Several months ago, an old friend whom I haven’t seen or talked to in years “wrote on my wall” in Facebook. She said her son had just begun middle school and she asked me for some tips to help him get organized for school. As I read her request, I gave a heavy sigh, not because I didn’t want to answer, but because there are so many ways I could’ve answered her. Where should I begin? I wanted to know her son in order to customize an answer just for their family. I had never met him. In fact, when I knew this Facebook friend in the three-dimensional world, neither of us was married or had kids.
I asked my friend to call me so we could talk. It felt so much better to connect that way…
Since that time, I have often thought about putting together a list of 10, 15, or 20 small changes that nearly all students/families can do quickly and easily.
Small things that can make a big difference.
In a future post, I think I will do just that. For today, though, I want to share just ONE idea with you. It’s about paper.
Paper is such a beast in the life of middle school and high school students. Managing paper is in the top five complaints I get from students and their parents. This is the time of year when paper in the lives of students seems most out of control. High school students seem to have it the worst.
- They have last semester’s papers and must keep them in order to study for finals.
- They have this semester’s papers, too, and their New Year’s resolution to stay organized has worn off.
- Add to that hand-outs they receive.
- And don’t forget all their handwritten lecture notes, returned homework, quizzes, tests…
It’s really no surprise that it gets out of hand.
Many students I meet take class notes in spiral notebooks because it is required by the school they attend. They frequently have a different color spiral for each academic subject. I’ve always wondered why school’s require this of their students. A student taking five classes, who has to carry a 70-sheet spiral for each, is carrying 350 sheets of paper around each day. 350!
Do you know anyone else who does this?
Do you think Donald Trump carries his filing cabinet to each meeting he attends all day?
Managing the paper beast is possible, but it takes training and repetition. Neither of which fall into the category of a “quick and easy” change you can make. My Executive Student Training course covers paper management in about four hours of instruction.
But I promised you quick and easy, so here goes…
Switch to taking notes on REINFORCED looseleaf notebook paper. It costs more than regular looseleaf paper, but it is worth it! It can be hard to find reinforced paper in stores. If you live near a University, their bookstore will likely have it. Or you can order it online. Here in Dallas, I like to go to the Barnes and Noble on Mockingbird Lane because one whole side of the store is the Southern Methodist University Bookstore. Lots of school supplies there!
(Please note, I do not recommend the reinforcement stickers that go on regular paper. This is not an efficient use of time. I am talking about the reinforced paper that is shiny along the hole-punched edge.)
Why make the switch?
There are two benefits to using reinforced notebook paper.
- Students can carry only as much paper as they need. No more carrying 350 sheets of note-taking paper to every class!
- Papers stay in the binder because the holes won’t rip and cause binder mayhem.
You’ll be glad you spent the extra money to get the better product and a tidier and happier student will be your result.
