No matter how packed my schedule is, one thing you can always count on is that I will procrastinate. I always know it’s going to catch up to me, and that I’ll end up pulling endless all-nighters to fix the mess, but somehow… I still do it anyway. Pretending I don’t procrastinate has done me no good so far.

While scrolling on Reddit (ironically when I was procrastinating), I came across a post on the r/python subreddit where a developer shared that he created a Chrome extension that forces you to study while you procrastinate, FlashySurf. Though I first procrastinated giving the extension a try, I finally did, and it’s actually managed to help me feel at least a little productive, even on days when I’m doing everything but studying.

This free extension randomly displays flashcards when you’re browsing

It’s open-source too!

Once you’ve installed this extension, flashcards will randomly begin appearing on your screen as you browse the web. So, say you’re procrastinating by watching random YouTube videos or reading post after post on Reddit, FlashySurf will help you squeeze in a bit of studying even during your most unproductive moments. This extension is completely free and open-source, so you won’t have to worry about hitting any paywalls or subscription fees.

When I first read about extension, the idea of flashcards randomly appearing sounded cool, but my first thought was: I’d simply close the flashcards that appeared and continue procrastinating. Fortunately, the developer of this extension thought this through.

Once a flashcard appears, there is absolutely no option to close it until you answer it. When you get an answer wrong, the flashcard pop-up will turn into a detailed explanation. You can’t close the pop-up here and call it a day either.

Instead, you’ll find a Next: Take Notes button, where you’ll need to describe how and why you got the answer wrong, along with the right solution for the question. This approach forces you to reflect on your mistakes, and actually learn from them.

I’ve noticed that whenever I get an answer wrong and actually take the time to think through what went wrong (in general, not just with this extension), I never forget the correct answer, even though I have the memory of a goldfish. So, this is perfect for me!

The note-taking popup also only lets you exit when you type more than 10 words, ensuring you actually put some thought into it. Even when you get an answer correct, you’ll only be able to exit the pop-up after reading the explanation for five seconds.

Frankly, I did initially find this extension extremely annoying. Flashcards suddenly appearing when I’m having fun watching a YouTube video or reading a random article would get on my nerves. However, it quickly grew on me.

You can create your own custom flashcards

You’re not limited to what comes pre-made

When FlashySurf was first launched, it was an extension focused on the SAT only, meaning the flashcards were limited to that specific test. However, the developer has since added the ability to create your own custom flashcards.

When you click the FlashySurf icon in your list of extensions, you’ll find the extension’s settings panel. Upon scrolling down a bit, you’ll see a Flashcard Collections section, where you can enable or disable created decks, or hit Add/Update/Edit Flashcard Collection to manage your custom sets. When it comes to creating new flashcard collections, you seem to have two options:

• Create them manually within FlashySurf’s interface: For each card, type the multiple-choice question text, and the options. Also, add an explanation for why the correct answer is correct, and why the other choices are incorrect.
• **Use FlashySurf’s AI Flashcard/Maker: **Paste the text you’d like to convert into flashcards. You can also add optional details, like specifying exactly what you’d like the set to focus on, to help the AI generate more accurate and relevant flashcards.

There also seems to be an import option, which I assume allows you to upload pre-existing flashcard sets from other apps or formats. However, I tried to upload .csv and .json files consisting of multiple flashcards, and it unfortunately didn’t work.

A pop-up appeared indicating that the import was successful, but nothing showed up in the extension or under my created collections. So, this is probably still a feature that’s still a work in progress.

It uses smart learning techniques to boost retention

Turning mistakes into memory

In the Reddit post, the developer explains that FlashySurf uses a combination of psychological techniques for effective learning. First up, the extension keeps track of the flashcards you answer incorrectly and stores them all in a list. These incorrect questions are then prioritized to ensure you see them more often. The extension also uses spaced repetition, which gradually increases the intervals between reviewing flashcards you know well.

As mentioned above, FlashySurf comes with a SAT flashcard collection pre-built, and it uses advanced AI-powered weakness detection and semantic clustering. This system groups questions by topic, allowing it to determine what kind of flashcards to show next.

The question selection is split into 50% new questions, 35% questions similar to ones you’ve failed, and 15% direct reviews of previously failed questions. Unfortunately, while this semantic clustering sounds incredibly helpful, it’s currently limited to FlashySurf’s built-in SAT collections only. However, the developer has confirmed that they’re working on bringing it to custom flashcard sets as well.

This is my new favorite extension

I’ve always been a very forgetful person and have relied on flashcards throughout my studies. I’ve tested pretty much every flashcard tool out there, including Quizlet, Flashka, Brainscape, etc. However, none of them managed to keep me as accountable as FlashySurf does, especially when I’m in full procrastination mode.