Time Management: Studying and Traveling in Europe

I am taking 15 semester hours at CIMBA because the CIMBA advisors and my academic advisor recommended taking 12-15 semester hours. This course load is designed to provide an optimal balance of academics and travel. I must say, my 15-hour course load has kept me busy during the week, but at the same time, it’s a manageable.

It is now week 10, so I have gotten into a routine of managing studies and traveling. Other than the first 2 weekends of the program where we were not allowed to travel due to the LIFE course, I have traveled every weekend. The professors give an adequate amount of school work, but I manage my time wisely to finish or mostly finish everything before traveling on the weekend. Honestly, I have never studied or brought homework while I was traveling on the weekend. My professors do not give homework or tests on Mondays which allows me to catch up on school work the Monday I return from traveling. Unfortunately, some of my peers have had tests on Mondays; therefore, they occasionally bring study materials, typically in the form of Quizlet, to study while training, busing, or flying to their travel desitnations.

I firmly believe the weekends are for appreciating and experiencing Europe. I am a focused and high-achieving student; however, I dedicate my attention to cultural experiences on the weekend because that is why I came to Europe. As I mentioned, I am able to finish homework and projects during the week by working during my free blocks and after dinner. Blocks run roughly two hours long, so that is a good chunk of time to study and complete homework.

I have class every day of the week. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I have 3 classes. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have 2 classes.  A typical 3-class day for me at CIMBA looks like this:

7:15: First alarm goes off

7:30: Second alarm goes off, and I get out of bed (because who gets up after their first alarm?)

8:00-8:30: Eat breakfast in the dining hall (served from 8-9am)

8:45-10:35: Entrepreneurial Strategy

10:45-12:40: No class for me (I study, go on a walk, or do homework)

12:45-1:00: Mindfulness (I am in LEAP so I am required to participate.)

1:00-1:30: Lunch (served from 1-1:45pm)

1:45-3:35: Italy Live

3:45-5:35: Operations Management

5:40-6:40: Study/nap/chill out/workout

7:00-7:30: Dinner (served from 7-8pm)

8:00-10:00: Homework/study

10:30: Bedtime!

Back in the USA, I typically stay up until midnight or 1 am due to long hours studying or watching Netflix for too long. However, between traveling and academics, I have looked forward and been able to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I typically go to bed around 10 or 11 pm. This keeps me rested for long academic days and busy weekends where sleep is hard to come by. Studying abroad is definitely an adjustment, but the changes are manageable!