There are lots of posts about organisation, and no doubt there are: because organisation is a strength. A student who is organised can effectively manage their academic, social and personal life. As a bonus, being organised helps in time management and fighting procrastination.

All this make “organisation” seem like ambrosia, a deal that is sure to give you an academic happily ever after, and if only I could get organised for once—

Stop right there. The key is not getting organised. It is being organised. It is a habit, that you inculcate and develop, not a five-step success procedure. Staying organised, making it a habit, that is, will give you all the benefits of organisation.

The “Defining Matter”

It would be better to look into this matter deeply, so that one can use this habit to their advantage. First, let’s start with what is organisation!

This is how Google defines organisation: planning, arrangement, the quality of being systematic and efficient.

Here’s the deal: Organisation is not just buying organisation items and colour-coding your planner to a rainbow, no offence intended. It is less about the techniques used for organising and more about the techniques that work for you. Using colours and planners works for most people, which is the reason it is popularised, but it does not necessarily mean that it will work for you too. 

I tried the colour coding techniques multiple times this past year, but it just wasn’t working for me. Maybe the same applies to you, maybe not. The objective is to find out what organisation means to you, and which method works best. And you do that by…

Experimenting

You don’t have time for this, I know. You’re busy. It’s okay. Go through your exams, your tests, your social life, sort everything, and come back. Experimenting, and specifically with studying techniques, takes a while. So find time, or better yet, make time for it. You can do this.

When you do have time for it, run through some articles on organisation, pick out things common in all of them. And try them out. See if they work out for you. Here’s a list of things you can do:

• Make a Bullet Journal: Bullet Journals are great for planning your academic life. The basic idea is this: you get a notebook, list out things you might need to do, your ideas, plans, assignments, doodles—practically anything. They’re effective in sorting tasks and ideas, and the best thing is that you can use them for any purpose you like. The following site will give you a tour of bullet journaling: http://bit.ly/1e0BYKr

• Colour Code: This technique works best for visual learners. Colour-coding tasks in bullet journals and daily planners gives you an idea of what the schedule is like. A brief overview sorts out your study times. Assigning a certain colour to each subject gives a better idea of the arrangement of subjects in your day or week. As a bonus, it’s fun. Here’s another link: http://bit.ly/1y5WMzj

• Buy a Folder: A folder that is numbered, or alphabetically sorted, is good for minor classes. Separate folders for various subjects might also be a good idea, only if your professor assigns you that much work. Otherwise, opt for folders with pockets. In college, having folders according to your majors and minors is a good idea. Here you go: http://bit.ly/1CpvDTd

• Organise Your Study Space: This is often belittled, as it is a tedious task, but once you sort through all the junk, you can create a productive environment. Clean your desk, your backpack, your old study folders, and don’t forget the bookshelves. As in the aforementioned point, create “folders” in your shelves. Assign certain places to certain subjects. History goes in the topmost shelf, Anatomy in the second right, Physics in the second left, and so on. Besides that, have a clean desk. It is good to keep changing study environments, but having a primary place where you can focus is great, too. Keep only the necessary things. It’s a study desk, after all. (Also, I like links: http://bit.ly/19RihIs)

These are four basic things you can do. But remember, you are to experiment with them. Don’t be rigid. Test the waters, find out what works for you. Do pastel colours seem better in colour coding? Does a certain format in your journal increase your productivity? Have you tried using a folder and it just doesn’t work for you? Experiment! Get to know yourself and what works best for you. Once you get the hang of a certain thing, you’ll be on your way.

Mix and Match

A technique that helps you categorise your work and your tasks. That’s what you need. If a technique only seems to work partially, try mixing it up with others. You’ll eventually find what complements your learning. 

So that’s that. If you have managed to come all the way down here, congratulations. I hope you have found something you wanted to find. Go, now, and try this out. It’ll take a few weeks, maybe months, to get used to systems like these. Find out your favourite bullet journal format, figure out your favourite study space arrangement, or try out the popular organisation techniques that many students use. Apps, planners, binders, reducing hoarding, management. There are a lot of things you can do. Just remember that organisation is about you, and what is best for you. What helps you remember your projects, due dates, sort through daily plans, weekly plans, monthly plans. Get on with it! Best of Luck.