Spread the love

The Triangle

Of Terror 

7 Ways To Balance

Sleep, School And Social Life

by Abigail Dye

March 17, 2018

There are three things one must balance in college that make up the triangle of terror. Sleep, school and social life. Legend has it that there is only time for two of the three. So, if you want to have a social life and good grades, you’ll get no sleep. If you want a social life and sleep, your grades will fall, etc. There is some truth to this, after all there are only so many hours in a day and college classes are extremely demanding. But, if you’re very efficient and productive with your time you can find a balance between the three – here is how.

Get your priorities straight.

First things first, line up your priorities. When it comes to grades, rest and social life, the first one on the chopping block should always be social life. The stereotypical college drop-out is the kid who chose sleep and social life over grades and a failing grade sneaks up quicker than you think.

Set a schedule.

The general rule of thumb is that you need to spend two to three hours studying for every one hour you spend in class. So, if you have a 15 credit-hour class schedule, a full 30 hours or more needs to be spent studying out of the classroom every week. Set aside just over four hours to study every day of the week before you make any other plan.

Mix school and social time.

Mixing school and social life is a great way to feel a balance between the two. This has to be done in moderation, so it does not mean bring a book to the bar. Ask friends to study with you, join an academic club or reach out to on-campus study/tutor resources. This will not only help you meet other driven students, but allow you to get those four hours of studying in each day.

Eight is safe.

Get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, period. Sleep is number one in priority when it comes to the triangle of terror. Sleep deprivation can cause loss of concentration, mood changes and weakened immunity, so don’t under sleep. Don’t over sleep either – even after a night out, make sure that you get up after seven to eight hours and get your day started.

Don’t procrastinate.

If you push an assignment off to the last minute, then you’ll end up sacrificing all three corners of the triangle of terror. You’ll lose sleep staying up all night to cram, you’ll lose the opportunity to be social with the time you spent cramming and your grade will suffer due to rushed work. Stay on track and get your assignments done earlier.

Optimize your time.

Learn how to be more time efficient. Keep distractions to a minimum throughout the day – yes this means put down your phone. Try to get up earlier than you have to for class and do something productive every morning, even if you have no homework left. If you make it a habit to be productive with every minute you have, it will eventually turn into a way of life.

Try new things.

When you do get all of your school work done and you have time to be social, try out something new and make the most of your free time. If you just go to the same bar every time you hang with your friends, chances are it will be less rewarding each time. Check out new spots, try new activities and even hang with new people to get the most out of your social time.

Leave a Reply