Organization

Trying to stay organized can help you feel less overwhelmed during the semester. Below are some tips and resources to help stay organized academically and personally!

Organized by Allison Galante '20

Academics

How can I organize material for my classes?

• Keep track of all important handouts in a neat and organized way
  • Have individual binders/folders and notebooks for each class
  • Have all notes, readings, assignments, etc., in one folder in Google Drive/Onedrive

How do I keep track of classes, due dates, and reminders?

• Plan for the next day the night before
  • It can be easy to forget important materials for class or another event when you feel overwhelmed in the moment. The night before an exam, presentation, or important meeting, make sure to set your alarm, set important papers or notes on your desk, and take time to plan ahead for what you may need to do in the morning.
• Know your most productive times and use these to your advantage
  • Determine your best time of day and study or get the most difficult tasks you have done during this time. It isn't always possible to schedule responsibilities around your personal preferences, but if you find it hard to be productive after 10pm, you probably shouldn't wait to write a study guide then.
• Trying to keep track of all your classes, problem sets, exams, papers, meetings, etc. in your head is virtually impossible to do as a college student at Wes. It can help to record important dates and reminders. It is an even better habit to keep a more detailed planner for each day or week. There are many ways to create a schedule, and different ways work for people. Here are some examples of planner organization, and always feel free to reach out to an academic peer advisor for help.
  • Keep an electronic copy of your schedule
  • Map out your schedule
    • Write down the time and name of each class so you can reference this as a guide when needed
  • Use to do lists and a calendar to help you keep track of what needs to be done and when
    • When looking at your syllabus, you should mark each important deadline on a calendar or list
    • This can be done in a Student Planner or electronically using Google calendar, iCal, or similar digital calendar

Responsibilities outside of studying

• Make sure to leave gaps in your day for things like exercise, lunch, laundry, and more
  • When using your calendar and to-do lists, try to spread out tasks ahead of time so that you have time to eat and relax too
• Setting aside even just 30 minutes a week for tidying up can make a big difference in your room.
  • Sometimes it can seem daunting with choosing where to start, but your desk could be a great place to start!
  • You can use the time waiting for your laundry in the washer and dryer to your advantage; designate the time between cycles to clean your room, that way you make good use of the time that could otherwise go to waste.
• Set a goal for how often you want to clean your room and connect with family/friends
  • Use post-it notes, your electronic calendar, or planner to write down reminders to call or video chat with family and friends.