| Don't make any system too complicated! What you need firstly is a calendar or agenda--you've got to keep track of daily assignments and bigger ones. I recommend a big calendar for above your desk where you write all your big stuff in red and then a daily planner (either paper or on a phone). I write little notes to myself on Post-Its and keep a stack by my bed, but the mirror thing works too.
For notes, you can either do looseleaf or a spiral. I like a separate spiral for every class and then an expandable folder arranged by class for handouts. I also tape my syllabi on the back of each spiral cover and label the front of the spiral in Sharpie with the class name.
You'll have to clean out your stuff about once a week. It only takes a few minutes and makes everything so much easier. Throw away handouts that aren't useful (but don't go crazy--you might need that stuff again!), put all your stuff in the correct class, and make sure everything's tidy and in chronological order.
Oh, and to make sure I'm processing my notes, sometimes I recopy them (but this isn't necessary) and summarize every day's notes on Post-Its and then just stick it on top of the page. That way, I can collect my Post-It notes before a quiz and just look them over.
Good luck with this year! Just keeping things neat is the most important thing; everything else is your choice. |