Have you all of the essential tools for professional student that you need in your educational journey?

You might think you do, yet there are things you might have not thought about.

Let me take you through the list of those essential tools for professional student in the post below:

Back in my high school days, there was so little available to use as study tools (and I was not the richest kid either) that I just used a pen and paper and some colouring pencils.

There were markers and colourful pens and calculators etc and other basic stationery but it used to be enough. There were just no other ways.

I could not afford a computer. Anyway back then they were quite chunky things and not very user-friendly, not to mention the WWW was not as resourceful as it is now.

The library was pretty much the only option you had when looking for a piece of information. It took HOURS to find ANYTHING… But I have managed as it were the only tools I’ve had.

Then when I moved to the UK I went to Uni (after a few years gap) and I had so much to choose from. Things have developed since also the UK was far ahead of Poland in many ways.

Not only stationery-wise but also technology-wise.

This not to say that I ended up buying everything that’s out there, but I had much more choice. Also, I was working and I could afford to buy myself things I needed (stationery is not too pricey anyway and technology is a one time purchase really). The internet was already very resourceful and I now was spoiled for choice.

Then when I moved to study on my ACCA I had used some of the same tools that I did when I was back in Uni but I have “grown-up” from many tools that I used to use. Also, I had less time to study hence highlighters, poster notes and some other stationery was no longer an option for me. I have very few but essential tools around me to utilize in my studies.

So here is a list of tools I used on my ACCA journey (you could translate this into any type of professional studies)

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1. Good notepad and a pen

I cannot stress how important it is to have a good pen. It’s best to use one you will be using at the exam hall so you are used to using it. I recommend such ones that are effortless to write with. Especially on the day of the exam when the time is ticking and you are trying to write as quickly as possible, a good pen is a MUST. Also, I recommend you buy in bulk so you save yourself some money and have spare resources when you run out.

 

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2. Study planner schedule.

Right at the start of any type of studies, it is essential to plan when you will study.

I have created a free downloadable xls file with a study schedule which includes some study and revision tips.

I have drawn myself a similar-looking plan each time and tried sticking to it. Planning things helps you understand how much time you have left as a proportion of a material you need to go through allowing for revision time too.

This might be the most important essential tools for a professional student in your journey!

3. Tablet or a smartphone

Whenever I was able to study at work I would use my iPad and just either listen to short videos or read on the technical articles. I love Apple products but you can go for a Samsung too, whichever suits your budget really! It is essential to utilize any time you have and study whenever possible. I would say the smartphone is too little to see well on it but it is a better option to none.

4. Highlighters

I do like using highlighters but I can only recommend using those at the beginning stage of the study.

The studies have found that highlighting text does not help us remember it. So if you think this works for you keep using it but I think when you are restricted for time and want to get it in your head, it’s best to read it out loud and pretend you are teaching somebody else.

5. Calculator

Although this is only applicable to the numerical parts of study it is essential to have when going through the calculations. I recommend such once that can be taken to the exam halls (calculators are allowed as long as they don’t have the smart functions on them). I also recommend ones with a screen that displays the chain of calculations so it’s easy to go back and correct the typing error.

Also if the bad eyesight is your problem, try getting the one with larger numbers so you won’t struggle to read the numbers.

6. Flashcards 

In my early days of study, after completing a section of a study I would go over it and write the most important information in my flashcards. This would help me to better memorise things and also during the revision time I would use it to use it as a guide to “talk myself through” the given topic.

Some study providers produce such flashcards with most essential extracts of information, but I believe that unless you write it yourself, you will not be able to find the information or understand what the abbreviations stand for or even the broader meaning of the information. And the most important thing is… writing the flashcards yourself helps you to memorize the information even more.

7. PC (or a Laptop if you prefer)

The PC is where I was watching numerous videos, listening to podcasts, reading up study materials and preparing past papers to print out.

In the beginning, I was using my old PC which I ten upgraded to All In One PC by Lenovo which I have been using now 4 years and it served me so well. It’s compact so it does not take up too much space. It is also a touchscreen so very intuitive and easy to use. Throughout my study journey, I have spent so many hours on my PC I couldn’t possibly count. This was my most used resource by far.

 

8. Printer

I used to print lots of past papers, technical articles, free study materials etc. I could pay for individual print outs in the library but over the years I have printed so much I would have spent more than on the actual printer. They do not come very expensive nowadays and Epson has been the one I used a lot. Besides printer does come handy at home to print other stuff like documents or pictures.

Also, think about the environment you are studying in.

Is your desk/ table good hight? You can easily develop a hunchback from the hours of studies you will need to do before you finish off with your studies sitting by the smaller desk.

Is your chair comfortable?

Is your lighting good? You don’t want to lose your eyesight either

 

Is the room you are studying with peaceful? You might want some gentle instrumental musing in the background to help you relax.

Whatever it is, make sure you are comfortable, have a nice cup of warm drink next to you and try to avoid sugary snacks (as tempting as it sounds) as sugar does not help to focus.

What are your favourite tools that you rely on in your studies? Let me know in the comments below.

I hope you enjoyed the post and found my guide on essential tools for professional student helpful.

Thanks for reading