One of the richest men in the world and founder of the Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates, said, “Life is not fair, get used to it”. Nevertheless, there is a fair thing in life. It is time! Are you a freshman? Or a senior? Are you ready for being a time-controller? Here is some advice about time.

● What is a Time-Controller?
When you think of time management, what comes to your mind first? Probably most people tend to think that time management is hard and boring. That is the reason why people plan to do many things on New Year’s Day, but several days later, they are exhausted and give up. They mistake time management as doing various things in a given time. The true time management, however, means choice, concentration, and enough rest.

● Am I a Time-Controller?
Then, it is time for checking your time habits. After reading the questions below, number the points and add them all. The result shows whether you are a time-controller or not. Let’s check it out!
(No= 2 points, So-so= 1 Point, Yes= 0 Points)
① Do you write down to-do lists every day?
② Do you give priority to the things that are the most important?
③ Do you complete every job on to-do lists?
④ Do you adjust your schedule for new work or goals?
⑤ When something interrupts your work, do you control that effectively?
⑥ Do you find stuff quickly in your desk or a drawer?
⑦ Do you have your own time?
⑧ Are you a person who solves problems or prevents problems?
⑨ Do you meet deadlines well?
⑩ Do you arrive on time at a meeting or gathering?
⑪ Do you trust someone with your work correctly?
⑫ Do you concentrate on original work after doing other chores?
⑬ Do your subordinates follow your commands well?
⑭ Do you set short-term goals for final goals?
⑮ Do you have break time without worrying about working?
⑯ Do you know the best time when you concentrate perfectly?

1-10 points: Congratulations, you are the best time-controller!
11-20 points: You are missing precious time. How about checking your time habits?
21-30 points: You don’t concentrate well and have stress now. Do you have problems?

● Bring a Pencil and Divide Your Clock!
Benjamin Franklin is the character on the $100 bill andwas also a hero for his contributions during the American Revolution. Moreover, do you know he was the best time-controller? Aren’t you curious as to how he lived each day?
- 3-5-7-9 dividing: How much is three and five and seven and nine? Right, 24! 24 is total sum that you spend during a day. Franklin advised, “Divide hours according to three-five-seven-nine.” During a day, spend three hours doing self-enrichment, like reading a book or doing research. Work hard for nine hours. Take rest or do various activities for five hours. Finally, you should sleep for seven hours! Some modern people probably think that sleeping seven hours is too long. However, Franklin insisted that enough sleep and rest are the best sources to work efficiently.
- A golden apple, Pomodoro: The actual meaning of Pomodoro is a golden apple. It refers to the first produced tomato in Italy because its color was yellow. When Italian chefs cook pasta, they used a tomato-shaped timer, and now people use the timer for time management. It’s called the Pomodoro Method. The rule is “Concentrate as long as you can for 25 minutes and take a rest for five minutes.”
The Pomodoro Method
① Use a timer which is comfortable for you.
② Make to-do lists depending on the importance.
③ Concentrate on only one job for 25 minutes.
④ Don’t stop the timer while working.
⑤ Follow the rule of working 25 minutes and taking a rest for five minutes.

● Oh My God! What Should I Do First?
When you work or study, how do you prioritize? Stephen Covey, a well-known consultant, introduced “The Time Matrix” in his best-selling book. The horizontal axis means the importance of work and the vertical axis means how pressing something is.
① (up&right)These kinds of job include not only important but also pressing things.
Ex) Tomorrow’s exam, this afternoon’s meeting
② (down&right)These kinds of jobs include important but not pressing things. These are valuable and meaningful, so these tasks will enrich our lives.
Ex) Reading a book every week, having a good time with family
③ (up&left) These kinds of tasks include pressing but not important things. People tend to do these things first due to pressure. Still, according to Covey, you should reduce these things in favor of other valuable things.
Ex) Making an appointment reluctantly with friends, participating in irrelevant meetings
④ (down&right) These kinds of tasks include things that are neither pressing nor important. You should minimize these things! Of course, sometimes these could be pleasant, but it is important to think of what is meaningful to you.
Ex) Playing games too much, excessive drinking
● If You Can Dream It, You Can Do it!
Time means not only the number on the clock but also our whole long life. Why don’t you treat a day as one hour and dream a lot? Here are two people who had various dreams and just wrote them. Do you wonder if their wishes came true?

1. John Goddard: A 15-year-old boy who lived in L.A, John Goddard heard lots of adults’ regrets, such as “If I were younger, I’d do this.” After that, he listed 127 goals that he wishes to experience or achieve in his lifetime. Some list items looked audacious, like exploring the depths of the sea or studying the primitive, but the result was incredible! He became an anthropologist and writer. Furthermore, he accomplished 109 of his dreams!
2. Kim Jang-mi: Kim Jang-mi is a South Korean female shooting gold medalist. When she was in elementary school, she wrote her “seven plans of life” as homework. She wanted to win a prize in the first competition as a 15-year-old and to be a gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics. Now, she is a gold medalist, and most of her plans have come true.

If you don’t want to feel regret when you get older, don’t hesitate to make your bucket list. Write it concretely, such as the year when you will accomplish it. The bucket list doesn’t need to be great things; it can be trivial things. Well begun, half done! Start making your own bucket list now!

● Special Tips for Your Time at CBNU
① Here are tips for three different situations. First, if you commute to school, you should know your bus time and make the class schedule considering the bus time. You can look at the information on the student council website. Second, if you live apart from your family, you should decide whether the house is close to the school. Third, if you live in the school dormitory, you should check the time rules. The dormitory has a 23:50 curfew, and also, the time of hot water usage is until 24:00.
② Maybe everyone has an experience in which they spoiled their timetable. Here are five tips to set a timetable wisely for freshmen. First, arrange the required subjects that you must listen to. Second, consider the class syllabus, such as the percentages of scores. Third, make a Plan B. There are lots of possibilities that you can fail in your Plan A. Fourth, consider the time, such as moving time. Fifth, make an empty day. In 2016, in the first semester, Friday is a good empty day, and in the second semester Tuesday is good considering holidays. You can enjoy a short trip for three days.
③ We have to use lots of empty time in a meaningful way. You can make a school map yourself, such as by making your own places and marking them on the map. Also, you can use school facilities such as the library and school club rooms. Furthermore, you can walk near the school such as on Mt. Geonji, at the Jeonju Zoo, or at Deokjin Park.
④ After school you will have extra time. This is useful to prepare for and review lessons, study a second foreign language, or learn instruments or sports. Also, there are cultural centers near our school which can help with the above things. In the cultural centers, you can easily learn various programs that you are interested in. Also, leaving the school and traveling can help you refresh your mind. Yeosu, Suncheon, and Gokseong are good for travel. They take about two hours by train. How about challenging yourself to new things after school?

Everyone has a different role and situation. Therefore, exact time management rules don’t exist, but the degree of time management exists. Don’t be despondent if you didn’t complete your previous day’s work. It will be a more excellent day if you add the regrets of yesterday and expectation of today. Have hope and believe in yourself: don’t be stressed. Wish for your new starting day to be wonderful!