College can be an overwhelming experience. With classes, studying, social life, and a looming career path to look forward to, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. That's why it's important to arm yourself with strategies that will help you stay organized and productive.
In this article, we'll give you 11 college life hacks for student success so you can manage your course load and make the most of your time on campus. We'll cover tools for staying organized, boosting productivity, and time management tips for busy college students.
With these 11 college life hacks, you'll be well on your way to discovering a new level of success as an educated adult!
Buy or rent your books instead in advance
Buying or renting books ahead of time can save you significant amounts of money (and a headache!). You’ll want to get familiar with buying and renting books in advance.
The right bookstore can be your key to not just saving money, but also gaining access to the best resources faster. Many bookstores offer texts used on college campuses at discounted prices.
Book rentals can also be an effective way to keep your costs down during school. When searching online for book rentals, double-check that the store sends the most recently published edition and make sure it’s the one your professor requires.
So, look into buying used books as an even more cost-saving option. Many times they are less expensive than their new counterparts, yet still have all of their pages intact!
Make a proper schedule
Creating a daily schedule is a great way to stay organized and ensure you complete all of your important studies and tasks. The trick is to be realistic about how much time you can dedicate for each activity.
When putting together your daily schedule, make sure to include blocks for studying, long-term projects, extracurricular activities, leisurely activities, time for doing chores and errands, time for eating meals throughout the day and uninterrupted sleep.
Having an individualized structure that fits into your unique lifestyle is crucial for successful managing of college life. Schedule every second of the day when possible - but real life doesn't always work in neat boxes so be flexible with changes as needed!
Plus remember that it's ok to give yourself designated times off or take a break here and there; make sure your schedule helps create balance in your life rather than burnout.
Don't forget to take notes
Taking notes is one of the best college life hacks because they help you to learn and retain information. Effective note-taking skills can be your key to success in college.
The right notes, taken in an organized way, will help you focus on the main points presented by your professor, or when doing research or reading books. With these notes, you'll be able to easily review course material before tests and exams.
When taking notes, it's important to pay attention to the structure of the lecture, listen carefully and write down just key points instead of complete sentences. This will make it easier to summarize afterward as well as refer back quickly when revising for tests and exams.
Lastly, don't forget to review your notes after each class session and revise them if necessary; this will ensure you're not missing any important information!
Pick a proper study spot
Finding the perfect study spot is one of the essential college life hacks for student success. It can be a critical factor in whether or not you're able to focus and excel in your classes.
The best spot for studying will be somewhere that's quiet, distraction-free, and has enough natural light to keep you awake! This could be a library, dorm room, library carrel, communal space in your residence hall, office hours with your professor, or even a local café.
Give yourself options to stay focused. For example: if the library is too loud and crowded when you want to concentrate, try going on different days or times when it's less packed. Just remember - don't choose a spot with too many distractions (like your friend's dorm lounge).
Find a study group
Finding or joining a study group is one of the best college life hacks for student success. It's because it can help to break up the monotony of studying, while keeping you focused and productive.
Grouping together with other student(s) can help generate creative solutions that you might not have come up with on your own. Also, working in a study group provides a great opportunity to learn from each other, ask questions, and discuss ideas.
When it comes to finding a quality study group for yourself, try checking out online forums associated with your university or even searching for local Facebook groups. That way you can find students who share common goals or classes in order to create an optimal learning environment.
Not only will this make studying easier, it’ll be more fun too since you get to work alongside peers instead of alone!
Don't try to memorize but comprehend instead
Memorizing facts and figures is one of the key aspects of college life. However, if you are only memorizing what you study then it's not really going to help you be successful.
Instead of memorizing the material, try to comprehend it on a deeper level. Research has found that when we comprehend something, we retain it better and gain greater understanding!
This will also help in exam preparation as essays often require more than just memorized facts. When you comprehend material, you can analyze and apply it in creative ways that demonstrate true understanding.
Plus, when you're studying for exams, take breaks regularly so your mind absorbs information easier. Then get back to studying with a clear head and comprehend what's on the page instead relying on memory alone!
Include your review sessions
Include review sessions into your college life and you'll be better prepared for your midterms and finals. This will help you ace that upcoming exam, hands down!
The key to review sessions is going beyond just re-reading your notes or assignments. Ask yourself questions about the material and come up with creative ways to remember the concepts you're learning in class.
There are online practice tests, flash cards, memory games - all of which give you different approaches to studying from than typical book reading. Plus, review sessions allow you to keep up with your studies even when the semester gets hectic!
By making sure that you carve out enough time to adequately review for exams, you increase your chances of a great test score that can bump up your overall grade. Investing in some quality preparation will pay off in spades come exam time!
Know your weaknesses
Knowing your weaknesses is essential to success in college. Take the time to identify which areas need extra attention in order for you to be successful.
Once you've identified one or two weaknesses, make a plan to improve them. Practice the skills you need help with regularly and seek out additional support when necessary.
You can even use simple lifestyle changes such as better sleep, diet and exercise routines to boost your energy and help focus on school work.
In addition, think about investing more of your energy into activities that attract more positive attention from professors—or taking courses that challenge and develop your skill set—as these can also help strengthen any weak areas in your academic performance.
Prepare your studying material
If you want to succeed as a student, you must prepare your studying materials. Gather all of the necessary books, notes, articles, and digital resources needed for your studying because it will help make learning efficient.
Having a plan or schedule is the best way to manage reading materials and studying activities. Give yourself plenty of time to review the course material that builds up over the semester rather than cramming at the end.
Take special care to organize your notes in study guides so that they are more effective when it comes time for review. Label each book with post-it notes so that you can quickly find key points from which to develop deep-level reviews of important information.
When you’ve gathered everything for study sessions make sure it’s easily accessible and organized in such a way that you maximize productivity during homework and exams.
Don't make your preparation last minute
Last minute preparations are a surefire way to stress out and lower your chances of success. If you begin preparing for tests or assignments at the last minute, you're not giving yourself enough time to process the material needed for success.
Instead of waiting till the last minute, learn to plan ahead! Give yourself ample time so you can review materials, do practice exams and other activities that will help you ace the course!
All successful students start their work in advance rather than cramming it all on one night. Start early and break projects up into manageable tasks that are spread out over weeks instead of days. Not only will this give you a better understanding of the material, it'll also result in better grades and less stress before an assignment is due!
Don't forget to take breaks
When you embark on the student life journey, you'll be inundated with new material. Focusing on studying non-stop isn't a great idea.
Don't forget to take breaks! Your body and brain need rest in order to absorb the material that you're learning.
If you want your study breaks to be effective, they should last at least 10 minutes so your mind can refocus when you return to work.
Some of the best activities are going for short walks outdoors, reading a fiction book or making yourself something nice to eat. Breaks also give you an opportunity to connect with friends, which will make college life much more enjoyable for you!
Ask for help if you need it
Asking for help if you need it is one of the best college life hacks you can use. It's understandable to be a bit proud and want to tackle a challenge alone, but asking for help can actually save you time and energy in the long run.
If you don't know something, or are having trouble grasping a concept, don't be afraid to speak up! Your professor, teaching assistant, librarian or classmates will be there to lend a helping hand.
Your academic success depends on your willingness to ask questions and seek assistance. Don't miss out on an opportunity to understand what is being taught. Asking for help isn't seen as weakness, so take advantage of all the resources that your university offers!
Also Read; 7 Habits of Highly Successful Students
Bottom Line
The bottom line of college life is that you want to put yourself in the best possible position for success. It's essential to stay organized from day one and learn what works best for you as an individual.
Take the time to find strategies that help you thrive, such as creating a routine schedule or joining study groups. Being able to manage your time, prioritize tasks, and have access to resources are all key factors in the college experience.
Remember, good grades alone won't get you through college—you have to be prepared with skills like problem-solving, creative thinking, motivation, self-discipline, and good time management. Make sure that you're doing everything you can during your college years so that by graduation you're well-rounded and ready for your next step in life!
Ok, that's it for today, we hope you enjoy reading and if so please don't forget to share with your friends. As you know at Harrington Housing, we're the biggest company when it comes to coliving.
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