Goodbye syllabus week and hello fall semester. As we make our way into the heart of the semester, most of us have already passed our over-organizing, matching and planning of any and all school supplies and have now joined the real world of searching for a pen at the last minute. Rather than suffering through your disorganization, start early and use organizing techniques that work and last.
Combine your syllabi:
We all know how easy the first few days of classes were. You sat there, the professor talked about all the work you’re going to do later in the semester and you doodled your name on the first page of your notebook. Then you went home and put the syllabus on your desk so you could “look at it later.” Whoops. Take the time to go get those papers off your desk and write down all the dates in your planner or on your calendar. Have them all in one place, so when you start your week you can see that huge test four days before instead of four hours. You will thank yourself come November.
Pick a day to reorganize:
Sunday? Tuesday? Whatever day of the week you choose, stick to it. Use the day to reorganize, refresh and rethink your schedule, your schoolwork, your messy room, or whatever it is that needs attention. The focus for the day will allow you to be more productive all week. Make sure your school books are where you can find them and your laundry is folded and put away before bed – do the things you say you’ll do later instead of never getting around to it. Someone once said, “There are seven days in the week, but someday is not one of them.”