Buy a three-ring binder for each one of your courses. Keep all related course material in the binder, including the syllabus, assignment explanations and reading material. Insert some sheets of blank paper, which you should use for the notes in that class.
Keep a highlighter in your bag. Whenever a professor or teacher emphasizes a particular concept, be certain to highlight it so you remember its importance.
Write only on the front of the page and give every page a title and date. When you use this method, you can remove all of your notes and spread them out while studying, making it easy to find the information you need.
Write down anything that is repeated, emphasized or written on the blackboard. You cannot realistically write down everything your instructor says, so you have to learn to identify key points and critical concepts.
Set aside a certain part of your bedroom or dorm for studying and keep all of your course material there. You do not want to have to dig through a pile of clothes or books to find your notes, so give yourself one shelf on which you only keep binders and classwork.
Avoid procrastinating. Start assignments as soon as they are given and map out a completion schedule. For example, if you are assigned an essay, try to come up with a concept the first week, an outline the second and a first draft the third (depending on the time allotted). These small milestones help turn large projects into manageable tasks.
Set a time for studying and stick with it. Give yourself a couple of hours each night to go through your work and catch up on assignments. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by friends, television or going out until your work is done.