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Back-to-school season is slowly creeping up on the horizon. And for you, as a thriving high school student or a growing college scholar, this can only mean one thing: a boatload of stress flooding your mind once again.
For you, summer break provided a little sense of relief from the worries brought on by being a student. From wondering if you can afford your next school lunch to tending to your mental health to remain balanced, something keeps you up at night about continuing your education.
Today, worrying if you’ll have access to the resources needed to have a successful year will not be one of those worries. Here is the ultimate back-to-school guide of affordable and free resources to make your school year worthwhile.
Resources For Studying
Quizlet - A website that provides flashcards and study tools for multiple subjects on a high school and college level. The resources and flashcards are primarily created by other students and teachers. Still, you can create your own private flashcards if needed.
StudyStack - Another website that provides study tools such as flashcards and practice tests. This website is perfect for you if you’re looking for a more creative way to study through gameplays.
Hippocampus - A website with well-explained videos to help you understand specific high school and college-level subjects. This website also has lecture videos from other platforms such as Khan Academy and Phoenix College that can provide further insight.
SparkNotes - A website best used for studying and research purposes. This website also lets you see full versions and guides of books you may need for your classes, especially for literature.
Number2 - A website for your study guide and test prep needs. This site also has plenty of resources for anyone looking to study and take the ACT, SAT, GRE, or CPA exams.
Intelligent - A website that publishes resources focusing on academic success habits and practices to support students in their studies.
Resources For Note-Taking and Organization
Evernote - A platform that allows you to have all your notes, schedules, and tasks in one setting. It’s perfect for you if you desire to keep specific tasks and projects organized in one place, such as completing homework assignments or planning school projects.
Schooltraq - A tool that acts as a digital planner for all your events and projects. It’s an excellent tool for keeping all your subjects and assignments organized for the school year.
Google Keep - A free Google app that allows you to take notes and keep the information safe. You only need a Google account and the app on your laptop or phone.
Microsoft OneNote - If you have a PC computer or laptop and a Microsoft account, this tool is readily available to take notes, jot down your thoughts, or collaborate with others.
Apple Notes - For Apple users, your Apple Notes app is a great place to write out and group together the necessary information needed to help you during your school year.
Resources For Time Management and Productivity
Marina Timer - This free website provides various timer options to help you stay focused on one central task. Whether you’re trying to study for your next exam or set out time to complete an assignment, it’s perfect for ensuring you stay on track to completing any task.
30/30 - This app is changing the game to effectively manage your time for schoolwork and other tasks. Setting up the timer is easy, and you can effectively control any project using the app.
Phone Settings - Believe it or not, your Android or iPhone has just what you need to cut down your unnecessary scrolling to focus more on your studies. You only have to complete a few steps to set everything up accordingly and begin concentrating again.
Techniques and Tips - Sometimes, an app or an extension on your computer isn’t enough to keep you focused on your most crucial tasks. Therefore, if you have more self-control, you can try different time management methods that best fit your personality. Some of those effective techniques include:
Tackling smaller tasks first.
Completing one task at a time.
Scheduling out work times and breaks.
Resources For Choosing a Career Path
Career Girls Career Quiz - This quiz is specifically geared towards girls and young ladies looking to identify which career paths they can consider based on their personality traits.
Job Shadow - A website that has over 400+ interviews from people within various industries describing their lives in their careers. You can look at the person with the dream career you have in mind to determine if it’s something you wish to pursue.
CareerShip (Mapping Your Future) - A website where the resources help you discover your career interests and enable you to get specific about the types of jobs available within your field.
Monster’s Salary Tool - A unique tool for college students that helps them determine the salary they can receive from various jobs within their career field by city and state.
Personal Relationships and Connections - Believe it or not, the relationships you build with teachers, professors, counselors, and more can help you decide on the type of career you could potentially want to pursue. Take the time to sit down with them and share your thoughts about where you stand in your career decision to see if they can provide further insight.
Resources For Scholarship Searching
Scholarships.com (High School) - This website is one of the best sites for high school seniors and graduating juniors to find pages of funding opportunities, all of which are always up-to-date.
Fastweb (College) - Similar to the previous website, this site is great for college students looking to apply for more funding for their education. Once you create your profile, it’ll match you with scholarship opportunities that best fit your characteristics.
DoSomething.org - This website is an excellent resource for high school students to refer to while preparing for their college journeys. Not only do they have various scholarship opportunities for young black students, but they also have other opportunities that can help you advance, such as volunteer credit opportunities.
Scholarships360 - This website is perfect for high school and college students looking to apply for more scholarships based on their characteristics and qualifications. Here, they’ve listed scholarship opportunities for college students, and here, they’ve listed some for high school freshmen. However, they have more available for you to choose from.
Access Scholarships - Another website where high school and college students can search for scholarships based on their area, hobbies, religion, and more.
Resources For Mental Health
National Suicide Prevention Lines - These are specific lines across the United States and Canada that you can call when you’re in distress and need extra support.
United States: 1-800-273-8255; 988 (call or text)
Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (toll free); 45645 (text)
Meditation & Therapy Apps - There are free apps specifically dedicated to helping you manage your stress, clear your mind, and help you achieve inner peace. Some of those apps include:
School Services and Resources - When push comes to shove, your school has you covered. Take the time to drop your shame and ask your counselors about available resources to help you manage your mental health effectively.
Don’t Start The New School Year Unprepared
School is supposed to be a sacred place for you as you try to expand your education and prepare to find your purpose. Therefore, there’s no time for stressing over what you don’t have for the school year.
Thanks to the digital era we live in, there are plenty of online resources that are either at affordable prices or free for you to use. All you have to do is keep these resources in a safe place where you can easily access them when needed.
You deserve a school year full of interesting insights and good memories. This guide of resources will help you experience those good feelings all year long.
Don’t forget to help a sister out, too! Are there any other resources missing from this list that you want to be added? Drop them in the comments.