Tools to Organize Your Workspace

If there’s anything different between college classes and high school classes...it's the pace. Organizing time for schoolwork, clubs, exercise, and friends take hard work and intentional choices. I’ve found that one of the easiest ways to stay organized at school is organizing your workspace. So here are some items not to forget during the chaos of packing for school!


Never underestimate the power of a sticky note. That sticky note could remind you of that one assignment due that your teacher hasn’t mentioned since the beginning of the semester, or maybe just save your dorm plant from drying out. 

Colored pens are a fun way to organize your thoughts and class notes. Why not turn the wall of information in your notes into something more readable and organized?

Don’t forget a stapler! This one may seem intuitive but I don’t know how many times I’ve had to go stapler hunting because I forgot mine in my dorm or didn’t anticipate needing it. Occasionally you will find one near the university printers. But more often than not, I’ve found them to be empty…

Pack note cards. Creating flashcards can be so useful when studying for exams. Sometimes having to write them all out is almost as helpful as just reviewing them. Many gen eds will have multiple choice exams so note cards can really speed up the studying process.


Now I’d like to introduce the idea of doing homework on plain white paper. I know such a simple idea may seem insignificant, but a friend recommended this last year to me and it has completely changed how I organize my work. White paper allows you to write out engineering problems and supporting graphs and diagrams without the extra clutter of lines. This is especially helpful as you progress through your classes and start doing longer and longer problems. I’ve also found white paper makes your work a lot easier to grade and be evaluated by professors, especially during this period of virtual instruction where you have to scan your work. 

Of course there are lots of other things to bring like a graphing calculator, notebook dividers, bulletin board tacks, but these are the five that have most impacted my organization and internal peace. 

The truth is no one tool will completely organize your school life for you. But combined with intentional planning, these tools can make the college experience organized and successful.

So happy packing and happy planning!

Gracelyne Allred
Team B Mentor