Posted on: Sunday, September 2, 2001

Plan ahead to keep organized at school

Associated Press

You may start the school year with clean slates, clean calendars and clean lockers. But to stay focused and organized throughout the year takes some forethought. Sharon Mann, an organization adviser at the office supply company Esselte in New York, offers these tips:

• Arrange your locker in a logical fashion. Try keeping your notebooks with the corresponding books, folders and other materials. If you tend to accumulate trash in your storage space, keep a small garbage can or plastic bag in your locker.

• At the beginning of each week, make a timetable. Block out a certain amount of your free time for schoolwork. As you get daily assignments, split your designated school time accordingly.

• As soon as you receive your class schedule, mark all due dates, test dates and other important days on your calendar. Keep a running list of important dates, so you can plan ahead.

• Take complete notes. While most students take notes about the subject matter, few record what teachers say about assignments and objectives. Keep a small notebook handy and jot down notes when teachers talk about expectations.

• Set aside time for extracurricular activities. Involvement in athletics and clubs is a good way to make friends, relieve tension and relax while still doing something productive.