Until the first day of freshman year at college, we think we are well-prepared. Our teachers from high school kept us in line, reminding us that “college is different than high school.” Even during college orientation, academic advisors forewarned that college requires much more effort than the fifteen minutes of homework we were used to doing in high school. Every single time I heard the time management speech, I would roll my eyes thinking I knew it all. It turns out that I underestimated the time consumption of college classes. In high school, the whole schedule is laid out: five-and-a-half hours of classes, thirty minutes for lunch, one hour of study hall, and you can go home. So, how do students at Behrend handle this transition? What gives structure to a schedule with so much freedom at hand?

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For some students, academics are their ultimate motivation in college. Schuyler Hopson, a junior finance major said, “Knowing that I need to keep my grades up so I can retain my scholarship is a big motivator for me.” Beyond just grades, Hopson also said his parents still play a large role in giving his life structure. Hopson said, “I think how I was raised really influenced my motivation. My parents are on me all the time about my grades because they want me to do my best and succeed.” With academics also motivating him, Tristan Bonami, who is a sophomore studying electrical engineering, stated, “When my grades are down, I tend to put more effort in, and try to keep them constant from there.” To accomplish this, Bonami said, “Because I wouldn’t call myself an organized person, it is so important for me to stay on track with the course schedule.”

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Beyond school, Behrend is home to over fourteen sports, and even more options with intramural clubs. Behrend volleyball player, Kylie McSwaney, is a senior Early Childhood and Elementary Education major, and she says that her sport is what gives her structure. “Volleyball helps me learn good time management and keeps my priorities on track,” explained McSwaney. Junior nursing major, who is also on Behrend’s volleyball team, Lexi Irwin, said, “This is my third year playing volleyball at Behrend, and this sport has allowed me to gain structure and balance. I have a pretty busy schedule with nursing, but with practice scheduled ahead of time, it allows me to get into a structured routine.”

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College gives so many options to students on how to spend their time, so Mariah Leonard, a freshman Pre-Veterinary major, said a mix of everything keeps her schedule structured. “A balance between school and fun keeps me very emotionally structed and healthy,” said Leonard. Also keeping variety in his schedule, senior Political Science major, Anthony Ventura, stated, “Prioritizing is how I stay structured. I do a thousand things both on and off campus, so I have to prioritize schoolwork and rehearsals.” With four years at Behrend complete, Ventura also had some advice for those students who want to do a little bit of everything. “You have to take one thing at a time. I feel like what happens to most people is they bite off more than they can chew, and they don’t plan it out and get overwhelmed,” Ventura advised.

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It is difficult to determine what gives a college student structure because in truth, every student is different. While some students excel with an eighteen-credit course load and a membership to ten different clubs, others may find success with only twelve credits and a part-time job. Even with the stress of having a thousand tasks on his plate, Ventura said, “The feeling of accomplishment and doing all the things I love is worth it.” Whatever the case may be, make your schedule and time at Behrend something meaningful, something that is your own.