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Getting organized as a student is one of those things that will make a massive difference in your success at college. In order to help on your plight to a diploma, I’ve put together a bunch of bullet journal spreads for students.
There is a ton to cover so lets up hop right in!
Getting ready for School
When you’re a first year student, preparation means confidence, at least in my experience.
So before heading off to college for the first time, there are a couple of spreads that I definitely think you should try out.
Degree Overview
Most of us go to college with an idea of what we want to do with our degree after graduation. If you fall into this category then make sure to have a degree overview, or road map, of what’s required to earn your diploma.
Break your page up into sections for each year and then the number of courses you’ll be taking during each.
Fill in any course that has a specific year that you need to complete it and see how many spaces you have for electives.
You can use the electives to take other courses you’re interested in. I was an Environmental Studies student in university but I took electives in Religious Studies, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Shakespeare and Folklore.
Or you can find out what courses you’d need to get a minor or certification to complement your degree. Some of your required courses can be used towards these options so it could be well worth it to look into this.
This overview of your program could be incredibly useful throughout our college journey.
I wanted to draw you out an example but haven’t been able to as of posting this but stay tuned for updates as it will happen! I couldn’t find a suitable example for this online.
Semester overview
This is like a future log but specific to your school workload.
Write down any major projects, assignments, quizzes, or breaks so you know what your term will look like at a glance.
You can colour code this according to the type of work (group project, test etc.) or according to which class it’s for. Whatever makes it easier for you when you think about your priorities.
Having an overview of your term will make it easy to see when you can anticipate being busy, when your holidays are and when you’ll have time for visits home.
Class schedule – weekly
Creating a time table for yourself in the form of a class schedule will make your life super easy. With your classes mapped out, you’ll be able to see where you’ll be spending your time.
This makes it easier to figure out what time is best to spend studying or when you might be able to fit in a shift at a part-time job.
Check out this post on task batching/ time blocking as it will help you figure out how to put together your schedule.
Study plan
A great study plan is super important to rocking your year at college.
Make sure to customize it so that you get the most out of your plan.
As an example, I never lived right on campus when I was at college so I made a designated day to study for each class. That way I really only needed to bring one book to campus at a time.
You might find that one class doesn’t require as much study time while another needs some serious attention. You’ll get more familiar with your study habits and what works for you as time goes on but set aside at least an hour a day to do your course reading and note-taking.
Check out this wonderful guest post by super-star student Lawrentina to learn more about study habits and getting productive.
You can also get creative and use small stints between classes to study or even time on the bus. I literally did ALL my course reading waiting at bus stops and then on the ride to and from campus.
Moving Checklist
If you’re moving (either to a new city or a new home in that same city) having a packing and moving checklist will make sure that nothing important gets forgotten.
Monthly Trackers
Budget tracker
A budget tracker is super important for everyone.
But if this is your first time living away from home you might not have a ton of practical experience taking care of your finances. This is where a budget or expense tracker can come in handy.
Beat out the starving student cliche by knowing what you have coming in and going out so that you’ll be able to pay tuition AND have some fun nights exploring your new home with friends.
Here’s a whole post on different financial trackers so you can find the best one for you!
Meal Planning
Just like budget tracking if it’s your first time being responsible for feeding yourself, life is about to change.
Without a campus meal plan, you’ll have to grocery shop, prep and cook all your own food and if you want to eat more than the typical ramen noodles and eggs learning the basics of meal planning is the way to go.
You can make plenty of healthy, delicious easy meals with just a few ingredients. So don’t neglect this part of your life. A good diet will help you have the energy you need to rock your school year.
I have a few resources on the blog on meal planning so check them out:
Project or Assignment tracker
A quintessential part of the college experience.
Assignments will be plentiful in college and making sure that you keep track of the progress you’re making on them (especially group projects) will be more than a little helpful.
Map out your project or essay before you write it by putting together a page with your thesis, major arguments, have a spot to jot down references, deadlines and anything else you need.
For group work try a spread with contact info for members of your group, who’s responsible for what and when it needs to be completed. Staying on top of your work will help set you up for good grades.
Exam schedule
A post about bullet journal spreads for students wouldn’t be complete without this!
At the end of every term, you’ll have an exam period.
How many you’ll have and their type will depend on your program but once the exam schedule is released it’s a good idea to put together a spread that will have the dates of your exams and your plan for studying.
Get Planning
I hope you find these ideas super useful as you’re getting ready to go back to school. These bullet journal spreads for students should make sure you feel confident going into your next year!
Remember to sign up for the Rock your School Year FREE email course here!
