As a student who is taking numerous college classes and other high school classes on top of that, I find myself stressing to get everything done and on time. A way that I try to stay on top of my assignments and other things in my life is by keeping a planner. Here are a few tips to help you keep a successful planner of your own:

Pick out a planner fit for you: When picking out your planner, keep some things in mind. Make sure that the planner you get is a good size for you. Some people like to have a bigger planner, to have room to doodle or write other things, but I prefer to stick to a more compact one. The one I have is smaller, but not too small, but is a perfect size for what I need. It’s easy to just throw in my backpack and not have it take up too much room.

Have a regular daily planning session: Set a time each day to go over what you need to do the next day, whether it be for school or an appointment. This will help you to not forget to do something the next day, and can also help you stress a little less about your day.

Label everything: One way to label things in your planner is to make sections for every class. Another method that I use is to color code it. Get some markers or highlighters and give each subject or section it’s own color. This is an easy and quick way to identify which subject is which.

Write your assignments down daily: Writing down your assignments after a class in school is a great and efficient way to fill out your planner.

Keep track of upcoming assignments: Get ahead! Keeping track of things that are due that day or the day after is a must, but keeping track of upcoming assignments is too! If you know that an assignment is due later in the week, write it down so you’ll remember it. This also goes for upcoming tests and quizzes.

Write down your goals and to-do’s after school: If you need to study for a quiz or test, write it down in your planner. When you check your planner when you get home, it will remind you that you need to study.

Make it personal: A planner is a great tool for school, but can also be very helpful in your day to day personal life if you keep it organized. Write down appointments, events and birthdays in your planner to make sure you’re on top of things and don’t forget anything.

Make it fun and colorful: Planners don’t need to be boring. Don’t be afraid to doodle or add stickers and pictures in yours. Getting creative with it can help you to keep up with it and see it as more of a hobby than a chore!