Ditch the paper-based student organizers and use LifeSpace Desktop and Mobile apps to organize college classes, take notes, track tasks and store bookmarks
by Alexander Montgomery
Student at Cal State Los Angeles
Well, it’s that time of year again
Every August/September, I find myself inevitably infused with cautious optimism–I’ve been in school long enough to know every moment at the start of another academic year is bursting at the seams with possibility, like a million overripe grapes thrashing around in a wicker basket.
I’ve realized that in the first few weeks of the year, when everything is still fresh and we have the most influence on how the rest of the semester is going to pan out, it’s critical to set yourself in habits that will have a positive impact on your life in both the long and short-term.
Examples of positive impact habits for students
- Organize Your Classes and Class Materials
- Take Notes While Learning
- Plan Your Week In Advance
- Keep All Course Notes, Materials and Resources in Single Place
- Block-off Calendar Slots for Class, Commuting, Studying and Social
- Create a Positive Study Space
- Stay Focused During Class and Study Sessions (Avoid Technical Distractions)
Of course, we don’t always follow these habits with 100% efficiency, we’re only human after all, but the pursuit itself is what compels us to be better, and do better. And in this grand age of technology, where there’s an app for anything you can think of, LifeSpace is exactly what we as students need at the start of the year to set us on the beaten path to success.
I have a confession to make
At the start of every academic year, for the past three years, I’ve bought one of the absurdly overpriced planners from my school’s bookstore, totally convinced that I’ll write in it every single day to keep track of my homework and assignments with unfaltering precision.
And, eager to use all that nervous energy in my veins for something good, I diligently keep track of everything academic in my life in that little spiral-ring notebook/calendar…
… For about three weeks.
After that, I convince myself that taking the time to write out what I need to do when I can just remember it with my brain is superfluous, and actually wastes valuable time that I could be spending doing literally anything else.
So what about LifeSpace makes it so different than the half-filled planners taking up space in my closet?
Well, for starters, as someone who grew up in the advent of the smartphone era, making quick use of the miracle machine in my pocket is practically second nature.
What sets LifeSpace apart from just using a paper planner (or even a standard calendar app) is the way it allows the user to work comfortably within each space you create by using the app’s different elements (particularly the Bookmark feature, which allows you to create easy-access external links to whatever you need), and how each of these elements lets you directly interact with the superstructure of your life. Having this malleable illustration instantly accessible at all times will keep all the essential ideas and commitments fresh in your mind.
Key Features of LifeSpace for Students
- Create a Space for Each Class, Project, Study Group, Personal Goal, etc..
- Link Bookmarks for class materials in the appropriate class space
- Create Checklists with Tasks to organize your todos and plan
- Enter Notes from the lectures or for tracking ideas and details of for your assignments
- Share individual Spaces with other classmates and study groups
- Sync seamlessly between the Desktop and Mobile apps
With a decade and a half of year-round schooling behind me and a trusty new organizer app in front of me, I know that this year, I’ll be able to strike while the iron’s hot and start forging myself into the best student I can be.
Ready to Try LifeSpace for Student Success?
- Download LifeSpace
- Watch this Student Success Quickstart Video
- Organize Your Classes
- Strike While the Iron’s Hot!