The title makes me feel a bit premature in saying this, however so far since transferring universities I have managed to study hard and get good grades. As a result, I thought I might share with you some tips for uni and staying on top of assignments.
I'm quite anal when it comes to having everything organised, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I'm one of those people who get excited when the coursework finally comes up online stream. Yes, one of those people. I am also a list person, so I thought I would share via a list, all the things I do to make sure I'm ready for the semester.
Tips for Uni:
Assignments
Determine when all your assignments will be due and write those dates (and times if necessary) down. Include participation points, forums, group work, exams, everything. Once everything is written down, make or buy a calendar that you can stick up on your wall and see everyday.
Diary/Planner
Once I can see where everything is set up on a calendar, I'll write the dates in my diary/planner. You can get them from stationary stores for cheap or if you really want a great one I recommend a Filofax. They're a great way to keep organised whether you like doing this weekly or daily, they have different page types that you can purchase - it's almost like a build-your-own diary. Anyway, back on track. Depending on whether you are studying via distance or travelling to classes you will want to also write in when classes are. I also like to take note of when the bulk of assignments are due as they tend to usually be around the same week every semester.
Study Planner
When I've figured out everything I need to for assignments and classes, I like to create a guide for when I can study. If you're studying extramurally it's very important to stick to a schedule and stay on top of the work that needs to get done every week. If you're studying at university then all you need to do is allocate time out of your week to do homework, assignments and general study. Usually your course co-ordinator will give you a study guide or admin guide which includes pretty much all the information you could need for your course. I like to check these to make sure I've got everything that needs to be done written down somewhere.
Week-to-Week Guide
Because I'm studying extramurally, I've had to work out a routine that works for me. However I wasn't able to get this down pat until after the first week of semester. This was because the first week is always a bit of an introductory period and so its pretty chill. However I also used this week as a practice round to figure out how much work I would actually need to do for each subject and when. This helped as I am now able to write a list or table that includes my subjects and every day of the week. For each I write what I need to get done for that week including actual school work and then work I should do for assignments. By breaking this up throughout every week I am able to keep up with assignments and not leave them to the last minute.
I'm so glad I'm able to do this as I don't have the time to leave things to the last minute. Being a full-time mummy doesn't allow for mistakes to be made, I have to stick to my weekly schedules so that I don't need to stay up late finishing off assignments. By taking care of myself in this way I'm able to also give my best efforts in caring for my son - familial gushing aside...
I accomplish my week-to-week guide by seeing what is due that week, and the following week, seeing what I didn't complete the week before, and spreading this all across a weekly table. I only write down the amount of work I know I will be able to accomplish and as I get through them I cross them off the list. I find that by physically crossing things off, I feel a sense of accomplishment that makes me want to do more.
Have you tried any of these techniques? How do you stay organised?
