Here is a guide to help you manage your free time while in college and still have a ton of fun.

You’ve probably wondered how much free time you’ll have in college before it even starts. I can assist you in finding the solution to this problem because I’ve previously attended several different universities. You’ll learn about college students’ free time in this article.

Student free time ranges from three to six hours per day on average. The amount of free time is dependent on a variety of factors, as the range suggests. That was merely a brief response. What exactly constitutes free time depends on a variety of factors. Continue reading to gain more insight!

How Much Free Time Do College Students Have?

Calculations should be made in order to have a better understanding of how much free time college students have. Before we begin, keep in mind that the numbers used in the calculations are based on how much a student should study in order to fully comprehend the subject matter and receive a good grade.

Also, the other numbers used are based on the findings of the US Bureau of labor statistics. Let’s explore the figures in detail.

There are 168 hours in a week. As a full-time student taking 15 credits a week, you should spend 45 hours on your school work, including class time. Apart from that, a typical student sleeps 8.5 hours every day. Additionally, it takes two hours per day to eat and groom. Combined, this amounts to 73.5 hours per week.

Lastly, on average, students work 15 hours per week. Subtracting everything from the 168 hours that are available in a week gives: 168-45-73.5-15 = 34.5 hours

Given that a student spends 30 hours per week studying and 15 hours working a side job, they have about 35 hours per week, or 5 hours per day, to themselves.

Factors Determining a Student’s Free Time

The amount of free time a student has depends on a variety of factors. Actually, students themselves have a big influence on most of these variables. So, read closely.

The Types of Courses They Take

There are many assignments in some classes while there are few in others. Students who enroll in such classes will therefore have more free time than those who enroll in classes with a lot of assignments.

Students who are enrolled in one course may also discover that they have less free time than students who are enrolled in another. For instance, computer science involves a lot of hands-on work.

As a result, taking this course may require a lot of the students’ free time to be spent attending and preparing for class. Students who study subjects like English or History, on the other hand, do not need to spend as much time in the lab and will have more free time.

Workload at School

This could be the amount of work that the supervisor gives each student. A student who has a lot of assignments won’t have enough free time because they must be finished by the deadline. See 10 Easiest College Majors for Your Bachelor’s Degree.

Attendance at Lectures and Tutorials

Some students decide not to go to all of their classes or even some of them. Those who do frequently discover that this leaves them with very little free time because they spend their entire day either in class or studying for class.

It’s possible that other participants who don’t put much effort into their studies will also notice that their grades suffer and that they must study harder in order to pass their modules. Naturally, they will also have fewer free hours.

The Type of School You Attend

While some schools only offer in-person classes, others also offer online courses. Students who take online classes will have a lot more free time than those who attend traditional classes.

Time Management

The significance of time management is probably already clear to you. For students in colleges, it’s even more crucial. If you want to succeed in college, you must be able to effectively manage your time. College students will have a lot of questions from each class, but there will be time to answer them all. Just figure out how to manage your time well.

Outside Responsibilities

Many people have other obligations outside of school. Some students are parents, while others are responsible for taking care of their parents. In any case, your free time will be constrained by your commitments outside of school and your college coursework. Both can be accomplished with ease.

How Many Hours Do College Students Study Per Week?

The question of how many hours to study per week lacks a single answer. The number of credit hours should be divided by two to get an idea of how much time you should spend studying for each class.

For instance, if you enroll in 15 credits, you should anticipate spending about 30 hours a week on your studies. Of course, depending on your particular requirements and preferences, you might need to modify that figure. For instance, you may need more than 30 hours per week to be successful in your classes if you struggle with test anxiety or have a natural affinity for math and science subjects.

In contrast, you might want to think about taking fewer classes if you’re a nontraditional student with a family and a college degree. Making the choice is essential if you want to maintain your academic performance while also managing your obligations to your family, job, and home.

How to Increase Your Free Time as a Student?

There are a handful of tips I can give you that will help increase your free time in college.

Let’s dive right in.

• Choose easy classes: Nothing has to be difficult all the time. Want more free time? Simply choose classes you are familiar with and that you expect to be easy for you.
• Take fewer classes: Simply take fewer credits if you have a semester coming up during which you know you will be very busy. This is the simplest way to give yourself more free time.
• Manage your time better: You will find a use for time management throughout the rest of your life. It doesn’t need to be challenging. You can gain a ton of extra free time in college by using a calendar, planning your days, and identifying and getting rid of time wasters! I highly recommend using a daily planner in college to manage your time and gain more freedom!
• Pay attention in class: Less time will be needed for the independent study if you fully understand the concepts during lectures and in class.
• Study more effectively: Take breaks when you’re mentally worn out, and seek assistance when you can’t seem to grasp something. You’ll not only learn more effectively this way, but you’ll also gain a lot of time back.

Things to Do in Your Free Time in College

Here are some of the most recommended things you can do in your free time in college:

• Sleep. College students frequently experience sleep deprivation. Each student has a different set of factors contributing to their lack of sleep. Some people stay up all night to complete a project or study for a test. Others hop from party to party. Get seven to nine hours of sleep each night regardless of the situation.
• Study. Speaking of partying, college students should try reading books instead of chugging down beer bottles during their free time. Balance, though, is essential. Consider spending some of your free time as far away from school-related activities as you can if you believe you are doing a great job in the classroom.
• Work out. It can be very stressful to complete your college education. A person’s mental and physical health can suffer greatly from chronically experiencing high levels of stress. A great way to manage stress is by working out. Additionally, it will aid in boosting your immunity, preventing infections from interfering with your college experience. Read 12 Best Winter Seasonal Jobs for College Students.
• Go outside. Do you attend school outside your state and have you always lived there? Then go outside and discover the world beyond your campus and dorm. Even better, you might fall in love with the locals, their way of life, and their surroundings and decide to work or start a business there once you graduate.
• Partake in hobbies. Additionally, you can pursue your interests in college during your free time, something that many full-time students give up doing. In addition, experts claim that because hobbies in college help students unwind, gain skills, and even make money, they are just as important as classes.

Conclusion: Enjoy Your Free Time in College

Your degree program’s credit requirements and a number of other factors, including how much free time you have in college, will both play a role. And if you want to finish each credit on time and avoid receiving low grades that will make your transcript look terrible, you must dedicate two to three hours per credit to studying.

The choice of how to spend one’s time is entirely up to the student, which can create some amusing circumstances as exam season approaches. Do you study right away or postpone it until later? You are ultimately in charge of it.