Write It Out!

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Published on May 1, 2020

Have you ever told yourself that you completed an assignment, but in reality, the work did not get done? If so, you are not the only one! Whether you are a visual learner or not, taking physical notes guarantee work completion more than online or mental notation.

Being a college student is not an easy thing to do. There are two sides to this confusing equation of organizing and scheduling. One side has your academic work that needs to get done, and the other is simply doing the things needed to ensure survival and safety. Attempting to arrange all of these obligations might make you go insane. What if I said you can do this without being mentally distraught?  Read more to find out how to “write it out?”

Visual learning is the action of processing information by seeing it rather than hearing it be said to you. This simply means, your brain can sit, process, and fully understand what it is that you need to store inside your memory. Why is this important? Writing out your schedule allows your brain to re-think and re-process the mental notes you have forgotten and remembered about throughout the day. According to Elyse Hauser, from Lifesavvy.com, when you write out the things that you have to do, you have more chances of retaining that information rather than just looking at it on your screen or thinking about it.

Not only do you have more chances of retaining that information, but according to Dr .Indira Reddy, who is a counselor at HCC’s Counseling and Wellness Center, but also of “reducing the amount of stress and anxiety your work is causing you and help[ing] you to prepare for assessments and other college assignments.” 

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Whenever I have an overwhelming amount of work or only one thing to get done, I make sure to write down what it is exactly that I have to do on the whiteboard that I have in my room. Whether I write down my tasks before or after the day, I have to get it done. Sometimes I take mental notes about major assignments and then end up forgetting to complete the minor but important assignments also; I even waste time stressing about things that don’t need to be done that day, simply because I did not “write out” my obligations for that day. 

HCC Counselor Marilyn Albrecht said that “Structure can decrease stress but the most important is finding a process that works for you.  It might be based on a very clear structure, but what matters most is that it makes sense for you. Ever since I’ve used this skill, I’ve been able to better manage both my academic needs and my self-care needs.” 

Dr. Reddy adds that everything good begins and ends with small steps.

Forget the perks and sunshine the Google and Apple calendars bring you. Every day we are constantly switching through different visuals on a screen.  After a while, you get to a point where you are just clicking through. Eventually, you end up swiping the notification away and forgetting to do it. Taking a few minutes out of your day to re-process and refresh your memory goes a long way, in terms of increasing focus, keeping yourself sane, and the way you manage your time.