Now that we’ve gotten through the first wave of exams, we have to start getting ready for the next! For a lot of us, this is going to be a challenge. I don’t know about you, but after a two-week span filled with an exam or paper for every class, I feel exhausted. All I want to do is crawl into bed, eat junk food (preferably chocolate), and catch up on my favorite shows. But after this brief, relaxing period of time, we need to get back into the work grind.
I find it very easy to fall behind on reading for classes or procrastinating (more so than usual) on assignments. I’ve been practicing some good organizational habits, however, that have been helping me stayed organized and motivated!
1. Make checklists! It’s always a good thing to write everything down. As a visual person, I like to see what I have to do both in the short and long term. Plus, it’s always really satisfying when you cross things off of your checklist! I like to use Post-It notes, my agenda, and my “white board” (it’s a picture frame)!
2. Stick your Post-Its where you can see them! If you’re obsessed with using Post-Its like I am, this is a great tip! I always stick them onto the frame of my computer screen! That way, I am constantly reminded of what needs to get done.
3. Write out your schedule for the day in your agenda. If you’re super involved and have lots of responsibilities, you want to make sure you don’t overcommit yourself and that you don’t forget about anything. The night before, take the time to figure out what your schedule for the next day will be like. As you go through the day, cross things out so that you make sure you don’t miss anything!
4. Plan out your month in ahead of time. In most agendas, you will find a section or pages with monthly calendars. Look through the syllabi for all of your classes and make note of your exam/paper dates. This way, you can make sure you start studying early on and aren’t surprised when you’re told by your professor that there is an exam coming up or a paper due soon!
5. Use color! Boring and dull things are difficult to pay attention to. Therefore, you should take the time to organize the notes you make in your agenda with a color-coding system. For instance, highlight meetings in an orange color or outline important dates with a green pen. This way you can distinguish between different categories of notes!
6. Use a binder to organize papers and handouts. Create a binder with dividers for each of your classes. Use the binder to file the handouts, notes, quizzes, or study guides for your classes. Once you’ve had an exam on a unit, put them in a large, separate binder. Using this separate binder will make it easier for you to study for your finals because you will know exactly where your old notes are!
7. Create a log of the grades you’ve received on exams, quizzes, and assignments. This is a great way to see how you are doing in your classes! The worst thing is to feel surprised by your final course grade at the end of the semester on Agora. By writing down your score for each homework assignment and exam, you will have a really accurate understanding of how well you’re doing in a class. This can also be used as a form of motivation. If you did really well on exam, it will encourage you to study just as much or even more for the next exam! If you did not do well on exam, it will serve as a reminder to better prepare for the next one.
8. Check on your syllabi. Take time every Friday to check over all of your course syllabi to see what is due for the following week. That way, there won’t be any surprises.
Hopefully, these tips and tricks will help you continue being the good student that you are!