Do you find college to be more stressful than you expected? If so, you’re not alone.

A recent study found that 3 out of 4 college students feel stressed out. While there are a lot of techinques you can incorporate to better manage your stress, one of the best things to do is to create a schedule that fits with your lifestyle and eliminates stress.

But, how do you create the perfect college schedule?

Check out this guide to learn the top tips for making a college schedule.

1. Schedule Classes Based on Your Lifestyle

While this may seem obvious, many college students end up creating a schedule that completely disrupts their normal lifestyle.

For example, if you know you’re not a morning person and that you’ll struggle greatly to make it to morning classes, then schedule your classes for the afternoon or evening. If you know you’re going to be dead on Thursdays because you work long hours on Wednesday, then make sure your class load is light for this day.

When creating a schedule, you want to consider your daily habits, your social life, and your work schedule.

To get everything organized, use a college schedule maker.

2. Visit Your Adviser

During college, you should take advantage of meetings with your adviser as much as possible. After all, that’s what they’re there for!

Before registration, try to meet with your adviser. Come with a list of questions about your schedule. While your advisor may not be able to answer all of them, they should be able to guide you in the right direction when creating your schedule.

If you have specific questions about the homework load or the pace of the class, then you may want to contact professors directly.

3. Get Requirements Out of the Way

If you’re in your first two years of college, you should focus on getting as many core requirement classes out of the way as possible. This way, you can use the final two years of college to focus on your major.

4. Maintain Balance

While it can be tempting to jump into a bunch of difficult classes as a freshman, you don’t want to spread yourself too thin. Many people are also tempted to sign up for more than 4 classes so they can graduate early.

However, this is usually a recipe for disaster and will result in you missing out on fun college experiences. In your very first semester of college, we suggest starting with easy classes so you can get the hang of things.

Then, slowly work your way up and start mixing in harder classes with easier ones.

5. Register Early

Last but not least, don’t forget to register early.

The earlier you register, the better chance you have of getting the class schedule you want. Also, if an issue arises along the way and you need to change your schedule, this will give you more time to deal with it.

In addition, you should have a list of back-up classes in case one of your classes is full.

Making a College Schedule: Are You Ready?

By keeping these tips in mind for making a college schedule, you’ll be well on your way to creating one that’s balanced and enjoyable.