When I was in grade school and high school, I was always given a planner from the school to keep organized. I remember receiving this strange book-like device that I was supposed to write all of my assignments and due dates in. Every year, I got a new one, and every year I would forget to use it. Somehow, I went all of high school without really needing to use my planner every day. However, as soon as I got to college, I found out very quickly that without a planner, I would soon drown in my schoolwork.

My friends often hear me say "if it's not in my planner, it's not happening." College has taught me to keep everything that I have to do in my planner. If it's not in there, then I know I will forget to do it. So, what is the first step to keeping a planner? You need to find the right one for you. I personally love the Lilly Pulitzer planners.

They are so fun and colorful, yet practical with a section for everything that I need. They have a full spread of the month where I can write out all of my events every month. But they also have a section for each day of the month so that I can write down my day-to-day tasks.

However, this kind of planner is not for everyone. My best friend has found that bullet journals have helped to keep her more organized since she is a very creative person. For all of you artsy people out there, it may be beneficial to invest in a bullet journal. Basically, it is just a blank journal with lots of tiny dots in it. You get to create your own planner (which comes with lots of benefits if you are artsy enough to execute it).

The excuse that so many people use to not keep a planner is "Well, I don't really need one. I keep everything in my head." But the truth is, everyone who says that is most likely lying to themselves. There is no way that you can remember every single thing you have to do without writing it down somewhere. Odds are that you are going to forget something important.

A planner is a great way to organize your thoughts and make sure that you get everything done. In a way, it will save you time because you won't have to sit there thinking about what you could possibly have due for a class tomorrow. Your grades will thank you, too! I learned that I often did better in my classes when I had a planner to keep track!

Keeping a planner is also just a fun thing that I like to add to my day. I often play a game with myself to see how many things I can check off my list. I even give myself a reward sometimes if I manage to do everything (which is a very rare occurrence).

So do yourself a favor and start keeping a planner today! Not only will you be a little less stressed, but your life will feel like it's more put together (even if it's actually not).