We’ve all been there — walking into class realizing an assignment was due, finding out you had a meeting that started half an hour ago or any other anxiety-inducing mess ups that. To be honest, all these mess ups probably could have been avoided had they been written down. Everyone’s done it, but luckily, it can be avoided in the future. Here are a few helpful tips on how to stay organized coming into the new semester:
Figure out what works for you
There are tons of different modes of organization: bullet journals, cork boards, expensive planners, iPhone notes, wall calendars, dry erase boards, or just plain old notebooks. It seems like the possibilities are endless, which means you can find exactly what works for you. The rigidity of a pre-made planner might not work for everyone, but the open-endedness of a bullet journal can lead to unnecessary stress. Fortunately, you can test out different things and see what works for you. Some people love big to-do lists, others prefer to organize everything by date. Figure out what you like, experiment a bit and do some research before settling.
Write everything down
Have a class that has an assignment that’s due on the same day every week? Need to pick up your mail or grab something from the store? Want to attend an interesting event or club meeting? Write it down. College students have to balance academics, jobs, extra-curriculars, applications, living alone and much more on a daily basis. Sometimes, little things slip through the cracks. Even if a task seems menial, writing it down ensures it won’t get forgotten or swept up in everything else that’s going on. Plus, at the end, that little check mark you can put down will remind you that you accomplished something, no matter how small.
Keep things in one place
Sometimes it’s just not practical to lug your beautiful planner around with you everywhere you go. Maybe all you have in your pocket is your phone when a professor spews out the dates and times of your next field trips, or project deadlines. Find something that works for you — a planner, whiteboard, app, calendar or anything else that helps you stay organized, and stick with it. Even if you can’t carry it with you at all times, make it a part of your nightly routine to update it. Personally, I write out most things on my phone during the day, then transfer it to my planner each afternoon when I’m back home. That way, you won’t need to switch between three different logs and risk missing something.
