Do Have a Planner
Your best friend in college will be your planner. Using a planner will help you keep your academic, work, and social calendars in sync. My personal favorite is the Google Calendar because you can separate your classes and other commitments into different calendars that you can view altogether or separately, and you can also access your colleagues’ or classmates’ calendars upon request.
Bullet journals are also very useful; a bullet journal is literally an empty notebook in which you design your own calendar, to-do lists, and anything else you want. For the artistically gifted students out there, a bullet journal could be an excellent way to stay organized while channelling your creativity.
Any planner you buy at a store can also be perfect for your needs, but since college students tend to have a ridiculous amount of work and commitments, using a calendar that can conform to your exact needs is ideal.
Don’t Assume You Will “Just Remember” Your Homework
Now, once you have a planner, make sure you use it! Just remembering doesn’t work when you have five classes, are in three clubs, and have to fit in three meals a day.
Do Manage Your Time
The first piece of advice any former college student will give you is to learn how to manage your time. Time management is key to being both successful and happy in college.
Managing your time doesn’t mean scheduling every single minute of every single day. It means knowing when you need to move on to another task or take a break, and doing so in a way that allows you to get everything done while making time for other things.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun
Of course you are going to college to learn skills that will get you through life, and one of those skills is recognizing when you need a break. If you have been doing homework in the library for 5 hours on a Friday, let yourself go out with friends. If you are working ahead, but your friends want to watch a movie, watch a movie. Don’t let yourself reach a point where you realize you are giving your grades higher priority than your happiness.