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School is Almost in Session: Students' Top Tips for Back to School

While all of us here at Appointed consider ourselves to be lifelong students, we recognize the hard work that goes into preparing for a return to the classroom every fall. We asked three students, from high school to grad school, their best advice for staying organized while hitting the books. 

Meet the Students

Eden

High School Senior

Keah

4th Year, Political Science

Kristina

3rd Year, MBA

What are your top tips for staying organized as a student?

Eden

  • I would say that you should write everything down!
  • I’ve found that every time I’ve become disorganized as a student it’s been because I have too much going on and I thought that I could handle remembering it all.
  • I find that by writing out all of my to-dos and assignments in one place is the easiest way for me to stay on top of all the things I need to do.

    Keah

    • Write everything in your planner!
    • Carving out time to work on long-term assignments using my planner has been so helpful for managing my time this year. (Appointed Note: We are big fans of using Mildliner Highlighters to help us organize long-term projects.)

    Kristina

    • Write everything down in multiple places. (Appointed Note: We agree! We like writing our to-dos in our planners and also in an even more portable place like our To Do Pad.)

    When is the best time to plan for the week ahead?

     “Sunday afternoons.

    -Eden

    “Sunday morning!

    -Keah

    “Sunday evening.

    -Kristina

    How do you keep your desk or workspace organized?

    Eden

    • I have a desk organizer with different areas for pens and a little drawer, but my desk often gets cluttered quite easily with different materials that I use for my art projects or items for school. (Appointed Note: Our desks get cluttered, too! We like the Fog Linen Coated Tray to catch all those random items that accumulate on our desks.)

      Keah

      • I try to keep as little as possible on my desk so I can pack it up and move to a new location when I need a brain break.
      • Keeping an easy setup that I can slide into my backpack works well for me— pencil case, my planner, and my laptop!

      Kristina

      • I only keep what I need on my desk - computer, keyboard, mouse, and a notebook/planner outlining what I need to do. (Appointed Note: We recommend the Desktop Storage Box for an elegant way to keep your workspace organized and clutter-free.)

       

      How do you make time in your schedule for yourself?

      Eden

      • I usually find time in the afternoons after I get home from school to spend time for myself and then I use the evenings to finish up my homework or whatever else I need to do.
      • Sometimes these times are switched, but generally I can find time for myself pretty easily.

      Keah

      • Write me-time into your planner if you can!
      • Also, don't be too hard on yourself and take breaks when you need them.
      • Now that I'm wrapping up undergrad, I think my biggest takeaway has been that you need to make time to take care of yourself before you can take care of all your work. (Appointed Note: This is exactly why we created the Activity & Habit Log. Everyone deserves time to focus on life outside of "work.")

       

      Kristina

      • I plan time for fun far enough in advance when I know there will be little to no conflict with my academic commitments. (Appointed Note: Our Compact Binder Planner is a great way to visually see commitments and carve out time for fun.)

        These insights from students reminded us that organized study spaces can still use beautiful tools, like our hardcover Daily Planner that is a keepsake-in-the-making or our 3 Subject Notebook in bright collegiate colors.

        Are you a student, teacher, or parent looking to get organized for the school year? Get your 23-24 Planner before they sell out. Not on an academic year schedule? Our 2024 planners are coming in September, stay tuned! 

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