Do you want to avoid drowning in the piles of paper that flooded your room last year? Make this school year different, and be more organized. Organization can take time and a bit of extra effort, but it's all worth it in the long run, especially when you're superbusy. Check out these tips on how to stay organized in the three most crucial areas.
Clean Your Desk Room
Knowing where everything is before the school year starts will help create a smooth transition into school. Once your desk is clean, collect any school supplies that you can reuse this school year. Start to fill your desk with any items that aren't already on it. Throw out old supplies and papers that are no longer useful. Keep extra school supplies or references in a drawer or box nearby. Have a thesaurus and dictionary nearby. Post-its are extremely useful; have them handy for quick reminders.
Get a filing cabinet
his will eliminate paper clutter on your desk (or floor). Use color-coded folders to organize your graded papers from previous years. Organize by school year and subject. If you're applying to colleges or searching for internships, use separate folders for these activities too.
Your Computer
File it!
Create an electronic folder for the current school year. Within that folder, make separate folders for the classes you will be taking. Be sure to place assignments, essays, review sheets, and class notes in these folders. Even if you handwrite your notes in class, retype them so you can organize and retrieve them faster. If you have material from previous years on the computer, organize it in folders too — you never know when it might be useful again.
Back it up!
When it comes to important documents on the computer, make flash drives and external hard drives your BFFs. Always back up your work. Save all your important papers, review sheets, and notes from your classes if you think they might be useful in the future.
Know your space
Design your desk area so that it's ideal for studying. A desk lamp and a comfortable chair can make your study sessions better. Sitting on your bed might be comfortable, but it can make you tired. Make sure you have an alternate study space available if your room becomes too distracting. If you're in college, jot down the library hours before school starts.
Know where your classes are before the first day of school to avoid getting lost. Memorize your schedule to make your routine less stressful. Looking at your schedule, mark down your free time and write down what you can do during that time.
Use Gmail
Even if you have a school e-mail account, you can forward all of that mail to a Gmail account. With Gmail, you can create color-coded labels to group and separate your e-mails. You can also filter your e-mails. Make sure to delete unnecessary e-mails. Reply to e-mails when you receive them to prevent a full in-box. In addition to a portable planner, online calendars and online to-do lists can be a big help because they often have notification features.
Your Backpack
Make sure your school bag is the right size for what you'll be carrying. One that's too big may cause you to bring more than you'll actually need — making it difficult to find items right away. One that's too small might cause you to leave things home or cram things to fit.
Carry your planner
Always have your planner with you when you go to and from class. Write down your due dates and test dates in your planner. Also, break up your study time and assignment work, so you don't have to do it all at once. This will make it easier to have time for other activities (like watching Gossip Girl). Make daily to-do lists to keep on top of your work and manage your time. Cross off what you complete. If you don't finish everything on your to-do list, make a note of it.
Separate your subjects
Whether you use a binder or a notebook with folders, make sure each subject has its own organized space. It's also a good idea to keep assignments separate from notes within the binders or folders. Carry a small bag or case for your writing utensils and smaller supplies. This will make them easily retrievable and prevent them from getting lost in your bag. Bookmark/Share this article with others:
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