Academics: Study Tonight or Find Something Else to Do?

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With countless options on campus, it's easy to get distracted from schoolwork. Most students have time blocked out on their schedules for classes, part-time jobs, activities, and studying. What tends to overlap everything is hanging out having fun, partying, or just plain relaxing. Even if you're not the social type, it's hard not to be social when you live on a floor with 20 or 30 people who are similar to you in many ways (academically successful, going to the same school) yet diverse enough (different hometowns, majors) to keep it interesting.

On plenty of occasions you'll have to choose between studying and doing something with your friends. It's not a life-or-death choice, but it often involves sacrificing either schoolwork or a good time. While it's not easy to stay entirely on top of one's schoolwork, doing so is the best way to avoid being conflicted when such dilemmas arise.

"Evenings are for fun, so I try to study during the day," says Tom Brenner (University of Michigan). He does this by studying or reading, even if he only has a half-hour break between classes. Those little things make it easier for him to go out on any given night.

Dave Munson (University of Chicago) says there's plenty of room to be serious about school and have a good time. "A nice blend of both" is how Dave describes his approach. "Take the time to head out for some social stuff, even if you do have an 8:30 the next morning"just don't do it the night before a midterm."

A surprisingly popular way that many students balance classwork and partying is by devoting one night to each on the weekend. That might be such a shock to some that it bears restating: It means spending a Friday or Saturday night on a date . . . with your biology textbook.

It's a lot easier than it sounds, and it seems to work well. Sean Carroll (University of Illinois at Urbana"Champaign) took that approach whenever he had a Monday exam. He sees two benefits to Saturday-night studying: The obvious benefit is that he's doing schoolwork on a night that it would be otherwise neglected. The second, though, is that by staying in and taking it easy, he's better prepared to hit the books the following day.
A typical late Saturday night means that Sunday doesn't usually start until late morning or early afternoon.

"Even if you do not study on the night you stay in on the weekend, you will be more well-rested than if you went out partying both nights on the weekend," he says. "Making a plan for your studying on that night is also a good idea"even if it only takes up about 20 minutes of your night, it's well worth it on Sunday when you get down to business."

He's taken this approach because he knows that too much partying can take its toll on one's grades. "You know you will be studying on Sunday probably all day anyways, but heading to happy hour two nights in a row can really put you in a bad position when it comes to your fatigue level."