Staying Organized During the School Year

Staying organized during the school year can feel overwhelming when you have to keep track of exams, assignments, and readings. However, staying on track is not as hard as it seems. It can also make a major difference in your grades.

With most classes being online, it can be challenging to stay organized. I’m not the best with online classes so I’ve had to revamp my way of learning and organizing to stay on top of everything.

Keep reading for my top five tips on staying organized during the school year and making the most of your time!

✎ Use a planner

My first tip on staying organized during the school year is to use a planner. I have always been an extremely organized person and my planner is like my bible. I always have it in my backpack and I write everything in it including classes, assignments, tests, events, appointments, etc.

My favourite planner is the Ban.do academic planner and it comes in large, medium, and small sizes as well as in many prints. These planners give you a month at a glance as well as day-to-day pages with lots of room to write down your classes, assignments, exams, etc. This leads to my next point…

✎ Write down all your classes, assignments, and exams ahead of time

There is nothing worse than realizing you forgot to do an assignment the day before it’s due. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there once or twice, or a few times.

The best way to avoid this anxiety attack waiting to happen is by writing all of your assignments down at the beginning of the semester. If everything is written down then no assignments will come up as a surprise.

You’ll be able to visualize all the tasks that you need to get done if they’re written down on a timeline in front of you. It will also help you prioritize your tasks and organize your time more efficiently.

✎ Print Your Syllabus

It is never a bad idea to have a hardcopy of the syllabus for each class. This way you can cross things off that you’ve done and it serves as a constant reminder of what is coming up in the semester and how much everything is worth.

Digital copies are great, but having a copy hung on your wall above your desk or folded in your agenda means you can pull it out at any moment to double-check things. Plus, it feels extremely satisfying to cross items off a list.

✎ Break Down Big Tasks into Smaller Tasks

Looking at an assignment as a whole can seem daunting and may lead you to procrastinate because you feel unmotivated by all the work. Splitting up assignments will motivate you more and make you feel more accomplished when you complete them.

For example, when writing an essay it’s best to split it up the writing process into sections. First, strive to come up with a topic or research question and create a plan for your discussion points. Next, find your sources and pick out quotes and information. Then, write the essay! If that is still too daunting for you then you can make each section of the essay its own task. And, voila! You’re done!

By completing assignments in parts, you are making the most of your time and creating less stress than doing all of the work at once.

✎ Pack Your Backpack the Night Before

Everyone knows the feeling of missing your alarm clock, waking up late, and throwing whatever is on your desk into your bag just so you don’t miss your first early morning class. However, this is exactly how you forget the things you actually need for the day.

By packing your backpack the night before, you are able to look at your planner and see what classes you have the next day and what you’ll need for them.

If you only have virtual classes this semester, I would still recommend gathering all the materials you’ll need for your classes the night before. You won’t be scrambling in the morning trying to find your notebook and you’ll be able to sleep in a bit longer.

By doing this before you go to bed, your mornings will be much more seamless and your day much less stressful.

Looking for more back-to-school content? Click here for all my school-related posts!

Question of the day: How do you stay organized during the school year?