3 Minimalist Techniques for Balancing Good Grades and a Social Life as a Student

Introduction

Life as a university student is challenging - not necessarily because of the rigorous content that is thrown our way as we trek through our degree requirements, but instead because we're faced with so many decisions:

• Do I get ahead in my maths course by waking up early tomorrow morning?
• Should I attend the Saturday night football game?
• When should I schedule our workouts?
• Am I losing out on memories by staying in on a Friday night?
• Why is my living space such a distraction for my coursework?

If you're a student, you've surely asked yourself some form of these questions, and I really hope that you'll find this post to be helpful in managing the countless decisions you need to make every day.

I'm a current a graduate students studying computer science and statistics, and I use these three minimalist techniques to answer the many decision that we're faced with while still acing my coursework.

Technique #1: Declutter your Dorm Room (or Apartment)

Okay, yes - you probably saw this one coming. Minimalists LOVE the word "declutter." But I do truly mean it when I say that decluttering your dorm (or apartment) will seriously impact how you can effectively get work done within your own space.

Your dorm or apartment should be YOUR space. So many university students find that coffee shops or libraries are their preferred study spots (and if thats you, more power to you). But, I firmly believe that if you manufacture a living space that you love, one that is clean and full of your personality, you will find that studying and getting work done becomes a lot more enjoyable.

Be comfortable, be creative, be accessible, be productive - all in your own curated space.

Technique #2: Give Yourself a Social Bucket and Fill it

Contrary to what some might think, I don't believe that being a student is a full time gig. It's surely possible (with the right intentions and planning) for university student to have the capacity for more than just their coursework.

So how should a student "stop being a student" in order to prioritize their social life? My answer: give yourself a social bucket and fill it.

Each week, map out what your key priorities are for your course work. Do you have an exam this week? Or maybe a large project due? Do you have extra curriculars or clubs that you have commitments to? With these commitments on hand, decide how "large" your social bucket is for the week. Do you have time for a couple nights out on the weekend? Can you make it to your friends place for weekly board game night? How about the Saturday night football game - does that fit into your bucket?

I really love this idea because it helps you prioritize what social activities are most important to you. By being intentional about your time, you can really dive into the social activities that matter the most to you and not be worries about if you're spending too much time away from your studies.

After you've decided on the capacity of your bucket, don't forget to actually "fill" it with memories and fun. And here's a pro-tip: always, always, always take pictures!

Technique #3: Notifications are a Bummer, Turn them Off

Social media is one of the biggest time sinks for college students with academic and social aspirations. It was reported in a study of ~350 university students, that 45.4% of the students spend 1–3 hours per day on social media, 32% spend 3–5 hours per day and 15% spend more than 5 hours per day.

My biggest suggestion - turn off as many notifications as possible.

I'm not saying to get rid of your social media apps altogether - of course, please do enjoy some casual scrolling of TikTok or Insta. Take your BeReals and shoot out some tweets. But, if you notice that you're often getting distracted by your phone while you study or maybe you're too focused on your socials instead of living in the moment with your friends, remember that more often than not, it all began with a single notification.

Think about it - what made you all of a sudden start scrolling through instagram reals? Or what made you read through a few newspaper articles? It most likely wasn't because you weren't having a good time with your friends or it wasn't because your homework was too hard - it was because a silly little notification broke your focus.

When I share this, so many people ask: what if I miss out on cool things happening online because I'm not getting as many notifications any more? Here's my thought: give it a try and see how it goes. I'm confident that you'll find that you are more productive, more present, and still get plenty of time on social media. Social media always finds a way (unfortunately).

Conclusion: Study Hard and Make Memories

Being a student is temporary - make sure to take advantage of it. Take these minimalist driven tips and give them a try. Maybe you'll find a really wonderful appreciation for the balance between your school work and social life.

About the Author

Nick is a part time graduate student at Purdue University and also works full time for an educational unit on his campus. His passions include writing, minimalism and essentialism, programming, and fitness. From Nick, "I hope that you enjoyed this blog and took something from it! I'm always happy to see questions/comments in the comment section below!"