As the semester starts getting into full swing, students everywhere are starting to realize what it truly is to be a "full-time" college student. With readings, quizzes, exams, and social activities, it's easy to get mixed up and lose track of what you have do. So, as midterms approach, here are some quick, helpful tips on how to stay organized in college.
1. Get a planner.
Personally, I would die without my planner. I always have it on me, no matter where I go. I keep track of my assignments, work schedule, social plans, meetings. Pretty much everything I do is written in my planner. It's the number one way, I believe, to stay organized. Now you can go with a traditional, smaller planner, but I tend to go for the notebook sized ones with both weekly pages and monthly inserts (with working three jobs, being in a sorority, class work, and a social life, I need a lot of space).
2. Keep track of your syllabi.
Again, I personally prefer to have a folder that houses all my syllabi throughout the semester. This way, I can always have the one folder with me, instead of struggling to find them when I need them. It's a great way to keep track of what assignments are due, when quizzes/exams are, or even something as simple as readings. Now, while it's helpful to have it all in one place, it's also important to actually look at your syllabi, even if your professor tells you what you need for the next class. (You don't want to be that student stressing when your professor tells you that you have a quiz next class on a 390 page book you were supposed to be reading the past few weeks.)
3. Create a semester spreadsheet.
This is something I personally SWEAR by. Essentially you gather all of your syllabi, and compile all the major due dates (things like tests/papers) onto one large spreadsheet. You can divide it into a section for each class, or a section for each month, but it's a nice little way to see what assignments you have do and when.
4. Keep your backpack/purse organized.
This is something simple students can do to help them stay organized -always making sure that your backpack or such has all the main staples you would need for a typical day. Basic stuff like your planner, notebooks, textbooks, etc, coupled with your laptop, a charger and snack are generally always good to have on hand.
5. Color code.
Another small thing students can do to stay organized is really simple: color code your stuff. Have a different color notebook, folder, etc, for each of your classes. Not only will this save you time when you're searching for your stuff in the morning, it will help you make sure you're actually grabbing the right stuff while you're running out the door.
6. Get a whiteboard/corkboard.
Not only are they cute dorm room decorations, they're also great for writing little reminders on (or cute notes to your roommate).
7. Use your cellphone.
No, really. A lot of people don't realize what a great resource their cellphone is. Not only can it be the evil thing that wakes you up in the morning, it can also help keep you organized. Most smartphones today have a "notebook" feature that lets you take quick notes/reminders to yourself, as well as Calendar apps that you can use to remind you about important due dates or meetings.
Now, while these seven tips might seem like small things to do, they can actually help you become and stay organized, especially as the semester starts to get crazy.
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