While I didn’t yet convert to using a bullet journal while in college, I was very much attached to my planner. My entire life was in the hands of it – from tracking my assignments and exams, to work and organizations, to the various chores I needed to get to. And while that planner helped me quite a bit, there were several areas that I wished I could include in my planner. Luckily, the bullet journal gives the ability to create your own spreads to organize whatever you wish. I could have included these things in a separate binder or folder, but was unsure of my ability to update my trackers if they weren’t all in the same place.
If I had a bullet journal then, here are the essential spreads I would have used to keep track of college living. While most bullet journals use dotted pages, I opted to creating these in a lined journal – just to show how easy it is to re-create these spreads in just about any notebook.
Class schedule.
I used to create these in an excel spreadsheet before each semester began, but I found this wasn’t a helpful visual for me since I was so dependent on writing things in my planner. I liked to do this to visualize what each day would look like. How much time would I have between classes? How much time did I have to get lunch? Was there a large block of time inbetween for a study session, or a quick walk back to the dorms to switch books?
Another improvement I could have made with my spreadsheets was how I laid out study sessions. I used to try and dedicate a certain time of day to work on particular classes, but given the course of the semester, this would never work. Instead, I would have loved to try post-it notes each week to mark times to work on certain projects. That way, it’s easier to adjust to changes in courseload throughout the semester – and the unexpected!
Assignment log.
I like the concept of an overview of all the projects that need to be completed. That way, it’s easier to see if a larger project is on the horizon. Plus, it’s a simple method for time management to view all deadlines at once.
You could use this for all graded work, including homework, or just the larger projects. I personally would have used this for assignments, homework or not, that was not due on a regular schedule. In my classes, there were some assignments due weekly, for example, and others, usually worth more points, that had no regular schedule. Due to the more random nature of these assignments, I would have been more likely to record these in this log.
Grade log
When calculating grades throughout the semester to see which ones need improvement, I always ended up digging through folders, trying to get hold of all of that course’s grades. Plus, each assignment or exam had a different weight – making the whole process slightly complicated. This was easier if grades were updated online, but not all professors did this.
For each class, I would have loved a log like this instead. Have a copy of the grading policy on the top of the page, then, for each assignment or exam you get back, record it in your bullet journal. Plus, for each grade, record it’s worth in terms of the grading policy. You’ll spend a lot less time calculating grades!
Meal plan log
At school, everyone was on the same meal plan, which was a little frustrating, considering that we all ate more or less than what the plan expected of us. That being said, it was really easy to overspend or underspend – which can lead to you losing meal plan money if it doesn’t roll over, or not have enough to eat at the end of the semester! I always had receipts all over the place as a general way of keeping track, but it was a very unorganized solution. This kind of spread keeps things all in one place – and you can clip receipts into your journal temporarily as well to keep track before penciling in the final amount for the week.
This kind of spread would also be good for grocery shopping or general budgeting.
Study Guide
When it comes to studying, there can be so many topics covered on a test that it’s hard to know where to start. So what do you do if you’re not provided with a study guide? Review all of your notes and write down all of the topics that will be covered, or if you don’t know which ones will be, all of the new material since the last test (plus a review of old material). Gauge your understanding of the topic, and prioritize what you know the least. As you go, you’ll have a better understanding of how prepared you are for the test.
More spread ideas:
While these are spreads I would have appreciated the most while in school, there are plenty more that could be used. Here are some ideas to try:
- Cleaning schedule. Keep track of how long it’s been since you went through your backpack, did laundry, vacuumed, etc.
- Four year plan. Keep track of the courses you intend to take each semester, plus career and education goals to be met at certain times.
- Rental tracker. Keep track of the books you’ve rented and their return dates.
- Office hours. Instead of repeatedly referring to each professor’s syllabus for when and where you can contact them for office hours, have it all in one place.
- Health trackers.
- Job / school application tracker. Keep track of jobs, internships, and schools you’ve applied to, application deadlines, and responses.
Do you use a planner to keep track of what you’re working on? Let me know below.
Sincerely,
Julie Anna
