If you want to get organized this semester, you’ve come to the right place. Using a planner to keep track of homework assignments, extracurricular activities, exams, and major deadlines during the school year is a no-brainer, but sometimes the hardest part is figuring out what kind of planner is right for you. Let’s break down the differences between Class Tracker's undated and dated college planners to help you decide which is the best fit for your lifestyle.
The Layout
The first difference to note between the dated and undated planners is the layout. The format of the weekly and monthly pages in each planner looks identical, with the exception of the dates. The dated planners run from July 1 to June 30, while the undated planners have empty boxes for you to fill out each date as you move along.
In addition, the monthly pages in the dated planner are evenly spaced out throughout the year, while the undated planner has all of its monthly pages at the start of the planner. Although these distinctions seem very small, they make all the difference depending on how often you’d like to use your planner, which brings us to the next section – practicality.
The Practicality
Now that you understand the differences in the layout of the two planners, it’s time to reflect upon your planner-using habits. Personally, I’m the type of person who needs to use my planner every week. If an assignment isn’t written down in my planner, it probably won’t get done at all. For this reason, I prefer the dated college planner – since my planner usage is high, I never worry about skipping a week, and I don’t have to waste time writing in the dates every week and month.
If you are buying your planner mid year or you are not an avid planner user – for example, if you only need to use your planner during finals week or you only find the motivation to use it once in a blue moon – and you wouldn’t like to waste paper, I’d recommend buying the undated planner. This way, you won’t feel guilty about missing a week or two of your planner and you can potentially keep the same planner for over a year. This is also a great eco-friendly option if you don’t want to waste paper for the months you missed or don’t use.
The Aesthetic
If you truly feel that you could buy either the dated or undated college planner and be satisfied, there is one last feature that might make up your mind – the planner covers! The undated and college planners each have 8 unique designs that are (in my opinion) all equally aesthetically pleasing. Check them out the dated designs here and the undated designs here.
I hope my tips were helpful! For more study and lifestyle tips, check out the Class Tracker blog and follow us on Instagram.
Julia is a Class Tracker Ambassador who attends University of Rochester. She is a health policy major with a minor in photography. Julia has been using Class Tracker Planners for the past 10 years, and she’s best known for decorating her planner with colorful themes each week! Visit our Instagram reels page for all her planner tips and spreads.