If you follow me on any social media platform, you’d know that I’m taking 33 units this fall. 15 of those are online from two community colleges and 18 are from FIDM. It’s an enormous undertaking, but it’s going to get me where I need to be. Once everything is completely figured out, I’ll be writing a blog post with all the details. For right now, I’m here to talk about time management and give you a glimpse into what my weeks are like.
Monday is my homework day. I spend my Mondays doing all of my online homework for the week. Having a designated time for this has helped me immensely. I know what I need to do and how I'm going to do it. I typically finish all homework for my five online classes. I also have time on Mondays to go grocery shopping, go to Target, etc. It’s a pretty open day so I take advantage as much as I can.
Tuesday I have two classes from 3:30pm to 9:45pm. As it’s Taco Tuesday and Whole Foods has the best $2 vegan tacos, I set aside time to get tacos with my roommate Adrienne. Before that, I tend to do homework for my FIDM classes later in the week. It depends on the amount of homework I have, but I’m usually done with it all by the end of Tuesday.
Wednesday I have one class from 12:00pm to 2:45pm. After class, I do my homework that I just got the previous day. That way I can stay completely on top of it. Sometimes I’ll do the assignment I was given earlier in the day so I don’t have to worry about that anymore either.
Thursday I have class from 12:00pm to 6:15pm. I keep this day pretty open. Depending on the amount of homework I have, I sometimes help feed the homeless on Skid Row. I try to stay consistent with this and go at least once a week, but it’s really hard to do with the time I have available.
Friday is another open day. I use this for working at my internship, finishing up any homework I haven’t done yet or anything else that may have come up. Then on Friday night, I head to USC’s Frat Row.
Saturday is a day where I usually go to some LA event, head to Melrose Ave, the Grove, go to the morning fruit market, etc. I try not to do any homework on Saturdays and keep that day free for having fun. Like the night prior, I head to USC’s frat row to end the day.
Sunday is a day in which I plan out social media schedules for any freelance jobs I may have. I also read the assignments for next week’s online classes and check my grades. It’s a pretty typical lazy day but I enjoy it. If I'm feeling extra motivated, I'll begin homework for the following week.
Obviously things change and one week might be slightly different than the other, but that’s the main plan I try to stick to. And it’s because of my planning that I’m able to do things like a three-day blogging workshop at the Grove, a four-day secret television taping (which is in two weeks that I’m so excited about!), concerts, sporting events, Disneyland, etc.
In order to be successful, you will need to be efficient and have excellent time management skills. I highly suggest using a planner, knowing your schedule and figuring out how to fit everything in. I’m a big fan of puzzles and planning out my schedule is like one big life puzzle. It might be tedious, but I can promise you that it will pay off.