Written by Ardra Giswa Manoe

College is often described as “the best years of your life” by many, but for others – especially some students – it feels more like an endless balancing act between assignments, meetings, deadlines, and the simple “me time” (Sampoerna University, 2024). As a third‑semester International Relations student who joined ISAFIS as an Internal Supervision staff, this juggle is not just a theory – it is my everyday reality. Between classes, organizational responsibilities, career preparation, and self‑care, something almost always feels like it has to be sacrificed.​

Classes: When Academic Life Sets the Rhythm

My week technically starts with my class schedule. Lectures, readings, papers, and group projects decide the basic rhythm of my days. Like most college students, I want to do well academically, not just “pass” because these grades will shape future opportunities such as scholarships, internships, or graduate study. Yet, as the semester goes on, the workload seems to multiply: one class presentation here, a paper there, a quiz I forgot about until the reminder pops up on my phone.​

To survive this, I rely heavily on a digital calendar: blocking time for classes, study sessions, and deadlines on Outlook keeps me aware of what is coming and reduces last‑minute panic (Harvard Summer School, 2024). However, reality does not always follow the calendar. Sometimes I oversleep after a long night finishing group assignments, or I procrastinate scrolling on my phone when I should be reading, and suddenly the neat schedule on my calendar no longer matches how my day actually looks.​

Organization: Learning Beyond the Classroom

On top of academics, I chose to join ISAFIS and work as Internal Supervision staff because I wanted more than just basic-lecture knowledge. Organizations like ISAFIS offer real experience in teamwork, communication, leadership, and networking – skills that any, especially International Relations students really need. Through embassy visits, internal skill developments, and events, I meet people with different perspectives and learn how to manage responsibilities that affect more than just my own grades.​

But every new initiative, meeting, or document to prepare also adds another block to the calendar. There are moments when an urgent organizational task suddenly appears on the same day as a big assignment deadline, and I have to decide: do I prioritize being a “responsible staff” or a “responsible student”? Saying “yes” to everything is impossible, yet saying “no” can feel like I am letting my team down. Learning to communicate honestly with fellow members and set boundaries – explaining when I am overloaded or need more time – has become just as important as attending any training or event (King’s Education, 2025).​

Career Preparation: Thinking About the Future Too Early?

As if classes and organization work were not enough, there is another voice in my head constantly reminding me about the future. With how competitive the world is currently,  I feel pressure to prepare for internships, build a portfolio, and study specific topics or countries so I can imagine a clearer career path and ultimately be somewhat in front of everybody else on my level (Eastern University, 2025). This means extra time spent browsing internship opportunities, reading articles outside my syllabus, or joining online events and courses to even further develop my CV.​

This forward‑looking mindset is useful, but it can also be exhausting. On days when I have already spent hours in class and meetings, the idea of doing more “career prep” in the evening sometimes feels unrealistic. I often catch myself thinking, “If I do not start now, I will fall behind,” while at the same time being too tired to open another document. The challenge is to turn career preparation into a steady, realistic habit instead of a source of anxiety – maybe by setting small weekly goals rather than demanding huge progress overnight.​

Self‑Care: The First Thing to Sacrifice

When life gets busy, the first thing that usually disappears from my schedule is self‑care. Sleep becomes negotiable, meals are delayed significantly, skipping gym sessions frequently, and “me time” suddenly feels like a luxury I have yet to earn. Yet every time I ignore rest, the consequences arrive quickly: lack of focus, irritability, hectic-feeling, and eventually a complete loss of motivation (Mostardi, 2025).​

Over time, I realized that self‑care is not just about fancy-bubbly baths or aesthetic routines; it is about basic habits that help my brain and body function (Mental Health First Aid USA, 2025). For me, this includes getting at least a more consistent sleep schedule, trying to move my body through light exercise, and protecting time to simply relax with friends without feeling guilty. Even short breaks between tasks or a walk outside campus can reset my mood and energy.​

Accepting That Balance Is Not Perfect

One of the hardest lessons in college life is accepting that balance does not mean perfection. No matter how detailed my Outlook calendar is, there will always be days when I miss a task, procrastinate too long, or have to cancel a plan because I am simply too tired. Instead of seeing these moments as total failure, it helps to treat them as feedback: maybe my expectations for that day were unrealistic, or I need to leave more buffer time between activities.​

Little strategies make this balancing act more humane. Breaking big tasks into smaller steps reduces the urge to procrastinate because each step feels more doable. Setting priorities – asking “What absolutely needs to be done today, and what can honestly wait?” – makes it easier to choose between a last‑minute meeting and an extra hour of sleep. Most importantly, reminding myself that college is a marathon, not a sprint, allows me to see self‑care, academic effort, organizational work, and career preparation as parts of one long journey instead of separate competitions (Sampoerna University, 2024; Eastern University, 2025).​

In the end, balancing class, organization, and self‑care is not about achieving a perfectly equal distribution of time every day. It is about continuously adjusting, communicating, and forgiving yourself when plans change. I’m sure every student, at some point, will face this struggle, but through it, we learn not only how to manage our schedules, but also how to understand our own limits – and that is one of the most valuable lessons college can offer.

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REFERENCES

Eastern University. (2025, February 16). Creating a balanced schedule: The key to college success. Retrieved November 30, 2025, from https://www.eastern.edu/news/balanced-schedule​

Harvard Summer School. (2024, November 20). 8 time management tips for students. Retrieved November 30, 2025, from https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/8-time-management-tips-for-students/​

King’s Education. (2025, January 20). Balancing studies and extracurriculars: Tips for students. Retrieved November 30, 2025, from https://kingsedu.ac/balancing-studies-and-extracurriculars-tips-for-students/​

Mental Health First Aid USA. (2025, October 14). Seven self-care tips for college students. Retrieved November 30, 2025, from https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org/news/seven-self-care-tips-for-college-students/​

Mostardi, A. (2025, January 2). The importance of self-care in college. Eastern University. Retrieved November 30, 2025, from https://www.eastern.edu/news/self-care​

Sampoerna University. (2024, September 14). Balancing academics and extracurricular activities. Retrieved November 30, 2025, from https://www.sampoernauniversity.ac.id/news/balancing-academics-and-extracurricular-activities