How do I manage to be social while also keeping up with my studies? 

Hi, and thanks for your question!  

Based on what you wrote, I’m guessing it’s challenging for you to find both the time and the energy for studying and socializing. 

At times, and depending on what you’re studying, your coursework can be very time‑consuming, and then you need to prioritize your time quite strictly. Some weeks there may be less time for everyday tasks, personal time, exercise, rest, and fun activities — and that’s okay. But if this continues for a long period, the lack of unstructured time where you can do what you want may make life feel heavy or boring. Some people can also become low in mood and feel a lack of energy. 

If you suspect that you’re spending more time on your studies than is good for you — and perhaps more than you actually need to meet the study requirements — you can try, for a period, to more clearly limit the time you devote to studying. Here are a few examples: 

• If you don’t already have a fixed study routine, try scheduling your study time so it follows a typical workday, and then take the evenings off.
  • If that’s not enough, try to free up at least 2–3 evenings a week to be social.
  • Sometimes there’s time to be saved from activities during the day that aren’t very meaningful but have become bad habits. Examples include scrolling on your phone instead of sleeping, causing you to be tired in the morning and stay in bed for an extra 1–2 hours, or letting gaming/social media take time away from studying, keeping you from finishing when you’d like to end your day. 

If you recognize that time goes to things that don’t benefit you, you can intentionally work on increasing the amount of time you spend actually studying — and that way make more room for other things. 

It may also be that you already have a functioning study routine but simply struggle to find the energy to do everything you feel you “should” be able to manage. Sometimes we carry ideas about how we “ought” to be and how “everyone else” does things. In those cases, it can help to let go of those expectations and try to understand what you want for your own sake. 

It can feel disappointing not to have the energy or time for everything that seems fun or important, but if we don’t listen to our body’s signals when things become too much, we won’t feel well in the long run. 

I hope this answer gives you something to reflect on or try out in your everyday life! 

Licensed psychologist