School isn’t easy: that’s a fact. However, the wonderful world of the internet can help make your life better. Whether you need to check the answers for your math homework, or assistance for fixing the grammar in your essays, chances are that whatever you need help with can be found online. That’s not to say that you should use these websites to cheat, as that will result in you getting a bad grade, but you can still use them to check answers or get a better understanding of your work. Here’s a list of helpful online resources that you, as a student, should know:

1. Slader
   1. Arguably, Slader is the queen of this list. This free website has the answers to the workbook questions in almost EVERY textbook. It not only provides the answer (that is given by a contributor or another student from around the world), but a step-by-step solution to the problem as well. Slader is sophomore Veronica Chen’s favorite online tool to use for school because “it shows you how to get to the answer and it’s really helpful when I’m in a time crunch.” While the answers are reliable for the most part, they are still written by others and are not the actual, verified answers of the textbook. However, using Slader to check your homework is always great if you want to make sure you understand your content well enough.
2. Quizlet
   1. If Slader is the queen, then Quizlet is the king. Quizlet is an extremely useful study tool that has multiple functions, its most popular one being its flashcard function. It’s especially great if you’re trying to memorize vocab terms and important concepts. “I can use it for basically any subject,” sophomore Emely Chang expressed. “And, the best part is: it’s free!” Not only can you study the sets made by other students, but you can create your own which is even more helpful for your memorization.
3. Sparknotes/Shmoop/Cliffnotes
   1. Have you ever read a book for your English class, but could not figure out what that one chapter was all about? Sparknotes, Shmoop, and Cliffnotes are all amazing resources that not only summarize chapters of the books you’re reading in class, but provide analysis as well. They also provide other insightful things such as the key symbols and themes from the book, as well as the characters and the plot. However, it is not recommended to solely rely on these websites without reading the book itself. The books will always include details you’ll need to know for your classes.  
4. EasyBib
   1. Bibliographies in MLA format do not have to take up your energy any longer! EasyBib is a free generator that can make your citations for you. All you have to do is input their requested information, and then you’re all set to go! It also has other functions such as grammar and plagiarism checkers.
5. Grammarly
   1. Speaking of grammar, it’s always good to have assistance in proofreading your essays. Grammarly is great for catching the small mistakes you may have overlooked, and also just simply helping your writing style by eliminating wordiness or enhancing your diction. If you buy premium, you also get additional advice and assistance in things beyond grammar such as clarity. Before turning in an essay, junior Perry Lu pops it into Grammarly for “a second proofreading” since “it doesn’t cost anything.” 

Hopefully, these websites help you in your future career as a student buried in studies. Again, these websites are not meant to help you cheat. Cheating won’t get you very far, but a strong understanding of your course will. Use these online resources to your advantage! 

Graphic Courtesy of SLADER.COM