College different from high school.
High school schedule fixed, school uniformly arranges, you just follow. College different, schedule you choose yourself, same major same class, each person's schedule can be completely different. Plus classrooms scattered across campus, class locations not fixed.
Without homeroom teacher and parent supervision, many freshmen fall into "don't know what classes today" confusion.
Journals can help.
Why Do College Students Need Journals for Schedule Management?
Schedule is fragmented.
College unlike middle school, all day in same classroom. Might morning in east building, afternoon in west lab, two hour gap in between.
Journal can help you clearly see: 10am class today, 2pm class this afternoon, two hours in between can stay in library.
Assignments and exams scattered.
Different courses have different assignments, different deadlines, different exam times. All relying on brain memory, easy to confuse.
Use journal to record each course's DDL, remind yourself ahead, won't cram at last minute.
College needs self-management.
No one will tell you "assignment due tomorrow." So many courses, teaching assistants can't remember who submitted who didn't.
Using journal for schedule management, essentially exercising your time management ability. This ability will affect all aspects of work life after graduation.
How to Use Journal to Design Schedule?
Basic Schedule
This is most basic need.
Seven days a week, each day from 8am to 9pm, all class times filled in. Must include: course name, class location, classroom number.
CanJournals' weekly plan template can be used for schedule. Clear structure,一目了然.
Suggest print schedule paste to desk front. Electronic version in phone for checking anytime, paper version for daily reminding yourself.
Assignment Tracking Table
Each course has own assignments and DDL.
Suggest beside schedule or journal's other page, make assignment tracking table. Content includes:
- Course name
- Assignment content
- Deadline
- Completion status
Remind yourself two days before deadline, so won't discover at last minute assignment not finished.
Exam Countdown Table
Semester middle to late period, exams come one after another.
Record all courses' exam times, exam methods (written, oral, paper). Then according to distance days, reasonably arrange review plan.
Countdown template can help you visualize this process. Watching days decrease one by one, review motivation stronger.
Several Practical Tips
Combine Schedule and Calendar
Journal not just for schedule.
Also record club activities, part-time jobs, dates. One complete weekly view, lets you clearly see how much free time this week.
Free time can use for study, review, rest, or advance assignments. Don't underestimate this action, it helps you avoid "this week seems didn't do anything" feeling.
Make Good Use of Colors to Distinguish Courses
When using CanJournals, can use different colors to mark different course types.
For example major required courses blue, elective courses green, PE orange. One glance, can distinguish what type course.
Colors don't need too many, three to five enough. Too many反而乱.
Sunday Do Next Week Plan
Every Sunday spend 15 minutes, see what classes next week, what assignments due, what activities to attend.
This habit lets you have expectations for new week, won't Monday morning wake up "this week so many things."
CanJournals has weekly plan template, open and use.
Don't Fill Schedule Too Full
Some students like treat journal as perfect plan book, want fill every minute with tasks.
Unnecessary, also impossible.
Leave blank is breathing time for yourself. People with good study efficiency aren't those who squeeze time dry, are those who know when to study, when to rest.
Suggest weekly leave about 20% blank time, for unexpected situations or rest use.
How to Use Journal to Organize Course Notes?
Schedule is schedule, notes are notes, both can work together.
Taking notes with journal during class not realistic—typing speed can't keep up with teacher speaking speed. Using paper notebook or Pad handwriting more appropriate.
But journal can be used as notes "index."
Example: Western Literature class five weeks, respectively covered "Book of Songs," "Songs of Chu," "Han Fu," "Tang Poetry," "Song Ci." Use journal's directory function, record each class's theme and corresponding note page numbers. When reviewing can quickly locate, no need to flip through pile of notes.
How to Use Journal During Exam Week?
Exam week is when journal quite useful.
Suggest start making exam plan one month ahead. Break each course's review content into small pieces, allocate to each day.
For example "Review Western Literature," can break into:
- First week: Book of Songs, Songs of Chu
- Second week: Han Fu, Tang Poetry
- Third week: Song Ci, Yuan Qu
- Fourth week: Comprehensive simulation
Complete one small piece each day, check it off. Progress visualized, anxiety reduces much.
Finally
Journal is just tool, how to use up to you.
Some people like make schedule beautiful, stickers washi tapes all used. Some only like simple text recording.
Both fine. Suit yourself most important.
I've seen people use journal to get into grad school, also seen people treat journal as ledger then delay graduation. Tool not important, person using tool is key.
Hope these tips helpful to you. Good luck with college life, get all classes, submit all assignments on time, pass all exams first try.