How to stay organized in college
As a college student, I have come to the conclusion that organization is the key to success. For example, I organize a budget each month so that I have enough money to pay for my higher education, credit card bill, and phone bill. If I didn’t do that, I would probably find myself in some sort of financial turmoil!
For this blog post, I decided to ask the person that has taught me the most about organization to share his tips. His name is Dominic. He is a 20 year old college student who attends Eastern Illinois University. Dom uses organization to balance his education, job, and being in a fraternity.
Here is the interview I had with him:
Tara: What is the best advice you would give to students about staying organized in college?
Dom: I would tell them to create a method on how they want to organize their life and stick to it. As time goes on, students will see that organization is crucial to be successful in anything. I would also encourage them to use a planner and write everything that they have to do each day down. Each person has a different preference; students can use an app, notebook, email, or virtual calendar. It doesn’t matter how they record their notes as long as they are able to see and understand exactly what they have to do to stay on track with school work, job, finances, etc.
Another piece of advice I would give to college students is to work ahead on anything possible. This will help relieve stress in the long run.
Tara: How do you achieve a workable balance with school, work, and other activities you are involved in?
Dom: Before the week starts, I write down everything I have to do. That way I’m not getting ambushed by unexpected things.This keeps my mind at ease, especially when I know I finished everything for the day. Without my planner, I would not be able to create a workable balance.
Tara: What are the benefits of being organized in college?
Dom: The main benefit from being organized is good grades. Aside from that, organization has helped me keep my life on track. I don’t miss assignments, payments, work duties, fraternity meetings, etc. because I know what has to be done at certain times on certain days. It has made me a disciplined person, which is a valuable skill at any point in life.
Tara: When did you learn the importance of being organized?
Dom: I have always been a neat person, but staying organized really helped me out the most when I started college. I was living independently, which was a new experience for me. I didn’t have my parents guiding me throughout each day. I had to do things on my own, so I decided that I needed to take initiative to better prepare myself for the real world.
Tara: Did someone teach you these vital lessons? If so, who?
Dom: Aside from my mom helping me as a child, I would say that I learned these vital lessons myself. I pushed myself to make sure I never got off track with anything because without proper organizational skills situations can become messy.
As Dom mentioned in his answers above, organization is the key to achieving success. Now, I encourage all my readers to get organized and get their life on track for success!
As Blogger and budget aficionado, Tara K. helps students across the country enhance their knowledge about money management and everyday life. She is constantly looking for new ideas to transform into great advice for you. Pursuing a journalism major, Tara K. has a passion for the art of inquiry, which is conveyed through her writing.