Prioritize and organize

Planners are always a great way to stay on task throughout the busy school year. But let’s be honest, most students only stick to it for maybe a few weeks. It’s important to keep track of your assignments, meetings and events so you don’t miss a deadline or fall behind in a class. We, as students, can use these tools to organize our school work.

One way to stay organized is by utilizing organizational applications. Most of us have some form of technology that is able to download apps such as Google sheets, Outlook or the reminders app.

These apps are some of the most popular and user-friendly tools that can help optimize schedule planning. Google Sheets is useful for those who use google apps such as Google Docs and Google Drive frequently. Since they all are branches of the same application,  it is very convenient to throw in assignment deadlines. Its function to organize by date, time or subject is a unique feature that allows easy adjustments. 

Outlook calendars are another great tool. They are best for organizing events or meetings. This application reminds you of meetings 15 minutes before you need to attend. It can also send out invites, allowing invitees to mark “yes” or “no.” This way you can get a headcount and know beforehand who is coming. Invitees also get a reminder 15 minutes prior to the meeting to reinforce attendance.

Lastly, a staple is the reminders app. Already pre-downloaded for all iPhone users, this app is an easy way to check tasks off your list. It is as simple as saying “Hey Siri, remind me to…” It adds that task to a list that you are able to then later check off. 

Alternatively, if being forewarned of upcoming events feels overwhelming, a classic checklist on your notes or on a checklist app can be a more self-controlled version that doesn’t require going through a program to see. 

If virtual schedules aren’t your thing, some old fashion tools include sticky notes, planners and just “winging it” and remembering it all in your head. Sticky notes and planners are good ways to reinforce memory as it has been proven that writing out deadlines helps you remember them better than if you were just to speak or type them out.

This week marks the halfway point through the fall semester. Making sure to plan our days, weeks or months accordingly is key to staying on track and reaching our highest potential as MSU students.