Top 10 College Time Wasters
It is undeniable that college life is a tough one. Aside from common problems
on feeling homesick, peer pressure and tough academic requirements, students
must balance their time on classes, part-time jobs, social life, relationships
and extra-curricular activities. With all the things students need to juggle,
they sometimes lose track of the most important things. With so many options on
how time should be spent, choices become a critical part of achieving success.
Here are the top ten things that college students waste their time for.
10)
Procrastination is Time Wasting
Every once in a while, we set aside some things and breathe fresh
air. That’s quite healthy. But, suspending important things all the time can be
an obstacle to earning a degree. Studies suggest that students who procrastinate
in their academic work do not only make their school grades suffer but also
their sleep and health. This is true as many students who have the habit of
having to postpone school work do not only end up with lower grades but also
find themselves having enough time to drink, smoke, and even neglect appointment
with school physician. One reason for procrastinating is the uncertainty of
priorities. When a task seems to be huge, we tend to take time off at first by
spending time socializing or daydreaming, ending in a cram when deadlines are
approaching. It is wise to remember that when there are tasks to do, keep your
focus. One way to do this is to prepare all the things needed to accomplish
homework and clear your table of the things unnecessary for completing the task.
Learn to prioritize things.
9) Time Waster: Online games
You get it right. Online games aren’t just for high school
kids. Many college students admitted that online games have been a part of their
lives. What is scary is the fact that majority of them make online games an
escape from studying. Common among male students, online gaming is considered a
way to bond with friends. With the excitement of the game comes the possibility
of addiction and skipping of classes to play. For many, this is a very exciting
activity in-between classes or paper writing. Because it often hooks the
students, there is a tendency that they will find it hard to leave the game and,
thus, sacrifice their homework or exams. When playing all night, the student may
not be able to concentrate on classes the next day, making school days
unproductive and less motivating. Gaming can be good as it will make the brain
relaxed and ready for new challenges, but overdoing it can steal time.
8) Spending Too
Much Time Worrying
We all have problems, but for college students, worries on payment
of tuition fees, attitude of roommates and adaptation to a new culture are
making it difficult to concentrate on studies. With their ever increasing need
for independence, students also worry a lot on how to make create good
relationships with their parents. Financial support from parents also makes
college students worrisome. When there is worry, people tend to spend much time
thinking about how things could go worse. Negative thoughts do not only change
the physiological processes but also destroy out daily life. As we prepare
ourselves for any disappointment or underachievement, we make ourselves sick,
and thus, unable to perform tasks. In some cases, worry makes people decide to
take wrong actions, away from their desired goals. This is because it pushes one
to decide based on emotions. When faced with problems, take control. Instead of
thinking about something unimportant and irrational, do something productive. Do
your best and be happy with the results.
7) Online videos
can be Time Wasting
With viral clips made available with just one click, online
videos have become one of the top time wasters for college students. Many
students are likely to look for videos their schoolmates have uploaded and ended
up viewing more than ten related records available. It may seem harmless at
first glance, but getting hooked on it may be unhealthy. With the entertainment
videos online provide, students may lose track of time, and soon forget about
approaching deadlines. Additionally, research claim that too much exposure to
videos can decrease attention span. Though it readily gives inspirations for
class presentations, costume ideas, or dance steps, it can lead to other sites
that are not related to what we intended to find. With this, students may
unintentionally skip what has to be accomplished. When looking for videos, make
your purpose educational and helpful.
6) Time Waster: Teenage drama
We expect friends to be there when we have problems and we are more
than willing to do the same thing for them. Making yourself a part of a support
system for people far from home is essential to developing friendships and
building empathy. This, however, can be distracting when drama starts to arise
and consistently become part of the schedule. With college students having very
different backgrounds and attitudes, it is possible to get a drama queen in your
chosen circle. With their tendency to react excessively on even the simplest
problems, they tend to grab attention and time. Other than that, you even get
into the trap of being loved and hated over a short span of time. Because
dealing with these people is disturbing and draining, stay away from
situations that makes you fix problems not your own or beyond your control. Make
friends with people who make you more productive.
5) Partying =
Time Wasted
Having fun with friends or classmates after stressful class days is a
good way to refresh. Attending parties can also widen one’s social circle, both
in school or in the community. For young people, attending parties and getting
drunk helps them establish strong friendships away from home. Often times,
students are attracted to this as influenced by their classmates or roommates.
In many cases, partying may end up in unhealthy behaviors. Studies show that 90%
of campus rapes were done under the influence. In addition, with hangovers,
students are unable to perform assigned tasks, which may result to getting
failing grades. Though alcohol may help you establish bonds with some people,
addiction to it can hinder your achievement of daily tasks and academic demands.
Set a limit for yourself!
4) Spending Too
Much Time on The Internet
A rich source of information on just about any topic,
the
Internet has been very helpful to students. For many, this can be a convenient
way to look for information about homework, know the current events, find
opportunities for exchange student programs abroad, look and apply for part time
jobs, and even find deals on cheap fares to home. Inevitably, however, students
may be attracted to web posts that are not related to what they are looking for.
With countless links from one online article to the other, students may find
themselves jumping from one site to another, and forgetting they have more
important things to do. Entertainment found on sites takes away students’
attention on time. Though it provides endless information, too much internet use
lowers the students’ productivity.
3)
Wasting time on Mobile phones
A study revealed that majority of the college students rely
on their smart phones for information and communication. As it can function as
organizer, calculator, mp3 player, and even voice recorder, there is no doubt
phones are handy for busy students. Unfortunately, as many students use their
phones even during class times, many fall into the temptation of checking their
messages and even replying to them, affecting their attention and consequently,
their understanding of the lessons. Another factor that makes mobile phones a
distraction is the fact that many students feel anxious not being able to stay
connected all the time. Because they focused more on electronic messages, they
may otherwise lose interest in making new friends and develop poor social
skills.
2) Time Waster: The new-found friends
We all need to adapt to our new environment and new
friends are important in achieving so. As they adjust to the attitude and
practices of new roommates, students are likely to invest a lot of time to
communicate, hangout and even party. Of course it is relaxing to be able to find
people who share the same separation-induced experiences with you and finding
ways to overcome challenges together, but devoting most of your time for such
can defeat the purpose of why you are in college. For many, being able to become
part of the “crowd” is essential, so instead of engaging themselves into good
conversations and study groups, they may end up avoiding tasks and enjoying
slacking off more. Expanding network is good, but dropping your academic
priority is a bad idea.
1) Wasting Time
on Social networking sites
Of course, living away from family and friends for
the first time is just too scary and social media gives opportunities to maintain
the bonds despite the distance. Catching up with important people in our lives
is good, but falling into unlimited stalking time spying on ex-lovers, or trying
to kill boredom isn’t. Though many college students find social networking sites
helpful in meeting and connecting with people in a more relaxed way, it can be
time consuming. It has been found that while students are searching
for their class materials online, they can be attracted to
social media to kill
boredom. Unfortunately, it often ends up in getting diverted from their work and
spending more time not achieving the goal of acquiring materials needed for the
next day’s lesson.
Conclusion:
Many students may have entered college without clear reasons or directions.
For many, going there is just fulfilling what parents have dreamed of and worked
for. Even if you are quite unsure, the moment you step into college should be a
jump start of finding out what outcomes would you love for yourself. With the
experiences you have, find what makes you interested and start drawing your
directions. Life in college is challenging for almost everyone. The mixture of
worries, apprehensions on living in an unfamiliar environment or academic
demands may cause people to find ways to enjoy themselves. This, however, can
lead to doing things that waste time. Though you are facing a whole lot of
possibilities and “first times”, learn to set priorities. Conserve your energy
for things that are essential to achieving your goals instead of wasting your
time doing the things listed above.
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