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The beginning of each new semester for me was a mixture of excitement and an overwhelming feeling. The overwhelming feeling came when looking at all the due dates on the syllabus. A planner will help with the daunting feeling of due dates by giving the assignments a timeline enabling the student to really visualize task and time. Each semester begins with a planner. Planners will differ in art styles, format, and size. I personally look for two things, one the form needs to have a full month view followed by each day with week by week, and two, as a student I always got an academic planner with months starting in August and ending in July. Out of school, I use a typical January to December planner. Once I get a new planner, before I’m actually using it, I take the time to set it up.
2019 Planner
#1 Color code your life and class
The colored markers and highlighters, giving significant aspects of your life color coding is the first thing I do. Everyone will have different work and personal items to include. When I was in school, I had a color for the two classes, one for my work schedule, and another for anything else, an appointment or a family party. Some students may not work, and others may have kids, try to incorporate all of your life into your planner, it makes planning for study sessions and deadline easier when you are able to grasp all your commitments.
#2 Plot all your timeline with the syllabus
The first day of classes you are guaranteed to receive two documents a syllabus and a reading list. After receiving the syllabus write down all the due dates for assignments, papers, and of course exams throughout the semester. If you have a long-term project like a paper, try to break that project down into milestones, like picking a topic, research, outline, write and proofread, give each occasion a deadline. This will help keep you on track, so you’re not doing everything the night before its due. The reading list, this information I placed on the first day of the week that the lecture will be taught. This is written on the weekly day-by-day pages. It’s a given that each week you will be reading. Between the monthly calendar and weekly calendar will give a more feasible and do-able to-do list.
#3 Add any personal appointment
After all of the school work is placed than its time to put your own dates and appointments. Your family and significant other’s birthday, doctor appointment and anything else of importance to you. All of your important dates and school deadlines will help you prioritize everything you need to accomplish.
#4 Weekly To-Dos
Each week you review your deadlines and reading list. A to-do list for each week will change based on other due dates. Each week, for instance, my to-do list included reading the material, printing out the lecture, making notecards from class, reviewing pass lectures cards, and clinical paperwork. You want to have a plan of when you are going to get items done, without a plan you are more likely going to forget essential items or spend more time on topics that you genuinely mean too.
School can be difficult. I initially approached nursing as I would have General Biology or English 101 class, writing some down but a more laisse-fair attitude. This quickly backfired. The topics discussed are just as important as lessons learned by your individual actions, time management, prioritization, flexibility, and the ability to anticipate. Each person with there own planning styles what ones have you tired, did it work or fail?