Latest Posts by decadentheartflower - Page 3
August 22, 2018. Wednesday.
Just to let you all know just how tired I am, I fell asleep watching a video over evolution around 11:30 last night with my laptop on my lap and my glasses on, surrounded by my pencils and books. I did not wake up to get those things off and to climb into bed until 3 in the morning. I wanted to get up at 5:30 so I could go on a run, but I didn’t get up until 7. I’m now getting to school early so I can figure out financial aid and try to do my readings before class starts.
Xoxo. Omi
so one thing that totally stressed me out in first year of uni was the emphasis on auditory learning! personally, i’ve never been able to learn when i’m just being talked at or told information, my brain just doesn’t work that way.
if you’re like me, here’s some of my top tips on how to get the most out of lectures when you suck at listening:
01. always come prepared
preparation is key when you know you won’t be concentrating for the full duration of your lecture. the night before a lecture, your priorities should be to print off your lecture slides, read over them and look over the extra readings (if any have been set). i always find that it’s easier to listen and i’m more likely to pay attention in a lecture when i know the basics of what’s being talked about! it’s a lot easier to learn and pay attention when what you’re being told about is building on some basic knowledge that you already have. if i’m going into a lecture completely blind, then i’m going to get distracted in the first ten minutes and the rest of the lecture is a write off!
prepare, prepare, prepare!!!
02. sit where you lecturer can see you
if you sit in teacher’s line of sight, you’re going to be 100% more aware of what you’re doing and how you’re acting in your lecture. being conscious of what you’re doing is really helpful in stopping yourself becoming distracted and letting your mind wander! if i make eye contact with my teacher and i’m not totally concentrating, it’s zones me back in and i can continue trying to listen
03. take audio recordings of lectures
even if your university provides recordings for you, having personal audio copies of your lectures will be a life saver. recordings give you something to constantly refer back to when you have gaps in your notes and knowledge because you couldn’t pay attention in lectures. listening back to them can also reassure you when you were listening but weren’t sure if you understood the concept at the time! i use a combination of voice memos on the iphone and audio recorder on microsoft onenote, depending on whether i have my phone or laptop with me
04. stay hydrated
having to stay focused on one person talking for hours at a time can be really draining and exhausting when that’s not what your brain likes. being dehydrated can also make you tired and irritable too! if you can tackle one source of your tiredness then you’re going to feel invigorated and ready to learn, so drink lots and lots of water! a bottle of water will stop you feeling sluggish and boost your productivity during lectures
05. invest in textbooks and key texts
i mentioned before how preparation is key, but continuing your learning after your lecture ends is just as important! in my first year, i made the bad mistake of getting angry that i struggled learning content during a lecture so i just left the lecture and didn’t go back to it again. i now know that it’s so important for me to access the course’s key books and texts and use them after the lecture to consolidate what i heard and to expand on some points i was struggling to understand during the allotted lecture time! textbooks have completely saved me ass this year
06. reflect when you’re distracted
if you find yourself becoming distracted or you can feel your mind beginning to wander, take a second to stop and ask yourself why you’re getting distracted and why you’re not learning. most of the time, the problem is going to be something small that can be fixed there and then. if you’re struggling because you’re hungry, have a snack! if you’re struggling because you’re thirsty, have a drink! if you’re struggling because you’re uncomfortable, stretch your legs and your arms and try again!
obviously all of these tips are personal to me and things i find helpful so they might not work for everyone, but i still hope i’ve helped at least one of you non-auditory learners out here!
160718 it was weird Sunday and now is Monday already, is it me or recently time flies way too fast? and thank you so much for 2k, so many wonderful people following here make me feel proud and happy, I love this community cause I can talk with amazing people over my enormous shyness!
weird study tip:
if u don’t feel motivated, pretend ur in a movie or tv show. you know the scenes where they’re on their bed with their feet tucked up and crossed at the ankle, and they’re cracking open highlighters with their teeth and poring over a textbook with smooth rock music playing? that. bonus points for a perfect messy bun and spencer hastings outfit.
13/01/2018
1) I’m actually very behind with revision. 2) My first exam is in 3 days. 3) I really need to get off Tumblr.
Would You Admit You? genericappblrurl’s College Essay Masterpost
Here it is: the college essay masterpost. Keep in mind that if you’ve written an essay that fits the description of any of the “don’t do this!” bits, it’s not a reflection on you as a person. The makings of a good college essay are, at times, entirely counterintuitive, so many of the errors in here seem completely justified.
The most important thing to consider when writing a college essay is the degree to which you pass the Turing Test. Basically, do you sound like a person? Even if you think the answer is yes, spoiler alert! There’s a decent chance it’s no. Why? Well, consider the fact that each admissions officer at any selective school reads hundreds, probably thousands of essays per year. Now, consider the fact that most of them have been doing their job for multiple years. That’s a heckton of essays, my friends. That’s so many. And after a while, they all seem to blur together. Now, you might be thinking, hey, but my essay talks about an extremely personal struggle/experience/situation!!! Well, yeah. But so does literally everyone else’s. Even if the specific content of your essay is different, the essay structure itself is still the same. If you designed a computer program that could write college essays, the resulting pieces would look just like the vast majority of college essays that land on any given admissions officer’s desk, and they’d end up in the same sad pile. With that in mind, let’s get started.
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W R I T I N G
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The Common App Essay/Personal Statement
From an email I sent to a student whose essay I reviewed: “Something to keep in mind is that the amount that any essay says about you is entirely dependent on your writing. You could write an essay about bagels that says a lot about you; you could write a deeply personal piece that says nothing. The mistake that many applicants tend to make is thinking that the subject matter itself has to be something profound; oftentimes, essays like this fall short because their authors put all their energy into writing about something personal and barely any of it into writing well.”
The common app essay/personal statement comes with a few prompts that, in many cases, immediately result in a “Hey! I know exactly what to write about!” And, in many cases, this immediate response is way off base. The prompts are designed as such; these days, when almost everyone has good grades and SAT scores, the essays are the only real way to tell who’s the very best. Even though your story - that immediate response - may be intensely personal, a key component of who you are, it’s still an immediate response to a prompt, and chances are every other person who chose that prompt immediately thought of a similar story from their own life.
Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
Key Ideas: Spin it differently, think smaller, keep it positive.
Unless you have a story on par with the plot of Jane The Virgin, be careful. Your struggle to improve your grades/win that competition/make friends/overcome your fears just isn’t that compelling. That doesn’t mean it’s not important; it just isn’t good college essay material unless you can find a way to spin it differently.
If you’re writing about an identity or talent, be sure to think first about the other people in the world who share that identity or talent. What makes your story different?
If you’re writing about overcoming an obstacle such as mental or physical illness, don’t make it a pity party, but don’t become detached. What makes your resilience unique?
Now, something that a lot of people don’t realize is that this essay can also go smaller. You wouldn’t be you without your love of bagels, hatred of carpeted floors, etc. so don’t shy away from writing about something other than a Deeply Personal Struggle Or Experience. These are often the essays that go far, solely because they go against the grain and admissions officers are tired of the monotony. These are the essays that get a “Hey Sue, look at this one!” And voila, a second read.
One other thing to note is that while this background may be painful - mental illness, deported parent, etc - you need to find a way to end on a positive note. A pity party won’t get you in. Regardless of how much the content of the essay makes your admissions officer cry, what they’re looking for is resilience.
Prompt 2: The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Key Ideas: Plot twist, think smaller, get weird.
The difficulties with this prompt are similar to the first - the essay that first strikes you is just not that compelling. Nobody wants to hear another “I failed a test and studied hard and aced the class!!” essay. Unless your specific incident of failure was wholly unique - maybe you didn’t pull the parachute string on time when skydiving and are now writing this with two broken legs - you’re going to need to think of something else. There are a few easy ways to do this.
Plot twist. You failed in a common way, but your response was super weird. Introduce this weirdness from the beginning. Pro tip: studying hard after failing is not weird.
Think smaller. This one is more creative writing than life story. Think of a really tiny instance of failure - maybe you slipped on the stairs! maybe you cut one nail slightly too short! - and write a mock epic.
Get hella experimental. Use an unconventional format - I know a girl who wrote hers as a series of limericks - or write from an unconventional perspective.
There are certainly other successful essays that aren’t written as one of the three outlined above, so don’t be afraid to do what you think is best. Still, remember to keep in mind the necessity of setting yourself apart.
Prompt 3: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
Key Ideas: Stay humble.
The biggest mistake I see with this prompt is the tendency to wax philosophical & come across as someone who thinks they’re profound. Pro tip: that’s not a good thing. If you think you have something profound to say, write about something else. Seriously. It comes through & it’s not flattering. Note that this is absolutely different from being genuinely passionate about something; let your passion show, but curb your self-righteousness.
Prompt 4: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
Key Ideas: Stay humble, avoid waxing, let your passion show, get weird.
Many people who choose this prompt use it as an opportunity to wax philosophical about a Big Bad World Issue, but unless you have a truly unique take, don’t bother. Admissions officers have read thousands of essays about the importance of solving world hunger, widespread ignorance, etc. so unless they’ll actually gain something new by reading yours specifically you should steer clear. Some other options for this essay include:
Choosing a smaller problem
Dramatization
An opinion piece on something trivial
And, again, there are many more beyond these, but this is a good starting point if you find yourself stuck.
One other thing to keep in mind is authorial distance. You want to stay close to whatever you choose to write. It needs to feel personal, whatever it is. It needs to feel like you.
Prompt 5: Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
Key Ideas: Plot twist, think smaller, get weird, stay close.
A story of this nature is obviously personally important by definition, but it’s remarkably easy to write one that falls flat and blends in with the crowd. The most prominent issue I’ve seen with essays that use this prompt is the tendency to step back from the event in question through word choice and excessive summarization. What this essay calls for, fundamentally, is a sense of closeness and a feeling that we, as readers, are experiencing it for ourselves. If you’re not ready to get intensely personal, choose a different prompt.
For those of you who choose to write about a formal event or accomplishment, you have two workable options. First, you could write about an event that, while formal, is obscure. Maybe it’s a family tradition to run the perimeter of the city on your 15th birthday while carrying a pineapple. If your event/accomplishment falls into this category, you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, though, you’ll need to tell a truly unique story about the well-recognized event. This can be done through either plot or structure. Did something weird happen? Good. Did everything go according to plan? Spin it differently. Write about your bat mitzvah from the perspective of some relevant non-human object. Write about registering to vote in the format of a screenplay. Bonus points if you have a weird story and an interesting framing device or style.
For those of you who choose to write about an informal event or accomplishment, you’ll have an easier time setting yourself apart because you could write about literally anything. Still, the advice above holds. You’ll either need a story that, plotwise, goes in unexpected directions, or you’ll need to choose a style or framing device that makes an essay about something standard seem like a New York Times bestseller. Ultimately, your goal is to make the admissions team want to keep reading. How you do this is up to you.
Summary: Make the reader care. Make the reader want to keep reading. Seriously, that’s it.
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The “Why _______” Essay
A good “Why _____” essay shows what you care about. These essays are usually much shorter - generally only about 150 to 250 words - so being concise here is key. As a general rule, if what you wrote could be found in a brochure, delete it. Reading the brochure and liking what it says doesn’t make for a compelling essay. Instead, think smaller. Write about a conversation you had, an interaction you witnessed, etc. and do so in a personal manner. Keep your authorial distance as small as possible. Get weird. Choose a formatting style that fits your story. If you can say something to the admissions officers that they haven’t already heard before, chances are you’ll do much better.
For a more detailed procedure, click here.
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The Identity Essay
Several schools ask for a short essay about an identity that affects/matters to you in some context. The same advice from the Common App applies to this essay as well. If the identity itself is not unique, write about a unique way in which you interact with it. If you’re given a specific context, write about an identity that normally would not be associated with that context. For example, in my RA application, I was asked to write about how some aspect of my identity influences how I approach conversations about diversity. I could’ve written about being bisexual, Jewish, etc, but instead I wrote about being white and how my whiteness influences the ways in which I approach these conversations. Remember, finally, to keep it personal; don’t wax philosophical about the identity in question. For bonus points, see if you can somehow mention other identities somewhere in there. This isn’t mandatory, but showing that you understand intersectionality is always a plus.
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The “Respond To This Quote” Essay
This is a super common supplemental essay question, and it’s easy to get stuck when responding to it. The process that I used for this essay went something like this:
Brainstorm. Read the quote and write down everything that comes to your mind in response. This should be closer to a bulleted list than a paragraph; multiple thought trains are what you want to see. To really push yourself, set a timer for ten minutes and force yourself to write for the whole time.
Take a break, then brainstorm again. You’d be surprised at how much you can generate when forced to sit and write for a while.
Look at your clusterfuck of thoughts. Physically cross out anything that doesn’t seem writeable. Physically put a star next to anything you think you’d be excited to write. Don’t think too much about this; go with your gut.
Don’t waste time trying to find the “best” idea! Close your eyes, stick your finger on the page, and write about whichever starred idea is closest to your finger.
Write! And write! And write! Your first draft should be terrible and messy and structurally questionable! Just write!
Take a break, then read over what you wrote and figure out what it says about you. Now, what do you want it to say about you?
Figure out how to get from point A to point B. Which words should you change? Which sentences should you delete? What framing device would best convey what you want to convey? Form the completest plan possible.
Execute!
Read it again, repeat steps 6-9 as necessary until you’re happy.
Some extra tips: this essay is about you, not the quote. The quote is a framing device to get you to reveal more about who you are as a person. Thus, tone and style are crucial. Feel free to take stylistic risks; feel free to get weird. This isn’t a literary analysis.
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Any Essay That Requires You To Discuss A Book
is not a book report. See extra tips above.
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The “Talk About A ______ You Love/Admire” Essay
Since this one is super open-ended it’s hard to give concrete “do this and don’t do this” type advice. In general, your goal is still to make the reader want to keep reading. By the end of this essay, your admissions officer should desperately want to google the noun in question, but keep in mind that this is, again, an essay that should reveal something about you. What the reader gets from this essay should exceed that which they could find on Wikipedia, in a biography, etc.; you have to show passion. This is not the place to stay detached or academic; get personal. Love and admire are two strong words and you need to do them justice.
If you find yourself falling into the Wikipedia trap, consider:
Telling a story about [noun] that’s specific to your life. This is always a good bet tbh
Examining your narrative distance. Care harder!
Making a list of things you love about [noun] using the timer method I described in the quote essay section. Go with two minutes instead of ten. This may lead you to see something you wouldn’t have thought to write about beforehand.
Just writing. Stream of consciousness, no pressure to make it good writing. See where it takes you. See which format you naturally fall into.
If all else fails, choosing a different topic.
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The Extracurricular Essay
Unless you do some completely unheard-of independent work, you’re not the only one who’s participated in a given extracurricular activity. Given this, you have to set yourself apart in other ways. Many of the main problems seen in various common app essays resurface in this one: standard perseverance stories, excessive summarization, etc. Depending on the wording of the prompt, your response will be slightly different, but regardless of wording keep in mind that the essay is about you and your relationship to the activity.
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The Leadership Essay
This is a fairly common category as well. When writing about leadership, you’ll have a much higher success rate if you choose a narrative-based essay over one that merely summarizes your experiences. The same advice for all these other essays applies here, too; in order to set yourself apart, you need to tell a different story or you need to tell a familiar story differently, bonus points if both. Stay humble. Show instead of telling. Convince the admissions team that leadership is part of who you are, not just something you did to get into college.
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Stanford’s Supplement
What Matters To You & Why?
Tell a story. Tell a story they haven’t heard. This is truly the place to be yourself. It doesn’t matter what you indicated as your intended major; it doesn’t matter what your extracurriculars were; just answer honestly. I wrote about discovery, I have a friend who wrote about bagels. Regardless of the topic you choose, you have to convince the reader that it actually does matter to you. Keep your narrative distance as small as possible unless you’re making a deliberate stylistic choice; be as vivid as possible in your imagery. Make whatever it is matter to the reader too. Make it feel real.
Intellectual Vitality
This post is great and says everything I would’ve said anyway. Key idea: show them how your mind works.
Letter To Your Future Roommate
Be as weird as you are. Let’s be real: nobody reads a letter from someone that starts with “
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Other Essays/In Summary
If you’re facing a prompt that doesn’t appear on this list, take the general advice and run with it. In summary:
tell a story that hasn’t been told before
you don’t have to write about something inherently ~profound~
keep a close narrative distance unless you’re making a specific & deliberate stylistic choice not to
what matters most is that the reader wants to keep reading
avoid waxing anything other than passionate
vivid imagery is your friend
summarization is hardly ever useful
personal doesn’t mean unique
don’t be afraid to stray from the “traditional” format
have fun with it!
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E D I T I N G
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Common Questions
What do I do if I know a phrase sounds weird but I don’t know how to fix it?
Option 1: Read the phrase out loud. What do you want it to convey? Write several different variations of this on a note/side document and see if any of them work better. Adjust surrounding phrases accordingly.
Option 2: Delete the phrase altogether and read the piece without it. What meaning is now missing? What sort of transition is needed? Try to fill the gap. Does it work? If not, delete the replacement, take a ten minute break, and try again.
Option 3: Check the bits surrounding the offending phrase. The root of the problem might lie elsewhere, so don’t get yourself all worked up trying to fix the wrong part!
Option 4: Ask someone for their opinion. Maybe they’ll see a solution that wouldn’t immediately have crossed your mind!
What do I do if a friend/parent/mentor says that a phrase sounds awkward but I don’t think there’s anything wrong?
Ask. Always ask. Unless they gave you specific guidance, you won’t have any idea how to fix this unless you ask. There’s no shame in this; everybody wants you to succeed! If you still don’t see the problem, getting multiple other opinions can be helpful. Ask another friend/parent/mentor to read over the section in question, and if they do point it out but don’t give useful feedback it’s best to delete it and try Option 2 above.
I’m way over word count, but I don’t want to compromise the integrity of the piece! How can I cut down effectively without losing anything important?
How many words do you need to cut? If you’re more than 20% over word count, consider starting from scratch. If you’re not:
Identify redundancies. Highlight these and find a way to consolidate them.
Read your introduction, if you have one. Oftentimes, these words just take up space and don’t add anything to the piece. If your introduction is just a result of years of being told that you need one and doesn’t actually add anything meaningful to the essay, delete it all. Starting from the middle can actually be surprisingly effective!
Same goes for the conclusion. You don’t need to wrap things up like you would in a literary analysis or a research paper; you just need to end strongly.
Identify phrases that could be simplified and simplify them. Did you lose anything important? If so, revert the edit, highlight the section, and come back to it later if you’re really pressed for words.
Contractions are fine. Seriously.
Identify sections that just straight up don’t need to be there. Many people add unnecessary clarification, pointless parentheticals, etc. Not only do these deplete your word supply; they clutter your essay and make it less enjoyable to read. Don’t feel bad if you end up cutting entire paragraphs!
If you use “very” at all, cut it & replace the following words with a stronger one. This one is very important crucial!
Is it okay to be way under word count?
Technically yes, but practically it’s rarely the case that you’ll be able to answer the prompt meaningfully without at least getting close. If you feel done, let yourself be done, but revisit the piece later to confirm. Maybe you’re the master of being ridiculously concise, but chances are that an essay that doesn’t even approach the word limit doesn’t effectively answer the prompt.
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General Advice
Go through line by line and mark everything that leaves you less than satisfied
Read like an admissions officer. Would you admit you? Do your best to rid yourself of personal bias and just read as a reader.
Unless you’re working with someone who does this regularly, get at least two opinions on anything you write from two very different people in your life. You have no idea who’ll be reading your essay in the end, so a variety of voices in your feedback can be useful.
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R E A D I N G
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When a friend asks you for feedback on an essay, it can be difficult to remain impartial while editing. The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that lying to spare their feelings will only do them dirty in the end. So yes, be as critical as you need to be. If something sucks, tell them. But - and this is important - stay friendly. Stay pleasant. Stay constructive. Don’t say “this sucks,” say “I think this section should be reworked so that ______.” And prior to even saying a word about the piece, ask them what sort of feedback they’d find most useful. Those of you who have worked with me before know that this is how I start any editing relationship. This won’t constrain your feedback, necessarily, but it will dictate the manner in which you give it. If your friend has written an absolutely atrocious second paragraph but has asked only for comments on “overall flow,” tell them that the second paragraph interrupts the flow of the rest of the piece because of X Y and Z. It’s not wrong, and it’s not unnecessarily hurtful; your friend will examine the second paragraph carefully and rewrite it to fix X Y and Z, which would have been your goal anyway.
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A D D I T I O N A L R E S O U R C E S
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Essays that worked:
Remember: inspiration, not emulation. Copying an idea never turns out well; admissions officers are trained to sniff this out.
Johns Hopkins - Essays That Worked
Tufts - Essays That Worked
Hamilton - Essays That Worked
50 Successful Harvard Essays (amazon link with free preview)
I’m not kidding about being weird
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If you have any specific questions about anything in here, feel free to ask. If you have an essay that you’d like me to read over, check out my contact page for submission details.
Best of luck with this admissions season! I’m rooting for you!
“We lose ourselves in books. We find ourselves there too.”
today my anthro professor said something kindof really beautiful:
“you all have a little bit of ‘I want to save the world’ in you, that’s why you’re here, in college. I want you to know that it’s okay if you only save one person, and it’s okay if that person is you”
Destroy the idea that you have to be constantly working or grinding in order to be successful. Embrace the concept that rest, recovery, and reflection are essential parts of the progress towards a successful and ultimately happy life.
🌸10 study tips that have helped me a lot 🌸
1. Give teachers a chance. Maybe two or three chances. Even if their subject or the way they talk etc. is boring. Most times, it’s worth it - it will make you more interested in their class and you’ll learn things better.
2. If I’m ever stressed and need to chill, usually the things that work for me are:
taking a nap
talking to a friend about it
taking a hot shower
watching a funny/silly/cute tv show (my favorites are friends, brooklyn 99, steven universe or some slice of life/shoujo anime/k-drama).
3. always make sure you’re comfortable while you’re studying! I can never get through a long study session without having showered and changed into comfy clothes before starting it. Some people also like lighting candles and having nice snacks around, which are also always a plus! Just don’t put a lot of stuff into your ‘pre-study session’ routine; you’ll end up taking a lot of time to get ready and that can simply turn into procrastination and distraction. Just make sure you feel good enough to start and don’t forget to drink water!
4. I’m even gonna make this a single topic cause!! water is so important and useful!! Not only it helps keeping you fresh (specially if you add some cucumber or strawberries in it!) and focused, it’s also great to keep you awake if you’re feeling a bit sleepy. The effect doesn’t hit you as fast as coffee, for example, but it lasts much longer. Also caffeine is bad for you!! Make sure to not over drink it.
5. Always study keeping in mind how things are gonna fall on your test/exam. Make sure to write down the questions that your teacher asks while giving a test (and their answers, obviously) - these are quite often the things that will fall on your test and the teacher rarely ever writes it down on the board, so it might seem like it isn’t relevant, but it really helps you understand the thought process of the subject better.
6. Speaking of writing down questions, the Cornell Method has always worked really well to me, specially in History classes. It’s also great for memorization and revising!
7. This is something I’m still learning to do, but make sure to revise as much as you can! Doesn’t have to be a big revision; just looking through your notes at the end of the day/week (or even just after taking them!) helps a lot!
8. Please, please, always prioritize your mental health and sleep. You need energy and mental stability to study things properly. If you don’t, your brain won’t be able to select and properly learn all the things you’ve studied that day, you’ll feel super tired and dead inside and you will crash. It’s just not healthy. Don’t listen to the whole ‘you can go out/rest after you’ve passed your exams, it will be worth it’ or ‘my dreams are worth more than my sleep’ trend. Don’t do it!! It’s a trap. I know school usually makes you think you need to give your best always 110%, but a) you really don’t; give yourself some slack once in a while, you need it, and b) your best doesn’t have to be working your as* off ‘til 3am everyday. It might just be studying for 4-6 hours everyday. Or eating ice cream and watching tv shows all day at least for one day. Your body decides. Let it be.
9. Use actual flashcards when it’s a very difficult/new subject, not just online ones like quizlet!! (this is a tip I learned from this post)
10. eat well! also maybe try taking vitamins - especially if you’re a useless blob like me and you don’t play any sports! I’ve been taking goji berry capsules and they help me a whole lot, specially if I’m feeling sleepy. Actually any type of berry is great for boosting up your energy!
🍒some rly good posts I recommend:
‘study smarter’ by @sleeptalkz
‘how I increased my productivity by 3x’ by @brbimstudying
‘conquering math’ by @thestudyfeels
‘bujo trackers for getting your sh*t together’ by @etudiaire
‘types of breaks for every situation’ by @samsstudygram
🍒productivity/study life youtubers I like:
rowena tsai (love her, rly good tips on organization and just nice overall aesthetic)
ana mascara (I always watch her videos when I feel like I’m lacking motivation. Her videos talk a lot about that and discipline, and how you should always ‘be comfortable with the uncomfortable’; just 10/10 rly good motivational and actually useful videos overall).
That’s it! sorry if this was too long. I still have some tips left that I didn’t include in this post so let me know if you want me to do another one of these!
You’re unstoppable
Go study for your finals. Write that paper and finish that presentation. Study those flash cards. Stop procrastinating, have more trust in you and get off your phone.
the greatest skill a woman can learn for herself is self reliance
Habits of successful students
Discipline: “discipline is doing what needs to be done, even when you don’t want to”, which means that you have to force yourself to start doing things.
Concentration: when you make a real effort in your work (study, homeworks etc…) you will be more likely to actually focus, understand and learn.
Organization: always set tasks and goals and organize a study-schedule. Maybe you don’t really want to plan all the week, but if you just wake up and open your agenda/bullet journal/iphone calendar and write down all the things you have to do, setting due dates and deadlines, you’ll feel more conscious and encouraged to stay on track.
Tasks-splitting: sometimes, you write down your tasks. Some of these tasks may be very hard and complicated, and it will take a long long time to complete them. So, you can split them in smaller tasks, so you will feel satisfied after a shorter period of time, instead of studying for hours and still seeing that chapter undone on your study-schedule.
Watch the sunrise: when I wake up late, I feel like I don’t have enought time to do my work and lose my motivation. I literally panic and then I think “whatever, I could not complete all the things anyway”. So, if you wake up earlier you will feel more positive and controlled.
Smart reading: try not to read your textbook just like a newspaper. For every paragraph you read, try to underline and write down key words and then your question about that subject. Literally, turn your textbook into questions. If you write down question - particularly why…? - and think about the answer, you will be more likely to remember that stuff later.
Healthy lifestile: if you don’t drink enough water in the morning, you will be more likely to have a decrease of concentration in the afternoon/evening, so: stay hydrated. Try also to have some snaks every one-two hours: feed your brain.
06.06.16 | it’s crunch time! i tried a commemorative spread to celebrate finals season, lol
Studying session in the night 🌛 Sometimes I think that books are the best teachers.
A friend once asked me how I manage to do my tasks so efficiently. I wrote a 500-word essay in 20 minutes. I finished my math homework and studied for a quiz in the half hour before morning assembly. I sleep at 9 pm on most nights. But how can I possibly achieve that?
I’ve seen people, even good students, check their phone every minute or two as they’re studying. I’ve seen students “study” for six hours straight, meaning taking down some notes then watching a YouTube video then reading their textbook then opening Instagram… you know what I mean.
My advice is to commit to whatever you’re doing. Not too long ago, another friend asked me, “Jo, do you ever get distracted at home?” to which I replied, “Distracted by what?” They told me about how they always have the urge to check their phones, talk to their friends, or get some food. I can’t say I never get distracted, but it very rarely happens to me because I focus on what I’m doing–and only what I’m doing. Here’s how:
1. During the time I allocate for working, I turn my phone to airplane mode (with WiFi switched off, of course). No messages or notifications will distract me from what I’m currently doing. Recently, though, I’ve left my phone on in case there’s anything important. There might an RMUN photoshoot tomorrow, or a Physics quiz, or a music showcase. I know myself well enough to know that I have the discipline to do nothing more than glance at the notification. However, if this isn’t true for you, then I suggest you keep your phone on airplane mode.
2. When I allocate time for relaxing, that’s all I do. No homework. No textbooks. No opening emails as they come. Just me and a good book or Photoshop or the piano or something. That way, I can satiate my thirst to relax within the half hour or so and not crave more when I start working
As for music, it’s been proven that music makes you less productive when trying to recall and absorb information (studying, in other words). Music only makes you happier when you’re doing things but not more productive.
By this, I don’t only mean which ones are most urgent, but which ones you can’t accomplish anywhere other than at home. For example, let’s say you have these three tasks: a) research about structural unemployment; b) write a poem with the theme of death; c) answer some questions about quantum physics; d) do a problem set about implicit functions; and e) memorize a set of chemical reactions. This is how I would do them:
Write the poem on the way to school. Maybe this is just because I like poetry. And because I can’t write when other people are around. I’d probably get a first draft done by the time I get home.
Do the research about structural unemployment. My school’s WiFi is terrible.
Answer the quantum physics questions. The new information is still fresh in my brain and doing the homework will help me revise, easing the process of spaced repetition.
Memorize the chemical reactions before I go to bed. Studying before you sleep is supposed to improve your memory, and since my memory is terrible, that’s exactly what I’ll do.
Do the implicit functions problem set as soon as I get to school the next morning. Math is undoubtedly my best subject, and it’s very refreshing to do math at 6:45 AM in the morning.
If you saw the pattern, I assigned each task a time slot when I would be most productive. I also did them from easiest to most difficult to the easiest again. Because everyone works differently, I suggest you find out which types of tasks are the most difficult (memorizing, in my case) and which types of tasks require a certain environment (e.g. requiring WiFi for doing research).
I guess that’s pretty much self-explanatory. I like to nap right after I get home from school if I’m feeling especially tired. As for breaks, I prefer to take them between tasks instead of every 25 minutes because of my high study inertia.
Commit to what you’re doing
Delegate and prioritize
Give yourself shorter deadlines
Take breaks!
And that’s it! Hope this guide to efficiency was helpful in some way. I do believe that by following these four steps, you can accomplish all your tasks in a much shorter amount of time. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to drop me an ask!
50 Top Online Learning Sites
Rejoice fellow uni students looking for some studyspo, we urge you to take a few free lessons, as well as academic lessons provided from actual universities on several topics. Have a look at the 50 top learning sites you can find online to help you save some time.
Art and Music
Dave Conservatoire — Dave Conservatoire is an entirely free online music school offering a self-proclaimed “world-class music education for everyone,” and providing video lessons and practice tests.
Drawspace — If you want to learn to draw or improve your technique, Drawspace has free and paid self-study as well as interactive, instructor-led lessons.
Justin Guitar — The Justin Guitar site boasts over 800 free guitar lessons which cover transcribing, scales, arpeggios, ear training, chords, recording tech and guitar gear, and also offers a variety of premium paid mobile apps and content (books/ ebooks, DVDs, downloads).
Math, Data Science and Engineering
Codecademy — Codecademy offers data science and software programming (mostly Web-related) courses for various ages groups, with an in-browser coding console for some offerings.
Stanford Engineering Everywhere — SEE/ Stanford Engineering Everywhere houses engineering (software and otherwise) classes that are free to students and educators, with materials that include course syllabi, lecture videos, homework, exams and more.
Big Data University — Big Data University covers Big Data analysis and data science via free and paid courses developed by teachers and professionals.
Better Explained — BetterExplained offers a big-picture-first approach to learning mathematics — often with visual explanations — whether for high school algebra or college-level calculus, statistics and other related topics.
Design, Web Design/ Development
HOW Design University — How Design University (How U) offers free and paid online lessons on graphic and interactive design, and has opportunities for those who would like to teach.
HTML Dog — HTML Dog is specifically focused on Web development tutorials for HTML, CSS and JavaScript coding skills.
Skillcrush — Skillcrush offers professional web design and development courses aimed at one who is interested in the field, regardless of their background — with short, easy-to-consume modules and a 3-month Career Blueprints to help students focus on their career priorities.
Hack Design — Hack Design, with the help of several dozen designers around the world, has put together a lesson plan of 50 units (each with one or more articles and/or videos) on design for Web, mobile apps and more by curating multiple valuable sources (blogs, books, games, videos, and tutorials) — all free of charge.
General – Children and Adults
Scratch – Imagine, Program, Share — Scratch from MIT is a causal creative learning site for children, which has projects that range from the solar system to paper planes to music synths and more.
Udemy — Udemy hosts mostly paid video tutorials in a wide range of general topics including personal development, design, marketing, lifestyle, photography, software, health, music, language, and more.
E-learning for kids — E-learning for Kids offers elementary school courses for children ages 5-12 that cover curriculum topic including math, science, computer, environment, health, language, life skills and others.
Ed2go — Ed2go aims their “affordable” online learning courses at adults, and partners with over 2,100 colleges and universities to offer this virtual but instructor-led training in multiple categories — with options for instructors who would like to participate.
GCF Learn Free — GCFLearnFree.org is a project of Goodwill Community Foundation and Goodwill Industries, targeting anyone look for modern skills, offering over 1,000 lessons and 125 tutorials available online at anytime, covering technology, computer software, reading, math, work and career and more.
Stack Exchange — StackExchange is one of several dozen Q+A sites covering multiple topics, including Stack Overflow, which is related to computer technology. Ask a targeted question, get answers from professional and enthusiast peers to improve what you already know about a topic.
HippoCampus — HippoCampus combines free video collections on 13 middle school through college subjects from NROC Project, STEMbite, Khan Academy, NM State Learning Games Lab and more, with free accounts for teachers.
Howcast — Howcast hosts casual video tutorials covering general topics on lifestyle, crafts, cooking, entertainment and more.
Memrise — Lessons on the Memrise (sounds like “memorize”) site include languages and other topics, and are presented on the principle that knowledge can be learned with gamification techniques, which reinforce concepts.
SchoolTube — SchoolTube is a video sharing platform for K-12 students and their educators, with registered users representing over 50,000 schools and a site offering of over half a million videos.
Instructables — Instructables is a hybrid learning site, offering free online text and video how-to instructions for mostly physical DIY (do-it-yourself) projects that cover various hands-on crafts, technology, recipes, game play accessories and more. (Costs lie in project materials only.)
creativeLIVE — CreativeLive has an interesting approach to workshops on creative and lifestyle topics (photography, art, music, design, people skills, entreprenurship, etc.), with live access typically offered free and on-demand access requiring purchase.
Do It Yourself — Do It Yourself (DIY) focuses on how-tos primarily for home improvement, with the occasional tips on lifestyle and crafts topics.
Adafruit Learning System — If you’re hooked by the Maker movement and want to learn how to make Arduino-based electronic gadgets, check out the free tutorials at Adafruit Learn site — and buy the necessary electronics kits and supplies from the main site.
Grovo — If you need to learn how to efficiently use a variety of Web applications for work, Grovo has paid (subscription, with free intros) video tutorials on best practices for hundreds of Web sites.
General College and University
edX — The edX site offers free subject matter from top universities, colleges and schools from around the world, including MIT and Harvard, and many courses are “verified,” offering a certificate of completion for a nominal minimum fee.
Cousera — Coursera is a learning site offering courses (free for audit) from over 100 partners — top universities from over 20 countries, as well as non-university partners — with verified certificates as a paid option, plus specializations, which group related courses together in a recommended sequence.
MIT Open Courseware — MIT OpenCourseWare is the project that started the OCW / Open Education Consortium [http://www.oeconsortium.org], launching in 2002 with the full content of 50 real MIT courses available online, and later including most of the MIT course curriculum — all for free — with hundreds of higher ed institutions joining in with their own OCW course materials later.
Open Yale Courses — Open Yale Courses (OYC) are free, open access, non-credit introductory courses recorded in Yale College’s classroom and available online in a number of digital formats.
Open Learning Initiative — Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU’s) Open Learning Initiative (OLI) is course content (many open and free) intended for both students who want to learn and teachers/ institutions requiring teaching materials.
Khan Academy — Khan Academy is one of the early online learning sites, offering free learning resources for all ages on many subjects, and free tools for teachers and parents to monitor progress and coach students.
MIT Video — MITVideo offers over 12,000 talks/ lecture videos in over 100 channels that include math, architecture and planning, arts, chemistry, biological engineering, robotics, humanities and social sciences, physics and more.
Stanford Online — Stanford Online is a collection of free courses billed as “for anyone, anywhere, anytime” and which includes a wide array of topics that include human rights, language, writing, economics, statistics, physics, engineering, software, chemistry, and more.
Harvard Extension School: Open Learning Initiative — Harvard’s OLI (Open Learning Initiative) offers a selection of free video courses (taken from the edX selection) for the general public that covers a range of typical college topics, includings, Arts, History, Math, Statistics, Computer Science, and more.
Canvas Network — Canvas Network offers mostly free online courses source from numerous colleges and universities, with instructor-led video and text content and certificate options for select programs.
Quantum Physics Made Relatively Simple — Quantum Physics Made Relatively Simple” is, as the name implies, a set of just three lectures (plus intro) very specifically about Quantum Physics, form three presentations given by theoretical physicist Hans Bethe.
Open UW — Open UW is the umbrella initiative of several free online learning projects from the University of Washington, offered by their UW Online division, and including Coursera, edX and other channels.
UC San Diego Podcast Lectures — Podcast USCD, from UC San Diego, is a collection of audio and/or video podcasts of multi-subject university course lectures — some freely available, other only accessible by registered students.
University of the People — University of the People offers tuition-free online courses, with relatively small fees required only for certified degree programs (exam and processing fees).
NovoEd — NovoEd claims a range of mostly free “courses from thought leaders and distinguished professors from top universities,” and makes it possible for today’s participants to be tomorrow’s mentors in future courses.
IT and Software Development
Udacity — Udacity offers courses with paid certification and nanodegrees — with emphasis on skills desired by tech companies in Silicon Valley — mostly based on a monthly subscription, with access to course materials (print, videos) available for free.
Apple Developer Site — Apple Developer Center may be very specific in topics for lessons, but it’s a free source of documentation and tutorials for software developers who want to develop apps for iOS Mobile, Mac OS X desktop, and Safari Web apps.
Google Code — As with Apple Developer Center, Google Code is topic-narrow but a good source of documentation and tutorials for Android app development.
Code.org — Code.org is the home of the “Hour of Code” campaign, which is aimed at teachers and educators as well as students of all ages (4-104) who want to teach or learn, respectively, computer programming and do not know where to start.
Mozilla Developer Network — MDN (Mozilla Developer Network) offers learning resources — including links to offsite guides — and tutorials for Web development in HTML, CSS and JavaScript — whether you’re a beginner or an expert, and even if you’re not using Mozilla’s Firefox Web browser.
Learnable — Learnable by Sitepoint offers paid subscription access to an ebook library of content for computers and tablets, and nearly 5,000 videos lessons (and associated code samples) covering software-related topics – with quizzes and certification available.
Pluralsight — Pluralsight (previously PeepCode) offers paid tech and creative training content (over 3,700 courses and 130K video clips) for individuals, businesses and institutions that covers IT admin, programming, Web development, data visualization — as well as game design, 3D animation, and video editing through a partnership with Digital-Tutors.com, and additional software coding lessons through Codeschool.com.
CodeHS — CodeSchool offers software coding lessons (by subscription) for individuals who want to learn at home, or for students learning in a high school teacher-led class.
Aquent Gymnasium — Gymnasium offers a small but thorough set of free Web-related lesson plans for coding, design and user experience, but filters access by assessing the current knowledge of an enrollee and allows those with scores of at least 70% to continue.
i was working an open day today, and a student helper went around all the stands and collected any trash anyone manning the stands had. she got to me, asked if i had any trash and i was like “not other than myself lol” and she was just like “you are the fourth person to make that joke in the last ten minutes, how is this the defining feature of our generation??” and if that’s not the real question idk what is
people are allowed to leave you. people are allowed to break up with you. people are allowed to love you but not want to be with you. people are allowed to not want to talk to you. people are allowed to put their happiness before yours and do what makes them happy even if it does not include you. people are allowed to move on from you. people are allowed to fall in love with someone else. people are allowed to not want you in their life. people are allowed to do whatever they want to better themselves and become the version of themselves they are trying so hard to love. don’t be bitter towards someone who is only trying to be happy.
This is the first article under the 3 part series of Taking Control Of Your Life. To view the other articles under this is series head here!
Ever had that weird feeling when you’re sitting (or peeing) and suddenly it’s like you’re losing everything? (I mean, ok, you’re losing your pee, lol). Everything just becomes too much, and you either prepare to cry, (bonus points if you curl up in a fetal position, ‘cause on the toilet seat that’s practically gymnastics) or grab a bag of popcorn, your midnight bathroom snack, not caring that you’re going bonkers (I respect that, you da hood). Except for the buttered popcorn, nothing about it is fun, yet it’s happened to every single one of us.
To cut short this intro, here’s how NOT to lose your shit. It’s time to take complete ownership of your life (someone cue the dramatic music, I don’t have a stereo. #BROKE-AF).
Someone amazing once said “your brain is your most valuable tool.” That’s true. Once you learn how to control your mind, you will start to see that we, being the dumb idiots that we are, over-complicate the simplest of things. You’re not losing your shit (but finish that popcorn anyway). Your mind just convinced you that you are. My wise friend once said that it’s either you directing your mind or it’s the other way around. Show your mind who’s boss and conquer it. Here’s how:
Don’t make excuses. Not only does it piss off Miss Honey and your dog (your dog has better things to eat, my dude), but it robs you of the opportunity to learn from your mistakes. As I always say, life is not a report card. It’s never perfect, and it’s the little flaws that push you to aim higher. In the end, life is just growth as a human being (or as a basic hoe, like me). Here’s an example of taking full responsibility for your actions:
Action: You didn’t submit your essay on time.
Normal response: “I didn’t know about the essay.”
“My dog ate up my entire computer.”
“I was saving the world from zombies.”
Conqueror talk: “I didn’t get in my essay, for that no excuse is valid. I have learned from this and you can expect better next time.”
Miss Honey will be pleased.
I’m a firm believer that emotions hinder productivity. Now, don’t get me wrong, emotions are great. There are many things to shed tears on. Tris from Divergent died. Trump became President. You just got friend-zoned. It’s great to have emotions in cases like these. But when it comes down to getting work done, it’s better to have a firm control over them.
Imagine finishing that crappy essay 3 mins before your deadline when Sophia from book club comes up all like “Did you hear what Archie just said to me? He’s such a jerk.” That’s torture. Honestly, it’s a miracle we get team assignments done because there is always that one friend who’s either crying over her ex or dying over how cute puppies are.
When working, choose productivity over pride. The reason being, it not only affects your quality of work by distracting you but also makes you the 90 year old grannie shouting from behind in the supermarket line. People legit fly away in the other direction when they see you.
But of course, in other cases, go ahead and release the waterworks. I’m still crying over Mufasa’s death anyway.
(I’m about to get deep, wearing that diving suit, alright). Conquering is hard. There’ll be days when you’ll feel like doing anything but that boring report Miss Honey assigned. Like, who cares whether the Nile or the Amazon is longer?
However, the mindset of a conqueror is so strong that the little demon called procrastination doesn’t stand a chance. You’ll see us partying the whole weekend because we already slayed ‘em rivers and hunted down those fishies Friday. Wanna join in? Here are some aspects of the conqueror mindset:
Procrastination isn’t allowed. We understand that procrastination not only wastes precious time but basically means partying on a guilty mind. We would rather be that person drinking all them shots than be Abby sitting in the corner, worrying about her calc HW.
Discipline. Every conqueror knows that things need to be done at the right time (and in the right way, of course). Playing slither.io is great, but if you’re hooked for 7 hours and your poor report on rivers has turned into a dust bunny, then mate, you are not conquering. Get up and get the job done already.
Time management. It’s 11:58 pm. Your report (lol, get a grip mate) has finally been wiped of all that dust, and you’re settling to start on it. You open the first page of the assignment and have a mini heart attack. It says: Bring in by 12 am, xx Feb ‘18). To become a conqueror, hence, you must learn to travel back in time. JK. To become a conqueror, it’s important to value time because it’s priceless. A year from now, those hours you spent eating all that snake kill in slither.io won’t mean shit, but if you grind, if you choose to work hard, then every single moment will be memorable and pay off.
So, how do you do it? Ok, grab your notebook, grab your cauldron, and jot down. Let’s see what we got here… ‘Add a horn of bicorn’ and just a little bit of -what’s that- salamander blood?” *Potion explodes* Um, sorry for that mess. *Waves wand to clean*
Point is, there’s no secret spell to becoming disciplined and focused. Put down that wand, please. I’ll explain.
If you truly want to take control of your life, you must know your why. Why do you want to? Maybe you’re sick of procrastinating and letting yourself down? Maybe you’re tired of being a couch potato and want to get that ass to the gym? Maybe Abby wants to drink them tequila shots too? Because unless you really want it, you won’t get it. It’s important to know your why and let it lead you into battle as your motivation.
In short, you have to be a superhero (I choose to be Superwoman!) and learn to conquer your life before you save Kim from the fire. Your life is truly valuable, and here’s a secret: If you want to get results you have never gotten before, you’re going to have to do things you’ve never done before. Everyone gets the same 24 hours in a day, the same opportunities, and the same chances to follow their dreams. They just make different choices. If you choose to re-watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S. for the 58th time while balancing chips in one hand and popcorn in the other, our world will lose one of its heroes.
But if you do decide to put on that superhero cape, I’m with you. Kim, hang on. We’re coming for you.
want to read more? view the other masterposts in the series “get your shit together, you are here to conquer.” :-
general tips for getting your shit together
loving yourself and letting go of negativity
understanding the meaning of your life
Well, it’s a wrap! I post new articles every week (the schedule’s up on my blog’s front page) so you can follow me if you are interested in killing the game & conquering life bc I’ll do my best to help you in the tough yet amazing journey called life.
If you want to go thru my blog, I would rec picking your choice of post from my masterpost list! Or, if you want to read something insightful on your cozy Sunday afternoon while chilling under blankets, I would recommend reading one of my interviews. + You can also request a blog post! For that, leave your question in my ask box!
I hope you are well, stay strong and conquer life, you conqueror.
- nandini (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡
So what? You had a bad semester. You gained some weight. So what? You’re single again. You lost your job. So what? What now? You live. You try again. That’s what.
never give up (via cwote)
29.01.17
“Spend your free time the way you like, not the way you think you’re supposed to.” ― Susan Cain, Quiet
I’ve survived a lot of things, and I’ll probably survive this.
J.D. Salinger (via thedapperproject)
I repost this every time it comes up on my dash. Because I need this reminder several times a day.
(via meunfiltered)
A big bang of “how to” stuff
There I was again tonight forcing laughter faking smiles so I made up this long ass post for y'all!
So you a potato. Me a potato. World conquered by we potatoes. But potato need survival tips. So your bro potato help you out. Yay potato. Go go potato.
Study related stuff :
1. Get good grades
Catch concepts, not chapters. Your portion is most likely gonna be super vast, so it’s helpful to know a little something from every chapter rather than knowing just 50% of your syllabus.
Figure out which concepts are important and master them.
Keep all assignments completed at least 1 day before submission date. This isn’t always possible but trust me if you do this you’re guaranteeing marks for proper submission. Job done early? Proof check and add touches to enhance that essay!
Let the teachers know that you’re working hard. I actually passed math because my math teacher knew I was working super hard on my math skills. Participate in the class, gather a bunch of doubts and then dump them on your teacher when the chapter ends.
Try not to miss lectures because chances are you’ll remember that silly mnemonic your friend made up in class and get the answer correct.
Analysis of your exam type is super important. Want me to make a long ass post about it?
2. Be more productive
Having a stuydjo/bujo by your side helps hella lot.
Plan plan plan. Lists, organise lists and colour code them. Basically become Monica Geller Bing and you’re set for life.
Motivational quotes from pinterest almost make me guilty for not being productive and force me to do something.
Before starting your study session, dance around to upbeat music for like 5 minutes. You’ll see the difference I promise.
Seek out inspiration from your smart friends /tumblr friends /people you look up to by constantly reminding yourself about them. I always think of hermione granger because even randomly picturing her with books in my mind ignites that badass boss feeling complying me to study tf up.
3. Manage your time
Studyjo/bujo saves your life.
Wear a watch all the damn time, it will remind you of how much time you’re spending doing nothing. You’ll end up saving several extra minutes!
List out what you’re gonna do every hour of the day on a sticky note and refer to it when you feel lazy.
Get a super nice friend /parent /sibling who will constantly remind you to utilise your time.
Think of time as currency and pretend that it’s all a game where you need to save up as much money as you can to become a billionaire. Save up your time and become rich af.
4. Avoid procrastinating
Stduyjo/bujo again. You know the drill now.
A little bit of exercise before starting work generally works you up and sets the correct mood.
Knowing how ahead your friends are from you often makes you wanna catch up so try getting that motivation.
Set goals + rewards that actually matter to you. Maybe a face care spa day isn’t your thing but munching on a snickers bar is. Treat yo self.
Tell someone a detailed plan of what you are going to accomplish the next day. Now whenever you see that person you’ll want to prove to them that you’re doing what you promised. Or the guilt may drive you too.
Appearance related stuff :
1. Look more put together
Try the lipstick trick. There are days when you do not have the time /want to put on makeup, so just put on a lipstick that matches your outfit and you’ll automatically create an illusion of being more put together, boss af and fabulous.
Try out cheap (potato can’t afford sorry) but elegant accessories. If it’s a necklace try tucking it under the collar of your shirt and see the magic. Stick to one staple accessory that’s gonna be your trademark.
Tame that mane potato. Your hair isn’t gonna detangle itself. You gotta do it. I mean, don’t you love your hair?
Minimalistic colours rock. Some outfits never go old like flannels or white shirts or black dresses.
2. Feel beautiful
The lipstick does the trick for me.
Putting my hair in a sky high ponytail makes me feel like I’m a queen or something.
Save little compliments for yourself as reminders and when you get them you’ll feel 10x more beautiful than before.
Mind related stuff :
1. Deal with burnout/slump
Try to accomplish super tiny stuff. Break down every task into micromolecular basics.
Give yourself a ted talk. It works.
Sometimes the best way of dealing with burnout is by detoxing from the thing that caused burnout. Stay away form books and after some time you’ll actually want to study.
2. Study with slumps/mental illness
Step one is to finish homework /assignments. If you can concentrate on them, you’re good to go.
Do not take up a lot of load, just skimming through textbooks, reviewing notes, going over flashcards should do the trick.
If you desperately need to get shit done, just ignore the fact that you do not want to do it. It’s harsh on your mind but desperate times require desperate measures.
Avoid forcing yourself to study because you’ll not retain info like that.
Take it easy. But consistently. Maybe just one topic a day. But do not miss a day. A steady everyday practice goes long way in the future.
3. Strengthen self control
There are several apps that can help you with this, like forest. My top pick is the Tide app which has a gorgeous interface and super aesthetic timers with new pictures everyday. I shit you not every time I quit my pomodoro I feel the guilt of having killed 1000 puppies its worse and I avoid doing that at all costs.
If you study in your room, keep your phone in the kitchen for some time. Your lazy ass is less likely to get up and use the phone.
Switching the phone off before starting a study session works because I care for my phone like a baby and it feels horrible to switch it on and off and on and off.
Practice 30 minutes of digital detox everyday. You don’t have to study at that time, just stay away from everything that is technology. Read and book, eat a fruit, make a sandwich, paint, sing, dance, exercise. Study if you want. Just no gadgets.
4. Deal with stress
Yoga works. Potato body ain’t that flexible so just breathing exercises for a start is also enough.
Highly recommended : brain dump every night before sleeping can ensure that you’ll not stay up too late pondering over the meaning of your existence and world politics.
Having a hearty talk with someone you trust will also lift weight off your chest.
Pin point the cause of your stress and annihilate the problem. Slay it.
Life related stuff :
1. Drink more water
Carry a cool ass bottle of water with you every frigging where.
Make it a rule to have a drink everytime you go to the loo or you take a bath /shower.
Replace one of your daily caffeines /sugars with water. You don’t have to get rid of coffee because that’s just non potato ish, but maybe that third cup could be replaced with water.
Try a game thingy. Maybe everytime the word ‘procrastination’ pops in your mind take a drink. Wow, I’m so creative *sighs for eternities*.
2. Be more healthy
5 minute stretches right after getting up works you up.
Try one of those YouTube videos of 15 minute workouts. You can have 3 such workouts through the day and call yourself a fit potato.
Replacing one packet of junk food with nuts/fruits also works.
Everytime you hear someone say something related to money, have a banana. Random much? Nope, bananas are known to increase hormones that make you happy in your body, meaning you’ll feel full and happy. Maybe offer the person a banana too.
3. Be more happy
Eat bananas!
Take pictures of things you love, not things your followers love.
Puppies are a source of eternal joy.
Reading goofy/cheesy/romance books make you giggle and feel good in general.
Watching cheesy films or good ass romcoms works just well.
Friends was created for a reason.
Writing down what you accomplished today gives a sense of pride and satisfaction. Take that shit.
Tumblr has shitposts made basically to make you happy.
4. Find your true calling /figuring tf out what you wanna do with your life
Lists lists lists. Subjects you love, you hate, you’re good at, you suck at.
Consulting your teachers, family etc and find out what they think you’re good at. Sometimes other people can see traits of yours better than you.
Career tests rock.
You’ll figure it out in the end somehow.
And that’s about it for now folks, hope this helps. See y'all laterz~
Etudaire ♥
I think all Gilmore Girls fans can agree that Rory Gilmore is the original studyblr! If I’m having a chill study session, I’ll play an old episode where she is extra motivated or there is a big focus on academics. The following are my go-tos!
SPOILER ALERT
I wrote short descriptions with each episode so SPOILER ALERT for everyone who hasn’t seen or is still watching Gilmore Girls!
S01E02- “The Lorelai’s First Day at Chilton”
Rory starts at a new prestigious school. She has to deal with proving herself academically.
S01E04- “The Deer Hunters”
This episode deals with academic failure and studying hard to move past it.
S02E02- “Hammers and Veils”
Rory has anxiety over not having enough extra-curricular activities for college applications.
S02E04- “The Road Trip to Harvard”
Rory visits her dream school and gets a good look into college life.
S02E18- “Back in the Saddle Again”
Rory has a challenging group project.
S03E03- “Application Anxiety”
Rory receives her Harvard application and gets stressed over the competition.
S03E08- “Let the Games Begin”
Rory visits Yale.
S03E16- “The Big One”
Rory has to give a speech and has to comfort a friend who doesn’t get into her dream school. Rory also receives her college letters.
S03E17- “A Tale of Poes and Fire”
Rory picks her college.
S03E22- “Those Are Strings, Pinocchio”
Rory graduates high school and deals with paying for college.
S04E01- “Ballrooms & Biscotti”
Lorelai and Rory have to deal with the stress of preparing for college.
S04E02- “The Lorelais’ First Day at Yale”
Rory starts college.
S04E03- “The Hobbit, the Sofa, and Digger Stiles”
Rory begins her college shopping period.
S04E06- “An Affair to Remember”
Rory has trouble finding a good place to study while she is behind on her class syllabus.
S04E08- “Die, Jerk”
Rory is told to toughen up her journalistic writing, so she writes a harsh review and faces the consequences.
S04E10- “The Nanny and the Professor”
Rory participates in the orientation for her school newspaper.
S04E14- “The Incredible Sinking Lorelais”
This episode once again deals with academic failure.
S05E10- “But Not As Cute As Pushkin”
Rory gives a tour of Yale to a high school student.
S05E20- “How Many Kropogs to Cape Cod?”
Rory starts an internship.
S06E13- “Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting”
The student news has to pull a hectic all-nighter to publish the paper.
S06E14- “You’ve Been Gilmored”
Rory becomes the editor of her paper.
S06E16- “Bridesmaids Revisited”
Rory speaks at a journalism panel.
S07E21- “Unto the Breach”
Rory graduates college.
The 5 Best Revisions Methods I Want to Start Using
Hi, guys! Whilst planning my next few months to do well on my final exams, I started researching and found a few great study techniques that are a bit underrated. Thus, I compiled a post with information about each one and all the materials you need to put them to use. These are most useful if you’ve already studied the material and are now starting to revise.
A. Feynman Technique
This method was coined by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman. This system works by writing down everything you remember about the topic you’re currently revising in a blank piece of paper. When you get stuck, go back to your study materials. The gaps in your knowledge should be blatant after you finish. Review and simplify. Keep repeating until you know for certain that there’s nothing left out and you’ve successfully learned the topic. :-)
For this method you will need:
Blank piece of paper
Pen/Pencil
B. Spaced Repetition
This method has been gaining traction for the past few years but it still doesn’t get the recognition it should. It’s fairly simple. It consists of time intervals between study sessions, which allows you store information better in your long-term memory. While there aren’t set times for when to do your next revision session, I’d recommend the one by Piotr Wozniak:
First repetition: 1 day
Second repetition: 7 days
Third repetition: 16 days
Fourth repetition: 35 days
This method can be used both through an analog system and a digital one.
One of the simplest techniques to implement spaced repetition while using paper flashcards is the Leitner system. First, you decide how many boxes you need for your system. Each of your boxes represents a different study time interval:
Every flashcard starts out in Box 1. When you get a flashcard right, it passes to the next box. If you get a card wrong, it goes back to Box 1 – even if it was on Box 4. This makes sure you are constantly reviewing the materials. Remember to devise a calendar with the dates and boxes you need to revise each day.
For this method you will need:
Boxes or simply different colored rubbers to differentiate the piles
Flashcards
Pen/Pencil
If however, you prefer a digital method, Anki is the best option for you. It is available online, on both Windows & Mac and there’s also an incredible practical app. It uses the spaced repetition method while taking the trouble of having to hand write hundreds of flashcards and remembering when to study each one.
Simply create an account, then a deck in which you’ll add your flashcards. The app and website allow you to add images and/or sounds to the flashcards. Customize them all you want. Once you’ve finished, save them and check the app every day to revise the flashcards of the day.
For this method you will need:
Anki app (iOS, Android) and/or website
C. Past Papers
I’ve been guilty in the past for not using this method. I got so caught up in my perfectionism that I didn’t even want to try. I learned, though, that getting things wrong is not a sign of failure and that persisting until you get it right is the real strength (and discipline) you ought to have. Do not let your procrastination and/or perfectionism prevent you from learning your weaknesses on a topic and not reach the grade you were hoping for.
Time yourself while taking the test and then correct your answers with a different colored pencil/pen so you can differentiate between correct and wrong answers.
For this method you will need:
Past papers
Pen/Pencil
D. Teach someone
This method is really helpful if you have oral assessments and/or your professor uses the Socratic method in class. You can practice your speech and knowledge all at the same time. Find someone who’s willing to listen to you talk about the topic you’re studying. Even if no one’s willing, you can still explain the matter to an object in the house. Don’t get embarrassed by this! While speaking, you’re organising your thoughts and only when explaining to someone else can you really assess your knowledge.
For this method you will need:
Your voice
Someone/Something who loves you very much
E. Proper sleep & exercise
Yes, I know, these aren’t revisions methods. But as helpful as the previous systems were, they won’t work if you aren’t sane in body and spirit. It’s incredibly important that you rest. Teenagers (13 to 17 years old) ought to sleep from 8 to 10 hours every day, while young adults (18 to 25) only need 7 to 9. You should also get fresh air and exercise. This helps with mental alertness, concentration, an efficient memory and a positive mood. Stay hydrated throughout the day. & please, don’t skip meals!
For this method you will need:
Proper sleep (x, x, x, x, x)
Exercise (x, x, x)
Healthy diet (x, x, x, x)
The choreography in “Rewrite the Stars” is honestly genius.
The whole scene is staged in such a way that for the first half of the song, Phillip is continuously trying to pull Anne back to him each time she tries to pull away. He’s trying to hold her in place at his level, on the ground. Even when she soars up into the air, he keeps trying to literally pull her back down: grabbing on to her hand, her waist, the rope, her hoop. Anything to keep her in place with him.
But for the second half of the song, Phillip stops trying to hold her down and instead follows after her into the air, basically saying through the choreography, “If we can’t be together in my world, can we be together in yours?”
And only once they’re both in the air - the space that reflects the freedom the circus gives them - does Anne allow herself to consider the idea that they could actually be together. Phillip stops waiting for her to stay on the ground with him and puts in the work to be with her, literally scaling the walls of the theater to reach her. In more ways than one, they end up finding a balance and supporting each other’s weight for the rest of the song.
What I’m trying to say is that the choreography in The Greatest Showman is not only absolutely gorgeous, it’s also incredibly deliberate and tells a story through movement and I love it so much.
I wasn’t asked to a single dance in high school and didn’t have a serious romantic relationship until I was 22. And like, yeah that shit hurt when I was younger. I had a lot of fears that I was unlovable and that I didn’t deserve to be happy. And every time I would try to talk to anyone about it, the conversation became, “you’ll find someone”, when it should have been, “you don’t need a relationship or a date, you’re lovable & complete & beautiful on your own”.
So yeah, please normalize young people not dating, and please stop shaming them for it. There’s more to life than romance, despite what the media wants us to think.