Planner Round Up 2016

As of Friday, I'll be finished with my summer courses and will be getting ready for the fall semester. I personally think that a planner can be a tremendous help during the school year. I know that I would be running around with my head cut off without one. Here are some planners that I have rounded up for this upcoming school year. 

Lilly Pulitzer | Rifle Paper Co. | ban.do 

Lilly Pulitzer Large 17-Month Agenda- I used the Lilly Pulitzer agenda freshman year, but halfway through fall semester of my sophomore year I had to switch planners because I was simply running out of room (this may be attributed to my large, sometimes messy handwriting). I do like the size of the daily view pages, the monthly view pages, and that each month is a different pattern. I am obsessed with the Ocean Jewels and Exotic Time prints for the 2016-2017 agendas! 

Rifle Paper Co. Planner- I bought this agenda earlier this summer to use for the upcoming school year because I like that each day has spots where assignments can be checked off when done, which will be helpful when I have multiple assignments to complete. However, I'm not sure if I like the lack of space for each day. I have a heavy course load this semester and I am not sure if I will be able to put all of my assignments in it because I do have large handwriting. I am also not sure about the size of days in the monthly view pages, which I usually use to put all of my meetings and exam dates on. I  do recommend this planner to those who have smaller handwriting and are looking for an agenda that that does not exposed binding (a huge plus when it comes to putting it in a full backpack!!). 

ban.do Planner- I love the ban.do planner, and I am definitely considering using it for the upcoming school year. There is plenty of room to write down daily assignments and activities as well as the monthly view pages. I especially like all of the cover choices as well as the colorful inserts within the agenda itself. 

Day Designer- The Day Designer Planner is filled with daily planning pages with slots to put your activities from 5 am to 9 pm as well as to-do lists and monthly views. I personally think that this planner is more suited towards professionals, but would work well for someone who is transitioning between college and their first job. 

What agenda are you planning on using this upcoming school year? 

College Series: The Do's and Don'ts of Classes

Do

Try to purchase all of your textbooks before your first week of classes so that you'll know that you have the textbook. You don't want be part of the outrageous number of students that are lined up at the bookstore waiting for books once classes start. Don't forget to pick them up before classes start to avoid the lines as well. I usually purchase most of my textbooks from a local TIS Bookstore because it's convenient at the end of the semester when I return them. I recommend purchasing your textbooks from Amazon or your local university bookstore.

Do

Purchase new books for classes that pertain to your major if you plan on going to graduate schools. These new textbooks may pay off in the future!

Do

Rent or by used books. I personally don't rent my textbooks, but purchasing used textbooks can save you a ton of money. Plus, you'll save money!

Don’t

Carry all of your textbooks around with you on campus. Two words: back problems. Usually you won't have to take your textbooks to class unless it's a lab or a foreign language class. I only carried my books around campus when I was headed to study for specific classes. Books are heavy!! (Especially if you take your laptop everywhere)

Don’t

Sit in the back of lecture halls. It will be harder to concentrate because you'll see all of the computer screens for the 200 people in front of you. Sit closer to the front to be more engaged with the class. The professor may even notice!

Do

Go to office hours. I didn't go to any office hours until second semester and I regret it. I lost all of my study habits and struggled. Your professors are your largest assets. Don't be afraid to go talk to one!

Do
Make friends with fellow students. They may have some study tips and you may have some great friends and the end of it! I made a lot of friends in my chemistry class so we all decided to take the same class, lab, and discussion classes this upcoming semester.

Don’t

Sit on your phone during class. Put your phone out of reach in your backpack with the sound turned off. I also turn the vibration off. Do not disturb is also a good option.

Do

Try out different study habits to see what works for you! My study habits completely changed in college.

Do
Keep on top of things! Keep an agenda that is updated with important due dates.

DIY Binder Covers

As school starts up again soon (excuse me while I silently sob), it's time to get schools supplies around again. I personally only use binders to keep papers organized for each class. I usually don't carry the binders around in my backpack, so they stay at my desk. I decided to spice up my binder covers this year, so shoutout to my friend Ashley for showing me these covers! 

Step 1: Choose your print. I got these from a blogger named Hope. 

Save them to your computer desktop or to a folder on your desktop .

Step 2: Open up a photo editor. I used picmonkey.com

Step 3: Add Text. Make sure to center it.

Step 4: Save to your desktop. 

Step 5: Print out!

Optional Step 6: The side of the binder. (Still using picmonkey.com)

Step 7: Have a transparent background. 

Step 8: Choose the rectangular overlay and switch how it lays.

Step 9: Add your text

Step 10: Save and print! 

Some other prints that would look great as binder covers: 

via

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