Tips To Stay Organized With A Busy College Schedule
Every college student is busy. I don’t care if you’re that person who sleeps in until 12pm and doesn’t schedule any classes until 5pm. You are still busy. College has a way of preparing us for the real world, which sometimes includes the stress and deadlines (emphasis on dead). So here are a few tips to stay organized with a busy college schedule.
Keep a Planner or Planner App
When I was younger, I didn’t understand the importance of a planner. A planner is a quick and easy way to write down everything you have to do, compiling it all in one place. You can read your class syllabi at the beginning of the semester and write down every exam and homework there is (but don’t forget to remember to keep up on any changes the professor makes). A planner is an old school, easy tip to stay organized with a busy college schedule.
Post-It Notes
I am not ashamed to admit, I’m obsessed with post-it notes. I’m impressed at the sheer magnitude of the marketing conspiracy behind post-it notes. The companies make them in a rainbow of colors, so you must buy every color, type, and shape. Not only are post-it notes beautiful, but they are great at organizing your information. You can assign a topic to each color so you aren’t confused about your material for each class. You can stick your post-it notes to your laptop, your roommate’s face while she’s sleeping, or even your notebooks so you have them during class.
Invest in Some Highlighters
Highlighters are like a post-its best friend. You shouldn’t separate them, and you should purchase both of them in an array of colors. You can use the plethora of colored highlighters to point out important information in your textbook or notes from class. You could even match the post-it notes and highlighter colors so you are more organized when you go to look for your information.
Color Code Each Class
This tip to stay organized with a busy college schedule is an essential one. When you go to buy folders, binders, and notebooks, color coordinate them per class. This way, you know automatically which notebook is for biology class and which notebook is for geology class. This tip cuts your frantic searching times in half at least.
To-Do List
Yes, I am one of those people who make a to-do list and put it on their desk. In college, you are sleep deprived, constantly hangry, and your hippocampus (the part of the brain that stores memory) is drowning in extra shots of espresso. You will forget to do something important if you rely on your still growing, college brain (brains hit maturity at age 25, sorry to tell you that you still don’t know it all). When you have a to-do list, you have a no-brainer list of things you need to accomplish that day right at your fingertips.
Make Some Flashcards
I was one of those people who thought flashcards were beneath me. I later realized that I remembered a lot more information and did better on tests, when I studied with flashcards. In college, you have so much information that you’re trying to remember all at once. When you make flashcards, you can quiz your brain one word and subject at a time. Flashcards are a great tip to staying organized with a busy college schedule.
Know Yourself and Your Needs
Knowing what kind of schedule works best for you individually is so important. I am not a person who can live off of no sleep, so I make sure to get a solid 7 hours or my brain is mush. It is important to work hard, pray hard, play hard. Balance is very key to life. If you spend hours on homework and classes, make sure to give yourself a little time with your friends. Make sure that you feed your body right, hydrate, and have fun, as well as building a successful future career. This is one of the best tips to stay organized.
