Organization is the key to college success
September 18, 2012
Just like in everyday life, a single mom needs to be organized to stay on task. Important things can fall through the cracks without a daily routine, a chore spreadsheet or some other reminder that there are things to do. The same principle applies to schoolwork, especially when taking a full load of courses and balancing that with everyday family needs. Finding the right balance early in the semester will help with maintaining college scholarships and better grade point averages.
Make a system
If you find that activities easily fall to the wayside or have difficulty keeping track of tasks, especially on a long term basis, coming up with an organizational set up at the start of the school year is crucial to success. Color coding, setting up baskets and making use of wall calendars can help institute a helpful series of reminders aimed at keeping everything up to date.
This same policy is helpful in day-to-day activities with children around the house, like making meals and doing laundry. Finding ways to associate certain tasks with one another can also help with adopting a more structured school and life balance. Preparing meals could be a reminder to check course outlines for upcoming tasks, or writing grocery lists can provoke the impulse to review a study guide before a test. Instituting these mental reminders will subconsciously evoke these urges in the future, so that school becomes integrated to everyday activities.
Do it first
There is no way to make the beds in the morning until the kids get up, so don't waste time with easier tasks while allowing the harder ones to languish. If there is a particular subject that is harder than the rest to understand or the assignments are more lengthy to complete, don't leave them for last and don't wait until the end of the weekend to complete them. Start when you can and make steady progress - be sure these assignments stay at the top of the pile and don't let yourself get distracted.
Do everything you can to prepare for a task and work through it methodically, but don't rush the assignments. Finishing something haphazardly will mean that it is done wrong or needs to be done again, just like making the bed incorrectly. These habits may have an impact on whether financial aid for parents is extended to a person again, since poor academic standing negatively reflects on future applications.
