Counselor advises students to manage time for successes
by John Byrns, reporter

    Chilet Eguchi, a NE Campus student, has experienced what can be called time out.

   In Eguchi’s case, time out was not having enough time to fulfill all her obligations.

   Every week, Eguchi said, something would steal time from one of her responsibilities. She was suffering weekly increases in stress and anxiety until, as she described it, “the anxiety overwhelms.”

   Susie V. Carranza, retention coordinator and academic advisor, offered advice during the Time Out!! Time Management Student Success Workshop recently.

   “Cut back your commitments; do not overload yourself. The college experience is too valuable not to enjoy,” she said.

   Eguchi divides time between full-time studies, full-time employment and full-time wedding planning, a situation that may not be common among students.

   “When I got to ‘anxiety overwhelm,’ I looked over my obligations to see how to best use my time,” she said.

   Making an adjustment to course commitments, relieved the pressure and anxiety, Eguchi said. Although her life is still very challenging, now she has time to enjoy life.

   “Time is too important to success to be wasted,” Carranza said. “I see students come through TCC, their hair on fire, rushing through courses to get grades so they can attend a four-year university. Some make it—others don’t.”

   Carranza reminded seminar participants that everyone has the same number of hours in every day. How they choose to use that time makes the difference.

   Before using the fast-food education method of getting a grade, not the knowledge, from courses, students should find a goal, Carranza said.

   The students should use the goal to set up a plan for achieving it and applying time management principles to meet the requirements of the plan.

   According to Carranza, time management begins with a self-evaluation. Students should examine their habits: when they eat, exercise, study and work. They also need to know the times during the day when they are at their peak, most alert and productive.

   To help assess students’ current time management, one of the workshop’s handouts had a 10-question yes/no quiz that rated abilities from “You’re probably on top of things but can still improve” to “You’re on the verge of chaos.”

   Carranza also suggested analyzing friends’ time management. Friends can aid in success or become stumbling blocks. Hanging out with people who have similar goals helps, Carranza said.

   Laying out a schedule of commitments will help students quickly see the demands on their time. The schedule will keep tests and project due dates from sneaking up, Carranza said.

   After the monthly schedule is complete, student should go over it with their family or roommates and post it in a common area, Carranza advised.

   “Seeing it makes it easier to stick to. Getting and keeping family’s or roommates’ support will be easier when they can look at the schedule and see your obligations,” she said.

   Carranza also recommended making a list each day of all tasks to be accomplished. Students should then prioritize the tasks, eliminating time wasters and leaving only required tasks.

   When Carranza asked workshop participants what their biggest time waster was, the top three answers were television, telephone and Internet.

   Eliminating one time waster does not guarantee another time waster (video games, on-line chat rooms, napping and hanging out) will not replace it, Carranza said.

   To avoid time wasters, people must control distractions, Carranza pointed out. The best way to avoid distraction is learning to say “no.”

   She told students never to rearrange a study schedule unless they have an urgent reason.

   An agreement with family and friends not to disturb study time will help eliminate the major sources of procrastination. Another way to control distractions is by taking a break when one’s attention starts to wander.

   Carranza recommended spending two hours studying for every hour spent in class to gain confidence with the material.

   “Always study the difficult or tedious subjects first when you are freshest, and study during your peak time,” she said.

   Carranza suggested studying with a group to help focus on the subject and to stay away from distractions.

   As students become comfortable with managing time, Carranza said, they will find ways to use every bit of available time.

   “As you progress through your college experience, you will have to juggle school, family, perhaps work or business and other personal obligations and needs. Organizing your time is one way to get it all accomplished with the minimum amount of stress,” she said.