Back to school season is officially in swing and you are most likely conducting your classes from the comfort of your home due to Covid-19. You are probably wondering… “How in the heck am I going to stay on top of my work from home!”
Fear not! After completing a half-semester of online classes this past year, I have developed a few habits that have helped me to stay organized and on top of my assignments.
Without further due, let’s hop right into my top five organizational tips that will help you have a more efficient online class experience.
Tip #1: “Planners are a student’s best friend”
Investing in a planner has to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Planners are a great way for you to stay organized and up-to-date on your assignments. The really cool thing about planners is the customization process you can implement with your own planner.
Things such as:
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Color coding
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Using Washi-tape to document important school events (club/organization activities, virtual seminars/conferences)
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Using different symbols/characters to indicate certain tasks
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Documenting important due dates and deadlines
Having a planner allows you to map out what your weekly or monthly tasks are. One thing that I do is at the beginning of the semester I go through each class syllabus and input upcoming assignments, tests, and quizzes into my planner. In order to differentiate between my classes, each course is assigned a specific color. Planners can range in price depending on how detailed you want them to be. They typically range between $6.00 – $20.00 depending on the brand.
Recommend Places to Find a Planner: Amazon, Ross, Burlington, Marshalls, and Target
Tip #2: Using your Phone as your Personal Planner
Technology has definitely been involved over the years and with iPhones and Androids constantly improving their apps. There are a ton of organizational tools that can help you stay on track for school. Having organizational apps on your phone is a great way to stay up-to-date on your required assignments, deadlines, and tasks. 99 percent of the time you are on your mobile device, so this is an easy way for you to always keep track of what needs to be done with the click of a button.
Recommended Apps: Google Calendar, Asana, Trello
Tip #3: Maintain a Balance Between School and Self-care
It is so easy to overwhelm yourself with assignments, quizzes, and classwork. Now, that you are learning virtually everything has definitely become a challenge. Even though school is your primary focus- so is your health.
Taking breaks in between your class assignments and workloads is essential to staying successful in your classes. Set aside time to watch your favorite television show, eat a snack, or simply read a book. Setting aside time to breathe and relax will help to reduce your stress and create a better head space for retaining information.
Tip #4: Do Not Procrastinate
This tip is definitely easier said than done, but it is extremely important. Many times we add stress to our daily lives simply because we are procrastinating in getting things accomplished. This goes hand and hand with planning. If you know your assignments for the week or month, plan them out ahead of time so you have a lead way to make changes. Never wait until the last minute to study or do work- this isn’t a good habit to have early on and if you are setting that tone now it will be hard to break in the future.
Tip #5: Connect with your Professor
We all know that online learning is a new platform and everyone is still trying to learn and adjust. Your professors want to hear from you and establish a relationship with you. Especially, because you are learning online it is important that you reach out and set up a time to speak with them. Taking the time to send an email and ask to speak with your professor will help you to express your concerns for the course early on in the semester. This is a great way to communicate with your major professors as well since they will be the main people to work with you throughout the tenure of your college experience.
It’s okay to feel a bit nervous about this new virtual way of learning- believe me it is completely normal. Hopefully, these 5 tips will help you ease some stress and rock your upcoming semester!
Here is a quote that will help jumpstart your upcoming semester:
“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.”
– George Sheehan
Good luck and Stay Focussed Babe!