With the school year in full force and the workload increasing, students both in-person and online are finding ways to stay focused and organized to take on this year.
Some online students have found difficulties staying focused and working without interruptions because of distractions at home.
Many students have also struggled to keep track of their assignments this year, especially since the school did not provide a yearly planner as usual. It is up to the students to decide what organizational method works best for their schedule and consider purchasing a planner if needed.
“I keep track of all of my assignments with my planner,” senior Lily Poorman said. “This helps me know what I have to do for the day. I recommend getting one.”
“Even though we didn’t receive school-issued planners this year, I bought my own to keep myself organized with assignments and due dates,” in-person learner and senior Kendra Baron said. “I also make sure to check the announcements page on Canvas daily and look ahead to see what’s due for the week.”
Another way to stay organized without a planner is by utilizing the calendar and to-do list features on Canvas. When you complete an assignment, it will draw a line through it on the calendar, visually showing you what has been done already and what still needs to be completed for the day.
In times like these, it is necessary that students stay proactive to ensure they are completing all of their schoolwork, especially since assignments are primarily on Canvas, which can be a hard shift for some.
“My biggest struggle when staying organized is remembering where each teacher puts everything on Canvas,” Baron said.
Another obstacle many students have found is distractions at home, especially cell phones. It is tempting to go on devices when you have access to it constantly. However, it is important to set devices aside and buckle down to tackle schoolwork.
“My biggest struggle has been getting distracted with my phone, my friends, and TV,” Poorman said. “I get all my work done pretty quickly when I manage my time by staying focused and staying off my phone.”
