A new school year is about to begin and you want to become a model student? To do this, you have to start on the right foot and this means you have to organize yourself! If you want to be ready for the start of school, start by putting your teaching material in order and continue to stay organized throughout the school year. The following tips will help you face the lessons in the best way.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Get organized for elementary school
Step 1. Get everything you need before the school year starts
Follow the directions of your teachers and what you find on the list of books and materials you will need, if it has been given to you by the school. Ask your parents for help in purchasing all the items on the list; in this way you will be sure that you have everything you need to follow the lessons and to carry out your homework.
- You may also need a new backpack, a lunch box, and maybe some clothes.
- There is no need to spend a lot of money. There are many shops that sell school supplies at low prices. If your family cannot afford to purchase school supplies, some charities can help.
Step 2. Keep the school supplies in a specific container for those items
When you have everything you need, it's important to keep it tidy inside a container. You can buy a pencil case, or put everything in a pocket of your backpack. Whichever container you choose, by keeping everything in the same place you will be able to keep your school supplies tidy, separate from the rest of your belongings.
- You could purchase two separate containers for your material. In one you will put the things you use every day, in the other those you use more rarely.
- The best solution may be to use a pencil case designed specifically for school, because it will have just the shape you need.
Step 3. Keep your personal area clean
If you have a counter with a drawer or space under the table, don't stack objects inside it. Keep your material in order; this will help you not to mess up your papers and stationery and find everything you need for lessons.
- Follow the same rule for your backpack and your desk at home. If you put everything in your backpack and never empty it, you could ruin your notebooks and lose important papers.
- To keep your personal space tidy, make sure each object has its place. If you give everything a place, it will be much easier to put your things away.
- If you can't keep your personal space tidy, try using folders to keep small and oddly shaped items separate.
Step 4. Make a note of your homework and everything you are asked to do
Even in elementary school you will have to do your homework. Your teacher will tell you when to deliver them and it is your responsibility to meet those deadlines. To do this, you'll need a diary to keep track of the assignments for the following days, so you can take home the books and materials you need to do them.
- When you are assigned tasks, immediately record them on the diary page that corresponds to the date you need to submit them. For this reason, the diary will serve you every day.
- If you can't meet your homework deadlines, ask your parents to help you figure out what to do and when to turn them in. They should remind you in good time that you need to do your homework so that you have a chance to complete it.
- When you get home, think about the homework you need to do during the day. In some cases you will need special tools, such as rulers or books, so don't leave them at school.
Method 2 of 3: Organizing for Middle and High School
Step 1. Decide what kind of notebooks to buy
This is a very important choice: some people prefer traditional notebooks, which allow you to keep all the notes in one place, while others prefer ring notebooks, which can be opened and closed. Choose the solution that allows you to organize yourself better.
- The ring binders can be opened and the sheets inside them can be moved; this advantage can be useful to you if you have to give exercises to the teacher. The downside is that the larger models are very bulky.
- Tidy up your ring binder if you decide to buy one. Get some plastic or cardboard dividers and create a section for each subject: Italian, mathematics, science, history etc. In this way, your notes and exercises will be separated by subject.
Step 2. Get a folder for each subject
All teachers could give you photocopies or teaching materials. Keep these sheets in order with a folder for each subject; label them with the appropriate name and it will be very easy to put each sheet in its place.
- Bring the folders to school. That way, if you are given a paper, you can quickly put it in its place as soon as you're done using it.
- If you are afraid that the papers will come out of the folder, buy plastic bags that close completely.
- Tidy up your folders once a week. Remove the existing sheets and make room for the new ones.
- Some spiral ribbed notebooks have pockets between the various sections. They can be useful for keeping loose sheets in order. If you have a similar notebook, be sure to assign each pocket to a subject and never put all photocopies in the same pocket.
Step 3. Purchase all the materials you need
You may need pencils, pens, a ruler, paper and many other stationery items, as well as a new backpack.
- Even if you take a lot of subjects with different teachers, some of the materials may be used for more than one lesson. Consult the list assigned to you by each professor and compare their requests. You'll likely be able to use just one ruler and one red pen for all the lessons that require them.
- If a teacher tells you that something special is needed for their course, buy it. The right tools will help you get good results.
Step 4. Keep your personal area clean
If you have a locker, make sure the inside is tidy so it will be easy to find the folders and textbooks you need.
- If you share the locker with another student and he or she is not as tidy as you are, compromise on how to divide up the space allotted to both of you so that you can keep at least your side tidy.
- To keep your locker tidy, allocate a place for all your stuff. Set aside a shelf for books, a hanger for your jacket and backpack, a space for other items you need, such as a brush or physical education clothes. Having decided where to put everything, it will be much easier to keep order.
- If you can't always tidy up your personal space, choose a day of the week on which you will dedicate a few minutes to this task. Put everything in its place, take out the trash and take items to take home. Saturday is the perfect day to do this, so Monday you can start off on the right foot.
Step 5. Make a note of homework
It is very important to be organized with the lessons. To be successful in a subject you need to know when to start doing your homework, so that they are ready when you have to turn them in. Few feelings are as bad as arriving in class and realizing you haven't done your homework.
- Write your homework in your diary, whether paper or electronic. As soon as your teacher informs you of the date of a test or question, mark the journal. This way you will always know what to do.
- Write down homework deadlines as soon as your teacher assigns them to you. Remember to also note any changes to these deadlines, so you never forget the most important dates. In order not to risk forgetting important information, always carry your diary with you.
- Try to write the homework of each subject with a different color, so you can immediately understand what subject it is.
Step 6. Make sure you always have the necessary materials available, at home and at school
If you know all the deadlines you have to meet, you will always know what you need to complete your homework. This applies to both those at home and those in the classroom.
- When writing a homework assignment in your journal, add a short list of the things you will need to complete it. This will make it easier to have everything you need.
- Your professors will tell you what to bring for their lessons. You won't have to use the same materials every day.
- Carrying the heavier textbooks home can be annoying, but you can't risk missing homework on time.
Step 7. Don't delay homework
Organizing your time is very important, because you will always have to present your homework to the teacher by the deadline and never late.
- If you have a diary that also serves as an agenda, remember to mark the time you need to carry out your homework in your schedule. This is especially important for long-term projects, which you can't complete at the last moment.
- Make sure you do your homework as soon as you get home. If not, you would certainly find some distraction.
Step 8. Reserve a space in the house for homework
When you sit there, do nothing else. Just focus on the work and projects you need to complete. Dedicating a space solely to didactic work will help you to think only of school.
- Do your homework in a quiet place with few distractions. Avoid getting to work where someone is talking loudly, in front of the TV, or in another noisy area.
- Make sure your work area has pens, pencils, erasers, and anything else you might need to do your homework.
Step 9. Make up for lost time
After a day off, make sure you get your notes from a friend before you go back to school, and if you don't understand something, ask your friend or teacher for help. You will have to work hard, but you will be sure to get good results in class.
Making up for lost time efficiently will help you a lot in the long run. Information you weren't able to hear in class will be the subject of questions and class assignments, so make sure you catch up and you won't have any problems
Method 3 of 3: Start Your Day Well Organized
Step 1. Prepare the night before
Having to rush everything in the morning doesn't help you start the day on the right foot. To avoid rushing, pack your backpack, lunch, and clothes the night before a school day.
- By getting ready the night before, you will be able to sleep more the next morning. You will need less time to put everything in order.
- Make it a habit to always get ready in the evening, as well as brush your teeth before going to sleep. Don't go to bed until everything is ready for the following day.
Step 2. Wake up early enough so that you have time to prepare
When you are sleepy, it is tempting to postpone the alarm and sleep a few more minutes. However, if you want to be organized for the day, it is important that you have enough time to do everything you need to do.
- For example, it is very important to have time for breakfast. Skipping breakfast to sleep a few more minutes won't get you off to a good start.
- Don't underestimate the time you need to prepare. Having to do everything in a hurry, it is more difficult to start the day with a good organization.
Step 3. Be on time
It's hard to be organized and calm if you have to run every morning to get to school on time. To get the day off to a good start, make sure you have plenty of time to get to class on time.
