Another App to Keep College Students Organized

  

Here's another app I found to help keep college students organized: Timetable. Enjoy the following review by Linda Gorman of the Daily Orange:

"You’ve probably said it before, but this time you’ll mean it: This is the year you’re going to get organized. No more scribbling assignments on your hand or digging for syllabi crumpled at the bottom of your backpack.

Organization is tough. But if wall calendars and color-coded subject folders aren’t your thing, don’t throw your hands up yet. If you have a smartphone, you have a whole host of tools at your disposal to make the scary business of getting organized a little more manageable. One of the best tools available is the top-rated, recently updated Android application, Timetable.

Timetable, available for free from Google Play, offers students a simple way to keep track of courses and assignments.

From a centralized dashboard, users start out by entering their courses, called “lessons,” into the app, including details such as location, time, teacher and subject. From there, students can add tasks or exams for each lesson with due dates and details about the assignment or test. Lessons are displayed as colored modules on a daily or weekly calendar.

The calendar is useful, but the real utility of the app comes into play when changing the default settings to allow notifications and auto-muting.

Timetable automatically silences your phone during scheduled lesson times. Never again will you slink down in your chair and pretend you have no clue whose One Direction ringtone interrupted your short-tempered professor mid-lecture.

For those who want more information right on their home screens, Timetable offers push notifications about upcoming deadlines, as well as widgets with details about the day’s lessons or tasks.

Timetable’s user interface is clean, intuitive and highly customizable. Users have a choice of color themes for widgets and for the app itself. Students can specify the days of the week that Timetable will use, as well as the information about each lesson and task, such as subject, teacher, location and more.

If you have multiple Android devices, it’s possible to take your schedule with you wherever you go. Timetable syncs your account to the Cloud to keep data consistent and current on whatever tablet, phone or notebook you’re using.

Getting organized and staying organized is important, and it will give you a leg up on your classmates. Entering classes, assignments and exams into Timetable is a great way to get the semester off to a good start."

More on organizing for college:
3 Apps Every College Students Needs to Get Organized
Organizing Your Dorm Room
Getting Organized for School - Backpack Checklist

Organizing Your Dorm Room

  

If you or someone you know is heading off to a college dorm this fall, space is probably on your mind.

Lately I’ve been hearing about spacious and luxurious dorm rooms - how nice if you're lucky enough to have one! But this is the exception rather than the rule. Dorm rooms are notoriously small and cramped. So it is essential that you use your space extremely well in order to function at your peak in college.

If you have the chance after you have gotten your room assignment, measure your room, noting where built-ins, plugs, sinks, windows, doors (and which way they open) and other non-movable items are located. There's usually not much room for additional items, but your measurements allow you to purchase additional storage, for example, with accuracy.

One of the keys in organizing a dorm room is using the vertical space. Many schools have a loft option for the beds, which allows you to utilize the space below the bed efficiently. Adding additional storage options in this area or purchasing tall storage units will maximize your vertical space. Adhesive hooks also add storage for hats, keys, and other such items without using premium storage real estate.

Utilize hanging storage units in your closet, on the back of the door, etc. Don't forget those spaces at the bottom of your closet and under your bed (if you don't choose the loft option) for extra storage containers, drawers or cubbies. All these cute storage options multiply your storage capacity while using normally non-usable space.

Be realistic about the space you have! Only bring to school that which can fit in your dorm room. A sure-fire way to guarantee a mess is not having a home for everything. If you will be traveling back home before winter sets in, only bring summer and fall clothing with a few transitional items. Swap out seasonal items each time you go home.

There's nothing that gets out of hand quicker than paper! Have a place for files and paperwork, whether it's in a desk file drawer, hanging files in a crate, or a rolling file unit. This eliminates lost papers and wasted time looking for them. Don't forget to use your wall space for bulletin boards and message boards - another great way to coral paper, important messages and reminders.

Make use of small containers with lids for school supplies, food, and toiletries. Crates turned on their sides make great stackable shelves. Rolling drawer units are space-conscious, as well.

Designate a few minutes each day or each week to declutter, and your room will be a cozy haven! Declutter while you're on the phone, watching a movie, or talking with your roommate, and you'll be doubling your time.

Speaking of doubling your time, to get the most out of college check out Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student.


More on college:
Three Steps to to Time Management for the College Student
A Unique Way of Storing Folded Clothes
Organizing the College Application Process

An Easy Way to Send a Meaningful Graduation Gift

  
Looking for a meaningful high school graduation gift? If you have high school graduation gifts to send, I have an easy solution for you.

Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student is now available on a flash usb drive or as a download.

Help your high school graduate prepare for college - what could be more meaningful than that? And the usb drive has extra room on it for your student to use for classes in the fall.

We can send Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student directly to your gift recipients. Just write in their names and  email addresses/addresses in the comments section of your order.

Another idea: when I give a local graduation gift, I make a college survival kit (a shower caddy filled with college necessities plus my college usb drive). For more information on making a college survival kit, see the link below.

More on college:
College Survival Kit - A Practical High School Graduation Gift
Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student
Organizing the College Application Process

Plan Ahead - Create a Finals Survival Kit for the College Student in Your Life

 
Do you have a special college student in your life? Brighten up his/her life during finals week by sending a Finals Survival Kit. We've done this with our own children and other college students in our lives over the years. Things to include:

Healthy snacks: pistachios or other nuts, beef jerky, trail mix, popcorn

Drinks: hot chocolate, teas, coffee mixes, juices

Fun snacks: cookies, chocolate, candy

Encouraging words: write a note for each day (5-7) or use the following proverbs -

- Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.

- Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

- Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.

- Easy come, easy go, but steady diligence pays off.

- A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out.

- Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.

Mail it or take it by and brighten up finals for your college student!

More on college:
Organizing the College Application Process
Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

Organizing the College Application Process

    
College applications are looming! Filling out all those college applications can be very complicated and time consuming. Maura Kastberg wrote a terrific piece on organizing to make the process a little smoother....

"All the dates we have to remember in life can get overwhelming. I come from a big Irish Catholic family and I have five sisters and one brother. Remembering their birthdays, and their children's and spouses birthdays is nearly impossible if it weren't for my old-fashioned paper calendar. As I turn each month over in a glance I can see how many cards I need to buy for that month.

I also have a larger one in my office. It's the only way I can keep track of the meetings and pending commitments looming. Why am I telling you all this? Well, a high school senior needs a calendar at this time of the year. There are so many deadlines to keep track of. The typical student applies to three to five colleges they each have two deadlines one for admissions applications and another one for financial aid applications. Then there are state financial aid program deadlines. Illinois advises students to apply as soon after January 1st as possible. Connecticut has a priority deadline of February 15th.

If you miss the deadline you miss out on that opportunity. Most state financial aid programs are initially applied for by submitting the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Students should have their FAFSA completed as early as possible but certainly no later than their earliest deadline be that from the college or their state program.

The first step to organizing this work is to know what paperwork is required. Keep track of which admissions applications require which pieces, is an essay required, do they want recommendations if so how many, if SAT or ACT test scores are required what deadlines are associated with those. Have a sheet that lists each schools requirement then mark the deadlines on your calendar.

Next know what the financial aid requirements are, all schools will want the FAFSA but some will also require the CSS Profile form and some will have their own financial aid forms that need to be completed. Once you know what the colleges require mark the deadlines on your calendar. Finally look up your state financial aid deadline and mark that on the calendar.

The admissions applications should be sent in early enough to meet the deadline but not too early. The FAFSA should be submitted prior to whatever the earliest deadline is. You probably will not have your taxes completed but you should submit your application using an estimate so your deadlines are met then update the information once you and your parents have completed their taxes.

Finally, keep a copy of everything you submit and the date you submitted it. This will help you later if some piece of your application gets lost or is incomplete. There are many dates to keep track of, but using a calendar to lay it out and plan from can go a long way towards making things a little easier."


More on organizing for college:
USA Today: Staying Organized and Sane During the College Application Process
Organizing College Applications
Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

USA Today: Staying Organized and Sane During the College Application Process

Emily Herzlin, an admissions consultant, gives expert advice to high school students navigating the college admissions process:

"You’ve got 12 tabs open on Firefox: Gmail, Facebook, a smattering of college websites, your SAT scores, the Common App and driving directions for your next college visit. Your desk is cluttered with old drafts of your resume and pages of brainstorming for essay topics. Your schoolbooks are scattered around you on the floor, on the bed, maybe even dangling from the ceiling fan. You’re about to slap your cheeks and let out a scream Macaulay Culkin or Edvard Munch would be proud of.

Stop right now, and take a deep breath.
 
The college application process can be incredibly stressful. Not only do you have tons of writing and paperwork to do, but you also have to balance your schoolwork and keep your grades up, and there’s the pressure of being judged by a committee of strangers. Let’s face it — this is stressful! There’s no avoiding stress during this time, but how much stress — that’s a different story.

Here are some tips for staying organized and relatively sane during the college application process:

1. Trim the fat from your schedule
Be realistic about what you can take on this semester. Sure, it’s important to stay involved with extracurriculars, since in addition to providing a social atmosphere for you to de-stress and have fun with friends, they look good on an application. But stick with the ones that you’ve been committed to for a few years or ones that highlight your specific academic interests, and don’t take on too many new obligations. You need time and energy to write those college essays.

2. Survey the territory before you dive in
As soon as your college applications and supplements become available online, take a good look at them. Take note of deadlines immediately. Make a list of every item needed for each application, and pay special attention to the essay topics. Rather than starting from scratch on each one, some of them can be used (carefully– you want to make sure you ARE answering the essay question) for more than one application, or can be tweaked or tailored to fit more than one application. This will help you gauge how much time you need to devote to your essays.

3. Technology is your friend
There is absolutely no need to clutter up your desk with papers. All that chaos just makes you feel nuts. Use Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet checklist. Give a tab to each school and make a list within each tab of the items (recommendations, resume, essays, supplemental questions) that needs to go into the application. Use Apps like Evernote, Dropbox, or Google Docs to keep your documents stored digitally so you can access them on-the-go. Use a calendar like Google Calendar or iCal to plan out a weekly task list of what needs to get done when so you can stay on top of deadlines. Don’t throw away old drafts (you never know if you might want to refer to something on a previous version) but instead scan and file them in clearly labeled folders. 

4. Take care of your mental and physical health
If you’re stressed, lethargic, hungry, or starved for social interaction, your mental energy will suffer. College applications can seem like a second full time job (your first one is being a high school student) but it’s important to make time to do things that make you feel good. Get to the gym or go on a walk or bike ride or to a yoga class — move! Take stretch breaks if you’ve been sitting at your computer for a while. Be aware of your mental energy, and if you’ve been working for a long time and feel yourself starting to burn out, take a fifteen-minute break and listen to music or call a friend and complain together (he or she is probably as stressed out as you are). Stay on top of your health by eating right and getting as much sleep as possible (we know, easier said than done, but it makes a big difference).
 
Most importantly…

5. Be your own guidance counselor
This doesn’t mean stop listening to your school guidance counselor. But check in with yourself every so often and ask yourself how you’re feeling and what you have going on. It’s good to do this on a Sunday evening before the week starts. Take a look at your schedule for the week: have any tests coming up? Papers? What tasks did you assign yourself for your college applications this week? When are your club meetings? Figure out when you have pockets of time in your schedule to do work, exercise, and see friends, and use them wisely. But don’t schedule yourself so tightly that there’s no room for error. Sometimes unexpected things come up, and it’s good to allow yourself some wiggle room.

The college application process is a stressful time, but if you can stay relatively organized and aware of your own needs, you’ll be able to sleep more, maintain a sense of balance and freak out less."


More on getting organized for college:

100 Free and Essential Web Tools for the College Bound

Organizing College Applications

Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

 

 

Backpack/Briefcase Checklists for School, College, and Work

    
With school starting, I want to run several blogs on getting organized for school. The inspiration for today's blog came from The Disney Dream Team's Tracy, who created a system for remembering what needed to go to school with each child.

While Tracy's system targeted her elementary school children, a backpack checklist would work for middle school, high school, and college students. This could even work as a briefcase reminder for work, too. This is how it works:

Create a chart listing the days of the week at the top. Under each day, make a column for each person who needs a checklist. On the far left, list possible items that might need to be included in the backpack that day: a band instrument, shoes for gym, signed paperwork, a folder or notebook for a particular class, library books, etc.

You can create your chart on your computer and reproduce it each week. Or you could use a dry erase board or laminate a poster board to re-use each week. Each person on the chart could be noted in a different color. Then items can be checked off on the appropriate day as a reminder to put those things in the backpack. 

Make sure you leave extra rows at the bottom for items that aren't necessarily needed each week.

To make life easier, have everyone pack their backpacks the night before. What a morning stress reliever!

More on getting organized for school:  
Organizing for School - Papers
Get Organized for School - Clothing Inventory
Hope for Disorganized Students!
Getting Ready for School: Organizing Homework Papers

Packing for College

          
Each year with school approaching, I usually repost some of my previous blog posts on getting ready for school and college. Here's one for college students packing up for school. I wrote this one last year when we were still foster parents for teenage girls ...
 
We have yet another foster daughter going to college this fall. She has begun the process of packing and is doing very well.

- She has gone through her possessions several times to get rid of excess.

- She has already packed things she won't need for a while - winter clothes, etc.
 
- She has packed like things together - school supplies, etc.
 
- She has shopped for items she needs - linens, a coffee maker, a fan, etc.
 
- She has left out only those things she needs between now and then.

If you have a child going to college, check to see his/her progress. If you or your student are overwhelmed, make a list of remaining tasks to be done. Prioritize and start tackling them! 

Your child may need some help - going to college is both scary and exciting. He/she will need your support!


More on college:

Cutting Costs on College Textbooks

Beyond CliffsNotes - More Help for College Students

Great info for college students, their parents, and college professors

Helping Your College Student Live Intentionally

College can be a scary place, especially for a freshman. Why not make it a little less scary by encouraging your student to live intentionally.

Living intentionally - what is that? 
- It's figuring out what is important and aligning your life accordingly. 
- It's determining what you're passionate about and making sure you're investing in these areas.
- It's figuring out your gifts and talents and using them to the max.
- It's thinking about what kind of legacy you want to leave.
- It's eliminating things from your life that compete with your passions, gifts, and legacy.
- It's maximizing your time in order to reflect your passions and your gifts and your legacy.

This is an ideal time to consider these things, before the chaos of college begins. Once classes start and all those choices of how to spend his time arise, decisions will be easier as your student can sift various options through his own filtering system: does this activity match my goals?

Sound complicated? It's not. 

All of my time management books, including Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student workbook, guide you through the process of living intentionally: determining your passions, gifts and legacy and aligning your life accordingly.

They are available as ebooks on Kindle,  and as downloadable PDFs or on flash drives at 1-2-3 ... Get Organized.

Help your student get ready for fall classes and for life by living intentionally! You couldn't provide a better gift!


More on college: 

Cutting Costs on College Textbooks

Packing for College 2011

College Time Management - Why Early Classes Predict Better Grades

College Time Management - Why Early Classes Predict Better Grades

     
I always took 8 o'clock classes in college, not necesarily because I wanted to, but because I worked every day at 1 pm and needed to get all my classes in before then.

A new study by psychology professors Serge Onyper and Pamela Thacher of St. Lawrence University explains why those who take earlier classes get better grades than those who start later. Those who have 8 am classes don't tend to stay out late and consume alcohol, whereas those who have later classes are more likely to go out with friends. 

"Those who choose later classes also tend to sleep longer and consume more alcohol and other substances," Thacher says, "while those who elect earlier classes may be more motivated to find ways to offset the early start time by making healthier choices about their daily living."

Even though the students in the study who had later classes received more sleep than those with earlier classes, their sleep may not have been optimum, as alcohol consumption disrupts sleep, according to Onyper.  

"Prior to this study, I advocated having classes start later in the morning, so that students could get more sleep," Thacher said. "But now, I would say that 8 or 8:30 a.m. classes are probably, for some students, going to be a much better choice."

More on college time management/sleep:
Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

How Sleep Helps Keep Your Brain Organized

New Sleep Study Shows Risks of Acute and Chronic Sleep Loss

Packing for College 2011

  
We have yet another foster daughter going to college this fall. She has begun the process of packing and is doing very well.

- She has gone through her possessions several times to get rid of excess.
- She has already packed things she won't need for a while - winter clothes, etc.
- She has packed like things together - school supplies, etc.
- She has shopped for items she needs - linens, a coffee maker, a fan, etc.
- She has only those things she needs between now and then out.

If you have a child going to college, check to see his/her progress. If you or your student are overwhelmed, make a list of remaining tasks to be done. Prioritize and start tackling them! 

Your child may need some help - going to college is both scary and exciting. He/she will need your support!


More on college:

Cutting Costs on College Textbooks

Beyond CliffsNotes - More Help for College Students

Great info for college students, their parents, and college professors

  

College Survival Kit - A Practical Graduation Gift

        
Whenever one of our foster daughters graduates from high school and is going to college, we make up a "College Survival Kit" as her graduation gift. I start with a large shower caddy and fill it with items I know she'll need while at school.

I stand my Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student in the back section of the caddy or use my new flashdrive version (email me if you'd like one). 

Then I surround it with a bunch of fun stuff. Here are some ideas of what to include:
- scissors
- a can opener
- one setting of silverware
- a mug
- a plate
- a salad plate
- a bowl
- a glass
- a screwdriver set
- index cards
- a glue stick
- super glue
- measuring cups and spoons
- candy
- a granola bar
- instant oatmeal
- a chip clip
- a squirt gun :-)
- a first aid kit
- a sewing kit
- a pop-up mesh laundry basket
- a stain stick
- a flashlight

Most of these items I get from the dollar store. 
 
My graduation gift baskets have been for girls, but you could use a small trashcan or other storage container for guys. For either gender you could add coffee or restaurant gift cards if you wish.

Then I place the container in a gift basket bag and tie it up with colorful ribbons. I print up a personalized card on my computer, "Jane's College Survival Kit," for example, sign the back, punch a hole in a corner and slide a ribbon through it and tie it onto the package.

Our girls have come back to us and have said they used everything in their kits! Our foster daughter who is graduating this year has already asked if she is going to get one. It's such a fun gift to give, and it keeps on giving!


More on college prep:

Cutting Costs on College Textbooks

Helping Your High School Graduate Make an Intentional Plan for Transitioning into College Gracefully - 2010

Review - AgendaWorks Planner

 

Gift Registries for Graduates

   
We're familiar with gift registries for weddings and babies, but did you know your graduate can register, too? One of our foster daughters is graduating from high school this year, and she registered at Target.

Not only did she register for bedding, a microwave, iron, coffee maker, etc., but she decided to register for some not-so-typical items like laundry detergent, shampoo/conditioner and such. 

As a struggling college student, those will be expenses she'll have to incur each month. And it also gives some less expensive gift options for her teenage friends.

It only took us about an hour or so to walk through the store as she selected items she'll need for college. Now, if her graduation party guests want to know what she needs, it's so simple!


More on preparation for college:

Cutting Costs on College Textbooks

Helping Your High School Graduate Make an Intentional Plan for Transitioning into College Gracefully - 2010

Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

Digital Course Planner for Students of All Ages

          
 Disorganized student? Get Organized may help - and it's free! It's in beta mode, so be sure to look at its known issues first. Here's a review of this versatile product:  

"Get Organized is a digital course planner for students of all ages that offers a lot more than just the standard course planning that physical planners offer. 

It is naturally possible to add terms and courses to the planner. That’s easily done at anytime. Difference becomes visible straight away. 

A course is defined by its title, term, start and end date, class days, room number and credits. Get Organized furthermore can keep track of instructors (name, email, phone, Office location and hours), the grading scale and required textbooks.

In addition, courses can be displayed with their own color to make the identification easier. The digital course planner supports events and assignments that can be tracked as well. Assignments are directly linked to a course, while events are not. Assignments are homework and other activities directly related to courses, events are summer parties for instance.



The application can display information about events, assignments, grades and courses in different ways in the interface. A list view and calendar view are available. They appear to only display information about events and assignments at this point in development. It would make sense to add information about courses at least to the calendar view as well.

Filters are available at the top, for instance to only display overdue assignments in the calendar.

The application can keep track of grades which are added by completing assignments.

Another interesting option is the ask the instructor button. This button can be used to directly email the course instructor if an email address has been added to the data set.

Feature Overview

• Keep track of terms, courses, and assignments
• Add instructors, textbooks, and weighted grading to assignments
• Keep track of grades for each assignment once it’s completed
• Keep track of overall grades throughout terms in the Grade Book
• Organized your social life with events as well
• Color code any view by course (or event category), due date, or priority
• Need help with an assignment? Click “Ask” to start an email to the instructor
• View assignments and events in two views: List View – Sortable, colorful, scrollable, Calendar View – See the month laid out for you and never forget when things are due
• The Mini Calendar in the lower-left corner helps you quickly see if something is due on a particular day (the day is marked red), or if things are due by you’ve already completed them and need to turn them in still (the day is marked blue)

Get Organized is compatible with Windows, Linux and Macintosh systems. The program requires Javabeta (Java Runtime Environment) 1.6 or higher to be installed on the system. The program is available as a version that can check and install updates automatically."


More on organizing students:
Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

Guest Post - Leveraging Technology to Get Organized: 4 Clever Tips

Time Management App for iPhone - Lucid Lists Free

     

Why Have a Clean and Organized Dorm Room - Is This a Trick Question?

                  

Mary Roberts, founder of Successful Student Environments wrote the following article for college students on how to keep their rooms neat and clean. If you are a college student, know one, or have one, this might be helpful!

"Away from their parents’ supervision, many college students start to neglect their rooms. Those routine cleanings that were once a frequent habit quickly get put on a long to-do list and often are completely forgotten. Soon enough, junk piles up, trash overflows, a film of dust covers everything in the room, and students find themselves living in a pig pen.

If you’re a busy college student with plenty else to worry about, you may think you’re unaffected by the mess. However, a chaotic room creates chaos in your mind, making it difficult to think clearly and focus on school work.

By cleaning and organizing your room, you can start to clear your mind for effective and efficient study, thereby helping you become more successful at college. The cleaning process not only helps you organize yourself and the work you have to do, it also gives you more energy, allowing you to accomplish your everyday tasks and your long-term goals.

Here are ten easy steps to help you successfully clean your college dorm room:

1. Wash bed sheets in hot water. During sleep, you perspire and shed dead skin cells on your sheets and pillow cases. Dust mites breed easily on your moist bed sheets. To keep these microscopic arachnids at bay, wash your sheets in the hottest water possible every week.

2. Open the windows to ventilate your room. Clean indoor air is vital to good health, but your room’s air is probably more polluted than you think. The air you breathe affects your brain function, so the purer your air, the better you will function.

3. Pick up and put away your clothes. When clothes are scattered about your room, your thoughts can become scattered, thus impeding your ability to focus. If your clothes cover your floor, you may be affected emotionally, feeling dragged down and hopeless. Putting your clothes away will lift your spirits.

4. Sweep your floor and/or vacuum your rug. A clean floor will help you feel more motivated to start your assignments. Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter that best removes dirt and grime from your carpet.

5. Clean and organize your horizontal surfaces. Symbolically, your desk and bureau tops and your bedside table are landing pads for your ideas. If completely covered with stuff, you have no place for your ideas to surface. Organize your books, magazines, notebooks, cosmetics and personal care items so you have some empty space on your horizontal surfaces. Dust with a microfiber cloth or clean with a plant-based household cleaner. To make your own, dilute vinegar with warm water and apply with a microfiber cloth.

6. Empty garbage can. Overflowing trash can sap your energy. Dorms usually have a place to empty trash on every floor, simplifying the removal of trash from your room.

7. Throw out stale snacks and leftover fast food. Odors from leftovers and stale food distract and annoy anyone within smelling range. Remove these items from your room and throw them in the hall trash bin. To freshen the air, open the window and/or spritz with an air freshener made from essential oils.

8. Clean out your refrigerator. A sticky, gooey refrigerator becomes a breeding ground for germs, leaving the food you still plan to eat vulnerable to contamination. Remove old and outdated food, and clean the inside of the fridge with a microfiber cloth.

9. Organize your back pack. Remove old papers and items, and put in the work and materials you need for the week. You will find what you need easily.

10. Throw out old school papers. Outdated school papers clog up your precious space and your thinking. Throw out or file them for later use, making room for new information and knowledge.

A weekly cleaning will keep your room in good condition and you on the fast track for college success." 

More on organizing and college:

Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks 

Organizing for College - Guest Blogger Sarah Scrafford

Guest Post - Leveraging Technology to Get Organized: 4 Clever Tips 

 

Guest Post - Leveraging Technology to Get Organized: 4 Clever Tips

      
Alexis Bonari was kind enough to offer to do a guest post for us. I hope you enjoy her article. I'm going to try out some of her suggestions....

Whether you’re a college student, businessperson, or a stay-at-home parent, we all somehow find ways to lose our trains of thought and—as tasks are forgotten, appointments are dropped, and hairs are torn out—become disorganized.  Organizers and notebooks are great ways to maintain order, but for those of us more in tune with the digital age, there are many free online tools that we’ll be more inclined to use and keep up with.  Organizing should make life easier, not add a burden to our preexisting clutter.

Google Notebook
A university student will especially appreciate this tool’s ability to organize all of your web-based research.

I can’t remember now nor could I count then, in the midst of writing my senior Honors thesis, all the websites I kept under so many unorganized categories and groupings on my browser that going back to that folder today is like falling into Alice’s rabbit hole.  I could never shut my computer down because I would lose the twenty Internet tabs I had open, not to mention my train of thought.  Bookmarking these sites wouldn’t do much good since my Favorites list was a jungle, anyway.  I wish I’d known about Google Notebook.

With it, you can save sections of Web pages and annotate and comment upon them to your heart’s desire.  You can have multiple notebooks that you can break down into sections.  If you want to change something, it’s easily done, and you can rearrange notes by dragging and dropping them to the desired destination.  With the extension (available for Firefox and Internet Explorer), Google Notebook can also clip pages with a single click. 

Backpack
For business people preparing for a conference or really, anyone who has any task worth writing down on a sticky note somewhere, Backpack is a treasure.  For personal use, you can make (and edit) lists, notes, and dividers for easy viewing on a page so it’s as if you’ve hired a graphic designer to plan an event or your day out for you in a matter of seconds.  It’s really hard to explain, so try watching the video.

For those wishing for a more interactive experience, with Backpack, you can collaborate with coworkers and together manage notes and research as long as they’re on Backpack.  And what about those spontaneous inspirations that come to you on the commute to work or school?  Each Backpack page has an e-mail address, so you can text that Pulitzer-Prize-winning idea to that e-mail via your phone (but be sure to park the car first).

Remember the Milk
This tool is for people from all walks of life, even if they’re not neck-deep in business appointments and important meetings and yadda-yadda.  If you just need to remember to go get the dog more food, to go to your friend’s book-signing, to, well, pick up a jar of milk from the store, Remember the Milk’s opening screen is there to remind you all that, plus everything else you’ve got planned for the day.

Tasks on Remember the Milk can also be shared between you and your spouse, your co-workers, or friends; you can all send task requests directly to individual Remember the Milk inboxes.

Wesabe
Hate balancing your checkbook?  Wesabe will do it for you if you upload your bank account and transactions either by hand (or rather, by key) or through its Firefox extension.  Don’t worry, its Privacy Policy insists that your transaction data, passwords, and the like are secure.  Wesabe makes even beginner money-makers feel at home with its user-friendly interface and handy tools that allow you to keep an eye on your money—a much better alternative than what I had before Wesabe, which was willful ignorance spurred by fear that the next time I ran my debit card through the reader, the machines around me would all start beeping angrily.  If you’ve got any questions, Wesabe is also a global community in which other users can help you if you ask and share advice.


Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident education blogger and performs research surrounding College Scholarships. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

More on technology:

National Association of Professional Organizers' Best Product in Technology

Get Organized Month 2009 - Decluttering Your Electronics

Replace Your Computers every Four Years

Three Steps to Organizing Your Office 

 

I'm Honored to Receive the Top 50 Freshmen Advisor Award!

   
Isn't it nice when life is difficult and something comes along to encourage you?  Recently we've had some trying days as foster parents of four teenage girls, and my father's health is failing, making for some hard days.

Several things have happened in the last week to encourage me, one of them is being given the Top 50 Freshmen Advisor Award by Accredited Online Colleges. 

"The Freshmen Advisors Award recognizes the top web thought-leaders that offer young students advice that advances the college life experience. Your website has shown commitment to assisting college freshman on their (organizational) transition into college and this award is intended to commend your efforts."

They are referring to my book Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student which helps students determine their passions, priorities and gifts which will act as filters for new and present activities.

Thanks for sharing in my encouragement!


More on college:

Organizing For College - Dorm Room

Review - AgendaWorks Planner

Review of Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

Organizing College Applications

   
Do you have a high school junior or senior going through the college application process? Or maybe it's you! The following blog post is from a year or two ago, but it is still just as useful today ...

College applications are complicated - especially when applications are being made to several schools. If you or your child are applying for college this year, organization is essential! Here are a few thoughts:

Using a file cabinet or a plastic crate, label hanging files for each school in the running. Place all pertinent data for each school in its own file. If you want to get extra-organized, have file folders within each hanging file for: applications, school information, notes from a campus visit, etc.

Write application deadlines on one calendar, and set intermediate deadlines to pace yourself.

Make a checklist for each application, listing what is required for each school. Check off each item when completed. Place each checklist in the front its respective application file. With a glance, you can see what’s missing without having to go through the entire file.

Create similar files for financial aid forms, scholarship applications and other areas of interest.

More on getting ready for college:  
Getting Organized for School/College - Software Tools 
Check out CampusCalmU 
Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student 

Cutting Costs on College Textbooks

  

Here's a repost from days gone by ...

Student Investment Expert Monte Malhotra over at Campus Calm offers the following advice on saving money on college textbooks:

"- Textbooks can be one of the largest expenditures that students face while in college. Unfortunately, many cannot afford the high cost of textbooks in bookstores, and thus, do without. There are low-cost, affordable alternatives so that no student has to go without textbooks.

- Websites like Amazon.com allow third-party merchants to sell textbooks on their site, and offer new and used books as low as 1/3 to 1/2 off. Moreover, Amazon.com offers the International Edition of textbooks, which are the same version of American hardcover books except in paperback. Buying the International Edition of books can offer discounts as low as another 50% off from the hardcover American versions. 

- If you don’t want to buy textbooks, new websites like Chegg.com (there are many other competitors – just perform a simple Google search) will allow you to rent a textbook for a quarter or semester for roughly 1/3 of what it costs to buy a textbook. 

- If none of those options appeal to you, try sharing textbooks with friends. While in college, my friends and I would often buy textbooks together, use them when needed, and then re-sell them at the end of the quarter. 

If you want to cut your costs on textbooks, try one of the above solutions."

More on college:

Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

Beyond CliffsNotes - More Help for College Students

Review - AgendaWorks Planner

Helping Your High School Graduate Make an Intentional Plan for Transitioning into College Gracefully - 2010

        

This is a blog I did last year when we were "relief" parents, having different girls come every week. If you have someone going off to college this year, it might give you something to think about ...


Good Morning! We have girls coming this morning. One of them has graduated from high school and will be heading off to college in less than two months. Going to college is scary the first time! So I thought I'd chat with her about transitioning into college gracefully.

We usually go out to coffee together to have some uninterrupted time together when she's here. I want to ask her how she can make her transition into college a positive one, even though she has a bunch of emotions going on.

She is scared. I want to mention that everyone is scared when they go to college. Just voicing it out loud makes it not so scary. And to know that it's normal helps, too. My own children were scared and excited at the same time, and they had far fewer hurdles to climb than our foster girls have had.

She's be anxious to have freedom! To be a guardian of the county carries with it many guidelines and restrictions. Just to be able to call a friend, their social worker must interview the friend and family! I want to talk to her about the pendulum - how she wants to maintain the same values she has maintained this year and not go to an extreme in the opposite direction just because she can.

I've seen many college students who come from rather controlling homes go crazy their first year in college because they don't know how to handle their freedom. They haven' t been trained in how to make decisions, use discernment, or manage their time. During our girls' last year in high school, we tried to give them more control: we stopped asking if they had homework and such to prepare them for the total freedom they would have in college. We still expected to know where they were and when they'd be back, though. :)

She is so done with the childishness of her peers and siblings. Our girls were ready to move on from the beginning of their senior years! Everyone else at school seemed so petty and immature! I want to talk with our foster daughter about leaving well for the sake of the younger girls in her house. She is setting an example for them - hopefully a graceful one - on transitioning.

Many times our foster girls don't have the luxury of smooth transitions. Their parents do ridiculous things which are unpredictable, and create unpredictable lives for our foster daughters. They are yanked from their homes, schools and neighborhoods. Sometimes over and over. So smooth transitions don't come naturally.

I want our foster daughter to keep the younger girls in mind as she is transitioning - that they are the ones being left, that they will miss her, that they are looking to her as a role model.

She is stressed. There is so much to do before leaving for college! I want to help her think through what her tasks are before leaving: packing, shopping, paperwork, etc. To plan out those tasks will relieve the stress of being rushed at the last minute. I want to help her remove any chaos that doesn't need to be in her life during a very chaotic time.

She is insecure. She is probably wondering if she will be successful in college. She has already changed her major several times this year! I have gone over the Myers-Briggs personality inventory with her to pinpoint what is important to her in a vocation. So that is a huge tool in her tool belt.

I also want to work through my Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student with her to help her determine her own passions, priorities, and gifts. In doing so, she will be confident going into college because she will know what is important to her. And can measure opportunities that arise in light of her own priorities. She will be able to plan her schedule to include her own goals, rather than be at the whim of others. She will be less likely to flounder.

So ... we have a lot to talk about! If you have a child going into college, help make that transition graceful! Tears come, but that's normal, too. :)

More blogs about college:
Organizing For College - Dorm Room
Organizing for College - Guest Blogger Sarah Scrafford
Packing for College, Round 1