By Tessa Climer

Organization is a skill that many people are blessed with, but if you’re not included in the “many,” it’s okay. Sometimes you just need to put your favorite wool socks in a random spot in your closet and never find them again. It happens to us all, but when it comes to college, being organized can get you a long way. So here are some tips I have collected for you all.

#1: Make planners your best friend. It may just look like a book with a calendar inside when in reality, it will save your life one day (if it hasn’t already.) You can write events, when bills are due, your grandpa’s birthday, and important class or work study information. Like that paper that’s due next week that you will forget if you don’t write it down. Always do what you write down for that day, don’t just blow off.

#2: Get Mint and Venmo. Mint is not just something to freshen up your breath; it is also an app that helps make sure your money is in order. In my case, it lets me know when to stop going to Chipotle because I have actual adult bills to pay for. Venmo on the other hand, let’s you make payments to your friends or family. It makes this task super simple by connecting to your bank account and it’s overall a good way to make sure you pay that friend. Plus, it’s a verified app, so you don’t have to worry about your information being hacked or leaked.

#3: Keep a clean floor. I saw this on saralaughed.com with a long list of other helpful organizational tips, but it stood out to me more than the others because it’s so true! Most college students spend a lot of time in their dorm or their room. So you probably do most of your homework, studying and all that good stuff in there as well. If you keep your floor clean and your room fairly tidy, this will help keep your mind tidy too while you’re trying to work. I tested this theory, and it is definitely one to live by.

#4: Schedule in breaks when needed. As you’re going through planning your week, make sure that you don’t forget about your needs as a human. Snack breaks aren’t just something you do in kindergarten, it’s a real life thing that adults need too or even that hour for some gym time. One thing I do when I’m taking one of this breaks is set a timer on my phone. For example: if you watch Netflix during a break you won’t stop unless you set a limit for yourself.

And #5 is a tip from junior, Mary Katherine Francisco. I simply asked what her number one tip would be for someone struggling with organization. “Google-calendar! Using the app on my phone has been key in creating a less stressful environment. It alerts me when there is somewhere I need to be and sends a reminder for my class assignments. You can use the color-coding options to separate school, work, and social. I used to always fear that I would forget to show up to something important, but this app keeps me organized.” She has a point! Put that phone to good use and make sure to have this downloaded.

I can honestly say, these five tips have all been helpful to me so hopefully they are to you as well! I added the link to saralaughed.com’s article on being organized as well for those who need a few more tips.

http://saralaughed.com/index.php/45-tips-for-staying-organized-in-college/