August 8, 2018, by Lucy

University Hacks

University culture takes a bit of time to become accustomed to, with new lessons to be learned around every corner.

If you’re off to university this year, read these tips and ‘hacks’ to make the move less unnerving.

University-Based Hacks

Listen to Lectures at Double Speed

More and more lecturers are turning to Echo365 to record their lectures. This has multiple benefits: it means you can pay genuine attention to the content in lectures without rushing to make illegible notes, listen to lectures over and over if you are an auditory learner, or simply catch up on a lecture that you may have missed for whatever reason. As someone who likes to utilise lecture time by taking in key points, only to listen to the recording later to make notes, I know that creating a detailed set of material is time consuming. To speed up the process, speed up the playback of the lecture. This means that you can easily record any content without having to sit through any unnecessary breaks or pauses in the presentation process.

Download Procrastination Cutting Apps

Procrastination is the bane of most people’s lives. However, no one is more prone to procrastination than a student. When you have six deadlines and twelve exams fast approaching, there is nothing more appealing than spending your day scrolling through your social media accounts mindlessly. Apps and programs such as Forest and Cold Turkey are useful for this reason exactly. Indeed, Cold Turkey enables you to block access to certain websites whereas Forest allows you to grow your own forest, killing all the trees if you exit the app to look at something else.

Read the Material as you go Along

Not really a hack to be honest, but it is important. As patronising or childish as this ‘tip’ is, many people simply attend lectures, write a few notes and put them down until the corresponding exam is on the horizon. If you take the time to read the content that you are collating as you progress through the course, you are more likely to understand, and therefore like, what you are learning. Whether this mean that you are more prepared when it comes to tackling an essay, or are less overwhelmed by the workload come exam season, digesting the content as it occurs is key to minimising stress.

Life-Based Hacks

Phone in a Pint Glass

Want a speaker, but are strapped for cash? Do you have an empty pint glass that your phone fits into? If ‘yes’ were your answers, then your amplification needs shall be a thing of the past. By putting you phone into a glass cup an echo chamber effect is created, boosting the sound produced and acting as a make-shift speaker. This hack also works as an alarm clock too. If you have a tendency to sleep through your phone’s alarm, the placement in the cup will not only amplify the sound, but also the vibrations of the wake up call, making it nearly impossible to ignore.

Command Hooks and Strips

Most accommodation and housing contracts state that blue tac and pins are not permitted due to the damage that they can potentially cause to the walls. Although many flout these rules in the hope that their walls will be mark free come the end of the contract, it’s not the best idea to risk it. Rather than leave your walls bare to completely prevent the risk occurring in the first place, invest in multiple command hooks and strips. Whether you want to hang up you fairy lights, posters or framed prints, the range will be able to meet any of your needs. By securing your décor this way, you can ensure that the walls will be in the same state that they were in upon move in day. Your room will be chip free, with no oil-based residue to be found.

Posted in Lucy