How a Pair of Science Students Developed an App to Help You Study Better

They’re jetting off to Canada to pitch their idea.

Having to set aside time to study is perhaps one of the most frustrating things about being a student. When you are constantly preparing for tests, assignments and exams, it is exceptionally easy to become time poor.

This is an issue that Monash University students Maria Borsaru and Anh Nguyen know all too well. In fact, their passion to help young people manage their time effectively inspired them to create a web-based app for Red Bull Basement University, a global collaborate initiative for student innovaters who want to drive positive change through technology. 

Having received the most votes for their app called miniRabbits in the national rounds, Maria and Anh are now busy gearing up to represent Australia at the global workshop in Toronto, Canada.

As the pair tell Student Edge, they discovered that being overloaded by work contributes negatively to a person’s wellbeing, and they wanted to find a solution.

"We started off with a very broad topic: mental health," Maria says.

"We interviewed our friends, family and students around campus to see what was really impacting them, and we found that having too much work was happening across the board."

Of course, being overwhelmed by work is a tricky issue to tackle. Everyone copes differently under pressure, and people have their own unique ways of managing.

So, Maria and Anh came up with a way to incentivise young people to create more consistent study habits.

"There is no easy way to fix your habits," they say.

"That’s why we have bought this incentives aspect to it, with rewards that can be redeemed on campus."

The app also takes the importance of work-life balance and community into account, enabling students to have their events show up on a uni map.

Additionally, you can tell whether your study habits are improving or not through your "mini rabbit", which grows based on your progress.

Pictured: Maria and Anh (supplied).

Maria and Anh will jet off to Canada in the coming weeks to attend the three-day global workshop, where they’ll get to meet other national finalists from around the globe and undertake workshops and mentorship sessions.

On Sunday 15 December, the students will then pitch their idea in front of a professional judging panel, where the overall winner will have Red Bull’s support to amplify their project worldwide.

"We’re hoping to go there and meet all the other students who have been in the same position as us, and to see what their journeys have been like," they say.

Of course, Maria and Anh also have their eyes on the prize.

"Obviously, we’re striving to be the global winners," Maria laughs.

"We’re definitely going to try our best."

Header Image: Supplied