Students blog

Going back to campus after winter break can be an adjustment but it’s important to think of how you will stay organized throughout the semester. There will be new challenges and it is important to go in organized and prepared to eliminate as much stress as possible.

Get Organized with a Plan

At the beginning of a new semester, I love to use my Google or Outlook calendar and add the days and times of all my classes. I like to do this not only to know when my classes are but when adding other events, work etc. it is easier to visualize everything rather than keep track in your head. I also like to try and write a plan for my day and what I want to accomplish. This helps me stay on task and, besides, who doesn't love crossing off finished tasks from a list? Remember, if you don’t get everything done it's okay! I just use lists as a guide and reminder of what needs to be done. If you are a visual learner like me using these two tools can really help you stay on track and visualize your schedule to keep you organized.

Try New Things

Sometimes stress during a semester is inevitable, with a new schedule, academics and just adjusting in general, so knowing what helps you de-stress will ensure you are taking care of yourself. Every person is different so what works for someone else might not work for you. It took me a while to figure out what helps me when I’m stressed, and I realized it depends on what my mood is. Sometimes when I need a break I want to be surrounded by my friends and other times I just want to be by myself, go on a walk, or read a book. Self-care and de-stressing come in a lot of different forms so it’s important to identify what helps you.

Don’t Procrastinate

This may be the hardest part of being a college student. I feel like everyone has procrastinated at one point during their time in college. Sometimes it’s hard to balance a bunch of classes, clubs, and social life. Procrastination can cause stress because leaving all of your class work until the last minute can cause work to be turned in late, or not done correctly. Now, there are some people who thrive under pressure and save work until the last minute, but I feel like for most people that is not the case. You can try to reduce procrastination by setting a window of time for yourself when you are only going to do homework and see how much you can get done. Or try choosing a specific day to work on assignments from each class so your focus stays on one subject at a time.

Know Yourself

Organization can be tricky to figure out for yourself, but once you do it will make your life so much easier! What works for someone else might not work for you. You know yourself best and it's important to remember that. If you try something and it doesn’t work, switch it up and try a new organizational tactic. Staying organized will only help you and your mental health to have an enjoyable college experience.

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