Starting the new academic year can be exciting, overwhelming, nerve-racking, and a whole roller coaster of emotions, especially since this is a new chapter of your life. For those who are first-year students, these feelings are completely valid. This is why it is imperative to stay on track, have good time management, and be organized sooner rather than later. I believe we’ve all had our ups and downs when it comes to figuring out what works for helping us stay organized and what doesn’t, so here I am to help.
First, I want you to think about your expectations for yourself: “What is expected of me to achieve my goals?” “Have I applied the correct discipline in the past to stay on top of my work?” “Am I prone to waiting until the last minute to take care of my business?” Once you ask yourself these questions, I want you to think about whether you identify as organized or if you still have room to improve. It’s okay to not have it all figured out; the earlier you do figure out what works best, the better it will serve you in the long run. For me personally, once I figured out what worked best for me, I not only excelled academically, but I felt everything outside of my academic life became easier to manage, and I didn’t have to worry as much about maintaining a good work-life balance.
Just like everyone learns differently, staying organized might look different for you than for the next person. If you’re the type of person who is on their phone often, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or even apps like Structured or TimeTree might be best for you, as you can organize events by category and even color-code them. I think this might be the most convenient method for most of us since we’re on the go a lot, and it makes it easier to see the notification pop up on your phone. These apps make it super easy and convenient to set up and organize in a way that works best for your schedule.
While we’re on the topic of phones, I cannot stress this enough: when you are studying, make sure to create a separate DND (Do Not Disturb) for strictly learning. Turn all unnecessary notifications off, leaving just the important ones on to limit distractions. On the other hand, if you prefer a physical reminder of your assignments and upcoming deadlines, a physical planner or whiteboard might work best for you, or even a combination of both. On my physical planner, I color-coordinate each class assignment with a different color pen and use stickers for important deadlines. It’s also important that you find a cute planner, something that makes it easier for you to look at and be excited to pick up and write in. It’s also rewarding when you finish something and get to cross it off.
Now, I want you to remember that question I had you ask yourself earlier. Let’s refer back to it: “Am I prone to waiting until the last minute to take care of my business?” To be successful, it takes more than just a desire; to get the outcome you want, you need to act upon it. All professors will have a syllabus either posted or passed out during the first week of class. Don’t ignore it or throw it away; instead, go through it, find all important dates, and put them in your planner apps we discussed earlier, or write them down in a physical planner. By doing it this way, you’re not only setting yourself up for success and taking action to achieve it, but you’re also teaching yourself how to be disciplined.
Last but surely not least, I want you to challenge yourselves this semester by creating a routine and sticking with it. If you’re not a routine-based person, this might be hard for you, but I promise it will make your life so much easier. Play around with different routines and find which best suits you and your needs so that you’re optimizing your time as much as possible.
Remember those feelings I talked about earlier, they’re all valid. This is a completely new experience for most of you; it’s a lot to process, so take your time and feel those feelings. On the flip side, I want you to remember why you’re here: your purpose, your drive, and your faith. That’s why it’s so important to set yourself up for success as best you can. You’ve proven you deserve to be here, so show everyone why your spot is stamped and be the best version of yourself by utilizing the tools above.
