Moving to University can be a big adjustment. Once you’ve started lectures, been given coursework, and signed up to various societies whilst trying to settle in and make friends, organisation can sometimes go out of the window. But staying organised can be the main way to avoiding unnecessary stress. This blog will give you some (hopefully) useful tips on small but effective ways in staying organised during your time at University.
Tip 1:
Possibly one of the simplest ways to stay organised is creating a ‘To Do List’. The act of writing all of your tasks down and gradually ticking them off is not only satisfying for the mind, but allows you to make more sense of all the activities you need to get done. I usually write a large list of every single task I need to get done within a semester and then a smaller list of tasks that I can get done in a day: by doing this I can make sure I know everything I need to get done whilst giving myself a manageable amount to do each day. One important thing is to never make your lists too large; if it is unrealistic then it will make you feel unaccomplished when you are unable to complete everything. Create a list of around five tasks a day so that you can stay feeling accomplished whilst staying on top of your work load!
Tip 2:
Something that has completely saved me when it comes to time management is owning a planner. Surprisingly, I survived first year without the use of one, but after the work increase of second year, owning a planner has made my life so much simpler. I would recommend finding one that has a calendar page before each month so that you can view the month as a whole in order to keep on top of your scheduling. In addition to this, I use different coloured pens for different types of activities: for example any work deadlines I have will be in purple, whereas any extra-curricular activities I have will be in pink. This makes it super easy to see what’s coming up in your schedule, and ensures you won’t double book yourself.
Tip 3:
Another great way of keeping yourself organised is having a notice board in your room. It’s a great way to remind yourself to do things since you will always see it when you walk into your room. As well as this, once you have completed your task you can simply remove the reminder from the board! It can also be a really nice way to decorate your room if you add things such as photos or tickets to it. On my notice board, I have written out all of the different assignments I will have in the semester, the varying percentages that they are worth and their deadlines: this means that everything is in the same place instead of always having to check online.
Hopefully this has been a useful guide in giving you some ideas on easy ways that you can stay organised and make the most of your university experience!
