As a college student, I find that the key to putting my best foot forward in all aspects of my college experience is by being organized. Let’s be real here- it’s not a piece of cake to juggle going to class, being on top of assignments, sectioning off enough time to study for exams, blowing off steam with friends, and keeping yourself in shape by working out at Ferris. On top of that, many Trinity students have the added pressure of making time for athletic teams and staying on top of practices and games/meets. Here are a few simple ways to keep yourself organized and on the top of your game:
1. I cannot stress how important a planner is when it comes to being organized. If you don’t want to dole out cash for a planner, Trinity has free ones that you can typically find in the front of Mather. The nice thing about the Trinity ones is that they already have important dates etched in such as Trinity Days and our spring break (only a few more weeks!). However, I would recommend investing in a planner that’s a bit bigger so that you have more space to write your to-do lists. What I like to do in my planner is write down all of my assignments in the slots of the corresponding due dates as soon as I receive a syllabus at the beginning of the semester. I highlight regular homework assignments in blue and important assignments that’ll take more time such as papers, quizzes, and exams in pink. That way, I can immediately tell what kind of assignment I’m looking at by glancing at the color it’s highlighted in. In addition to jotting down the times of commitments such as class, I’ll also write down reminders of things that I need to get done on a specific day. As the day goes by, I’ll periodically open my planner and check off the tasks I’ve completed. I also make sure to write in time slots reserved for studying or going to the gym. Having a planner allows me to be on top of everything so that I’m never late and never miss anything important!
2. It’s also very important to have organized school supplies. There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to find an important assignment and having no idea where you put it. Since Trinity kids typically take 4 or 5 classes a semester, five-subject notebooks are a great option. I don’t like to pay the high prices as the book store, so I’ll usually look for a good deal at Walmart. If you’re looking for nice, cheap school supplies, Walmart is a great option. Five-subject notebooks are great because you can use each section for note-taking for each of your classes. I don’t like using the folders that are sometimes built into the notebook, so I’d purchase one folder for each class that you’re taking. This way your notes will be together in the notebook and class handouts will be together in the folder. It’s a good idea to get all different color folders. This way you can assign a certain color to a specific class and easily be able to distinguish between them.
3. One last way to be on top of your game is by keeping an organized dorm space. Not only is this great for staying on top of everything, it also helps you keep a clear head. I find that there’s nothing worse than coming home to an extremely messy room after a long and busy day. A few ways to make sure your dorm room doesn’t get too cluttered is by putting all your clothes in the hamper, doing laundry regularly (I’d say at least once per week), and investing in bins to organize clothes and other items that don’t fit in your drawers or closet space. By taking a few minutes each day to pick up your room, you’ll feel more relaxed at the end of each day and ready to conquer the world each morning.