Conquering College

Baylee Smith: balancing a 4.0, two jobs and campus involvement

Time+management+is+a+focal+point+for+Baylee+Smiths+schedule+filled+with+academics%2C+jobs+and+extracurricular+activities.+Sarah+Wolfe%2C++Smiths+little+sister+in+Phi+Mu+Fraternity%2C+accredits+Smiths+work+ethic+and+ability+to+organize+daily+events+as+traits+that+contribute+to+Smiths+success.

Shaelyn Martinez

Time management is a focal point for Baylee Smith’s schedule filled with academics, jobs and extracurricular activities. Sarah Wolfe, Smith’s little sister in Phi Mu Fraternity, accredits Smith’s work ethic and ability to organize daily events as traits that contribute to Smith’s success.

Young adulthood comes with many struggles often exasperated by the stress of college and supporting oneself.

However, senior political science major Baylee Smith has found a way to maintain a 4.0 GPA while also working two part-time jobs and being involved in organizations on campus.

Smith is employed at Wiseguys Daiquiris and Buddies Bar & Grill and also has her own spray tanning business. On top of all this, she is also a member of Phi Mu Fraternity, the director of traditions for the Student Government Association and has been a part of many other organizations on campus throughout her collegiate career.

With the amount of commitments that Smith agrees to outside of campus, her SGA position has many time-consuming responsibilities as well.

“As director of traditions, I am involved with planning Homecoming week, SGA service Saturdays and ‘The Big Event,’” stated Smith. “These organizations take up the majority of my time off of work and school.”

According to Smith, her education is very important. Smith has received scholarships for her grades to help her pay for school and has decided that she wants to pursue further educational opportunities after graduation.

With Smith’s determined mindset to stay successful in college, she says her number one secret to success while managing jobs and being involved on campus is time management.

“I assign quite a bit of my free time to studying and making sure that I have set aside enough time during my week before a new week starts,” explained Smith. “I usually take Sundays off to catch up on my studies and plan my week ahead.”

Sarah Wolfe, a sophomore marketing major, has formed a special relationship with Smith through Phi Mu – Smith is Wolfe’s big sister in the fraternity.

Wolfe has learned the importance of time management from her big sister.

“She taught me that it’s important to spend time on the things that matter and that will prepare me for the future, which means prioritizing my daily activities and knowing what is the best thing to prioritize that day,” stated Wolfe.

Wolfe states that she has seen Smith accomplish so much, and Smith’s ability to prioritize is what has helped her the most.

“She is constantly staying on top of her responsibilities and does not procrastinate, even if that means staying up late hours of the night or putting more important things before less important things,” shared Wolfe. “She stays very organized through every activity, and by doing that, it allows her to make every second of the day count.”

Smith explained that because her schedule is so hectic, her duties differ depending on the day.

“I don’t really have a daily routine as much as I just mark out my time daily as I need to,” said Smith. “Some days I have different events and responsibilities, so I change my routine as needed to adhere to each specific day.”

Smith believes that students on campus should figure out where they want to be in life and work towards that goal.

“Everything that I do is to eventually better myself, so I think it would be beneficial if more people could focus on that,” said Smith.

Moving into senior year, Smith shared advice about understanding the balance between working and resting that she sees in her own schedule.

“Know how much you can take on, and learn how to say ‘no’ to some things that you won’t be able to handle.”