Ditch the stress, follow the plan!

University is an undeniably busy time. Between moving accommodations, possible jobs and extracurriculars, it can be easy to fall into a bad habit when it comes to your studies. That being said, putting some methods in place can make managing your studies smoother.

Here are a few organisational tips which I use that have kept my degree on track...

Keep a physical calendar

A lot of people favour digital calendars over paper ones but something about using a good old-fashioned calendar works wonders for organising not only just my studies but everything else too. With a physical calendar, I find that you get to interact with it on a better level, such as physically being able to cross off goals once they’ve been met. The way that I keep mine is through using a weekly spread, writing in each box what I aim to do as well as important things such as deadlines, events and meetings.

Make lists

There are lots of minor things that need doing which won’t be on your calendar, so having a general to-do list isn’t a bad accompaniment to your studies. Use this list to jot down anything which is lingering, such as returning a library book or emailing your lecturers. Even if these list items don’t directly link to your studies, having an organised life around them will relieve external stress from your work, which is beneficial.

Try to remain ahead

When it comes to class readings and notes, I try to be at least a week or two ahead of the teaching week. This allows room for you to take time off if you feel ill or in need of a break. It also works out well because you’ll likely be able to begin your assignments sooner too, seeing as you will finish the classwork before everybody else.

Review what you’re taking on

A simple exercise would perhaps be to write a list of everything in life which takes up a large portion of your time which isn’t studies. For instance, I spent two years running a student publication and it was very time-consuming, on top of two part-time jobs and other things. Before beginning my final year in September 2021, which is the heaviest year, I thought about my priorities and made the decision to step down from one of my jobs as well as the journal. It can be difficult to walk away from opportunities but sometimes it’s better to take on less and have more time to devote to your degree.

Remember to make essay plans

Delving into an essay with no pre-planning is like jumping into a pool without knowing its depth. Taking time out to structure what you want to say in what order makes assignments more approachable and really makes you think about what you feel is worth including. I promise it will be worth the extra time.

Organisation doesn’t have to be difficult. Just making a few adjustments to your routine can be the route to getting on track.