College work can be intense. Assignments pile up, and keeping track of all your materials, homework, and due dates can be tough. Luckily, there are some great ways to organize your schoolwork and keep it that way. Here are four things you can do to be as organized as possible.
1. Have a common place for school material
Keeping all my school books and items together helps me keep track of everything and locate things easily. I have one drawer dedicated to school materials where all of my books, calculator, iClicker, and other school-related items live while not in use, making it easy to access when needed. Everything is kept in one common spot, so nothing gets lost around my room.
2. Organize your notes
Keeping my notes and materials for each class organized has been essential for me. I take notes on my computer using Google Docs. When taking notes on documents, Google Docs, or Word, it is easy for documents to stack up and get lost; I have found that using folders to organize the documents is extremely helpful and allows me to access anything I need easily! I have folders for each semester, and within each semester folder, is a folder for each class. I even have folders within some of the class folders for notes, essays, etc. This way, I can quickly find anything I need without scrolling through tons of documents. If you prefer to take notes on paper, I recommend you have a specific notebook or binder for each class to keep everything separate and organized.
3. Write down daily tasks and assignments
I have used a planner every year since middle school— I find it extremely helpful to keep track of my daily tasks, homework, and activities. Every day, I write down what I must do when I get home. If you’re not a fan of having a physical book, I recommend using your notes app or some other way to write down your daily tasks and assignments. This tactic helps me manage my time, and keep track of what I need to get done each day. Â
4. use a calendar
I absolutely LOVE a good calendar. I cannot stress enough how important they are and how much I use them. If there is one piece of advice you take from this article: use a calendar. I personally use three different calendars, which is probably a bit excessive. Still, it really helps me to keep track of due dates, tests, and anything else I have going on. I have a dry-erase calendar on my wall, a calendar inside of my planner, and a calendar on my computer and phone. I have found that I look at the calendar on my wall the most because it’s easy and is in my line of sight at all times. Sometimes, I have even found myself glancing over at my calendar and realizing I have an assignment due that I completely forgot about. It is such a great visual reminder of what you have to do. Seriously, use a calendar. You will thank me later!