College life is crazy. As I’m about to start my third week of classes, I’ve been quickly reminded of how important it is to stay organized if I want to keep my life together. I’ve always been an organization freak, and over the years I’ve compiled some pretty useful tips.
1. Planners: They Can Be Your Best Friend
I’m in a relationship with my planner. It goes literally everywhere with me. I’ve tried a few different ones, but my all time favorite is still my Lilly Pulitzer. My advice is to color coordinate your planner. Pick different colors for each class you have, every club you’re in, and any job you may have, and use that color in your planner to denote assignments, due dates, events, etc. It will make life so much easier – and make your planner that much prettier.
2. Make To-Do Lists
I know this seems like a pretty simple one, but I’m telling you making a daily to-do list (and actually having it visible) will help you stay much more organized. Use it to prioritize what might be in your planner, and use it to jot down those extra things that you don’t want to forget. Plus, is there any better feeling than crossing something off your to-do list? I don’t think so.
3. Utilize Google Calendar
If your schedule tends to get crazy like mine, sometimes a simple to-do list won’t cut it. That’s why I like Google Calendar. It shows me my whole weekly schedule at a glance and lets me plan for when I have free time to do homework or hang out with friends. Again, it’s color coordinated and is a lifesaver when it comes to planning ahead.
4. Read Your Email!!!
Chances are, as a college student, you get dozens of emails a week, if not a day. DON’T IGNORE THEM. I’m one of those people who almost never has an unread email in her inbox. But if emails drive you crazy, my advice is to just set aside a few extra minutes a day to sift through them and see what’s important and what isn’t. If it helps, create folders within your email to help you keep them all straight. I have a different folder for every club I’m involved in, so every time they send me an email I store it in that folder. And if you’re really crazy like me, you can color coordinate those folders to match your Google calendar and planner (anyone seeing a trend here?).
Staying organized in college is definitely a tricky task. But the key is to always plan ahead and be prepared. Write down when assignments are due a few weeks in advance, take an extra ten minutes a day to make sure you aren’t missing any homework, and manage your time well.