by InspiredWritingResearch

Created on: May 25, 2007   Last Updated: August 11, 2010

The benefits of using a day planner in college are close to being eclipsed by the new ultra-fast, ultra-accessible technology that can now fit into our palms. The trick is to use iphones, BlackBerries and Internet Organisers in conjunction with conventional paper day planners to get the best of all worlds in terms of effective time management in college. On the other hand, paper day planners such as Timetable Planners, Diaries, Journals and Filofax diaries encourage the discipline of actually committing time to plan your learning life and social life in advance so that 'ne'er the twain shall meet' or,worse,overlap or double-book.

High tech internet and cell technology however, offers instant access on the go, is portable,interactive and melds seamlessly with our social lives, calls, messaging,e-mail and even with essays and notes via Mobile Word and Google Docs. What is more, it is light, portable and hey - we have to take our phones out with us anyway. Nowadays college students can even enter in their daily syllabus timetable - with a task manager, alerts, alarms and to-do list! Combined with paper day planners, the benefits of using high-tech day planners are enormous.

There are disadvantages however, to using up-to-the-minute hand-held internet phone technology as a day planner. It can be distracting - even with the best will in the world the delights of social networking sites such as Facebook can tempt students away from that dry dusty tome of an essay they have to write! They may enter in their day planner events,addresses, tutor contact numbers,college admin contacts,tutorial times - and then lose their cell phones!

A good back up is to make the most of the benefits of a traditional paper day planner to organize timetabling,tutorials and lectures in college. That way, college students will always have a second organizer at home should their iphone planner get lost or stolen. A high quailty paper day planner has many benefits:
1. It combines all your activities and commitments in one place, that means you can keep it close and accessible so that you can refer to it quickly and easily. You will be able to see at a glance how college commitments fit in or clash with social, work or family ones. In this way you can plan ahead, dovetail all your arrangements and maximize your time.
2. If your college day planner is too big or too heavy, consider buying a smaller more compact one, such as a Filofax or similar and transferring your syllabus timetable into that. You will be more likely to refer to something that is light and compact.
3. Keep a special section for notes about the Major that you are taking. It is amazing how often we have bright inspirations that we don't fully maximize, because we failed to make a note of them. You will be less likely to lose quotes, references and research leads if you have a college planner handy.
4.Keep your college planner near your phone - this way you will get used to picking them both up at the same time and you will be less likely to leave one of them behind. Cross- reference entries such as tutor phone numbers, transportation Information and diary alarms between the two to cut down on dead time or appointment no-shows.
Efficient use of your planner will maximize your study time and leisure time and train your brain to think clearly and incisively. Duplicating the day planner information into an iphone can then make it interactive,instantly updatable and convenient. In the event of the device with the day planner information being lost or stolen - then all is not lost ,as the schedules, contact numbers and syllabus are safely back at home!

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