While it seems like the work piles up faster than you can get out of your three hour night class and could slowly drown you, it’s not difficult to get your life back on track. There are simple tools you can use and plans you can make to keep the work from overwhelming you. If you’re feeling stuck during this semester and feel like you are dragging until the light at the end of the tunnel that is summer break, you aren’t the only one. It isn’t too late!
Planners
What you’ll need:
-Your favorite pen -Colored pens -Highlighters -A cute planner
A planner (or the infamous bullet journal) can become your best friend when it comes to getting organized. To get started, try to find all of those syllabus packets for your classes and check to see if your professors have listed the due dates for the entire semester. Take your colored pens and choose a color to coordinate with each class and write down all of the due dates throughout the planner! This can also correspond with any of your club activities– write those in a regular pen but coordinate your highlighters with your club plans as well. Come up with a system as to how you’re going to write these things down like “activity, time, location” or “activity @ time/location”, whichever works for you. By picking out a cute planner with a fun pattern on the cover, bring it to class with you and keep track of what is going on in your life. Also, remember: checklists can be a life saver!
Keep up with your email
What you’ll need: -Phone -Laptop
At any college, a student’s email is the best source of communication. Snow day? Email. Club meeting? Email. Class cancelled? Email. If you aren’t on top of your email, you can get in trouble. Imagine waking up for your 8am and not checking your email, only to get to the classroom and find out you woke up early for nothing! Keep on track with your email by turning on the notifications on your phone for your school email (and/or other emails). By getting the emails on your phone, you’ll never miss any important emails or cool opportunities again!
Have a calendar handy
What you’ll need: -Calendar -Pens -Highlighters -Post-it notes
No, you don’t have to carry around the calendar with you (unless it’s built into your planner!). The perfect-sized calendar is one you can keep on your desk. Calendars that fit on your desk top don’t get in the way of your homework and aren’t obstrusive. Color-code the calendar just like your planner, except the calendar allows for a more visual schedule that shows you the busy weeks so you can prepare yourself for those work-heavy days. Plus, with being at your desk you can make important notes with post-it notes and stick ones you need to remember in places you’ll always see. You’ll be prepared in your room along with on campus with your emails and in class with your planner!