Tips for keeping on top of all the coursework

[Mathamans]

I'm an undergraduate (freshman) in physics and mathematics. I'm having a bit of trouble keeping track of all of my coursework. I have an account on Habitica and I have a schedule keeper than I carry with, but I seem to miss a few things here and there. What sorts of things do you guys use to keep on top of your work?

 

[micromass]

Can you tell us what courses you are taking? Can you tell us why you're have problems with your coursework? What are the thing you miss? etc.

 

[Dishsoap]

I'm an undergraduate (freshman) in physics and mathematics. I'm having a bit of trouble keeping track of all of my coursework. I have an account on Habitica and I have a schedule keeper than I carry with, but I seem to miss a few things here and there. What sorts of things do you guys use to keep on top of your work?

Habitica should really not be used to keep track of coursework, but just to make sure that you do it. (For those not familiar, Habitica is like an RPG-style productivity app/game). What do you mean by "missing things"? You forget to write them down? You write them down but forget to look at your schedule keeper? You write down the wrong assignment?

I generally just remember in which courses I have homework, and then write down the assignment in the appropriate notebook.

 

[Student100]

I'm an undergraduate (freshman) in physics and mathematics. I'm having a bit of trouble keeping track of all of my coursework. I have an account on Habitica and I have a schedule keeper than I carry with, but I seem to miss a few things here and there. What sorts of things do you guys use to keep on top of your work?

Pay attention in class?

Beyond that, don't fall behind in the first place. You should be coming into lecture prepared, by that I mean have read the material that's going to be covered, tried a few problems, etc. After lecture you should do a more thorough reading, clearing up any misconceptions you had before and finishing homework.

If you just mean you're forgetting when homework is due, or when tests are, you need to pay more attention in class and to the syllabus. Honestly if your memory is that bad, you're going to have a lot of issues.

 

[Mathamans]

I do pay attention in class. By staying on top of my work, I mean I have quite a few different websites different classes use to do homework. A few days ago, I forgot to go to one of the websites to do some work. Do you guys just remember to do it? I have a really good memory for numbers, events and such, not so much.

 

[Choppy]

• Try to minimize your different sources of information. If you're a dayplanner person - put everything there. If you use Google Calendar or GMAIL, put it all on there.
• Make sure to understand instructions as soon as you get them. Sometimes, when people don't understand something, or the instructions are unclear, it just drops off the radar.
• When the semester first starts, all the different coursework, websites, information sources, schedules etc. can seem overwhelming. But you get used to it. Make sure you take the time to learn where everything is, well before you need it. You shouldn't be logging into a course website for the first time the night before an assignment is due.
• Don't try to go it alone. Take advantage of friends. If you have a core group that is in mostly the same courses, you will naturally remind each other of when things are due just by talking about them. You can also share tips for figuring out assignments and what problem sets are going to require more time.

 

[Student100]

I do pay attention in class. By staying on top of my work, I mean I have quite a few different websites different classes use to do homework.

Ah. Unfortunately then you're being preyed upon by the biggest publisher scam imaginable and have lazy teachers/lack of TAs.

Bookmark the websites, check them daily, and ride it out until you're done with introductory courses.

 

[Dishsoap]

I hate when teachers do that. Hopefully the homework assignment dates are at least predictable, if so, set a Google calendar alarm or some such to remind you to do it.