By Ella Cobb

Juggling all the different priorities you have in college can truly feel impossible. I am a person who lives by my calendar and needs organization to stay productive. 

If you don’t have a calendar or planner, I genuinely don’t know how you are doing it. Over the last five years of undergrad and grad school, I have tried so many different ways to do it.

Today I am going to share my best tips and tricks for staying organized. There are so many ways to do it, and at least one will work for you. 

1: Digital calendars

I love the convenience of a digital calendar. I want to be able to access my tasks from anywhere. I love Google Calendar. I use the app on my phone all the time. I also like to log in on my laptop and see it that way. There are several digital calendars to choose from, such as Apple Calendar, Notion, Outlook and more. You can also get a digital planner for your iPad, laptop, or other devices. 

2: Physical planner

I also love a physical planner and use one. There is something about being able to write my tasks down by hand that helps me. You can buy ones that are specifically designed for college students. 

3: Assignment tracking spreadsheet 

This was a favorite of mine during college when I was taking multiple classes. I would create a row for each assignment and color-code it by class. Then I would add important details, dates, and a column to indicate whether the assignment is complete. There are a lot of tutorials on TikTok and YouTube on how to do this. It is a great way to see all your tasks and assignments visually.

4: Organization and note-taking platforms (like Notion) 

Recently, I have started creating a dashboard on Notion to organize all the different areas of my life. Notion is capable of a lot and is considered to be one of the best tools for organization. You can also use it for note-taking. There are other options like Evernote, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and more. 

5: Tried and true ‘To Do Lists’ and sticky notes

There is nothing like a sticky note or to-do list to keep you together. Even with my other systems, I often use these methods. If you were to walk through my bedroom right now, you would find lists and notes everywhere. I always carry a small notepad in my purse for this reason. 

6: Notes for each day of the week on your home screen 

This is not a method that I have tried personally. However, I have heard great things about it from a friend. Basically, you can create a separate note page for each day of the week using the notes app on your phone. You can then make that note a widget on your home screen. It is a great way to visually see your schedule and the tasks you need to complete. 

You don’t have to use a complicated method with color coding or multiple steps. Just find a simple system that works for you. 

Remember, part of staying organized is checking your emails, texts, and Canvas dashboard daily for updates. 

Writer Ella Cobb was part of MTSU’s Student Voice team. She recently completed her MBA in Strategic Marketing Analytics and earned her undergrad in Marketing at MTSU. She graduated in August.