Happy second week of classes, and congratulations — you made it through Silly (Syllabus) Week! Whether you’re a freshman or an experienced upperclassman, the first few weeks of classes can bring a lot of anxiety. For me, Silly Week never fails to bring about tons of anxieties over what to wear, where to sit, and how to find my classes in the most intimidating buildings (looking at you, Ross Hall).
Chief among my first-week anxieties is the feeling that I’m missing — or going to miss — an assignment. Silly Week is supposed to be the easiest of the semester, but I get easily overwhelmed thinking about what’s in store and which assignments I can or can’t do. Maybe I shouldn’t plan my semester when it’s only just started… but I’m nothing if not an overthinker.
And, though I try again every year, my ADHD brain can’t commit to physical planners; I’ll map out my week on Monday and forget the planner is in my backpack by Wednesday. Google Calendars are a popular and effective digital alternative, but I’ve found that looking at a full day of beautifully color-coded events can make me feel sick.
So how did I (somewhat) manage this anxiety? I plan out my entire semester using an assignment tracker.
Organizing My Semester with a Digital Planner
During the first or second week of classes (usually the first Tuesday, when I’ve been to each class once), I sit down at my desk, pull up the syllabi for all of my classes, and input all the relevant information into my digital semester planner. This includes inputting every single assignment from the class calendar. Seriously, every single one. Here’s how I do it.
- Choose Your Medium
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My favorite software for planning my semester is Notion, but you can craft your assignment tracker just as well with Google Sheets or Excel. Any kind of digital table will do, and something you can pin to your bookmarks is best.
I’ve used this Notion template since freshman year, which includes an assignment tracker, weekly checklist, and five class pages that I customize for my class schedule each semester.
- Pull Up Your Syllabi
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Find your class on Canvas and go to the Syllabus section, or for those with less digitally advanced professors, take out your printed copy of the syllabus. I like to split-screen my device with the syllabi on one side and my chosen tracker on the other.
- Assign Colors to Your Classes
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I’ve had 5 classes each semester at UNC, and I color-code every class using red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. (Most highlighter packs include these five colors.) I code my classes based largely on vibes (math is red, science is green, etc.) — but your vibes are probably different from mine, so you can choose your colors however you like.
- Input All of Your Assignments for the Semester
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This is the big one. And when I say all of your assignments, I mean it. Most professors are kind enough to include calendars in the syllabus with all of their assignments and their due dates. In your table or Notion database, list each assignment, its due date, and the class it belongs to in its own row. If you’re using Sheets or Excel, I suggest filling each “Assignment Name” cell with the color you assigned to the class and including a column for the class name. This way, you can see what class the assignment belongs to at a glance, and also filter your table by class if you ever want to focus on one subject during study hour.
This process might seem daunting, and truth be told, it usually takes me a while. But having my assignments listed out for the entire semester has paid off enormously. I don’t have to question if I’m missing an assignment, and I can easily add or remove assignments when I have a professor who, for some reason, really hates planning for the week ahead.
- Optional: Add a Weekly Checklist
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I keep a checklist at the top of my page and input assignments that are due in the current week only, so I can see both this week’s assignments and the larger table whenever I want. I mostly do this because it gives me peace of mind for the weekend, but it’s also nice to get to check off two boxes when I complete an assignment.
- Optional: Take Note of Important Information
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If you’re using Notion or similar software, consider using the individual class pages to jot down class policies that you’ll refer back to. For me, this is always the attendance policy, the late work policy, and a checklist of the required textbooks and what date I need to have them by.
Hint: A lot of textbooks are available for free online through databases that our UNC emails give us access to. Always check digital libraries, as well as cheaper resale sites like ThriftBooks, before paying full price. (But if your professor requires a textbook that needs an access code… I’m sorry!)
Getting everything written down at the start of the semester is my favorite way to keep me on track, and since I started using a template, it only takes me an hour or so. It won’t work for everyone, but if thinking ahead is as overwhelming for you as it is for me, I suggest giving it a try. Nothing is as satisfying as Canvas confetti, but in my experience, getting to check off the last box during finals week feels equally rewarding.