If APhA–ASP ceased to exist, would our communities miss us? Would our patients miss us? Even further, would the profession miss us? As the APhA Student and New Practitioner Development Staff spent time researching and delving through the APhA archives for the 50th anniversary celebration this year, I have contemplated that question several times over. 

However, I didn’t have to go too far to find an answer.

Since you all have been trying to start the spring semester and new year on the right foot, I thought it would be beneficial to share some helpful insights and tips on time management that has alleviated some stress for me so far in pharmacy school. 

1. Get a head start
It can be difficult to manage time between school, work, extracurricular activities, and making time for yourself. First and foremost, it is extremely important to map out your schedule and your day-to-day activities. Invest in a planner or make an electronic calendar where you have all your exams, events, work schedules, and meetings in one place. This will not only help you with time management but will also prevent you from burning out. 

You have heard this one a lot throughout your school career: “Do not procrastinate.” Get a head start on studying for exams early and you will thank yourself later. I try to do that by reviewing for each lecture before I go to class. This small step prepares me and makes me feel ahead.

The fresh start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on the past 12 months and set goals for growth. Although many New Year’s resolutions are broken within the first few weeks, research suggests that simply making a resolution can increase your chances of being successful by up to 10-fold.¹ 

Beyond deciding to make a positive change in the new year, what can you do to ensure those resolutions last? Based on research from goal-setting theory, a number of factors can increase your chances of a successful New Year’s resolution. Among some of the most important are the specificity and difficulty of your goals, as well as the feedback you receive in your pursuit of them.² Below are some practical ways in which you can capitalize on each of these key factors.