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5 Ways to Stay Organized This Semester

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Nicole Jacobs Student Contributor, University of Illinois - Chicago
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Claudia Martinez Student Contributor, University of Illinois - Chicago
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UIC chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Now that we are entering the 5th week of the spring semester, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed with how demanding your classes are. You might not of had the best fall semester, but it’s not too late to change things up! If one of your goals this year is to be the best student you can be, here are a couple of tips that can help you get back on track! 

Invest in a planner

I’m sure many of us collegiettes like to set reminders on our Iphones or jot down deadlines on a scrap sheet of paper we have in our purses. The important thing is to do what works best for you. For myself personally, my planner is my life. I purchase a new planner for each academic year at Target for a relatively inexpensive price. Utilizing a planner is just a better way to organize important deadlines, work schedules, organization meetings, and more. Everything you need is intact in one place and it makes your life so much easier! Don’t think using a planner has to be boring. I like to decorate mine with cute paper clips, stationary paper with floral designs, and a lot of bright, neon highlighting colors.

Time management

This is probably the hardest thing for busy college students to do. Scrambling from classes on campus to commuting to work and rushing back to campus for organization meetings can be pretty hectic. One thing that we have to remember to do is prioritize. To reduce stress and prevent putting your health at risk, don’t juggle your time doing something that can be taken care of tomorrow. Plan out what is most important on that particular day ahead of time. There are only so many hours in a day, so make sure what you do spend your time on is productive. Try not to procrastinate during the week, that way you can have some leisure time during the weekend.

Keep certain items in your school bag

A key to staying organized is to plan ahead and have the things you need set up beforehand. Always make sure you are prepared for class. Have separate notebooks or folders for all your classes and have enough pens or pencils with you at all times (you never know if a campus cutie may need a spare).

Be a teacher’s pet

Well not exactly a teacher’s pet, but be sure to establish and build a relationship with some of your professors. Visit their office hours for class related material or just to spark up a conversation about your career goals. You never know who they may have connections with! This makes it easier for professors to remember you, especially because they typically have hundreds of students.

Take care of yourself

As collegiettes, we may sometimes forget to make sure to put ourselves first. It’s already enough that we try to find a balance between classes, work, and our social lives. Always remember to have a balanced diet, drink enough water, and get enough sleep. Listen to your body. You know yourself best and when something is not right, it is only you who can tell and can to do something about it. Make sure you have enough physical and mental energy to get through each day. 

Nicole is a proud city girl born and raised in beautiful Chicago. She is currently a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago as a Business Marketing major and a part of the Women's Line Up Team at Nike Chicago. She loves everything to do with fitness & health, music, urban life, and sports! In her spare time she loves to run, ride her fixie along the lakefront, do yoga, and volunteer! She is a die hard Chicago Bulls fan with a huge sweet tooth. Nicole's dream is to have a career in marketing with a focus in brand management or advertisement and sales promotion.
Claudia was born in Mexico and moved to Chicago at the age of 8. She is currently attending the University of Illinois at Chicago as a Marketing major. She is really excited to be a part of the HerCampus team and is ready to make HC grow at UIC. She can’t go a day without exercising and especially enjoys Zumba! She loves fashion and reads blogs every day, that’s where she gets her inspiration when she dresses, and hopes to one day have her own! Claudia is currently a representative for AKIRA Chicago, for discount codes contact her at (cmarti74@uic.edu). She strives to be a better person every day, and is really thankful for everything she has. One of Claudia’s favorite quotes is “Enjoy all that you have while you pursue everything that you want”.