OMG! We’re not allowed to use our cellphones at school anymore! I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “How am I going to stay organized without my phone?” Thank goodness for the good old paper planner. That’s right! A planner is incredibly useful when it comes to planning your week without forgetting anything.
Why Use a Paper Planner?
Planning isn’t a subject that’s taught in school, but it’s a key skill that will come in handy throughout your life. You can keep track of everything in your planner: your class schedule, your homework, your exams, and even your appointments and social outings .
The planner provided by the school may not always be to your taste… but feel free to customize it! Change up the cover page by adding a collage of images you love or a drawing. Decorate the inside pages by adding colour, doodles, and your planning. That’s right, the famous planning!
A Good Planning Method
At the start of the year, you can assign a colour or symbol to each subject. It makes everything so much easier to visualize! Here’s an example of a planning system:
– Math / Pink / Square
– French / Orange / Circle
– English / Yellow / Diamond
– Science / Green / Beaker
– History and Geography / Blue / Feather
– Elective course (music, art, sport) / Purple / Star
PSSST! Here’s a little tip…
Only have four highlighter colours? No worries! You can create more. Use the yellow and blue together to make green, and pink and blue to make purple. And just like that, you now have six colours!
How to Stay Organized
When a teacher assigns homework or announces an exam, write it down right away in your planner. Write the date in the monthly calendar, in the weekly section, and in the small weekend calendar. In the small calendar, you can highlight the exam date using the subject’s colour or draw its symbol. Then repeat this step for all the weeks leading up to the exam to create a visual reminder. That way, you’ll never have to cram for an exam at the last minute. For homework, try to complete it the same day it’s assigned. But if you have a big project or an exam to prepare for, you can block off 30 to 60 minutes per day to make steady progress.
Planner First, Your Cell as a Backup
Your planner can’t send you reminders like your phone… but here’s a tip! Use your cellphone at home to get reminders to check your paper planner. For example, set a reminder every evening at 5:45 p.m. That way, you’ll remember to check what needs to be done for tomorrow. As you’ve probably noticed, the paper planner and the cell phone complement each other . The paper planner goes everywhere with you and is helps you organize everything. Your cellphone stays at home and reminds you to check your paper planner.
So there you have it – lots of little tips to help you make the most of your paper planner. If you want more ideas, ask your parents or friends how they stay organized, look up tips online, or create your own system!
Happy planning, and remember – your planner is your brain, minus the risk of forgetting!
Justine Dupont, Graphic Designer