(BPT) - Whether it's the first day of middle school or the first day away at college, students of all ages are preparing for a new school year. Students might be learning at home, in the classroom or a combination of both, so now is the time to get organized and prepared to help you tackle the year ahead. Here are some useful tips and tricks to help you succeed this school year.
1. Designate a study space
Whether it's used for homeschooling or homework after school, a dedicated study space helps you stay organized and focused on learning. Once you have your desk area decided, add your go-to essentials for easy studying, including pencils, erasers and a Post-it® Pop-up Note Vertical Dispenser. Need to jot down a quick reminder for an upcoming assignment? The easy one-handed note dispensing has you covered for all of your study sessions.
2. Add some fun personality
Make a study space you’ll want to be in by adding personalized touches throughout. Pictures of friends and family are always a fun way to make a space feel like your own. Adding favorite colors or designs can help as well, such as colorful folders, bright accessories and fun notes to easily jot down reminders or even affirmations to keep yourself motivated.
3. Use colors strategically
Use different colors strategically to stay organized. For example, use Post-it® Super Sticky Notes Marrakesh Collection in a Kanban board to help keep track of all your school assignments. Assigning different colors for each column (for example, yellow for in-progress and green for complete) will help call attention to the tasks at hand.
4. Create mobile study bins
When the kitchen table or shared desk are being used, mobile study bins can make moving around hassle-free. Personalize a plastic bin for each student in your home and fill them with grade-appropriate essentials. Give your kindergartner their favorite box of crayons and your high school senior some flags and tabs for easy note taking. That way when space is at a premium, they can grab a bin and head to a quiet corner, their bedroom or even outdoors to study.
5. Keep a journal or calendar
With so much going on, to-do's can slip through the cracks. That's why keeping a journal or calendar is a good habit to adopt. A personal agenda can go from home to the classroom and beyond so you never miss a beat. Additionally, a weekly family calendar can help keep everyone connected, especially when schedules get hectic. The Post-it® Weekly Planner is great for hanging in the kitchen or mud room for everyone to easily access. That way the whole family can stay in the know.
6. Use a "do not disturb" system
Studying at home can be full of distractions. Consider adopting a system that indicates if you are busy or not. For example, use Super Sticky notes to create door tags in different colors. Green can mean, "come on in." Yellow can mean, "knock first." Red can mean, "do not disturb."
7. Utilize lists
Lists are one of the best tools you can use to stay organized. Whether it's a list of facts to study for an upcoming test or a list of supplies needed for an important project, writing items out in a memorable way will ensure you don't forget a thing. Plus, when you write something down you help your brain remember it better, so make a list to support cognitive function.
No matter what the new school year has in store for your family, with a positive attitude and an organized approach, you'll be sure to have a successful and productive school year packed with learning and fun. For more information, tips and organization ideas for how to Think Loud this school year, visit www.post-it.com/study.
