Tips on Staying Organized This Year

Staying organized in school can be hard sometimes, but there are some things you can be doing to help yourself this school year, and hopefully these tips can help. The first step to a more structured school year is a planner. As a reformed planner denier myself, I am embarrassed to say that I rejected planners for the longest time. Even now, I cannot stick to a planner unless I really love the design. It’s very important to get a planner that you like; I would suggest getting a functional and visually appealing planner that you will be motivated to use. You can use a school planner or a minimal planner, just make sure that you want to use it. I personally suggest Happy Planners because their products are both sturdy and reusable. 

Additionally, ND students were polled to share some organizational tips. Haley Day ‘26 suggests setting reminders for homework so you can remember that you are supposed to be getting work done, no matter how hard it may be to stay focused. Another strategy is the Pomodoro timer method where a student focuses for about 25 minutes and then takes a break for 5 minutes and repeats the cycle. Other students suggested organizing notes into different folders and using digital resources. One useful tip that I have picked up is to color-coordinate my classes. To do this, give each period a different highlighter and highlight different assignments in your planner, so that you know which class to study for. In addition, many students encourage the use of free time to do homework. I understand how hard it can be to get work done, but it is critical to use any free time you may have, such as a free block, or some time after school. While I know how stressful school can be, I hope you find some of these tips helpful and even incorporate them into your daily routine!