Staying organized is difficult during a regular school year. Between virtual clubs, Zoom classes and keeping up with friends, it is crucial to have a plan of attack for making the most of your days. Here are four ways to make sure you never miss an assignment again and hold yourself accountable.
1. Color Coding
I am a very visual person. Every school year, I create a color code for my classes and match the materials I use for my classes to their specific color. For example, in my bullet journal/planner I will write any assignments for my public relations class in pink pen and use a pink binder and folder for the class. I also color code mundane activities such as personal time, appointments and clubs. I use the color code in my bullet journal/planner, calendar apps and spreadsheets. By doing this, I know what I need to do at a glance. An article by All About Planners explains how to effectively color code whether you are a business owner or a student.
2. WeekCal/Google Calendar
Calendar apps not only help keep track of events, but also serve as reminders. Google Calendar allows you to sync events to your email, IOS calendar or calendar app of choice, as well as color code events, load public calendars and share events with others. I love to use Google Calendar with the app WeekCal to keep track of everywhere I need to be and access the calendars from my laptop and phone. Don’t forget to use the same color code you designed for your planner on these platforms.
3. Master Assignment Spreadsheet
Between homework, asynchronous lectures and live Zoom meetings, it has been easy for me to feel overwhelmed with school work. To combat this, I created a spreadsheet on Google Sheets that lists all the assignments, quizzes and exams I have to complete for the semester. I did this by making a column for due dates, class, work and assignments. Then I went through the syllabus for each of my classes and filled in the rows. After this, I used my color code to highlight each class’s work. After doing this for every class, I ordered the sheet by date by highlighting all of the filled out columns and rows, clicking “data” in the toolbar and then selecting “sort sheet by column A, A→ Z.” After this, I printed out a copy and will check off assignments as I complete them. Organized Charm has a detailed article on ways you can create a master spreadsheet.
4. Bullet Journal/ Planner
I have used a planner since high school to keep track of homework and assignments. Today I use my bullet journal for those purposes – it is 10X better because it is customized to me! The only difference between a bullet journal and a traditional planner is that you create your bullet journal to be whatever you want in a way that works for you. For one week, I typically have an assignments list, to-do list, and sections for each day of the week to write out what I want to get done on that day. Either of these are great options to get on top of your work.
I hope that these methods not only help you stay organized but let your fears of forgetting an assignment dissipate. You got this!