8 habits of highly organized older colleges students
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A step-by-step guide to organization for older college students
As an older student in college, you may find it difficult to stay organized in college.
If it’s been a while since you attended any formal education, you may not know exactly what to expect.
And it’s overwhelming.
Are you finding it difficult to stay organized in college as a non-traditional student?
As a professor for nearly 15 years, I am going to give you my best tips to stay organized as an older college student.
I have had plenty of older college students in my classes, and I know some of their struggles.
I don’t want you to experience those same struggles.
After you read my tips and use them, you’ll find yourself amazed at how much more productive you are because you stay organized.
Who is considered an older college student?
By most definitions, an older college student is a student that is 25 years of age or older. However, the definition is subjective and can also be used to define students who are commuting or those students who took some time off, and then returned to college.
Older college students are usually referred to as non-traditional students.
If you are an undergraduate college student, most of your classmates are likely 18-24 years of age.
But if you are a graduate college student, you are probably around students your own age.
So, in short, that’s the definition of an older college student.
Why is it so important to stay organized as an older college student?
You probably have already experienced this, or will soon, but it can be demanding to attend college as an older student.
Why?
Because most older college students have jobs. They have a family. They have other demands besides college.
And when you have all these demands, it can be hard to focus on college.
As most college freshmen, they are young, straight out of high school, and have little worries beyond their education.
For younger college students, they can completely focus on their schoolwork but as an older college student, it might not be that easy for you.
You have a lot more to balance between work, personal and family life. It can sure feel like a juggling act.
Some barriers to staying organized as an older college student?
Work
This isn’t always the case, but most older college students will be working.
And you may be working full-time.
Since this is going to take up a considerable amount of time in your schedule, it will obviously leave you less time to stay organized.
If you are working full-time (40 hours a week) and attending classes full-time, you may be having a hard time finding the available time to study, be with your family and relax.
It’s a balancing act. And might not be fun at times.
Family
As someone who is 25 or older, you may be married and have kids.
If you are married and/or have kids, you have more responsibilities than just college.
You are trying to spend time with your spouse and raise your kids.
But college can get in the way.
I think this one doesn’t need much more explanation.
Finances
I’ve seen older college students be more financially stable than their younger peers, but I can also see how being older could make it more difficult to afford college.
You might be the student who is barely making it and trying to get an education to better yourself.
Or you have so many other financial responsibilities that you can’t pay cash for your college, so you must work while attending college.
This is going to put more pressure on you to support yourself and your family.
And obviously this will impact your ability to stay organized with all the other responsibilities you have.
Why is staying organized as an older college student important?
Since older college students will typically have more responsibilities beyond college, it can be overwhelming to focus equally on all those responsibilities. If an older college student doesn’t stay organized in college, they can fall behind, miss deadlines, and get bad grades.
If you don’t balance all your responsibilities, you may start to feel very overwhelmed by all the responsibilities you have on your plate..
Are you thinking that college is too much work?
Or if you are thinking about going to college, are you worried that you won’t have enough time to commit to your coursework?
These are very common concerns from older college students!
These fears will keep non-traditional students from starting and finishing college.
Don’t let that happen to you.
Instead, implement my tips below to stay organized.
How to stay organized as an older college student?
Take fewer classes
If you take too many classes, and have too many other responsibilities, you might not be able to do them all, or at least do them all well.
Take fewer classes instead.
Or take summer classes so you can lighten your load during the fall and spring.
This way you don’t have too many things to accomplish, and too little time.
You can easily get disorganized because you just have too many things to do so consider the amount of time you’ll need to be successful in college before you overload yourself.
Use a timer
This will help you immensely with staying on task. And especially help out if you have a family.
I suggest that you use a hourglass timer for a visual reminder.
I love using this for myself because I feel like it’s a countdown clock and really helps me see my efforts.
It can also help your family know that you are busy, and time is ticking. If someone in the home is needing something that isn’t urgent, show them the hourglass timer and let them know you’ll be right with them after your time is up.
This helps you stay focused on the task at hand.
Make a schedule
Print your syllabus. Review your course. And look at everything that must be completed for your course.
Count all the assignments.
Write down every single chapter you must read.
Are there any videos or PowerPoint presentations that you have to review?
Any tasks should be listed.
After you make this list, I want you to figure out how much time you should plan for each task.
If you don’t know, email your professor.
Ask them how much time you should be spending on their course each week.
They’ll be able to give you a good estimate.
Then figure out how much study time you’ll need to set aside each week.
What you are doing is getting a list of all the requirements you have for the course and figuring out how much time you’ll need to accomplish all these tasks.
Then make a to-do list.
You will plan out your schedule each month.
If you need 30 hours a month to accomplish all your tasks for one course, you can set your schedule for the entire month but do this in advance.
Get a planner, and literally pencil it in on your schedule.
It might be as simple as scheduling time for you to read Chapter 9 and complete a short quiz. If you can estimate how much time each task will take you, the better you can schedule time for it.
Trust me, you don’t want to forget this step.
Leave the house
If you find that your house is distracting, leave.
Go to the college library, which usually has late hours, and study there.
If you are too far from the college, go to your public library.
And if you can’t go to a public library, go to a public location that has seating and Wi-Fi.
But keep in mind the security threats of public Wi-Fi and protect your data.
You just want a quiet space, free from distractions. This will help you stay organized.
Consider your workstation
You might not have the luxury of leaving your house, or may enjoy being at home rather than in a public space, so get your workplace organized.
If you don’t have a separate office in your home, get a space for your college work.
I think this is important because you don’t want to blur the lines between work and personal life.
If you have a separate space to work, you might stay more on task. If you are working on the couch in the living room, there are probably lots of distractions.
The cat that jumps across your keyboard.
The kid who keeps asking for a snack.
Or the husband who is watching sports and shouting at the T.V.
Do any of those sound like your home?
So, designate a workspace in your home that is respected by your household.
And know that when you are in that workspace, you’re going to tackle those tasks on time.
Make sure you keep the workplace clutter free.
Get up an hour early
Okay, you might be thinking, how can I get up any earlier than I already am?
Hear me out.
Just get up one hour earlier than everyone else.
If you have a quiet house, no distractions and 100% focus, you can get some coursework finished before the chaos ensues.
I do this to work-out and write on my blog (this website). And it works.
Once you start doing this, you’ll realize how much more productive and organized you are.
Create a checklist with rewards
Getting organized may be easy but STAYING organized is a whole different ballgame.
Think about it.
You can follow all these steps, but continuing to do these things, can prove difficult.
Why?
Because life gets busy. We have little self-control and want to do things that please us.
If everyone could be as focused, the world would be dominated with successes. But that isn’t the case.
To make these organizational steps work, you need to find a way to reward yourself to keep up the hard work.
Despite being an older college student, I am going to use a childish approach to accomplish this.
You are going to make a reward chart.
Every week you stay organized, and complete your tasks, you are going to reward yourself.
Maybe you get to go to your favorite restaurant, or splurge on new blouse.
Think of something that would motivate you to stay organized.
And then give yourself that treat.
This can really work.
But you might need someone to hold you accountable
Get an accountability partner
Talk to someone you trust and tell them what your goals are and ask them to check-in with you and hold you accountable.
Make sure they know that you aren’t looking for a drill sergeant, but rather a gentle reminder to get things done.
When you know that someone is going to check-in and look at your progress, it can help you achieve those goals because you don’t want to disappoint them.
Just make sure you don’t get upset when they check-in as they’re just doing their job.
And remember, you got this.
