Tips for Staying Organized

ORGANIZATION, my favorite topic of all. Something I was born to do and cannot get enough of. BUT I do know that it's not everyone's cup of tea. Even if it isn't your favorite thing in the world, everyone should keep a basic level of organization- it is an integral part of a smooth, trouble-free high school experience [and life] in the future. Here are a couple of basic tips that you can try to keep organized!

1. Keep an agenda

This is a MUST, and my personal favorite tip. This agenda is the place where you write daily what you need to do, when things are due, and any meetings you have each day. I couldn't function without my agenda, it is the one thing the keeps me relaxed when I have a billion things to do.

2. Organize your binders and folders periodically

You will surely receive tons of handouts and flyers from teachers constantly, and it piles up very quickly. Every month, I go through each of my folders and binders and clean out what I don't need. Less clutter means peace of mind.

3. Keep file folders for important papers at home

There will be lots of important documents you'll need throughout high school, especially as references come application season senior year. Since my junior year, I began keeping file folders for different catergories, like Dual Enrollment, Transcripts, Certificates, Scholarships. When I needed them for college applications, all I had to do was grab the folder and all the information was organized and in one place.

4. Keep an organized USB

This will make your life so much easier! My USB contains everything I need, and keeping it organized is key. Below are screenshots of the system I use, an example of something you may want to implement.

5. Prioritize

There will be lots of days (especially as you get older and your classes become more difficult) when it'll basically be impossible to complete all of your homework for the following class, so you should practice prioritizing. First complete the tasks you know are due the soonest and the ones that have more weight on your grade. For example, if you have a B in Calculus, spend a lot of time on your Calc homework to get a good grade and boost your grade, but if you have an A in Journalism, dedicating less time to that homework will not affect you that much.

6. Learn time management

There are only twenty-fours in each day, so you have to make the most of them! Something that really helps me is timing myself when I am completing my homework. For example, if I have an AP Chemistry worksheet to do, I'll set an hour on the clock and do as much as I can in that hour. When it is up, I evaluate my progress and pick up my pace if necessary. I have found this to be extremely helpful in maintaining efficiency.

These few tips will help you reduce clutter and chaos and ensure peace of mind! Try them out for a week or two and you'll see how helpful they are. Good luck!

All the best,

Laura