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How to Stay Organized in College

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.

You might be a naturally organized person. You might not. Here’s to the people who don’t know what’s due a week from now (or even tomorrow). Here’s to you, beautifully unorganized college students. I envy your carefree and day-to-day attitude. You’re the yin to my yang, but I’m here to help you move on over to my “yang” side with these helpful tips. Sometimes, being unorganized can really kick you in the butt, so read on.

 

Buy an agenda

No. Seriously. Like the one you your parents had that you swore when you were a kid that you would never get. It’s time to get one. This is basically your new lifeline. Like a game show. This is critical to your survival. Is there a hurricane headed your way? Save the agenda.

 

Write things down

Do not mentally tell yourself that you’ll go back and write that important information down somewhere later. Do it now. Don’t be a potato. You’ll thank yourself later when no surprise plans pop up. You’ll already know of everything weeks in advance.

 

Make a system

You might be the type to go with the flow, but where school is concerned, be sure to make a system. Know how much time you typically take to do your homework. Set this time as a date for you and your homework to get it on at 7 P.M. every night. This way, you’re free the rest of the night and can actually get some rest. No, your dog is not going to eat it so you have an excuse to avoid your newly made schedule.

 

Buy organizers

Buy a portfolio to keep important documents in. Buy a five subject notebook where you can store all of your notes for each of your classes in one location. Buy a pencil bag to put scissors, white out, pens, and pencils in. You’ll want to buy these things to cut out the hassle of spending minutes searching for them. Just spend the $5. 

 

Ask for help

Above all else, know when to ask for help. Make sure that you don’t let being unorganized overwhelm you. Even when you feel that you are organized, don’t go overboard being a control freak and not having fun once in a while. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to ask friends when you’re getting together again or the professor when the assignment is due. You’re only human.

"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." – Ernest Hemingway Carina received her B.A. in English from Texas A&M University in May 2019. She was employed on campus at the University Writing Center as a Writing Consultant and in the Department of English as a Digital Media Assistant. She was the Editor-in-Chief for the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and was also the President of TAMU’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honor Society. She previously interned with the Her Campus National Team as a Chapter Advisor and with KVIA ABC-7 News as a News Correspondent Assistant.