Organizational tips to start the semester off right

dedicates specific times on certain days to a particular subject.

Journalism major Al-

College can demand a lot from a student.

Whether that be turning assignments in on time or getting involved with extracurricular organizations, it is not easy.

Amidst everything, here are a few organizational methods that I and other students use to conquer our busy schedules and achieve academic success.

Biology major Kennedy James takes a more traditional approach by “checking her email and syllabi regularly.”

She likes to look at them weekly to know what is coming up.

Most students look at their syllabi only at the beginning of the semester, but James posits they should treat their syllabi as an essential course material. Professors usual - ly put the dates of important events and assignments on the syllabus, so checking it only a handful of times during the semester is not ideal.

“I also like to keep sep- arate folders for different classes,” James said, keeping her notes and assignments from getting mixed up. When it comes to organizing her study time, James also iza Warner stays organized by making lists and prioritizing her tasks.

“I’m a big believer in time blocking and dedicating one hour at least to certain tasks,” Warner said.

Organizational skills help in her field of study by disciplining herself, Warner said. They help her focus on meeting deadlines, which is an important skill for journalists.

Warner said students do not need “some fancy planner” or a “certain software” to become organized. People can accomplish the same thing by simply taking out pencil and paper. On the other hand, some people like to use software that can aid in organization and time management.

Personally, I like to use the productivity software Notion, which provides many features that are customizable to the user. I especially like the feature allowing a user to create a spreadsheet and enter in all due dates in chronological order and mark them off like a digital checklist. In conjunction, I use Google Calendar as a digital planner to keep track of any events, appointments or meetings that I have scheduled. These two things help me keep track of what I have to do within a week and how I need to go about managing my time.

There are various approaches to staying organized. Whether it is more traditional and analog like Kennedy’s or more electronically based like mine, there is a method for everyone.

Cameron Larkin

thedmsports@gmail.com

Daeshun Ruffin, the former Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year, has decided to take a break from basketball so he can spend more time rehabilitating his injuries. In his two years at Ole Miss, the star point guard has suffered numerous injuries that have kept him out of play for extended periods, and he believes it is time to put his health and future first.

Despite this leave of absence, Ruffin states that he is not leaving the team for good and that he is excited about returning sometime in the future.

As an Ole Miss Rebel, Ruffin averaged 11.3 points and 3.3 assists per game in 25 games played, less than half of the 55 basketball games