It should come as no surprise that spending extended periods of time in front of a computer screen can reduce productivity.

With these incredible hacks created specifically for online students, you’ll learn to study smarter, not harder.

1. Add all your Zoom classes to your online calendar.

Assume you’re taking 5 classes this semester. Instead of using Moodle or Canvas to find the Zoom link every time, simply add it to your online calendar.

You can set an event to repeat in any online calendar. So you’ll get a notification every time your online class is about to begin, as well as the Zoom link.

2. Do not take notes if your online classes are recorded.

Better yet, take part in the discussion.

You can always take notes with the recording later. You can also double-speed your recording to finish it faster because you already know what they’re talking about.

3. Install an app that allows you to highlight and annotate directly in Chrome.

Professors enjoy sending 3 or 4 articles for students to read before online lectures. You won’t have to copy and paste, screenshot, or download PDFs if you use a special app to highlight and annotate them.

4. Make a Google Docs file in which all students in your class can collaborate.

What are the best notes? Those of your friends.  Consider the next time you study for an exam: you’ll have all the notes from the class, without hardly taking any notes.

5. Listen to music when you’re studying for an online exam.

Beethoven or techno. It can be anything, really.  If music can help people do their chores faster and have fun while doing abs, it can certainly help you study without falling asleep.

These hacks will help you ace and get the most out of all your online classes. Happy learning!