The college experience presents

students with their first real taste

of freedom. For the first time in

18 years, mom and dad are out of

sight and a curfew does not exist.

Peer pressure happens and smart

choices have to be made.

Students can learn to use time

management as a daily tool in an

effort to ease them through their

college experience.

Kent State University provides

services that help students balance

school, work and life.

“[Students] wonder why

they’re depressed or sad and it’s

because you don’t have any ‘you’

time,” said Jason Miller, director of

Kent State’s counseling services.

Miller finds that many students

have issues with the balance of life

when they begin college.

“You’ve got to take time for

yourself,” said Miller.

Miller said that students

“struggle sometimes with being

able to say no.”

It’s OK to say no to friends. It’s

OK not to spend every moment

away from school at work. Yes,

money is needed to pay bills, but

is it always worth the stress?

If students are unsure of how

to spend their personal time, they

can visit the Center for Student

Involvement, located in Room 226

of the Student Center.

CSI offers a variety of organizations

students can join.

“Getting involved on campus

is one of the quickest ways

to become part of the university

community and create your own

unique Kent State experience,” as

mentioned on the CSI webpage,

www.kent.edu/csi.

Sophomore Lindsey Steenburg

i s a busy psychology

major. She tries to balance her

time between school and work

as best as she can.

“It’s pretty tough right now;

that’s why I am only in school

part time this summer,” said

Steenburg.

Steenburg spends about 30

hours a week at work. This fall,

she plans to keep her work hours

the same, but added 12 credit

hours of school.

When possible, Steenburg tries

to go out one or two times a week

as a way to fit in personal time.

“I think I’ve gotten better at time

management,” said Steenburg,

“but its still pretty difficult.”

The Counseling and Human

Development Center at Kent State

helps students learn to balance

their time effectively.

The Counseling Center is located

at 325 White Hall. All services are

provided free of charge to Kent State

students and are confidential.

The Counseling Center is

open weekdays, evenings and

Saturdays and walk-ins are welcomed.

For more information,

students can contact the center

or visit the website at http://

chdc.educ.kent.edu.

The university also provides

students with the option of online

courses to help work in school

around an already busy schedule.

Senior communications studies

major Kristen Campobenedetto

has taken a few Internet courses

and enjoys them.

“My opinion is you need to

have the self discipline to sit

down in front of the computer

to motivate yourself,” said Campobenedetto.

Campobenedetto finds Internet

classes have both advantages and

disadvantages.

“Advantages, I was able to do

it on my own free time whenever

I wanted to,” said Campobenedetto.

“The disadvantages, the

professors are willing to help you,

but you don’t see them.”

Students can access the distance

learning website at www.

kent.edu/dl to find more information

on web-based courses.

Another way for students to

balance time is to arrange their

school schedule so it’s not five

days of classes each week. Senior

management major Matthew

Meekins arranges his schedule

as such.

“I schedule classes Monday

through Thursday so I have Friday

off and get a longer weekend,”

said Meekins.

Miller said he finds a lot of students

can are able to find a good

balance in their life when they

stop and think about it.

“Think, ‘Is what’s going on

in my life really what I want,’”

said Miller.

Miller suggests that students

map out their decisions point by

point. Take a bit of time every other

week, or every few months.

It may be an old-fashioned

thought, but Miller said the transition

into college is about “making

healthy choices and making

good choices.”

“The sooner you can get

plugged in to the university and

really feel like part of the community

here,” Miller said, “the

better you’ll be.”

Contact news correspondent

Kellie Milano at [email protected].