It’s a brand new decade, a brand new year and a brand new semester! If you know me, then you know that I’m obsessed with my planner and get way too excited about getting a new one at the start of every year. I think that using a planner is absolutely essential to keep yourself organized as a college student. However, I often see many of my friends struggling to keep themselves in the habit of utilizing their planners. Here are a few tips for making the most of your planner this semester!
1. Color-code
I find that assigning each of my activities and classes makes it much easier to look at and see what needs to be done for what class. If you want to go even farther, color-coordinate your pens to your notebook colors! Plus. multi-colored pens are always a good thing to have around.
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2. Plan it out ahead of time
I tend to fill out my planner one or two weeks in advance (never any farther since professors have a tendency to change due dates on the fly). I pick out one day during the week when I’m not ~too~ busy and sit down to plan. This is far less stressful than filling out assignments day by day and gives you more time to be creative.
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3. Cross it off
I recently changed up my planning style a bit and instead of just crossing out each item as I complete it, I use different colored highlighters to indicate different things. I have four colors, one for completed assignments, one for assignments I have started but not completed, one for assignments I have not started and one for due dates. Whatever way you decide to use, there is nothing more satisfying than checking something off of your to do list.
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4. Decorate, decorate, decorate!
Who wants to stare at a book that’s just white pages with black pen? Not me. When I’m planning, I decorate each weekly spread with cute stickers and washi tape to make it more aesthetically pleasing to look at. You can find sticker books at the Dollar Store for just a few dollars and make a huge difference in how your planner looks and feels
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5. Don’t stress
It’s not the end of the world if you miss a few days of planning! Experiment and find what works best for you and your life.
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Good luck this semester, collegiettes!