ORIGINAL REDDIT POST
how to pass the time on a laptop in class doing something productive?
In college, I usually have to stay in the classroom all day, including the breaks between classes, because my disability/visual impairment makes moving around campus difficult. I want to use that time doing something productive on my laptop instead of just…
In college, I usually have to stay in the classroom all day, including the breaks between classes, because my disability/visual impairment makes moving around campus difficult. I want to use that time doing something productive on my laptop instead of just sitting there staring at the wall. What are some things I can do that are not games and do not require my full attention? I want to stay aware of my surroundings, so I need something I can pause easily.
Collected discussion
Maybe journaling? Reflecting on your day? Making plans for the next day? Something like that seems chill enough to not require full attention but productive nevertheless.
sure, but I can't spend 3 - 4 hours on that daily.
so far, reading is the most promising idea. all though I have to read somewhat basic books. maybe fiction.
thanks, I like this idea.
yeah, I thought of using some of the time to improve my English skils.
of course I'll try to make friends, but I wouldnt want to rely on them to move around, that will make an expectation that they have to do it, and accompany me all the time. it happend before and I don't want to recreate the same situation.
I sit between 30minutes and 3hours between lectures, I can't just do nothing sitting in an empty class. other than that beeing wierd, it's mentally draining. trust me, I did that throughout highschool.
Yeah, 3 hrs is a bit long lol. Still, try to find time where you can do very little. It is important. But otherwise, my advice is probably of little utility. Ive been enjoying reading the new on Wikipedia and getting dragged down rabbit holes. Its a little deeper than surface level, but I still learn a lot about a lot.
thnx, I'll check The Great Courses. and I'll try to fit some snacks in my laptop's bag :D
Do nothing. Give your brain a rest between classes. And for the love of God don't vibe code something. The point of coding on your own time is to gain proficiency and understanding at coding. A better use of your time would be to code something yourself, then restart use AI Assistance. Compare and contrast the decisions you made vs the AI. Did the AI do better? Is there anything you would prefer to keep from your own attempt? Can you understand what and why the generated code does what it does? But more than anything, just try to take a break. Rest is seriously overpowered.
This is what my daughter's 7th grade history teacher had the class do every day. It makes you think about what you're reading in a way that helps you remember things more easily.
3-4 hours a day is actually a lot of runway when you spread it right, worth having a rotation instead of one thing so it doesn't get boring and you stop doing it after a week. few ideas that are genuinely low attention and can pause easily: learning a language on something like duolingo. building a social media page or writing a blog around a niche you're genuinely interested in, this one's underrated because it boosts your own knowledge over time, has real potential to become an income source eventually, and you can stop mid session anytime without losing anything.
Ask ChatGPT to create quizzes about the material you just learned.
What about listening to an audiobook/reading a book. You can also have snacks you’ve brought with you and bring a flask of tea or coffee? If you want to be extra productive, you can always pick a book relevant to your class/course? Best of luck 🤞 😊 Edit: just remembered there’s audiobooks from The Great Courses which cover a series of university level topics, I recommend them Edit2: making better notes from previous classes is really effective learning but it can be a bit much, don’t be afraid to take mental breaks and watch YouTube or a episode of TV
While all the other suggestions are valid I think you are missing out on a core college element of making friends, try to make friends and get them to help you move around or stay with you some of the time, college will be a tough slog on your own, put yourself out there, people in college are generally very open to making new friends.
Maybe thinking, writing or journaling etc. Some reading if you can manage half paying attention to that. Just listening to music to rest. Just organising notes. Organizing digital stuff. Some meal planning or other chore planning when you get home.
in my last year i submitted a lot of job applications. would also schedule dr apts, text friends back, do homework, etc. ive heard a lot of people say sewing/knitting/crocheting in class can help you focus more not less
I use AI now to assist me on making my notes, some practice question with rationale, and flashcards as well to help me for recall
Listen to podcasts
Of that break time, make sure you exercise, stand, and walk around for 20% of it. You are sacrificing your body by sitting this much. Especially if you feel the safest in the classroom alone, you deserve to coexist with your peers and let them know this is what you’re doing, and they will likely join you. My undergrad cohort had a student we would see around campus with visual impairments that was notably agitated. At the time we were more afraid of him since he was known to blow up at people but looking back he likely felt very isolated and distrustful (rightfully so) of others on a massive (inaccessible) campus. See if you can get a friend group in your major to go to the campus gym with you between classes, if I could push for anything I think screw the laptop go to the rec center if you have one of those. Highly recommend getting up to pace the classroom or hallway and staircases. If you don’t want to leave your stuff unattended, you are better off bringing your stuff with you and carrying your bag and other stuff for the added resistance training. There’s no difference between sitting and waiting in an empty classroom and mapping out the entire floor or building if you give yourself enough time over the semester. Ask people to walk with you as you get to know the area if you want help since they will likely want to initiate getting to know you more, but not know how to because of your disability and how foreign it is for them to try to understand. Everyone wants to have familiar faces but the visual deficits I have seen make people suddenly think you’re not there, and it’s sad that we suddenly forget how to socialize when eye contact and nonverbal in communication don’t work anymore. As far as actual answer to your question, do what you want: Continue to work on your degree in those rest times since going home with no work and being done for the day is the best routine. Any projects you can chip away at or readings. In my major using Anki for flashcards was the go to especially with your phone as a remote. Study foreign languages. Make a capstone project. Work on your CV or applying to jobs or making professional connections for when you graduate. Hell, you can ask your guidance counselor or instructors for more areas to work or study and tell them about the issue of killing time between classes. They may offer just hanging in the lounge or office with them to give you a safe place to land between classes.
Read a book. Bring some knitting. Do a crossword puzzle.
Programming with AI. Just download cursor or Claude code and type in something you want to build. Something that will make your life easier, your classes better, your time organisation more streamlined.
If you love building cool products, you can use claude code to build some really cool stuff during class, i guarantee you that you would have a cool MVP (minimum viable product) to show to someone after the class lol
Vibe code something using Claude code
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