The winter season is the most stressful season of the year, especially if you’re a junior in high school. This year is the last real chance you have to build up your college resume. Juniors are always busy with working, volunteering, taking the AP/IB classes, and extracurriculars on a regular basis. But when the winter months arrive — all hell breaks loose. Suddenly you’re rushing to create the perfect resume, even if you’ve been planning since freshman year because college is fast approaching and so are the winter deadlines. Filling out applications for summer programs, job shadowing, other extracurricular opportunities, and -the most stressful of all- college admission tests. All of this while still be expected to fulfill your regular responsibilities and somehow maintaining a social life.
This is when scheduling becomes your best friend.
Most people already make rough plans for when they plan to do their schoolwork. But during the winter season, those plans should become more concrete. Start planning exactly when you’re going to complete an assignment and study. And if you are an extremely busy overachiever, you’re going to need to start scheduling EVERY aspect of your life: when you eat breakfast, when you wash your hair, when you exercise, and even when you hang out with your friends. As the winter months drag on, the busier you get, the more likely you are to forget to do the little but still essential everyday things.
Sitting down and taking the time to write out a schedule can be a time consuming and confusing task. Luckily, technology, along with its many uses, can help out with this too. Here is a list of apps to help you schedule your life during the busy winter months.
- 24me (Android and IOS) This app is basically a virtual personal assistant equipped with a calendar, to-do list, and built in notes.
- Wunderlist (Android and IOS) This app comes with lists, reminders, and allows you share and collaborate with other people. It helps with planning for just about anything.
- Cozi (Android and IOS) This app is more of a mom or dad app for the family but can be useful in helping juniors schedule during the winter season.
- Evernote (Android and IOS) This app allows you to create a to-do list, set a reminder, take a picture of a sketch and take notes. Evernote also has more apps for specific needs.
- UpTo (Android and IOS) This app is a bi-layered calendar that allows you to create a calendar for all your separate interests.
If you never have space on your phone for new apps, most smartphones come with a notes app, a built-in to-do list, a calendar with reminders, and a reminder app itself. The apps listed above just give some more features in a more organized way.
Scheduling should make those winter months less stressful. All you have to worry about now are those pesky colds being passed around like hot potatoes.
