Many people have a spot in their homes where they hoard all of their stuff, whether it be dirty laundry, important papers, or empty water bottles. For many people, this is “the chair.” However, when it comes to college students, “the chair” becomes “the desk.” After a long day of classes, work, and studying, many students will throw their belongings to the side to focus on something else. This can make studying very difficult. The extra clutter can make a student feel overwhelmed. I try to remind myself to keep myself organized by telling myself, “a cluttered dorm room creates a cluttered mind.” What I mean is, the bigger the mess, the higher the stress.

College is stressful time. Students are learning to balance their own schedules with classes, work, and socializing with friends and family. This can lead to messy rooms, and even messier minds. It is important to try and keep our study spaces and rooms organized. There are various ways to keep ourselves organized. I, often, utilize Pinterest whenever I need ideas, but I have already started developing my own ideas.

One thing that I absolutely need to stay organized is a planner or a calendar. It can be really hard to maintain fifty thousand activities and deadlines, so a planner is a great way to keep track of various events. Also, color coding is a great way to organize the different events that might be on your calendar. Do not be afraid to use sticky notes or stickers to help make high priority items.

A new strategy that I picked up this past year is using a box with divided sections to hold smaller items. I bought my container at the Dollar Tree, but you can find a more durable container at places like Home Depot. In my box, I have items like pencil cap erases, individual super glue squeezers, extra lead for mechanical pencils, etc. This makes finding these items a breeze, and the container fits easily into the drawer. The container is also lightweight, so I could bring it to class if I wanted to.

If you are like me, you probably have a fifty pens and pencils at the bottom of your bag. This can cause some problems when you are looking for a writing utensil for your class. Plus, those extra pointy objects at the bottom of your bag can start creating holes, which mean you may have to replace your bag sooner than expected. Do not waste anymore time searching for a pencil. I recommend carrying a pencil box or a bag that fits into a three-ring binder. Place all writing utensils, erasers, pencil grips, etc. in the bag to keep them organized. This will allow you to have a pencil at your fingertips. No more digging in your bag for twenty minutes while everyone else has already started their test.

It is important to prioritize organization when you are a college student. Keeping our spaces organized keeps our minds organized. Experiment. Everyone is different. What works for me may not work for you. Use your resources and find new ways of organizing that works in your favor.