PLANNERS
Semester Calendar
A semester calendar helps to form the “Big Picture.” This calendar will have many
of the important dates you will need for effective planning (e.g. holidays, drop/add
dates, midterms and final exams, etc.)
Setting up your semester calendar
- Transfer due dates from each syllabus (exams, quizzes, projects, and papers).
- Add social, family, and work commitments (family events, holidays, sports, and trips).
- Post this in an area where you can view it regularly (desk, workspace, refrigerator).
- Color code or highlight by events or course.
- Use symbols to designate type of event.
- Take the next step and create a weekly calendar.
Weekly Calendar
Drafting a weekly calendar will help you get a better perspective on your time availability.
This process will help you begin to evaluate and balance your academic, social, work,
and personal activities.
Setting up your weekly calendar
Any week at-a-glance calendar, showing half-hour segments such as the CAS weekly calendar, but any of these can work: paper calendar, Google online, create your own.
Classes, weekly social/organizational meetings, work, and other events such as meals,
exercise, etc.
Schedule several “Intense Study Sessions” (ISS) throughout the day. These are 30-60 minute blocks for concentrated study on
a particular subject.
If you have two papers to write, you can complete all your library work in one visit,
or another example would be to plan to study with a friend while you are both doing
laundry.
We all know that printers run out of ink, friends call with urgent problems, etc.
Allow yourself breathing room to review your work and turn it in on time.
Strive for balance in your life; take a walk, have a snack, call a friend.
For instance, you may find that the two intense study sessions you allotted for working
on a research paper were not enough. If you still feel energetic and focused, continue
to work on the project, even though that block of time was reserved for another assignment.
Download the Semester Planner
Download the Weekly Planner
*LSU's Center for Academic Success website