Whether you are a senior ready for your last year of college to end or a freshman anxiously waiting for your next 4 years to begin, I am sure we can all learn a thing or two about organization. Staying organized will not only help you remember to study for that hard calculus final, but it will help you make more time throughout the day and not feel like you are drowning in things to do. Here are 4 tips that I have learned through my college years to help stay organized.
1. Get a planner
Believe me, you may think that when your teacher announces that homework is due on Monday you will remember, but you won’t. The second you walk out of that classroom and your friends ask if you want to hit the beach, you will forget all about it and end up scrambling to complete it Monday morning. Easiest solution? Write it down in your planner! My favorites are Blue Sky Planners and Erin Condren. Don’t feel like coughing up that much cash for a planner though? Check in with your university and see if they offer free planners. *HINT* HPU offers FREE planners to all students every new school year!
2. Use colored pens and highlighters
If you are a visual learner and need to see everything written out, the easiest way is to color code your planner between homework assignments, tests, and other due dates. Once you have completed it, use a highlighter to cross it out as an indication that it’s done. Seeing your entire week crossed out is a pretty rewarding feeling, especially if you get to cross out a paper that you finished a week before the due date.
3. Stickers and post-it notes
If you are feeling extra cute and bougie, get stickers to help remind you of important dates. Coffee date with your BFF? Add a coffee sticker on that day. Birthday party? Place a balloon sticker. Amazon has a ton of cute stickers for a reasonable price!
Post-it notes are great because they are removable and easy to throw out. I typically use post-it notes to jot down a to-do list or if I need to buy groceries. They are also useful if you run out of space on a day. Just continue adding to your list on a post-it!
4. Google Calendar
This app/website is a game changer. Carrying a planner can get tedious at times, especially if you use a large one. Sync your planner with Google Calendar and you now have your planner right on all your mobile devices! I typically color code all my classes and internships so that I can quickly glance at it and know what my day will consist of. There is also a “task” list on the desktop version which is perfect if you want to create a virtual to-do list.
There are so many fun and cute ways to decorate a planner and it is up to you to figure out what works best. But most importantly, have fun planning!