[Red Panda]

Do you guys have problems organizing especially when it comes to study for university or school?
I'm in my 3rd year of BS in Physics and I still need to pass classes from year 1 (our university programs are very different from other countries) because it is so hard to keep a schedule of studying and focused on doing that instead of numerous other entertaining things. It's not that I don't like Physics but I've always had my own pace. I really enjoy learning but the studying routine seems tedious to me... How do you cope with that if you also have this problem?

 

[A Better Tomorrow]

Haha! One of our biggest problems. How did I cope in college? I really have no idea to be honest. I would keep an agenda for two weeks and then stop using it. I think, if I remember right, I would put the abbreviations of the class I had stuff due in on the outside of my hand.

 

[bluefaerie]

My advice: Don't even think about procrastinating :happy:

I used to be quite unorganised - last minute writing up assignments or studying for exams. Stressed me out. I decided not to do this to myself again and opted to be a better planner - usually by force.

Planning is key. What I did at the start of the semester was that I created a table that showed all of my units and a weekly schedule of the topics to be covered in each unit. I also listed readings and other tasks that we had to complete for each unit as well as when assignments are due. It helps me keep track and manage my study/entertainment time better. I usually plan entertainments around "down times" - times when I will be less productive with studying e.g. Friday nights.

Hope that helps and all the best.

 

[Red Panda]

I suppose I should be more confident in myself when it comes to schedules... I usually give it up, procrastinate a lot yea...
This semester I will try and make a real schedule this time on paper not on my mind Thanks for the advice I'll try harder. Each time I have tried to make one it turned out bad because I wasn't very realistic with my goals I should take it easy but not too easy:crazy::happy:

 

[Goosefish]

Making to-do lists helps me stay organized. I usually never look at them after I write them, but they help me remember.
A lot of times, when I study, I'll switch between studying and distractions. Then while I study, I can make connections between whatever I'm studying and my distraction. It helps me understand what I'm studying better, remember it better, and makes both my studying and my distraction more interesting. For example, while studying psychology, I might also be involved in some story (book, movie, tv show...) and be able to apply whatever I'm learning about psychology to the characters in the story. You can do that with pretty much anything. The downside is getting so caught up in the story that I forget about the studying, but it's better than completely forgetting about study in favor of distraction. I guess whether this works mainly depends on what is distracting you though.
I don't know if you have this problem too, but I've have had a lot of trouble keeping track of papers and notes, so I usually keep some sort of bin or folder or filing system to throw loose papers in so I don't lose them.
Hope this makes sense / helps! :crazy:

 

[admama]

What did I do in college? Focused on the classes I liked, put in 100% and got As, and completely neglected those I didn't find interesting and dropped out to work instead. I'm about to start again and go for my bachelor's so I need to bring my organizational skills with me!

I've found that organizing as best you can and planning is the only way to beat this. Keep checklists of what needs to be done and in which order. Checking those little buggers off feels good and gives you motivation to continue. Give yourself 10 minute "me" breaks every hour or so to indulge your distractions, but don't get so carried away that you lose track and go into your own world. Carry and use a planner religiously.

I'm still working on my time management and prioritizing, but I know I can at least stay organized if I have to. I've forced myself to do it in order to keep my job and manage our household!

 

[hood]

Exactly why I won't be wasting 10k's of dollars on a traditional college, I think when it comes to structure I'm the worst this side of the Earth.

I'd say though you should just make some sort of list, a schedule on paper you can look at. They always help me because I can never count on my mind to keep a solid schedule. Have a reward for yourself after you complete something on your schedule too, take yourself out to ice cream or something... lol I think having a reward for yourself will make it easier to keep up with so you won't use a schedule or planner for a few weeks then get bored of it and forget it.

 

[admama]

Haha Hood...sounds like me! I'm always so good about organizing at first and then I lose interest. Traditional universities don't really work for me either and my in-laws want to pay for me to go back to one. Not sure how I feel about my lack of organizational skills messing with their money. Sounds like a recipe for disaster!

 

[Red Panda]

Thanks for your responses I'll take them into serious consideration they are helpful keep it up.
Yeah time management is my main issue, prioritizing is quite obvious for me in theory at least (work before play!:dry: )

 

[hood]

Haha Hood...sounds like me! I'm always so good about organizing at first and then I lose interest. Traditional universities don't really work for me either and my in-laws want to pay for me to go back to one. Not sure how I feel about my lack of organizational skills messing with their money. Sounds like a recipe for disaster!

Yea then it's crazy cause I'll have these ok-I'm-gonna-be-more-organized-from-now-on days every other week and vow to myself I'll start to be more organized and they always end up the same. I'll organize the crap out of everything and make all these plans and after a few weeks everything is everywhere again and I say I need another one of those ok-I'm-gonna-be-more-organized-from-now-on days and the cycle repeats.

 

[Red Panda]

Yea then it's crazy cause I'll have these ok-I'm-gonna-be-more-organized-from-now-on days every other week and vow to myself I'll start to be more organized and they always end up the same. I'll organize the crap out of everything and make all these plans and after a few weeks everything is everywhere again and I say I need another one of those ok-I'm-gonna-be-more-organized-from-now-on days and the cycle repeats.

Yes that's what happens to me since pre-highschool and keeps happening. Also every year after summer vacations I feel energized and "ready to kick ass!" and then after a couple of weeks the feeling is gone:bored::mellow:

 

[admama]

I love this forum...it makes me feel normal. I always think I'm just a lazy disorganized piece of crap but I guess we all are!

 

[Red Panda]

I love this forum...it makes me feel normal. I always think I'm just a lazy disorganized piece of crap but I guess we all are!

Haha indeed :crazy:

 

[hood]

Yes that's what happens to me since pre-highschool and keeps happening. Also every year after summer vacations I feel energized and "ready to kick ass!" and then after a couple of weeks the feeling is gone:bored::mellow:

story of my life haha

 

[Nasmoe]

I always start off strong with organizing and then I get lazy after like a week. I never use my agenda because I would just end up forgetting about it anyway. There have been many instances where I look for a paper in my book bag and then think that I must've left it at home, only to realize that it was actually in my book bag after class is over and now I have a bad grade.

 

[xezene]

Yes, I have an incredibly hard time with schedules. Used to use them, and they helped me quite a bit. I don't know why, but I just don't have the motivation to use them anymore.

 

[under skies]

I can't say I have ever had this problem. It's not that staying on top of things comes naturally to me; it can definitely be a struggle, but it is so empowering to me to think at any given moment that I've taken care of everything that needs to be taken care of. When I let things slide, there's just so much anxiety.

I make to-do lists on sticky notes, and I keep a daily planner/organizer (paper, not digital) and make myself write down everything that needs to get done. I have a dry-erase calendar hanging on my wall which I force myself to change out on the first of every month, and I record all major upcoming events on it. When I get home from class, after I've eaten and whatnot, I make myself start working on my assignments; I never let myself put things off because I know it's all just going to pile up and make me a thousand times more miserable later.

I am really scatter-brained, but I don't let it become an excuse for careless behavior, which I could very easily slip into. Maybe I try harder than most people to achieve something so seemingly simple, but I know what's important to me, and I'll do anything to get to where I want to be. I guess it just has to do with priorities and focusing on the long-term (and I'm basically a dork).

 

[northernsky]

I also start off well and then get more and more disorganised as time goes on! I have trouble following schedules - I'm often making them, planning my time and then completely disregarding them.

I have to have a things to do list though - without it I would never achieve anything because I just forget.

I think it's lucky that I'm a teacher because every time we have a holiday it gives me a chance to make a fresh start and try to stay organised "this time". Means I get 6 fresh starts a year whereas in a normal job I would just get worse and worse!

 

[A Better Tomorrow]

Haha, this thread is hilarious. I am much like all of you...I'll clean once really good and try to stay organized and this last about a day or two. My apartment has stuff allllll over the place, and I really don't mind. Nikson, what do you teach?

 

[lopare232]

I didn't really have this problem. The trick for me was just to go somewhere else for hours and hours until a) my work was done or b) until I couldn't take it anymore. It's probably an intense method for most people, but for me this meant I didn't need to organize or plan out anything (which I'm loath to do), and it usually meant more free time in the end. But if anything, I can't recommend enough doing your work far from the comforts of your home.