How to create a study schedule in university

If you always feel like you have work hanging over you, you’ll never truly enjoy yourself, even when you’re goofing off. The best way to make sure that you’re getting the most out of all your time at university is to make yourself a schedule. Then, when you’re off work, you’ll really be off, and you’ll know that there’s nothing else that you should be doing: all of your reading, studying and assignment tasks are either done or scheduled in, so you know that they’ll get done.

Writing a schedule is a daunting task at first, but it will get easier as the semesters progress. Here are some tips that should help you get started.

1. Buy a really good planner. Find a schedule that will let you look at the entire semester at a glance, so that you won’t be taken by surprise by upcoming assignments and tests. Many students opt to find a wall-mounted planner so that they can see the big picture, and so that they can cross off assignments, tests and quizzes as they complete them.


2. Plot in all your assignments for the semester. Here’s where you use all the syllabi you picked up in your first week of classes. You’ll find that most assignments, tests, problems sets, and quizzes are already scheduled, so now you just have to write them in.


3. Plot in daily work time. There are some tasks, such as reading over course notes and preparing for classes, that are the same every day. Don’t waste time worrying about when to do them. Choose appropriate times every day, and schedule them in. Decide on your optimal work time. Do you prefer to read in the morning and work in the evening? Write it in, and soon it will become habit.


4. Plot in work times around due dates. Decide roughly how much time each problem set, assignment, test, and quiz will take, and schedule in that time in the days before the due date. Make sure that you schedule more time than you think that you might need, just in case.


5. Plot in breaks and rewards. You shouldn’t just schedule in the difficult tasks. Make sure that you schedule in fun stuff that you can look forward to as well. That will keep you on task as the semester progresses.


6. Revise as you go. If you see that you need less time for readings, but more time for problem sets, make sure that you change your scheduling to reflect that. Update your schedule from time to time, as you learn more about your courses, and as you figure out the timing and scheduling that works best for you.

Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed as the semester gets busier and busier. Make yourself a schedule right away so that you don’t fall behind, and so that you can trust yourself to get all the tasks of university done. It’s one of the surest ways to give yourself your best shot at getting the best grades. Another good strategy is to find help. Go to Prep101.com to find your competitive edge.