The university doesn't start for me until September, but I have already figured out a potentially comfortable way of handling all materials presented to me in class. In this blog post, I am posting some pictures of how I like my binders to be organized, and I'll talk through my reasoning.
Firstly, I'd like to mention, that I'm not using any notebooks this year unless will be required by professors, since I'll be more organized if everything will be found in one place.
Binder: Staples Better Binder 1'
1. Label
Chances are, you will have more than one binder for the semester. Because of that, you need to label each one of your binders to identify them right away. I typed "Biology 1A03" in Microsoft Word on Calibri font, and 36th size, and then I printed and cut it so it will fit into the label spot.
2. Front
My binder has a transparent pocket in the front, which I decided to use for my schedule. I was also thinking of printing a biology-themed picture, but since I won't be extremely familiar with my schedule right away, I decided to keep it there. Notice, that my schedule is colour-coded, and notice, that Biology is in yellow, which corresponds to the colour of my spine label.
3. Inside (Left)
So, as I first open the binder, I see a Biology study guide, which conveniently summaries the entire course into 5 pages. Each page includes certain units, and outlines the information in a way, which is easy to learn. I will be revising this study guide as I go through each unit.
4. Inside (Right)
Same as organizing clothes in the wardrobe requires shelves and hangers, organizing a lot of paper in one place requires dividers. I once made a DIY on binder dividers here, since the original dividers are kind of expensive. Since I'm not to artsy, I decided to stick with the original, though ;). What I love about those dividers is not only the fact that they are nicely colour-coded, but also the fact that they have a table of contents in the very front. As you can see, I will be organizing my paper in the following way:
1. Syllabus
2. Notes
3. Tests
4. Assignments
5. Labs
5. Paper
At the back of the binder, one should always keep some loose-leaf paper, and I decided to use both, lined and blank types. Because it's a biology class, I might need to draw some big diagrams, and instead of fitting them into my notes, I'll use the blank pieces of paper instead. I must make references in my notes as well, though, like (Pic 1).
6. Back
Unfortunately, I have already packed all my Post-It Notes and flashcards away, but I have given you an overview of what the back of my binder will look like. I'm sure I will need to use some post-it notes to mark something up or to write an additional note, as well as I will need flashcards for studying. There is also space for any paper that I will later need to hole-punch.
Additional Note:
This layout will work wonderfully with a science-class, but the social sciences and humanities will have adjustments made in certain ways. For instance, the dividers might only be needed for notes, tests, and assignments; or the blank paper won't be needed at all. So, adjust everything accordingly.
I hope it helped!
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| http://www.staples.ca/en/Staples-Better-Binder-1-Green/product_827602_2-CA_1_20001#id='swatch_638967' |
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