How to Stay Organized
at College This Year

college planning articles and tips

Are you heading off to college? Are you ready for what lies ahead this academic year? Possessing strong organizational skills can help you succeed at college, enabling you to balance your classes, your assignments, work and personal interests such as a club, or your attendance at a sporting event. Get organized and you'll succeed at college and reduce your stress too.

1. Use a calendar. Choose a calendar that you can mark up for the school year. If you prefer, download a calendar app for your smartphone and begin plugging in your dates. Include everything you can think of from the beginning of the semester to the end. Put in your class times, assignment due dates and other benchmarks to help you track the progress of your work such as a term paper. Refer to your calendar daily and make changes to it as your schedule changes.

2. Establish a work area. If you're having hard time getting organized, it may be due to you not having a set work area. The ideal place, of course, would be your dorm room, but not all dorm rooms are conducive for studying. After all your roommate is a barbarian and, well…. Plan B is for you to find a new place to study and that can be the quiet confines of your college library, a nook in the student center or a cubicle in the science department. Fill your book bag with your study materials, bring a beverage and some snacks, and set up a dedicated time just for studying. 

3. Toss it or file it. If you're lucky, most of your important files are electronic and can be safely archived or deleted as needed. If you're still drowning in paperwork, you'll need to set up a file system. Buy folders and label each one according to your paperwork. One file may contain your college records, another file your personal documents such as tax forms and your social security cards, a third file may be your completed assignments. Place these folders in a filing compartment, preferably one that you can easily move with you from place to place. Important documents should be locked, therefore invest in a fireproof strong box that is large enough to hold your files. For paperwork you absolutely don't need, carefully shred these documents.

4. Evaluate your dorm room. With your roommate's help and input, take a close look at your dorm room. Where you eat and sleep can impact your organizational abilities. Put everything in its place, but determine first where those places are. If furniture is in the way, reorganize the room  with an eye to having separate areas for sleeping, eating and studying. Excess furniture should be removed. Be in agreement with your roommate on television and entertainment times -- XBox usage at 2:30 a.m. doesn't have to be tolerated.

5. About your finances. An important part of your college organization efforts is to evaluate your finances. For without money, you won't be attending college. Ensure that you have enough money for the school year, but also look at head to the next school year in case you need to apply for additional scholarships. Identify what scholarships you're interested in and put the due date on your calendar. Write your applications well in advance, perhaps during winter break in January. 

6. Ask for help. If you're finding it difficult to manage your time at college, ask your college resource center for help. Your school can share tips on how to get organized and, if you need a tutor, arrange one for you too. Your college can help you with other matters too including helping you through a personal crisis, review your student aid and help you establish a clear path to graduation. Take advantage of these services -- you're paying for them!

Organization Considerations

Your organizational plans can free up time for and keep you from burning the midnight oil to study for a test. You'll have more time for yourself including taking in a sporting contest that you could never quite fit in the last semester.

Resources

University of Illinois Extension: Barriers to Getting Organized, And How To Deal With Them -- http://urbanext.illinois.edu/clutter/but.html

The University of Kansas: 10 Steps to Organization at College -- http://www.caps.ku.edu/selfhelp/organization2.shtml

University of Minnesota: Get Organized -- http://onestop.umn.edu/finances/manage_money/get_organized/index.html

Amanda Green is Brand Manager at RHL, leading online supplier of college bedding.

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