The best part of summer was having no schedule. I was free to stay in bed and watch Netflix as much as I wanted. I got to plan my schedule how I saw fit, and my version of “fit” was not having one at all. It was great to wake up when I wanted and start my day relaxed, instead of my usual “run out the house to catch the bus on time” schedule, where I’m lucky if I even get breakfast. Best of all, never did I once have to worry about when my next class was.

Now though, summer is coming to an end, and we all have to get on schedule, me especially! Here’s the most important things I’m going to be doing to get back on track, and I hope you try them too.

Create or buy a huge calendar you can easily fill out. When I schedule my life on a week to week, or month to month basis, I am much more organized. I usually know my class schedule, so I start by writing that down. Once I have that foundation, I go ahead and fill in the days I will be working. Then I fill in any other commitments I may have, usually my volunteer days and events I will be attending. Over time, I get a sense of how much time I’ll have during the week. This is so important for me. It helps me get everything done on time, and it helps me adjust to any unexpected changes that come up in daily life.

Be honest with yourself! Make time for studying and relationships. Once I have that schedule, I look at which days are best for ME to study. Days that are practical. Trust me; I have tried the “Oh I’ll study after I get home from work at 11pm,” It doesn’t work. Once I have found suitable study days, I document them on my schedule. Now it is time to set aside time for relationships (Friendships, family time, or dating). That saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is so true! I definitely get my work done more efficiently when I have something to look forward to, like a date with my bff at an escape room!

Are you scheduling food prep? I KNOW that a lot of us skip breakfast. I am one of the biggest culprits of this – I’ve been doing it literally since the dawn of time – but it’s time to make a change. I like to schedule in my food prep days, where I make a bunch of breakfast, lunches, or dinners, in one expected time slot. If I do it right, I never have to worry about missing breakfast, and I save time and money!

Make time to DO something you love! I love to go bike riding. I may not be able to do it every week, but I aim for about once a month. It’s something that is active but also relaxes me and I’d encourage you, If you are an international student like myself or just new to Vancouver, to make a list of places or things you want to see or do in the lower mainland and then start doing them on your bike. It’s important to have those days off!