Cedric Lathan, a graduating senior majoring in political science, knows all about managing his time.
Lathan transferred to Florida A&M University in spring 2020 from Tallahassee Community College, where he graduated in December 2019.
Lathan, a native of Miami, is a full-time student as well as a full-time recruiter coordinator for Trulieve, the largest medical marijuana company in the world.
He’s also the professional development chairman for the Omega Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity, the committee chairman for the Transfer Student Association, and an escort for the Royal Court.
“I manage my days by using my planner, Icelander, and ensuring that my obligations are not conflicting with each other,” Lathan said. “I also prioritize my obligations by colors and their priority, such as If I need to complete as soon as possible, it will be red. If I have 1-2 days to complete it, it will be yellow. If I have a week, it will be green. If it is in the near future, it will be orange,” Lathan said.
To succeed within high-stress circumstances like these, he urges on how he is purposeful of how he spends his time.
“When feeling overwhelmed, I always keep in mind that if I begin to feel the pressure of the assignments or task, I will take a step back, gather my thoughts, and continue on the task,” Lathan said. “I also tend to think of each assignment as experiences, and if I do not walk away with something to share with my peers, then I have failed.”
A Georgetown University report shows that 40 percent of college students work about 30-40 hours of the week while going to class. One of every four working students is at the same time going to full-time school while handling everyday work.
Throughout this semester Lathan is focusing on self care and learning to value his personal time. On the weekends, if he does not have any obligations, he spends his free time doing things he enjoys such as reading, listening to podcasts and recuperating.
Darnesha Pace believes Lathan is success-driven no matter what the task.
“He’s literally perfect,” Pace said. “I honestly don’t know how he balances all of what he deals with but I do know he’s very good at prioritizing his time, his communication skills are awesome and his professionalism is immaculate.”
“He’s honestly one of the most admirable friends I’ve ever had,” she said. “He’s honest, sweet and a huge teddy bear. He is very dedicated to his field and giving back to the community. I admire how vocal he is about his priorities and time management.”
Pace recently graduated from FAMU with a degree in social work. She will start working on a master’s in the summer of next year.
Brytney Fleming, a fourth-year accounting student from Pensacola, marvels at how well Lathan is organized.
“Cedric is extremely organized and can multitask better than anyone I’ve ever known,” Fleming said. “This past semester, Cedric held the title of professional development chair in our organization, Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity, Inc.”
“While in this position, he was able to organize and conduct a case study for our organization, Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity, Inc. while also conducting a variety of events for other campus affiliated organizations he is a part of.”
If you have a tendency to procrastinate, Lathan suggests avoiding it at all costs if you’re also balancing school and full-time work.