Going into my senior year of high school, I knew that being organized should become a priority, even more than it had in years past. With taking challenging classes, balancing extracurriculars, applying for scholarships, all while trying to appreciate my final year of high school, there would be a lot going on. In the past years, especially during the most hectic seasons, I find myself overwhelmed with all I have to accomplish. In hopes of eliminating stress and making the most of my time, I bought my very first planner.
I chose one filled with practicality and simplicity, but also one that reflected my style. This particular planner is white and teal-themed, which emits a calming sense. Similarly, it has a gold spiral and gold lettering on the cover. The planner has a perfect format, with a monthly view and a weekly view so that I can be prepared for all of my upcoming events.
Initially, I bought the planner specifically for the monthly calendar. Over the summer, and still, to this day, I color coordinate my events according to my extracurricular activities, due dates, and other nearing dates. Having my monthly calendar color-coordinated springs my schedule to life and makes me excited for everything coming my way.
However, when senior year began, I neglected to use the weekly section of my planner. Forgetting that my planner had this feature, I would instead write my to-do lists on a notepad that I would place on my computer to easily add whatever else needed to be done throughout the day. Contrary to my intent to be organized, I soon found this system to be impractical. There simply was not enough room included on a small sticky note to fit everything I needed to remember. Similarly, the sticky note would always get dirty on my computer, making me constantly need to re-do it. I knew this system would not last long, but it was not until I saw my friend use her weekly section in her planner that I knew I should do the same.
Since changing my methods, it makes it so much easier to keep track of my weekly activities. I can write out what needs to be done each day of the week and not worry about forgetting something. I have plenty of room to add all my weekly assignments, and it has helped me immensely to make the most of my time.
Similarly, on the weekly section of my planner, there is a notes section at the bottom of the page. I use this area to include other essential pieces of information I hear throughout the day. In the blank sections at the top of the weekly view, I create weekly goals with a check box on the left side. At the start of each week, I will pick a few things to include, such as working on scholarships or writing a paper. Additionally, I will choose a word each week to focus on. These words usually are about a personal goal that I want to accomplish during the week. Some of it has something to do with getting out of my comfort zone, while others remind me to be intentional with the relationships I build while I am at school.
In regards to the cons of my planner, I do not have any. My planner has immensely enhanced my ability to stay organized and complete all of my assignments while also reminding me of the personal goals that I make at the start of each week. This way, I can live each day to the fullest. It brings me so much joy at the end of the week to look back on all I have accomplished.