By Maggie Deller
High school can bring about many stressors and challenges, especially as fourth quarter begins. To make the school day a bit easier, The Milestone compiled a collection of ten tips and tricks for students, dubbed school life hacks.
Study on a time schedule
There is a correlation between the amount of time one dedicates to studying and the amount of information memorized. According to 1000LifeHacks.com, “Studying for 30-50 minutes at a time (with 10 minute breaks in between) is the most effective way to retain information.”
Changing font size
Ever written an essay too long or too short? There is a solution for that! To make an essay appear a tad bit longer, change the font size to 12.5. To make an essay seem shorter, change the font size to 11.5. Another trick is to change the size of periods to stretch a short essay out a little. To change all period sizes, press control+F, search for periods, click dropdowns, select options, match case, go back to drop down menu, click replace, insert period searches, click more, click format, click font, select a larger size, then finally click okay. Voila!
Get ready for school quicker
It is always tempting to hit the snooze button on an alarm during weekday mornings. In the case of giving in to this temptation, there are tips to get ready for school faster. Multitask by brushing teeth while taking a shower. Have no time for a shower? Use dry shampoo to freshen your hair. Have no dry shampoo? Corn starch serves as a substitute!
Online lectures are available
It is common for a student to be unable to focus during a class or have trouble with the teacher’s way of presenting. Luckily, there are ways to catch up on lessons that may have gone over a student’s head or just to review. Crash Course is an online education tool that appeals to the teenage audience. Crash Course has created a series of videos that cover over fifteen courses. The videos incorporate visuals, humor, and education. The videos are hosted by brothers Hank and John Green. John is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, and An Abundance of Katherines.
Get colorful
Notes can be hard to organize, and math example problems can be difficult to illustrate each step. To help categorize notes, highlight similar key points in one color, and different similar key points in another. To assist deciphering each step to a math problem, write each step in a different color, or highlight where numbers are taken out of the problem when simplifying or factoring.
Preserve tablet battery
Many students have fallen into the situation where they have forgotten to charge their tablet the night before, or they realize during class that their tablet’s battery is quickly being drained. Fortunately, there are ways to preserve a tablet battery to extend usage. Ways to do so include turning down the screen brightness, turning on the battery saver in settings, and closing out of excess tabs that can be reopened later.
Colors can effect memorization and creativity
According to the article “Reinvent Wheel? Blue Room. Defusing a Bomb? Red Room” by Pam Belluck, the color red can have an effect on accuracy, while blue can influence creativity. “Red groups did better on tests of recall and attention to detail, like remembering words or checking spelling and punctuation,” Belluck said in her article. “Blue groups did better on tests requiring imagination, like inventing creative uses for a brick or creating toys from shapes.” Next time you are writing flashcards, consider writing in red, and next time you are searching for a creative breakthrough, consider surrounding yourself with blue.
Scents can alter moods
Stressed about a big test coming up? Need help falling asleep to not be tired at school the next day? In need of comfort after a bad day? Aromatherapy is here to help! Bath & Body Works offers a range of products in different mood-altering scents. To relieve stress, Bath & Body Works offers a mixture of spearmint and eucalyptus to soothe. For restless nights, they offer a concoction of lavender and cedar wood to help with sleep. In times where comfort is needed, Bath & Body Works created a blend of patchouli and vanilla. When students are in need of energy in preparation for a long school day, Bath & Body Works offers a mixture of orange and ginger. The company’s blend of eucalyptus and tea helps students to focus during school. Bath & Body Works provides aromatherapy for all these needs and more.
Turn on mail read receipts
Ever stressed out while waiting for a response to an email, or unsure whether the reader is ignoring it or not? There is a way to find out if the email has been read! When writing a new email, click the ellipses at the top of the email box to show message options, and request a read receipt. The reader will then confirm via clicking a popup that they have viewed it. There is also a “request delivery receipt” option.
Use Google Translate for more than converting languages
Sometimes, the human eyes will jump over typing mistakes while editing. According to 1000LifeHacks.com, “When you’re finished with an essay, copy and paste it into Google Translate, and listen to it. It’s the easiest way to find mistakes.”
Sophomore Steven Tippenhauer types his notes in red ink to help with memorization. The candle next to him is aromatherapy for stress relief, a helpful tool for busy high school students.
The McNicholas Milestone 