At Yale, it seems as though students are constantly doing something. Between classes, clubs, and social activities days tend to be packed full. In my first month here at Yale, I’ve learned that time management skills are the cornerstone of keeping it all together. Luckily, there are several tools that have helped me naivgate my first few weeks as a Yale student.
The first and most essential is Google Calendar, sometimes known as G-Cal. Yale runs on Google Claendar; most clubs, sports teams, and campus groups use it to share events with members and almost everyone has one. I like to make a different calendar for each class, each extracurricular, appointments, and birthdays. Then, I color code each calendar so that I can see, at a glance, what my day looks like. I can see when I have class, what meetings I need to attend, and what major assignments are due soon. Keeping an organized G-Cal is super helpful for knowing when I have time to do homework or hang out with my friends.
The next tool is weekly to-do lists. I like to use an app called TeuxDeux that lays out my whole week. I can input tasks and then move them around to different days. I start by making a big list of all the class assignments for the week. Then, I sort them into different days. Throughout the week I move different tasks around if I end up having more or less time on any given day.
The final tool is an assignment spreadsheet. This is essentially a master list of every assignment that I will need to complete over the course of the semester from readings to final exams. I sort all the assignments by due date and I color code them by class and by priority level. I then give myself a checkbox next to each assignment so that I can see the progress that I’m making in each class. While this is definitely taking organization to the next level, creating a system like this for yourself is one of the best ways I have found to have some peace of mind about completing assignments on time.
A screenshot of my own assignment spreadsheet
Even though I (along with most other Yale students) have a busy schedule, it’s important that I still have time to relax and spend time with friends and these tools allow me to do that. While it may not be for everyone, being diligent about time management has been the key to my work-life balance as a first-year.
