Student Blog: Tools For Organizing Your Studies... and Other Stressful Things

I've always been a pretty organized person. Ever since I had to switch out of advanced math in the 6th-grade mid-semester I've made sure to keep track of my homework, test schedule, and extracurricular activities. After this math class incident, I started to write my homework to-do list on my hand so I would not forget it. However, this wasn't the most efficient way of doing things since yesterday's homework may not wash away enough to make room for today's.

That's when I switched over to agendas and sticky notes, which is what I mostly use today. To be able to physically write out what I have to do and have it visually laid out in front of me makes me feel more in control and less stressed out.

As a 15-hour college student, a Dear Asian Youth writer and publisher, the events director for the Transracial Adoptee Inclusion Network, an intern, and a BroadwayWorld student blogger, I have a lot to organize.

In my agenda, I color code my responsibilities by class, organization, and/or company. In addition to my agenda, I have a separate notepad where I write out all my upcoming assignments, readings, and tests by week. Having both an agenda and a checklist helps me to remember to take one step at a time. And that's the thing, you have to take everything in steps, if not it is easier to let the stress build-up.

I used to be stressed all the time, but most of the time it was over the most ridiculous things and I'd end up wasting all this time and emotion psyching myself up rather than focusing on the thing I was stressed about. A big thing that helped me get over the whole idea of stress was swim meets.

When I first started swimming varsity meets I was in middle school- and I wasn't the best, but good enough to be on varsity. However, this meant that I swam all the leftover events that the high schoolers didn't: these were usually the 200 IM and the 100 fly. Leading up to my races I used to waste so much energy freaking out and worrying about a race that would be over in three minutes or less (I say "three minutes" cause I'm rounding up on that 200 IM time and I say "or less" cause I wasn't that slow). But as I got into high school, I recognized that no matter what I was going to swim my races, that the meet would end and another would come. When I did feel anxious about a race, I'd always remind myself that in a few minutes, the race will start. In a few more minutes it will end and in a few minutes after it does I'll be back under the tent with my team, waiting for another race to begin. I apply this to all aspects of my life, remembering to trust myself and remember the five-by-five rule:

You shouldn't spend more than five minutes worrying about something that won't matter in five years.

An agenda and a to-do list can aid you in keeping track of your tasks and responsibilities, but if you happen to forget one, don't fret but remember that life goes on.