Reporter

As one quarter ends and another begins, students will have new schedules. Maintaining a balanced daily schedule is just as important as selecting classes that will fulfill requirements.

“It’s creating the schedule that’s not just what you have to do, but what you actually need to do… for your own well-being,” said Eric Lord, a counselor at CSU Bakersfield.

An ideal schedule is based on priorities, and a student’s first priority should be his or her health.

“We like to encourage our students to try their best to get at least seven hours of sleep and to make sure they are making sleep a priority,” said Lauren Ash-Anderson, health education assistant.

Eating times should also be written into a daily schedule.

“We would remind students to try and eat healthy, to make sure that they’re eating breakfast, that they aren’t testing or doing a major project on an empty stomach, and to make sure that what they are eating is beneficial to them,” said Ash-Anderson, who mentioned that students should not make up for a lack of sleep with energy drinks, caffeine or alcohol.

Aside from bodily needs, students should decide where school fits into their personal lists of priorities.

“In general, family is number one, but right now, it’s school…[and] work, because I’ve got to survive,” said Dashayla Johnson, a sophomore majoring in kinesiology.

Instead of focusing on all of the tasks that need to be done during the week, counselor Eric Lord advocates that students assign three or four important tasks to themselves every day. This includes breaking daunting projects into smaller tasks that seem more manageable.

“By breaking them down into manageable tasks, we feel accomplished, we feel successful, and we can…start checking off…those things that we’ve been successful at doing,” said Lord.

Daily schedules should also include designated times for breaks, social obligations and hobbies.

“I always make sure that I take time out of work and studying for rest and…things I like to do,” said freshman Kaylynn Cargill, “It makes school less stressful and more enjoyable.”

Making time for enjoyable activities has health benefits, as well.

“These are all things that release the right chemicals and help us be more productive,” said Lord. Schedules and priorities will differ from person to person. “We have to put boundaries around things that are less of a priority, but they’re somebody else’s expectation of us,” said Lord.

This could include talking to a job supervisor about a more school-friendly work schedule or telling family and friends that social activities may have to be reduced during the quarter.

The ideal number of classes or units can differ from person to person as well.

“If you’ve been really stressed out at fifteen or eighteen units one quarter, balance that out with maybe twelve units the next quarter,” said Lord.

If students do feel stressed out, the health center and counseling center are valuable resources.

“We want them to come in and take advantage of our services and make sure they’re staying healthy and getting the support that they need,” said Ash-Anderson.