Organize, Me : Back to School

I too have always prided myself on the fact that organization is one of my strengths.  However, this semester I have been a bit slow to get organized (and stay organized).  I don't know what my problem is, but I decided I need to fix it.  So, today I don't have classes and I haven't started back to work at the UAA so today is organization day.  I am pumped and ready to be back to myself.  To the naked eye most people would say I was incredibly organized.  My room is relatively clean and organized, but my school life just hasn't gotten to that point yet.

Typically, I start every semester by buying my books and school supplies (or reusing supplies from the previous semester if I can...Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!).  I purchased my first textbook yesterday (over a week after the semester started...EEK!).  I have seriously done the bare minimum for all my classes for the past week.  I have been oversleeping and watching entirely too much TV...I'm not sure what has gotten into me.  On the up-side I have been to the gym six times since I have been back at school, this is a record for me (and it's one of my goals for 2012).

Now that I have sufficiently vented about my overall laziness this semester, I figured I would give you guys a few tips on my I usually stay organized and on top of things during the semester.  I am a Senior in college so after four years of high school and now almost four years of college I feel like I have finally gotten into a good routine for studying and keeping up with homework and assignments.  I got a few of these tips from The College Prepster about a year ago, she is seriously so incredibly helpful (sorry if I seem obsessed, I promise I'm not crazy).

I organize my documents on my Mac by semester and then by class.  I think it's a good idea to keep files from previous semesters to refer to in future classes (particularly files from previous classes I've taken in my major).  It is very helpful to have old notes and Power Point slides to refer to from other professors during assignments or preparation for exams (since professors often expect you to remember what you've already learned and we all know that is hard to do sometimes).  It is also a lot easier to keep files stored on a computer than it is to have a hard copy in a folder on your desk.

It is important to always know what you have coming up in all your classes so that you're never blindsided by assignments, projects, quizzes or exams.  I keep up with assignments on three calendars.  I have a monthly dry-erase calendar on my wall by my desk so I can always see what I have coming up during the next few weeks.  I keep a second calendar on my Mac, which also transfers to my iPad and iPhone so I always have it with me (iCloud is seriously the best invention ever!).  My third calendar is a Lilly Pulitzer planner.  It is so cute and fun to write in and I can look at it without my professors thinking that I'm texting in class.  It is so helpful to have things written down in multiple locations so I know that I won't miss anything important.

I am so happy to be organized and back into school mode.  Being organized always helps me lower my stress-level throughout the semester.