It is once again back to school season, even if this year is unique. The start of school means it is once again time to get into a routine and get organized. This post is full of back to school organizational tips.
The beginning of classes for college students - also known as syllabus week - means obtaining a lot of general information about all of the courses they are enrolled in. This is already overwhelming when classes are conducted in person, allowing students to remember the different physical spaces to separate classes mentally. However, Zoom classes - even without connectivity issues - can make this first week more difficult because the lack of location changes can allow all of a student’s courses to blend together.
It is important to find an organizational system early, before the semester picks up speed and fills up with deadlines and exams. Finding a system that works for you can be a challenging process with trial and error. However, this process can be made easier if you are introduced to various strategies you can try, as opposed to making up systems as the semester progresses.
If you are looking for a way to get organized, I have a few tips below based on my own experiences. Even as a college senior, I am still trying out new ways to stay organized, especially now that learning is done online.
Check out these organizational tips, and try them out!
1. Find a calendar system that works for you.
Keeping track of due dates, exam dates, and major projects is so important, especially when we do not have physical spaces to help us remember what is due for which class and when. It is worth it to keep a planner or monthly calendar to ensure you are staying on top of dates before they sneak up on you.
It took me a year to figure out what worked for me. I tried using a small planner, a physical calendar, a weekly white board calendar, and a notebook dedicated to due dates and deadlines. However, I find that using a Google calendar works the best for me, since I can access it on my laptop and phone. I also use weekly lists to keep track of deadlines on a small, more manageable scale - physical lists with pen and paper allow the satisfaction of crossing out tasks when they are completed.
2. Keep every syllabus handy.
Each class syllabus is a vital tool to stay organized. They usually consist of a schedule with assignments and due dates, the contact information of the professor, the office hours and location, an overview of the entire semester, and the grading breakdown for participation, exams, papers, homework, and projects.
I always keep a printed copy of every class syllabus, so I can highlight important information and review it as needed. That being said, make sure to mark down if the professor makes any revisions to the syllabus as the semester progresses.
3. Keep track of dates for everything.
Missing a few small assignments can quickly translate into a much lower grade. An exam can sneak up on you quickly. So, it is important to keep track of dates. A calendar can certainly help with this, but if you calendar fills up as quickly as mine does, perhaps another method might work for you.
Personally, I struggle to keep track of multiple course schedules on a changing syllabus, and my calendar is full of extracurriculars. This semester, I created a master spreadsheet of important dates for all of my classes, shown above. It allows me to sort all of my assignments by due dates, so I can prepare for them in advance, all at once.
4. Keep schedule handy until you’re in the routine.
As the semester progresses, you will grow accustomed to your class schedule, but you will also become busier as the weeks go by. Keeping your schedule, either a screenshot or a physical copy, with you can be helpful. It is good to keep handy to ensure other aspects of your life do not overlap with your commitments, such as with extracurricular activities, work, campus events, classes, and your social life.
5. Try the “168 Hours Project” to track your productivity.
This is a project I have tried in two of my 300-level English classes. It is extremely tedious, but I found that it helped me tremendously to find time in my schedule to be productive.
The project requires you to keep a log for a week to write down what you do all day every day for a week. Because this is just to help you, you can decide how much detail you want to include in each 15-minute or 30-minute time slot (both included on the site hyperlinked above). However, the goal is to track what hours you are most productive, have the most energy, and/or are the most engaged every day for a week. You just have to be honest with yourself.
At the end of the week, you can reflect on your 168 hours to consider how you can be more productive in the future. Remember that this project is not supposed to make you feel guilty about “wasted” time - downtime for yourself is important too! It should allow you to gain a new perspective on how you spend your time, and it can be used to create a schedule for yourself later on.
6. Be patient.
Currently, I am starting my senior year and still experimenting with new ways to stay organized. It took me a year of college to finally feel like I was organized — once I did, my confidence increased and I filled my free time with additional opportunities, including clubs, campus speakers, volunteer opportunities, work, and more time with friends.
I was definitely frustrated with the process of figuring out what worked for me, but it is worth it to be patient. Trying out new organizational tools can help you find new ways to keep things in order, and it can translate into life outside of college as well. There are plenty of tools and systems - digital and physical - to try!
Best of luck with the school year ahead!
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