How to Effectively Use a Laptop to Study

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Students often struggle to use laptops for study. Instead of studying, they waste time with other activities, such as downloading music, games, videos, etc. from Internet. In this article, you can find tips to effectively use your laptop for studying.

Steps

Step 1. Get to know and appreciate computers

As a student, you already know how to manage your time by doing various activities in an excellent way. But when the laptop enters your world, you have to keep one thing in mind: it is an endless source of activity and resources. So be careful when you start using your laptop.

Step 2. Install only the minimum amount of programs necessary for the computer to be a suitable tool for a student

This way you will be sure not to waste time looking for new software. Here is a list of the most useful software:

• Drivers: they are used to make the laptop work without problems and to avoid downloading other software for particular functions. Linux users don't have to do anything, as the drivers are updated and downloaded automatically.
• Antivirus: serves to make sure that your system is working correctly, without viruses, and avoids wasting time with damaged or infected files. Linux users don't need an antivirus program.
• VLC media player: serves to play any type of video formats on the PC, avoiding wasting time looking for codecs for different video formats. You can also try KM player, which is an equally good program, but lacks sound reproduction compared to VLC. Linux users can use Democracy Player to download and play music files.
• Adobe Reader: Used to open PDF documents without wasting time looking for a PDF reader. You can also try the equally good Nitro PDF reader. Linux users can use the PDF creator to create and open this type of documents.
• Google Chrome: Unlike other browsers, it allows fast and smooth browsing and saves time. Mac users can use Safari or Firefox. Linux users already have Firefox installed and are best equipped to surf the net.
• Adobe Flash player: Allows you to work well with educational programs that use flash or with PC.exe files.
• Internet Download manager: allows you to quickly download course videos from educational sites, avoiding wasting time looking for download software.
• Microsoft Office: it is the core of all documents useful for the study of laptops using Windows. Linux users can use OpenOffice.org, which allows you to create - for free - Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files.
• Everything: this software allows you to search for documents in less than a second and does not require additional memory, unlike the indexing option of Windows.
• WinRAR: allows you to extract files or create archives. PDFs are sometimes in zipped format, so this program is needed to open them. Linux users can use 7zip for the same functions.
• Picasa: Used to better visualize and analyze scanned documents.

Step 3. Avoid downloading non-study-related games, movies, videos and fun applications to avoid distractions while studying on your laptop

This step ensures that you won't waste time on non-study related activities. If you've downloaded this sort of thing before, we recommend deleting them, as they will make you want to download more and end up misusing your laptop for study purposes.

Step 4. Let's move on to the music

Students often hear that listening to music while studying helps them concentrate better, so they start surfing the net for music files and download large quantities. We recommend listening to relaxing instrumental music or beat music, which promote concentration while studying on the PC. Avoid listening to songs with sung lyrics, because the voice and words will distract you and you will find yourself humming or otherwise distracted. However, if you are used to listening to music while studying, we recommend instrumental music or music in a language you do not understand, because the mind cannot translate it into words and this eliminates the distraction. You can use headphones to listen to music while you study, and you can also record your lessons by singing them to the beat of the music - these recordings will help you review quickly. You can also listen to them again at any time and put them on your iPod to listen to them while you travel, eat or before bed. Thus you will improve your productivity by studying with your laptop and using music as a catalyst to improve your rhythmic memory, which facilitates memorization.

Step 5. Avoid surfing the net for purposes other than studying, such as watching blogs, social networks, porn sites, etc

We recommend that you limit surfing the net for fun to once a week for no more than 4 hours - this will keep you motivated to study. In other words, you will study hard all week to reward yourself with 4 hours of browsing on your favorite site. This step also ensures that you do not waste time browsing unproductively, and makes you more productive by minimizing the time spent online, because you will only look for what you need for studying and nothing else. Example: signing up for newsletters is a good way to avoid social networks and other distractions, staying informed about what interests you and maximizing the time spent studying.

Step 6. Use time limits

Speaking of laptop use, we recommend that you do not exceed 90-120 minutes per day, so you can spend more time studying on books than on your laptop. This rule is the key to using your PC effectively to study. The next few tips will clarify how to do it.

• As you read your textbooks, write down topics that are less clear or that you don't understand well (perplexity).
• Make a list of concerns by writing them under the name of the subject. Keep a diary of concerns, in which you will note them under the respective subjects, one per page.
• As you do this, write down in parentheses what you need to understand best about that topic.
• Now that you know what to look for, turn on your laptop, open the list of concerns and start searching the net for clarification. However, we recommend that you ask your teachers your questions first or discuss them with your classmates. Delete from the list the topics on which you have solved your problems or check them off; at the end of the day, search the internet for what is not yet clear.
• Read the summary slides of what was explained to you at school to see if you still have any questions or concerns and check the clarified ones.
• Favorite educational sites you find when you do these searches, so you don't have to search over again if you need further clarification or if you need to review.
• If you find a video on the topic you are looking for, download it to your laptop using a download manager. Most of the videos on school topics are available on YouTube. Videos can be a great learning tool and clear up many doubts.
• Use the videos you download to study profitably and review quickly. You can also download videos on upcoming topics that will be covered in class and learn the basic concepts in advance to impress teachers and friends, and above all to have an advantage over rivals.
• If your computer time limits run out, use Google Chrome's save session option so you can pick up where you left off the next day. In this way, you will use the time at the PC exclusively to clarify your doubts, otherwise you will end up not understanding anything because you are distracted, and this would mean that you are not using the laptop in the correct way.
• Keep updating the list of concerns so you know what you need to focus on in the next session. When clearing up one of your concerns, write the explanation next to the doubt or in a special notebook so that reviewing is quick and easy. You can also write the explanations on the presentation slides if you are used to using them for studying.

Step 7. Get to study on your computer without surfing the internet

You still use the laptop, but you just read the study topics, do exercises or practice with educational software such as AutoCAD, MatLab, programming software, etc. for the time you have imposed on yourself.

Watch educational videos related to courses on how to do C programming exercises with Linux, draw in AutoCAD, edit images, etc

Step 8. Plan your activities over the course of the week

This way you will be sure that you have time for everything.

Step 9. Use your computer constructively to always improve your progress

Step 10. Make room for new ideas and improve them

You will never find out what your potential is until you put it to the test. For example: while you study a certain subject you get an idea. You are too lazy and you don't take advantage of it and the next day that idea came to someone else and you will have missed an opportunity and you will regret it. It happens! This is the key: Have you ever wondered why the top of the class always asks so many questions? It is because, unlike the others, they do a lot of research and in this way they have a lot of new ideas and curiosities and keep looking for answers. So start looking for new ideas, and be hungry for knowledge - you could become a brilliant student with great ideas and great skills. This will also be useful to you in the future and throughout your life.

Step 11. Make sure you don't spend more than 4 hours on your computer for fun, and not all of them in a row

This way you won't fall into the trap of misusing your PC. The downsides of using a computer are the numerous sources of distraction: surfing the net, playing games, listening to music, etc. In addition, you will not over-strain your eyes and physique by continuously sitting at the computer.

Step 12. Avoid activities that are not relevant to studying or that create a virtual world of illusions around you

Do practical activities that are useful in real life. For example: avoid social networks, where you make hundreds of friends and fall into the trap of the virtual world. You start making more and more friends, you constantly check your notifications, you start wondering what others think of you if they don't answer you for some time, you start playing social games and you think that if you reach the highest levels in a short time, they others will be impressed. But what you lose is the time to devote to yourself. Your grades, mood, behavior and everything in between will become difficult to manage and you will ruin your student career. Remember: students are rewarded for their knowledge and discipline, for nothing else.

Step 13. If you have a laptop with a touch screen, use a USB stick to take notes on the PC and try other systems

Having a computer with a touch screen allows you to do many things faster than usual. For example, taking notes becomes very easy, especially with “One Note”. You can create images, cognitive maps, presentations, etc. in seconds.

Step 14. Take online tests on the topics you are studying to assess your level of preparation and become more confident in classwork

Write down the questions you haven't been able to answer or the concepts you don't remember well and study them again. This step requires you to finish studying before taking the online tests.

Step 15. Use the computer for video chats with teachers and peers to ask questions and clarify concepts on study topics

You can also use emails. This is one of the most useful aspects of using the laptop, which allows students to stay in touch after school hours. You can use Google Hangouts to group chats with teachers and peers and discuss topics, projects, concerns, and more.

Method 1 of 2: Recreational Use

Step 1. A student's life is not complete without non-academic activities such as sports, cultural activities, workshops, competitions, etc

Students don't spend all their time on books: they play, dance, sing and do many other things. Non-academic activities play a crucial role in building a career as an actor, singer, dancer… A very interesting part of a student's life is practicing these activities and being able to use them in the future. In this part we will talk about the use of the laptop for purposes other than studying, to maximize one's physical and psychological potential.

Step 2. Since each person has different recreational activities, it is not possible to establish an exact amount of computer use that applies to everyone

In any case, the PC can be involved in various activities and below, based on how you prefer to spend your free time, several activities are listed which may include using the computer. Here are some of them.

• Use the computer for sports: The PC can give you an edge over others when it comes to sports. It can increase a person's sports skills and make them improve as a professional. You can use your computer to search for new tips and tutorials on YouTube or sports sites and use them to improve the way you play. For example, in basketball you can improve your skills by watching videos on the internet or you can download programs to learn how to play, such as "Steve Nash. Fundamentals of basketball". YouTube is a great platform for such searches. The tricks you learn do not help you to improve in just one sport, but in many, such as football, and give the player various possibilities to make the most of their skills to beat opponents in innovative ways.
• Use the computer for singing: You can effectively use the computer to learn to sing in no time. The computer is a perfect platform for anyone who makes music. You can download numerous songs from different genres and practice singing. You can also use your PC to record your music, sing karaoke or compose music using programs like Virtual DJ, Audacity, Ultrastar Deluxe, etc. You can also improve your singing and music composition skills by watching videos on the subject on your computer. Musicians can also use the PC to improve their skills or learn to play a new musical instrument.
• Use the computer for dance: You can improve your dance skills by watching dance videos and learning new techniques to improve your style and movements. You can also know what you're doing wrong while dancing by watching some tutorials. Use YouTube or other similar sites to research your dance style.
• Use the computer to study - you may think this point was put here by mistake, but in reality it is not. Preparing a project falls into this category. You can search your computer for different projects and tasks you are working on. It can be a project for the school, but also a hobby, like robotics, where students get together for competitions. For example, for a robotics club you can search for different models you want to design for the race and gather information on how to build or customize them, or even rework the design to improve it. You can also run simulations using programs like Camelot, Robot Studio, Virtual Robot Simulator, etc. Linux users benefit from having thousands of free student programs to enhance projects.

Method 2 of 2: Advanced Usage

Step 1. This part is especially intended for advanced students

This only means for students with more time available after study and non-study sessions, or who want to do more than just study. In this part we will insert the computer positively in activities that always annoy parents and sometimes cause problems such as lack of sleep, addiction, loss of concentration in the study and more.

• Use the computer for gaming: If you want to try a career as a professional gamer, a good laptop can give you a certain advantage. You can play many games on your laptop and you can also create your own using various software and videos. To become a good game programmer you will have to play many games and create even more, but all of these things have to be done slowly and consistently. Frantic pursuit of these activities is not good, because it can damage your studies and, without good academic results, you will not be able to get into college or get a good job if you drop out of the plan in the future. Doing things consistently will make you win.
• Use the computer for graphic design: Graphics are in high demand, requiring a lot of work and patience. Having a laptop can improve your graphics skills, because it will allow you to practice more and apply yourself more. You can improve your skills with software like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Graphics, Gimp (Linux users), etc. We recommend that you go slowly and learn one concept at a time, applying new teachings and experimenting with concepts already learned. Don't be in a hurry - you will lag behind with your studies and working slowly will allow you to get used to the patience needed to develop your graphic design skills.
• Use your computer to get feedback: Probably the only useful aspect of social networks and blogs is the possibility of receiving feedback on your work. Upload your work to social networks or forums with your PC to get feedback on what's working, what's missing and how to improve your work. Thanks to the feedback you can improve your skills and take them to higher levels. You can also upload media files to YouTube to get more feedback and share your ideas with other people around the world. Some, at times, may make fun of you or make improper use of your work; in these cases you have to avoid conflict, reacting badly would only waste your time, so forget it.
• Use your computer for fashion: catch up on new fashion trends with your laptop. You can also pursue your career as a model maker and stylist simply by keeping up to date and creating models in your spare time. You can also use feedback systems, as mentioned before, to improve your skills more and more.

• Use computers for software development: Software development is a very trendy and very interesting topic, particularly among students who want to work in the field of computer science. Software development requires two things: programming knowledge and a platform to experiment on. Using your laptop you can learn C programming even without taking a special course, reading the free tutorials on the net and on YouTube. Linux users have a big advantage in this case, because typically Linux is used to learn C programming. Learning C programming is not something you do in a day: it will require perseverance and patience, like other activities. Once you've mastered the basics, practice as much as possible. You can use software like Turbo C, C Free, Dos Box, XAMPP (Linux users) etc. to test and improve your skills as a programmer. Once you have mastered C programming, you will need to learn how to write code and programs to create software, and you can do it using the web and YouTube. The most skilled and willing can learn other programming languages, such as C ++, Java, Python, etc. Finally, you can test them on different emulation platforms, such as emulators for Android. This work also requires a lot of patience: haste will only complicate things for you.

  

• Use the computer to cook: now you will think that this point has nothing to do with it, but you will understand its importance if you keep reading. As a student, you will go through a stage where you will have to prepare your own food and be alone in a hostel or live on your own. In this case, cooking will be much better than eating junk food or spending money on always eating out, and it will also help you become independent. You can try numerous recipes from all over the world, which you will find on the net. You can plan your nutrition to follow a healthy and balanced diet. In particular, this point will be useful for lovers of good food and for those who want to cook as a hobby or as a job.

Step 2. Now that you have learned how to incorporate your laptop into various activities, make sure you are not neglecting the important things

Advice

• If you download study materials, be sure to name the files neatly and create shortcuts for your folders on the desktop. You can use all means to have quick access to files. Here is an example to help you understand the basics of categorization: if the subject is mathematics and you take a course in algebraic topology, name the files "Mouse" and put the file title in parentheses. This way you will quickly find files with all tools, or even manually.
• Use speed reading software to improve your reading skills.
• Research your favorite topics, participate in competitions. Meet new people from other schools and find out how the best students use computers. However, be careful not to be manipulated by what they say and not to get involved in unpleasant activities.
• Always show that you are productive and willing. Impress teachers with big plans and extensive knowledge, using the laptop in a useful way for new creations and new ideas.
• Avoid listening to sung music while you study. If the music is distracting you, turn the volume down to feel more comfortable. If that doesn't work, not listening to music while you study is the best idea: not everyone studies with the same methods.
• To avoid wanting to play computer games, engage in outdoor games and activities. In particular, avoid downloading from torrents and DC ++.
• It is always better to download videos than to watch them online, as it takes less time. As you download, don't waste time checking the download status. Instead, read or research other topics you have doubts about. Downloading videos gives you quick access to information and is useful for reviewing.
• Do not experiment with your computer, especially system files, because if they get damaged you will lose all data. Always save files to a disk on which Windows is not installed.
• You can save websites on your PC so you don't have to search for them every time. Use the "Save as" command by right clicking on the web page to save it to your computer.
• Remember to program in C on your laptop, because it is the basis of everything and can be useful for the future.
• If you use your computer at school, it may happen that not all sites are available, because schools have very strict regulations and some sites may be blocked.
• Delete all entertainment or unnecessary programs and files from your computer. Don't think twice about eliminating all this stuff, because sometimes you think it might be useful later, but it doesn't and instead you'd be wasting precious time in distractions. Remember: to gain something you have to lose something, and it is better to lose something useless.
• Since Linux is an open operating system, it is the best one for students: they don't have to buy anything and Linux offers almost all the functions of various paid programs for free, such as Adobe Photoshop (Gimp), MS Office (OpenOffice. Org), etc.
• Knowing how to do everything does not mean having to do everything. It means being able to manage the world around you. So be careful: don't get manipulated by what others say, and start trying new things to be more appreciated - this will affect your professors.
• You can use your iPod if you want to listen to music, but do so when exercising or in your free time, not while studying, to avoid distraction.

Warnings

• Make sure you eliminate anything that is not about studying and that makes you want to waste time.
• The computer is an endless source of resources: be careful not to let the PC control you, rather than control it yourself to improve your performance.
• Do not hesitate to delete entertainment programs and objectionable content from your computer.
• Do not use the computer for activities other than studying the day before exams or class assignments.
• Don't try or experiment with new things you've heard about from untrustworthy sources.
• Don't use your computer to take a break from studying.
• Don't lose track of time when you are at the computer.
• Strictly stick to the time limits and rules for using your laptop.
• Don't download programs for fun.
• Do not read textbooks on your computer in PDF format, unless they are inaccessible in paper form.
• Don't use your computer for unpleasant tasks.