College is the best time in almost every person’s life. For many students, it’s the first time they’re away from home and off on their own.
The number of students attending universities has risen by about 5.1 million since the year 2000. More education is always a good thing, but many of these students are looking for advice on how to better utilize their time.
Ahead, we take a look at ten daily life hacks any college student can use. Whether it’s time management or making the best of what you have, you’re sure to learn at least a few helpful tips.
Let’s count them down.
10. How to Remember Your Schedule
We’ll get the boring tips out of the way at the beginning and start with some organization daily life hacks. There’s never a better time to learn time management and organization than when you’re in college.
It’s always hard to remember where and when your classes are when you start a new semester. You’ll see seniors and freshman alike walking the halls, pulling out their schedules, and searching for their classes.
To avoid this, take a picture of your schedule and set is as a lock-screen to your phone. This way, you’ll always have your schedule in your pocket and have an easier time keeping track of where you need to be.
9. Color Coding
On a similar note, color-coding your notebooks will save you a considerable amount of time when you’re getting ready. You can grab all the notebooks you need for the day, and quickly pull them from your backpack while you’re in class.
Employment rates for college graduates are far higher than they are for people who never attended college. A lot of this has to do with the organization and time management skills college students learn.
8. The Many Uses of Toilet Paper Rolls
College students need to save everything they can. Toilet paper rolls have a wide range of uses once they’ve served their original purpose.
You can use one of these rolls to hold your pens and pencils for your room. College students lose pens and pencils every day. Using a toilet paper roll to keep them in one spot will help keep your organized.
You can also use a toilet paper roll as a holder for USB cords and other wires. If you have specific chargers, keep them in a toilet paper roll with a note, so you know which is which.
Not only does this strategy keep everything organized, but it also limits clutter that is so common in college dorms and apartments.
7. Pot-Free Coffee
College is where caffeine dependency develops for a lot of students. One study showed that college students drank at least one to four energy drinks per month.
Energy drinks the unhealthy alternative to coffee, but for some students, it’s the easiest choice. Many schools ban coffee makers from their dorms because of the potential fire hazard it presents.
Thankfully, there’s a way to make coffee without using a coffee pot at all!
Cut the bottom out of a styrofoam coffee cup and attach a filter to the bottom using a rubber band. Turn the cup upside-down, and fill the top with your coffee grounds.
Place the cup on top of your coffee mug. Finally, pour some boiling water into the cup. Voila! You have coffee without using a coffee maker.
6. Egg Carton Trick
Laptops are the lifeblood of college students. Without a laptop, it’s impossible to get any work done. For this reason, it’s critical to keep your laptop in good-shape while you’re completing your assignments.
College students often run into the problem of their laptop overheating. You can buy an expensive attachment to cool your laptop, or you could just use a few discarded egg cartons to help.
Turn over the cartons and put your laptop on top of them. This technique will work on both a desk and your lap.
The cartons allow air to flow through your laptop, keeping it cool and functional. It’s a lot easier to do this than it is to go to your school’s tech support once or twice a month.
5. Morning Classes Made Easy
If you’re not a morning person, waking up is probably the worst experience in a given day. College is the time where many students discover the “snooze” button, and use it for as long as they possibly can.
Oversleeping isn’t unique to college life, but it’s easy to convince yourself to skip a morning class if you’re still recovering from the night before.
To help you get up, put your phone in a cup to amplify the sound. Place your phone in a spot that requires you to get up to hit the alarm. Instead of oversleeping, you’ll have no choice but to get up to stop the alarm.
4. Grocery Shopping Hack
Grocery lists are outdated, and many students do their shopping by memory. This leaves the door open to mistakes, requiring you to go back to the store and buy what you forgot.
Instead, take a picture of your fridge and cabinets before going to the store. These pictures will tell you what you already have, and remind you what you need to buy.
5. Daily Life Hacks For Saving Money
One of the best daily life hacks for saving money is creating a change jar. If you buy most of your items in cash, you’ll end up with a bunch of change.
Instead of losing the change or letting it sit in a drawer, pool the money with roommates and buy some groceries or beer with the money. You may find you have enough to throw a party at the end of the semester.
4. The Two-Bowl Method
Microwave space is always at a premium, especially if you have multiple roommates.
Instead of creating a line in front of the microwave, use a mug to get the most out of one trip. Put one bowl on the tray, and one on a mug, so it’s a bit higher. Now, you can fit two bowls in the microwave and cut dorm cooking time in half.
3. Fan Febreeze
It’s no secret that college apartments and dorm rooms can get pretty stinky. After a few months, there’s probably a funk that requires a bottle of Fabreeze to fix.
Instead, strap a couple of dryer sheets to a fan or AC unit. This device will provide ongoing odor protection for your room whenever you turn it on.
2. Binder Clips for Fridge Space
The mini-fridge is a staple of any college dorm. Unfortunately, mini-fridges don’t have much space for food or drinks.
To cut-down on wasted space, use a binder clip to hold and stack your beer or soda. You can create a pyramid, held in place by just a binder clip. This technique is sturdy as well, so you don’t have to worry about them toppling over at the smallest movement.
1. Pizza Box Dust Pan
College apartments and dorm rooms are messy. Most students have a broom, but not everyone has a dustpan to go with it.
Instead of trying to sweep your mess directly into the trashcan or flinging it in the hall for someone else to deal with, use a pizza box!
Cut off the top of the pizza box and use it as a dustpan. There’s no need to buy one in the store when you likely have a perfectly good pizza box sitting around.
Hacking College Life
These daily life hacks will help you improve your performance in class and save you a ton of time. You can even take some of these tips with you when you enter the professional world.
Take a look at our blog for any life hack you need!