As we finish up our third week of the fall semester, I couldn’t help but think of how I was going to manage four classes and three part-time jobs. But a quick Google search shows that I am not an exception to some rule, and that more than a quarter of college students are both full-time workers and full-time students. So going into my final year of college, I would like to share some of my knowledge on how to tamp down the anxiety when you’re looking at your massive course load. 

The first thing I would suggest is to map out all of your to-do’s in a way that is easy for you to come back to, so the action of checking off your different responsibilities is a relief in and of itself. You can make it pretty by picking up a bullet journal at Target or downloading an app to do it for you. It can be borderline therapeutic planning out your month, week-by-week.  

Another thing I would suggest is to pick a TV show or an audiobook or maybe a podcast you can listen to in between your obligations. Something you don’t have to pay a lot of attention to, but that will distract you from all the seriousness of your college career and work life. I think it’s important to throw in little tokens of fun to bring a bit of levity to the stress of your daily grind. 

Finally, budget your time to make sure you get a decent amount of sleep. UCLA Health published an article breaking down why sleep is crucial to giving your life your full capacity. They explain in detail how environmental, dietary, or even lifestyle factors can affect your sleep and therefore your performance. Yes, hustle culture is prevalent right now and we are bombarded with messages along the lines of “sleep is for the week” or “you can sleep when you’re dead,” however, remember to choose self-care over an extra shift every once in a while. Your body will thank you.