College is An Experience (with capital letters), and that Experience can be a lot of things: Eye-opening; transformative; very, very, very fun; and more. One thing it does not have to be, though, is astronomically stressful, thanks to these incredibly helpful college life hacks from the How To Adult YouTube channel. There really is a life hack for every occasion, and college is no exception.
I'll be honest, though: I'm always a little wary of hacks that promise to make college easier. The whole premise — a bunch of high-achieving babies in close proximity being told repeatedly that the grade they get in Anthro 101 could determine the trajectory of the rest of their lives — is inherently stressful. Right? Like, don't get me wrong — college was awesome; however, I also I didn't get a full eight hours of sleep for four years, and I ate about two vegetables the whole time.
But the hacks from the How To Adult folks aren't promising to alleviate every bit of unpleasantness. Instead, they're giving you some easy-to-follow tools that make things manageable. And they're great research-based concepts that I hadn't heard before! Especially the time-saving and study tips. I can't wait to try these.... the next time I'm in school. Which might be never? HA. Just kidding, Mom, I promise I'm studying for the GRE.
Here are my favorites; scroll down to watch the full video for more.
1. Quiz Yourself
Your brain learns material best from what it can recall, so make quizzes for yourself out of your notes, assignments, and readings. This helps you identify the big ideas and break the concepts into digestible bits.
2. Rehearse for Your Big Exam
Take those self-made quizzes in the same room that your real exam will be in — or, at the very least, try to recreate the upcoming situation. Time yourself! Turn those headphones off!
3. Divide and Conquer
Known as the David Allan method, the "Get Things Done" technique delineates between a "task" and a "project." A project is comprised of two or more tasks, and dividing it into individual steps can make it seem a whole lot less daunting.
4. Give Yourself A Break
Research shows that giving yourself brief breaks improves focus and productivity overall. Now, this technique is not ideal for someone who is in a time crunch, so keep that in mind if you're in the middle of an all-nighter and that history paper is due at 9 a.m.
5. Keep Applying for Scholarships
Just because you're already in college doesn't mean you can't be awarded additional help along the way. Look for scholarships outside of your academic institution. Even just a little extra money can make a huge difference!
Check out the full video below for more tips 'n' tricks!
Images: Moyan Brenn/Flickr; How To Adult/YouTube (6)
