Introduction

Happy Monday, everyone! And with this Monday comes the first Monday issue for the new, revamped Tulio style. Today, I have a tool that lets you literally talk to your class notes for this busy week ahead (I know I’m not the only one with many tests and papers 😉). Remember to fill out the giveaway form at the bottom to enter for the $10 giveaway. Now, let’s jump into today’s tool.

NotebookLM

🧠 What Is It?

Imagine if Google Gemini and Google Docs had a baby. That’s NotebookLM. It’s a free research assistant made by Google and powered by Gemini. With it, you can upload your sources (PDFs, notes, links, etc.), and then ask it questions or summarize across all of the files. It’s the perfect tool for any student juggling 3 tests and 2 papers in a week with no clue on where to start studying. Just upload and ask!

AI research assistant made by Google.
Let’s you upload Google Docs, PDFs, links, or pasted text.
Give summaries, comparisons, and insights across multiple documents.
Built to help students synthesize info and understand topics faster.

It’s like having an AI TA who never sleeps, reads faster than you ever could, and actually responds to your messages.

⚙ How Do You Use It?

Once you dump in your sources, NotebookLM becomes your study-buddy that actually helps you study, not grind Clash Royale 2v2 matches.

Download NotebookLM or try it on the web.
Create a notebook for each of your classes, topics, or projects.
Upload relevant materials (docs, PDFs, pasted text, etc.).
Ask natural questions like
- “Summarize all key arguments in all sources.”
- “What are the common themes across these three?”
- “Explain this like I’m 5.”
Highlight and pin the best responses for later use.

Now, you can get some studying done, instead of grinding trophies in your favorite game 💀.

🧹 What Does it Replace?

Before, you were probably doing all this manually (and painfully). Here’s what NotebookLM will kick out of your workflow:

Your sad, messy study guides.
A vocab sheet with no terms (thanks, prof 🙁).
Tedious CTRL + F mandatory documents.
Copy and pasting from 5 sources into 1 doc.
And honestly? A lot of Googling you used to do.

NotebookLM turns your notes into an AI-powered study assistant that actually gets what you’re trying to learn. No more guesswork. Just better insights, faster.

🤫 Tulio’s Tips

The 5-Minute Study Rule: Commit to studying for just 5 minutes. That’s it. Trick your brain into starting. Most times, you’ll go longer.
Divide Notes by Use, Not Topic: Instead of “Econ Notes” and “Psych Notes,” try “Essay Evidence,” “Test Facts,” and “I Have No Clue What This Means”. Makes review 10x easier.
Use a “Fake Deadline” Timer: Set a countdown timer for 45 minutes, then pretend your assignment is due by the time it rings. Panic-powered productivity is real.

📆 Weekday Challenge

This week, pick one hour every day where you won’t touch TikTok, Insta, X, Reddit, whatever. It could be any hour (lunch, after waking up, before sleeping). But do it for five days.

See how weirdly long an hour is when you’re not doomscrolling.