5 Ways To Organise Your Laptop For Maximum Studying Power At University

Getting organised for university can feel daunting, but a little bit of preparation can really go a long way. There's no more powerful tool at your disposal when starting at university than your laptop – it can be truly invaluable for keeping your studies on track. That being said, it can also be easy for your computer to become cluttered and disorganised if you aren't careful, so you should ensure that you have a system in place when the academic year starts.

It is also a good idea to spend a little time every day to keep your laptop organised. This can help prevent disorganisation from building up and becoming tough to get a handle on. You should also do as much as you can to keep your laptop cyber secure and prevent possible issues that could compromise the safety of your work and notes.

Make Individual Folders For Each Class 

A key step in keeping your laptop well organised is ensuring that each topic and module has its own space. This should be a bare minimum when organising your laptop, as it can help you keep all of your notes and study materials in the right place – easy to find when you need to reference things for coursework or exam preparation. You'll then need to organise the files within each module folder. You could break down the files into lecture and seminar materials, different teachers or other identifiers. You’ll also need to create a naming system that will help you locate the files you need quickly when on the go. Your system should include the following

• Dates 
• Brief descriptors such as 'Seminar A' or 'Lecture B' 
• Versioning, such as 'Draft' or 'Finished' 

Keep Your Laptop Cyber Secure

With cyber security threats becoming more sophisticated every day, students can't afford to be lax with laptop security. There are plenty of tools available that can help you manage and maintain your laptop's safety: malware detection, firewalls, two-step verification processes and many more. There are plenty of excellent resources for savvy students out there to help you educate yourself on the various ways of boosting your cyber security. Check for malware on Mac and remove it using CleanMyMac X, Activity Monitor, etc. Malware is cunning so you may find it anywhere: in browsing extensions, in unknown apps, or in login items. In any case, keep an eye on cyber security threats and make sure your Mac is clean. 

Store Important Files On The Cloud 

The thought of losing your hard work or carefully taken notes is enough to send a shudder of dread down any student's back. Laptops, while incredibly useful tools, are not foolproof, and sometimes even the best-organised people can experience laptop disasters. Cloud storage is a brilliant way to keep your laptop files safe; this way, if something should happen to your laptop itself, your files will still be safe and sound. Look for a reputable cloud storage provider who will offer the best protection for your documents and ensure that you will always have access to them at the click of a mouse.

Avoid Downloading Apps That Will Distract You

Procrastination has long been the nemesis of productivity – it can be easy to get distracted when you should be paying attention to a lecture or studying for a big test. While you might never be able to remove all distractions from your study space (particularly when you're connected to the internet!) there are still things you can do to ensure you remain focused when using your laptop. Avoiding downloading distracting apps is one crucial step to keeping you on track. Avoid downloading:

• Social media apps
• Games
• Video or voice calling software
• Shopping apps

 You could even go one step further by downloading app or website blockers that will prevent you from accessing the sites that help you procrastinate.

Create A Streamlined Calendar

A key part of keeping organised at university is in ensuring you make it to all of your various classes on time and well prepared. Unlike at school, it is up to you to ensure you get where you need to be and with the correct preparation completed. You'll need a well-organised calendar to help ensure you get where you need to be at the right times. It can help to colour code your calendar with a set colour for things like:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Meetings with your advisor
• Study sessions 

Make sure that you note down every event or appointment on one streamlined calendar to prevent anything from being missed or overlooked. It may also help to sync your laptop calendar with your smartphone calendar so you can be certain that you'll always have your calendar handy.

Conclusion

Getting organised for university is crucial to be successful and achieving excellent results. Setting up your organisational system before you start the academic year is crucial, and you should also do regular maintenance on your laptop to ensure that the system you're using remains helpful. You might find that the first organisational system you use isn't quite right for your learning style, so don't be afraid to try out different methods until you find the perfect fit.