I’ve been trying to get adjusted to the new time zone which means I’ve been keeping busy with tasks to fill the slow-moving minutes. This includes me unpacking and organizing some of my suitcases. Since school starts this week, getting my desk area organized was a major priority. So far, I am very pleased with the results; especially because it was a last minute project.
Soooo, a little disclaimer: what you see is all the space I have. On the left I have all my supplies, on the right I have my laptop – which, by the way, has been with me since day one – and in front I have just enough space to fit my journal or notebook. Now you see why it’s a mini desk tour.
The Planner
Starting in the front is my personal planner/bullet journal. I do plan on doing a detailed post on my bullet journal later when I have more time to give you all an inside peek at it, but for now I’ll just say that it has been working for me.
Note-taking supplies
Front-left, I have my note-taking supplies. This includes my Stabilo pens and markers, as well as my index cards. I’ve written about these before in my 9 Essential School Supplies guide a couple of weeks ago. The pens are great for writing notes in different colors for emphasis. Since the markers are a bit thicker, I would recommend using them for headers and such. Of course, no study area would be complete without a stack of index cards for memorization.
Stationary
In the corner, I have my notebooks and other essential desk supplies. I typically use ruled notebooks for my literature notes and graph paper for my math assignments. To make things a little more fun, I bought a pack of Washi tape from Michael’s while we were still in the States and have used some to accessorize my notebooks, binder clips, and pencils.
For now I have to store my loose pens and things in a spare coffee cup I borrowed from the hotel. Honestly, I think it looks kinda cute. All my highlighters live here along with my scissors and ruler. A box of binder clips and my mini stapler from Target also hang out with these guys. Usually I would stick them in a drawer but hey, I’ll take what I can get.
Last but not least
Lastly, I would like to introduce to you my Messy Notes notebook. I saw a post on Pinterest a few weeks ago about having two separate notebooks, one for messy notes and one for neat notes, and I’ve decided to try it out. You take the messy notebook to class and fill it with lecture notes and such. These do not have to be neat or pretty. Then, when you get home, you transfer all your notes into your regular, neat notebook. I love this idea because I tend to take notes in class while trying to make them neat; which is not only a huge time waster, but also ineffective. This year I hope to spend more time studying my notes than writing them.
