Time Management
Study Time Guidelines:
- Use the Master Weekly Schedule to organize your time.
- Be sure to include 2 hours/week/unit of study per class; this is in addition to class time.
5 unit class =10 hours/week of study time; 15 unit course load=30 hours/week study time
This is an average—some will require more and some less.
- Schedule short 1-2 hour blocks of time, followed by a quick break (5-10 minutes).
- Use the weekends in your study plan. Suggestion: Study on Friday evening…then go out.
- Use your tutoring appointments or instructor office hours to help organize you. Prepare by doing homework problems, etc. and bring questions.
- For math classes try to put in math study time every day! Even small amounts on a daily basis are effective.
- Be aware of your most effective study environments. Are you really able to concentrate in your dorm room? The library is often the best place; and 4th floor of McHenry is the quiet floor.
- Use your peak times in your biorhythm cycle to study the most difficult material.
- Review your notes within 24 hours after lecture. Use the time right after class or right before class.
- Weekly review time of previous material (one hour per class each weekend) should be scheduled in addition to study time for new material.
- When the unexpected comes up, you can trade a block of time, but don’t steal one without replacing it. For example, if you use study time to go to a movie, you must replace it from your “other time” that week.
- If at any point you feel your study schedule isn’t working well and would like some assistance…make an appointment to see your DRC Service Coordinator or other academic counselor to discuss further.
Master Weekly Schedule
A master weekly schedule will help you stay organized and on top of your schoolwork. It really works!
- Keep it in a prominent location (for self as well as for friends/family to minimize interruptions).
- Follow your schedule…make it an automatic routine.
- Review your schedule for the upcoming week (for ex. every Sunday night).
- Update as needed to reflect: exams, UCSC deadlines, medical appt, Mom’s birthday, etc.
- DO NOT OVERFILL YOUR SCHEDULE!!!!!!!!
**For your copy of a master weekly schedule PDF Excel. You may choose instead to use your own day planner, the UCSC student portal calendar or other electronic planner.
How to Use the Master Weekly Schedule:
- Use a pencil to record your time commitments on the blank copy. Use a highlighter pen as indicated in the next step. To see a sample, PDF Excel.
- Divide your time into three major categories: Class Time, Study Time and Other Time.
- Class Time (blue highlighter)
- Lecture
- Discussion
- Section
- Lab
- Field trips
- Study Time (yellow highlighter) (See also Study Time Guidelines)
- Instructor/TA Office Hours (Teaching Assistant)
- Tutoring
- MSI group sessions (Modified Supplemental Instruction)
- Reader, or Other Service Time
- Study Group Time
- Individual Quiet Study Time
- Lecture Note Review (right before or after class, if possible)
- Time Management Appointment with Self (to create your weekly plan, daily “to-do list”)
- Other Time (leave these timeslots white or use various highlighters)
- Work Time (if any, hopefully not more than 10-12 hours per week)
- Commute Time
- Meal Time
- Sleep Time (studies show that a consistent, daily wake-up time is most efficient)
- Exercise Time
- Fun/Social/Family Time
- Personal Business Time (laundry, balance checkbook, errands…)
- Student Organization/Community Service/Spiritual/Religious Activities
- Blank Spots (for catch up due to the unexpected)
- Other:
- When you like your master schedule…make 12 photocopies; label one for each week of the quarter.
- Review your course syllabi (outlines). Onto the appropriate week’s schedule enter all important dates: exams, assignment due dates, etc. Work backwards to divide big assignments into small steps. And now you are ready for a well-organized quarter!
Academic Calendars
- Fall 2007 PDF Excel
- Winter 2008 PDF Excel
- Spring 2008 PDF Excel
