I wanted to do a post on school organization tips...and how I stay organized throughout the semester. My goal is to throw ideas out there, and maybe it will work for you and maybe it won't--but it is working for me so far.
Are you ready?!? I am so excited. :) Usually when I try and stay organized, it only works for half the semester and then I give up. But I sort of did this last semester, and tweaked some things this year, and WALAH! I have great techniques (and also stealing ideas from Pinterest) to help keep all my papers/homework/assignments/notes in order.
1. You want to buy a binder. I decided this semester that I wanted all my papers in one binder. Last semester I did a notebook and folder for each class (and that still worked) but I wanted to be able to grab it and go without having to forget any important papers.
*This is just a binder from Walmart. It was less than $10. I think it's a 5inch.
*One of the reasons why I choose this was because I liked the design on the front and inside on the binder. (I blocked out my name for confidential reasons)
*Another thing that I really liked was I found these, "Hello my name is" stickers on sale for $.75. So I put on on the front, in case I every forget it so someone could return it to me and I also use them to label the different classes.
2. In this next picture I show you the inside of the binder once you open it up. To the left I have typed out, the whole week of assignments and homework due. The highlighted parts just mean that I have finished the assignment.
3. To the right is one folder of four. One for each class. Each class has a corresponding color as well. (I like to be semi-color coordinated) In this case, the first folder is RED and it is for my British Literature II class. Again, I have the sticker on it to label what class it is for.
*The folders were cheap, $1 each. (Or less)
*This is just an aerial view of the binder. 4 colors = 4 classes. I was taking 5 classes, but also working part-time proved to be too much work, so I had to drop the class.
4. This is a closer view of my homework/assignment schedule. I used the clips to secure it to the binder. The yellow highlight is the week that homework is due. So in this case, it would be all the homework assigned for the week of February 17- February 20th.
*An even closer view. It shows you how I organize the schedule. I label the day/date, and then the class with the homework thats DUE for that day. I even included reading assignments.
5. After each folder labeled with the class sticker, I have the syllabus printed out. Then after the syllabus (it has every assignment due for the whole semester) I have what I call the "Notes Index". Now I stole this idea from someone on Pinterest who did the same thing. But it's not really stealing since they willingly shared there organization tips. :p
*Since I am only into the 5th week of school...there is not a whole lot to write down. I mark each page of my notes with a number so it's easier to flip to when I have an upcoming test or quiz. (I.e. If the quiz is on Wordsworth the poet, I just have to flip to page 12 and know that that's where I can find my notes on him)
*After my Notes Index page, I have a tab page. That's is just to separate my syllabus from my notes. You don't have to do this.
*A closer look at one of my Notes Index. I do this for each class. The last one, we are still discussing in class, that's why I left the dash.
6. We are half way there! PWEW. Haha. After my tab page, is where I keep my notes for each class. They look something like this...
*Notice I put a number at the top corner. Sometimes it's at the right and sometimes at the left. It doesn't matter for me.
*Notice I also put the date. For some reason, I just do this because it helps me. IDK WHY.
7. My professors also like to send emails. We are trying to become a paperless college, and although we do get occasional handouts, I try and print out my emails and put them in with my notes. NOTE: I do not put a number on top on the page for the emails.
*This is an example of a syllabus for one of my classes. In this case, however, my teacher only had an online syllabus, so I typed it out by hand to have in my binder. The highlighted is what we have already done.
*Remember, this is right after the folder. Behind this is the Notes Index, then the tab page, then the notes.
8. The first note page I showed you was very ambitious. I tried to have two different color pens to categorize subjects, but I got lazy. I ended up going back to what always works for me (and it's easier). I highlighted the topic, and then bulleted/starred the different points I thought were important to study for.
*Or maybe if my professor says, THIS WILL BE ON THE EXAM. Then I put 2 or 3 stars next to it, so when I come back to it later, I know that it is important to study those points.
*More examples of my AMAZING notes taking skills. #sarcasm
*I also put the page numbers of the topic we are discussing so I can refer back to it when studying.
9. For missed classes I email some of my classmates for notes. I like to write on the top the day I missed and who I got the notes from. (These are notes a fellow classmate emailed to me on a day I missed).
*Don't forget to number these pages too for the Notes Index.
10. LAST THING!! Yeah. :) The last I wanted to share was that for notes, sometimes I am too lazy to write (or some of my professors don't allow computers in class) and I type my notes out. Then I print them out at home.
*Don't forget to number these pages for the Notes Index.
That's is folks! Sorry for this obnoxiously long blog post. Comment if you have any questions because I was unclear about some things. Or let me know what you do to stay organized! :-)
As ever,
Stephanie
