Dear Sheridan Kate,  

I’m a junior at Wofford this year, and so far the workload has been more intense than I had anticipated. In years past, I have mostly been able to balance schoolwork, extracurriculars and social time, but this year it is proving difficult. Do you have any advice on how to keep good grades, do activities you enjoy, and stay sane at the same time?  

Sincerely, The Jam-Packed Junior  

Dear Jam-Packed Junior,  

First of all, this is one of the most relatable questions I have ever received for this advice column. College life in general seems to be full of sacrifices and tough choices when it comes to striking an appropriate balance. Coursework sometimes takes the backseat for leadership positions in extracurriculars, and even other courses can take the fall when preparing for tests or assessments for other courses. This seems to be compounded during junior year; I often found myself skipping one class to study for another, while trying to also juggle extracurricular involvements, health and fitness, and a social life.  

While at times it can feel like responsibilities are mounting and the balancing act is teetering against your favor, it’s important to remember that these stresses also fluctuate. Taking advantage of down-time with schoolwork to do other things is a strategy that I often utilize. This has helped me in my own life, as this semester I am scrambling to complete my senior thesis for the environmental studies major. During the semester, workload seems to fluctuate, with periods of only lecture attendance punctuated by exams. During the times when I’m only going to classes and don’t have a lot of homework, I will then focus on doing other things like plugging into my extracurriculars and working on my thesis and other projects.  

While this is a good strategy, it doesn’t always shake out like this. Some weeks you’ve got three exams and a presentation all at once and just cross your fingers that everything turns out okay.  In times like this, it sometimes helps to literally schedule your entire life. I make a schedule and write out times that I’ll study and work, times I’ll go to other activities, and even when I’ll eat and see friends. Scheduling your life to this extent isn’t ideal, but will give you some peace of mind if you’re concerned about getting everything done on time.  

My final piece of advice for you, Jam-Packed Junior, is to take everything in stride. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and do your best to succeed academically while also making time for yourself. Spend time with friends, get a lot of sleep, and practice your favorite forms of self-care to make sure that you stay on top of your game mentally, physically and emotionally.