50 Hacks Every College Student Actually Needs To Know

This post is all about College Hacks.

 As a college student, I realized how many people do not know the simple hacks that I have learned over the years.

I was talking to my friends who are going into college and they had so many good questions that I wish I asked when I was a freshman. Due to their preparedness, I decided to create this post to help you and others like them.

50 Hacks Every College Student Should Know

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1. You can find secrets in the course syllabus. 

Professors know that many students do not read the syllabus so to reward the ones that do, they leave secrets. For instance, one of my friends was the only student in the class to receive extra credit. She read the syllabus and emailed the professor telling him, she read it. This was expected because he stated in the syllabus that she could get points if she emailed him.

The syllabus is also great because they have exact dates of when Tests and Exams are. You can be prepared. This is crucial especially because many professors will not tell you in advance when the test is.

2. Take Advantage Of Student Discounts

So many businesses offer amazing discounts for college students. This is one of my favorites because who doesn’t love saving money? I know I do!

• Amazon Prime
• Apple Music
• Hulu
• Local Businesses & Restaurants
• Nike

You can also use the app UNIDAYS that once you confirm you are a student, it sends you emails with numerous discounts.

3. Always Email Your Professors

Many students will decide to not email their professors due to either fear or lack of confidence in your request. However, I swear most professors actually want you to succeed and do well in their classes.

If you are still hesitant about this tip, let me tell you a short story. I was taking this Statistics class and I felt like I would not be able to succeed in the exam. I did not understand the practice test and was honestly hope was lost. However, I decided to email my professor and ask for an extension on the practice test (I was only allowed 1 take). After hours of silent hope, she responded and not only gave me unlimited takes on the practice test but, let me take the test later.

4. If you are drunk, drink water before bed.

There will be numerous parties in college. You need to stay hydrated especially if you plan on going out both nights. Bonus points if you have crackers or snacks, as well.

The last thing you want is to wake up hungover and spend hours in the morning over the toilet.

5. Have your Lock Screen your class schedule for the first week.

This saved me so much time during the first week of college. Instead of having to look up my schedule whenever I was confused, just look at the phone screen.

Just log into your college portal and screenshot your schedule from your phone. Go to settings and switch your wallpaper. Then you are all set.

6. Decorate your phone chargers.

The last thing you want is for someone to accidentally take your charger because they thought it was yours. Use some cheap tape and make it undeniably yours.

7. Try to get into a group chat with your classmates.

Many college students will create group chats with other students in the class. It saves time and can be turned into study groups. On the first day/week, talk to people sitting around you and see if they would want to do that.

These are great especially for giving you updates on the class. Numerous ones I’ve been in, have told me the class was canceled or the professor told him or her that the quiz was based on chapter 4 in the textbook.

8. Take turns driving with your friends.

An easy way to spend money in college is gas. If you are bringing your car with you to college, try to switch the person who drives so you are not always having to spend money on gas.

 9. Buy books from the school as a second option.

Most university textbooks are severely overpriced. Look in FaceBook groups or online PDFs that you can get for cheaper.

I would also recommend you wait for the first day of class before buying textbooks. Some classes do not require you to have them – save your money and wait.

10. Sign up for classes ASAP.

Classes, especially good ones, get filled so fast. Do not waste time and sign up for classes as soon as you can. Many advisors will not make room for you if the class is full. You will have to wait till next semester or take summer classes.

11. Designate a place to study that is not your bed or dorm room.

By finding a place to study that you only study at, have your mind associate that place with studying and the habit will make you more focused.

The key is to have your room feel like a safe relaxing place you can go to, to escape from college. Do not confuse the two.

12. Use Google Translate to find mistakes in your papers or assignments.

Copy and paste your assignment into google translate and have the audio read it back to you. This is an easy way to find grammar mistakes or if the flow of the paper is coming off wrong.

13. Put a glass of water in the microwave with your pizza.

I love leftover pizza like the next person but no one likes soggy pizza. Put a small glass of water next to your pizza to prevent a chewy crust.

14. Use incentives while studying.

Studying gets very boring, especially after hours and hours of focusing on something. Figure out what motivates you to study and reward yourself with that.

For instance, when you read a few paragraphs give yourself a piece of candy. Or after you finish your project, treat yourself to some Cookout.

15. Talk to your professors.

Talking to your professors can not only make your connections but also help your grades. By talking to your professors, they can now place a face to the name. In lecture classes, they can be as high as 200 students in one class. It would be almost impossible to remember that many faces.

It is also great for making connections with professors. They may come off as scary or intimidating but they were once as young as us. They know people in fields you want to get into. Use that to your advantage.

16. Use dryer sheets to make your room smell nice.

Most universities do not allow you to have candles in your dorm room. With limited options for making your room smell good, use a fan and a dryer sheet to help. Unless you can afford to buy Febreeze every time the room smells bad, this is an amazing affordable hack.

17. Loft your bed for more storage.

Dorm rooms come with a lot of benefits but space is not one of them.

Give yourself more room by lifting your bed to use the bottom space to fit a coach or your desk underneath.

18. Buy extra long chargers.

Buy on Amazon here.

These have been lifesavers in many situations. Most dorm rooms or even apartments do not have a lot of outlets, especially where you want them.

Fix this problem by buying extra large chargers.

19. Do not forget your GPA in your Freshman year.

You will thank me later.

By far your freshman year classes will be your easiest. Build up your GPA from the very first year. Strive for high grades, especially in the first year.

20. Figure out what time you are the most productive.

I am so not a morning person. So I schedule my classes later in the day to give myself the morning to relax

If you are a morning person, that is great. Schedule your classes in the morning and have it all done by dinner. However, if you are a freshman I recommend not having a class before 10 AM the first semester.

21. Bring a door stop when moving into the dorms.

I ended up not having one and I had to put two suitcases against each other to keep it open. Not only is having a dorm stop a solution to a problem, but will make moving so much less stressful.

22. Do not schedule clubs or outside responsibilities on Sunday.

You might think your assignments and homework will be done by Sunday but after the fourth week, that will change.

Leave Sunday open because many professors have assignments due on that day. You will also be partying on Friday and Saturdays. Meaning you will not be as productive as you think you are.

23. Use RateMyProfessor.com.

Whoever created this website deserves to have a beach vacation 365 days of the week.

This is a crucial aspect of signing up for classes. The website is set up so students that previously took that class with that professor can rate the professor.

You learn how the professor teaches and if the class was hard. Seriously use it!

24. Copy your keys.

You will only be given 1 key and you most likely will lose it. In order to get a new one, you will have to pay a fine. Save money and copy your key.

25. Make your own coffee.

Buy on Amazon here.

Coffee can ADD UP. Seriously $5 every day can afford a coffee maker 10x over.

Make the switch now and save yourself money. Make it yourself.

26. Bring cash out instead of your debit card.

This tip has saved me so much money.

By not bringing your debit card out with you, you only have a certain amount to spend. If you love to save money as I do, this is a hack you need to use.

27. Do not stop applying for Scholarships.

Many people think you can only apply for scholarships until you are enrolled but that is not true.

So many scholarships go unused every year because people do not apply. Start applying!

28. Use the app Socratic for help.

I would never recommend cheating but if you need help figuring out if you are right on a practice exam or a math question. This app is perfect. You simply take a picture of your assignment and resources will pop up to help you.

29. Make flashcards during class time.

Many people take notes during class either off the PowerPoint or from what the professor says.

Save time and instead create flashcards while you are in class. Meaning, use your flashcards as a notebook, especially if it’s vocabulary or dates you need to know.

30. Have 1 pair of “frat” shoes.

When you go out, especially to frat parties, your shoes will get ruined. You will be stepping in the dirt, mud, alcohol, etc.

I have the shoes Air-forces 1 as my designated party shoes because they go perfectly with any outfit and are comfortable shoes.

31. Buy a shower caddy for your dorm room.

Buy on Amazon here.

You will have a shared bathroom in your dorm. Unless you want to carry all of your shower needs, buy a shower caddy. It Carrie’s all of your needs and makes it so much easier to shower.

32. Keep your student Id on you.

In many buildings, you will need your student id to enter. Having it on your phone case or in your purse will save you so much time.

Just make sure you keep it on you.

33. Give yourself a full day off from academics.

I used to have my Tuesdays “no school day.” In college, it can be very hard to find a time when you are not thinking about assignments or papers coming up.

However, by giving yourself a day off you can focus on other aspects of college and catch up on laundry. This hack will also help you stay motivated on the other days so you can have your day off.

34. Have designated shower shoes.

Buy on Amazon here.

Having shoes that you only use in the shower is essential. Those showers are gross and you do not want your feet to touch them.

Those shoes are made for the shower, unlike your other ones that will get ruined in the process.

35. Meal prep in college.

Buy on Amazon here.

College meal plans can be a waste. The food is average and most of the time you will end up using your Declining Balance points instead.

By meal prepping you can get meal costs down to a couple of dollars a meal. Making this hack a great money saver!

36. Bring a box fan.

Many dorm rooms will be hot, especially in the warmer months. If you are like me and want to cuddle under the covers, the box fan is a must-buy hack.

These plug straight into the wall and make it super easy to cool your whole room.

37. Know a few icebreakers to say when you meet people.

You will meet tons of people in college. If you are nervous like I once was, have a few ice breaks you know by heart.

For instance, a common one, “What major are you in?” Or “Where are you from?”

38. Explore your campus before school starts.

It is so important to walk to your classes before school starts. I did not do this my first day and I ended up being 10 minutes late to my first class. Let’s just say I haven’t done it again.

Do not be like me and figure out where your classes are beforehand.

39. If you do not want to drink at a party, bring your own cup and fill it with water.

If you know you have to work the next day or get up early but still want to go out, if you are old enough to drink use this hack.

Many people bring their own drinks to parties so yours will blend in and people will think there is alcohol in it.

40. Stock your years on Instagram.

If you are a college freshman, you should have a designated Instagram account called “UNCW26.” This account will normally follow you and you can request to add your picture to the feed.

This allows other freshmen to follow you and you with them. Use this to reach out to people and potentially make friends.

41. Hydroflask.

If you are trying to drink more water or want an insulated cup to carry around campus, buy a Hudroflask.

This hack is great because they keep your water cold throughout the entire day and helps you save money you would have spent buying water.

42. Store more in an Ottoman.

Buy on Amazon here.

Many dorm rooms come with limited space and even some beds come lifted making it hard to get on.

An Ottoman is perfect because it solves both problems. You can use it as a stepping stool and a place to store shoes, binders, etc.

43. Make friends with people in sororities.

If you are nervous about not being invited to parties or not knowing when they are. Having a friend in a sorority is a crazy good hack.

Not only do you not have to pay the fees to join the sorority but you get all of the information handed to you about the parties.

44. Know your college parking arrangement.

Many universities have designated parking that you have to pay for. However, my college parking is free from 6 pm through 5 am. If I ever need to park at that time, I park as close to the building I am going to.

Your school should have it posted on their website.

45. Make friends with the RA.

The last thing you want is an RA that hates you. They can make your life very easy or very hard. Stay on good terms with her or him.

I recommend you try to befriend them not only cause they are your RA but because they also have friends that you can maybe make friends with as well.

46. Bring your computer charger with you to class.

I can not count the number of times I studied after class because I felt like it and was saved because I brought my charger with me.

This hack can not only save you time but help you study when you are motivated.

47. Use the app Beep.

This app is used kinda like Uber. However, this app is for college students, driven by college students. You pay by Venmo or cash.

This hack is great if you want to save or make money. You can be a Beep driver and drive in your free time.

It is also great because it reduces the number of students driving drunk on campus.

48. Check your student center regularly.

Many clubs and organizations will have tabling events right outside the student center. These tabling events most of the time are giving away something.

Who doesn’t love free t-shirts or giveaways?

48. Ask professors if the exam is multiple choice or not.

Many students think their professors will tell them how the test is set up. However, most of the time this is not true. Save yourself time and stress, and ask them to be better prepared.

It is also great to ask them what point of view the professor prefers for papers.

49. Buy a planner.

Buy on Amazon here.

If you are someone like me who likes to be reminded when you have to go somewhere. A planner is a great option.

With a planner, you can schedule out your time for classes, studying, and even hanging out with friends. Letting you know exactly how much time you have.

50. Have fun.

Enjoy yourself and seriously have fun. You deserve it.