Student life is one of the most creative and important times in everyone’s life because it comes with a bundle of opportunities to build a career in the right direction. And the best way to make the most out of your study is by enjoying it.
So, in this article I’m sharing 8 simple life hacks for students for turning the study into an easy and enjoyable process, avoid problems during exams, and make the most of their opportunities.
#1. Use social networks and messengers
Create a group on Facebook and invite all classmates to it. In this way, you will quickly get to know everyone. You can post a schedule of classes, scans of abstracts, and important announcements.
You can also create a general chat for communication and publish urgent news in one of the social networks, or in the place which is preferred by the majority of classmates.
#2. Learn more about teachers
Write down the names and phone numbers of all teachers. If they are late, you can always call and find out if the lecture will take place. It will save you from wasting precious time.
Additional information will not be useful. Ask the undergraduates about how specific teachers relate to skipping lectures, and how they behave in exams. This information will help avoid problems with strict teachers.
#3. Write down by hand
Some students turn on a voice recorder at lectures and just sit, looking into the void. Do not do this! A passively seated student annoys teachers, retains information poorly, and when he or she wants to repeat a lecture, it has to be rehearsed it entirely.
It is best to write notes by hand. Students who take notes by hand perceive the information better than those who type on a computer. In a notebook, you can draw diagrams and make notes, shorten sentences, and add drawings – this helps to better memorize information and shorten the time for memorization.
#4. Hand in essays and other papers on time
During exams, neurological tension is heightened, and the increasing academic backlog also adds extra weight on top of this. In such conditions, you can easily lead yourself to depression and burnout.
Around 40% of medical students suffer from this disorder. Burnout also occurs for students of other disciplines and often arises against the background of a high load during exams.
In order not to increase stress, start preparing in advance. In this case, you will not have to write a poor-quality paper during the night.
#5. Buy a printer
While studying, you will have to print many papers: essays, reports, coursework, and research papers. Some papers will be printed more than once, as no one is immune to making mistakes.
In such conditions, a compact, inexpensive printer is a good investment that will save your time and nerves. At the time of studying, it is worthwhile to choose something inexpensive to use.
#6. Use interval repetitions
To avoid having to learn everything anew before the exam, periodically look through your notes for the year. Use the interval repetition technique: repeat information at increasing intervals, at the moment when you begin to forget it.
For example, you can repeat the topic a week after the lecture – then in two weeks, in a month, and then two months. Gradually, knowledge will move into long-term memory. For the exam, you will only have to refresh the material, and not learn it again.
#7. Communicate and be active
Participate in student activities to expand your circle of communication, acquire connections that will be useful in the future, and show your talents. If you like organizational work, join the student council. You will be the first to learn about contests, grants, and trips, and you will learn how to organize events.
If you love to speak in public, you should participate in revues; if you want to show knowledge and erudition, sign up for quizzes and competitions; and if you are skilled in some kind of sport, you can participate in physical competitions at the university. These types of activities will earn you acquaintances, open up new opportunities, and ensure a good attitude from the dean’s office.
#8. Think about the future
Many people view the university as an opportunity to extend their childhood, and after graduating they have no idea what to do. To avoid this, from the first course of action, decide what you want to do next: continue to study in graduate school, engage in scientific activities, work in a prestigious company, or establish your own path. The years of studying in high school will fly by very quickly. Without a clear plan, you risk wasting this time of your life.
Communicate as much as possible. Go to seminars and masterclasses, and earn experience in the area in which you are going to work. Also, it’s never good to continue your studies if you suddenly realize that you have chosen the wrong path. Appreciate your time, and from being a successful student, you will grow into a valuable specialist.
