Everything is (Kind of) Organized
Posted February 19, 2019 by Amie Grosshans
As I enter my fourth week of classes, I’m kind of in shock. I can’t believe I’ve been in school for almost a month! It feels like it’s been much longer, but not in a bad way. It’s just that I’ve learned so much already, and it’s still only the beginning of the semester. I have notebooks and papers strewn on my kitchen table and files and folders on my laptop to keep track of all my assignments and emails, not to mention multiple calendars with all my reminders and due dates. It’s a lot to handle, especially with working full time, and it’s clear that I need some sort of system to keep track of everything.
Which brings me to my topic this week: organization. One of my classes this semester is LIS 415–Information Organization, and it’s already given me a ton to think about. Information organization may be one of the pillars of library science, but I have never given much thought to how and why things are organized. I realize now that everything in the world is organized in its own way, but I don’t always see it. This class has made me take a closer look at how I organize everything in my life, especially my school, work, and personal life. It’s been a lot of trial and error so far and I’m still working things out. Surprisingly, the actual classes have been the easiest thing to manage. Both my classes are online, and I study every day after I get home from work. I haven’t had any problems getting all my schoolwork done this way, and it feels natural to block out time every day, rather than only working on certain days.
What I’m struggling with is what to do with the actual information that I have, and where and how to store it. I thought I would keep track of most everything electronically, so I didn’t buy any folders or binders. But I’ve found that I prefer having a paper copy of assignment explanations and certain readings. I like having copies to highlight and scribble on and hold in my hands. The same goes for my calendar. I have deadlines in my phone but I also have a giant paper calendar, color coded and highlighted, because I love to see everything laid out. It’s a bit of overkill but I can’t let go of paper just yet. Old habits die hard! Even though all that paper is piled on my desk at the moment, my goal this week is to get it bound and organized. That way my work space will be nice and clean, and I will be less stressed about the mess. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned so far, it’s that being efficient and organized is key to succeeding in school, and in life. I’m sure I’ll get everything organized eventually. Until then, I’m taking it one day at a time.