OpenLab isn’t just a platform for building portfolios or joining groups but it can also be a great tool for staying organized. Whether you’re managing coursework, group projects, or just trying to keep track of your digital life as a student, there are small things you can do on OpenLab that help everything feel a little more in control.

Here are a few easy ways to use OpenLab to stay on top of your work:

1. Use Your Site Like a Digital Hub

If you’ve created your own site whether it’s a portfolio, project, or group space you can turn it into a central place for all your materials.

  • Keep a private or public “To-Do” page to track your weekly tasks
  • Use blog posts or pages to write project updates, meeting notes, or class reflections
  • Create a “Resources” page with links, PDFs, or reading materials you return to often

2. Join (and Revisit) Your Groups

If you’re part of a course, club, or project on OpenLab, don’t forget to check in on those groups regularly. Many include:

  • Discussion posts
  • Shared documents
  • Announcements or meeting notes

It’s a good idea to bookmark your groups or keep them listed somewhere easy to access. You can easily view the groups you’ve joined from your OpenLab user profile. Visit the homepage and select any of the “My Profile” links, where you can view all groups you’ve joined by type:

3. Organize with Pages and Menus

When you create a site, you can keep it clean and navigable by using:

  • Pages for long-term content (like “Projects” or “Class Notes”)
  • Menus to group related content together, like coursework by semester or topic
  • Sub-pages (nested pages) to keep things even more tidy

4. Use Categories and Tags for Posts

If you’re writing blog posts regularly, organize them using categories and tags.

  • Categories = the big topics (like “Coursework,” “Reflections,” or “Group Updates”)
  • Tags = specific keywords or themes that pop up across posts

This makes it much easier to find content later and to present a polished, structured site.

5. Schedule Posts or Save Drafts

Working on a blog post or update but not ready to publish?

  • You can save it as a draft and come back later
  • Or schedule it to publish automatically on a future date

Perfect for planning ahead during busy weeks.

6. Keep It Simple

You don’t have to use every feature on OpenLab to be organized just a few small tweaks can go a long way. Try picking one thing to implement this week (like setting up a “To-Do” page or organizing your posts), and build from there.

Have questions or want help getting started?
Reach out to the OpenLab team at openlab@sps.cuny.edu

You’ve got the tools, now make them work for you.

Photo Credit: “untitled” by Pawel Czerwinski via Unsplash under the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.