We all have a love/hate relationship with the infamous quarter system. Classes are merely 10 weeks long, so on one hand, if you don’t like a certain class you can be sure it’ll be over soon. This, however, also presents a problem, as students are expected to learn a semester’s worth of information over the course of only a few months.
It is possible to come out on top at the end of the quarter – it just requires conscious organization and a semi-strict schedule. I still have a long way to go when it comes to maintaining a balanced schedule, but here are a few tips that have worked for me.
Start a Google Calendar
Google Calendar has changed my entire world. My once chaotic life has been transformed into an organized – albeit still a bit chaotic – series of time blocks. Being able to view and edit my schedule anywhere at anytime has kept me accountable for keeping an up-to-date schedule. Color coding is also useful, especially to help visually break up non-related events. One of my favorite features is the notification option; I usually set mine to remind me 30 minutes before I am expected to be somewhere, but you can completely customize it to whatever works for you. And it’s freeee!
Keep a Separate Planner for Homework/Tasks
My nostalgic, still-stuck-in-2008 past has me searching for a new planner every year. A great way to keep track of whether or not a certain class has homework is to write down the names of each of your classes every day. Even when a class does not have homework, you can just write “none” or a variation of your choice. I like putting little boxes next to each class and writing a check mark every time I finish an assignment. I also write approximately how long I expect an assignment to take, so I have a rough estimate of my day.
Keep Track of Deadlines
As the quarter continues, everything will start to blend together. Every week becomes midterm week. But which midterm is when? The day I get my syllabus, I like to input all important dates into my Google Calendar. These dates can range from quizzes to papers to midterms. I usually create the event, set it for “All Day” so it is clearly visible, and color it bright red.
READ
Doing assigned reading or problems the first week of the quarter is crucial. If you don’t, and just tell yourself “Oh it’s fine, I’ll just catch up later,” you’ve already lost. There is no “later.” Later just brings along even more reading. You’ll be behind, you’ll be stressed, and you’ll start to skimp on everything. This time is usually when you’ll turn to reading summaries on SparkNotes or GradeSaver.
Reward Yourself
School is extremely stressful, especially when everything is so fast-paced. Personally, I cannot mentally handle nonstop work and concentration. Time allowing, I like to reward myself when finishing an assignment – usually in the form of a YouTube video or an episode of the show I’m currently binging on Netflix. This helps to break up your work and keep your brain from completely burning out.
Get a Buddy
The best way to keep yourself accountable is to put your life in the hands of someone else. Even if you and your friend are in completely different classes, you can still work side by side and help keep each other from slacking off. Plus, you won’t be on your phone, because the person you usually text will be sitting right next to you ;).
Find a strategy that works for you and stick to it! Repetition breeds habit, and these are definitely some habits that you’ll want to add to your repertoire. Good luck!