Make a Semester Calendar. Create a one page calendar covering the entire semester. Write down important dates (tests, due dates, holidays, etc) in a different color for each class so you can see at an instant what you have going on. I usually kept mine in the clear front of a binder or else as the first sheet.
Use white-out strips. It got so much easier to make assignments look good and stay neat when I had white-out strips - you know, the kind that are in a little roll on dispenser. If you make a mistake, instead of scribbling something out or starting over, simply white it out and write over it. It makes life so easy!
Make copies. If you use your book in class but you don't like to carry it, make copies of the relevant parts. For example, I copied all the math problem sections from the end of the chapters and never carried my book to class again!
Make flashcards. My preferred study method was to cut a bunch of papers into 8-12 pieces and write all the terms and things I needed to memorize on them. This method forces you to re-read your notes to find the important info, condense that info into memorizable tidbits, and then re-write the tidbits on the cards. By the time you actually get around to studying the cards, you've already done half the work of studying by just making them! And they are super portable - bonus!
Use the book. Skim through or even (dare I say it?!) read the chapter you will be discussing in class before you go. Simply familiarizing yourself by taking a few notes or highlighting section headings, keywords, etc. can make more of a difference than you expect. The exception to this is Math. In my opinion those books are for getting the math problems from only.
Get to sleep! For most people there is really no very good reason to stay up past 11:00 pm more than once or twice a week. It will make a big difference in how you feel the next day and will help you do better in class. It is said that having 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep is essential to improving and solidifying a task you learned or worked on that day. You can do it!
