How soon is too soon to get started on assessment?

If you are a law student, I wouldn't be surprised if your approach to assessment is dissimilar from mine: I have a tendency to get super-motivated and start an assignment the second I receive a topic. That motivation lasts about an hour, often less, as I realise the topic is boring/difficult/easy/stupid. At some point (often a week or so before it is due, although sometimes in the days before) I become super motivated yet again. This all ends up with me handing in an assignment that I am totally sick of and, a week later, would not be able to tell a person the topic.

We all know it isn't the best way to go about getting a lousy few marks down before our big exams, but we all do it anyway. We all wonder if it was the adrenaline, Red Bull, coffee or lollies that kept us going and vow to ourselves that it will not happen again as we drift off to sleep, still standing in front of the submission box. Other students behind us growing impatient, we promptly forget the promise we made to ourselves and carry on, destined to forever forget to start the next assignment early.

When I start an assignment, or even studying for that matter, early enough, I have a tendency to assume it is too early and 'no one could possibly be starting now'. WRONG! Someone else always will have started before you and law school is WAR. Well, not really, but you get the idea! Do you really want to be the last person to start? Even factoring the stress of starting an assignment with so little time remaining, neglecting to start in a timely fashion means you run the risk of losing valuable resources, if you are like me and like using library books.

So starting early is a given, right? But what do you do when you are in a situation like I am now, with 3 assignments and 1 exam in a short period of time? Someone told me in high school that when you get an exam timetable you should always plan to start studying for the last exam first.  It sounds counter-intuitive, but it makes plenty of sense. I'm planning on taking this idea and using it for my assignments. While I won't completely finish the one due last now, I plan to have a great draft done in the next week or so which will enable me to spend the time I need to spend on my other pieces of assessment.

What is your take? Do you start super early or are you like me, a perpetual procrastinator?

Organising for the new semester

So I write today as I am faced with a dilemma. I could continue my unpacking (no thanks!) or I could organise my materials for the new semester. I've decided to go with organising my class materials.

I use a Livescribe Echo Pen (which I plan to write about soon), so my lecture notes need to be taken in special notebooks. I like to take notes from textbooks and cases on looseleaf paper so I use 2-ring binders to keep everything organised and together.

Now in the past I've used dividers to organise my work in different sections for readings, cases, slides and other print-outs (for courses where they are provided) and other materials. Now I'm starting to think that it isn't necessarily the best way to go about the organisation process. I've now decided (after having bought enough dividers for all four subjects) that the ideal way to organise would be based on topic, generally a section for each week of the course. A major benefit of this method will be the ease for open book exams. While I generally make a summary of all my notes whether or not an exam is open book, I still like to bring all my materials in with me.

Ah the organisational possibilities of a totally new desk and year!

How do you organise your notes? Do you have a particular method?

Back-to-School

As I'm sure regular readers will attest, I'm a bit of a stationery-freak! Now as a law student, I have a great need for stationery all through the year, but there is nothing like the beginning of a new year to stock up. At last I know I'm not alone in my back to uni routine loving!

The thing is, I'm about to move into my own place. Well, not MY OWN place, but I'm moving in with some friends after living on campus for a few years! That means right now I am frantically trying to pack to prepare for my 7 hour drive early in the morning. While I left most of my uni supplies with family and friends, I still have quite a bit to pack! As you can imagine, it doesn't leave much time for stationery lust!

Next week is O-Week at my university, so in between buying a desk (and bed, and couch et al) I'm going to try and cram in scoring freebies and perhaps cracking open what is sure to be a giant pile of textbooks (which I also have to acquire). I also want to have a massive trip to my local Officeworks and Kikki.K. While I have a HEAP of stationery already (including so many coloured manilla folders) there is nothing like starting a year afresh!

Over the past few years I've been stuck using whatever desk set-up that has been supplied at my college so I'm glad to be able to have total control over my workspace! Realistically, I probably have almost as little control as before but it certainly feels much different to be in total command!

So be prepared readers for what I'm sure will be a week filled with posts of my desk and stationery gains!