Overview
This lecture shares effective organizational strategies and preparatory tasks to set up a successful start to a new school semester, focusing on both digital and physical systems.
Preparing Class Schedules
- Print out your class schedule and keep it easily accessible, such as in a planner or on your binder.
- Alternatively, set your schedule as your phone's lock screen for quick reference between classes.
Setting Up Digital Organization
- Add all classes, including time and location, to a dedicated Google Calendar for school.
- Use separate calendars and color-coding for each class to easily distinguish them.
- Archive last semester's files in a separate folder in Google Drive and create new folders for each current class.
Note-Taking System
- Create a Google Doc for each class titled with the course code (e.g., "ACC 406 notes").
- Before classes start, add course info: class time, location, professor, and important details from the syllabus.
- Check Rate My Professor for tips about your instructors and add relevant advice to your notes.
- Use consistent formatting and color-coding for section headings in your notes.
- Utilize Google Docs "tabs" to create sections for course info and each lecture within the same document.
Physical Note Organization
- For handwritten notes, set up and label notebooks or binders for each class.
- Write the class name and details on each notebook; reserve making notes until classes begin.
- Math-heavy subjects may benefit from dedicated notebooks even if you primarily use digital notes.
Extra Preparatory Steps
- Review lecture materials or textbook chapters ahead of class to familiarize yourself with new concepts.
- Delete old, unnecessary school-related photos from your phone or cloud storage to declutter and save space.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Google Calendar — A digital tool for scheduling events and organizing classes.
- Google Drive — Cloud-based file storage for organizing class documents and folders.
- Course outline/syllabus — A document outlining course structure, assessment breakdowns, and policies.
- Rate My Professor — A website for student reviews and tips about professors.
- Tabs (Google Docs) — A feature allowing multiple sections within a single document for better note organization.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Print or set up digital access to your class schedule.
- Organize Google Calendar and Drive with new semester information.
- Prepare note-taking documents and physical notebooks for each course.
- Read course outlines and check Rate My Professor for each instructor.
- Consider previewing lecture materials before classes begin.
- Clear old school-related media from your device storage.