5 Ways to Stay Organized in College
I don't know about you, but this year is flying by! We're already in the 2nd quarter of 2018 so if you haven't gotten organized, now is the time to set that into motion. I'm a master of organizing, now do I always follow through with the plans I set for myself, that's a blog for another day.
As a graduate student, I have quickly learned that being organized is the key to staying afloat or sinking. I struggle to balance work, homework, personal life, family responsibility and blog commitments. But this month, I have to focus and get my act together because the semester is coming to an end which means all my assignment will be due soon. So here are the 5 ways that I'm staying organized:
1. Smartphone Calendar
One of the reasons I love my iPhone is because it is synced to my MacBook, Gmail and Google calendar. I put all of my daily appointments into my phone including my work schedule, class times and personal appointments. (By appointment's I mean anything I need a reminder to do😉). I love the calendar app because it allows me to add notes and an address to every event. For example, if I need to make a doctors appointment, I can set up the address, and put the doctor's phone number or other details in the notes section which saves time when I'm actually on the go. I just get in my car, go to my calendar and click the event scheduled for that time and boom, everything is there! I also like the reminder app because I can schedule it to pop up at a certain time and it won't go away from my lock screen until I have clicked "completed", so that keeps me accountable. If you are not an iPhone user, then comment below and let people know what apps you use and calendar what features your phone has.
2. Wall Calendar
In my bedroom, I have a dry erase calendar and a cork bulletin board. These items help me stay organized because I need all the reminders I can get. The dry erase calendar allows me to organize and design each month the way I want. I can add and erase things as needed, write notes on the side and doodle on it. I use the cork bulletin to pin quotes, pictures, coupons, event flyers and my gym schedule. I bought both of them from Target and they were about $10 each. You can also find these items at Walmart, or click the link below to get it from Amazon.
3. Planner
You might be wondering why I need multiple types of calendars, but each of them serves a purpose. My planner is strictly used for school. I organize my weekly assignments, homework, reading, quizzes, presentations and group projects. If I lost my planner, I would be lost😂. I also use my calendar to remind me of critical things like registration dates, free events at school and upcoming reading. It's a no-brainer to have a planner but the key is to use it, and check it daily so that you don't forget what's coming up in the week. I bought my planner from Target, and there are many fancy and expensie planners out there but like I said, make sure you actually use it or it will be a waste.
4. To do lists
I was given a to do list book as a gift last year and it has come in very handy. Of course, you do not need a separate book for to do lists, you can easily write them down in your planner, on a sticky note or on your dry erase calendar. I like to do lists because like the iPhone reminders, they keep me in check. They also help me plan out how I would spend my time each day. I have a list of things I have to do each week, so once I see them all written down, then I can plan which day to do what and what time work for each item.
5. Weekly goals
This last point ties into the to do lists. Weekly goals are a fancy way of setting up a timeline for yourself to accomplish certain things. Goals can be overwhelming and feel unattainable if you don't break them down into little pieces. If you need to accomplish something by the end of April, then break it down step by step for each week until that thing is reached. When I have a huge project due on a certain date, I give myself little pieces to do each week until it's all complete, then I double check everything and turn it in. A simple change that can greatly change your organization.
I hope you can impliment these tips into your daily routine. Rememeber, you do not have to use eveyrthing listed here, these are just what I use to stay ordanized. Comment below if you have any more ideas or tips on how to stay organized.
