Sleepy_Sentry

I type my notes on a laptop because no matter how hard I try, I cannot keep organized.

CurrySpice

@ JohnC613

True there are less classes, but it's WAY more important to be organized in order to do well in college.

ElectricTech

For my classes, I type a list of my subjects and all of the work that comes with them that week. I use a folder for each subject to keep my papers in.

rotimouth

The only sure fire way to stay organized is to work on it consistently. One of my doctors suggested I find 10-15 minutes within the day or every other day to just clean, he had a catchy name for it like "room recovery" or something like that. Anyhow, it works! And is a good first step into getting on track, since it isn't always easy to just do all the things that makes up an organized person and have it stick.

If any other of the great advice put out here by the forum members suit you and your schedule practice, try doing them for 19 days at least. That is the natural amount of time for you body and brain need to read an activity as habit.

So, start a countdown and go!

quitejaded

Do not bother with "What Smart Students Know". I am sure they strategies work, but the author even says himself that they are extremely time consuming. He says after a while, they will be worth it, but let's be serious. Who wants to spend ALL THAT TIME so that at the end of the semester it will be "worth it" and not "take as long" when you can be just as effective in less time?? I was reading that book and I was like "okay, let's see. Step one, step two, step three, easy enough. Woah wait... there are 20 more pages? ***? I am NOT gonna do this. There has GOT to be an easier way. The hell?" Please read books written by CAL NEWPORT.

ROtimouth... you asked your doctor for organization advice? LOL, but he is right. That's what I do. Like a few minutes a day to pick stuff up. Its a habit.

kelseyg

Yeah. Reading a book about "how to be successful in college" is a silly idea, it's always common sense. It's not like those books have some life-changing secret no one else has already told you. Everything they have to say has already been said just on collegeconfidential.

quitejaded

Those books are full of BS. They have time consuming ideas that work just as well as advice given here on CC and might even take less time. Cal newport has a success in college book (2) and they are the only ones that I would ever recommend because A) some of the things in there are not common sense B) they are effective C) if you do come across common sense, you don't think "this book is BS" and then don't do it. You think "I guess that actually does work" and do it.

DavidBrim

Taking notes on your laptop in class I feel is the way to go. I just graduated this summer from UCF and used Microsoft OneNote to keep my personal files organized and anytime I had group work whether a study group, group project, or student organization I used GroupTable. GroupTable not only has to-do lists, private group chats & discussion boards, but an online binder to organize and share files (notes, presentations, spread sheets, etc) with your groups. Both I found were very helpful.

Alexander1

Cal Newport is really good.

I try to form habits with the 30-day-trial (Steven Pavlina). I say: I will make my bed for 30 days. If I like it, it will stay that way, if not, I can stop. 30 days are easy, if I fail, I just start to count from 0.
The method works for me, but only to implement small changes that don't completely change my lifestyle.

kevster1001

Cal Newport!

Do any of you use a voice recorder in the classroom to use it later to review for tests/quizzes? Does this help in the organization process at all?

S33D

I don't think you should do that. It may tend to make you record your lectures and then waste time in class since at the back of your head you know you can just listen to the lecture later. Rather pay attention then and there in class.

Rutiene

Cal Newport also has a blog, for the more frugal ones out there. It's very nice.

Study Hacks

lkf725

kevster, when I was a student, I recorded one class because it didn't have a textbook and there was tons of information that needed to be memorized. For that type of class, listening to the recording to organize notes was perfect. Recording might also help people who are strong auditory learners.

Rutiene

Agreed. I record all of my classes that are idea/writing heavy. (Anthropology and Women's Studies this semester)

ctownes

"I cleaned my room especially well before major papers and exams were due."

You don't think this was disguised procrastination? That's what I do- it's called polishing tap syndrome.