Between classes, jobs, sports, clubs, assignments, social activities and just plain stress, college students often find themselves busier than they have time for.

“If I’m not able to manage my time well, it often leads to stress later on,” sophomore music education major Carter Davis said. “If I don’t start my work right away, it seems like it’s looming over my head until I start it.” 

Davis’s main issue during the fall semester has been procrastination, he said. Due to his busy schedule, he usually sets aside his homework until the last minute, which causes him a lot of stress.  

According to data from Gitnux’s 2024 college student time management report, 64% of college students report procrastinating on major assignments. 

Currently, Davis said he has been steadily getting better at managing his time for assignments which has helped him alleviate his stress during the semester.   

Most college students, including those at EIU, struggle with something that gets in the way of managing their time during the semester.   

According to data from Gitnux, 85% of college students said that better time management would improve their academic performance. 

With this, Gitnux reported that 35% of college students report that they frequently miss meals due to poor time management, and 60% of college students struggle to find time to relax. 

“Students have a lot on their plate, and I am often impressed by how well they manage juggling their class work with their jobs, personal lives, and extracurricular activities,” said associate professor and director of the Bachler’s in public relations Claudia Janssen Danyi.   

For Danyi, she sees many reasons among her students for stress in time management with their classes. Sometimes it is grades and GPA. Other times she sees students juggling too much in their lives.   

“When I see time management issues, it is often because students started working on projects and assignments too late,” she said. “If any problems arise in the process, then there is little room left for troubleshooting or for seeking help, input or preliminary feedback from the instructor.” 

On average, according to Gitnux, college students spend 3 hours per day on social media and spend 10 hours per week on leisure activities. 

So, what can students do to effectively manage their time this semester while they potentially juggle multiple classes, an off-campus job or two and the need for free time?   

As reported by Harvard Summer School, there are many things college students can do to manage their busy lives.  

One of the most common examples is making a personalized calendar. Between physical planners and the online world, there are many options for calendars, including Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Calendly and more. 

Alongside this, Harvard recommends setting alarms to remind students about upcoming deadlines in advance to keep on track with tasks.  

Even Danyi uses some of these methods to keep on schedule for her classes and projects.   

“I currently use virtual sticky notes to map all my regular and non-regular tasks as well as projects. That, paired with the calendar is helpful,” she said.   

Davis recommends similar methods for EIU students struggling with time management this semester.   

“Try to apply time management tools like planners, calendars, etc. to your daily routine,” he said. “Also find something that reduces stress, whether it be a hobby, exercise or just alone time,”  

For students that struggle with time management, EIU has resources to help get them back on track.   

The Academic Support Center offers one-on-one consultation or connect students with one of many tutors during the school week.  

Individuals and groups of two to four students are available to sign up for tutoring at the Academic Support Center’s homepage on the EIU website. Tutoring is held in the Gregg Technology Center here on campus.   

If students have any questions or wish to make an appointment with a tutor, they can contact the Academic Support Center Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 217-581-6696 or email them at success@eiu.edu.   

Michelle Doty can be reached at 581-2812 or at mrdoty@eiu.edu.