The typical life of a college student is one that is constantly busy and buzzing with excitement: a life filled with classes, meetings, club get-togethers, scheduled lunches with friends, etcetera etcetera. Although college keeps you up on your toes with an abundance of activities to try out and an endless list of to-do’s to check off, things can get pretty overwhelming at times if you aren’t in tune with personal management. Thus, organization is a major component in keeping up with the college lifestyle both inside and outside of classroom walls. To assure that you stay on top of your busy schedule and get the most out of your time at school, here is a list of fool-proof tips to successfully maintain organization.
Your Planner Is Your Best Friend!
If there is anything to take away from this article, it is this: your planner will become your absolute best friend throughout your college years and life beyond. It’s loyal, truthful, never fails to have your back (literally, it’s always in your backpack), and is always there for you when you need it in times of confusion and doubt. Not to mention – it is super cute and put together. All kidding aside though, your planner is the ultimate organizational tool where you can schedule in important dates, assignments, and meetings on a day-to-day and monthly basis. Even though most people have one, they never fully take advantage of it or they forget to write things down and check them off everyday. Some people tend to refer to a digital version of a planner, and if you’re one of those people where an online calendar works for you, go for it. However, I personally feel that it’s best to physically write things down and visually see the stuff that needs to be completed. There’s just something about feeling the pen in your hand and seeing ink on paper that really makes my tasks stick in my head. To get into the habit of consistently using your planner, I suggest that you look at it every morning before classes, writing down, and crossing off all of the things you have completed and have yet to accomplish.
Plan For the Week Ahead
Speaking of your planner, one of the best things that you can do for yourself is to sit down at the beginning of each week and write down all of the goals and tasks that need to be fulfilled over the upcoming days. I suggest that you find a time to do this that works best with your schedule. Personally, Sunday night when I am beginning to wind down and prepare for the week ahead is the perfect time to figure things out. By doing this, not only will you save yourself some time and hassle, you will become more productive and you’ll stay on top of your work!
Have a Color Coding System
*Calling all of my visual people* Color coding your important dates, classes, assignments etc. in your planner, class notes, and study guides is the KEY to staying organized! Tuning into my inner five year-old self, nothing makes me happier than buying a new box of colored pens and highlighters that have more colors than a Crayola ultimate crayon pack. I color code just about everything that can possibly be labeled – even going to the extreme of color coding my to-do lists (I may or may not have a problem). As you may see, I tend to be a little excessive when it comes to this, but I swear that corresponding colors to certain topics does wonders.
Setting Time Limits
If having a short attention span wasn’t enough, I have a horrible tendency to look at my phone every other few minutes or so when I’m sitting down and doing work. Once I hear that little “ding” notification, or see from the corner of my eye the quick light-up of my phone screen, there is almost no stopping me from grabbing it. I tell myself I’ll check just one snap chat and like only a few instagram pictures, but then the next thing I know a half an hour has gone by and I somehow find myself watching someone’s morning makeup routine vlog on YouTube (can someone explain this black magic of the internet!?).
To prevent yourself from falling into this extremely bad yet easily addictive habit, I suggest that you block off periods of time dedicated towards homework by setting yourself an alarm. I have started to set myself 30 minute time blocks by making an alarm on my phone, that way I can be productive for a straight half hour without any distractions. For those who need further reinforcement, I also suggest downloading any app which prevents you from going on certain social media platforms for a given period of time. By doing so, you can increase your productivity on the things that need to get done!
Check Your Email Habitually
One of the most important things that you can do for yourself is to fall into the habit of checking your email consistently throughout the day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard of people having panic attacks when they go to check their email after a few days of not looking at it, only to find that they’ve missed an important email, deadline, meeting or event which only leads to negative repercussions. To prevent a few gray hairs and any potential heart palpitations from occurring, get into the routine of checking your email both in the morning, afternoon, and at night.
Find a Good Study Environment
Whether it is an academic building, a cute cafe downtown, or a study lounge on campus, finding a study space that caters to your needs and promotes productivity is essential for a successful study and work routine. Based on personal experience, studying and working in my own room and in my bed is extremely distracting, since there is no one stopping me from lying in bed, playing music, or pulling up Netflix. I have learned that for me, the dorm should be a place to relax, unwind, and socialize with friends. After testing out different locations, I’ve discovered that my college’s business school study lounge is the best environment for me to work in: equipped with cozy chairs, conference rooms, large windows for natural lighting, and of course, a Starbucks just a few steps away. Once I started doing my homework there, I found that my productivity levels went skyrocketing, and I was able to get my work done twice as fast.
Create a Semester Spreadsheet
Creating a spreadsheet of important dates for the entire semester is extremely helpful when it comes to planning ahead and organizing your work and overall schedule. Although your planner provides the same organization, it is even more helpful to see everything that needs to be completed laid out all on one page in front of you. All you need to do is compile the most important assignments for each class and put them in order by date on excel. By doing so, you avoid having to flip through the endless pages of your syllabi, and eliminate the risk of missing any key due dates!
Have a Laundry Routine
This may sound like a no brainer, but laundry piles up fast when you’re at college. You tell yourself that you can go a few more days without having to do it. Then all of a sudden, you find yourself under a monstrous pile of dirty clothes, and you’re forced to wash your entire wardrobe at an ungodly hour on some random night when you could either be doing something productive or sleeping. To prevent yourself from looking like the next best thing closest to Santa Claus dragging your laundry bag down the dorm hall for all to witness, schedule a set time and date to do laundry. Most people opt for the weekend such as Sundays, but to prevent yourself from hitting large crowds and having your freshly washed clothes being taken out of a washer by the random guy down the corridor, find a time during the week that works best for you. Personally, I am free on Wednesdays after 12 p.m., so I tend to do my laundry after lunch at 1 p.m.
Violà! Here are the tips that I find the most useful in staying organized as a college student! Hopefully these helpful tricks-of-the-trade will aid you in your studies and help to both clean and clear up your schedule.