New school, new classes, quizzes, reading, and did I mention it’s only the second week of the semester! Whether it’s having one class or six, it’s time to get organized and work on time management so that maybe at one point there can be a social life. Over the years I have come to find that my perfected organization regiment from high school are just not cutting it anymore. If you’re like me and need some new tips and tricks, you’re in the right place.

Here are my top 5 college organization tips and tricks to help you succeed this semester.

1. Get a Planner

Get a planner…if you don’t have one, GET ONE! Having a planner is going to make your life so much easier. I have an Erin Condren, which you can get HERE (https://www.erincondren.com/) but any planner works. When I sit down to work on schoolwork it helps to see right away what due dates are coming up, what needs to be done, and what to prepare for. It honestly just makes sense; nobody has time to go through a ton of papers and junk to figure out where to start.

2. Keep Track of it All

This is a potentially obsessive thing that I do: but I like to create a key on my planner that color coordinates with each of my classes. For example, when I get an assignment I will write it down in my planner with the coordinating color. This helps avoid confusion and that moment where you are thinking, “ what class was that for again?”

3. Break it down

Okay, I am far from being military time strict but, breaking down your day is a great way to stay organized and on top of things.  I like to make sure that I schedule in breaks so that I can get other stuff done because oddly enough I do have a life. This is also a great way to make sure you don’t burn your self out from doing the same thing for too long.

4. Mark the Progress

My system for this is super simple. On my planner and my daily breakdown, I check items that I have completed. I know it sounds silly but it is so motivational for me to see what I have accomplished and how much further I have to go. Regardless of how small the task it is checking it off is such an awesome feeling!

5. Keep it All Together

Keeping all of my textbooks, notebooks, folders, planner, etc. together is a must. I personally do not have a ton of space at home so I have a 3-bin container which you can get HERE (http://www.target.com/p/sterilite-3-drawer-medium-cart-black/-/A-14777932#prodSlot=medium_1_8&term=three+bin+container) in my closet that is dedicated to school. This gives me easy access to my school stuff to work on or throw in a bag on my way to class. No panicking looking for books and papers, it’s also a great way to keep everything clean and easy to put away.

What Do You Think?

What are your best organization tips? What’s your favorite weird/creative organization technique? Leave a comment and let us know, and have a great semester!