The key to successful schooling is organization, and there are lots of simple things you can do to make sure you don’t get all cluttered up. The aim here is to take all the things you have to “remember”, and ensure you keep a nice overview of all the things that need to be done.
And finally good organisation will reduce the actual amount of work you have to do… Here are some ideas on how to get started.
Be tidy.
The first step in being more organized is to be tidy, so let’s start with home. Make sure you have a study space, somewhere to call your own. A table or desk in the corner of your room is ideal as you can arrange things in a way you understand and know they won’t be disturbed. A bit of wall space is also useful, so you can hang a planner or white/corkboard at eye level.
Pack it In.
Packing your school bag the night before is always a good idea. You can take your time, making sure you have everything you need for the following day, rather than waking up 5 minutes before you need to leave and shoving the nearest books in your bag.
Be Supplied
Over the coming years, you will lose 72 pencils, 3 pencil cases, 12 erasers, 230 pens, 17 rules, and you are never actually going to have staples in that stapler. You will spend hours borrowing stuff, and you will have 33 shops visit to buy stuff. Here is the deal. Stock up. Buy stationary online, at a discount, and buy all of it for 4 years. You will get a significant discount, save yourself a lot of worrying and always have a supply when you need it.
Keep stuff in different colour folders.
For every subject, I have a different colour folder. I keep my course book, my handouts and notes all in the same folder. When I need to pack my bag, it takes me seconds. And it keeps me organised all the time.
Everything has its place.
I have a schoolbag where everything has its own place. That way I know where stuff is when I need it.
Be Alarmed.
Rushing around is never conducive to productive study, so get into the habit of setting an alarm, not just for getting up in the morning, but also for things like leaving the house, exams, meetings etc. It might sound a little OCD but giving yourself a 20-minute warning makes for a much more relaxed day.
The Writing’s on the Wall.
Remember the wall space we mentioned earlier? How about hanging a planner up, and writing in what subjects you need to study on any given day? For instance, you know you have a math test on Wednesday morning, so write ‘study math’ in Tuesday’s box. You know you have gym on Monday afternoon, so write in ‘pack gym kit’ in Sunday’s space.
Neaten up your Notes
Imagine the scene – you sit down at your workstation, ready to put in a couple hours’ studying, and…huh? The notes you took in class are incomplete and illegible.
Mates or Math?
There is plenty of time outside of school to socialize and have a laugh, and that is equally as important as studying. BUT…inside the classroom you’re going to do yourself no favors by messing about. If there are other students (and yes, this does include your friends) who are distracting you, then think about moving to a different seat.
When it comes to school, as well as life in general, it’s always good to remember that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Being organized will go a long way towards making sure you achieve that goal.
Do you have any hints or tips on being organized at school? What works for you? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Further Reading:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8Sh8Tx3is
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Stay-Organized-For-School/
http://portlandoregontherapy.com/organization-tips-high-school-students/
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Organized-in-School
