Keeping Organized

Midterms are coming, you have a presentation, two group projects and a paper.

AHH!

It is easy to stress over the amount you have on your plate. The best way to overcome this is to manage your time appropriately and all will be well in the world. How you may ask? It’s actually pretty simple once you get the hang of keeping organized. Follow these steps and you’ll be sure to not pull out your hair.

1. Get a planner. Actually write down all you have to do, whether it is homework, dinner dates, or exams, have them make it in your day-to-day planner. It helps to see what you have coming up in an organized manner. You can see if you have a busy week coming up or if you have time to start on that paper due next week. Just staying on top of your work is an easy way to be as stress-free as possible.
2. Get rid of your distractions. You won’t be productive if you are constantly checking facebook. Find a quiet place to study where you won’t be tempted to talk to a friend, watch TV, or surf the Internet. It might even be a good idea to turn off your phone (crazy…I know).
3. Have a clean study place. Having a cluttered study space is very welcoming for distractions. If you clean where you are studying before you study there, then your mind will be more at peace and you can focus on the task at hand.
4. Color code…and I am not talking about outfits. Color code your notebooks and binders so you make sure you grab the right book before going to class. It is easy to mix up notebooks and folders when you may have multiple books per class. This isn’t like high school where you can run back to your locker. Keep your school supplies organized.

Keeping organized is a great way to not feel overwhelmed when work piles up. It helps to prioritize and recognize that you may need to sacrifice a Friday or Saturday night once in a while. Remember that stressing is counter-productive. The hardest part of college is staying on top of your work and not falling behind. So if you can get that, then you’re definitely ahead of the game.