6 Steps To Balance Study Life with Social Life

One of the most asked questions by students preparing for their entrance examinations is how to maintain a balance between exam preparation and a good social life. This is a dilemma faced by students of all ages. It is at times quite natural to focus on preparations rather than spending time with friends. But remember, life is all about balance. Having a social life and spending time with your friends is important for your well-being and mental health. 

It can be challenging to strike a balance between the two. Here are 6 tips that you can follow to maintain a good balance between exam preparation and social life. 

1. Know your priorities

While preparing for entrances, it is crucial to know your priorities. If you have an entrance in 4 days, you cannot go out for a party with your friends and spend 5-6 hours there. Since the exam is your priority, limit the time and spend an hour with your friends particularly in this period. Similarly, if you have your best friend’s birthday and the exam is scheduled to be in about 10 days, you can easily spend a day out with your best friend and make him/her feel special. It is all about knowing your priorities and managing the time well. 

2. Maintain a bullet journal or a planner

Maintaining a planner is imperative for balancing an academic and social life. Having a balanced schedule is essential for your personal development as well. Block out time in your calendar with a study schedule as well as make time for spending with your friends as well. You can make a to-do list on a weekly basis and also incorporate daily activities there. You can even join any fitness or sports activities with your friends so that it strikes a balance between fitness, social life, and your work. 

3. Have supportive friends

It is important to have good supportive friends who understand your study life balance. If your friends leave you for not going out with them, it is better to leave them aside and focus on your life. Do not fall for peer pressure in this case as you will already have a lot of pressure regarding getting a good college, good marks, etc. So it is ideal to have friends who understand you and motivate you. 

4. Utilize the afternoons

Afternoon slump is real. In the afternoons, we tend to take a nap that usually ends up into a 2-3 hour of sleep. So it is advised that you utilize the afternoons for having a balance between social life and school. Maybe you can meet and do some fun activities together in the afternoon. Or you can meet them and practice some study-related work. You can even have a healthy snack like yogurt or an apple and complete your own study during the afternoon. The motive is to utilize time as much as possible. 

5. Set realistic study and social life goals

Remember to set realistic goals. You cannot expect to prepare well for your exams and also give time to your friends, party with them, go out and do everything all at once. You are bound to miss some things. It is all about balancing test preparation with regular activities. Hence set realistic study goals and also schedule realistic time frames for meeting your friends. Once you start your college, there will be even more activities to participate in and you may lose in touch with your school friends. So make up this time to focus well on your entrances and don’t forget to see your friends more often. I still miss the time I spent with my school friends while preparing for entrances. So make the most of it but don’t forget to balance. 

6. Let go of any distractions

To maintain a balance between academics and social life, it is crucial to let go of distractions. By distractions I mean, social media, video games, and anything that comes in your way while utilizing the time. When you are out with your friends, don’t think of any exam, pressure or anything. Similarly while studying, don’t think of friends, games, etc. Make a proper list of things to do and do those things at a designated time period. Do not waste your time by scrolling on social media accounts or on Whatsapp. Give the phone to your parents and after a good 3-4 hours of studying, you can take back your phone to play Pubg with your friends. Do not check the phone while taking study breaks in between. This is all about balancing the schedule. Doing proper things at the proper time will help you in maintaining a proper balance between work and social life. 

So that’s about it folks! I hope these tips help you to stay on track with your preparations, while at the same time let you have fun with your friends!