The very first thing that I do when I get my syllabi for all of my classes is to examine my schedules. I put EVERYTHING in my planner. Seeing it all spaced out alongside the other events in my life (like weddings and trips) really gives me a sense of how my semester will look. If I notice that a lot of things are due the same week (like before fall and Christmas breaks), then I know I’ll need to start on those assignments earlier.