Written by Chrissy Getts

Published on May 1, 2020

The transition to online classes has been a difficult one for students across the country, including locally at HCC. Students have been struggling with a variety of issues, ranging from poor internet connections to being unable to remember to attend their “Zoom classes.” The biggest problem plaguing students, however, is forgetfulness. Due to classes being online, the motivation to remember all of your assignments is gone. HCC was unprepared to deal with this projected problem, but we can learn from our inexperience with a global pandemic to be better prepared in the future. 

One of the many ways you can get on top of your classes and stay there is by being organized. Without the constant in-person reminder of assignments and due dates, that can be a difficult challenge. However, by learning to use the calendar app on your cell phone, you can gain a skill that will help you both in and out of quarantine. 

Being aware of your assignments and keeping track of your progress is essential to the success of any student. The iPhone or Samsung calendar apps can help you achieve just this, and the uses are endless. For example, at the beginning of each semester, take a look at each syllabus for your classes. The teachers print those out for a reason and they often include a course calendar for major projects and exams. If you’re someone who needs constant reminders, put all of your homework, projects, quizzes and tests in your calendar and set a day before alarm to remind you what’s due. Otherwise, just having the major projects and exams will suffice. To make yourself even more organized, add color codes per class, so all the assignments for one class show up as the same color. 

Another helpful skill that comes with being organized is being prioritized! Once you have your classes and assignments organized by color or due date, or, if you’re like me, both, now is the time to decide which ones will take longer, or take more effort than others. Those are always assignments you should start first, and when scheduling your homework in your new calendar app, be sure to prioritize working on those projects at the top of the list! By making use of various apps this way, you’ve got an exact schedule to keep to that will result in you completing all your assignments in full and on time- the ultimate goal of any student! 

Keeping organized is probably the best way to ace this semester. All of us have a lot to remember and even more to complete, so having a planner or calendar app is imperative. Not only will organizational skills help you during this experience with online classes, but these are skills to hold onto for life! In your next class, an internship or your first job, knowing how to organize yourself and prioritize your to do list will always benefit you. 

In this quarantine, keep your head held high and your hopes held higher for a quick turnaround of the virus and resulting “opening back up” of the state. Use your free time, however, to get organized and ensure your academic success!