INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY COURTNEY DITTO, CONTRIBUTOR
When it’s time for back to school and getting into a routine, sometimes there’s nothing more important than time management. The Voice wanted to know what students think will help and WCC’s faculty and staff provide their perspective
Students: How do you manage your time at WCC?
Jack Keena, 19, Milan, General Studies
“I use a yearly planner. I put in all of the due dates when teachers give the course planner. Always write those due dates down, don’t ever think you can hold them in your head, because it never works out.”
Alyssa Lowery, 22, Dexter, Journalism
“Always wear a watch because your phone will inevitably die, and having a planner helps a lot. Put a gap in your schedule between classes to get homework done.”
Kristina Erickson, 20, Ypsilanti, Nursing
“Schedule a break in the week to catch up between classes. Scheduling time to do homework and study can keep you on task. I also have a planner as well, and I color code everything.”
Dana Sowards, 17, Dundee, Photography
“Getting to classes on time works best for me and leaving early enough to get to class to get work done and be on time.”
Juliana Patselas, 17, Ann Arbor, WTMC
“Get more involved with the school and activities, because if you’re more involved, you’ll be more motivated to manage time between school and assignments rather than sitting at home feeling unmotivated.”
Chelsea Kinzel, 18, Hartland, Liberal Arts
“I’ve found it’s helpful to have a planner. So many people use the Internet but sometimes it’s easier when you’re able to see the dates in front of you. Don’t procrastinate. That’s the biggest thing. It will come back to get you.”
Alexis Tuckel, 19, Milan, Nursing
“Writing down due dates. I find that writing things down versus typing or underlining them helps you remember it better. I also block time in between my classes – I don’t schedule class back to back. Taking time in between gives time to process and think, ‘Okay, what do I need, what homework is due, do I want something to eat?’ Giving yourself that time helps so you don’t get steamed out.”
Mike Ebbert, 22, Ann Arbor, Paralegal Studies
“I keep a very, very detailed planner, and it looks terrible but it helps a lot. What can help too is keeping an eye on homework and how long it takes to properly optimize your time.”
Joseph Longo, 19, Ypsilanti, Philosophy
“Using free time wisely, a lot of people say to do your homework as soon as you get it and that works for some people but as long as you keep track of your stuff and get your stuff done, you’ll be fine.”
Nikki Bledsoe, 19, South Lyon, General Studies
“I take frequent breaks and I time out those breaks by what I need to do and what I want to do and I use a timer to make time for both of those things to get done.”
Staff and Faculty: What’s a useful tip for students to manage their time successfully?
Tom Zimmerman, English instructor, 23 years
“The most important thing is to prioritize for what’s most important and making time for those things to get done. For students, it’s mostly in their identity to make classes and what’s due their first priority so definitely prioritizing.”
Kim Afton, secretary, one year
“Keep on keeping on. We’re usually not great at something until we do it a lot.”
Thornton Perkins, history instructor, 13 years
“When you start here, only take a couple of courses off the bat to find out how much study time you really need and what you can handle. Once you have a handle on that, then add on more classes. The worst thing you can do is take on too much at one time and then when it comes time for an exam or papers are due, you’re too overwhelmed to get it all in.”
Anne Garcia, psychology instructor, 15 years
“The key word is ‘management.’ As in you are consciously planning things out, as opposed to letting things happen. This requires organization and using a calendar. These seem obvious but it’s the most common mistake that I see in my students.”
Layla Ananda, faculty member, eight years
“Plan to spend at least an hour for every credit hour at home studying, and don’t overload yourself. What helps for me at least is having daily and weekly lists of what I need to do.”
David Waskin, Journalism instructor, 16 years
“Get some form of planning and use it. Whether it’s electronic form or paper form, it’s useful for being properly prepared. The number one key to success is time management, and it’s in my opinion where students fail most but it’s very easy to dramatically improve it.”
Denice Giovanoli, surgical technology instructor, three years
“Time management is of the essence. Expect the unexpected, and if you have time managed, you’ll be prepared. Always have a plan A, plan B, and a plan C because excuses run out.”