The number one thing that is going to make you successful at university is organizing your time. You are going to have deadlines that must be met. University teachers don't extend deadlines nor do they allow you to miss assignments and make them up a few weeks later. Deadlines MUST be met. Learning how to meet deadlines is a life skill that will help you not only in university but also after you leave school. It no longer matters if you were the smartest kid at your high school, from now on, what matters is that you do the work and get it handed in on time.

Here are some ideas to help you stay on top of your commitments at university:

• Get a calendar. It can be an online calendar or a paper calendar but make sure you have one that you can keep with you at all times.
• At the beginning of each term, take your course syllabus for each of your courses and put every due date (quizzes, assignments, tests) into your calendar
• Create a daily schedule. Allocate specific time slots for studying, attending class, socializing and relaxing. Stick to your schedule as much as possible to help you develop a routine.
• Minimize distractions. Find a quiet and secret spot on campus where you can concentrate without interruptions. Turn your notifications off and limit your time on your phone during your study sessions.
• Follow the "3 daily tasks rule". Write down 3 things you are going to do today. Such as: work 15 minutes on the poster assignment in CompSci1033, study 10 minutes of Calc1000, and do the laundry. Pick 3 items each day that you know you will get done. Write them down and try to cross each item off your list by the end of the day. The best thing about this approach is that you might start working for 15 minutes on your poster but find you are making progress and then work for 1 hour and get it done. Just, at the very least, start each of the 3 items, even if you don't finish them, you are making progress!

To get more help with time management skills contact moretimelessstress@time.com