While your university experience will provide many learning opportunities, some knowledge may not come through lectures alone. We have come up with various life hacks for students to ease the pressures of university life and survive it more comfortably. Here are just a few.
Front Row Seats
At concerts or lectures, your seating arrangement has both advantages and drawbacks that may shape your experience or prevent you from staying focused and engaged with class.
At the front, your professor can easily detect when you become distracted; there’s little leeway for distraction or other activities besides listening and engaging. This ensures you remain on task and adhere to his expectations; furthermore, this encourages interaction and collaboration amongst classmates as well as with your professor.
On the other hand, sitting in the back is where you can indulge in more distracting activities, like doodling or browsing Reddit on your laptop. Unfortunately this also means missing out on lectures which is the main purpose of class attendance in general.
So sit in the front and you’ll learn more and do better on tests and exams with the help of quality education– plus look stylish at the same time.
The Pomodoro Technique
Developed in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, the Pomodoro technique provides an effective solution to procrastination. By setting a 25-minute timer with five minute breaks between, Francesco’s timer allows him to stay focused on tasks without distractions – stretching, checking phones or social media, doodling or deep breathing can all provide opportunities for rejuvenation during these breaks. Recording completed Pomodoros can also make it easier to show your productivity in meetings or to your manager while remaining motivated!
Pomodoro works particularly well for people working in creative or high-pressure environments, such as writers, software engineers and designers. This timer helps break a large project down into smaller, more manageable chunks while providing opportunities to take regular short breaks to prevent mental fatigue.
Resisting the temptation to keep going once your timer rings can be challenging, but with commitment you can push through and experience the satisfaction of completing a Pomodoro! If someone interrupts, politely inform them you are engaged in a Pomodoro and negotiate or schedule a call back; during breaks give yourself small treats such as gummy bears or M&Ms!
Pop Your Phone Out Of Reach
If you find studying to be distracting, one of the best life hacks for students to keep on hand is taking steps to remove your phone from reach – this can help focus on what needs to be done while decreasing chances of social media binges later. Or alternatively you could set time locks to block certain apps when studying.
Keep your workspace neat and orderly to avoid breeding grounds for germs and bacteria that could negatively impact your health. Do your best to clean at least once each week, wash towels and bed linens regularly and wipe down objects you use often – prioritising sleep is also essential part of student life as this will enable you to perform better academically, physically and emotionally.
Binder clips can also be a helpful way to perform various useful tasks, including fixing the feet on your keyboard, drying sponges more quickly, creating a desktop phone stand, holding cords or wires in place or organizing stationery supplies. To create your own DIY organizer for stationery use old plastic jars glued together – filling each with all of your supplies will save time as no searching will be required when searching for that essential pen or paper!
Keep It Organised
As a student, life can often feel like an exhausting juggling act between academic responsibilities, social life and sleep responsibilities. One simple way to keep everything manageable is keeping your schedule in order with a daily checklist or color coding your tasks so that each completed task provides that satisfying sense of completion.
One helpful hack is keeping a small snack with you while reading, so that when you finish each paragraph or page you can reward yourself. A gummy bear or M&M works well as rewards; for something more nutritious but low in sugar try almonds or dried fruit instead. Be wary of caffeine intake though as too much may interfere with focus and possibly harm mental wellbeing.
Mirrors, frames, and glass surfaces make great alternatives for use with dry erase markers when it comes to creating quick to-do lists, notes, or formulas if you don’t have access to a whiteboard. Just remember to wipe them down afterwards! Additionally, don’t forget to keep your room or dorm space organized regularly as clutter breeds germs; keeping things tidier will keep germs at bay and help ensure a healthier and more focused living space overall. It will also help your brain feel less scattered by random reminders or distractions when studying!
