Beginning a new semester of college is something that can be both scary and exciting. There are new classes and professors awaiting, new knowledge to be gained, and, of course, the rigorous assignments, papers, and exams that come with it.

There are an abundance of feelings and thoughts that course through our bodies and minds. For many, there is a particular fear of the unknown and what lies ahead, from expectations for each and every class session to anticipation and hope that success follows every submitted assignment and exam taken.

Despite the often times overwhelming sense of college coursework heading your way, there is a way to manage your class/work/life balance and position yourself for success.

The solution to all of this is time management.

While college students know that time management is an extremely important factor to take into consideration, understanding that concept is much different than executing it effectively.

Students are surrounded by deadlines. It’s not uncommon to find yourself in a position where you’re wondering: How am I to finish a 350-page novel in just one week when I have two other assignments due, a paper to finish and an exam next week?

And if you’re like me or many other students I know, you may have work or other extracurricular activities going on when you’re not attending class. All of this combined stress is a lot to handle, and I struggled to allocate enough time for my classwork. I found myself rushing to get papers done one or two days before they were due. I was losing sleep in order to get assignments finished the night before. I did not manage my time effectively, and less than stellar grades were the result.

At work, I was talking to a colleague about the issue when he mentioned that managing one’s time is a critical factor to be successful in college. He explained that obtaining a degree was an important achievement, and that I would need to be wise with my time to ensure I received the grades I needed. He gave me some advice on how I should carefully plan things ahead of time so that I could effectively organize and manage multiple deadlines, and allocate the required time for all of them.

My inclination to procrastinate made me realize that I had to ditch this bad habit if I wanted to succeed with my future plans and goals.

Over the following months, the light bulb in my head started to glow ever so brightly, and I began to manage my time in a smarter way. Upon receiving the syllabus on the first day of class, I was able to get a clear picture of when certain assignments, papers and exams would be due. I would then look at all my classes and start planning out how much time I would need to complete the assignments, write papers or study for exams.

I made sure to not leave assignments or papers until the last minute, instead choosing to work on them in phases. For example, I might spend one hour reading through a textbook or novel for a class. Then I would switch gears and spend time working on a paper for another class.

What I found worked best for me was dividing multiple assignments up from hour to hour over a certain period of time. For example, instead of starting on a five-page paper the night before, I would plan out writing sessions to work on it over a two-week period of time, at minimum. This gave me an opportunity to look at it with a fresh set of eyes multiple times, not get burned out while writing, and provide plenty of opportunities to reread and revise, if necessary.

When it was time to study for exams, I would give myself at least a week to prepare. I would also schedule individual study times and try to arrange group review sessions when I could. This helped me make sure that I was giving enough time to prepare for the exam so that I could effectively cover all the material.

With this new routine, I was able to see a noticeable change in my ability to successfully submit assignments and papers or prepare for exams without having to fight the clock. As a result, I started seeing my grades get better slowly but surely. And as I started witnessing better grades on my papers and exams, I became more confident in my work.

But the positive effects of my planning and time management extended beyond just my grades.

I was less anxious and getting more hours of much needed sleep per night. With a proper 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and less worrying about rushing through assignments before deadlines, I was more alert and attentive in lectures, which helped me better focus and understand what was being discussed for the day.

In the back of my head, I was grateful for having received that simple, yet effective advice of being smarter with my time. It has surely paid off. Even now, after having graduated from college, I am still aware and use my time wisely, effectively planning out what needs to be done for the days ahead. I can truly say that things have become much easier and less worrisome for me by applying time management and planning into my daily life.

As everyone knows, college is no joke. Homework, exams, studying, and huge amounts of dedication is what it is all about. Focus on and understand every little thing being taught, because the end result is what matters. Divide and organize your time rationally; it helped me, so I am sure it will prove useful for you as well.

Sure, there should be time for friends and family, but the final goal is to do well and be successful, for in the end, a shiny new degree is waiting with your name on it.