Staying Sane at the Start of the Semester

New year.
New classes.
New stress.
The start of a new semester can be overwhelming, to say the least. Syllabus week consists of learning what is due when and who allows what, for all of your classes, all at once. It's enough to confuse even the best of us. And if we're not careful, things will start to slip through the cracks. That's not the way anyone wants to start off the semester!
In my first Instructional Technology (TEAC 259) class, we talked about the technology we encounter every day, and what affordances these technologies allow us. That got me thinking about the technology I take advantage of every day to keep myself organized, aka what keeps me from becoming an overwhelmed, assignment-forgetting blob.

Planner: My motto: Write down EVERYTHING. Even the simple things that I'm sure I'll remember to do a couple hours from now. Because I won't remember to do them. I would be lost without this guide to my assignments.

iPhone Calendar: My iCalendar is my life. Literally... everything I do is written here. It helps me keep track of when things are happening and sends me a reminder an hour before events. And since it's on my phone, I have access to it wherever I go. Plus, I can sync it with my family's calendar, so I always know what their schedule is like, even when I'm away at school.

Sticky notes: Even with these other methods to remember things, I'm still apt to forget. A well-placed sticky note at my desk can serve as the perfect reminder at the end of the day.


What would I do if I didn't have these simple technologies to keep me organized? Honestly, I would probably forget over half of what I'm supposed to be doing on any given day. Being organized is the key to keeping your sanity as a new semester begins.

I'm excited to see where my adventure into blogging takes me as I learn more about instructional technology and how it applies to my field of speech-language pathology!