Ideas pop up all the time. Some of them are even good. If you don't write them down, they are no good to you later. How often have you spent hours browsing through the library trying to remember that great research paper topic you thought of a month ago? To make sure that those valuable brain waves don't get lost in the sea of everyday details, create an idea box.

Purchase or find an index card box, a set of blank index card dividers, and a package of color-coded index cards. Label the dividers by class subject, hobby or extracurricular activity, travel, or any other area of your life. When you get an idea, write it on a card and file it away. When it comes time to come up with a topic for a paper or creative projects, flip through the box and pull out an idea.