College Hacks (8 page)

Being in a green setting or even glancing at the color green can make you more creative.

Talking to yourself may seem crazy, but it can actually lead to increased behavioral performance, better task performance, and can make you feel better about yourself. But only if you use the 2nd person (you/your).

Try the Sleep Cycle app for the iPhone. This bio–alarm clock measures your sleep cycle and wakes you up at the lightest point in your sleep, which means no more groggy mornings!

Studies show that having plants where you study/do homework can help you think more clearly and recall more information. This is due to the fact that our brains benefit from the exposure to nature.

Sitting on a medicine ball instead of a chair while doing homework can improve your focus and productivity by 50%.

The 80/20 rule: 20 percent of your day produces 80 percent of your results, so by minimizing things that don’t matter as much in your school day, you will maximize your overall productivity.

Music with a strong beat stimulates brain waves, which improves human concentration even after you’ve stopped listening.

Simple breathing technique that helps you regain focus: Breathe in while counting to 3, breathe out while counting to 4.

Play a game on your phone for 3 minutes right after you wake up. This will prepare your mind for the school day and make getting up much easier.

Need to remember to take something with you when you leave the house in the morning? Put it in your shoe so you can’t leave without it.

The average person will spend 13.6 years of their life watching television. Imagine the things you could accomplish just by cutting that in half!

Declutter your work space. A tidy desk equals a tidy mind.

1. The Power Nap (10–20 Minutes): Good for a quick pick-me-up and getting straight back to work.
   
2. The NASA Nap (26 Minutes): Best before tackling a pile of homework after a long day at school, and was proven by scientists to improve pilot performance by 34% and alertness by 54%.
   
3. The Bad Nap (30 Minutes): This nap is so common but should be avoided due to the fact that it causes sleep inertia, also known as that groggy sleep hangover.
   
4. The Slow-Wave (60 Minutes): Helps promote cognitive memory processing. Best before a big presentation, meeting, or interview.
   
5. The Full Sleep Cycle (90 Minutes): Good for creativity, emotional memory, and procedural memory. Best before a project deadline or a big test/exam.
   

It may sound absurd but looking at pictures of cute baby animals has been proven to increase concentration and productivity by up to 44%.

Measure the length of your hand from the end of your palm to the top of your middle finger. Memorize that number. Now you can judge the size of anything without a ruler.

Need some motivation? Take a shower. Being clean is proven to increase your productivity.

One of the most valuable things you can learn to do while at school is to say “no” without explaining yourself.

Listening to music for at least 10 minutes each day strengthens your mind’s ability to handle stress.

You’re more likely to stay focused on your schoolwork while working in a blue room.

Ignore your e-mails, unfinished homework, and last-minute studying when you first wake up in the morning. Your morning foreshadows your whole day, so spend it getting a good breakfast, reading the news, meditating, or working out. You’ll be much more productive for the rest of the day.

By ditching the car and taking public transit to school, your mind and hands will be free to get things done on your commute.

Tape some thumbtacks to your snooze button and you’ll never be late for your 8
A.M.
class again.

Not in the mood to do a project that’s due tomorrow? Force yourself to start it. By doing this you can quickly get into the groove of things, and that groove can last hours.

Telling people your goals will push you toward achieving them due to the fact that you will be held accountable for your results.

It’s been proven that peppermint stimulates brain activity and makes you concentrate better.

Think positively. Positivity, especially in the future tense, speeds up the creation of cells and reduces stress and anxiety, which actually kill brain neurons.

Singing in the shower daily can help boost your immunity, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve your mood.

Get stuck in a traffic jam on the way to class? Pay attention to which lane the 18 wheelers are using. They have radios and usually let one another know which lanes to avoid.

It’s been proven that lying on your right side will help you fall asleep faster than lying on your left.

Never hesitate to take breaks. You can’t always be working at 100%. Instead, try to work in shorter bursts.

Make a “leave the dorm” mixtape. Plan a playlist according to the amount of time it takes for you to get ready in the morning. That way when the last song comes on you’ll know it’s almost time to go.

1. Visualize your end product before starting something.
   
2. Break your tasks into smaller tasks.
   
3. Make a routine out of your diet and plan meals ahead of time.
   
4. Think of laziness as a battle; successful people do not let laziness win.
   
5. Set up a daily routine.
   
6. Repeat affirmations like “I can accomplish my goal” and “I won’t let laziness win.”
   
7. Treat your time like money.
   
8. Exercise daily.
   
9. Get the right amount of sleep.
   
10. Focus on doing one task at a time.
    

Pick a study partner who is 100% focused. Nothing will stop you from procrastinating better than looking over at a partner who is completely focused on the work.

Always do your least favorite task of the day first thing in the morning. Simply knowing you’ve completed your most dreaded task will make you much more productive for the rest of the day.

Hitting snooze on your alarm can make you more tired than if you had gotten up right away.

The Two-Minute Rule: If you see something that needs doing and it can be completed within two minutes, do it immediately.

Have a long lecture you have to watch on YouTube? Go to settings and opt for the 2x speed. It will sound a little funny at first but you can easily understand what is said and watch it in half the time!

Your location and surroundings are everything when it comes to being productive. Experiment with doing your schoolwork in a few different places like your dorm room, library, and local coffee shop, and see what works best for you.

If you brush your teeth (and do other small tasks) with the wrong hand you force the brain to work differently. Your self-control will improve.

Research shows writing goals down will significantly improve your optimism (even six months later), and raise your success rates significantly.

Being surrounded by the color yellow helps you stay focused. Yellow decreases the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy.

Color the top edge of your Post-it notes with a marker so you’ll always know which side is the sticky. This means no more accidental upside-down or sideways notes.

• Underbed storage
  
• Storage bins
  
• Hamper
  
• Laundry basket
  
• Clothes hangers
  
• Coat hooks
  
• Shoe rack
  
• Closet organizers
  
• Drawer organizers
  
• Closet rods
  
• Vacuum
  
• Tool kit
  
• Wall mirror
  
• Drying rack
  
• Shower caddy
  
• Bed risers
  

A high GPA looks good on paper, but networking and building connections is what gets you a job.

No matter how slowly you progress, you’re still ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.

Keep a card with all your emergency contact numbers and medical information on it in your wallet. It could save your life someday.

If you want to sound sick when calling in sick, lie on your back while hanging your head over the edge of the bed. You’ll sound congested.

Make a password from a goal of yours so you’re constantly reminded of it.

When you talk, you are repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.

1. Always back up your files.
   
2. Take smart notes. There’s nothing worse than trying to study notes that aren’t properly formatted and missing some of the major points.
   
3. Resolve issues with your roommates. Don’t let them build to the point where you hate each other.
   
4. Always set and stick to your budget.
   
5. The freshman 15 is real.
   
6. Don’t put partying first.
   
7. Go to every class. You never know when your professor will give crucial test hints or extra credit for attendance.
   
8. Get a credit card solely to build credit and for emergencies. Keep in mind that this is not free money.
   
9. Don’t drink too much coffee. You can get the same energy from staying hydrated, eating well, and getting enough sleep.
   
10. Register for classes on time. This can help you avoid having to do an extra semester or summer courses.
    

The key to confidence is walking into a room and assuming everyone already likes you.

The biggest lie you will tell yourself in college is “I don’t need to write that down, I’ll remember it.”

Finding it hard to meet people at school? Go outside when it’s raining with a huge umbrella. You’ll meet tons of people in no time!

Can’t concentrate on school because you have an annoying song stuck in your head? Sing or listen to the song all the way to the end. People tend to remember unfinished things better; this is called the Zeigarnik effect.

The date rape drug Rohypnol tastes very salty. If your drink suddenly has a salty taste, stop drinking it immediately.

Never keep condoms in your wallet. After just a month in there, they have a 50% greater chance of breaking.

Find three hobbies you love: one to make you money, one to keep you in shape, and one to be creative.

Wearing headphones does not make your farts silent. Keep this in mind while studying in the library.

When you feel like you need something, but you can’t figure out what it is, it’s water. It’s always water.

In your school bathroom, the stall that is the closest to the door is usually the cleanest because it’s the least used.

When meeting people for the first time, try to use their name in conversation. This will establish a sense of trust and friendship right away.

Learning from your mistakes is wise, learning from the mistakes of others is quicker and easier.

Never be afraid to spend a little extra on a new bed and shoes. If you’re not in one, you’re in the other.

Looking into companies to apply to after you finish school? On
www.GlassDoor.com
you can read real reviews and find out what it’s like to work there before you actually do.

Never sleep naked. If there is some kind of emergency in your dorm, it might be too late to put something on.

The easiest way to build up your GPA is to do well at the start of the year when classes and assignments are easier.

Get caught doing something embarrassing on campus? Just say you lost a bet.

If your sleeping pattern is off due to early classes or pulling an all-nighter, try this: Stop eating during the 12–16-hour period before you want to be awake. Once you start eating again, your internal clock will reset, telling your body it’s the start of a new day.

Never send your resume to someone as a Word document (unless asked). Send it as a PDF file since it’s much cleaner and more professional-looking.

Playing some Frisbee on campus? Use the same arm motion as if you were whipping a towel. This will ensure a straight throw every time.

The best way to get the right answer on the Internet is not to ask a question, it’s to post the wrong answer.

Don’t ever leave a college sports game early. The most historic games were made in the final seconds.

1. Drink a lot of water.
   
2. Get more than 7 hours sleep per night.
   
3. Wash your face twice a day.
   
4. Have a bath with Epsom salts.
   
5. Keep your dorm room clean and organized.
   
6. Eat fresh fruit.
   
7. Leave time for yourself.
   
8. Think positively.
   
9. Exercise regularly.
   
10. Listen to music.
    

The first thing people notice about you, subconsciously, is your shoes. Dress to impress.

Want to find a good job after college? Make friends with as many people in your field as you can who are on track to graduate one or two years ahead of you.

Going to bed after 11:30
P.M.
on school nights is associated with lower GPA and susceptibility to emotional problems.

Buying school supplies online? Only read the three-star reviews. They’re usually the most honest about the pros and cons.