New notebooks, new shoes, new hair, new bag…do you see a trend here? That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, the new spring semester has dawned upon us! For some people, this new semester may influence a colossal wave of anxiety to overcome their entire being. For others, this new semester may become a pivotal moment of their student existence. It is as if these people have been granted another opportunity to prove to themselves that they can obtain that high GPA while at the same time staying extremely organized.
Staying organized is a process. I get it. Many of us own planners and know of their usefulness. It can help you prioritize the major events going on in your life for sure. However, if you are used to procrastinating and putting aside work until tomorrow because you know The Bachelor is on and you think you deserve a break every Monday, then planners may not be your ideal source of organization. #Ladies?
Regardless of whether or not you decide to write a to-do list, the whole act of organizing your life starts with your conscious choice. This means you are probably going to have to persuade yourself in some way to set aside the things that are distracting you. However, before you go chasing waterfalls and attempting to reformat your life schedule, it is best you start with small steps. Perhaps, break down your daily responsibilities and try to analyze how you are using your time to see if you are actually spending a considerable amount of time doing work. For instance, we all have a tendency to get distracted with Instagram or Tinder swiping at times we have to do that one super long reading. My best piece of advice would be to turn that phone off for an hour and see how much seriously focused work you can get done in that time frame. If you are good, push the time to two or three hours.
Organization is a skill indeed. It comes naturally to some, but not to all. Sometimes I wish I could have a cute minimalist layout in my dorm where there are art pieces and flowers everywhere, you know, like that cute perfectly organized room you see on Pinterest? While our college dorms may not be the biggest, there are ways you can keep these small spaces organized, too. I suggest finding as many bins or boxes that you can either put on a bed or in the corner. Maximizing your space will afford you the chance to declutter your space and cultivate a sense of hominess. Therefore, when you return back to your dorm after a long day, you can come to a place that is clean and can help you stay focused instead of distracting you with a mess.
An interesting, yet simple strategy to staying organized is putting yourself together. By this, I mean that on days you pick out an outfit that is not a sweatshirt and leggings and put a little lipstick on and brush your hair, you may find that you actually become motivated to get important life tasks in order. Moral of the story: get up, dress up and never give up. Write down those goals or take the time to envision them clearly in your mind. You have the power within you to achieve whatever you want to do. Organization is a strategy to help reach those goals for yourself, and it is possible. It just takes a little shift in your priorities to make that change apparent!