Time management is not an issue for sophomore Deaven Gaulke.

“You just have to find that balance between work, life, and school,” Deaven said. “Making sure I have time for my job, school, and my social life is essential.” 

The Behavioral Science major hopes to work in applied behavior analysis, a type of therapy for people on the autism spectrum. Currently, she works at Life Strategies LLC in Chesterton as a behavioral technician for special-needs children. 

Gaulke recently started volunteering 10 hours a week with the Penguin Project, a program for special needs youth that helps them to fulfill their creative desires through things like theater and dance. 

“I’ll be taking 12 credit hours, working 25 hours a week and volunteering 10 hours a week,” she said. 

She survives by setting priorities. 

“Just sitting in class is not difficult for me,” Gaulke said. “Getting the motivation to work and do homework is a bit more of a struggle.

“I like to finish my homework while I’m still on campus,” she said. “This lets me keep a clear boundary between school and my social life. Without having time to do whatever I want, I would go crazy.”

Time management has not always come easily. Gaulke said she runs into plenty of challenges. Often work can be too tiring, causing her to procrastinate, leading to a lack of time to complete all her tasks. 

“I really struggled with [time management] in high school,” she said. “When I had a job in high school, I really just didn’t do my homework… and that’s … not an option.”