Productivity Tools for Students · Think College Level

Howard Chan

Wrote this guide · international school, Tokyo

IB 45 / 45 (predicted) Incoming Cambridge HSPS Tokyo · UK·US·HK

I spent my final year at an international school in Tokyo fighting a losing battle against a messy Google Drive. My desk was a disaster until I found a system that actually worked. Now I hold offers from Cambridge HSPS, HKU, and HKUST after scoring 45/45 in the May 2023 IB session.

Most students struggle with the 'deadline pile-up' where three internal assessments land on the same Friday. You need a setup that manages your time without adding more work to your plate. I curated these productivity tools for students based on what kept me sane during my own application cycle.

The Central Hub: Google Calendar for Everything

My Google Calendar was the absolute bedrock of my academic and application life. Every single deadline, from IB Internal Assessments (IAs) and Extended Essay (EE) drafts to UCAS personal statement submissions and SAT registration dates, went in immediately. I color-coded: red for academic deadlines, blue for university application tasks, green for extracurriculars. This visual distinction made it easy to see at a glance where my priorities lay.

Beyond just deadlines, I scheduled specific study blocks. For instance, 'HL History P3 Revision: Cold War' from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM on a Tuesday. This wasn't just a reminder; it was a commitment. The 'Tasks' feature within Google Calendar also became invaluable for breaking down larger projects. Instead of just 'Write EE,' I'd have 'EE: Research Introduction,' 'EE: Outline Body Paragraph 1,' each with its own due date linked to the main EE deadline.

Task Management: Todoist for Daily & Weekly Planning

While Google Calendar handled the 'when,' Todoist handled the 'what, exactly.' This is where I broke down my calendar entries into actionable, bite-sized tasks. For example, a calendar entry 'HL Physics IA' might translate into Todoist tasks like 'Physics IA: Analyze raw data,' 'Physics IA: Draft uncertainty section,' 'Physics IA: Review conclusion with Mr. Tanaka.' The ability to set recurring tasks was also a lifesaver for things like 'Review SL Math AA formulas' every Sunday.

I organized Todoist projects by subject and by university application. So, I had 'IB History HL,' 'Cambridge Application,' 'US Common App,' etc. Within these, I used priorities (P1, P2, P3) to quickly identify what absolutely needed to get done that day. The satisfaction of checking off a task, especially a P1, provided a genuine boost and helped maintain momentum during intense periods like final IB exam preparation or the thick of application season (October-December).

Note-Taking & Research: Obsidian for Interconnected Ideas

For subjects like HL History and HL Economics, where concepts interlink extensively, I found traditional linear note-taking limiting. Obsidian, a Markdown-based note-taking app, was a game-changer. Its core strength is linking notes together. I could have a note on 'Stalin's Five-Year Plans' and link it directly to 'Collectivization' or 'Great Purge.' This created a 'second brain' where I could visually see the connections between historical events or economic theories.

This was particularly useful for essay-based subjects and the Extended Essay. When researching my EE on 'The Impact of Japanese Colonial Policy on Korean Nationalism,' I created individual notes for each source, key argument, or historical figure. Linking these notes allowed me to quickly pull together evidence and structure arguments without endless scrolling through documents. The 'graph view' feature was surprisingly helpful for seeing how different ideas clustered together.

Distraction Blocking: Cold Turkey & Forest

Let's be honest: the internet is a black hole. During critical study periods, especially when drafting my UCAS personal statement or revising for IB mock exams, I needed serious intervention. Cold Turkey Blocker (for desktop) allowed me to block specific websites (YouTube, Instagram, Reddit) or even my entire internet connection for set periods. It's notoriously difficult to bypass, which is exactly what I needed when willpower was low.

For shorter, focused sprints, I used Forest. It's a Pomodoro-style timer where you 'plant a tree' for a set duration (e.g., 25 minutes). If you leave the app to check your phone, the tree dies. This gamified approach, combined with the visual reward of a growing forest, was surprisingly effective for staying off my phone during study sessions. It helped me break down daunting tasks into manageable, focused chunks.

Essay Writing & Collaboration: Google Docs & Grammarly

For all my university essays – UCAS personal statement, Common App essays, Cambridge SAQ, HKU scholarship essays – Google Docs was indispensable. The real-time collaboration feature was crucial for getting feedback from teachers and counselors. They could leave comments, suggest edits, and I could see them instantly, making the revision process much smoother and faster. Version history also meant I never worried about losing a draft.

Grammarly Premium was my secret weapon for refining my writing. Beyond basic spell-check, it caught nuanced grammatical errors, suggested clearer phrasing, and identified repetitive sentence structures. While it's not a substitute for human proofreading (always get a teacher to read your essays!), it significantly improved the polish and conciseness of my prose before I even showed it to anyone. This saved valuable time and made my writing more impactful, particularly for word-limited application essays.

Flashcards for Fact Recall: Anki

For subjects requiring heavy memorization, like HL Biology definitions, HL History dates and key figures, or SL Japanese vocabulary, Anki was unparalleled. It's a spaced repetition flashcard system, meaning it shows you cards you're about to forget more frequently, and cards you know well less often. This optimizes your study time, focusing on what you actually need to review.

I created my own decks for each subject, often during class or immediately after, and reviewed them daily. This consistent, low-effort review prevented last-minute cramming and solidified my understanding of core facts. For example, during IB exam season, I had dedicated Anki review sessions every morning for 15-20 minutes, which kept a vast amount of information fresh in my mind without feeling overwhelming.

Mind Mapping: MindMeister

When starting a new essay or project, or trying to understand a complex topic, I often felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. MindMeister helped me visually organize my thoughts. Instead of a linear outline, I could branch out ideas from a central theme. For my Extended Essay, I started with 'Korean Nationalism' in the center and branched out into 'Japanese Colonial Rule,' 'Key Figures,' 'Resistance Movements,' and 'Post-War Legacy.'

This visual approach was also excellent for brainstorming essay structures or preparing for oral presentations. It helped me see the 'big picture' before diving into the details, ensuring a logical flow and comprehensive coverage of the topic. It's especially useful for visual learners who struggle with traditional text-based outlines.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to pay for all these tools?

Not necessarily. Many tools like Google Calendar, Todoist (basic), Obsidian, and Google Docs have robust free versions that are perfectly sufficient for most students. Grammarly has a free browser extension that catches basic errors. Cold Turkey and Anki also offer free versions. I only invested in premium versions (Grammarly, Todoist) when I felt the added features significantly boosted my efficiency during peak application season.

How long did it take to set up and learn these tools?

It's a gradual process. I started with Google Calendar and Docs in Year 11 (Grade 10) and gradually added others like Todoist and Obsidian over Year 12 and 13. Don't try to implement everything at once. Pick one or two tools that address your biggest pain points (e.g., forgetting deadlines, disorganized notes) and integrate them slowly. Consistency is more important than immediate mastery.

Which tool was the most impactful for university applications specifically?

Without a doubt, Google Docs for essay writing and collaboration, paired with Grammarly. The ability to seamlessly get feedback from multiple teachers on my UCAS personal statement and Common App essays, and then refine them with Grammarly, dramatically reduced stress and improved the quality of my submissions. Google Calendar was also critical for tracking all the different application deadlines.

What if I prefer handwritten notes?

That's perfectly fine! The key is finding a system that works for you. If handwritten notes are your preference, ensure you have a clear organization system (e.g., binders, folders by subject) and a method for reviewing them regularly. Tools like Obsidian or MindMeister can still be useful for conceptual mapping even if your primary notes are physical. Consider digitizing key handwritten summaries or diagrams for easier search and backup.

How do you avoid spending too much time 'organizing' instead of 'doing'?

This is a real trap! My rule was: organization should take minutes, not hours. I set aside 15-20 minutes at the start of each week (usually Sunday evening) to plan my calendar and Todoist tasks. Daily, I'd spend 5 minutes reviewing and adjusting. The goal is to offload mental burden, not create a new one. If a tool feels like it's adding more work than it saves, re-evaluate or simplify its use.

The takeaway

Effective productivity tools are not about finding a single 'best' app, but about building a cohesive system that minimizes mental clutter and maximizes focused work. My journey to an IB 45 and Cambridge admission was significantly aided by leveraging tools like Google Calendar for deadlines, Todoist for tasks, Obsidian for interconnected notes, and Google Docs for collaborative essay writing. By strategically implementing these resources, international students can streamline their academic workload and university application process, allowing more time for deep learning and less for logistical stress.