Are you wondering how to stay organized in college? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered. As a recent college graduate, I know first hand how important it is to be organized in college.
As a freshman in college, I learned the importance of being organized the hard way. The shortened semesters and increased workload caught me off guard and it was super overwhelming.
After my first semester, I knew things needed to change. So, I came up with way to make my life easier in college. Prioritizing organization was the key to success and made my college life a lot more manageable!
Why is Organization Important in College?
Staying organized in college will reduce stress, create good habits and ensure success. College semesters move by really quickly, and being organized will prevent students from falling behind. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to be organized in college, as everything has been digitized.
In this post, I share 12 ways to stay organized in college, that actually work!
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12 Ways to Stay Organized in College
1. Use an Agenda
The best way to be organized in college is to use an agenda. An agenda is a great place to write important due dates, test dates and exam date throughout the school year.
At the beginning of the semester it’s a good idea to write down all the important dates throughout the semester. This will prevent any surprises from coming up and you will always know what to expect.
Carrying around your agenda in your backpack is super beneficial as you can write down important upcoming dates when you attend lectures.
Recommended Agendas:
2. Plan Your Weeks
In college, a great way to stay organized is by planning your weeks. Using google calendar or a paper planner will allow for you to plan out your upcoming week.
Write down upcoming important dates, important events and don’t forget to leave some room for study time. If you’re a procrastinator, planning your weeks is a good way to stay on top of your work and not fall behind.
You can find paper planners online on Amazon or you can use google calendar on your phone. Planning your weeks will really come in handy when the school work becomes stressful in college.
Recommended Planner: Paper Planner (check price & reviews on Amazon here)
3. Have the Proper Material
One of the secrets to being organized is having the right material and college essentials. Having everything you need is the recipe for success in college and will make your college life so much easier!
Recommended School Supplies for College:
4. Take Notes Digitally
Taking notes in college is something every student has to do. Nowadays, many students will either take notes on their laptops or iPad’s as they can get easy access to their notes from anywhere.
Taking notes and writing down important information in class is super important. Doing it digitally makes way more sense as the notes will be more organized, can be share and can be accessed from mobile devices.
When I was in college I used Google Docs as it was easy to use and I would share notes with my classmates.
If you used an iPad, make sure to download the Good Notes App, it makes taking notes extremely easy. You may also want to get some inexpensive iPad accessories to keep organized.
Are you debating on whether to get a laptop or iPad for college? Check out this article: Should You Buy an iPad For College Instead of a Laptop?
5. Avoid Procrastinating
As a procrastinator myself, procrastinating is one habit that can be super damaging in college. Being organized will help you avoid procrastinating.
A great way to avoid procrastinating is creating a schedule and sticking to it. When you get school work, do your best to complete it right away. If you leave work till the last minute you will be stressed out and overwhelmed.
If you find yourself procrastinating, begin by completing smaller tasks. Once you begin to do work, it will be easier to do the bigger assignments.
Do your best not to push your assignments until the next day, because your work will keep piling up and it will become very stressful.
If you avoid procrastinating in college, you will feel a lot less stressed and be more relaxed throughout the semester.
Related: 12 Reasons Why College is Stressful & What You Can Do About it
6. Create a To-Do List
If you procrastinate, I strongly recommend creating a to-do list. I made to-do lists all the time in college, because it made me feel in control of my homework assignments, tests and exams.
Typically, I write down test and assignment dates and I plan my days accordingly. It’s always better to get the big tasks out of the way as school work can pile up very quickly in college.
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7. Manage Your Course Load
If it’s your first semester in college, consider doing a reduced course load. College is a big change from high school and classes are way more demanding.
Taking less classes while adapting to the new environment will make college way more manageable. Having a reduced course load will make it easier to be organized in your classes.
Take it slow for the first semester and focus on getting good grades. Once you know what’s expected of you in college, then you can increase the amount of classes that you are taking.
8. Keep Your Backpack Organized
Keeping your backpack organized with your essentials, is a serious game changer in college. If you have papers everywhere it’s going to be hard to find things when you need them.
Do your best to put papers in folders, throw out old assignments and to clean out your big once a week. There are some really good backpacks for college that make being organized super easy.
- Related: 12 Best Backpacks for Girls in College – By a Recent Graduate
- Related: 12 Best Backpacks For College Guys – By a Recent Graduate
9. Create Good Habits
Creating good habits early on in college will play dividends later on. As you make more friends and meet more people, your college life becomes more busy.
Getting in the habit of waking up on time, creating a routine and not skipping class are some good habits to get into. Additionally, building some good study habits and doing time management is a great way to be successful in college.
Related: 27 Hobbies for College Students that Are Actually Fun
10. Keep Your Work Space Tidy
Keeping your study space tidy is a simple way to make your college life easier. If you study in your dorm room, make sure to keep in clean and organized so you’re not scrambling when looking for things.
Once a week, spend a little time keeping your room clean and once you’re done studying throw out any garbage. This will prevent your study space from getting so messy that you can’t work in it.
Related: Small Bedroom Ideas for Guys – With Real Pictures
11. Find What Works for You
When it comes to being organized in college, everybody has different ways that work for them. What’s important is finding the ways that work for you.
Whether it’s creating a time block, having a study session with friends or using an agenda, just do what works for you. Just make sure to complete your important tasks and to avoid procrastinating.
College is very manageable with a bit of organization and being disciplined you will do well. Just find what works and stick to it.
12. Take Care of Yourself
In college it’s important to take care of yourself. College can get stressful so manage your stress levels, get enough sleep and take care of your mental health.
Taking care of yourself will play a big roll in how organized you are. If you’re always stressed and you’re not getting enough rest, it’s going to be hard to keep a structured college life and a healthy routine.
It’s important to manage your social life as well as your academics. Finding the right balance between school and pleasure is one thing many students struggle with in college.
If you have an organized schedule and a proper routine then you’re setting yourself up for success in college.
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Final Thoughts on How to Stay Organized in College
If you’re a college student trying to be organized, just follow these tips. Being a college student is hard but it becomes a lot more manageable when you are organized.
It’s normal to feel stressed in college but it’s important to know how to manage it and set yourself up for success.
Do you have any college student organization tips? Please et me know in the comments below.