College is stressful enough on its own. From deadlines to meetings to balancing a social life, all the little details add up quickly and can seem overwhelming. Life may be unpredictable, but staying organized is one easy way to simplify your college experience.

1. Set a weekly schedule and stick to it

At the beginning of every semester, I make a spreadsheet showing all times I’ll be in class, at work or meeting for my internship. I’m a very visual person so seeing when I’ll be working and when I’m free is super helpful.

Scheduling my time like this helped me stay sane when I was taking 20+ units and working after classes.

Your weekly schedule will only help you stay organized if you consistently stick to it. That’s why I even schedule in what times I’ll be at the gym to make sure I always workout when I say I will. The same goes for study time--if I know I always have a break between certain classes, I dedicate those times to being at the library.

2. Prep for your day the night before

I’m not and never will be a morning person, but that’s okay! At night, I like to lay out the next day’s outfit, make my lunch and add any to-dos to my planner. Pack whatever else you need for the day and set it close to the door.

Prepping at nighttime has streamlined my morning routine so I have more time to sleep in while still being on time to my 8AM.

3. Create a semester long plan

All your class syllabuses make creating a semester game plan a breeze. Don’t wait until mid-semester to start planning ahead for projects. Whether you use a physical planner or an app on your phone, make note of all important due dates ASAP.

By mapping out a rough plan of your whole semester, you set yourself up to get essays written ahead of time and always be in the know of what’s due next.

4. Declutter your workspace

Nothing slows your routine down more than searching for that one paper you had in your hand last week or having your desk overflowing with non-school related junk. Declutter!

Get rid of everything you don’t need and only use your desk for school or side-projects. Making sure your desk is a dedicated space for work helps you focus and get WORK done.

5. Save all your documents neatly and in the same place

Keep your computer files organized too! I like to save my documents to Google Drive that way I can access them not only on my laptop but also on the library’s computers and even on my phone.

I keep a folder for each semester and then have separate folders for each class. By doing this, I don’t have to search through year-old essays to find an analysis paper that’s due next week.

6. Set reminders on your phone

I’m constantly setting reminders on my phone because it’s one thing I’ll always have on me. It ensures that I prioritize important tasks for the day and can’t forget about my to-do list.

This is great for non-school related things too, such as remembering pick up bread from the market or making sure you call your mom back.

7. Put it on the calendar

Whenever I need to visit a professor for office hours or have a critical deadline, like applying for graduation, I put it on my calendar. I use my phone’s calendar app most often, but using the calendar in a planner works just as well! All my meetings for group work go on the calendar too because no one likes to be that one person who “forgot.

Getting organized is one accomplishment, but staying organized is an ongoing commitment. How organized you are depends on if you’re willing to stick to your game plan and be productive. Staying organized is way easier said than done, but if you keep working on creating habits and sticking to the plan your college schedule will seem a whole lot simpler.

7 Simple Ways to Stay Organized in College