basic things to know

• get a good amount of sleep (!!)
• get out of your bed and work on a desk
• don't skip any meals and keep yourself hydrated
• know your learning style
  • visual, auditory, reading & writing, or kinesthetic
• plan ahead
  • revise your lessons every week
  • don't wait for the night before the exam to study
• bro stop procrastinating your homework
• take breaks to avoid information overload
• if you're a night owl and can't stay awake during the day, just get some sunlight and stretch so you can move your body
  • soda or an energy drink helps, too
• pay attention in class
• participate during lectures so you know you're learning, plus your professor would be able to recognize you from there

specific things i do / techniques i use

• i download the syllabus for each class and use them as a guide every week to know what i should study if my professor doesn't hold their lecture (for asynchronous schedules).
• i keep written notes and digital/typed notes. written notes help me remember things better as well as allow my eyes to be away from my screens for a bit, while my typed notes keep me organized. plus when it's light's out already, i can use dark mode to read them!
• i keep a weekly to-do list, and a weekly overview page to keep track of lessons, homework, and announcements.
• after reading the material, i discuss the things i learned out loud to see what i understood best, and what i didn't really get. this is called active recall and it really helps during exams!
• i use my quizzes as a reviewer for my upcoming exams.
• i'm easily distracted by background noises so i'm always listening to music and/or asmr while i'm studying and working on my requirements.
• i read that listening to music with lyrics is actually distracting. however, i saw a suggestion about listening to music in a language you don't know so you can't sing along. (so if you see me listening to german music, that's why.)
• if that doesn't work for you, then you can always listen to classical music (or literally any music without lyrics; your call)
• i use the pomodoro technique! for each time i study for 40 minutes, i get a 10-minute break. after four sessions/repetitions, i take a half-hour break. the timer settings depends on my workload (more time for exam weeks, less when i don't have much to do).
• i study with people online, which helped me become more productive. it could be with my friends or even with new people i just met on a virtual space for students!
• a reward system motivates me to clear my to-do list! if i get a lot of work done, i'll watch a movie or one episode of a series.
• if you have the time, try transcribing your lectures! that is if, of course, your instructor gives you permission to record in the first place. if the class is online then it should be easy. however if it's in person, you'll need a lot of courage for either asking your professor for permission or recording in secret (could lead to trouble if you aren't sneaky enough!).

apps/sites i use daily

• discord - for hanging out at a study platform! personally i prefer studystream, but there are also other similar servers for students. this is where i study with other university students, as well as ask for homework help such as maths and language help (translation from english to filipino, questions about french, etc.).
  • i also help out people with english whenever i can ^^
  • it's a good space to make new friends, too~
• notion - this is where i keep my typed notes, reviewers, lecture transcripts, to-do lists, weekly overview, and schedule! i have it on my laptop, but i also have the app in my phone so i can study on the go.
• kami - a really helpful chrome extension that lets you annotate your handouts
• pomodor - a pomodoro timer that i use on my laptop
  • there are a lot of pomodoro sites everywhere, and there's also a variation of apps available for mobile devices, so feel free to choose whichever app you want
• spotify - gotta have music!
  • university students get a discount <3
• youtube - for asmr, studytube content, and video lectures
• babbel - for learning french!
• lifeat spaces - if you want to study with a view! this is also actually packed with a pomodoro timer, background noise player, a spotify playlist player, and a to-do list widget!

other helpful apps/sites

• anki - digital flashcards
• google docs - for groupwork collaboration
• google calendar - to keep a close look on your schedule
  • personally i only use this during exam weeks
• canva - if you've got a university email, you can use it to sign up for canva and you'll get pro for a year i think
• a telecaster app - for recording those video projects
• tiktok - if you're also learning a language, being on tiktok helps. you'll learn new words and phrases, get quick grammar explanations, and most importantly, improve your pronunciation + accent! it helps since you can squeeze in short learning sessions throughout the day

231022 update !

• i moved schools and now none of these work on me lol rip
• everybody say salamat UP backwards ^__^ <3