Work And Fun: A College Balancing Act

College life is all about balance, and that holds true when it comes to balancing fun with schoolwork. College offers plenty of opportunities for fun and plenty of times when you’ll need to get work done too; fortunately you can achieve both, as long as you keep yourself in check.

You’re probably not worried about not having enough fun in college. Let’s be honest, that’s not difficult. In fact, it’s the opposite that can be hard. Friends will always be asking you to go to the movies, head out to a party, or go to the gym. None of those activities are bad per say, but you can’t exactly study while participating in them either. After a few movies, parties, and trips out to eat, before you know it your study time has all but dried up. For your GPA, this isn’t good.

No matter how focused you are in college, the instances and chances to pull you away from your study time will be numerous. So here’s the first solution, and it’s nothing secret: schedule some study time. If you’re a procrastinator or someone who rarely makes plans, now’s a good time to get into a positive habit. If you make a schedule, you’ll feel obligated to stick to it, simply because you made it. Even the most disheveled and disorganized studier will feel some guilt about blithely ignoring a schedule that he set.

Sometimes it takes a bit of a kick to recognize that you’ll have to focus more on schoolwork. If your GPA isn’t good, it’s never too late to help it resurface. It can be enough of a motivator to make you cut down on the fun and get serious about work. While you shouldn’t feel guilty while having fun, if you really need to be studying instead, it’s a task that you won’t want to ignore. Plus, when those grades come in, it’ll be hard not to feel guilty if you know you should’ve spent more time behind the textbook.

It’s all about balance. Have too much fun and you’ll regret it. But if you become a study zombie, you’re in for a long four years. Study as much as you need to to keep your grades up and learn some good material.  After that, have some fun. College will be the most work you’ve done in your life most likely, yet will also be a time to be social and have some good times before entering the working world. You don’t want to do too little of either, or you could regret it!