Online school has presented many challenges to high schoolers and college students alike, with some students loving the freedom to work at their own pace, and some craving the return to a traditional classroom setting and guided work. I know people in both of these categories and consider myself to be somewhere in the middle- I would love to be back in the classroom but, I have figured out some methods of staying organized during online asynchronous schooling and figured I would share!
- Organize assignments using excel
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At the beginning of every semester, I go through my syllabi and put every assignment and due date into an excel sheet, color code the assignments by class and type of assignment, and sort it by date. By doing this, I have a master list of every assignment I will need to do over the semester and it is a lot harder to forget about assignments.
- Sticky notes are your best friend!
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Sticky notes are my favorite organizational tool! Every Sunday, try laying out your week with a sticky note for each day, with a mini list of the classes that would normally be in person that day. Try to stick to a schedule and work on each class on the day it would have been in person, watching the lectures and doing the assignments for that class each day. I look forward to crossing off the tasks each day as I complete them and recycling the sticky notes at the end of the week!
- Start a bullet journal
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Although a bullet journal seems like an impossible task to many perfectionists, the beauty of a bullet journal is that it does not have to be perfect! It just has to work for you. For so long bullet journals terrified me because I felt like my pages and layouts had to be perfect, but when I realized that I am not starting a bullet journal inspo Instagram account or Pinterest board, my bullet journal actually became a useful tool that I could adjust to my life, unlike a store-bought planner. I mostly use mine to keep track of appointments and zoom times and use the sticky notes for assignments.
- Keep all your notes in one place
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Many people prefer to use a separate notebook for each class but, sometimes, it can be confusing to keep track of all those different notebook. Try getting a single binder with some dividers and keep all your notes for each class in the same binder, so they are all in the same place! You may find that it is easier to find the specific note that you are looking for when they are all combined in the same binder.
- Take care of yourself!
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Taking care of your psychical and mental health is more important than any assignment. So, I have found I do much better in my classes and schoolwork if I put my health first. Establish an effective sleep schedule, eat healthily and plan meals, get enough water and exercise and take breaks from schoolwork whenever needed.
Online school can seem overwhelming and impossible to stay organized during, but once you find an organization routine that works for you, it will all fall into place! Try a few of these and tweak them to work for your own life, and always remember to take time for yourself!