by Ashley Ramirez
The first week of classes is crucial—not only because it provides an opportunity to meet your instructors and teaching assistants, but also because it sets the tone for the rest of the semester. Most instructors will distribute a syllabus during this time, which typically outlines the course objectives, grading criteria, and a tentative schedule of assignments and exams. Some may even provide a detailed calendar of due dates to help students plan ahead.
By the second or third week, you can generally expect to begin receiving regular assignments, such as readings or online homework. To manage this workload effectively, I found it helpful to use a weekly planner to keep track of assignments across all my courses. This approach also allowed me to also work in and accommodate non-academic responsibilities by organizing my time in a way that ensured I could meet all the deadlines in my life.
A weekly planner doesn’t need to be elaborate—it can be as simple as a notebook organized by date or a planning app like MyHomeworkPlanner, Todoist and Google Calendar. While some students prefer to rely solely on digital tools, I’ve found that a combination of electronic and physical planners works best for me, providing both flexibility and structure.
Give planners a try to help you stay on top of your projects and deadlines to find what works best for you. Have a great semester!
