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My AccountGoing to university is often hailed as the greatest time in your life. Getting a higher education can be a great time to grow, have fun, and meet new people. But it can also be very difficult.
University is expensive for many reasons. From textbooks to tuition fees, the cost quickly adds up. On top of the monetary stress, academic stress also takes its toll. Some weeks you have a paper due for every class and sometimes you could have a difficult test coming up. Knowing how to juggle everything can be a hassle. Luckily, there are tons of great resources for students to take advantage of.
Below are eight resources, divided into the three categories which students struggle with most. Writing papers, maths, and managing money.
Writing Papers
At university, you'll spend much of your time writing and editing papers. These next few resources will make your life a little easier.
1. Purdue OWL
OWL is an acronym for, Online Writing Lab. It's a fantastic resource for all students, especially those in writing heavy programs. OWL has examples and outlines for every style of paper from APA to MLA.
Check out Purdue OWL if you struggle with structure, or your papers always come back covered in red ink. You'll make your professors, as well as yourself, happy.
2. Google Docs
Many professors require you to submit assignments via Microsoft Word. As you know, Word is expensive. But thankfully there's a solution. Google Docs allows you to compose and edit your papers for free, and access them from anywhere.
And if you're working on a group assignment, Google Docs is a great for collaborative working too.
3. OttoBib
Help With Maths
I put together a whole list of useful apps for studying maths, but the following two are by far my favorites.
1. Kahn Academy
I've said it several times, every math class I've ever passed was because of Kahn Academy. Math classes bore me and I can't focus on the instruction.
So instead of trying to focus in my math classes, I'd copy the board notes in class. After class, I'd do my homework alongside Kahn Academy's step-by-step tutorials.
Wolfram Alpha is a calculator on steroids. Not only does it quickly solve equations for you, it show's you how to solve them on your own.
Wolfram Alpha is the result of 25 years of development using complex algorithms. Even if you're not a math student, check it out, you'll blow yourself away.
Saving Money
In a way, you're lucky to deal with the struggles of attending a university. Even though university is expensive, many companies have made it their business to help you out. There are many discounts and perks to take advantage of as a student. However, these money saving resources are my favourites.
1. BookFinder
University bookstores charge a ton of money for your required reading material.
BookFinder helps you search hundreds of online stores for cheap and used textbooks. This means you can find the best price. Saving time and money.
Now sell those books back. Not only will you help out future students by selling your books cheap, you'll get some of your money back too.
3. Work Study / Paid Internship
Paid internships help your money situation in two ways. Firstly, you earn money. And secondly, you gain invaluable work experience that looks great on your CV.
Many companies reserve their internship opportunities for university students. This is great for you, the added value of real world practice in your field offsets the price of your tuition.
University can be an uplifting experience or it can be a draining one. Some days it can be both. By finding and utilising the right tools, you can make any task more manageable. So, try out some of these options and seek to find others that may suit you even better.