using your time wisely on public transport
The bus ride to my university takes an hour there and back each day. Those hours spent on the bus tend to feel like a waste of time. However, that time doesn’t have to be useless.
Check out the transit schedule before you make your timetable. For me, there’s no bus at 3 pm so if a class ends at 2:30 I have to wait till 4 for the bus.
You can’t always be productive the entire time. When I’m on the 7 am bus on Mondays I make a deal with myself: Be productive for at least the first half of the bus ride. After that, listen to music and stare out the window all you want.
Pack your bag lightly. Your back is gonna hurt if you try to bring everything with you. If you and a classmate have a break together, make a deal that only one of you will bring the textbook each week. Or buy a binder-ready copy of your textbook (so you can bring individual chapters with you).
Bring snacks and a water bottle always! You’ll be thankful for that granola bar on your way back, especially on days when you’ve been on campus for 12+ hours!
Things you CAN do on public transport:
Study flashcards. Bring a stack of flashcards with you or use Quizlet. Quizlet is a good app because you might find that someone else has already made flashcards for the class you’re taking, you can star which terms you already know, and you can have the app read out the flashcards to you (I find I remember thing better if I hear them as well)
Do your readings and/or prelabs. I wouldn’t recommend bringing more than one textbook otherwise your backpack will be super heavy all day. Read through a few chapters. If you like to write down notes as you read, bring a pen and a pack of big sticky notes. If you have labs like me, finish up your prelabs for the following week when you’re heading home after a lab. I’ve managed to finish my physics and chemistry prelabs on the bus, every week so far this semester.
Catch up on that Netflix show you’ve been watching. Not so productive, but I see it as a way of unwinding. And if you’re going to watch an episode when you get home anyways, why not do it on your commute? So download those episodes and relax (I recommend The Office and Brooklyn Nine-Nine if you need a laugh)
Read over your lecture notes. You should be doing this anyways so why not do it on your commute? Looking over your lecture notes from classes you had that day will help reinforce the content in your mind. Look over notes from weeks or months ago too. Reviewing older content will help you so much when finals come along.
Watch some Khan Academy videos. Did you know that Khan Academy has an app!?? Download videos beforehand and watch them on the go. Since this requires a bit more focus I’d recommend not watching videos for stuff you just learned that day – go home, read your textbook, and then watch a video the next day to clarify things/learn the info in a new way.
Catch up with people you haven’t talked to for a while. Send a text to your mom or that friend who’s studying across the country. Trust me, they miss you and talking to people who support you is good for your mental health.
Get out your planner (or bullet journal) and plan your week. If you’re feeling overwhelmed making a to do list for each day of your week can help. This also ensures you won’t be forgetting about an essay due the next week.
what i learned from high school
turnnoffyourmind
discoholicmusic
pixelskylines
yousharknotpass
areudirty
kaledo-art
ellievsbear
