12 Old School Tricks That Still Work Today

Some simple tips and tricks have been around for years—some even taught in school—to help people remember useful facts. Here are a few you might find handy:

1. Good Battery or Bad Battery?

Ever find a loose battery and wonder if it still works? Try this quick test: drop the battery onto a flat, hard surface from about 1–2 cm in the air. If it bounces and falls over, it’s dead. If it lands upright, it’s still good to use!

2. Estimating Time Until Sunset

Need to know how much daylight is left? Hold your hand up to the horizon with your fingers stacked horizontally below the sun. Each finger represents about 15 minutes. Count the fingers between the sun and the horizon to estimate how much time remains before sunset.

3. Remembering Months with 31 Days

Not sure how many days are in a month? You have two easy ways to check:

The Knuckle Method: Make a fist and use your knuckles and the spaces between them to count. Start with your first knuckle as January, the space between as February, the next knuckle as March, and so on. The months that land on knuckles have 31 days, while the ones in between have 30 (except for February).

The Rhyme Method: If knuckles are tricky, try this classic rhyme:
“Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November. All the rest have 31, except for February alone.”

4. Using Your Hand to Measure Angles

Need a quick reference for degrees? Use your hand!

Spread your thumb and pinky to form a 90-degree angle.
Slightly spread your fingers:
- Pinky to ring finger: 30 degrees
- Pinky to middle finger: 45 degrees
- Pinky to index finger: 60 degrees

5. Measuring Length Without a Ruler

No ruler? No problem! You can estimate measurements using your hand:

The distance between the tip of your thumb and forefinger is about 18 cm (7 inches).
The distance between the tip of your thumb and pinky is about 20 cm (7.87 inches).

While this method isn’t perfectly precise (since hand sizes vary), it’s a useful trick when you need a quick measurement.

Old-School Tricks Still Come in Handy

With so many easy ways to remember these useful tidbits, life just got a little simpler! Sure, smartphones give us instant access to information, but when you’re without a signal or need a quick estimate, knowing these old-fashioned tricks can still be a lifesaver.

Source: Remedy Daily/Brightside

You’ve just read, 12 Old School Tricks That Still Work Today. Why not read Manager Had To Hire A New Employee.