5 College Life Hacks to Learn Before You Graduate

Welcome to college; the next four to five years can be the best years of your life. Like everyone who has been through higher education has found, there are ways to make college life easier. If you take advantage some of these college life hacks, you will find yourself being happier in your college years.

1. Location, Location, Location

When you’re making your class schedule, most people prioritize it by the time or professor. While those are good ways to figure out what classes you want to take, an important element tends to be ignored: location. If you schedule your classes in buildings that are close to one another, you will thank yourself later. When the weather outside is not ideal you won’t have to walk far, and you will save yourself some stress when trying to get to class on time.

2. Breaks make you smarter

If you have a huge test or project due soon, don’t try and study for seven hours straight. Almost everyone has heard that taking study breaks helps, but a lot of us tend to overlook this. Taking a small five-minute break every hour is probably one of the most helpful study hacks you could ever do. Your break will not only help give you some stress relief, but it is often where you get the best ideas. Stepping away gives you a chance to reflect on what you have been doing, so you usually end up seeing the bigger picture and come back refreshed. This will make what you’re doing more effective when you return to your work. You may also see what you have been doing hasn’t been working, and find a better, more efficient way to do your work.

3. Don’t do work that has already been done

There are tons of online resources, like Quizlet and classic Wikipedia, to help with school. If you need flashcards for a class or a book, there is a chance that there is a website that will already have them made for you. Sometimes these are created by students who have taken the same class and professor as you. Also, don’t ignore that textbook you paid five hundred dollars for, since, sometimes, they have really useful timelines or examples that your teacher has not shown you. Take advantage of your resources, and don’t waste your time when tools that can help are already available.

4. Treat Yo’self

There is nothing that can motivate you more than the promise of a reward at the end. If you are having trouble with procrastination, then tell yourself that you can watch an episode of your favorite show on Netflix, or get yourself a treat at your go-to restaurant, after you finish your paper or memorize a certain amount of flashcards. Also, try rewarding yourself for any small accomplishments, such as a good grade on a test or not missing a class that week.

5. Professors are your friends

If you feel like you’re taking on a class that either you don’t like or is going to be challenging, don’t be afraid to talk to your professor. Going up to them during office hours or after class and asking questions will normally lead to a friendly conversation, and having the professor know who you are can be advantageous when you have a problem or they are grading your papers.