As parents, all of us have, on occasion, made appointments for, chauffeured, and in other ways helped our high school sons and daughters meet their academic, athletic, and work commitments.  As your student transitions to college, he/she becomes responsible for these tasks.  Is your student prepared to assume this role?

Time management is one of the keys to a successful college experience and is often overlooked.  Many first-year students say that their high school day had every minute scheduled.  They find the first month of college to be a liberating experience. They see some days when they may be in class for only one or two hours plus assignments that on the surface may not seem to require all that much time.   Parents and teachers are not around to nag them to go to class, complete homework assignments, study, or get a good night’s rest.  Instead, there are new friends to meet and a variety of activities of all types in which to participate.  True, there is freedom; however, it does come with responsibility.

How students handle this responsibility is crucial to their academic success.  Balancing the myriad activities, which comprise college life, is essential. Most good students have strong time management skills while few struggling students possess them.  At Lafayette, students are expected not only to attend their classes but to be prepared to participate in them, complete assignments on time, schedule time for study, as well as participate in student activities, do their laundry and, on occasion, get that good night’s sleep.

One simple way to improve time management is to obtain and use a planner.  Most cell phones now have a planner but the planner need not be electronic. The College Store still sells an excellent paper version. 

If a student is having difficulty honing his/her time management skills, the College’s Academic Resource Center is available to help.  The Center’s staff is available to work with students both individually and in groups.  Staff members can assess a student’s study habits and evaluate whether his/her time commitments are in balance with academic goals.  Academic Resource Center staff is available during the academic year; the Center is located in 302 Hogg Hall.

Ronald E. Robbins -- Associate Dean of Studies
610-330-5080
robbinsr@lafayette.edu