Time to Take Down These Assignments!
So you finally made it onto campus and into class! However, you realize that your professors are locked and loaded with assignments, discussion posts, reviews, projects, and tests. How do you keep up with all of the due dates and still manage to have time to study and relax? Here are some tactics from fellow college students to help you achieve just that!
Organize Your Canvas!
Canvas is the website where all of your course information will be located. So, it is important to keep this site organized to your liking in order to efficiently complete your work. The first recommendation would be to COLOR CODE YOUR COURSES. Color coding your courses allow you to differentiate your courses easier. Secondly, you should CHANGE YOUR HOME LAYOUT TO THE TO-DO LAYOUT. In this format, you can check off your assignments for the week as you complete them! Lastly (and arguably most important) is to USE. THE. CALENDAR. The calendar tab allows you to plan out your day, week, or month’s worth of assignments. As you complete your assignments, the calendar starts to cross off your tasks. These three skills have helped students complete their work in an organized manner.
Create a Schedule!
Managing school work and your outside life can be taxing. So, in order to lift some of that stressful weight, it is important to schedule your days. Doing this allows you to understand how you allot your time throughout the day. What I have found helpful to me is purchasing a planner. At the beginning of the month, I go to the calendar tab on Canvas and write down all of the due dates of my assignments for the week. This allows me to see what days I have for free time, study time, or work. Sometimes, days get crowded. So in order to be more organized, you could print out a daily planner. This planner lists off your day in an hourly format which allows you to allot certain times for certain things (such as study at 1 PM and lunch at 3 PM).
Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!
Overall, there is only so much one person can do. The canvas hacks and the scheduling tips are just a start to being organized in college. However, this concept all boils down to you. The earlier you prepare for these scheduling conflicts, the easier it is going to be to avoid a stressful environment. It all comes down to how efficient you want your work ethic to be. With these skills, you have a foundation to start organizing your work in a timely way! You’ve got this!
Don’t Just Take My Word For It! (Student Interviews)
What is your major?
Randy Aikens: “Associates in Digital Media (Production Specialization) at Gulf Coast State College.”
Brittney Len Arguello: “Associates in Nursing at Gulf Coast State College.”
Abigail Rosenthal: “Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences at Valdosta State University.”
On a Scale from 1 to 10, How stressful is Your workload?
Randy Aikens: “On a scale of 1-10 my workload tops out at 5 at the most, this is my last semester and I’m currently taking 4 classes.”
Brittney Len Arguello: “On a scale of 1 to 10, I would say my workload stress is rated an 8/10. There are multiple assignments along with lecture that must be completed with passing scores. For example in my case, each module has a discussion board, 4-5 quizzes, 4-5 digital clinicals, weekly clinical with care plans due the following week. (those are at least 12 pages each). That is pretty much my average workload for each module and each module is roughly 2 weeks. I would truthfully say that my workload is a stress factor in my life.”
Abigail Rosenthal: “Currently a 4, last year a 10”
What Changes have you Done to Your Canvas to Keep up With Your Work?
Randy Aikens: “The biggest thing for me concerning campus has been downloading the app. I check it daily and it sends me notifications.”
Brittney Len Arguello: “Changes I have made in my canvas is to keep up with my work is color coding my classes. I pay a lot of attention to my task list and give myself personal due dates to get my assignments done before the deadline. This way, I am up to date with my assignments which gives me more time to study for my exams.”
Abigail Rosenthal:“I have used the task option to keep up with what assignments are due in my classes.”
What Tips/Tricks do you have for students who look to keep their school and work lives organized?
Randy Aikens: “The biggest tips I can offer for balancing my school and personal life is learning to prioritize what’s most important each week, and developing the discipline to do the work even when it seems overwhelming.”
Brittney Len Arguello: “I highly recommend to separate your school life and outside life by keeping the studying high during the week and slow down on the weekends to catch up on life. What I have found that has worked for me is doing my assignments relatively close to the time they are discussed in class. I will go home after lecture and re-write notes and take my quizzes for that lecture to reduce some stress. Another tip, find a study buddy that has a similar work ethic. This truly has helped me better my academics because we are on the same page and can truly help each other. With that help, a lot of work can be done and you can truly enjoy your weekends. My last and favorite tip, celebrate every win with your academics. I find I am able to enjoy my time away from school knowing that I put my all into my assignments and tests. Take time in between to debrief between studying so you truly learn. If I know I have an exam coming up I won’t study for hours straight, I study for 2-3 hours, take a break and breathe, then get back to it so I don’t get as stressed. I have found those tips to be the most helpful as a second semester nursing student.”
Abigail Rosenthal: “The biggest tip is a paper planner. I get a new one every year and I color code for each class, mine has a to-do list for each day which is nice. I check off all the assignments and other personal tasks I need to do in a day and it helps keep my life organized!”
