The Busy College Student's Guide to Having it All Without Losing it

You're chair of a student group, a member of the intramural volleyball team, rushing a fraternity or sorority and working an unpaid internship. In between all of those activities you have classes, homework and projects, not too mention friends and perhaps a special someone.

It's not uncommon for students to be as active as described above. If you aren't on campus yet, you may have big dreams of editing the student newspaper, playing shortstop, joining the campus orchestra, becoming a resident adviser or all of the above. With busy lives come hectic schedules and other concerns. You really can have it all as long as you take care of yourself by staying in shape both physically and academically.

Stay Healthy

Get Plenty of Sleep: You should be falling asleep in your bed, not in the middle of your math lecture. Give yourself plenty of time to sleep; being active all day and not taking the time to rest can lead to illness and other problems. If you are so active that you have trouble sleeping, a common condition among student leaders, make an appointment with a counselor or the student health service.

Avoid "Over-Caffeinating" Yourself: A coffee here and an energy drink there are all right, but don't down several of either throughout the day. This is a mistake a lot of involved students make. Caffeine will help you stay awake, but it doesn't necessarily make you more alert, and if you consume too much without eating or drinking water, your busy day will be interrupted by a crippling headache or an upset stomach. Too much caffeine will also make you jittery and appear nervous, which never helps you make a good impression.

Avoid Burnout

Schedule Time Off: Since you are so involved, you probably live day-to-day thanks to your planner. It's okay to miss a meeting here and there; the world won't stop spinning if you take time for yourself. Block off an hour or two each during which you can relax, nap, hang out with friends or simply do nothing.

Prioritize: If you're too busy to shower, then (at least for your roommate's sake) you might want to give something up. Make a list of your current activities, and next to each, list the reasons why you do it. Activities that enhance your coursework or that will look good on a resume should come first; those that aren't related to your major but give you some sort of leadership experience come next. This will probably leave the ones that are strictly social. Consider giving up one of these, as you'll have plenty of social interaction through your other endeavors.

Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

Think Carefully Before Running for an Office: It's one thing for a member of a student organization to miss a meeting, but once you make a commitment to serve in a leadership role, you have a whole new level of responsibility. Before accepting a nomination to be a student group's leader, look at your schedule and other obligations carefully. Always estimate that being a leader of a group requires at least three times the amount of participation than just being a member. If you have the slightest doubt about being able to do it, then don't. Other opportunities will come down the road, and perhaps you can run for that position next year.

Never Join a Club for the Sake of Joining: Some students become what we call "involvement junkies." If there's a new club forming, they have to join. If their Greek house is doing a new project, they have to be part of it. Getting involved on campus is a great way to learn more about your major, boost your skills and socialize. If you won't be getting anything more out of a group or project than the activities you are already involved in, don't join, and let someone else have the chance to get active.

Don't Forget to Study

Make use of "Dead Time": Most of us have more spare time in our day than we think. Review notes while you wait for the campus shuttle. Take that practice exam while your clothes are spinning in the dryer. Write down ideas for your term paper while you're waiting for a lecture to start. a friend of mine used to study geology while curling her hair.

Attend Group Study Tables: Most fraternities, sororities and professional groups (those that relate to your major) have study tables, set times for the membership to gather and just study. Take advantage of these times, as they are a great way to get to know other members and are good reminders that, no matter which events or projects your group members are planning, all of you are at school for the same reason.