Time Management At College in the US

College in the United States has provided me with many experiences and has taught me several skills- however my most important take-away has been the ability to efficiently manage my time.

University of Pennsylvania has a wide breath of classes, extra curricular activities and social events going on at campus every day. In fact initially coming into Penn pushed me into a daze for there was always something going on. Each day would unfold with a host of theater shows, acapella performances, tests, meetings, dinner plans and more. I often found myself running from place to place just to ensure that I got a taste of it all. However as time went on, I began to learn how to not only use my time wisely but to also maximize the time I spent at any particular place. For instance I started taking small steps like keeping keeping a day-planner. I would use this planner to write down everything that was of potential interest to me. I even ended up saving flyers from events I found interesting and stuck it on the planner. This was more useful than I could imagine. Soon, I began constructing most of my plans mentally itself. It became so much easier to navigate through the labyrinth of events going on.

There are several other things that my time at UPenn has taught me in terms of time management. Many of which are how to never underestimate the power of small things like hearing music whilst on your way to class or how important it is to take out 5 minutes of your day to just breath and introspect. These are all necessary ingredients to keep you happy and healthy. The trick is to ensure that you are giving yourself time to grow with the speed and overall stimulation of your environment.

The fact of the matter is that, life in the America is fast paced. In fact college life in particular has this electric buzz about it that makes the busyness almost contagious. People here get an indescribable joy from their busy schedules and multiple plans. You never feel alone or bored. You always have a friend ready to meet you or a student club that needs your help. Hence coming from another country to study here makes sure that you find your place, your niche. It also reassures you that you are never really alone, for there is always someone going through the same things as you are. That is exactly why I love studying here!

By Isha Gupta
Sophomore at the Wharton School Of Business