You Got Into Where? is a college admissions advice blog for high school students created by Joi Wade. Topics include the college search, SAT and ACT, college essays, the common application and college scholarships.
A conveniently compiled list of 3 of the best organization methods for students. When it comes to planning and organizing, students often don’t know where to start. This article will describe the benefits of 3 different organizational and planning methods that will fit any student’s lifestyle!
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Have you ever found yourself knee deep in homework, obligations, and chores? Then you may want to start bullet journaling.
A bullet journal is a small notebook that is used to incorporate organization and creativity into your life. A bullet journal helps you jot down the important things in your life and helps organize your life according to the way your brain works. You can use a bullet journal as a calendar, diary, to-do list, and so much more. Even though you may have seen videos of people using fancy journals or expensive pens, you don’t need them to create your own bullet journal. All you need is a simple notebook and a little bit of imagination! One very important thing to remember before starting a bullet journal is that it is YOUR journal. Don’t compare your journals with the ones you see on Pinterest or Instagram because you are a completely different person from the creators of those bullet journals. Do what work best for you and take your time. Remember, it’s not a competition and this is just a fun way to keep track of your daily responsibilities. Why should you start bullet journaling? Bullet journals are a way to keep all your thoughts in one place that is easy to refer to and read. It allows you to assess your priorities and take the best course of action to complete your tasks. Your organizational skills and thought processes will also improve gradually with constant bullet journaling. Some also say bullet journaling is relaxing and therapeutic. It also allows you to take control of your life, which can ultimately decrease your stress levels.
Most people begin by numbering the pages of their bullet journal to keep track of pages and to find certain information quickly. This can be a somewhat tedious task so you may want to number them as you fill in the pages. Many bullet journals also include a table of contents at the beginning. It allows for easy reference as you begin to fill in the pages of your journal. Having a key page can also be handy since you will most likely have a lot of different types of things being written down in your bullet journal. Doing so will also prevent you from forgetting or misinterpreting information.
The actual content of your bullet journal will depend entirely on you. Some people bullet journal on a daily basis with daily to do lists, while others plan out their events in monthly calendars. What you do will depend on what you actually want your journal’s purpose to be. If you’re like many people, your journal is a mixture of a lot of things. Sometimes you may use your bullet journal to jot down ideas for an essay, to write important birthdays, or to just simply doodle.
Logs are also essential pages that are present in bullet journals. There are three main types of logs: future, monthly and daily. Future logs are bullet lists where you jot down the events and/or tasks for the future. The great thing about the future log is that you can add more things to it and nothing is “set in stone”. Monthly logs are quite similar to future logs but they only focus on one month at a time. You can also add all the days of the month to help track of dates of the events that you may add. Last but not least, you have the daily log. The daily log is where you write you tasks or events down to help you stay organized much like the future and monthly log. Besides logs, bullet journals can include grocery lists, sketches, brainstorming, etc. It really is up to you as to what the content of your bullet journal includes. It may be helpful to think about the parts of your life that you’d like to be more organized in and tailor your journal to those.
All bullet journals are essentially a small notebook or journal that can be purchased or may be lying around your house. It may also be convenient to have a small bullet journal if you plan on writing in it throughout the day. You may also want to invest in some colorful, quality pens if you want your bullet journal to look more artsy. Watercolor pencils and paints are also great ways to add a little pop to your pages. But, if you enjoy simplicity then a plain black or blue pen will work too! So, don’t worry if your pages don’t look like the ones on Pinterest. Some people respond differently to notes if they are written in different colors so it’s all up to your preference.
All in all, bullet journals can be great ways to take control of your life and help prevent disorganization by collecting all the needed information that will help you with your daily endeavors.
Highlighters, post-its, organizing, oh my! Right around the beginning of Junior year, my schedule turned hectic. AP classes, club meetings, and social events clouded up my schedule, and I did not know the best way to deal with the stress.
In comes my planner, the single thing that saved my grades from plummeting. It kept my life organized. And me?Well... it kept me motivated.
Below are some secrets of mine to staying organized, and using a planner to keep your hectic life in line!
Most planners have a section of the notebook dedicated to notes, and to-do lists. Use it for things like shopping lists, homework, or things to remember.
Putting sticky notes on individual days can maximize the space in your planner. Last minute plans, errands, and chores are great things to write down.
The only way to be able to keep it up to date is to keep it with you. Get a smaller one and throw it in your bag, or put it in your backpack during school!
Use things like stickers, washi tape, and cute decorations to make your planner more you. Some planners even come with items specifically to make it all yours.
If you do not actually do the things you put in your planner during the time you put it for, you will get out of the habit of using it and end up back where you started. I personally struggle with this, but the best way to avoid it is forcing yourself to follow your schedule, until it is a habit.
One of You Got Into Where?'s favorites: The Erin Condren Life Planner. This planner is state-of-the-art, featuring things like a leather exterior, 3 different calendar layouts to choose from, and a section designed specifically for goal setting! It is 100% customizable, with tons of fun colors and covers to choose from. If you're more of a neutral kind of person, they have a scheme specifically for you, too! You can even make a collage of your pictures for the cover of it.
Check it out here: https://www.erincondren.com/lifeplanner#learnMore
Overall, a planner will become your second savior in high school. Don't let it go to waste. Make it useful and make it pretty!
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