I Get By With A Little Help From My Tech: Study Savvy Tech Tips
Finals are quickly approaching and we know that means: more stress and less Netflix. This week we spent some time combing through study apps, productivity tips and more to make this round of finals your most tech savvy yet.
Computer hacks to keep you on track:
Stay off Twitter (even our account)
If you find yourself making more social media posts than headway on your term paper it may be time to implement a new strategy. When self-control isn’t enough, there are tons of browser extensions like StayFocusd (Chrome) and LeechBlock (Firefox) that can prevent you from visiting your favorite sites for whatever length of time you need to study for Bio or write your essay. Afterwards, Netflix to your hearts content.
Get sleep before your exam
If you find yourself lying in bed wide awake after a late night study session, it might not just be the stress of your impending final. Blue light from your computer has been shown to disrupt your body’s natural signals to go to sleep. Apps like flux can slowly transition your computer to show a more sleep-friendly spectrum as night progresses.
Apps and Sites to Try :
You may have heard of Evernote, Quizlet or StudyBlue; but there is more to digital study tools than these big players. Check out some of our favorites.
Complex ideas to map? Try Simplemind
This mind mapping app allows you to organize ideas in a visual map. This can be especially useful if you are creating a complex paper and since it’s digital there’s no need to rip out a page and start over. Ideas can be easily moved around in the interface as your structure changes.
Group project stress? BuckeyeBox to the rescue
As an Ohio State student you (and all of your classmates) have unlimited storage on BuckeyeBox. You can share and collaborate on a PowerPoint or simultaneously edit a document similar to Google Docs. Best of all? No need to pull out your middle school google username to share documents.
Big day of studying ahead of you? Let Focus Keeper help
We all know that studying for seven hours straight is a recipe for burnout disaster. But what should you do if everything falls at once? Focus Keeper is based on the Pomodoro Method and helps you break up your study time into productive chunks followed by time to relax. It helps eliminate burnout and keep you focused when camping out in Thompson is your only option.
Nowhere to sit at the coffee shop? Try Coffitivity
If you are looking to drown out the erratic noises of your neighbors or really focus in on what you’re doing, take a look at this site. It provides ambient noise tracks that mimic the experience of being in a coffee shop (or Brazil Bistro, Texas Teahouse etc). It also gives you the option of listening to your own music as well as the app's to really give you the coffee shop experience without leaving your house.
Just counting down the days? Exam Coundown has you covered
If you are graduating in the spring, congrats! Exam countdown allows you to see how much time you have left until all of your finals are complete (pretty basic, but also fun). The added bonus; write your location into the notes and you have everything you need to know in one place. Now we hope you studied.
Do you have study apps that you swear by? Tweet us your suggestions @TechHubOSU , once you’ve finished studying that is.