Balancing classes with a job, family responsibilities and friendships can become more difficult as the academic term progresses. Officials at Oregon State University say students can make the workload more manageable by planning their time, seeking help early and using campus resources to make study hours more productive.
Bonnie Hemrick, the university’s director of well-being strategy with Counseling and Psychological Services, said students often feel overwhelmed by coursework and employment. When demands build, students may put personal needs and social connections aside without intending to, she said.
“This leads to students sometimes unintentionally putting their personal needs on the back burner.” — Bonnie Hemrick, director of well-being strategy with Counseling and Psychological Services
Hemrick said students also commonly neglect self-care and time with friends and family when their schedules become difficult. Making room for those relationships is part of managing a full college schedule, rather than something to consider only after academic and work obligations are finished.
Start before the schedule feels unmanageable
Clare Creighton, director of the Office of Academic Support at Oregon State, said the most stressful point in a term can vary. In general, stress tends to increase later in the term as coursework grows, she said. Students may also feel overwhelmed after falling behind or when illness, injury or family and social commitments disrupt their schedules.
Students can use a weekly planning session to identify fixed commitments, including classes and work shifts, then reserve time for assignments, meals, transportation and personal connections. The university’s academic-support officials emphasize using available help rather than waiting until a deadline is close.
- Ask for academic support: Academic coaches and time-management workshops can help students develop strategies for organizing their work.
- Make study time more effective: The Writing Center can help when a student is stuck on a writing project, while office hours can provide a chance to ask course-related questions.
- Use a productive study setting: Oregon State’s Mole Hole allows students to work while asking questions, according to Creighton.
- Protect time for relationships: Hemrick said students should notice when friends and family are repeatedly being pushed aside by school or work.
Creighton said campus resources can help solve part of the challenge when students have limited time. A writing appointment, office-hours visit or question asked in a study space may reduce the time needed to work through an assignment, leaving more room for other responsibilities.
For students who have already fallen behind, the officials’ guidance points to an early conversation with academic-support staff and instructors. Reviewing the schedule, identifying the most urgent work and asking for assistance can help students respond to a disrupted routine while continuing to make time for the people and activities that support their lives outside the classroom.
