Diary of a Semi-Health Nut

ramblings + recipes of a semi-healthy nut

{Guest Post} 5 Things Every College Student Needs

by


Hello Friends!

I am so grateful to have some awesome blogging friends to cry out to when I am in need of help in the blogging department.

Finals are next week, and I have a HUGE paper due this week, so I really really need to focus!  Then I’m all yours and will dazzle you with workouts, yummy recipes, a giveaway and hopefully some new running stories!

——————–
5 Things Every College Student Needs to Stay Organized

 Hi guys, I’m Maria and I blog over at m.falls about anything and everything.
Outer Banks 2012-24
I met the lovely Amanda during the Blend Retreat in May and we share similar ideas in terms to health: balance and moderation. But health isn’t my only blog passion – I also go a little crazy over organization. Don’t believe me? Well, my husband bought me a P-Touch labeler for my birthday day one year. It’s that bad. Or rather, that obsessive.

Since Amanda is entering another year of college, I thought I’d share some of my college organization tips, because that’s really where I had to learn how to get organized with my hectic schedule between classes, working part-time, cooking, cleaning, and having somewhat of a social life in between. Here’s how I did it and some things that helped me along the way.
…

VT planner
credit

1. A planner. My college, Virginia Tech, always sold yearly planners in their bookstore and I can tell you that out of the hundreds (thousands?) of dollars I spent in that bookstore (unwillingly), the $12 planner I got at the start of each year was my key to being successful in college. Though, once you purchase a planner, you have to use it!

  • When you get the syllabus at the beginning of each course, take five minutes to write out all the important dates in your planner: tests, papers due, class cancelled, etc. 
  • Use a highlighter make important things stand out. 
  • Take your planner to each class.
  • Create a countdown to your next break. It’s motivating. 
There are a lot of online planners these days, even a to-do list and calendar on your Gmail account, but for me, writing everything (the physical act of it even), helps your brain remember the important tasks and due dates. Also, it’s sounds silly, but the act of crossing something off in your planner or to-do list is really motivating.

2. Bed risers. For about $15-20 bed raisers are well worth the money, especially in your tiny dorm room or apartment. Your under the bed storage doubles and things are easy to grab. I bought a cheap bedskirt to keep the bed looking nice and it was a great place to hide my shoes.

3. Shower caddy. Whether you are living in a dorm or apartment, chances are you are sharing a bathroom, and usually with more than one other person. I kept all my shower and bath necessities in a shower caddy. It kept everything together when there wasn’t a spot left in the shower for my shampoo and conditioner. And well, it also made sure that my roomies (gotta love them) were not depleting my supply. When I went to shower, I’d grab it and be ready to go.

five star notebook
credit

4. Five subject notebook. Sounds like a no-brainer…a notebook for college, how novel.  But, I used to see so many other students using single subject notebooks, one for each class. With a five-subject, you can keep all of your class notes in one notebook, so you just have one to grab in the morning. The Five Star brand usually has pockets, which are great for keeping the syllabi.

printable to do list

5. Daily To-Do Lists. Along the same lines of keeping your weeks and months straight in your planner, a daily to-do list will keep you on track day to day. Sometimes, when things are overwhelming, as they can be in college, it helps to just write down everything you need to accomplish and set out to do it. I would make the to-do list the night before, so that when I woke up the next morning, I’d already know what my day would look like. I used Post-It notes and put them near my computer screen, but I love the idea of a dry erase board. You can easily make your own, customer dry-erase board by following these instructions:

Custom Dry Erase To-Do List Board
{example photos can be found here and pretty much all over Pinterest}

  • Buy an 8×10 or larger photo frame. Ikea has some for under $10!
  • Open the frame and instead of using a photo, choose a fun scrap of fabric or even scrapbook paper ($1 or $2 from Michaels).
  • Put frame back together and hang in your dorm or apartment. 
  • Use dry erase markers on the glass to make your to do lists. 
  • Use Windex to keep it nice looking (or some white vinegar).
  • You can play around with the fabric/paper behind them for some fun changes. Or perhaps make them seasonal. Possibilities are endless!
All of these tips worked for me in college and I thrive on organization, but if you don’t, then you may need to be patient and try to make the systems work for you. Experiment and find your own way, but be persistent. While it may seem like a lot of work upfront (making a to-do list, filling out your planner, and tackling that mess under you bed), it will most likely help you deal with the stress you have on a daily basis. 
And because we are on the topic of college, may I present to you some very non-Type A tips that I touched on a few months ago. A general guide for getting the most out of your time in school, called Dear First Year College Student. Believe me, right now you are probably over the homework, over the lectures, and most definitely over living paycheck to paycheck, but you’ll look back at these times fondly a few years later and might just miss it (I do). And now I’m officially old. 
Thanks for reading and happy studying! For more rambling, organizational living, house hunting, to-do lists and information about me, please visit my blog.

Good luck Amanda on your finals and papers! You got this!

——————–

Oh goodness in my head I’m as organized in Maria, but in life, I really need to work towards her level of organization!

PS I’m still taking guest posts!!  semihealthnut AT yahoo 🙂

*~Amanda aka Semi-Health Nut~*

What other organizational tips do you have for me?  

Or roommate tips/advice??

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I agree on ALL of these! Organization really is key and so many of these tips are also good for life in general!

  2. I agree on ALL of these! Organization really is key and so many of these tips are also good for life in general!