As we reach that lull in the New Year, a lot of people lose the drive that they once had to keep to their resolutions. Whether or not staying organized at school was on your resolution list, it’s an important part of your life to get in order, so these tips will help you stay organized and do well in school this year!
I can’t tell you whether you should use a few different binders, notebooks with folders, or a trapper keeper. That’s up for you to figure out. Everyone’s different, so everyone has different ways of studying and staying organized that works for them. I personally buy a new five-subject notebook (with included folders) at the beginning of every semester (or year, if you don’t switch classes every semester) so that I can keep it all in one place. It may take a little bit of trial and error, but once you find what works for you, you’ll never do anything else!
It’s just as important to stay organized outside of school, as it is to stay organized while you’re at school. Unfortunately, once again, this is a system that you’ll need to decipher for yourself. Some people keep whiteboard calendars on the walls of their bedroom, while other people prefer to use a planner. No matter the way you stay organized out of school, it will become fundamental to your success!
When I say plan in advance, I don’t necessarily mean that you have to plan every second of your semester in advance. Instead, when you get your syllabus on the first day of class (or something similar) write down the due dates and test dates immediately. That way, you won’t need to refer to a bunch of different syllabi every week, and you’ll have it all in one place. Plus, as the weeks go on and you get busier, you’ll be able to compartmentalize your time and schedule when you’ll need to do what. It won’t only keep you more organized, but it will also help you stop procrastinating!
If you consider organization and planning a chore, make it fun for yourself. If you like different colors, use colored pens and highlights in your notes or use post-it notes to make to-do lists. If you love Lily Pulitzer, invest in a Lily Pulitzer planner. Even if you don’t love Lily Pulitzer, finding a planner that you absolutely love will make you excited to look through it rather than dread it!
Like I said earlier, I use one planner for an entire semester. Some have criticized my system, but believe me: when it comes to consolidating, it is a lifesaver. Because I don’t have a bunch of different binders and notebooks, I don’t have to remember each different binder and notebook for each different class. I did all throughout high school and now throughout college, and it has saved me a lot of time and forgotten assignments. The more that you keep together; the less you’ll forget things!
Teachers aren’t perfect. They lose things. They forget to record grades in their grade books. Chances are that at least once throughout the semester, a teacher will ashamedly tell the class that they forgot to record the last assignment they passed back, or something of that nature, and you’ll need to bring it back in. Avoid the confusion and chaos of searching through your messy backpack and keep it all in a file folder at home. It takes up a lot less space than you probably think, and in the end, it will only help keep you more organized!
In the end, you really only can take it one week at a time. Otherwise, you’d probably get exceedingly overwhelmed with everything on your plate. Before the new week begins, go over what you know you have to do each week with whatever method works for you, and assign a day that you have time to complete the assignment. It will save you a lot of procrastination and stress!
How do you stay organized during the school year?