It doesn't matter if you are first, second or third year at University, the realisation of how unorganised you were last semester has probably dawned on you.

Whether it was due to not doing the extra reading or leaving your deadlines until the last minute, it is a mistake many of us make in first semester and even second too!

This year however, I am determined to change that. I was the most unorganised and scatty person possible first semester and wasn't quite prepared for just how difficult things would be.

Looking back at first year now, I kind of realised how much of a breeze it was. Second year hit me hard and I wasn't prepared in the slightest.

Which is why I have decided to make an attempt at being more organised next semester in hope I will stick to it and make life much easier for myself when deadlines and exam week come around.

I thought I would share a few tips and essential equipment I feel are important to do this.

The Essentials:

♥ Notepads for each subject reading and coursework planning.

♥ Pens

♥ Highlighters

♥ Gel pens

♥ Pencils

♥ Felt tips

♥ Text books

My tips on how to get more organised:

♥ Creating revision notes as you go along

By doing this you are saving so much time when your exams come around in May. I always find that a few weeks before my exams I am trying to create 3 or 4 modules worth of revision notes and I just don't have the time.
By making revision notes as soon as you have had a lecture or done the extra reading, it means you are already prepared for your exam period. So instead of wasting your time writing up your revision notes, you can actually be revising!
Doing this will also help you understand the topic more as you go along and instead of last minute, right before the exam.

♥ Use a calendar

The calendar on my laptop is my favourite thing ever! I am literally obsessed and it's so lame. I have a diary too which I love to keep on my desk but for reminders I always reach for the one on my laptop.
I have Windows 10 so it's on the start page of my apps, making it really quick and easy to reach. I literally store my life plans in this place and as I spend a lot of time on my laptop it's super accessible.

It's always popping up with notifications of whatever I have going on that day, meaning I constantly have a reminder.

♥ Take time to yourself

This is so important and if you don't do this, you'll end up driving yourself mad. Whether it's just watching Netflix, going shopping with your friends or some other kind of hobby; find something that you enjoy.
It can literally be anything, just ensure that you dedicate a part of your day to that specific activity. That way your mind is not always on that piece of coursework you have to hand in or that reading you still haven't done; you can take a moment to tear yourself away from it.

♥ Focus on the end goal

Don't focus on the fact that your deadline is months away and you can deal with it later. Focus on how you will feel in those few months if things go wrong and you run out of time to create your best piece of work.

This is so important and a mistake that most of us probably make. I have such a bad habit of shrugging things off because I think I have all the time in the world to finish them. Whether that be revising or coursework, I keep putting it off until it's the last minute when I have no choice but to do it.
This is so bad for you because it just automatically leads to stress. You need to try and focus on the future a little while you're studying and I don't mean what career you're going to do and how you're going to spend the rest of your life, I mean deadlines!
Know your deadlines and keep them in mind and ensure to keep reminding yourself of them - don't want until the last minute to consider them.