Get organised with me | University

I am finally starting at my new University tomorrow (college for some of you) after deferring for 9 months. I thought I'd do an organisation themed post this week to encourage some of you to also be organised or give an idea to those of you just starting Uni.

I am the type of person that makes lists and uses a diary all year round, even when I'm not at school, so naturally I am a very organised person. I even coordinate my makeup by brands/shades/product lol. These are a few tips, ideas and things I use in my own life that you could easily apply to yours to make schooling a little easier. I will also share what is in my bag for Uni, because who doesn't love to snoop inside other peoples bags!!

The Essentials

• A laptop! This is first up because it is the most efficient way to make notes, do your assignments as well as contact your tutors or lecturers.
  Generally assignments are all submitted online so it makes it easier having your notes on your laptop in the same place where you would be typing up your assignment. You can also easily access readings no matter where you are.
• A notebook - if you prefer handwriting lecture notes OR you are doing art based subjects it may be easier for you to be able to physically write/draw it out. I know I sometimes prefer to write things down because it helps me to remember things better as I am going over what I write in my head.
• Your best friend, a diary. There is no way you can keep on top of your due dates, commitments, timetables etc without having it all set out in front of you. Unless you have amazing memory and stress doesn't make you forget what you need to be doing or where you should be. Having a diary is what helps me be on top of everything and removes a lot of unnecessary stress.
• Highlighters & Sticky notes. I like to label my notebooks into sections whether it be by subject or by category. Plus I like to highlight and colour-code important information. I find this helps a lot, especially when it comes to exam time since it makes finding information a lot easier and I know what is important and what isn't as necessary.
• Lots and lots of water! At Uni it can be easy to forget to keep hydrated and after long hours listening to people talk and concentrating you can become dehydrated and have a headache. Water will help keep you awake especially if its an early start. Also, don't forget the healthy snacks such as nuts, fruits or yoghurt (sugar fixes such as chocolate won't fulfil you in the long-term!)
• Display folder - to store any loose papers or notes. They are the easiest to lose and its so much easier having them stored away in one place.
• USB or HardDrive - Always, always, always back up your work!!!
• Last but definitely not least is your chargers - The last thing you want is your laptop going dead mid-lecture and you don't even have a notebook to write in. This has happened to me and it was not a fun experience 😂

What's in my bag

Before I get any questions or in case you were wondering I purchased my bag for $39.99 at Zara. It is a pale blue colour and is completely hollow inside so it fits a lot and lets me put in smaller bags/pouches to organise my things.

On a daily basis my Uni bag contains:
My laptop, diary, notebook and purse. As well as my pencil case which holds my pens, pencils, highlighters and sticky notes. I always have my reading glasses on me as I suffer from eye strain when on my computer for long hours so that's important for me to wear when I get a headache. Depending on the hours I'm at Uni I decide whether I need a snack or lunch but I do carry money in case I want to buy something from the cafe too.
If I am getting the train that day I will also have my sketchbook or my current novel in my bag to entertain myself.

Of course I have a little pouch containing my makeup - lip balms, lipstick & powder are my essentials.

Extras
Since majority of us practically cannot live without our phones I discovered an app that helps manage your classes and assignments all in one place. The app is called My Study Life (I've linked the website as you can also use it there but just search for it in your app/play store).
This app allows you to input all information about your classes such as the room, teacher, time etc. You are able to colour code each subject so you can easily distinguish what you have on at certain times when looking at the calendar within the app.
Not only does it set out your timetable for you but you can also input your holidays, to do lists, assignments, reminders and exams. It is a very handy little app to have and I was so excited when I discovered it late one night while browsing my play store.

Last but not least is your electronic notebook and that is - OneNote. This is where I like to put all my lecture or tutorial notes as well as other information specific to each subject. I will include an image of how I set mine out for this semester to give you ideas:

You are able to set out your "notebook" however you wish but it makes it very easy to have all your notes in one, organised place.

Hopefully this post has been helpful and given you some new ideas when it comes to studying. These tips could also be applied to high school and I wish you all luck with your studies!

Also if any of you were wondering I am currently doing my Bachelor of education (primary). You would have probably noticed that based off my subjects haha.