15 College Life Hacks You Won’t Learn in School to Survive & Thrive

Though college is meant for learning, it’s also a test of survival. But you can make the college experience a little easier with these college life hacks.

If you’re in college, you know the struggle. It’s a lot of take-out food, late nights, and moments wondering about your future. College can be a stressful experience, there’s a lot going on. Learning some college life hacks will help you survive and thrive through the process.

You’re trying to find yourself, pass classes, and get through the entire thing without any debt. The challenge is on. And for most of us, when we enter college, we’ve never done laundry or had to cook a meal. So, there’s a lot to take on in such a short period of time.

The college life hacks you need to know

If you live in a dorm or a student building, then you know what to expect. And let’s face it, you don’t get much. You sleep in a pea-sized room where you probably live with someone else who either farts a lot in their sleep or leaves empty pizza boxes lying around. But even though college has its challenges, it doesn’t mean you can’t hack them. [Read: Simple things you do that make your life much worse]

Thankfully, you’re not the only one who’s been to college. The people before you, well, they’ve learned a thing or two. And the good thing is they want to share their knowledge with you. Here are some college life hacks you need to incorporate in your college experience. It’s time to enjoy the college experience.

#1 Load up on easy courses. If you want to boost your GPA, then take a couple of easier classes. It doesn’t mean you won’t have to study for them, you will, but the odds of you acing the classes are much higher. It’s a great way to give your GPA boost. And who doesn’t want that? [Read: Memorable life lessons for a perfect life]

#2 Keep your laptop safe. As a college student, you’re mostly going to be using your laptop to study, watch movies, and browse the internet. It also means you probably don’t have the money to buy a new laptop in case it gets stolen. So, invest in a laptop lock because college is a dream for thieves.

#3 Not into dishes? In college, the odds of you having a dishwasher are pretty slim. And there will be some days where you’re not going to feel like washing the dishes. But you don’t need to get in trouble with your roommates for leaving your dishes in the sink. Instead, use a tortilla as a plate or bowl. [Read: How to confront your excuses and stop being lazy]

#4 Are you a heavy sleeper? If you’re spending your nights out with your friends having a good time, then waking up for class may be a bit of a struggle for you. If you’re a heavy sleeper, put your phone in a glass vase or cup. It’ll amplify the sound, making your alarm extra loud.   

#5 Trying to escape the heat? During the spring and summer, your college dorm can start to feel like an oven. You may have a fan, but it’s probably not doing much. To battle the heat, hang a damp towel over your open window. It’ll quickly cool down a hot and stuffy dorm room.

#6 Study with candy. If you’re having a hard time focusing on studying, then why not reward yourself along the way. No, the reward isn’t checking your Instagram or going on YouTube. Instead, place gummy bears on parts of the pages you want to cover. Once you read the material, you get a gummy bear!

#7 Question time. If you have a friend in your classes, it’s time to help each other out. For presentations, get your friend to ask you a question you already know the answer to. It’ll make you look like you know what you’re talking about, even if you have no idea. What are friends for!

#8 Freshen your dorm room. Your dorm room probably isn’t the biggest, which means it’s full of different smells from dinner to dirty laundry. If you want to keep your dorm room smelling fresh, use a dryer sheet, and place it on a fan or AC unit in your apartment. It’ll make your room smell like clean laundry and who doesn’t love that smell!

#9 Don’t throw away your toilet paper rolls. Are your pens and pencils all over your desk? It’s like you need to buy a new pen every week. But, you can keep things organized by using a toilet paper roll. Or, you can even use a soda can. [Read: The must-have items for your college bucket list]

#10 Add a cup of water in your microwave. Most people find microwaved food tastes too chewy. But if you live in a dorm, you probably only have a microwave. To make the food taste less chewy, add a glass of water when you microwave your food. You’ll notice a huge difference!

#11 Save space in your closet. In your dorm room, your closet isn’t big. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot of clothes. To save space, fold your t-shirts, and stack them vertically. You’ll be able to see all of them without having to go through the entire pile.

#12 Stay on schedule. In the first couple of weeks of the semester, it’s hard to remember when you have classes. But, instead of carrying the class sheet around with you, there’s a better way. Set your phone lock screen to your class schedule. That way, you can easily refer to it at any time.

#13 Cool down your laptop. You’re probably on your laptop for a large chunk of the day. This means your laptop runs the risk of overheating. To cool down your laptop, use an egg carton and place it underneath. It’ll cool down quickly. 

#14 Dust with pizza. This probably has you a little confused, but just wait! You may have a broom, but you probably don’t have a dustpan. Well, if you’ve eaten pizza recently, you have a dustpan! Use the pizza box as a dustpan, and recycle it when you’re done. [Read: Brilliant yet simple ways to save money]

#15 Keep your chips fresh. If you’re wanting to keep your chips fresh but don’t have any rubber bands or clips, use your pen. That’s right, your pen. It can easily be used to close your chip bag, keeping the chips fresh and crisp.

[Read: How to make your life easier and go from exhausted to effortless]

College can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be that hard. Try out these college life hacks and make your life a little easier.