57 Simple And Effective Life Hacks To Use In Everyday Life | The Odyssey Online
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57 Simple And Effective Life Hacks To Use In Everyday Life

Life can be hard. Let's make it through the new year with these helpful and relatable life hacks.

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57 Simple And Effective Life Hacks To Use In Everyday Life
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Life can be challenging, but here are some helpful tips and tricks that will make your life a little bit easier. These life hacks cover a wide array of situations. From study tips to fitness tricks, there is something for everyone. Enjoy this list of over 50 life hacks!

For Students…

  • Learn how to appropriately search Google to get the most accurate and relevant results. For instance, you can use quotation marks around certain words in your Google search. By doing so, the program will generate resources that contain the complete phrase and eliminates irrelevant information.
  • Use scents to improve your memory of information. It is recommended that people chew the same type of gum or spray the same type of perfume during the exam as they used while studying.
  • Color-code your notes so information is easier to locate. Another option is to go back through and highlight keywords and terms.
  • Make flashcards to help you remember the material. By making these cards, students read their notes, rewrite the information in their own words, and practice the class material over and over again. This is a great memory aid.
  • Use lemon juice to reduce the color of unwanted highlighter marks.
  • Take the time to write your notes. Studies show that writing notes by hand helps with memory comprehension.
  • Create a "quick sheet" of all the important and essential information that you would need for a quiz or examination. This helps people identify the key ideas taught in the lectures.
  • When doing a research paper, go to the online Wikipedia page created for your research paper. By looking at the bibliography at the bottom of the page, you will find a list of resources, like websites, books, and videos, on the topic of your paper. It will give you a place to start if you are completely lost and confused.
  • Try to predict the questions that may be on an examination, and make sure to record your answers.
  • While you study, listen to music that promotes concentration. Classical music is one such genre.
  • Motivate yourself with food when reading. If you make it to a certain page or passage in your required reading, reward yourself with a sweet treat like gummy bears or chocolates.
  • If there is enough time before an examination, relisten to lectures at double speed.
  • Use easy-to-read fonts for assignments.
  • Look online for sample tests that are available. Test what you know before it really matters!

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For Dorm Life…

  • Use bed risers to free up more storage space in your tight room. Many dorm rooms have adjustable beds as well.
  • Make a binder of local takeout menus and business flyers. This will free up time when trying to decide upon a late-night snack!
  • Gather microwave meal recipes, and record them on a recipe sheet. Put the document near the microwave in your room. For instance, do you know how to scramble eggs in a microwave? That's a useful hack that you should look up!
  • Buy succulents to decorate your room. They are compact in size and low-maintenance.
  • Purchase a storage cart for your room. Use it for extra storage of the important items you need to access during your daily schedule.
  • Purchase a hanging dry-erase or chalkboard calendar to keep track of information and important dates.
  • Pick up blackout curtains to effectively block out light and sound. This is especially important if you are a light sleeper.
  • Use multilayer hangers to free up space in your already-tight closet.
  • Use your coffee machines to make other meals, like oatmeal and pasta!
  • Get a lap desk so you can work in bed, if necessary. They are also a great impromptu table if you want to eat breakfast in bed.
  • Store your clothes vertically in the drawer to save space.
  • Bring a board game or two with you to break the ice with other people in your hall. They could be traditional games like Uno or Monopoly. At the same time, they could be activities like What Do You Meme? and Cards Against Humanity.

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For The Kitchen…

  • Use dental floss to cut through soft foods, like cakes and bread.
  • To get ice cream out of the cartoon, run the ice cream scoop over with hot water.
  • Make a quick baked potato in the microwave.
  • If you can't get a jar open, hit the bottom hard against your palm. You could also add extra grip to the jar by using a towel. Finally, another helpful tip is to run the jar under hot water before trying to open it again.
  • Destem a strawberry with a straw.
  • Put a cup of water in the microwave when heating up pizza. It will keep the food from overcooking and allow the base to remain crispy while the cheese still melted.
  • Keep a metal spoon in your tea. This will allow it to cool quicker.
  • To maintain the softness of baked goods, add a piece of bread to your container.
  • Hang your bananas on a banana hook to slow the ripening process. Use any overripe bananas to bake up delicious banana bread.
  • Make egg muffins using traditional cupcake tins. You can include seasonings, leafy greens, and even meats into these tins as well.
  • When making soup, add vinegar to the mixture if it turns out too salty. The acidic nature of the vinegar will cause the salt to be less potent.

Photo by Dominika Roseclay on Pexels

For Travel & Life…

  • Coat your jewelry with clear nail polish to prevent the pieces from leaving green stains on your fingers.
  • Try to alternate your hairstyles. Tying your hair tightly can lead to damaged hair follicles.
  • Use the glass pane of the picture frame as an impromptu dry-erase board.
  • If you ever get deodorant stains on your clothing, simply use a dryer sheet to get it out.
  • In an emergency, light a crayon on fire as a source of light.
  • Get a fanny pack to securely hold your valuables.
  • Carry a water bottle with you, so you can fill it up free of charge.
  • Create a souvenir list before you leave. This will eliminate excess spending.
  • Tie an original tag or piece of fabric to your baggage so it is easy to locate!
  • Hide cash in secret containers. For example, hide money in chapstick containers!

Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels

For Fitness & Health…

  • Eat a banana if you experience muscle pain and soreness.
  • Listen to music while you work out. Make an upbeat playlist that will help you stay motivated. Also, take the playlist the length of time you plan to work out as well.
  • Stretch before AND after you work out.
  • Eat pasta the night before your competition, event, or training session. This helps to store long-term energy.
  • Do not completely stop eating certain foods when on a diet. Simply eat these foods in moderation.
  • Drink chocolate milk after a difficult workout. The protein in the drink aids the worn-out muscles.
  • Mix in frozen fruits, like strawberries, into your water bottle. This will keep it cool and add extra flavor to your drink.
  • Use items around your house as weights if you are doing a home workout.
  • If standard pushups hurt your wrists, try doing wall pushups.
  • While watching television, use the time to also exercise. For instance, do squats during the commercials.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels

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