#1 – More uses for your phone

Since you’re already surgically attached to your smartphone, why not use it for more than just your social media fan base.

• Turn your phone into an amplifier

Image source: youtube.com

All you need is a couple cheap plastic cups and a cardboard toilet paper roll. The DIY concept should not scare off any college student, so get to it, it’s easier than you think.

Cut a circular opening the diameter of the toilet paper tube into one side of both cups and then attach them to the open ends of the tube. That’s it.

There are a lot of other ways to turn up the volume of the phone, like using a magazine, or a pipe tube, all in handy when your small gathering turns into a full blown party.

• You snooze, you lose

8 a.m classes are though. If you had a slow start on registration day, chances are you have at least one early class.

There a lot of reasons to stick with them, especially since you get to finish your classes early, enjoy that extra time in the afternoon to do whatever you want.

If hitting the snooze button has become your second nature, here’s how to get rid of that habit and never be late again. Put our phone in an empty pint glass, by your bed. This way, you’ll have the extra decibels created from the Echo Chamber Effect in the empty glass and you won’t be able to ignore that easily. 

Image source: https: blog.getgrover.com/en/

#2 – Use your resources

• Organize

If by chance, you didn’t do this by now, it’s high time you had a proper, official email address. Full name, no nickname, no band name in it.

Get organized. Set up Reminders, Events and Google Alerts. Don’t hold up too much of your memory space with things that can be easily stored elsewhere and make sure you never miss a thing.

Use Google Docs for writing and saving your papers.

• Work smart

If you are cramming for an exam and can’t get your head around a difficult subject, try looking it up on Google and adding “filetype:ppt” to your search. You’ll get your hands on lecture Power Points for free.

No textbook at hand, no worry! Type the name of the textbook together with “filetype:pdf” to scan the web for available online copies.

Use Google Scholar for research of a variety of sources, including academic publishers, universities and preprint depositories. Perfect for assignment writing.

#3 – Learning hacks

As the excitement of the first week is replaced by terms and papers, you have to figure out a system that works for you. Adapt along the way, stay open and trust the process.

• No distractions

  • Increase productivity by toning down distractions. Chrome extensions like StayFocused, boost your productivity by limiting the amount of time that you can spend on time-wasting websites.

• Be more effective