How I Graduated with Honors and Never Studied Past 10:00PM

I have two crucial words for college students: time management. This is what provided me a full 8 hours of sleep every night; gave me time to exercise and prepare healthy meals; tutor at my college's writing center; work; and have a social life. Yes, it IS possible. Let me give you concrete steps on how to make sure you're not staying up later than 10:00PM (or 10:30 at the latest). These steps may not work for everyone, but they certainly are worth a shot:

Me, a proud graduate with a BA in art history, who dyed her hair roughly 48 shades darker than she should have for the occasion.

1. Set up a specific time to go to bed and wake up

It sounds pretty straightforward, but it's tough in college. You may have plans with friends, a sorority event, or need to call your mom who's convinced you're dead because you haven't answered her texts all day. During my sophomore year, I went to bed between 9:00-9:30, so I could wake up at 6:00 to go run around campus. I made this time a priority because running in the morning helped to clear my mind and ease my anxiety. But you of course don't have to go to bed and wake up this early; if it's not a priority for you to get up early, go ahead and stay up a little late, until 11:00 for example. Have your alarm set so you're getting the minimum hours of sleep you need, then get up. And I mean get out of your bed; it's easy to want 5-10 more minutes of sleep if you continue to lie under your warm, fluffy sheets while you feel your body sinking into your twin XL mattress. Try this method and see how it works for you.

2. Time block studying for each class

During my freshman year, I discovered a method that worked well for me in terms of not over-studying for one subject and neglecting another: time-blocked studying. Here's how it worked: I had 4 classes my second semester of freshman year (they were all GE requirements). When I returned home from class, I would allow myself 30 minutes or so to eat, relax, and check my phone. Once the 30 minutes was up, I locked myself in my room and pulled out my notes and textbooks. For 30 minutes, I would study for philosophy, and have a timer on my phone go off once the 30 minutes was up. Immediately after I would study my next subject, American history. I would study this for another 30 minutes. Once I completed my first hour of studying, I would give myself a 10-15 minute break. At the end of this break, I would begin my next 30 minutes of studying, this time for Spanish; after that, my final 30 minutes for my last subject, biology. I did this every single day. By the time exams rolled around, I had already been studying my material for several weeks, lessening the stress of having to remember every detail. I highly recommend this method because it makes you focus more, knowing you have 30 minutes on the timer. By the end you'll feel (hopefully) like you made some headway in the class material.

3. Learn to say "no"

This is hard for someone who is admittedly a people-pleaser and perfectionist. I want to be the over-achiever, the one who will take on any extra work, extra credit assignments, and so on. But taking on all that extra work—even though it feels good at the moment—is not going to help you if you're getting 3-4 hours of sleep a night because of it. It is OK to say no; it can majorly help in managing your time and not overwhelming your plate with busy work. If it's hard for you to say "no", think of the positive effect saying it could have for you. For example, "If I say 'no', that'll give me time to go on a run with my friend, and running helps calm me down more than anything", or "Saying 'no' to this will allow me to go to my professor's office hours to get help on a topic that I'm struggling with." It's all about prioritizing. You could even say 'no' because you want to sit in bed and watch season 3 of The Man in the High Castle. It's all up to you and what you need to feel at peace.

4. Go to your university's writing center

I am absolutely biased in this point of advice because I myself was a tutor at my school's writing center. But let me tell you: every single student who came into that center left feeling a huge sense of relief. We constantly received comments on how the students felt better having a second set of eyes on their drafts and essays, or had someone help brainstorm topics for a difficult prompt. Each student I personally met with would tell me at the end how much less anxiety they felt after receiving help. And the best part? Tutoring services at your university's writing center is FREE. No broke college student excuses. Seriously, set an appointment, meet with a tutor, and get some help with your essays. You'll get pointers on edits and ideas you didn't even think about, and feel inspired to continue writing after your time's up. I even used the writing center to get help; it's always beneficial to have someone else give your paper a read.

5. Set reminders on your phone

I use the reminders on my phone every single day—long after I've finished my studies. These notifications were saviors to me by reminding me what time I should start studying, reading, or writing if I wanted to complete another task. For example, I would have a reminder pop up saying 'start reading Nochlin article' at 4:00, so I could finish it before something I knew I had to do later that night, like meet classmates for a group project or go on a date. Reminders can be amazingly helpful in setting time blocks for your tasks, thereby making more time for everything else you have or want to do.

6. See a school counselor

If you're feeling overwhelmed and experiencing higher levels of anxiety, go speak to a counselor on campus. They're free, available, and want to help. I would go to counselors constantly, and I didn't ever feel judged about whatever I was letting off my chest; like a recent break-up that was affecting my school work, family problems that were keeping me up at night, and of course: conflicts with roommates. Make time for your mental health; it is crucial to your well-being. Take it from someone who deals with anxiety and depression, and takes steps to improve the symptoms. You can make time for this, like anything else you value enough to make time for.

I hope this advice helps you, and that you give at least one of these a try. These methods greatly helped me make sure I was getting a good night's sleep during college, ending in me having greater focus, energy, and drive to graduate with honors. And remember: you have every right to take care of yourself.