If I was Still a Student, This is How I Would Use Notion…
Let's be real—if your current study system is basically vibes, chaos, and a sticky note you lost two weeks ago, you're not alone. Most students are juggling school, extracurriculars, social life, and college prep with nothing more than hope and a half-filled planner they abandoned in September.
But here's the thing: you don't need more motivation. You need a better system.
Not another paper planner that'll end up buried in your backpack. Not another app you'll forget about by Tuesday. You need a digital system that gives you clarity, flexibility, and actual breathing room.
That's exactly what I'm breaking down today—my Student Planner in Notion, designed specifically for high-achieving students who are doing a lot and need organization that reduces overwhelm instead of adding to it.
Why Your Current System Isn't Working
Here's what's probably happening right now:
You're using a paper planner, but you forget to check it (or you lost it three days ago)
You have reminders scattered across your phone, sticky notes, and your parents' texts
You know there's something due soon, but you can't remember what it is or when it's due
You're constantly asking yourself "Wait, did I write that down somewhere?"
Sunday night hits and you realize you have three tests, two essays, and a project due this week—and you have no idea how you're going to get it all done
Sound familiar?
This isn't a you problem. It's a system problem.
Most organizational tools aren't designed for how your brain actually works. They're either too rigid (forcing you into a structure that doesn't fit your life) or too open-ended (giving you a blank page and no direction).
What you need is something that gives you structure without suffocating you—a system that adapts to YOUR energy, YOUR schedule, and YOUR brain.
The Solution: A Planner Built on Three Core Principles
This is where Notion comes in, and specifically the student planner I've created. It's built on three core principles that make it actually work for high-achieving, busy students:
1. Visual Clarity
Everything you need to see is right in front of you (or at the very minimum—searchable inside the system). No hunting through pages or tabs, sticky notes, or scattered pieces of paper crumbled at the bottom of your backpack.
Your tasks, your deadlines, your schedule—all in one place. This kind of nervous-system-safe structure helps your brain feel grounded instead of scattered.
2. Flexible Structure
It gives you the structure you need to stay organized, but it adapts to YOUR life and YOUR energy.
High-energy day? Tackle the big stuff. Low-energy day? Focus on quick wins.
And more importantly, you can restructure the system to work how your brain works. It's basically drag and drop, so if you want stuff organized differently, it can be! Easily!
The system works with you, not against you.
3. Stress Reduction
This isn't about adding more pressure. It's about reducing overwhelm by breaking everything down into manageable pieces.
You'll know exactly what's due, what's coming up, and what you can let go of—so you can actually breathe. This is energy restoration through structure.
For parents: this system creates visibility without nagging. You can check in without micromanaging, and your student has the autonomy to manage their own schedule while still having accountability built in.
Inside the Student Planner: The Features That Actually Matter
1. The Dashboard: Your Command Center
When you open this planner, you land on your dashboard. This is your home base—everything you need is here. You've got:
This Week's Tasks: Only what's due this week shows up here. No endless scrolling, no overwhelm—just what matters right now.
Late Tasks (with a red flag): If something's overdue, you'll see it immediately. No more "Oh crap, I forgot about that."
Upcoming Tests & Quizzes: So you can plan ahead and actually study instead of cramming the night before.
This is what calm-inducing clarity looks like—you can see the chaos of scattered information transform into a single, regulated view where your brain can actually relax.
2. Courses: Where Everything Lives
Each course gets its own page. You can add your syllabus, track your grade, take notes, and see all your assignments for that class in one place.
Why this matters: Your brain doesn't have to work as hard to find things. Everything related to Biology? It's all in the Biology page. Done.
3. Extracurriculars: Because School Isn't Everything
This is huge for students who are doing a lot outside of class. You can track games, practices, club meetings, volunteer hours—all in the same system as your schoolwork.
And here's the best part: it all shows up in your main calendar view. So you can see at a glance: "Okay, I have practice Tuesday and Thursday, a test Friday, and a college app deadline Sunday."
You're not juggling three different calendars—it's all in one place.
4. Study Plans: Actually Prepare for Tests
Instead of cramming the night before, you can create a study plan that breaks down what you need to review over several days. You can link it to your class notes, set reminders, and check off each study session as you go.
For ADHD brains or anyone who struggles with time blindness: this is a game-changer. It makes studying feel less overwhelming because you're not trying to do everything at once.
5. Goals & Progress Tracking
You can set goals—like "Get a 3.5 GPA this semester" or "Make varsity"—and the system tracks your progress. When you hit a goal, you get a little celebration. It's a small dopamine hit, but it matters.
What This System Actually Does for You
Let's recap what we covered:
A dashboard that shows you exactly what you need to focus on today, this week, and coming up—without overwhelming you
Course pages that keep everything organized by class, so you're not scrambling to find assignments
Extracurricular tracking, so your full life is in one place
Study plans that help you prepare strategically instead of panic-studying
Goal tracking that keeps you motivated and celebrates your wins
This system is designed to reduce stress, not add to it. It's designed to work with your brain, not fight against it. And it's designed to give you your mental space back—so you can actually be present in class, enjoy your activities, and sleep without your brain running through tomorrow's to-do list.
You can focus on what actually matters—instead of just trying to remember what's due next.
Ready to Get Your Mental Space Back?
If you're a student who's tired of feeling scattered and overwhelmed, or a parent who wants to give your kid a real tool for success—grab this template. Set it up once, and it'll work for you all semester (or all year).
You don't have to keep running on chaos. Let's build a system that actually supports you.
📥 Get the Student Planner template: Click Here
💬 Join my FREE Burnout-Proof Community: coachellyn.com/community
