How I Set Up My Planner For College

  If you ask my family and friends, they might tell you that I'm a little crazy when it comes to planning. I definitely color code religiously. 

   So many college bloggers will tell you to always keep your syllabi close by so you will remember when you have assignments coming up. While I do need to reference syllabi often, I would never remember to check assignments; I need my planner! 

   As an OT student, my days are packed and there are tons of to-do's spinning around in my head. Getting everything organized and physically written down on paper is what keeps me sane throughout the semester. Here's how I do it!

Step One- Pick a Planner

   My planner is my lifeline, and I would be completely lost without it. I reach for it constantly, so choosing one that I will enjoy using for the whole year is important. It really does not matter what brand, size, or color you choose- get whatever looks good to you! Target & Staples are two stores that often have a good variety. This year I ordered mine from Amazon, which also had tons of options. Plus, who doesn't love Amazon? Here's a link to the one I purchased last year if you're interested. 

   

   When choosing a planner, there are a few must-haves that I always look for. I personally always get the larger size, because I need the space! I learned this the hard way during my senior year of high school. I got so busy in the spring that I went on an emergency Walmart run to buy a bigger planner since my little one just was not cutting it anymore. It's better to have more room than not enough!

   The only other things I require in a planner is both monthly and weekly view pages. I prefer 2 page spreads for each of these so you have plenty of room to write.

Step Two- Important Dates

   As soon as I'm ready to start adding things to my planner, I pull up a copy of the important dates/ college calendar. This helps me to see an outline of when breaks, midterms, finals, and any other important days are for the year. I typically add these dates first to my planner with a black pen (you'll see why I mention this soon). At the same time, I put these in my iPhone calendar, along with my class schedule, just for a quick view of when I have class, breaks, etc. Here's how it looks in my digital calendar; I like being able to see time slots like this for scheduling work and other meetings.

Step Three- Color Code like Crazy

   Okay, this is the part where you might start to get Monica Geller vibes from me. 

   For each class, I buy a different colored folder & matching notebook. For example, last semester my "purple class" was my OT course. I use a matching colored pen to write all assignments, textbook readings, and important dates pertaining to that class in the monthly view of my calendar. This helps me remember what assignments are for each class, without writing out the course name or needing to refer to my syllabus throughout the year. 

  Typically I make another color for my work schedule and club activities, adding any training time or important days there too.

Step Four- Weekly View

   Before you ask: no, I don't color-code this part too. The weekly section is what I use as a daily to-do list. It’s a good way to get myself organized for the day, as well as prioritize tasks. How satisfying is it to cross items off your to-do list?
   I also like to section off a part of the weekly area each day to remind myself about exams I need to start studying for, assignments I need to prepare for, and non-school related things like sending in my absentee ballot. 

   And that is how I organize my planner for college as a busy OT student! Leave a comment and tell me what strategies you use and if you are a fellow color-coder!