Staying organized at the beginning of the semester is vital for academic success, but organizational methods are unique for each person. Some students at Northwestern State University of Louisiana prefer to work ahead.
“For me, I like to get the stuff out of the way the same day that its given,” Jayda Gee, freshman biology major, said. “If I don’t do it the same day, I’ll make notes in my notes app on the day it’s due, so I know when to go back and do it.”
Like many freshmen, Gee has experienced the polar transition from high school to college.
“It’s not like high school, you can’t just breeze by with easy classes. You have to want to be here and put in the work,” Gee said.
Gee mentions that the First Year Experience challenge that she participated in during her Freshman Connection session gave her a perspective on the struggles that would come with time management.
“The reality checks happening every five seconds and going to different offices with barely any time really showed me that I needed to be on top of my stuff when I got here,” Gee said.
For seniors, however, finding that balance and time management skills has been a journey they have experienced since their freshman year.
Victoria Brown, senior English major, lacked an organizational plan during her freshman year.
“Freshman year I did not have one, which meant I missed a lot of assignments,” Brown said. “I have increasingly got more organized and now I keep a planner.”
Brown’s biggest challenge has been time management, something she had to learn how to progressively get better at, she explains.
“I have learned that working ahead works best for me,” Brown said.
Learning a work style is imperative to each student’s organizational journey, something that Kailyn Frederick, senior psychology major, feels is important for others to realize.
“Knowing what works for you; I know I have to study one week before an exam. If I do it too early or too late, it doesn’t work for me,” Frederick said. “Also, learning if you are a visual learner or tactile learner, just knowing what type of learner you are.”
Both Brown and Frederick expressed that finding classmates that keep each other accountable has been a lifesaver for them.
“Having people in class so you keep each other organized has saved me a few times,” Frederick said.
Brown adds that creating class group chats adds a comedic experience when one person reminds each other of an assignment that everyone in the class has forgotten about.
“I love class GroupMe’s,” Brown said.
Brown leaves first-year students with advice on balancing their first semester.
“Spend your first semester settling in, and maybe focusing equally on academics and your social life, though it might be controversial,” Brown said. “Then the second semester you will be so settled in socially that you’ll have your little friend group, so you can focus harder on your academics, knowing that you have that friend group to always go back to.”