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Don't
let your books, notebooks, and school supplies
take over your dorm.
Get Your Time and Space Organized
By
Rebecca Vara
December/January 2003
The
CollegeBound Network NewsClick --
Now that you're finally a college student,
your life has become busier than ever. Your
daily routine consists of three classes
a day, lab, soccer practice, homework, and
a weekend job. Figuring out how to balance
everything can be the hardest task of all.
And let's not forget that your dorm already
looks like it's been hit by a tornado. The
real question is, how can you do it all
successfully and still have time to kick
back and relax?
In
Organizing from the Inside Out for Teens
(Owl Books, 2002), mother/daughter duo Julie
Morgenstern and Jessi Morgenstern-Colon
help you accomplish it all, without blowing
a fuse. Read on and learn how to create
your own foolproof system of making the
most out of your time and space.
How
can I fix my dorm room so it's not just
for sleep, but for homework and friends
as
well?
Think
back to your kindergarten days. The teacher
would ring the bell, and the classroom would
be spotless in one minute flat. Why is that?
Julie and Jessi claim the answer is simple
-- kindergarten classrooms are models of
organization with clearly defined activity
zones, self-contained spaces, and easy access
storage. All of these help you put things
away more quickly and easily. Set up your
dorm room the same way with designated areas
for your books, sweaters, and sneakers.
With this system you'll always know where
to put stuff away, and where to find it.
Once
your room is an organizational haven, spiff
it up for friends by simply maximizing your
wall space. Install sturdy shelves for CDs
and movies to make the floor clutter free.
At the same time, invest in some cool light
fixtures and beanbag chairs to set the mood.
Before you know it, you'll have transformed
your study/living space into a cool roomie
hangout.
How
can I create a schedule that will allow
me ample time for homework, extra curricular
activities, and fun with friends?
Take
it from the experts: Sticky notes stuck
all over the room are not going to be a
reliable source. The stickiness will only
last so long, and you might miss something
very important. Instead, write all your
important to-dos on one planner, and you'll
end up achieving more.
After
that's organized, you need to determine
how you're going to fulfill everything you
need to do. Julie and Jessi suggest using
their W.A.D.E formula (Write it down, Add
it up, Decide when, Execute). For example,
you have a biology study session and a drama
club meeting, both at 7 p.m. When you add
it up, you realize the study session will
help your below-average biology grade, while
the drama club meeting will not. In other
words, utilizing W.A.D.E helps you determine
which important task to follow through with
first.
If
you still have trouble coming to an easy
conclusion, apply Julie and Jessi's 4Ds
(Delete, Delay, Diminish, Delegate) to your
problem. The 4D's clearly define that it's
in your best interests to find out what
went on at the drama club meeting and put
all your energy into attending the study
session to help bring up your grade. For
the rest of your tasks, break them down
and prioritize them, and complete the most
urgent ones first.
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