“Time flies when you’re having fun” is a phrase we’ve most often heard from our parents or professors, but that statement isn’t exactly true.

Time flies all of the time.

This summer went by so fast that I barely got the chance to unpack all of my suitcases before I had to repack them again. The return to school left me feeling like I didn’t use my free summer time well enough.

Sure, I made some money, hung out with friends and caught up with “Breaking Bad,” but couldn’t I have done something more? Three and a half months worth of time, gone in an instant.

With school, though, it feels like there is never enough time. Between having class four days a week, working on the weekends, having an internship and being a member of multiple clubs, it’s becoming harder and harder to balance having fun and doing homework in my “spare” time. As students, we need to learn how to manage our time more effectively.

It’s only the fourth week of school, but we need to manage our time early on so that later in the semester we won’t have to play catch up.

The most helpful tool in time management has to be planning.

Planning by week, month or semester can help create some order in a hectic life. Most professors include test and assignment due dates in the syllabus, so marking dates in a planner or cell phone as soon as you’re aware of them helps eliminate any surprises.

If you own a smartphone or tablet, there are tons of free apps that make it easy to organize class schedules, tests and assignments.

There are even apps that help calculate a class grade! Traditional calendars or planners work just as well.

Marking down important dates, creating time to study or complete projects will make life much easier. Have a test in a week? Set aside some time to write out your notes, and then time to study them to avoid cramming the night before.

Your planning doesn’t have to be all academic. Planning time for a social life can help, too.

For example, if you know you want to go see a movie, look up movie times for the day that you want to go and write it down.

Invite your friends in advance so they can plan around it, and if they can’t make it you’ll know in advance and will avoid being bummed out at the last minute.

Making time for sleep is crucial for students. The busier your schedule, the more sleep you need.

Skipping out on sleep can lead to missed classes and assignments. We’ve all had those days where you just can’t get out of bed for class because of fatigue.

Planning time for full nights of sleep and even a quick nap or two might seem like a waste of time, but having the proper amount of sleep can determine how you go about your day.

For students struggling with finding things to do with their time, joining a club or playing a sport can be the perfect solution.

With over 50 clubs and organizations here at Buffalo State, finding one that you like isn’t hard at all.

Some sports are easier to participate in than others, but joining a sports team is a great way to kill time and get some exercise in.

It’s never too late to make the most out of the time you have, and planning ahead is the first step to take.

The organization of your life won’t happen overnight, but after some practice and dedication to the cause, you’ll be living life to it’s fullest potential.

Katherine Middleton can be reached at [email protected].