It's the epic battle: "How do you balance campus activities AND academics?" 

It's something that any member of a programming board faces on a daily basis. You want to make sure you get all your responsibilities with your board done, yet you have to remember that you're a student first and you can't forget about that major term paper that's due at the end of the week. Solution? Pull an all nighter the night before the paper is done. Yeah...not so much! Trust me - been there, done that, got the t-shirt and regretted it after. 

But have no fear, there is a way you CAN do it all! Here are some tips on how you can be the ultimate student leader with a killer GPA...

• Your planner is your bible!  Okay, so not really your bible, but you get the gist. Get a planner, monthly calendar or make use of the calendar app on your phone and look at it EVERYDAY. It's is a great way to make sure you are on top of your due dates for class, commitments for activities board and is a great tool in planning for the future weeks or months. Find a solution that works for you. If you are technologically savvy, use options like Google Calendar that can easily sync to your smartphone. Google Calendar is also a great option for your entire board to use. You are able to invite people to certain events you put on your calendar like special meetings and you can even view each other's calendars to find out times that work best for all of you.
  
  I personally use both an electronic and paper calendar. I find using one that allows you to look at the entire month at a time works best in making sure you plan your weeks accordingly and still keep track of things coming up.
  
  By the way, to my fellow GUYS! Do not feel like carrying a planner is girly or makes you look strange. Trust me, you'll look even better when you are organized, rather than panicking. Girls don't find panic cute!   

• The Weekly To-Do-List: And the end of each week, make a to-do-list of things you need to accomplish for the upcoming week. Divide your sheet accordingly and list tasks you need to make sure to get done on certain days in order to meet deadlines and get things done before an upcoming event. For example: Monday - 1. Start term paper  2. Finish project for American Government due Tuesday  3. Check in with (insert advisor, exec board or director's name) to make sure everything is set for Wednesday.  etc.  4. Tutoring at 4pm      Do the same thing for each day of the week and you can space out your workload and still get everything done ON TIME. Be sure to put your appointments and events on the to-do-list too! That way you remember it all! I do this every week and it helps so much!  

• Turn to your support systems for guidance! Your advisors, fellow board members and professors are great resources in helping you manage your time. If you are feeling overwhelmed or are worried that you can't get something done in time, talk it out with them. They're great resources in helping you balance it all because they have been there before. They can give you great advice and help your prioritize. 

• Make the most of all your free time but remember to relax too! This is one of my biggest struggles, but it's one of the most important lessons to remember! When you have free time, make sure you are making the most of it. Try this: Give yourself a goal. For example: If I get these two chapters read for next week, I'll reward myself with some couch time and a good movie. That way you are still getting your work done and finding time to decompress. If you don't find time to relax, you'll get burnt out faster, which will prevent you from getting everything done or doing it well.  

Remember, that managing it all is something that every student leader struggles with - you're not alone! s a learning process. You'll never be perfect at it. The key is to find solutions that work for you that allow you to have fun at events but still be an A+ student in the classroom. 

What solutions have you found that work for you? I want to hear from YOU! Comment away!