What to label your dividers?

[ko115]

So my program starts in two weeks (yay!!), and I am putting together my binders for each class. I bought Case-It binders, so they are like a trapper keeper type style. I bought this type of binder for my couponing (it's called a Z-binder, so it's an enormous binder because it's two combined into one!) and fell in love with it. I just got a regular one for school though because it would be way too heavy and bulky to bring a big Z-binder to class everyday.

The folders I will be using for class are actually pretty neat. They come with 5 built in side divider tabs already inside the cover. I bought more, though, for my handouts, powerpoints, etc.

So far, I have my 5 built in side divider labels labelled as follows: Schedule, Syllabus, Due Today, Homework, & Test Material

The separate dividers I bought for the 3 rings, I only have 3 labelled because I am honestly stuck with what else I should attempt to label/prepare for! The 3 labels I have so far are: Powerpoints, Key Terms, & Notes.

The pack comes with 8 dividers. I know I have to be super organized throughout the program, so I am just trying to get a head start. I also know that I probably won't know how to label all of my folders until I start class... but I just wanted to see if anyone was/has wondered the same thing, or possibly get some advice from students who are further into their own program. I looked through other threads but could not find an answer that I was looking for..

Anyway, below is a picture of my folders, as well as a link to the folder that has more pictures of how it opens and whatnot. I bought two purple, & two blue (I'm color coding my days as well lol)

http://www.caseit.com/the-open-tab

[FDW630]

I've never been able to label anything until I actually start a class and see how it's going to go. I'm taking fundamentals this semester, and I have a 2" 3-ring binder with a set of 8 pocketed dividers. I have a syllabus sheet for each class day, so I have each of those in a sheet protector, with notebook paper between each day for scribbling notes. Each tabbed divider is all of the material for one exam. So everything for exam one is between one divider, exam 2 is next divider, etc. My professor gives all handouts already 3-hole punched, so those go in behind each corresponding syllabus day. I have always done a variation of this for every class, but this class has been the most organized so far. I love the fact that we have a sheet for every day in our syllabus!

[WorkingTowardsBSN]

Mine are labelled by exam number (1-5 - midterm and final are cumulative).

[FDW630]

Mine are labelled by exam number (1-5 - midterm and final are cumulative).

That would have been a better way to word my previous post. lol. Basically this. :)

[Stephalump]

I just use one binder per semester and divide it up by the tripod of our tests. Our first test was on " The Role of the Nurse" so that's what the header is. Then "Biopsychosocial" etc. I wouldn't really go to any organizational lengths until you get your first syllabus and see how things are set up.

[runforfun]

I do it differently for each class, but it is generally split up by exam, then possibly subdivided into notes, activities, my notes, etc. That wasn't working for two of my classes this semester, so instead for example one is divided into lecture slides, lab handouts, patient write-ups, weekly objectives w/ notes, NCLEX practice, and group project. I also have another class that is divided in a similar manner-notes, activities, objectives, etc. The semester is almost over, but I wish I had divided it by week instead.

There are plenty of ideas, but I would recommend not writing directly on your labels if they don't have inserts until you at least have a good idea of how each class will go. Organization can be fun, and being organized makes a HUGE difference.

[Crazed]

Hope, exhaustion, filthy house, coffee, success.

Well that's what I labeled mine.

[S.RN]

Crazed, don't get me started on a dirty house, ugh!

[PirateArrrNnnn]

I labeled mine based on the syllabus which has topics as Modules. So it goes Module 1: Fundamentals of Nursing Module 2: nursing process, etc. Then the labs are Skills Week 1, Pharm Week 1, etc, Clinical has a tab. Syllabus Tab, etc.

[ShineyNickelRN]

I follow the syllabus as well. My instructors assign work in Units. So I divide them up by the units we go over per test. So on test one we have units 1 and 2 so i label the tab Unit 1-2, Unit 3-4, and so on. One other thing I do is I also put a sticky flag to separate my units. So I have the actual tab dividers to separate the units needed for a test, but then just a small flag so I can flip between units when studying for an exam. I add those extra little flags because for each unit we have power points and also notes we get to print off and I like to flip easily back and forth between those as well (hence the flags). I hope I make sense. But, my method works well for me.