My Workspace {linkup}

First of all, thanks to Rebecca, Carlee, and Dorothy for hosting this linkup! I love seeing how other people get work done, and in what environment they thrive. Study and productivity preferences vary so much from person to person, and I know that I certainly have some preferences for where  I study.

A little disclaimer before I go any further though, most of these photos are of my desk, but to be honest I spend every week night in the library with my friend, Meghan. Sometimes I do accomplish work at my desk (I am doing it this morning), but for the most part, that is where I'm productive. I had to add this one pic below late because I totally forgot to take pictures when I was here yesterday, plus I love the desk (that I painted myself) in my apartment!

my spot in Club Clem this morning...
complete with coffee and a red solo cup of yogurt!

1) Where is your favorite workspace located?

The second floor of Clemons Library (UVA has a bunch of libraries, but this 24-hour one is my favorite). And yes, it has to specifically be the 2nd floor, I never work on the other floors, except for the occasional finals week studying on the 1st floor which is silent as the grave...ugh. Oh, and it's not pictured here, but I almost always have water and/or coffee with me when I am studying.

2) Do you prefer a sleek desk or are you more of an "organized chaos" kind of person?

I am very specific about working conditions being organized. My planner is color-coded and I make to-do lists all the time and that's reflected in workspace organization. I like for everything to look like it's geared towards productivity because it makes me feel like I can get more work done. On that note, that's why I work outside of my apartment. Whenever I work here, I super clean the place first so it's conducive to studying...yeah, it's a bit neurotic, oops.

3) What is your favorite writing utensil?

I love Le Pen. I use them in my planner and when I am highlighting words in hand-written notes. They're bright and clean and the colors make it easy to distinguish what's going on throughout my week. 

4) Show us your calendar or agenda!

I have both a calendar and agenda, but the calendar is only for big events too look at at-a-glance. Oh, and my to-do list is as important as my agenda because it's a more detailed picture of every day. I also use iCal on my phone, does anyone else use this many organizational tools?

5) Just for fun, what are you looking forward to most about spring?

I am so excited for sandals, flowers, and getting back in shape!

Thanks for hosting the linkup, ladies!

xoxo,

SSP

Plan Away

Well it's the first day of class! I had so many back-to-school posts planned for last week and I am so sorry I didn't get to them. I had a whole plan, and then got super sick...like my Momma had to come pick me up and take me home from college sick. But, I am much better now and so excited for the first day of class! Since I didn't get to it last week, I know I have a lot of back-to-school prep left to do and I am sure some of y'all are in the same boat! 
I finally got around to ordering my planners and books (bank account hates me so much right now) and I wanted to share my thoughts on planners with you!
Normally, I just grab my favorite Lilly planner at the mall and go from there, but I actually wanted to try something a bit different and see if it benefits me this year. I am juggling way more this semester than in the past and I definitely had some reservations about trying to cram it all in that format. Since I spent so much time analyzing planners (actually though, it's sort of embarrassing) I am going to share some of my favorite systems with y'all.

Lilly Pulitzer

Duh, the iconic planner. You can't go wrong with the colorful pages and stickers that almost make you excited to write down that 20 page term paper...almost. There is plenty of room to write in this planner and the extra section dedicated to the months in the front is a nice long term flip through. Also, this year the new tabs are more durable and there's a new horoscope section!

Sarah Pinto

Well, this is my planner for the year. Sara Pinto planners are perfect for getting down to business. It has a cute and simple front cover design and no-fuss organization inside. Plus, the selling point to the organization freak in me was the to-do list section for each day!

Kate Spade

Okay these are new, and I am obsessed. I desperately wanted the polka dotted one, but I actually am getting 2 planners (yeah, I know, I'll explain later) and the price was just a bit more than I really wanted to pay for that...especially with the cost of textbooks. Also, love the quote at the beginning of each section. It's very similar to the Lilly one in that sense, basically as cute as a Lilly but with plain pages.

Erin Condren

I have never seen one of these in person, but I have heard rumors. This might actually be on my christmas list. This is the queen of all planners. I mean, it's called the "life planner" for a reason. You can plan school, social activities, work, basically everything in here. 

Google Calendar

Not to be a total grandma, but I cannot do online planning. I just struggle to remember it if I don't physically write it down. I am going to try to use my iPhone as a backup this year but we'll see. However, if you're tech savvy or always leaving your planner, this is for you. You can reference it anywhere and sync it with all devices. The calendar app on my Macbook, iPad, and iPhone is probably the calendar I'd use, but the idea of a digital calendar is great for on the go and it's free!
So I mentioned 2 planners...I am also getting a jumbo Lilly planner to leave at home. That way I can juggle social, school, extracurriculars, blogging, and maybe work. I just like the idea of having one for school and one for life in general for this semester.

What are you planning with this semester?

xoxo,
SSP