Now that the first two weeks of classes are complete, quizzes, papers, and exam due dates are making their way into the planners of students all around campus.

The life of a college student can be stressful, no doubt about it, and developing a successful organizational system early on in the semester is key. It allows students to keep up on their assignments and more importantly, avoid massive headaches.

“I think it’s very important to keep yourself organized in college,” said Elizabeth Bugtai, a Student Success Coach here on campus.

“It’s really just about prioritizing your time and finding a system that works for you.”

Since every student is unique, not everyone will prefer the same method of staying organized. Some students find it helpful to use a traditional pen-and-paper planner, while others like to organize their tasks for classes online. There are pro’s and con’s to both methods.

Lina Arimura, a busy 27-year-old Nursing student who also works full-time, said she prefers to stay organized digitally.

“I always put my tests and exams in my calendar on my computer,” said Arimura. “Putting things in my computer helps me to always remember when they’re due so I know not to schedule a work shift at those times.”

The benefit of using a digital planner with programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar is that it allows students who might be balancing multiple obligations to sync their phone and computer, so they can keep their schedule with them at all times.

However, since everything is organized online, files may become lost and information may not always be private. Technology can crash which makes this system of planning unreliable at times.

Other students find that the pen-and-paper methods of planning are more helpful because it assists them in remembering their tasks better.

“I started using a [pen-and-paper] planner Junior year of high school, when things started getting crazy,” said Ingrid Portillo, an 18-year-old Animal Science major and first-year student here at Moorpark College. “I like it because I always bring it to school in my backpack and check it during my breaks.”

The biggest benefit of using a traditional planning style is that physically writing down your assignments may help you remember them better. Also, there’s no internet connection needed!

In contrast, it generally takes longer to write down your assignments by hand and it’s not as easily accessible as a digital calendar is.

Whether you’re sticking with the old school method of planning or going digital this semester, keeping track of all assignments, tasks, and exams is essential for success. There’s no right or wrong way to stay organized, and if you’re unsure which method works for you, try out both!