Organizational Tips for Starting College
1. Keep a detailed calendar
A well-kept calendar is truly a college necessity. At the start of each semester, I input the due dates for all of my assignments in one color-coded calendar. I also add any events I have going on outside of regular classes. A lot of people use Google Calendar to track their assignments and activities, but I use a Google Spreadsheet. This allows me to differentiate between assignments and activities, cross things out when they are completed and see a whole month at a time in a compact, visually-organized way. It took me a few weeks freshman year to find a
system that worked well for me. At first, I was overwhelmed by tracking my syllabi and events. I find that the visual representation of my calendar helps me feel in control and allows me to plan
out my work and distribute it according to days I am more or less busy.
2. Make a to-do list
In addition to my calendar, I keep a to-do list where I list activities that I need and want to accomplish each day. At the start of the week, I write out each day of the week and make a checklist in Google Docs. I bold assignments that I have to do on that day, and I list other tasks that I would like to accomplish. Even if I end up procrastinating some things to a later day, having the to-do list helps me ensure I do my necessary work. I add things like laundry and cleaning as well as schoolwork.
3. Schedule study time
Having a designated block of time to study can help you stay on top of your work. For me, that time is when I am working in the COM Undergraduate Affairs office. When I am not checking people into appointments or answering questions, I have a two or three hour period to focus on getting schoolwork done. This set block of time helps me accomplish things without getting distracted, since I have a goal of what I want to get done within the time frame.
4. Self-care
With a busy schedule, ensuring you take care of yourself is extremely important. Sometimes when I overwork myself, I find myself feeling more stressed, irritable, tired and even sick. I keep a picture in the collage on my wall that says “You’re allowed to take a break.” I really need that reminder. When I find myself overwhelmed, the first thing that helps is cleaning my room. It does not take too long to pick things up in my small dorm room, so after about 10 minutes I
have already accomplished something. That helps me get in a productive mood and have a less chaotic environment to do my work. If I really need to reset, I will take a shower. When I feel better physically, I can switch my mindset and start getting things done.
