» Organize Your MSU College Life
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
How do you balance your college life? Between classes, jobs, and social events sometimes life can leave you in a blur! I know from my own experiences working full time and going to school full time doesn’t always leave me with as much free time as I would like. Although I feel pretty organized I thought I would do some researching to see what works for other college students like myself. I learned a lot about organization and I think I found some pretty useful tips that everyone could benefit from. Here are the top tips I compiled:
1. Start each day off the right way! Create a morning routine for yourself to follow everyday. Most students should give themselves an hour to get ready and scarf down some breakfast (also an important part of your routine). It is helpful to get everything ready the night before, such as packing your book bag, lunch, and picking out your clothes. I know mornings are stressful for me if I have to run around to get everything ready. Plus, having MSU so close to your East Lansing Student Apartment is really helpful.
2. Make the most of your day! If you can handle early morning classes, take them! It might be hard for you to get up early, but many of us waste time by staying up late and sleeping in. If we started our days off earlier we might be a little bit more productive! Don’t get me wrong, sleeping in until noon everyday sounds like a great idea! Making the most of your mid-day or what ever breaks you have in between classes is also important. Plan ahead by bringing your homework and everything you need with you to campus with a strict plan of attack.
3. Organize your computer. It is really helpful to have a laptop that you can bring with you to and from classes, but either way it is what you keep on your computer that matters the most. Since all of my classes are online, I find it really helpful to have a separate folder for each class. I know exactly where to find my work and it is easier when uploading documents so I don’t have to search around.
4. Get ready, get set, mark your calendars! Many organizational articles that I found suggest that students have a master calendar, a planner and a to-do list. One of the most helpful tips that I read was to write down all important dates on your calendar and planner from your class syllabus along with important dates such as social events. I find this really helpful because all of my classes are online so it is completely up to me to find out when my next assignment is due. You should always carry your planner with you everywhere! Whether this is a notebook style, or your PDA, definitely utilize these tools. Next, the to-do list should be your plan of attack for homework assignments, daily activities such as household chores and social events. Get fancy with color coding, or do what ever works for you!
5. Get regular. Keeping a strict schedule can actually lead to more flexibility. What I mean is trying to assign each day of the week certain tasks. For example, assign certain days of the week for work outs at Chandler Crossings or participate in social activities at Chandlers, and most importantly; school work. Some classes have reoccurring schedules and this is even more helpful, but if not, you can create your own. Make Mondays your reading days, Tuesdays your homework days, Wednesdays your review days, ECT. If you know your schedule ahead of time it makes it easier to adjust for unexpected events.
- Katelyn Moore
Tags: College Studying, College Tips, Education Tips, MSU Classes, MSU students study sessions, MSU study tips
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