Merry End of Semester!

I am finally done with the semester!  Sorry I keep neglecting everyone.  I’ve had my nose in the books for the last three weeks.  I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season.  I’ve been decompressing from academics by creating things for next semester.  Since it is so close to Christmas, I have created a new 2017 planner with matching note paper!!  As usual this particular one is geared toward students, just because I am a student.  I don’t make things I won’t use.  I am really excited about this particular one because it is a neutral color with gold and black!  I hope you all enjoy it!

 

 

Neutral 2017 Planner

Matching Note Paper

I Made a Thing!

Sorry everyone for the lack of posts.  I have been so busy with school!!  It’s 5 weeks until the end of the semester.  Between exams, homework, papers, etc. there has been little time for me to write anything.  My time is spent doing calculus and physics.  I don’t like to leave you all hanging!!  I do think about you guys.  Even when I don’t post.  I always feel bad.

Elec
tions are over.  If you are upset, I understand.  If you are scared, I understand.  If you need someone to talk to, I’m around.  Feel free to drop me a comment or a tweet.

So, what I have been doing recently in what bits of free time I have had, is making a new 2017 planner to upload!  It is finally finished.  If you want a different color, let me know so I can add them.  These planners are full 12 month, Monday start planners with SpiralDex at the bottom instead of my regular Chronodex.  The vertical two page-per-week layouts have boxes that are similar to the size of Erin Chondren Planners.  So, if you glam/scrap plan, you can find stuff that fits. 

Aqua Planner 2017

Blue Planner 2017

Grey Planner 2017

Purple Planner 2017

Sage Planner 2017

Sand Planner 2017

I also have managed to finally get a bubble map template created so if anyone has professors that jump around from topic to topic, it can be a great help.  It is only bubbles, you connect lines yourself, so you can have as many or as few tangents as you want.

Bubble Map Notes

As always, if you want to share my stuff, please link your friends to my page as opposed to just sending them the file.  Don’t try to pass my stuff off as your own.  Yadda yadda yadda.  You know the fine print drill.

Feel free to drop me a tweet or show me what you’ve done on Instagram by tagging me @CoffeeConfessor.

I Think I Have Learned How…

Okay my lovelies, I have finally gotten to the point where I think I have come up with a way to balance all on my plate without going nuts or dropping the drinks.  Calculus, Physics, and my other classes are keeping me occupied during the week, and I can’t seem to find the time to squeeze in a blog post.  So, I have decided that in the interest of keeping up with my blog with juggling everything, I will be posting my blog on Fridays instead of Wednesdays.  It gives me a little break from the insane amounts of studying I do in order to do something fun.

It is the time of the year when you start to think about the next year and getting your new planner around.  So, I have created a 2017 financial planner to go with the new 2017 planner I am in the process of creating.  I’m planning to create two planner types:  one like my student planner with the 1.9”x1.5” boxes, and one with regular happy planner sized boxes on full sized paper.  Those planners will be coming out in the next few weeks.  I may even have an extra color in the planners because sometimes I have problems with choosing a color because I want ALL THE COLORS!  Or at least it will be a mixture of all the colors into one single planner for those of us who have problems choosing just one color.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoy making them.

As always, these are for personal use only, don’t sell, copy, distribute these without my permission and instead of giving someone the file, direct them to my blog.  Enjoy!

 

Blue 2017 Financial Planner

Grey 2017 Financial Planner

Aqua 2017 Financial Planner

Lavender 2017 Financial Planner

Pink 2017 Financial Planner

Peach 2017 Financial Planner

Lime 2017 Financial Planner

First Week!

Ok, so the first week of the semester is always busy.  Homework, and getting back into the routine of getting up at the crack of dawn to go to get to class on time.  I didn’t get all of my class syllabi in time to plan my semester before it started.  So, I am playing catch up.  However, it allows for me to take more pictures, and slow down a bit as I go.

So, in order to plan, I go through a single syllabus at a time when planning the semester.  This way, my brain has a single focus, and I can ensure I don’t miss any deadlines for the class.  I always color coordinate my classes.  This year the code goes like this:  German- blue, Physics- pink, Calculus- orange, Computer Programming- green.  I make sure I have proper amounts of sticky notes in these colors as well as page flags.  So, basically by the end of my Semester planning session, the monthly layouts are covered in sticky notes before I ever put pen to paper.

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As you can see, I chose to use the peach vertical planner this year.  It was so hard for me to decide.  I thought about rotating through ALL of the colors, but I wasn’t sure I’d like that too much.  I might try it eventually.  I sometimes get bored easily.  However, since I decorate my planner, I really don’t worry much about most of the color.

So, this weekend, my project is to ink and place planner stickers on the important monthly dates on what is due.  I will then add these to my assignment lists, both my master list and my individual class lists in order to keep track.  From there, I will keep a project planner in order to keep track of progress on each major assignment and exam.  As I do this I will keep track and post the photos on instagram if you are curious.  Follow me @coffeeconfessor to see more!

FINALLY!

Sorry about the delay while I get things straightened out on the internet front.  I have been working on a lot of projects since I am without internet at the moment. We all know school is around the corner or has already started in some cases.  I know everyone is always excited to get new planners (including me).  I have been working on this particular planner for six months now and I think I have it the way I like it.  It is a vertical weekly two-page layout with a monthly two-page layout as well that lasts the academic calendar year (August-July).  The vertical is divided into morning, afternoon, and evening.  There is a chronodex at the bottom to create a glance schedule.  There is plenty of space for writing as well as decorating!!!!  The boxes are roughly Erin Condren sized.  I am currently working on one that is Happy Planner sized in case you have one.  There are also thumbnail calendars for the month at the start of each week.  The exciting thing???  I made it in seven colors.  I have the standard grey, but it also comes in peach, pink, blue, green, lavender, and aqua!  Beyond this, I have supplemental inserts with assignment master lists, professor contacts, and class schedule.  I also have a thumbnail calendar page in each color in case you need extras.  In the next few weeks I will be uploading more things that go with these planners such as meal planning supplements, doodle and brain dumping pages, blog planning, expense trackers, habit trackers, etc.  (Like I said, down time with no internet.)  Anyway I hope you enjoy these freebies and please feel free to give me any feedback on how this planner is working for you, what you want to see, what changes would make it better.  I am trying to create the ultimate student planner.  Something more than what is out there.  So feedback is CRUCIAL!  In other words, you are all my test subjects.  As always, if you want to share these, please link to my page.  These are for personal use only.

Aqua Student Planner and Supplements

Blue Student Planner and Supplements

Grey Student Planner and Supplements

Lavender Student Planner and Supplements

Lime Student Planner and Supplements

Peach Student Planner and Supplements

Pink Student Planner and Supplements

Beginning to Prepare

Cool School Calendar and Grade Trackers

With the start of the fall semester just around the corner, I have been working on a way to keep classes and their assignments more organized in my planner.  I am constantly wanting to know what assignments, quizzes, exams and projects are coming up in order to better prepare for them.  I also like to keep track of my grades throughout the semester so I know how to adjust my studying or ask for help if I need it before it is too late.  Since I decorate my planner, I’ve found that double writing of information is kind of a pain in the butt.  So, I have created some cutouts to put on my planner as I go, as well as a full page assignment/grade tracker.

Bright School Calendar and Grade Trackers

I color coordinate my classes and assignment trackers.  I have found that it is the best way to glance at things and see what is due.  I am thinking of changing a few things, so the colors are in families and the darker it is the more important it is (i.e. deep teal or deep berry means exam or final, while pale magenta or pale aqua mean I only have homework).  However, I’m not sure how it would actually work.  I know some people use the color red to denote exams, yellow to denote homework, orange to denote quizzes, etc. for all of their classes.  I just happen to like to know which class my exam is in at a glance, as opposed to noticing that there is an exam, but not sure which class it is for, so I have to turn around and look at my syllabi to figure it out.  It really doesn’t work for me.  However, if it works for you, I did create calendar stickers for it.

Assignment Tracker

By using an individual assignment tracker for each class I can file away the syllabi and just have the important stuff in my ARC notebook.  This way I’m not  wasting valuable notebook real estate on 5-10 page syllabi for 5 or 6 classes.  The assignment tracker pages coordinate with the bright school calendar labels and grade trackers.  The reason I use both ways to track my grade is because I can write down the individual grade of my assignment in the full page assignment tracker, and I can keep track of my weekly grade in each of my classes with the smaller trackers.  I know it seems a bit obsessive, but I like to know what my grade is at all times, and if something is wrong, I can always double check, and I have information as to which grades are wrong in order to get these things changed if necessary.  I also keep a seven pocket file folder for the semester to put my class assignments, tests, and quizzes in so I have them handy if I need to show them to the professor.

I wasn’t always this organized, I learned the hard way that one should have information in triplicate in order to prove something is wrong.  Trying to scramble to find an assignment that I had thrown into a drawer in order to double check that I was getting the correct grade became a pain.  So, when in doubt, triplicate the information.  I haven’t resorted to digitizing my former assignments and exams just because I’m afraid that my computer will die with all of my assignments I scanned in and I realize that a grade of mine is wrong at the last minute.

I hope you enjoy the things I created for you.  Remember that these creations are for personal use only, and aren’t to be sold.  Send people a link to my site for them to download these printables!  Also, if you have any questions, comments, requests, please feel free to drop me a line.

Class Assignment Tracker

Bright School Calendar Labels and Grade Trackers

Cool School Calendar Labels and Grade Trackers

Other School Little Printables

 

Sharing the Love…

I am a planner addict.  I love to decorate my planner.  It is a little bit of creativity when I am crunched for time.  I have also found that decorating my planner makes it something I want to look at and use more.  For some, this isn’t the case.  Some people like fairly plain things, especially if they are using it for only work.  If you want to start decorating your planner, there are several sites that you can go and get free printables to cut out.  As a college student, money is tight and I don’t get to spend a ton of money on Etsy shops—so free is the way I go.  Remember to thank these people for their hard work.  Printables are time consuming—and time spent on the product shows.  So, without further ado, here are ten of my favorite sites to go to for cute printables!

1. BEaYOUtiful Planning                                              
2. My Planner Envy
3. Planner Addiction
4. My Planner Life
5. Planner Problem
6. Uncommon Plans
7. Vintage Glam Studio
8. Pretty Paper Designs
9. Lavender Garden
10. Mein Lila Park

This is only a small portion of my bookmarks, and there are a lot of places to get free
printables.  You can also toy with making your own.  I sometimes do, but I am nowhere near as creative as these bloggers.  I stick mostly to creating functional stickers for myself because I have specific things I look for.

Facebook Enabling and Reading Challenges

So, I have come across this Facebook group that basically is a bunch of planner addicts enabling each other and it is great!  There are several on Facebook as well as Tumblr and other places.  I have found them to be a mecca of ideas, free printables, and encouragement.  Having a positive environment for people who share the compulsion to buy tons of washi tape and stickers for the sole purpose of putting it into a planner that becomes obsolete in a year is important.  Not many people understand the excitement of flipping on YouTube and finding out how people set up planners and how different types of planners look from cover to cover.  So, if you are on Facebook at any point and enjoy finding free printables and ideas for your planner check out We Come in Planner Peace.

*Now for something completely different…*

I have been an avid reader since the age of three when I first picked up a book no one had time to read to me and taught myself.  By fifth grade, I was reading (and understanding) Shakespeare.  I learned to hate Romeo and Juliet at a fairly early age.  Finding it to be nothing that girls should be swooning over.  I have read classics, mysteries, horror, pop literature, and even a few bodice rippers with Fabio on the cover.  I even slogged my way through the train wreck of the Twilight series.  I wanted to know what the hype was about.  Girls kept swooning over this mysterious Edward Cullen.  More like creepy stalker that no one should ever want to date.  It isn’t romantic, it is gross and creepy.  One could make it a drinking game:  every time the words “white,” “marble,” or “stone” appear, one takes a shot of whatever grain alcohol you have on hand.  However, be warned, you will need an ambulance on standby because you will get alcohol poisoning before the ending of the first book.  I have yet to lower myself to read 50 Shades of Gray.  Since I started school, my focus has been on education and learn, learn, learn!

I have been slack on my reading since I started back to school.  I haven’t read any book that wasn’t a text book or something assigned for class.  So, I have challenged myself to get 30 books read before school starts on August 22 (Seems ambitious doesn’t it?).  I have also created a printable to share for anyone who wants to challenge themselves to read more books.  The file has 5 colors (because I can’t decide on a color on any given day): green, pink, blue, orange, and yellow.  I hope you enjoy them and they encourage you to read more for enjoyment rather than just reading for classes or work.  Remember, reading doesn’t just need to be done because it should be but it should be done because you can.

You can find the reading challenge printable here.

Remember that these are for personal use only, so please do not try to sell them.  Also, direct people to my website as opposed to giving them the direct link for this and all other printables that I have created.  I hope you enjoy them!

Scheduling at a Glance

So, I am a person who uses an electronic calendar like Google Calendar as well as a paper one.  I have tried out several different planners—and none quite fit what I needed.  This is why I have managed to take the time to combine elements from many different planners and smash them into a single planner. 

I created a horizontal planner all of last year as well as through the fall, only to find that it
didn’t quite give me the strict organization space that I was looking for.  I spent a semester without a Spiraldex/Chronodex/Doubledex in the horizontal form.  It was basically a block of lines with a date.  All well and good when you have no need for specific organization.  It basically turns into words on a page.  It bored me.  So, I added different time indexes to my planner, and found that it was a start.  Each has their strengths and weaknesses.

The Spiraldex was the first one I tried.  I like the spiral pattern (what can I say, I am a sucker for Fibonacci Sequences).  It was very simplistic, and it allowed me to mark off times in colors to eyeball what my true schedule would be like with only a glance, rather than having to sift through what I had written down.  My classes are all given specific colors, every other thing is also given specific colors.  This is good if you have linear progressions during the day.

The Doubledex is good if you have multiple areas to look at during the day such as work and home—or if you have to keep track of a couple of people’s schedules.  It is good for the multitasker.  It basically is a two tiered wheel.  You can either use the twelve sections as a whole, or use them for A.M. and P.M. in each level.
The standard Chronodex tends to be used in a linear fashion.  It has different sections with different heights of varying importance.  Usually the inner circle takes the early morning sections.  Not many people are extremely active in the hours between five and eight in the morning.

Really, it all comes down to preference.  Some people like to have their days set out in an agenda layout.  I prefer to have my days in a more compact visualization of a time index.

If you like the look of my horizontal weekly planner, you can download it here.  Remember that this isn’t to be sold, or distributed without my permission.  If you wish to link your blog up to this particular piece of work, please link to this post.

Tour de Planner

So, today, I will be talking about my personal planner.  It is something that I cannot live without.  It allows me to keep everything organized (due dates, exams, quizzes, lectures, cancelled classes, etc.).  I use this like another part of my body.  I am lost when I don’t have it.  It seems silly to say that, but my planner is everything.

I have tried so many different premade planners, and I have found that none fit me in every way.  The Arc Notebook System from Staples has become something of a blessing because I change my mind on planners so much.  I also use my Arc for my notes and school stuff, not just my planner.  I like to have all of my information at hand in one place.  It is great because I can pull things out of my planner and put other things in at a whim.  I create my own planner inserts, because I can hybrid what I like between several types of planners into one single planner.  Since my needs are constantly changing, my planner also constantly is changing.

At the moment, you can see that I have adopted the vertical planner method.  I love the look of it, and I feel that it works really well because I have the boxes divided up as morning, afternoon, and evening.  I decided to try this particular method because the horizontal planner wasn’t working for me.  This specific type that you see in my post still is only a working copy.  I plan on adding a chronodex at the bottom this summer to see how it works out.  I stumbled across this particular little gem while browsing bullet journals on Pinterest.  It is a good way to glimpse a day’s schedule without perusing the entire day’s entries.

I kept looking at the Erin Condren Life Planner, and they are awesome.  However, I can tell by looking at them, that they didn’t fit 100% of what I was looking for.  As beautiful as they are, I can’t bring myself to spend that kind of money on something that isn’t going to work completely.  So, I created something similar (not exact, mind you, but something similar that kind of works for me).  I love the colors of the Erin Condren, but they weren’t going to work for me.  I have found that since I color code and decorate my planner with printables from websites, I feel that grey is the best option for me.  It is pretty boring without decorations, so I am compelled to decorate my planner.  In the future, I will post my go-to places for free printables, and there are a TON!  I think I have a list of 20-ish?  Also, there are really cute stickers at Etsy as well (being the poor college student I am, I rely on mostly freebies and ones I make myself).

So, these are just the past few weeks of my planner and how they look.  At the end of the semester, there are classes that get cancelled and stuff gets shifted around.  Sometimes I even get stuff done before hand, and I don’t post it in my weekly layout.

Download my 2016 planner here!  For personal use only!!  Do not alter this and call it your own please, this was work I did and thought I’d be nice and share with everyone since I get asked where I get my planners and note pages.  If you like it drop me a line/tweet (@CoffeeConfessor).  Let me know if you have any requests or ideas, I will put it in my queue to do!