Time Management

By Geoff Ankuda NU '08
Managing Editor of the Norwich Guidon

It’s Monday and you just got done with classes for the day. You have two papers and a lab project due by the end of the week. What do you do now? First off don’t panic. Don’t think you can’t get it done - you will keep that mindset and end up in a downward spiral of not getting any of it done. What you want to do is create some kind of time management system. There are various ways to do this, from the time management calendars you can pick up in the Learning Support Center to writing out your weekly assignments on your room’s mirror in washable marker (my personal favorite).

If the homework is just getting too much and you are spiraling out of control ask your professor if you can have an extension. Never just stop doing the work or turn it in late without speaking to the professor first because they can only help you when they know something is wrong. That being said the following reasons are not “good reasons” for needing an extension: falling asleep and not doing the work, playing video games all night, forgetting it was due, or anything like that. Trust me when I say professors have heard all those reasons and none of them fly. Also, Rooks will have a lot on their plate first semester but academics come first. You cadre will care about how you are managing your time and help you with work if they can. For traditional students your RA’s will be there to help as well but the bottom line is you are the only one who can manage your time.

If you want to get out and really experience Norwich you will have to learn to manage your time because experiencing Norwich means getting out and joining clubs, sports teams, or community service groups. My first semester at Norwich I really didn’t get involved so I had it pretty easy but I was bored beyond belief and you can only stare at those white walls before you need to do something. That was four years ago now I’m so busy even I barely keep up and almost wish for the days when I didn’t have as much responsibility, but what I do makes me happy so it is all worth it in the end. In no way is it easy but Norwich isn’t supposed to be easy. If I wanted easy I would have taken the offers other colleges made me where I would be doing half the work and playing Frisbee in the quad. I wanted to learn what to expect in my career after college so I chose Norwich because it is like the real world.

In the end it comes down to personal motivation. Do you have the purpose, drive, and motivation to put down that video game controller or lose some sleep to get the assignment done? If the answer is no you might want to reconsider Norwich because time management is the only way you survive here. Believe me there are plenty of times I want to close my eyes for a minute but I have to finish a big project. Being the Managing Editor of the campus paper The Norwich Guidon there are times when it is 2AM and my phone rings because something needs my immediate attention and depending how serious it is I might not get any sleep that night.

Now don’t let this scare you. Like I mentioned before, the Learning Support Center can help you manage time. I don’t mean they toss the calendar at you and say figure it out, they will sit down with you and look over everything you have to do and help breakdown your time and even help you figure out how much free time you will have. Time management does not mean you won’t have any free time. You can have a life and still be a good student - you just have to want it. Even with all I mentioned I still find time to enjoy myself and go out with my staff at least once a week. In closing if I have learned nothing else in my time here it is that you make time for the things you care about.