21 Productive Things To Do In Between College Classes
Looking for productive things to do in between college classes? Here are 21 things you should do while you’re waiting for your next class to start.
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It’s hard to get your class schedule 100% perfect in college.
A lot of times you’ll find yourself with a big gap in between a few of your classes. And it can be hard to think of ways to fill that time.
My schedule often ended up with a few big gaps in the day in college, so I really had to get creative and figure out different ways to fill my time.
Sometimes I was really productive, and other times I just needed something to do to relax.
If you find yourself getting bored throughout the day, here are 21 different things to do in between college classes.
Things To Do In Between College Classes
1. Work On Your Assignments
The most obvious answer to what to do in between college classes is homework! It may not be the most fun answer, but it does help you out in the long run.
Getting your homework done during the day will free up your nights so that you can do whatever you want.
So while it may be fun to watch Netflix or take a nap in between classes, the smartest thing you can do is get ahead on your homework assignments.
Find a quiet place in your library or student union and get working.
2. Explore Campus
If the school year just started, you may want to take some time in between your classes to explore campus. It’s hard to feel at home on a college campus if you haven’t even seen 90% of it.
While you’re exploring, try to find some key places that you can utilize throughout your college career.
Look for the perfect quiet study spot, a good bathroom that not a lot of people know about, and maybe even a solid nap spot.
If I hadn’t explored campus, I never would have found any of those things.
There was an entire room in my college’s student union that everyone knew as the nap room, and I had to explore for awhile before I found it!
3. Take A Power Nap
Sometimes you just need a quick nap!
I don’t recommend doing this every single day, but getting a power nap in once in awhile can definitely help you feel more awake in your next classes.
Head back to your dorm quickly or find a good nap spot on campus. Just make sure you set an alarm so you don’t miss your next class!
4. Journal
If you tend to get bored in between college classes you should try journaling! There are tons of benefits to journaling for college students.
It helps you get your thoughts in order, reflect on your feelings, and gets you out of your head.
Even if you only have a few minutes a day, journaling can be super beneficial for your mental health.
If you’re new to journaling, try something like The Five Minute Journal. It gives you short daily prompts so you never have to think of what to write about.
5. Go To Your Professor’s Office Hours
This is one thing I never did – but I really wish I would have!
Most professors have time set aside in their day to help students with their coursework or just get to know them a little bit.
Visit your professors in between your classes to introduce yourself or get some clarity on the course materials.
This will also make getting letters of recommendation super easy because your professors will actually know who you are.
6. Head To A Coffee Shop
I spent most of my time in between classes at our campus coffee shop.
I would use my meal plan card to buy a latte and then I’d sip and study before my next class started. Or I’d meet a friend who also had a break between their classes!
7. Run Errands
One productive thing you could do that’s not school-related is to run some errands.
Maybe you need to get some grocery shopping done, return something to Amazon, or visit the financial aid office.
Whatever it is, get it done in between classes! You’ll feel better sitting in your next class knowing that you got your errands done.
8. Work Out
If you have more than 30 minutes in between classes, you can definitely fit a workout in!
I did this all the time when I was living on campus because our gym was right behind some of the lecture buildings.
You can get a pretty decent workout in if you have 45 minutes to an hour between your classes.
Just make sure that you bring a change of clothes or, at the very least, deodorant. You don’t want to be stinking up your next class.
9. Grab Lunch
Is your break in between classes in the middle of the day? That’s perfect! You can go grab some lunch in the dining hall or student union.
I loved having long breaks at lunch time because I would either go back to my dorm’s dining hall or find a good spot in the student union to grab lunch.
If I was trying to save money, sometimes I would pack a lunch and just sit in the union and eat it.
10. Participate In A Campus Event
There’s always something going on on college campuses.
In between classes is a great time to check out the job fair, visit the poster sale, or sign up for a club at a student organization showcase.
Not sure where to find your school’s events? Just Google your school’s name + campus events. There should be a calendar posted somewhere on their website.
11. Clear Your Email Inbox
Do you constantly have a million unread emails? Take some time in between your classes to get that inbox down to 0.
This may take a few days, but it’s definitely worth it! It always feels so good to have a decluttered email inbox.
12. Work Your Side Hustle
One thing I wish I would have done sooner in college is start an online side hustle.
It’s always a good idea to have multiple streams of income, and college is a great time to start trying it out.
Some side hustles I worked in college (and after) are blogging, freelance social media management, nannying, bartending, and working for a floral company.
You could also drive for DoorDash or UberEats, resell clothes on Poshmark, become a tutor, etc.
We have a full post of the best side hustles for college students if you’re interested in trying one out.
13. Watch Netflix
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is just shut your brain off for awhile.
Take some time for yourself in between classes and get caught up on your favorite Netflix or HBO show.
If I didn’t have any homework to do, I would take my laptop and headphones to a quiet spot in the library and just watch Netflix for awhile. It helped me relax and unwind in between classes.
14. Listen To A Podcast
Have you been wanting to start a new podcast? Do it in between your classes!
I love listening to podcasts because you can do other things while you listen. You could put on a podcast and go for a walk, clean up your room, or just hang out in the library.
15. Do Chores
The time in between your classes is perfect for starting a load of laundry or putting away your clothes in your room.
If you live on campus, head back to your room and get started on some chores.
Getting chores done during the day always feels good because then you can just relax at night and not have to worry about them.
16. Visit A Friend’s Dorm
If you and your friend have the same break time, hang out together in one of your dorms! You could study together, play some video games, or just hang out and talk.
When I was in college, I had a few friends who had the same break time as I did.
We would all get together and just hang out or do some studying. It was definitely the highlight of my day.
17. Browse The Library
Fun fact – the library is for more than just studying and napping lol. You can actually read or check out the books!
Browse the stacks and try to find something interesting to read for awhile.
18. Visit The School Store
See what’s new at your school store!
A break in your classes is the perfect time to stock up on some school supplies or new spirit wear.
19. Get Ahead On Projects Or Essays
If you’re caught up on all of your current schoolwork, it’s a good idea to get ahead on future projects or essays.
Check your syllabus to see what’s coming up in your classes and try to get a head start on it.
You could brainstorm topic ideas, create an outline, or just do some research.
I really wish I had done this more often when I was in college. Getting ahead in your classes will just make everything feel a lot easier.
20. Organize Class Notes
When I was in college, I would take a ton of notes in my classes and then just never look at them again.
I wish I would have taken the time to organize them in between classes and actually create study guides for myself.
Of course, just the action of taking notes helps you remember information, so it’s not totally useless. But it would be really smart to take your notes and actually turn them into something usable.
This is definitely one of the most productive things to do in between college classes.
21. Work On Campus
If you have a few hours in between your classes, you could try filling that time with a campus job.
There are tons of jobs available on college campuses that are often super flexible with your schedule.
At my school, there were always available jobs in the cafeterias, coffee shops, library, and student union.
Check out your campus job board to see if there are any part-time jobs you would be interested in.
Hopefully this post gave you some good ideas for what to do in between college classes.
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