UC Davis students utilize calendar apps and digital notes to stay organized
By GRACIELA TIU — features@theaggie.org
Whether it be classes, homework, club meetings or jobs, college students are constantly carrying heavy schedules on their backs. Staying organized can feel difficult, but a common way students keep track of their schedules is through the use of calendars, both on paper and online.
UC Davis students have shared that utilizing technology through calendar and reminder apps can help keep them on schedule and productive. Alex Monroy, a fourth-year aerospace science and engineering major, prefers a calendar app like Google Calendar when keeping track of academic and extracurricular schedules.
“I use it all the time from scheduling my classes, clubs, setting time to study, going to the gym and organizing my work schedule for the upcoming week,” Monroy said.
Monroy then discussed why he prefers Google Calendar over other options for schedule building.
“I like the simplicity of it compared to other apps like Notion and Outlook,” Monroy said. “It’s reliable and doesn’t require you to spend much time organizing things throughout your day.”
Although Google Calendar may be a common app among college students, others on the market offer similar features.
“I use Timepage by Moleskine, because it seemed like it had the highest quality and the brand is good,” Mark Copple, a third-year managerial economics major, said.
An integral part of many students’ daily routines, calendar apps often feel like a big contributor to staying on top of responsibilities.
“I use it every day to schedule my meetings for work and all school assignments,” Copple said.
Recent years and a focus on technology have brought about many different scheduling apps, but some students prefer to write out a physical schedule every day. Trinity Salus, a third-year animal science major, discussed her notetaking routine.
“I usually have like a little note page on my iPad and I’ll write down Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,” Salus said. “And I’ll write down different days of the week that I need to do different assignments and check them off as I go.”
A lot of calendar users utilize different features such as recurring events, syncing and even different design options.
“I enjoy color coding my different tasks throughout the day and Google Calendar provides a simple but timeless color palette,” Monroy said. “I enjoy how I can set reminders for classes and assignments and how early I like to be reminded, [all of which] can be set by the user.”
Salus described how utilizing specific pen colors and design features on an iPad can play an important role in keeping her schedule organized.
“Highlighting with different colors, so, [for example], if I write something in red that means that is a priority and that’s something that I have to pay attention to more,” Salus said. “If I write something in black, then that’s just something that I need to check off later on.”
Some people who transitioned into using digital calendars recently noticed a change in their overall work experience.
“Since using Google Calendar, I’ve felt more relaxed and productive with my time as a student,” Monroy said. “It helps me stay on top of everything and remember important tasks.”
Regardless of your calendar preferences — whether you schedule your life by writing all of your tasks on paper or by utilizing a calendar app, keeping track of your schedule and upcoming tasks can be a very helpful way to stay organized and alleviate stress.
These Davis students have offered many specific suggestions if you’re looking for a new app to get your upcoming events in order, as well as shared that utilizing apps to track your tasks, meetings and classes can be a game changer in day-to-day life.
Written by: Graciela Tiu — features@theaggie.org
