I’m Kayla. I review tools for a living, but also for real life. I’m in the library a lot. I lug a backpack that squeaks. I spill coffee. And yes, I use AI to make school work not eat my soul.
I don’t treat AI like magic. I treat it like a smart study buddy who talks too fast and needs fact checks. Here’s what I used this past year, with real moments that helped me pass, breathe, and keep my GPA steady.
Quick note: ask your professor what’s allowed. I use AI for ideas, drafts, and notes. Not to cheat.
For a geeky deep-dive into even more study gadgets, I often skim the curated collections over at PTools when I’m deciding what to test next. If you want the expanded version of my everyday stack, check out the best college AI tools I actually use week after week — it’s the long-form playbook behind this cheat-sheet.
ChatGPT — My “Explain It Like I’m Tired” Helper
What I use it for:
- Fast explainers, draft emails, study questions
A real moment:
I had stats at 8 a.m. My brain said no. I asked, “Explain p-values like I’m 12 and like pizza.” It gave a simple take that clicked. Then I said, “Quiz me with 8 short questions.” It did. I missed two and fixed them before class.
Another time, I wrote a note to my professor about missing a quiz (flu). I pasted my messy draft. It made a kind, short email that sounded like me. I sent it. Got a makeup quiz.
What I like:
- It’s fast and doesn’t judge your typos
- It can turn notes into a clean study guide
For heavier rewrites I sometimes lean on dedicated paraphrasers—the ones that actually passed my plagiarism and tone checks are in this real-world paraphrasing showdown. - It can role-play as a grumpy TA (oddly helpful)
What bugs me:
- It can sound too sure and be wrong
- If I’m vague, I get mushy answers
Kayla tip:
Ask it to show the steps. Then check at least one fact with a real source.
Perplexity — My “Show Me Sources” Machine
What I use it for:
- Research questions with links I can click
A real moment:
For a comm class, I asked, “Does late screen time affect sleep in teens?” Perplexity gave a short answer and linked to health org pages and peer-reviewed studies. I opened the links, saved two papers, and pulled quotes. That cut my search time in half.
What I like:
- Answers are short and cite sources
- It helps me compare claims fast
What bugs me:
- Free limits hit at the worst times
- Some links are paywalled (not Perplexity’s fault, but still)
Kayla tip:
Ask follow-ups like “Show 3 studies with sample sizes.” It sharpens the list.
Grammarly — My Polisher That Catches My Commas
What I use it for:
- Editing essays and lab reports
A real moment:
My sociology paper was solid but messy. Grammarly flagged long lines and odd commas. It didn’t change my voice, just trimmed extra words. I kept the parts that sounded like me and skipped the rest.
What I like:
- Easy fixes in Google Docs
- Good at tone checks for emails
When I was comparing writing helpers, I ran them through the same test drive I documented in I tested the best AI writing tools—what actually worked for me.
What bugs me:
- Sometimes it makes a sentence too plain
- The paid plan can push suggestions I don’t need
Kayla tip:
Turn on “Set goals.” I pick “Academic” and “Confident.” It guides the edits.
Notion AI — My Mess-To-Manual Converter
What I use it for:
- Turning chaos into a plan
A real moment:
Before a midterm, I had notes across slides, photos, and scribbles. I pasted them in one Notion page. I asked Notion AI to make a study outline with key terms, chapter links, and a 30-minute review plan. Boom. Clean map. I used it each night.
What I like:
- Great for checklists and reading trackers
- AI summaries that don’t feel like fluff
What bugs me:
- Paywall for some features
- Needs me to paste clear chunks to shine
Kayla tip:
Ask it, “Make a 7-day plan with 25-minute blocks.” It builds a simple schedule I can stick to.
Elicit — My Question-First Paper Finder
What I use it for:
- Finding studies by asking a question
A real moment:
For a psych brief, I asked, “Do short naps help memory in college students?” Elicit showed a table with papers, methods, and key lines. I skimmed abstracts, grabbed two good fits, and added them to my notes. It felt like a head start.
What I like:
- Tables with summaries save me clicks
- Good for narrowing a broad topic
What bugs me:
- It can miss newer papers
- Some filters are picky on the free plan
Kayla tip:
Export the table and mark “read,” “maybe,” and “nope.” Sounds simple, but it keeps you moving.
SciSpace Copilot — My PDF Translator
What I use it for:
- Asking a paper questions while I read
A real moment:
I opened a dense biology PDF. I asked, “What’s the main claim?” Then, “Explain Figure 2 like I’m a freshman.” It gave a short, plain answer. I still read the paper, but I didn’t feel lost from the start.
What I like:
- Q&A inside the PDF
- Clear summaries of tough parts
What bugs me:
- Can misread a chart now and then
- Big PDFs feel slow on my old laptop
Kayla tip:
Ask it to list limits the authors admit. That line helps in the discussion part of a paper.
Otter.ai — My Lecture Saver
What I use it for:
- Recording classes and getting notes
A real moment:
In Biology 101, my pen died. Otter recorded (with permission) and made a live transcript. After class, I searched “mitosis” and jumped right to that part. The summary bullets gave me the main points for my flashcards.
What I like:
- Search inside your lectures
- Auto highlights and action items
What bugs me:
- Names and terms can be wrong
- You must ask your professor first (always do)
Kayla tip:
Make shared folders for group projects. Everyone gets the same notes. No “I missed that” drama.
Wolfram Alpha — My Math and Chem Checker
What I use it for:
- Solving and checking steps
A real moment:
I had a calculus review. I typed a problem and saw the steps, not just the answer. I compared my work line by line. I found where I messed up—one tiny sign error. Fixed it before the quiz.
What I like:
- Clear steps for math and chem
- Great for quick checks
What bugs me:
- You need the right format sometimes
- It won’t explain slang like “kinda solve this”
Kayla tip:
Copy the steps into your notes and add one sentence: “Why this step works.” Future you will thank you.
Canva with Magic Write — My Poster Quick-Fix
What I use it for:
- Club flyers and class posters
A real moment:
We had a culture fair table and no poster. I asked Magic Write for a short blurb, dropped it into a clean template, and tweaked the tone. Printed it at the campus lab. Done in 30 minutes. Free hugged by the team.
What I like:
- Fast layouts that look legit
If you’d rather spin up original graphics with zero design skills, my field test of free generators in I tried free AI picture makers—here’s what actually worked breaks down the keepers. - Text help that’s not cheesy if you edit it
What bugs me:
- Some lines sound generic
- You still need your voice
Kayla tip:
Write your own headline. Keep it bold and short. Let AI help with the tiny text.
Speechify (or NaturalReader) — My Walk-and-Listen Reader
What I use it for:
- Turning PDFs into audio on the go
A real moment:
I had two chapters and a bus ride. I had the app read it at 1.2x speed. I made two voice notes when something mattered. Later, I searched the text and found the exact page to cite.
What I like:
- Helps me read when I’m tired
- Good for long, dry chapters
What bugs me:
- Some voices sound a bit stiff
- Tables don’t read well
Kayla tip:
Set a timer for 25 minutes. Stop and jot 3 key facts. Simple, but it sticks.
How I Mix These In A Real Week
- Monday: Perplexity to scan sources, Zotero
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