From: The Dean of Students <deanofstudents@ramapo.edu>
Date: Fri, Dec 5, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Subject: Support for Managing Work and Family

Dear Seniors:

Congratulations on your amazing Ramapo journey. We know that your Ramapo experience likely includes a great deal more than the academic experience. You may be thinking about how to balance your academic activities alongside other priorities such as managing work or family obligations. We at the College understand that managing all of your priorities may feel challenging, so we are committed to providing resources in these areas to help manage your non-academic responsibilities.

Today, we are living in a world with more technological resources than ever before to help us be more efficient. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can help us self-reflect, think through challenging situations and manage our time, work and academic responsibilities. The College has provided information and resources on AI for Ramapo community members without compromising ethics and integrity. For critical matters such as mental health, medical, legal, or financial decisions, please always consult a qualified professional.

For this letter, we prompted Chat GPT to provide some example strategies for managing work obligations and family obligations. We will share these with you, some of our own recommendations and campus resources available to you.

Resources for Managing Work Obligations

We know that as college students you juggle many obligations. The key to staying organized and on top of things is to determine what is a priority. Chat GPT recommends using the “must/should/could method”, a popular approach to prioritization in business and project management (OpenAI, 2025). The “must/should/could method” includes prioritizing in the following order:

1. Must-do activities: immediate deadlines, exams, work shifts
2. Should-do activities: assignments due at a later date, planning ahead
3. Could-do activities: optional meetings, social events, and avoiding spending a lot of time on low-priority tasks (ex. TV, social media, video games)

A key planning ahead strategy is scheduling – you should schedule studying just like you schedule class and work to stay on track (or even ahead). This will ensure you are not “cramming” at the last minute. Using a weekly planner or digital tools such as Google Calendar can help you stay organized with competing priorities. Reminders of important deadlines or due dates will also help keep you on track. We encourage you to use campus spaces like the Learning Commons to study in an environment with minimal distractions.

Lastly, we recommend that you communicate early and often with your professors and supervisors at work. Let your professors know as soon as you are aware of a competing priority that may impact your academics. In fact, many faculty appreciate proactive communication. If you work or have an internship, let your supervisor know of times that are academically heavy such as mid-terms or finals. Try and set realistic work hours to allow time for academics and other responsibilities.

Resources for Managing Family Obligations

As the Holiday season approaches, we recognize how important it is to be mindful of your well-being, especially during moments that may feel high stress like finals. We invite you to register to attend a free, online education program sponsored by the Steve Fund: Home for the Holidays: Navigating Finals, Family, and Your Identity on December 9th at 4:00pm. As stated by the Steve Fund, “when finals, family expectations, and identity shifts collide, the end of the semester can feel overwhelming. The workshop provides real tools to manage stress, navigate going home for the holidays, and stay true to yourself in both school and family environments, while preparing for a healthy, successful spring semester.”

The Jed Foundation provides numerous articles on managing holiday stress and tips for self care. The articles highlight ways to take care of yourself, exercises to practice gratitude, strategies to help manage an eating disorder and provide ways to maintain recovery, and education on how to manage anxiety and stress.

Unlike Chat GPT, remember, you are not a robot. It is important to schedule down-time, rest breaks, social activities, and self-care. Eating well and getting enough sleep are key to optimal functioning in addition to academic and personal success. The College provides a free resource to improve sleep through the RISE App for Sleep Health. 

Lastly, practice saying “no” when necessary to protect your time. Believe it or not, this small word can be an empowering act of self-care!

If you are interested in more ways to improve your wellness and manage your multitude of responsibilities, please peruse the 8 dimensions of wellness resource guide through Health Promotion which provides additional ideas and campus resources.

If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Counseling Services at 201-684-7522.

In health,

Judy Green, Psy.D, Director, Center for Health and Counseling Services

Megan Johnston, LSW, Coordinator for Health Promotion, Center for Health and Counseling Services