As the new semester rounds out its first week, many of us are already starting to feel overwhelmed just looking at our syllabi, thinking about papers and exams that are only a few weeks away. As younger students, professors and faculty have always drilled into us that we should keep a planner, stay organized, and make sure to be on top of our assignments, readings, etc. There are many ways to stay on your “A” game this semester, and to make sure you have everything you need to get good grades and manage everything you want to do.
Director of Off Campus and Commuter Services Dr. Vaughn Clay said, “Since most students seem to take at least five classes per semester, I am a firm believer that using a daily planner/schedule is a great way to keep oneself on track and up to date with all of the different readings, projects, tests, work, meetings with friends, etc. that can come up over the course of a week. Using a daily planner can also help mitigate the amount of stress a student may encounter, especially as a semester progresses and assignments pile up.”
If you leave everything until the day it’s due or until it is too late, your schedule can get jam packed with last minute assignments that can get tedious, time consuming, and even cause burn out in the end. “Students are so busy with a host of different academic, work, and life related responsibilities, that it only makes sense for the student to keep track of what they need to do, so they don’t miss a deadline or overbook their calendar,” Clay added.
As students, we want to be able to get involved in as many things as we can whether they be passion and hobby based or activities to bulk up our resumé, but the number one thing to keep in mind is that grades and your classes are the most important. Senior health studies student Hayley Bray said, “As a trainer at Monmouth, I’m always needing to be somewhere at a certain time, sometimes the hours are odd and each day is a little different, so, when I write things down and plan my day out, it makes it easier for me and my clients.”
Junior biology student Summer Shaheed is a firm believer in trying your best at everything and that studying and writing things down are the key to staying organized. “After each class I write down everything that needs to get done for the next class–something I do it for each class every day. Then, after classes are done, I try to get as much done as I can before exhaustion hits. As for remembering things that are coming up, sometimes professors don’t remind students until the week of that something is due or an exam/paper is coming up; to combat that, in my planner on the monthly page, I make sure to take each of my syllabi and write down all assignment/exam dates,” Shaheed said.
While writing everything down and having a physical copy of all the necessities throughout the day has been very popular in the past, with the new wave of technology, some students prefer a digital method. Sophomore communication student Michael Fazzino said, “I think the best way to balance everything is to make a schedule and use a calendar. What I do is I use the reminders app on my phone so that way everything I have to do and everywhere I have to be just pops up on my phone as a text. For me, it’s the best way to keep myself updated.”
Danielle Wolfe, Graduate Student in the Student Affairs and College Counseling program said, “When working with my students, I make sure that they either use a planner or an app to so that they can stay more on top of their coursework for the semester. If you prefer an app format, I highly suggest my Homework Student Planner. You can color code your classes and set the priority of assignments.”
“The app will remind you of upcoming and/or late assignments and once they’re complete you can check them off. You can also put in your professors names, telephone, and their office hours so you know how to contact them. As a student leader, I have used it to keep on top of my classes, my internship, and my work schedule,” Wolfe continued.
Whether you prefer keeping a daily planner, writing a to-do list, or keeping yourself updated with alarms and reminders throughout the day, it is important to remember that staying organized is one of the most important things to staying on your “A” game throughout the semester and throughout life. In every career, you will need to be organized and be able to effectively time manage, so, now is your time to garner those traits and really hone in on what helps you stay up to date on your daily activities.
PHOTO TAKEN by Alexandria Afanador
