Are you a student or have a student looking for smart and practical solutions to make your life easier? Look no further than these life hacks for students!
We’ve curated 21 genius life hacks tailored to help you navigate your academic journey. From study tips to organization hacks, get ready to level up your student or student’s game.
These clever strategies will save you time, reduce stress, and boost your productivity. On top of that, they are buildable skills to set you up for success far beyond the classroom.
Check out my YouTube page if you’d like to see a detailed breakdown of any of these hacks. The video is here: 21 Genius Life Hacks for Students.
Let me know which hacks are your favorite, and please feel free to share any of your favorite student tips and tricks! Now, onto the hacks.
1. Easily Recognise Your Notebooks
Coloring the corners of your notebooks adds a recognizable and easily distinguishable signifier. Choose bright contrasting colors to make searching a breeze.
Bonus: I try to buy in coordinating colors if I buy new supplies and need folders. That way, our kiddos have no question about what material goes with what subject.
2. Make Your Own Bookmark
Creating your own magnetic bookmark is a snap! Simply grab some adhesive magnets like these, stick them onto the top and bottom of the same side of the strip, and voila!
You’ll have a nifty bookmark that securely clings to your pages, keeping your spot with style and convenience. I like adding strong tape to the areas to ensure the magnets stick around.
Check out this other cute DIY bookmark idea!
3. Set An Alarm For Each Task
Set alarms for each daily task to stay on schedule throughout the day. Whether it’s a reminder to switch gears, take a break, or start a new project, these alarms will keep you on track.
You’ll quickly breeze through your day with a little help from your trusty alarms.
This DIY stress ball can be useful for the more difficult tasks!
4. Keep Papers Together
A great trick that saves anyone dealing with papers or homework, and no paperclips get done with an exacto knife.
Simply slit an angle corresponding to the top left corner, then fold it under and pull through.
I like these exacto knives–they come with refillable options.
5. Create A To-Do List With Post-Its
Creating a to-do list with Post-its is a simple and visual way to stay organized.
Write down your tasks on individual post-its, stick them on a surface, and easily rearrange or remove them as you complete each task.
With vibrant colors and the satisfaction of peeling off a completed task, your post-it to-do list becomes a fun and effective tool for productivity.
Color code your tasks, too, if you’d like–personal, academic, random, etc.
You’ll enjoy these other practical life hacks to make life easier!
6. Easily Create A Cell Phone Stand
Need to work off of your phone but don’t or can’t find a stable place to prop up your phone? Try a paperclip next time you need to keep your phone secured.
To do this trick, bend the inner part forward to create the back, and the tail of the clip gets flipped up in front to secure the whole thing.
You might also enjoy creating this other DIY phone holder!
7. Make Your Pen Work as New
Have a favorite pen that’s been drying up? Take it apart, take a blow dryer to the unassembled pen cartridge, and lightly heat the area.
Blowing warm air onto the ink cartridge loosens up any dried-up parts. Once sufficiently warmed, it should have the pen writing normally again once reassembled.
8. Keep Your Stationary Drawer Tidy
Student drawers, let’s face it, aren’t always messy, but without specific homes for every item, they can turn quickly.
Save the hassle and grab a great organizer system like this one–it has a few different options.
9. Keep Water And Snacks On Hand
Keeping snacks handy near your workspace is a smart way to avoid distractions.
Having your favorite treats nearby lets you quickly satisfy cravings and refuel without wasting time searching for food elsewhere.
This trick keeps your focus on the task, helping you stay productive and energized throughout your workday.
10. No More Losing The Highlighter Cap
Never go another day without losing a highlighter cap. Simply hot glue two pearls–one at the bottom of the pen and the other on the cap (same side).
Immediately attach a ribbon to the glue pearls and set aside to dry. Trust me–this has saved many highlighters over the years, and it makes them easier to find in your bag.
11. Keep Your Cellphone Away When Going To Sleep
Make this a habit early on for any students you may have or if you are a student!
A designated home for your phone just far enough away from the bed provides the student with better sleep habits and avoids doom scrolling into the night.
12. Make Your Bed Before Breakfast
Making your bed before breakfast sets a positive tone for the day. It provides a sense of accomplishment and tidiness, creating a neat and inviting environment to start your morning.
Making your bed can create a ripple effect of productivity, inspiring you to tackle other tasks with a sense of order and purpose.
And there’s nothing better than getting into a made bed at the end of a long day.
13. Set The Flight Mode While Studying
Setting the flight mode on your phone while studying eliminates distractions and interruptions.
By enabling, you can fully immerse yourself in studies without the temptation of social media, calls, or messages.
This habit helps maintain focus, enhances concentration, and improves productivity, ensuring a more effective and uninterrupted study session.
Try a reward system if it’s hard for you or the student without the phone.
14. Schedule Your Tasks
Scheduling your tasks on computer programs provides a centralized and organized approach to managing your workload.
With reminders, notifications, and visual timelines, these programs help you prioritize and allocate time efficiently.
This formatting lets you see your day, week, or month well, making plans less of a hassle overall. Use whatever application works best for you or your students–even simple Excel docs work.
15. Use Rubberband As Eraser
In a pinch, a rubber band can double as an eraser! Simply wrap the rubber band tightly around the end of your pencil and use it to erase any mistakes.
The friction and elasticity of the rubber band will effectively remove the graphite, providing a quick and improvised solution for erasing mistakes.
For this very reason, I like to send some with my kids when they go off to school.
16. Use A Paper Clip To Draw A Circle
Grab a paper clip in place of a protractor to draw a circle! It sounds bizarre, but it works well, depending on the size of the needed circle.
I like a pack of paper clips like this one–various sizing options are available. Use a second pen or pencil as an anchor and the other end and first pencil as a guide to draw the circle.
17. Use The Pomodoro Technique
If you’re unfamiliar with the Pomodoro method is a time management technique. It breaks your work into 25-minute intervals called “Pomodoros,” followed by the option of long or short breaks.
On an app like this, pomodoro.io, it’s easy to work through your workload while allowing breaks.
This approach enhances productivity, combats procrastination, and helps maintain a healthy work-life balance.
18. Erase Highlighter With Lemon Juice
Overhighlighting happens to the best of us–undo the mistakes with lemon juice the next time it happens.
You don’t need much–swab a Q-tip on a cut lemon to a light saturation and then dab the troubled areas.
Any Q-tips will get the job done, but I enjoy these fun to-go packs. That way, I can grab one or two and let them sit in some lemon juice before I start working.
19. Heat More Things At Once In The Microwave
This hack is definitely for university students or just very hungry teenagers! Add more space into microwaves by using a mug or glass to create another surface for microwaving.
It’s useful to students but really anyone in a pinch of time, too. Or, it helps get some more nutritious food on the lazier days heated quicker.
20. Try Passive Cooking
Passive cooking is a genius trick for students who are always studying and don’t have time for something more wholesome.
This cooking method requires minimal effort during the prep and cooking process.
This cooking style lets you enjoy delicious meals with less hands-on attention by allowing the ingredients to simmer over time. Use ‘passive cooking’ for more tips and tricks about specific recipes.
Check out these other handy kitchen hacks everyone should know!
21. Keep Your Budget
Tracking and keeping a budget as a student is crucial for managing your finances and ensuring future financial stability. It helps you track your expenses, prioritize spending, and avoid overspending.
By maintaining a budget, you can make informed decisions about your money. Break down the major categories as needed: necessities, wants, savings, etc.–starting small help build great habits.