." After all, their reasoning goes, they have to socialize with their new friends, attend athletic events, and pursue other interests. Wrong. College assignments come first; everything else can wait. Also, quizzes and mid-term exams have an annoying habit of coming sooner, rather than later, during the semester. Some students try to pull "all nighters," thinking they can cram enough facts into their heads at the last minute to do adequately on exams.

It rarely works out that way. The better students learn to spend long, lonely hours at the library with their books. They can't study if others are walking in and out of the dorm room, if the TV set is on, or if roommates insist on playing loud music. Also, shut off the cell phone! Your messages can wait!