Here we are one day away from December 2009. This means a few things: 25 days until Christmas, finals are about to begin, and that we don't have enough time to do everything we need to do...

Time management is a common issue for most of us. I see it in my own life, but more importantly in my work life with the students. Their common lament is that they don't like papers being due around finals. Well, they have to pony up and realize that competing deadlines is part of work--school and outside in the so-called real world.

My best advice is to rotate the classes that you're studying for, so that one day you work and read for 60-90 minutes for one class and then move to the next. Also, I've had many students in my office and we've discussed their papers a month before they are due. This way one or two papers are out of the way and then they can get to the next.

A major issue or rub here is paid work. So many students are juggling paid work. And, we all know that doing more means that there is less time for studying and papers. This is probably why it takes 5.1 years for a student to graduate at our university. They are doing multiple things.

Good luck with the papers and finals!