Back to School and Overwhelmed with Assignments? Steal My Hack to Help Get Organized
Written by Nicole Ivelevitch, LMSW/LSW
I think everyone can agree that one of the most difficult parts about being a student is keeping track of everything for all of your classes; between homework assignments, projects, exams, and more, it can start to feel really overwhelming (Raise your hand if you’ve ever walked into a class and said, “Wait, that was due TODAY?” 🙋) This can be especially daunting if you’re someone who struggles with anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, or other executive functioning disorders. Keep reading to hear what I did to help get myself organized and ultimately set myself up for academic success.
Create a Master Syllabus
You know what I hate? Papers. They get lost, stained, ripped, crumpled, and maybe even eaten by the family pet. Even if they somehow manage to not get destroyed, it’s extremely difficult to keep track of all of your assignments when you get a different syllabus for every class. One of the most helpful things I started doing in college was sitting down and creating a Master Syllabus for myself. I organized all of my assignments, due dates, and test dates into one master document so I didn’t have to look at 5 (or more) different packets to figure out what the heck I needed to do and when. Here’s how to do it: Open a word document (a Google doc is actually the best because then you’ll always be able to access it if you need it) and list out all of the weeks as headings (e.g., Week of 9/18, Week of 9/25, etc.). Then, go through all of your syllabuses one by one and add all of your due dates/exam dates where they belong. Do this with all of your syllabuses to the best of your ability. Once you’re done, you can go through and highlight the things that are most important, and even assign yourself days to start working on projects or studying for a test. You can print it out so you have a hard copy to refer to, or if you prefer to keep it digital, you can email or text it as a PDF to yourself so you can open it even if you’re on the go. Here’s how it should end up looking:
Week of 9/18
Monday: Math homework due (pages 5-11)
Start studying for Science test (chapters 1 & 2)
Tuesday: English reading pages 1-30Math homework due (pages 11-14)
Study for Science test (chapters 3 & 4)
Wednesday: English reading pages (31-50)
Math homework due (worksheet)
Start studying for Math quiz
Review for Science test (chapter 1-4)
Thursday: Science test today
Study for Math quiz
English reading (pages 51-70)
Friday: Math quiz today
Complete English worksheet over weekend
While this might seem like a lot of work to put together, I can promise you that it is SO worth it in the long run. But if you think that this trick is too much or too difficult due to the nature of your classes, or if you think that you still might need some extra help, you can try:
Using Your Phone for Reminders
Add test and project due dates to your phone calendar and set alerts so you don’t forget when they’re coming up. You can even set one alert for a few days or even a week before, and then set another for the day before.
Coordinate with Classmates
Start a group chat with some people from your class to help keep each other accountable. Even if you don’t have any friends in your class, this can be a really good way to make some!
Ask for Help
If you still feel stuck or like you need a little guidance, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Communicate openly with your teachers about what you think might help you succeed, and more often than not they are more than happy to accommodate you. If that still doesn’t seem to be enough, it might be a good idea to reach out to a therapist or other professional for help. At Collaborative Minds Psychotherapy, we specialize in helping teens and understand what you are going through. You might even be eligible for an IEP or 504 plan, which we can help get you started with. We have therapists available for individual therapy, as well as group therapy for teens.
Asking for help can be scary, but we’re here to support you every step of the way! Contact us today to schedule a free
15-minute call with our intake coordinator to learn about what services might be right for you.