5 Fast Typing Tricks Every Student Should Know

While in college, students have to deal with plenty of academic papers, projects, and other assignments. Just a decade ago, most of these tasks were handled the old-school way – using a pen and paper. But now, most of the schoolwork is done and handed in digitally, which means lots and lots of typing every day.

For most students, assignments that involve writing something take a lot of time and energy. First of all, this is due to the complexity of such tasks, lack of focus, and similar issues. But then, there is one more problem that makes you waste more time – insufficient typing skills.

If you are a slow typer, chances are that every essay or assignment that needs to be done on a laptop is a real headache for you. Luckily, there is always a possibility to say, “please, write a paper for me” and get your tasks done by real pros. Nevertheless, typing is something you will still need in your life. So, one way or another, you will need to master this skill, and below are a few tricks to help you do this right now!

Learn Letter Sequences

The correct placement and use of both hands is the primary secret behind fast typing. People who succeeded in this matter typically divide the keyboard into two primary sectors – left and right – one for each hand. The easiest way to get used to it is by practicing letter sequences.

A traditional sequence to start with is ASDF and JKL. You can also find more sequences on the web. Start by practicing them on a regular basis to get used to leveraging both hands effectively.

Keep Fingers on the Home Base

Though not many know this, every keyboard has a so-called “home row.” It’s the row located right in the middle, and it’s basically your home base during typing. To write texts faster, you need to get used to keeping your fingers on this home base and bringing them back after each keystroke.

Developing this habit is easy with the help of muscle memory. Your keyboard has two small bumps on the letters F and J, which identify the home row. Find these bumps to locate the base with ease.

Keep Your Eyes Off the Keyboard

Now this one is a common mistake that many people make. To attain accuracy and avoid errors, most people tend to stare right at their keyboard while typing. However, experts say that this is counter-productive.

Keeping your eyes on the screen instead helps build a strong connection between finger muscles and your brain. As a result, you learn to type faster and more intuitively. After some time, you will even learn to spot errors as you go.

Master Shortcuts

Shortcuts are there to help users perform the needed commands faster and easier. Respectively, it’s easy to guess that they also form the basis of fast typing. When you know all the shortcuts you need, the writing process gets seamless and effective. And, of course, it takes less time.

As a student, you will need to know the basic shortcuts:

Ctrl (or Cmd for Mac) + C – Copy
Ctrl (or Cmd for Mac) + X – Cut
Ctrl (or Cmd for Mac) + V – Paste
Ctrl (or Cmd for Mac) + Z – Undo
Ctrl (or Cmd for Mac) + S – Save

These are the basics that everyone needs to know. Additionally, there are two more shortcuts for even more efficient typing. The first one is Ctrl + Backspace on Windows or Option + Backspace for Mac. This shortcut lets you delete the last word so that you don’t need to delete it manually or tap Backspace multiple times.

The second one is Ctrl + Backspace on Windows or Cmd + Backspace on Mac. This shortcut deletes the entire line. It can be pretty handy when you make a mistake or want to rewrite the content.

Practice!

Fast typing isn’t something you are born with. It is a skill that people acquire throughout their lifetime. And just like any other skill, it can be honed and improved through regular practice. Therefore, our last tip is to dedicate more time to practice this skill. Do it, and you’ll see progress faster!

In case you are not sure where to get started, let us give you a few hints. The most obvious way to practice this skill is to type more on a daily basis – whenever you want to write an essay for school, an email, a message on social media, or anything else, go ahead and use your laptop for this purpose.

Alternatively, you can leverage various online tools and apps meant for this purpose. For example, tools like Typesy or KAZ can help you get regular exercise and progress faster. Such apps will teach you 10-finger systems, tricks, and good typing habits.

Final Tips

Everything that we’ve shared with you so far is directly linked to the ability to write texts on a computer faster. These tricks will help you hone your technical skills. However, the truth is that these technical skills alone won’t make you type like a pro.

Here are a few extra tips that you should also consider:

Have a Specific Goal in Mind

Whether you want to start typing faster or learn a new language, a clear goal is a key to success in every undertaking. Therefore, before you start practicing, be sure to define a specific goal and keep it in mind in the process.

Get Yourself Good Hardware

Fast typing requires a good, ergonomic keyboard. If you don’t have one, the entire process will be inconvenient and tiring. So be sure to invest in good hardware.

Don’t Forget About Posture and Lighting

A healthy posture and good lighting significantly affect your productivity when you work on a computer. So don’t neglect these two things.

Strive for Accuracy

Finally, it doesn’t matter how quickly you type your texts if they are full of errors. Thus, don’t strive for speed alone and focus on accuracy as well.

Now you have everything you need to start typing faster. Use these tips right now to boost your skills!