Skip to Main Content
Bringing It Home – The Saint Rose Blog

Five tips for staying organized in college

Do you usually procrastinate your assignments until the last minute? 

Do you have trouble keeping your assignments organized? 

Saint Rose is here to help!

As we finish the first month of the spring semester, you may notice an increase in your workload. Now that syllabus week is over, it’s time to start preparing for the rest of the semester. 

Well, Golden Knights, I have five tips and tricks that will help you stay organized this semester. 

Color Coding 

Ever wondered why your grade school classrooms were so colorful? The University of British Columbia conducted a study that concluded certain colors help with concentration, learning, and memory retention, and also improved people’s attention span. Hence all of the riveting colors in your favorite elementary school teacher’s classroom! 

Our tip: Use colorful flair pens to write in your planner, or use different colored sticky notes to make reminders for yourself! 

Google Sheets 

At the beginning of every semester, your professors give you a syllabus. On this syllabus, you see your semester at a glance, which allows you to plan ahead with all of your assignments. 

Our tip: Use Google Sheets to track your assignments across classes. In 2021, videos circulated on Tik Tok of college students combining all of their syllabi and putting their due dates in chronological order using Google Sheets. I tried this during my Fall 2021 semester, and I absolutely loved it! Some people go the traditional route and use planners, but for me this was a fun and easy way to keep me on track of all of my assignments and check them off as I went. 

Time Management

A large part of your academic success (or lack thereof) is due to how you manage your time. Mapping out time to study, meet up with classmates for projects, and complete lengthy assignments will save you from creating unnecessary stress for yourself. I spoke with Dr. Matthew Woods, the Director of Academic Success at The College of Saint Rose. 

Dr. Woods’ tip: “Manage your time wisely and set your goals appropriately. Everything flows from that.  Know what you want to accomplish, and set up little goals to achieve the big goal.” 

Reminders/Alarms

This next tip is super simple! Almost everyone carries a mobile device with them daily. In our phones, we are able to set alarms and reminders. You can either set a reminder manually in your phone, or use the built-in AI that comes with your smartphone to save some time. 

Our tip: Try saying, “Hey Siri, set a timer for two hours and label it ‘study for exams.’” 

Routine

Creating a routine is not for everyone, but it can be a key factor in having a successful academic career. Some people like to wake up at 5 a.m. and make a cup of coffee before they start a long day of studying, others prefer to cook dinner earlier and hunker down to pull an all-nighter to complete a paper. Different people have different routines and styles! According to North Western Medicine, effective routines aid the reduction of stress, which can in turn lead to overall better mental health and decreased anxiety (North Western Medicine, 2022). 

Our tip: Find out what routines feel healthy and attainable for YOU. Following a consistent routine can lead to establishing healthy habits that set you up for success that last from the beginning of your semester to the end. 

Need some help combating procrastination? Check out our top three ways to avoid putting off your work!

What do you think?

Comments posted on this site are held in moderation until approved by a site administrator. Vulgar, profane, obscene, offensive terms or personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Loading