For those of us who have googled life hacks we know that the internet is chock-a-block with all sorts of cunning ways to organise clothing and prevent keys from being lost. What about life hacks for students? Student life isn’t always easy. Lectures and working take up a lot of time, budgets are usually tight and then there’s always the need to study hanging over your shoulders. If anyone could use some help with productivity and effective living it’s students.

Here are a few simple tips that might give you that extra boost on your quest for academic success and happiness:

Cup wake up
Our first tip goes out to all of the heavy sleepers. It’s not always easy getting up for that first lecture, especially when you sleep through your alarm. For those who use their phone to wake up try placing it in an empty cup or bowl to amplify the sound waves and make your alarm-tone that much more alarming. Alternatively you can always ask a classmate to check you’re up when you need to be.

Egg carton cooler
Laptop users will know how churning out work can heat up their trusty devices, especially in the summer. Cooling pads for laptops are expensive but surely that much heat can’t be good for a device either? Never fear a large egg carton is all you need. Just balance your laptop on top of it and let all the open pockets of space below keep things cool.

Library DVD’s
When a night of rest and relaxation is in order look no further than your library for some entertainment. A large number of tertiary institution libraries keep a collection of DVD’s on their shelves – not just academic material but films of cultural significance and general classics.

Say things out loud
It might feel ridiculous, and you definitely shouldn’t try it loudly in the library, but voicing what you’re studying out loud can really help you take it in.

Instrumental music
If you struggle to study with music but really want something to create a pleasant atmosphere while you hit the books try listening to instrumental music. Quite often it’s just processing lyrics and other word based information at the same time that trips people up. The web is also full of non-musical based sound sources (like endless loopings of rain or fire crackling) if you just want to wrap your mind up in a sonic bubble of coziness.

Exercise out of being tired
While a nap usually seems to be the most immediate way of fighting off being sleepy, a short burst of exercise can really get your mind going again. This doesn’t mean you need to embark on a two hour heavy workout session; just a short ten to twenty minute burst of exercise can do the trick just fine.

Sweet reward
Need something to get you through your study session? Open up your work and place a small sweet below all of the paragraphs or relevant points you’re going through. Whenever you complete a section you’ll be met with a small reward!