College Hacks to Make Life Easier

Photo by Kylee Weber

The final month of school is a stressful and exhausting time of the year: We have finals, sports and, most exciting, summer. However, our wallets are empty and our stress levels are full by the time summer is within reach. I am always one for saving money and making things simple.

These hacks can help you ace your next exam, save money and get creative while doing it.

1. Use Visa Gift Cards For trials online

We all have been in that stage in college where we have less than $20 in our bank account. However, we see a sale online: “80% off if your sign up for a trial.” For us, as college students, we can’t say no to a sale. But we sign up for the trial and forget to end our membership on the website. Then your wallet is empty.  Next time you see a trial online and can’t say no, try using a Visa Gift Card so you don’t have to worry about your card being charged and ending up broke. This lets us be safe on our end and saves our bank account in the long run.

2. Color coding/doodling helps you remember what you write

Finals are just around the corner, and who really likes looking at their notebook or screen for five hours without learning anything? By using color, your brain automatically remembers what you write or type. Get creative with your notes throughout the month of April and find yourself surprised in class when you get called on. You will see that your brain remembers what you wrote down in your favorite green gel pen!

3. Create a countdown until summer, and each day goes by faster

“Is it summer yet?” This question is beginning to flow throughout all of the college students’ heads this time of year. If you’re like me, you get excited for summer and realize it’s only a month away. For me and my roommates, we have a countdown in our room and on our phones. By doing this, it reminds us how close summer is. In the end, the days seem to go by quicker, and slowly, the number is getting smaller and smaller.

4. Can’t write fast enough? Take pictures

Being in high-level courses can become difficult in college. We become distracted, tired and unmotivated. We may have those classes where our professor talks way too fast and goes through the PowerPoint at a rapid pace. By taking a picture of the screen, it allows you to go back and write your notes. Or, if you are like me and rush through writing and can’t read your own handwriting when going over notes, taking pictures of the screen/board allows me to go back and re-write my notes. In the end, it helps me study and understand the material when I write at my own pace, not the professor’s.

5. Split the grocery list with your roommate

Athletes here have a difficult time going to the Café within their hours of operation. We also have our cravings for our favorite snacks and food. If your dorm room or house is like mine, we all have individual cravings, but a lot of them blend together. Create a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly grocery list and have everyone put in their cut of the money. This way, people don’t have to pay for extra food; instead, you could share. By splitting the grocery bill, it allows people to have more food, with less money.

6. Get a change jar

Every cent counts in college. When paying for things with cash, keep the change. Whether it’s a piggy bank, a jar or a ziplock bag, your change can add up over time. For example, over the course of the year, I’ve put all my change in a jar, and I have over $100 saved up. Or, if you are in need of money, go to a bank and sort the change and get the quick cash you need.

7. Study groups are key

Finals are coming up, which means more mental breakdowns for students at 2 a.m. Make friends in your classes and schedule a study group over the course of April. The more people the better; each study habit will lead into another and help you remember the material. Go into the library and write on the whiteboards in the study rooms, it will help everyone take notes and be prepared for the exam.

8. No paper towel holder?  No problem

Most dorm rooms will have napkins, paper towels or even toilet paper. Why go waste your money at Walmart to buy a holder, when you can use an old hanger? Break the hanger at the bottom and slide in your choice of paper and then you got yourself a disposable and cheap holder. My roommates and I have been doing this throughout the year and it has helped tremendously. We have even got people on our floor breaking hangers and using it as a holder on the wall for their paper towels.

There you have it: a way to make this last month of school a breeze. Why do things the hard way if you can just hack it and do it the easy way?