Evaluating your courseload and ECs

[Fakesmile]

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How do you evaluate whether you'll be able to manage next semester's courseload and ECs? I fear overcommitting myself and then burning out and collapsing. How do you evaluate if you'll be able to handle it? In past semesters, I've always had a full courseload, but not as heavy ECs. I considered dropping some ECs, but it's hard, because I want to do them all (some activities like peer educator and mentor can't be dropped anyway because I've signed a contract). I know it will depend on the person and other things, but it's really hard for me to decide if I'll be able to manage the above courseload and ECs.

 

[oaklandguy]

I personally would write out on a sheet of paper, Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday in a landscape type of format. Then under each day I would write down the times I am in class or involved in an EC activity. This will give you visually what times you have available in the day for studying and for free time. This well help you get a study regiment down, so that you don't find yourself slacking off but will also let you know when you have time to chill, such as the weekends. Managing your time will be the X factor in whether you can handle a schedule and the more time commitments the more you have to be organized.

Edit: your course load looks really hard, I cannot imagine going through that, imagine if you have a test for differential equations and nucleic acids on the same day or something like that. I would recommend dropping an EC activity or not taking 1 of the classes, that just seems like a little too much... but it's all up to you, some people can handle more than others.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

How do you evaluate whether you'll be able to manage next semester's courseload and ECs? My next semester will be the busiest semester ever, with a heavy courseload and extracurriculars, as seen below.

Full courseload (5 courses: Differential Equations, Statistics, Immunology, Biophysics, and Nucleic acids) - 24 hours/week in class
Research assistant - 15 hours/week
Peer educator and mentor - 10 hours/week
Exercise - 6 hours/week
Hospital volunteering - 3 hours/week
Executive of a club - 5 hours/week
Public speaking club - 8 hours/week

I fear overcommitting myself and then burning out and collapsing. How do you evaluate if you'll be able to handle it? In past semesters, I've always had a full courseload, but not as heavy ECs. I considered dropping some ECs, but it's hard, because I want to do them all (some activities like peer educator and mentor can't be dropped anyway because I've signed a contract). I know it will depend on the person and other things, but it's really hard for me to decide if I'll be able to manage the above courseload and ECs.

I wouldn't say it's IMPOSSIBLE. I mean if you're spending 71 hrs/wk on all that and sleep 8 hours a day (56 hours) you still have 41 hours (~8 hrs a class/wk) to actually STUDY/eat and live. Will it wear you out? Probably. But I agree, a weekly calender will definitely help you keep up with things/sane.

 

[Shaffer]

The weekly schedule in Excel really helps me plan out my week. Even if you don't follow it perfectly, it allows you to visualize what you need to make time for during the week.

Attached is what mine looks like. It's not finished yet... I still have more things to add, and to move around. But this is a basic idea.

After all, I'm never sleeping by midnight, but I like to try. 😳