This article was co-authored by Alicia Oglesby and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Latorre. Alicia Oglesby is a Professional School Counselor and the Director of School and College Counseling at Bishop McNamara High School outside of Washington DC. With over ten years of experience in counseling, Alicia specializes in academic advising, social-emotional skills, and career counseling. Alicia holds a BS in Psychology from Howard University and a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology from Chestnut Hill College. She also studied Race and Mental Health at Virginia Tech. Alicia holds Professional School Counseling Certifications in both Washington DC and Pennsylvania. She has created a college counseling program in its entirety and developed five programs focused on application workshops, parent information workshops, essay writing collaborative, peer-reviewed application activities, and financial aid literacy events.
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Maintaining a day planner for school can help you complete all of your assignments on time. Once you’ve chosen the type of planner you want, create sections for each subject and fill in all the information you already have. Each day you can look at what’s on the agenda and add any new information. Color-coding your planner and making sure to add all types of events and obligations will help you stay on top of all your tasks.
Steps
Setting Up Your Planner
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1Choose the right planner for you. You’ll want to pick one that fits in your pocket, purse, or backpack; whichever place you would like to carry it. Choose one in your favorite color or with a fun design so that it is aesthetically pleasing. Ensure it has enough pages and is organized in the way you prefer; some have a page per day, some have two pages per week, etc.[1]
- There are different types of planners with different layouts. Some also have smaller sections while others have larger. Choose one that suits you the best.
- If your planner is too plain, consider decorating it.
- If you can't buy a planner, check out How to Make Your Own School Planner.
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2Create sections for every subject/course you take. You should do this ahead of time for an entire semester or year. Block out a space for each subject or course so when the time comes to write in it, you’ll know exactly where to put each assignment.[2]
- Keep your classes organized by day. For example, if you have Math and Science on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, put those sections next to each other.
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3Create a section for other events. You’ll likely have other things to do than homework, so make a section to record other engagements such as sporting events, concerts or recitals, dances or other school functions, work or chores, etc. You could schedule in free time as well.
- Consider creating separate sections for school-related activities and extracurricular activities. For example, a school ball game could be in one section and a concert in another.
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4Add birthdays and holidays. Write in birthdays, holidays, and other special events ahead of time. That way, when you look at a week or month you’ll know if there are any occasions that could change your schedule or take up extra time. You can also add information such as first and last days of school, holiday breaks, etc.
- You don't need to write in every single birthday--just focus on your friends and family. If you plan on doing something special on that day, such as a party, make a quick note of it.
Writing in Your Planner
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1Decide which method you will use. You may want to write down assignments on the day they were assigned or on the day they are due. This will depend on your personal style and preference.
- If you write things down on the day they were assigned, this will enable you to look at each day to see what you should be working on (e.g., If reading chapter 5 was assigned on Monday, you would write it down under Monday’s space and do the assignment that day).
- If you write things down on the day they are due, you will need to look ahead to see what you should be working on (e.g., If reading chapter 5 needs to be completed Wednesday, you would write it down under Wednesday’s space but look ahead on Monday or Tuesday in order to complete the assignment by Wednesday).
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2Make your planner a part of your daily routine. Write new information in your planner every day; any assignments, events, meetings, and get togethers you plan should be recorded daily. You should also check your planner each morning and night to ensure you aren’t forgetting to do anything. You can put a sticky note on your mirror or another place you look daily, or set a daily reminder in your phone, to help you remember to check your planner if you think you might forget.[3]
- Some teachers like to write out assignments weeks ahead of time. If your teacher does this, you can transfer these assignments to your planner.
- Once you develop the habit of checking your planner, you may no longer need reminders, such as sticky notes on the mirror.
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3Fill in things as soon as you find out about them. Your teacher may mention that a group project will be due on the last day of class; though that may seem like a long way off, write it down immediately. This goes for homework, tests, other assignments, and events as well. Write down the corresponding textbook pages and any other information the teacher tells you to include.
- If you tend to procrastinate, consider putting reminders into your planner. For example, you can write "Start working on Shakespeare essay" the week before it is due.
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4Create your own deadlines. If you have a major project or test coming up you can schedule time to work on it in your planner. This will keep you from rushing to complete a big assignment the night before it is due. For example, you could write:[4]
- Monday: start research
- Wednesday: complete outline
- Friday: write rough draft
Staying Organized
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1Color code your planner. You may want to do this by subject (blue for algebra, green for chemistry, red for English, etc.) or by type of assignment (blue for tests, green for homework, red for projects, etc.). Choose whichever method you think will be most helpful for you.[5] [6]
- You can do this with colored pencils, pens, highlighters, or even colorful sticky-note flags.
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2Look ahead. On the first day of each week you should scan your planner to see what is due or what events you have. This will give you a good idea of what you will need to do through the week as well as help your manage your time efficiently.
- For example, if you have a lot of exams or a large essay due during a particular week, it might not be a good idea to schedule other things, like parties.
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3Review your planner before you start your homework. This will give you an idea of what you need to do that day and help your prioritize assignments. It also ensures that you won’t forget anything and will avoid panicking the next day when you realize you didn’t do everything that was assigned.[7]
- Start with assignments that are due the following day. If you have extra time that evening, you could do the other assignments to get ahead of schedule.
- If none of your assignments are due yet, consider doing the easiest ones first to get them out of the way. Alternatively, you could try doing the hardest one first.
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4Keep old pages. You never know when you may want to look back and check on something. If you don’t want to keep them in your planner, tear them out and store them in a box or a desk drawer.[8]
- Some people like to fold the old pages of their planners towards the spine. This will create bulk, but it will also make it easier to find the newest page.
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I make my own planner?
Community AnswerSee the wikiHow article Make Your Own Day Planner for step-by-step instructions. -
QuestionWhat are some days I could include in my planner?Community AnswerYou should include holidays, birthdays, and the due dates of any assignments, projects, etc. You should also note down when you're having tests so you know when to start preparing.
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QuestionHow do I keep all those segments, like due dates, days, subjects, exam days, and plans in one book?
Community AnswerYou can color code them and make a key with all of the colors and corresponding items.
References
- ↑ https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-get-students-use-their-planners/
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/focused.html
- ↑ https://healthcaremba.gwu.edu/blog/10-tips-for-balancing-parenting-work-and-school/
- ↑ https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/10-best-time-management-tips-for-students/
- ↑ https://www.umassd.edu/dss/resources/faculty-staff/how-to-teach-and-accommodate/how-to-accommodate-different-learning-styles/
- ↑ Alicia Oglesby. Professional School Counselor. Expert Interview. 13 April 2021.
- ↑ https://jhsap.org/self_help_resources/school-life_balance/
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
About This Article
If you want to organize your day planner for school, start by creating sections for every subject or class you are taking, so you’ll know where to put each assignment when the time comes. In fact, a big part of being organized is doing the initial prep – once you have everything set up, all you have to do is fill your planner in! You can organize your planner by either writing down assignments like homework and quizzes on the day they were assigned or on the day that they are due. Either way, make your planner a part of your daily routine and start checking it daily to make sure you haven't missed any work. For tips like how to put reminders in your planner so that you won’t procrastinate, read on!
