Color code your classes in your planner.

The first thing to do would be to buy a planner but I feel like most, if not all, college students have caught onto this basic necessity during their first week. You've found that having a planner helps remind you of your assignments, but I'm guessing that all the assignments get jumbled together with that black or blue ink, right?

Color code your classes. You know how we used to do that in elementary and middle school? In our minds, each class had its own color and if you didn't buy the "correct" notebook color, it would bug you for the entire year. As least, that's how it was with me.

Decide your class/color pair and write your assignments and reminders for that class in its designated color. This will help you differentiate your classes easier and you'll be less likely to make a mistake and mix something up. I accidentally wrote a creative story for my sociology class once. My professor was impressed but obviously it wasn't what she was looking for. Thankfully, both of the victimized professors gave me an extension for the assignment!

If you're a pen-to-paper note taker, try to buy notebooks that correspond with the colors of your classes. Or switch it up and do this first and choose your agenda colors later.

Complete your assignments early.

Don't wait until the last minute to complete an assignment. I know that sometimes it's a lot to ask and all we want to do is procrastinate and watch "The Office," but you know it's the right thing to do. Procrastination happens to the best of us.

Organize your assignments based on their deadline listed in the syllabus. From here, finish them in the order they're listed. If you have multiple assignments due on the same day at that dreaded 11:59 p.m. deadline, complete them based on class difficulty or order of importance. Usually, the most difficult class is more important so these go hand-in-hand.

If you do this and knock out the more difficult and time consuming assignments first, the stress will be alleviated sooner rather than later and the remaining assignments will be a piece of cake.

Burnt out on homework? Take a breather. Go get food, work out a little, watch an episode of "The Office" (a single episode), and get back to it.

If you're like me and think multitasking is a hardcore sport, try trading off with subjects. Work on one for 15 minutes, move on to another, and keep it rotating. Eventually, all your assignments will be completed semi-simultaneously.

To each their own. Whatever you're comfortable with.

Create designated time frames for homework and studying.

Allot 30-45 minute sessions to be productive with 10-15 minute breaks between. This will help you hold yourself accountable and encourage you to get your work done in a timely manner.

Your breaks can act as your personalized award system. You work for X amount of time, and you reward yourself with X amount of free time. Get some food, relax, and regather your thoughts so you can remain focused. It helps, I promise.

Separate your completed assignments from the uncompleted. 

When you complete assignments, check them off or cross them out in your agenda. This will help you keep track of what you need to do while providing you the satisfaction of completing a task.

If you want to go the extra, helpful mile, cross them out in your syllabus as will to minimize possible confusion later on.

Set reminders on your devices.

Everyone forgets things or falls behind in updating their planner. To minimize the chance, set reminders and/or calendar events in your phones, tablets, and laptops to remind you to be productive. Include due dates, allotted study times, etc.

Once you're familiar to the schedule, you'll be less reliant of the reminders and start working on your own.

If you do this at the beginning of the semester, it really helps!

Buy a dry-erase calendar for your room. 

Put this in a place where you have to look at it everyday. Color code your classes, extracurricular activities, and work schedules.

This will be another way to hold yourself accountable and prompt you to be productive even when you go home!

Keep your work space clean. 

Nothing can add to stress more than clutter- psychology 101. Classes are enough to worry about, but what if you can't find crucial information that you need?

Break down your assignments into sections and complete them according to due date and/or importance. When you're completed with a section, put it away and move on to the next.

This will allow you to keep track of your information and minimize the stress of the workload gradually, all while keeping your overall stress and anxiety semi-intact.

Allot time for a social life and free time.

College is stressful enough and we all need a break from constant studying and homework. Take time for yourself and separate from your workload every once in a while to spend time with friends, go to the gym, see a movie, etc.

Allow yourself some peace of mind so you can jump back in refreshed and ready to conquer the next task.

If you have friends that are great to be around for homework and productivity, by all means, kill two birds with one stone! Just make sure that you don't allow yourself to be distracted. School friends are great and party friends are too. Try to find friends that can do both!

Keep track of your finances and bank activity. 

Nothing adds up to college stress more than realizing you don't have any money to pay your bills, buy the necessities, or even make occasional impulse decisions.

Keep track of your funds by downloading an app that is, preferably, connected to your bank or acts as a bank ledger. If you're more of a pen-to-paper person, the physical bank ledgers are the way to go- just be sure to update it at least once a week. To be a boss with your money, do both! It's better to be safe than sorry.

Keep in mind that banks make mistakes too. We're all only human after all. If you keep track of your money, it minimizes the chances of overdrafts and any other bank-related issues.

Find ways to save up. 

There are apps that'll help you save money. Personally, I like to be hands-on with my green. When you get a paycheck, keep the hundreds in the bank and pocket the rest.

For example: your paycheck is $367. Keep the $300 in the bank and take the $67 out and put it in your pocket. This can help for a rainy day or the occasional impulses. When you get paid again, repeat the process.

This will not only help you save, but it'll help you be more responsible with your debit/credit card. When you're shopping, you'll be prompted to spend the cash before you even think about pulling out your card.

For extra money around the holidays, try reverting back to the $5 Challenge that we all tried back in the day. Anytime you come in contact with a $5 bill, put it away in a Ziplock bag, shoe-box, or empty laundry pod bucket/bag. It'll add up faster than you think!