(BPT) - Whether students are entering their senior year of college or freshman year of high school, planning is key to having a great year - and achieving goals. A recent study conducted by Post-it Brand found that American students spend approximately 105 hours a month 'hustling' in order to achieve their goals, including nearly 10 hours a week studying.1
It is no doubt that students today dream big - the same study found that approximately half of high school and college-aged students surveyed have a goal of starting their own small business, earning a 4.0 GPA, getting into their top choice college or making themselves and/or parents proud. Most respondents even had goals bigger than themselves - 50% said they're motivated by the chance to make an impact or difference in the world. So, this school year, having the right tools is important so students can make their brilliant thoughts, world-changing ideas and spectacular inventions come alive.
From notes, to flags, to calendars and everything in between, Post-it Brand has the products that are not just a canvas for people's thoughts, but a catalyst to move them forward, to take action on ideas and Think Loud this school year.
Here are a few tips to help students have their best year ever.
Identify due dates and plan ahead.
With only so many hours in a day and days in a week, it's important for students to use their time wisely. After the first day of classes, go through each class syllabus to identify due dates for big papers, projects and exams. After flagging important dates, view the semester holistically and notice when big items are due within a short time of one another. Are there two long papers due the same day? A midterm exam the day after a big presentation? Plan ahead by setting up an early "due date" for one of those items and write a to-do list with the necessary steps in order to get it done.
Make it visual.
Despite living in a digital world, the same study found that over half of college-aged students prefer to use a paper calendar and planner to manage themselves and their time. Visual reminders help keep students on track and ensure that important deadlines aren't forgotten. Use the Post-it Brand Super Sticky Full Stick Notes Weekly Wall Calendar to keep important dates front-and-center all year long. The calendar comes with notes that fit inside each daily spot making it easy to move appointments, due dates and reminders to accommodate schedule changes and new priorities.
Take effective notes.
Looming test dates during the semester can be overwhelming, but taking great notes can lessen the stress. In fact, the same study found that eight in ten students believe that not only do they learn better, but they also remember things better when they write down their thoughts. An easy tip to taking effective notes is to keep flags and page markers in different colors handy. Use the different colors to mark important sections of notes and topics to go back and review so when it comes time to study, all the important information is already flagged.
Brainstorm and organize paper topics.
Whether it's a major research paper or collaborating with classmates on a group presentation, writing down information and keeping it front and center can help students think clearly. Sometimes a change of location can help move the brainstorm along, so take it outside by using Post-it Extreme XL Notes - the notes can stick to surfaces beyond the classroom, including brick and wood, providing the ability to toss ideas around to organize an outline.
Set goals.
Once students know their workload for the whole semester, they can start writing out weekly tasks and goals and estimate how much time is needed for each. Tip: It's always a good idea to overestimate how long it will take. Then set aside enough hours each day, around school and/or work schedules, to accomplish the goals for that week. Be sure to incorporate time each week for extracurricular activities, sports or downtime, as well.
With the right tools, students can stay organized and on top of their schedules in order to achieve all their goals this school year. For more useful tips on how to Think Loud, check out Post-it.com.
1Survey conducted by OnePoll for Post-it Brand with a sample of 1,000 U.S. high school and college students (ages 16-22) from July 22 - July 25, 2019.