Page 72 - Keys to College Success

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FINANCIAL VALUES

Complete the following on paper or in digital format.

Imagine yourself in five years . . .
1. What kind of work do you hope to be doing?
2. How much money do you hope to earn each year doing that work?
3. What type of major purchase might you make at that time? For ideas about this, consider your interests, needs,
skills, and concerns.
4. How much might it cost (total cost or down payment)?
5. How much money would you have to save each month to have the money to make that major purchase at the end
of f ve years? Monthly savings = total cost ÷ (5 years × 12 months per year)
6. Name two actions you can take to try to save that amount on a monthly basis.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE
the most of your time?

Everyone has 24 hours in a day, and some of those hours should involve sleep if
you want to remain healthy and alert enough to function. You can’t manage how time
passes, but you can manage how you use it. Start by looking at your personal relation-
ship with time.

Analyze Yourself as a Time Manager
Some people are chronically late, while others work to get everything done ahead of
time. Some people have lots of energy late at night, but others do their best work early
in the day. The more you are aware of how you interact with time, the better you can
create a schedule that moves you toward your goals.

Establish your personal time profile
The following steps will help you build a “profile” that illus-
trates how you relate to time:

■ Identify your energy patterns. At what time of day does
your energy tend to peak? When do you tend to have
the least energy?
■ Notice your on-time percentage. Do you tend to be
early, on time, or late? If you are early or late, by how
many minutes are you normally off schedule?
■ Look at your stamina. Do you focus more effectively if
you have a long block of time in which to work? Or do
you need regular breaks in order to perform effectively?
With this information, you can establish an ideal schedule
that reflects your preferences. If a student gets more done during

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