Written by Let’s be honest: Studying can feel quite overwhelming, especially when you’re faced with new responsibilities or still adapting to new routines and learning environments.
If you’re currently juggling your in-school and home schedules, having difficulty understanding a specific lesson in class, feeling the pressure to get good grades, or you’re trying to keep up with assignments that have crept up on you at once and their deadlines seem like ghosts, constantly haunting you at night, then having healthier and better study habits will be a huge help for you.
“Study smarter, not harder.”
I think you’ve already heard of this phrase before, and it’s true! The key to achieving a more organized student life (keeping your school responsibilities in check while also maintaining your social life) is to do day-to-day activities more simply and smartly.
Trust me. You don’t need to invest extra effort and time to complete all of your seemingly endless tasks. You only need to have a few, or should I say, an ample amount of tricks up your sleeve to get things done without feeling like you’re always in a pickle.
If you’re wondering what these tricks are, don’t you worry. I’ve got you all covered. Here are some of the best life hacks I’ve found that will not only increase your productivity, boost your memory, maximize learning, but also simplify your life and help you achieve a better school-life balance.
Phone in a Glass
If you’re a heavy sleeper and you find it hard to wake up on time, or you can sleep through numerous alarms like they are lullabies, then try putting your phone in a glass (without water, of course!) You can even try to put your phone on vibrate. Doing this will help turn up the volume and wake you up to start your day.
Dunk an Oreo Cookie in Milk Without Getting Messy
There’s always been a fuss about whether or not you should dunk an oreo cookie (or cookies in general) in milk, and let me tell you. There’s no right or wrong way. It all boils down to preferences.
But if you’re a “dunker” like me, I’m sure you’re well aware of the only problem we always encounter when doing this: Getting your fingers messy. Guess what- I know a hack to help you solve this, and it’s to dunk them with a fork.
All you need to do is insert the fork into the cream filling, but be careful not to push it too hard or too far. You don’t want the cookie to separate, crumble, break. Now you can dunk your oreo cookie in the milk with your fingers staying dry and clean.
Easy Shoe Tie Method
If you’re struggling with tying your shoelaces every morning, or if you find your usual method so time-consuming, no problem. I can teach you the Cheerio method, which can be an alternative way of tying shoes the easier way.
The first thing you need to do is cross your laces with the one in the front going over the one in the back and through—just how you typically do when starting to tie your shoes. Next is to make a knot (don’t tighten it all the way), and leave a circle or gap as small as a cheerio.
Grab one of the shoelaces, put it through the hole, and then do the same process for the other shoelace. After this, you can pull the set of bunny ears to finish the know.
Here is a more advanced method that will help keep them from getting untied, which is a common problem.
Dripping Ice Cream Cones
Do you love eating ice cream cones and popsicles but hate getting your hands messy or fingers sticky because it’s dripping? The solution here is a cupcake liner!
You can either use a foil or paper cupcake liner—either one would work just fine! You only need to poke a hole into the cupcake liner and slip it up until it reaches the ice cream cone or popsicle’s base. The cupcake liner will catch any drips and keep them from trickling down. Now you can hold eat your favorite treat without any worries!
Mark the End of the Tape
Let’s say you’re in dire need of adhesive or tape to mend a book page that you accidentally ripped off, and you want to fix it immediately. You finally found the tape in your drawer, but you can’t seem to find the end of it. Have you ever experienced this? It’s kind of frustrating, right?
Well. One simple hack you can do to finally end the days of always searching for its edges every time you need to use it is to either fold the edge of the tape or mark the end with a paperclip after using.
Clean an Eraser the Right Way
Have you ever experienced trying to erase pencil marks but instead of making the surface clean, it ended up getting soiled even more? That’s probably because your eraser is too dirty. How do you clean it, so it doesn’t leave unsightly streaks and smears anymore?
You can use a blank, clean sheet of paper or sandpaper to get rid of the dirty outer layer of your eraser. Just rub the dirty or discolored areas of the eraser against the blank sheet of paper or sandpaper while scanning which areas need to be scrubbed harder.
Don’t forget to brush away the shavings to prevent them from re-smudging your eraser. Do this process until you’re sure the eraser is clean.
Determine your Learning Style
There’s no such thing as the ultimate or right learning method because each of us understands, processes, and retains information quite differently. Some of us may learn best by seeing things, while others may learn best by hearing or listening. Some of us may learn most efficiently by actually doing things or engaging in physical activities.
Becoming aware of your learning style is important because you get to know the study habits that would work best for you and develop strategies that maximize your learning potential. It also enables you to see studying as an enjoyable thing because you’re learning things “your way” and at your own pace.
You can check this comprehensive article written by @78679wizard for an in-depth explanation of the Four Learning Styles.
And if you don’t know what your learning style is yet, you can take this learning style test.
(By the way, I’m an auditory learner. How about you? Comment yours below.)
Establish Priorities and Set Goals
You can establish priorities and set goals by creating a study schedule. You can use a planner, a simple notebook, or even a planner app on your phone if you have one. Doing this will help you identify which tasks you need to work on first, keep track of responsibilities, and help you manage your time better.
Start by creating a To-Do list for each day. Write the highly important or difficult activities and work your way down to the easier or less-important activities. Make sure to include the amount of time you’re going to allot for each task.
You can also write down subjects you need to study and rank each subject depending on the level of difficulty. It will help you determine which ones you need to dedicate more time to, especially if there are approaching exams.
Once you have accomplished a particular task, remember to check or cross off the task from your list. Doing this will not only help you organize but will also give you a sense of accomplishment.
Pomodoro Study Method
If it’s your first time learning about Pomodoro Study Method, you might be wondering what it is. Well, do not fret. It’s really simple, and I’ll explain how this popular technique works now to you. Here is the step-by-step guide:
- Get your to-do list (if you don’t have any yet, then create one) and a timer.
- Pick a task from your list.
- Set your timer for 25 minutes.
- Pomodoro Session: Work and focus on the specific task until the time is up. Make sure there are no distractions!
- Mark off the task from your list.
- Take a break for five minutes.
- After every four Pomodoro sessions, take a longer break (15-30 minutes)
It’s also good to remember if your selected task is quite complicated and requires more than five to seven Pomodoro sessions, you can break down the task into smaller steps.
Doing the Pomodoro Study Method will help you battle procrastination because you can better manage your time and stay focused on the task at hand. It also enhances productivity and concentration while keeping your mind fresh due to the frequent short breaks.
Reward Yourself
Every time you accomplish a task or reach a goal, treat yourself. The reward doesn’t need to be luxurious. It could be as simple as eating your favorite food, playing a video game, watching a tv series or your favorite show, or maybe going outside—anything that works best for you and uplifts you!
It also has to be something you think will match the achievement and help you have something to look forward to.
Keep Your Overall Well-being in Check
It’s important to keep yourself in good condition, and that includes your physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being. That said, you can engage in activities that will help you nurture these aspects, also known as a self-care routine.
You can take time for activities or hobbies that make you happy or try out new things to discover new parts of yourself. You can also try to participate in physical activities or find a game or sport you enjoy. It’s also good to connect to family and friends, try meditating to enhance your peace of mind, and maybe even try to detach from social media now and then.
Talking to trusted people around you, such as your family members and friends, can also help ease the weight off of you. You can also ask for help, especially if you have a lot on your plate. There’s nothing wrong with that. You can try this when you have assignments and projects continuously piling up or if you have an upcoming exam and you want a companion in studying.
Doing these things will keep your overall well-being in a good condition and keep you from burning out, especially if you’re stressed out with all the school load.
Don’t Be Hard on Yourself
It’s so easy to fall down the rabbit hole of guilt, embarrassment, and frustration, especially when you’re having difficulty learning a specific lesson or you’re making lots of mistakes while learning. So, here’s a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself.
Allow room for mistakes, and don’t strive for perfection. It’s not good to put yourself down over errors. As long as you’re trying and doing your best to study and learn, that’s already good enough. Don’t forget to acknowledge the progress you have made, even if it’s only a simple step forward.
Reminding yourself of these can help you have a better learning experience, motivate you to improve, and help you achieve your future goals.
That’s all for the best life hacks I’ve gathered, and I hope you liked it. You can start incorporating these into your everyday life.
Before I end this here, here are some Best Study Tips you can also try and practice at home.
