I LOVE the beginning of a new semester because it’s so full of promise and excitement. I love fresh planner pages, new office supplies, and being able to have another chance to truly get on top of things.
A new semester means new classes and a new syllabus, as well. When I started college, I had no idea how important a syllabus would be! In high school, we really only used them for a list of classroom policies. I quickly realized that these were my lifeline,\ and have found a way to really use them in a way that will help me the most.
I use a daily planner, which, like it is called, has a page for every day. Last year I used a weekly planner, and no matter what the format you decide on, the most important thing to do is to transfer all your due dates from the syllabus to your planner. This puts all your dates in a central location, which makes it way less likely for you to forget things! I would also suggest writing a reminder a week before a big assignment is due, because professors won’t always remind you!
Another important thing on most syllabi is the professor information. I transfer all the emails, office locations, and office hours into my “notes” section of my planner so I can find them easily! I don’t want to waste time digging through a professor's webpage when I’m trying to type off an email really quickly!
Now, onto the syllabus itself. I love color-coding because it breaks everything up and makes tasks look less scary. I pick a color for reading assignments, papers due, and exams, and mark accordingly. While I’m doing this I like to compose an assignment master list! This is like my life syllabus. I copy and paste all my assignments into one central document, fix the formatting, and voila. I have a checklist for the entire semester! I like to keep this in my planner, binder clipped in. This way I can see everything without flipping back and forth.
One thing I haven’t done previously, but I’m very excited to try, is to write each assignment on a sticky note and stick it to a cork board. Once you finish the assignment, you get the satisfaction of ripping it off! I’m hoping this will add another layer of satisfaction to finishing homework.
There is never a blanket organization policy, and what works best for me could work terribly for you. Try out a few things, and don’t be afraid to change your system if you find it isn’t really working for you. My first semester I didn’t really have one, but now I’m close to perfecting my organization.
