As college students, we are very busy with not only school, but also extracurricular activities, along with our social lives. In college, our classes consist of chapters that we have to read to prepare for upcoming lectures, writing long and extensive papers, studying for tests and quizzes, and even completing projects. Not only do we have to actually go to class, but we also have to spend many hours out of class completing homework and preparing for upcoming classes. Along with classes, we all have social lives and extracurricular activities. Whether it is playing on a sports team, being in a sorority or fraternity, writing for the school newspaper or getting involved in a club or organization, you must find a way to manage it all without causing extra stress for yourself.
1. Write everything down in a planner, and carry it wherever you go.
A planner is probably one of the best ways for a college student not only to stay organized, but to manage their time wisely. It is so easy to forget when or that assignments are even due, or that you have a test coming up. In order to prevent memory slips, such as forgetting to do an assignment or even forgetting to study for a test, you can write everything down to the minor detail in your planner. I use the weekly calendars to write school assignments in and I use the monthly calendars to write my daily schedule in. I also use it to write down any events that I have coming up. Lastly, I use colorful pens to color code my classes and various events.
2. Make use of sticky notes.
Sticky notes go with the whole idea of using a planner. I also color-coordinate using sticky notes: one color is for daily to-do lists, one color is for tests and quizzes, and one color is for projects and papers due. I just write the name of the test or quiz or assignment due on the sticky note of the right color and stick it in the weekly calendar of the planner on the corresponding day. For daily to-do lists, I stick one sticky note with a list of things I need to do on each day of the week. These sticky notes can serve as reminders in your planner, but you can also put reminders on sticky notes around your dorm room or use them to memorize terms.
3. Stick a dry-erase calendar on the wall near your desk and write on it monthly.
I use the same colors that I use for my classes in my planner to write down assignments due or even tests or quizzes that are coming up. I write the assignments and tests for each class using a different-colored Expo marker. Then, I write any upcoming events in black and upcoming birthdays in orange. In the notes section, I just keep my class schedule so I make sure I don't miss any of my classes.
4. Keep track of assignments and other events on Google Calendar.
You can also use the same colors you used in your planner to keep track of assignments and events that you have coming up. You can sync your calendars with your phone, so you can see your events and assignments on both your phone and laptop. For assignments, you can put the due date and also block off time on your calendar to work on them. You can put the dates for tests and quizzes on your calendar and you also can block out time to study for them.
5. Remind yourself about assignments and other things you need to get done on the Reminders App on your phone.
Remind yourself to work on assignments, study for tests, or even do your laundry by having reminders pop up on your phone at a certain time during the day. That way you never forget to do an assignment or study for a test, and you get a lot more accomplished during the day.
These strategies have helped manage my time better while in college and I hope that they will help you, too.
