Hi Blog Readers! For any prospective Wellesley students, I hope your college application process has gone smoothly, and I am sending you all the best of luck with your college decisions!
I know a major challenge as a college student is staying organized with all your classes, assignment deadlines, jobs, and clubs. Since coming to Wellesley, I myself have grown and evolved in how I keep track of all this. So, I want to dedicate this post to this topic.
Over the years, I have tried out many different methods for tracking my assignments. These include a physical planner, spreadsheet tracker, Stickies, and Notion. Trust me, basically whatever you have seen recommended on TikTok, I have probably tried it! Towards the end of high school however, I honestly stopped using a planner altogether and just mentally remembered most of my assignments. I knew once I came to Wellesley though, I could not simply rely on my memory. So, I began using the popular website Notion and the Stickies function on MacBooks to list all of my homework assignments. I used Notion and Stickies for my first two years here at Wellesley.
This year, I decided to go back to my roots and start using a physical planner again, and I honestly enjoy it! Seeing all of my assignments listed out on paper instead of a screen makes it feel more tangible and real to me. I do the same for non-assignment reminders and now leave a paper sticky note on my desk for things like tasks I have to do for my job and basic chores like doing laundry. The feeling of checking things off with a pen is so satisfying.
I also love using Google Calendar, as do many Wellesley students. I have all my classes, office hours, work shifts, club meetings, and big exam dates on there. I know many students also track out things in their personal lives on there too, like hanging out with friends and workout sessions. I have my Google Calendar color coded into the following categories: “Classes”, “Academic Meetings”, “Exams/Assignments”, “Jobs/Clubs”, and “Miscellaneous.” The Google Calendar app is also downloaded on my phone so it gives me notifications to my next class or meeting!
It is very important to note that I am sharing all of this as someone three years into being a student here at Wellesley; this is all knowledge that I have gained through trial and error over time. Once you begin at Wellesley, do not feel tethered to whatever planner or time management method you used in high school. Experiment, listen to advice, and try what works best for you!