LIFE

Between homework, sports practice and extracurriculars, you may find yourself trying to handle quite a lot at once. Yes, managing all of your classes while you’re running low on sleep is a daunting task—but if you’re well organized and prepared, it's totally doable. With just a teeny tiny bit of work, you can stay on top of everything at once! 

Invest in a planner 

Many schools issue students a planner at the beginning of every year. If your school is one of them, be sure to use the organizer to note all the things you have going on: homework, exam dates, sports games and doctor appointments. If your school doesn’t provide planners, you can find a relatively inexpensive option at a local office supply store. Don't forget to write down assignment due dates and keep it with you at all times.

Create a color-coding system

Buy or decorate a folder, notebook and even a textbook cover in one specific color for each class so you can easily tell to which subject those materials belong. For example, your red notebook and folder can be for reading, purple for science, blue for math and so on. You can also create a color-coding system in your planner using your highlighters or colored pens (this is a great idea for organizing your notes, too). 

Buy a universal folder 

Though you don’t want to be bogged down with excess papers, you always want to have the necessary materials for your classes handy at all times. To keep things straight and all in one place, buy one sturdy folder and add some pocket inserts. Designate one pocket for each of your classes and feel free to use your color-coding system from before. This way, you can easily carry home all of your assignments and study guides without having to lug around a million different folders for every subject. 

Tidy up

Instead of rushing straight for the door after the last bell on Friday, take a few moments to clean out your locker. Toss snack wrappers, empty water bottles and papers that you no longer need and make sure all of your books and materials are upright and organized how you like. (I always keep my books in the order that I need them throughout the school day.) Also, bring home anything that you don’t need at school. Do the same with your backpack once you’re home, tossing out garbage and putting away anything that you don’t need. If you budget a few minutes on Friday to organize your folders and figure out what you have to accomplish by Sunday night, you'll be on track for the rest of the weekend—and still able to have some fun. 

Write down due dates

As soon as you learn a new due date, write it down in your planner. Take special note of days when you have multiple exams or projects due, since these days will require extra time management. Once you've made a note of each due date, figure out how many days you have to complete the task. Create a chart and write down the time you will need to study for the exam or work on that paper each day in order to accomplish the task and due dates will never sneak up on you! 

Did we miss anything? Got an organization tip of your own? Share it in the comments below!

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