While some students consider their Google Calendar their whole world, my best friend is Notion. From my grocery lists to my syllabi, Notion keeps my life from devolving into chaos.
For those unaware of Notion, let me enlighten you. Notion is a productivity and note-taking app for your laptop and any mobile device. On Notion, you can create calendars, lists, databases, and more! The possibilities are endless!
While some initially consider the interface daunting, I think Notion is easy to learn! The app also provides workspace templates if you don’t feel comfortable starting fresh. Eventually, you’re using the app so much that things begin to come naturally to you. I’ve been using Notion for over a year, and there are still new features I’m getting the hang of, like uploading PDFs onto a page. That feature came particularly handy when I wanted to copy down an over 20-page syllabus and wasn’t willing to do it manually.
While some stick to creating only one page of content to stay organized on Notion, my favorite part of the app is that you can create multiple pages. This allows me great versatility in what I’m organizing and how. I like to use Notion to keep track of my classes, which usually involves making individual pages to copy down the syllabus for each class. That way, I’m never blindsided by a deadline or fall behind on my work, as I can see all upcoming essential dates without having to scour the files section on Canvas. I also like including my professor and GSI’s office hours on these pages for extra detail.Â
The finishing touch of these pages is adding a cute icon and banner that matches the aesthetic of my class. I know what you’re thinking: there’s no way a class has an aesthetic, but for me, they do! For instance, I’m currently taking a class about monster literature, so of course, I’ve made my page for it on Notion super spooky to match!
Aside from my class tracker pages, I keep a general to-do list page for weekly tasks. These tasks include club engagements, class assignments, or other miscellaneous things I need to complete. Plus, I even have a page for article ideas or the groceries I need to get next time I head to Trader Joe’s or Target. Overall, though Notion, almost everything in my life feels organized, and I never have to get myself frazzled searching for what I need to do.
While my Google Calendar will never go out of style, Notion adds a new level of organization to my life, one that I can’t live without. My favorite part of a new semester has now become revamping my Notion. So, if you’re a Type A person like me, I recommend that the next app you download be Notion!