Erica ♡

Welcome to my blog! La vie est belle! ♡

[aestrophilia]

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[aestrophilia]

Academic Reset

A new school year or a new semester gives an opportunity for a fresh new start. This post provides a guide to help you take intentional steps to regain your focus and motivation for the upcoming semester.

Creating folders for each class or subject 

At the start of every semester, what I would first do is to create a folder for each class, then further add subfolders consisting of Activities, Notes, and Other Materials. The Activities folder contains all my deliverables. As for the Notes folder, this consists of notes that I made for the specific class/subject, and all the other files given by my professors. Lastly, the Other Materials folders are for the files I gathered from online sources.

Through this, I remain organized, and each class or subject remains separate, and nothing overlaps. It also helps me to find easily what I need when I’m studying or doing a requirement.

Saving a backup of the files online

This step is a must for me. I back up the files on my laptop to a cloud storage, preferably to Google Drive. This helps me to ensure that if ever my laptop gets damaged, I can still access my old files. You may also use a hard drive or flash drive if cloud storage is less convenient on your end.

Clean my study desk

I actually do this every day before each study session because a clean work desk is a non-negotiable for me. This just makes learning more conducive since my mind gets haywire when my desk is messy, or there’s a lot of stuff on it.

Keep track of what I have and what I need

This is connected to the previous step. When I clean my desk, as well as my bookshelf and cabinets, I am bound to organize my stuff and keep track of the things that I still have. This step ensures that I don’t buy unnecessary stuff before the start of the semester, and I will only be buying what I truly need. For instance, I kept buying pens and notebooks in the past without knowing that I still have unused ones in my cabinet.

Buy books or codals

I like to buy books in advance so I can also study in advance.

Back when I was still in my undergraduate program, I bought the books that I needed before the start of classes. But this step also requires that our professors or seniors have already informed us of the books needed for each class. Otherwise, if there’s no announcement yet of the books needed, I will not be buying anything because I don’t want to waste money on books that are not required.

Now in law school, I like to buy the codals that I will be needing for the semester before the start of the class. As for books, I wait for our professors’ announcement first to make sure I will be buying the correct one because books are hella expensive too.

• . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. •

An academic reset is not about being the perfect student; it’s about making small and consistent steps to support your goals and dreams. As you begin the new semester, focus on your progress and celebrate small wins that you make along the way. That’s all for today, and happy studying!

Let’s stay connected:

ask me anything: https://revospring.net/@aestrophilia

email: [email protected]

[aestrophilia]

Summer Reads (2026)

Summer had always been the perfect time for me to slow down and unwind after a busy school year. Over the past few months, I’ve added quite a few books to my reading list, and this season gave me the opportunity to dive into those stories. Here are some of my favorite summer reads that I would like to recommend to all of you lovely people.

Picking Daisies on Sundays by Liana Cincotti

Picking Daisies on Sundays by Liana Cincotti is a light and charming read. Honestly, the book felt dragging for me, and it was difficult for me to finish it. I have honestly read a lot of friends-to-lovers tropes, and this one was not as interesting as I hoped it would be. Additionally, I feel like the book was made to be viral, which, for me, came at the expense of lacking depth and connection. Overall, it was okay. Honestly, I think I would have liked this book when I was in high school and when it was released alongside The Selection or To All The Boys.

Rating: 3/5

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang is probably the only book that made me feel seen and understood. I have connected with many stories over the past, but none resonated with me on a personal level as this one. The plot, the characters, the struggles, and everything felt so real, and I’m sure you will also see a part of yourself in this story. Although I felt like the ending was rushed. I was hoping to see more of Jessica and Jenna in the end. Overall, it’s the kind of book that stays with you after reading the last page.

Rating: 5/5

The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

The Upside of Falling by Alex Light made me giggle and feel so kilig while reading it. It has the young adult romance that I have been looking for in the books that I’m reading over the past few months. The chemistry between the characters felt so natural, making me smile throughout the story. Overall, it’s a sweet and feel-good story that will leave a smile on you smiling from beginning to end.

Rating: 4/5

And that’s it for my summer reads this year. If you’ve read any of these books, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. Feel free also to share your book recommendations as well. Until my next blog post, happy reading!

Let’s stay connected:

ask me anything: https://revospring.net/@aestrophilia

email: [email protected]

[aestrophilia]

Update

Hi 👋🏻 My blog is still under construction, so please bare with me while I work on it. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

[aestrophilia]

CPALE/LECPA TIPS

Hi lovelies! I’m Aestrophilia and I’m a passer of the October-December 2024 CPA Licensure Examination. Since it’s board exam season once again, here are my tips for CPALE/LECPA takers. I will keep this short and simple so hopefully, this can help you prepare better and feel less overwhelmed during the exam. ✨

Get enough rest. I cant stress this enough. Rest your mind and sleep. I know the jittery feeling will make it harder to relax, but you have to try. I swear, a well rested mind will help you get through the three-day exam.

Don’t try anything new. As much as possible, don’t try any new foods, techniques, or whatever before and during the exam. This is to avoid the risk of getting a bad stomach, unexpected allergies, and unnecessary stress that could affect your performance or focus during the exam. I recommend that you stick to your routine, meals, and study method that worked well for you.

Check if all the items you need to bring are ready. Have a checklist of everything you need to bring that day. Make sure you have your Notice of Admission (NOA), an ID, calculator, pencils, eraser, a transparent envelope, food, and water with you. You may also bring medicines, toiletries, and anything you need. But make sure that you will only be bringing the allowed materials inside the testing site and refrain from bringing your reviewers, gadgets, and prohibited stuffs. Note: Your bags will be placed in front. You are only allowed to keep the things inside the transparent envelope beside you.

Calm yourself, pray, and have faith. I know you’re probably overwhelmed, scared, nervous, or excited right now. It’s important to remain calm and level-headed during the board exam because panic and pressure can affect your performance or cause a mental block. Trust in your preparations and don’t let any negativity consume you. Have faith in your knowledge, hard work, and yourself. Pray and ask God (or whoever mighty being your believe in) for guidance. Remember: One question at a time. Take deep breaths, read each question and solve each problem carefully. You got this!

That’s all for today. Good luck to all future CPAs, and see you all on my next blog post! ❤️

Let’s stay connected:

ask me anything: https://revospring.net/@aestrophilia

email: [email protected]

[aestrophilia]

WHERE ELSE TO FIND ME

Feel free to message me. Want to talk about life, books, or fashion and cosmetics? I’m up for anything. 

You can also follow and contact me on my other social media accounts.

Follow me on X (@Aestrophilia) to stay updated for news and updates.

Follow me on instagram (@Aestrophilia) and see home my life goes by looking at my pictures.

Ask me anything on Revospring (@Aestrophilia)

Send me letters at [email protected].

Note: Those are my only existing accounts.

La vie est belle!! xx

[aestrophilia]

ABOUT

ABOUT THIS BLOG

This blog is my way of expressing my ideas, my interests and what not. My love for make up and fashion, some tips worth sharing, posts about books, and motivating people through writing.

La vie est belle!

ABOUT ME

Hi it’s me, Erica.

I love looking at the sky, especially at night. Long walks on the beach. Strolling around the city. Riding roller coasters. Milk teas. Eating pizza. Baking cookies. The smell of new books. And I also love watching the sunrise and sunset. Let's talk more!

X: @Aestrophilia

Wattpad: @Aestrophilia

Ask me anything on Revospring: @Aestrophilia

For inquiries and collaboration, you may email me on [email protected].

You may also reach me here: https://aestrophilia.wordpress.com/

[aestrophilia]

Best Apps For Productivity & Studying

Hello there lovelies! It hasn’t been long since I started my vacay and soon enough, school is about to start. A few days from now I’ll be entering my school as a junior, aka 3rd-year college student. Time flies fast, doesn’t it? I started this blog when I was in my junior year of high school and now I’m a college student!

Speaking of school, I have here 4 apps that I really love to use for studying and any academic-related tasks, or whenever I need to be productive. These are 4 of the best apps out there that can help you be more productive and track your progress. You can also use these apps regardless if you’re in high school or college. Another thing about these apps is they are all easy to use and navigate. Lastly, these are all free to download on IOS and Android devices.

(Photo by Reclaim.ai)

1. Google Calendar

First on the list is Google Calendar. Of all the calendar apps to choose from, this is my favorite. I have tried several calendar apps in the past and this is the only one I continue using and will use forever!

The layout is simple, easy to use, customizable, and it has a lot of features. I like that you can notify yourself multiple times for an event or task. I also like that you share an event (or calendar/tasks) with your organization, friends, and family. Another thing that I like about this app is how convenient it is because you can use it via desktop or your mobile devices.

Note: you can also add more colors for your calendar/event by clicking the three dots when hovering over a calendar, then click add custom color.

2. Yeolpumta

This is probably one of my best discoveries last semester! It’s easy to use, very customizable, functional, and of course, very aesthetically pleasing.

The app itself looks very minimalist and there arent a lot of distractions. Aside from that, you can use this app for a wide range of options such as a habit tracker, study tracker, pomodoro, etc. I personally use this as a progress and study tracker. This also helps you to stay focused because it wont let you leave the screen unless you’re using one of the allowed apps, which you can also choose which to include. In addition, it also has tons of features like the timer and calculator option, a dictionary, and white noise feature as well as see the users who are also studying at that time.

3. Notion

Notion is one of my favorite apps and I’ve been using it since I started college. I use Notion for everything! My habit tracker, expense tracker, reading tracker, journal, class schedule, to-do list, or basically my life is in here. The screenshots above is what half of my Notion dashboard looks like.

You can find lots of cool templates online or you can just create your own. It can be overwhelming at first, but once you get the gist of it, the things that you can create are endless. You may search for Alyanna Ross on Youtube because she has a lot of Notion-related videos and you can learn so much from her.

(Alyanna Ross is one of my fave YouTubers so go check her out!)

As mentioned above, you can use Notion for various things, may it be for school, work, life, or productivity. You can add lots of widgets to further customize your setup and make it more tailored to your needs. Take advantage also of the tables and columns to enhance your Notion setup.

4. Forest

This app is one of my faves to record how long I am studying. It’s also easy to use and can be used on your mobile devices or as a Chrome extension. It’s up to you to select the time or minutes of studying and after that, you get to plant a tree. If you stop, your tree also withers.

I honestly prefer Yeolpumta nowadays because it has more features. However, I am also after the plant a real-life tree feature of Forest and so far, I have already planted 5 trees! Sadly tho, 5 is the maximum.

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That’s all for today’s blog post, loves! I also just want to say that this is not sponsored. I personally use all the apps that I have mentioned on this post. Anyway, at the end of the day, your progress depends upon your will to take action and nothing will happen if you will not act. Nonetheless, I hope that these apps can also help you to be productive as much as they helped me. Originally posted on my Wordpress blog Aestrophilia.

Stay self and healthy everyone!

Lets stay connected:

ask.fm: ereecuh

email: aestrophilia@aestrophilia

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[aestrophilia]

3 Ways To Keep Your Body Moving

Hello, lovelies!! It’s been so long since I have written anything here. I know I’m just reposting my previous content but I’m on vacay now and have more time to write.

Speaking of vacation, before college I will really just use this time to sleep all day and be a couch potato. But the pandemic happened and I wanted to break free from that routine. Something changed in me. I started to hate how sedimentary my previous lifestyle was. I wanted to keep my body moving so I started working out and I lost a few pounds eventually.

Anyway, losing weight and continue staying active is a bit of a challenge for me. I wanted to remain active but it’s the physical activity that makes me feel overwhelmed and unhappy with myself. Along the way, I realized that I didn’t really enjoy heavy workouts. So today I will be sharing 3 activities that I truly enjoy doing and helps me to keep my body moving. These are also beginner-friendly by the way! Continue reading if you want to know more

1. Walking

I love walking! It doesn’t really require much effort and it keeps you active. Short walks a day is proven to have several benefits such as keeping you strong and healthy, preventing various diseases, and improving your well-being (Mayo Clinic, n.d.)

Most of the time I just walk. Pretty basic to be honest. But if I want to spice things up, I follow these Youtubers:

Grow With Jo

Leslie Sansone

Reps to the Rhythm

Get Fit With Rick

Grow With Jo’s has lots of walking workouts (and other beginner-friendly ones) and they are really fun to follow. I always feel accomplished and happy after doing her workouts.

Leslie Sansone is one of the first Youtubers I followed when I started my “fitness journey” and she has this energy that transcends through you. Her videos are easy to follow and time flies so fast when doing her workouts. She also has 10 to hour-long videos to choose from.

Reps to the Rhythm and Get Fit With Rick are also my faves because they have various Kpop walking workouts which I really enjoy doing. Their videos are also easy to follow and they have a step counter which helps you to know how many steps you can do in a video.

2. Stretching

Stretching is one of the activities I do after I wake up. I also like to stretch a few times a day just to simply keep my body moving. When I have school I sit and read during most times of the day each week and stretching keeps my blood flowing and release the tension.

There are also many benefits of stretching like keeping you calm and stress-free, increasing flexibility, improving posture, and reducing risks of injury when working out (Bubnis, 2018).

For those days that I want to make stretching more advanced, I try to do yoga and pilates. It’s really fun. I seriously never thought that I’ll be into these kinds of activities. No regrets tho.

Aside from keeping you physically active, stretching (or yoga) is also helpful when you’re feeling stressed. Incorporate this when you meditate, find a quiet place, and just focus on your breathing. This method helps me so much to clear my mind whenever I’m overwhelmed or feeling stressed.

3. Standing

This is probably the most basic on the list lol. Although it may sound simple but standing actually does a lot to your body. Standing has more benefits and burns more calories than sitting.

Standing is said to reduce your risks of weight gain, lowers risk of heart disease, improves posture and productivity (Leech, 2017).

Moreover, the two ways to incorporate it on my daily activity is to stand for at least 15 minutes after eating, and to stand whenever I feel fatigued while doing my work.

This part is really basic and effective to prevent yourself from sitting or lying on your bed during most hours of the day.

NOTE: Resting is also important and I am in no way saying that sitting or lying down is wrong. Take as much time as you need to rest and of course, listen to your body.

The purpose of this post is to keep your body moving and your blood flowing, as well as prevent a sedimentary lifestyle. I also just wanted to share some activities that I enjoy to keep myself physically active.

There are also various activities that you may try to keep yourself moving. And if you have suggestions, please comment them down below.

You may also click the references if you want to read more

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That’s all for this blog post, lovelies. See you on the next one!

Lets stay connected:

ask.fm: ereecuh

email: [email protected]

[aestrophilia]

What To Do During Quarantine

With all the stuff going on lately, I think we all deserve to pamper ourselves and show some love to ourselves. However, some cities are under quarantine while some are on lockdown. At this moment, it’s best to just stay at home to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

But staying at home and doing nothing can be boring too, don’t you think?

Fear not, because I got you lovelies! Here are some tips and ideas regarding what to do at home during the quarantine.

1. Movie Marathon or Netflix and chill

This is the time for you watch or catch up on your favorite series. Watch new movies or re-watch your favorites. Watch Disney movies, catch up on Friends, see new episodes of your favorite series, binge up on KDramas.

Highly recommend Hotel Del Luna, Crash Landing On You, Umbrella Academy, Money Heist, Brooklyn 99, and The Good Place.

But of course, not everyone has Netflix. Or you’re probably done catching up on whatever series you’re hung up on. Again, I gotchu covered loves!

2.  Read a book

This is something that I really appreciate because I wasn’t able to read often when the 2nd semester of my school started. I was kinda busy, but now, I try to finish a book within two days lol. 

Anyways, if you’re a bookaholic, this is the time for you to reread your fave books or to read new books. While, if you’re interested on making reading books as your new hobby, feel free to visit my book reviews page here for some book suggestions.

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*TIP*

You may try your like and search for “google drive name of book/movie/audiobook”. Sometimes you’ll find what you’re looking for and sometimes, better search for another one.

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3.  Organize things, clean room, declutter

Another thing that you could do is to clean your home, your room, organize your stuffs… Maybe you could remove the things that you no longer use and sell or donate them. You could also remove your old make up like the expired ones. You could also take this time to clean your make up brushes and sponges.

4. Feeling artsy or inspired? 

Get a paper or a notebook and write down your thoughts. Maybe you could write new poems or a novel if you wish. Maybe you could also create a song. You could also grab you sketch and your art materials and maybe do some drawing or painting. 

If you have Adobe Illustrator, Lightroom, or Photoshop, maybe you could also do some digital artworks. Take some shots of your pets or whatever you want and get creative with photography. Pretty sure there are so much more apps out there that you could try to express you ideas and creativity, don’t be afraid to try.

5. Get Creative Part 2

Wanna try new make up hacks or new styles? Grab your brushes and your make ups and experiment! Immitating IG filters is trendy nowadays and perhaps you might wanna try those as well. Or maybe you wanna try that new eyeshadow that you bought or perhaps you just wanna try on a different look, go ahead and waste no time! Remember: blending is the key!

Or what about trying on new outfits? Mix and match clothes that you haven’t tried before perhaps you’ll like it. Maybe you could also search for moodboards online regarding the style you like. You could also create yours too.

6. Workout and Yoga

Is your local gym close? Grab your mat (it’s also fine if you don’t have), and try for some yoga or meditate if you want. You may also do some workout routine. There are a lot of workout routines that you can find online like in Youtube or you may download it on Google Play or in App Store.

Find one that works for you and of course, be careful and do some warm ups to avoid injuries :)

7. Game time!

Still bored? Again, I gotchu lovelies!

Spend more time with your loved ones by playing jenga, UNO cards, poker, scrabble, chess, and other board games. If you know unggoy-ungguyan you may play it as well. Of course the classic truth or dare game is one of the options.

Games like color game, monopoly, and other board games can be downloaded online so if you don’t have the physical board game, you can still play it by installing the app. Twister is also another good idea to play with your family.

8. TIK TOK

Are you part of the Tik Tok Nation yet? Well, if not, it’s not too late for you to be a part of it. And if you don’t want too, it’s also fine. Sooner or later you’ll also be a part of it as well just like those who claimed they wont be

Anyway, there are many dance moves in Tik Tok and some cool content as well.

9. Bake/Cook

If you have enough supplies or materials, maybe you could also bake or cook. Try a new recipe, perfect your favorite dish, or create something new.

Another option is to cook for our front liners or for those who are in need, only if you want to or if you have enough supplies to do so.

10. Communicate with people who are special to you

Just because we’re advised to stay inside doesn’t mean that relationships will be canceled, friendships will be canceled, or living life will be canceled. Take this time to focus on your self and communicate with people that are special to you.

Call a friend, ask them if they’re okay. Reunite with people you no longer talk to. And remember: you don’t have to reunite with those you already cut in your life. You dont have to bring back people who are once toxic to you.

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That’s all for this blog post loves! See you all on my post! xoxo

You may click here for more posts.

Stay safe and healthy lovelies! Don’t forget to practice social distancing and observe proper hygiene.

[aestrophilia]

“Even the good people, the ones you dream of meeting, fuck up. People aren’t perfect and loving someone means handing them a gun and trusting them not to shoot you. But we’re all human and sometimes we get scared and we panic, accidentally pulling the trigger. That doesn’t mean that they don’t love you… it just means that Life doesn’t come with an instruction manual and sometimes we do the wrong thing. So do you banish them from your life and try to forget their existence when you might have made the very same mistake if the roles were reversed? If they shot you and are begging for forgiveness, willing to do anything to make it up to you, do you give them another chance and hope that the good you see in them will overcome the bad? Or do you just shut down and walk away?” — I guess it depends what kind of person you want to be

Jess Amelia

[aestrophilia]

August and September 2018 Favorites

Hello lovelies? How are you? I just cant believe that there are only 3 months left before 2019! Are you excited? Because I know I am!

1. Carmex Strawberry Lip Balm – I just love this product so much! It has done wonders for my lips. My lips is moisturized for the whole day even if I just applied once. Downside is, it doesn’t taste like strawberry and if you don’t like waxy lip balms, you may not like this one. My lips are no longer chapped and so far, this is the best lip balm I’ve ever tried.

2. Lip Tint – I like to use liptints to add color to my pale lips. I prefer liptints over lippies because lip tints are so much lighter and it pays off a more natural look.

3. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – This film is beyond expected. Although there are some parts that wasn’t included in the film, I still think it’s a good movie.

4. Crazy Rich Asians – THE  MOVIE OF THE YEAR!! Nuff said.

5. Wintermelon Milktea – There’s a milktea stand in our school guys I’m crying!!! For P45, it taste good and it’s affordable.

6. The Titus double hightlighter –  This highlighter is prolly the cheapest highlighter I saw in NBS plus it has two highlighters in just one stick. It’s convenient and it isn’t bulky like your normal highlighters. I have mine in pink and yellow.

7. Saturn by Sleeping At Last – Try listening to this song y’all! It’s worth it and very inspiring.

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That’s all for August and September 2018 favorites lovelies! I wish I could write more but school is eating all my time 😦 

Anyways, see you all soon on my next blog most! May you find the plot twist you’ve been waiting for on the remaining months of 2018. 

La vie est belle,

[aestrophilia]

Senior Life (Part 2)

LIFE AS A SENIOR! Part 2.

Hello lovelies! This is the part 2 of my previous post and if you haven’t read that yet, just click here. Like what I’ve said on my previous post, part 2 will be about entrance exam, how to prepare for it, senior high, and what strand should you take.

If you’re living in the Philippines, I guess you know by now that after 10th grade, there are still 2 more years of high school which is senior high school. I don’t know how many exact number of strands there is but under the Academic strand are STEM, ABM, HUMSS, and GAS. For more info, just search it on the internet for a clearer explanation.

Last January I took my entrance exam. And a few weeks later, I received a good news and I passed! Anyway, entrance exams aren’t necessary unless you are planning on transferring to another school.

Before I begin, I just wanna say that Senior High is no joke. SHS is far more different from junior high school. I had been hearing that since 9th grade from my teachers. Ever since we started taking the NCAE, we were already asked to prepare and start thinking of what strand we’re going to take for senior high school.

My classes just started this August but before that, my friends in my former school are already going to school since June. And I’ve been hearing complains how different and stressful SHS is. It made me really scared. But I’m not here to threaten you because I’m here to help and give a few tips.

First, I’ll start with NCAE. If you haven’t taken the NCAE test yet, please take it seriously. If you aren’t sure on what strand you wanna take, the test will help you to know where you’ll most probably excel in. But if you have taken your test and you already saw your results and the results isn’t what you expect, it’s okay. At the end of the day, what you want and what you choose is more important. So take the NCAE test seriously and choose what you want to be in, where you think you’ll grow more, and what your passion is.

At 9th grade it’s okay if you’re still unsure of your strand. But once you entered 10th grade, start deciding where you want to be in. Guys 10th grade passes so quickly and it will be over before you know it. I know grade 10 is already stressful but grades 11 and 12 is much much much more. Enjoy the last remaining days of junior high because you might not be as free as you are now once you entered shs.

If you are still unsure, your parents and counselors or teachers are always there to help you and guide you. But at the end of the day, it’s your choice that matters the most because it you who are studying, not them.

When you are studying for your entrance exams, for UST, DLSU, AMDU, or other schools, study but don’t pressure yourself too much. If it’s meant to be, it will be. If you didn’t pass to the school that you wanted to be in, its okay and don’t forget that. Don’t be too hard on yourself. God always has better plans for each one of us. Just study hard and do your best.

Another tip of advice, greet or talk to your seatmate during your entrance test. I don’t recommend this during exam hours but on your break or spare time, talk to your seatmates and others who are also taking the test. Who knows, your seatmate might be your next best friend. You don’t have to wait for the first day of school to make new friends when you can start on your entrance exam day.

Most important tip, take your time while answering the test but don’t be too slow. I don’t know if this applies to all school but on my former and new school, we have time limits on answering the test. Don’t be too slow on answering the test because you might not be able to finish it but also, don’t forget to analyze each question before you answer.

Not all schools are senior high ready. If you’re school is shs ready, you can stay IF you want. If you want to study in Manila or transfer to another school, you may IF you want. You always have options so choose what you think is best for you.

Go where you really want to be, not just because your friends are there. I know friends are important because they are family but at the same time, education and your future is also just as important.

Lastly, study well! If you really want something, work hard for it.

I have a few study tips and you can read them here. Part 1 of this post can be found here if you haven’t seen it yet.

Good luck on your future endeavors and may you achieve all your goals and dreams!

La vie est belle,

[aestrophilia]

Senior Life (Part 1)

LIFE AS A SENIOR! Part 1.

More study tips and back to school posts can be found on my blog. Just click here.

Sit down and make yourself comfy because this post is kinda long so be prepared haha.

I’ve posted a few months ago that I just finished junior high. I’ve mentioned on my post how my life was for the past 10 months and some of the events that happened during that time. 

Well this blog post is going to be different from my previous post. I already talked about my life as a senior and you can read it here. So on this post, I will be tackling what to expect during your senior year, a few tips and expectations, entrance exams, and how to catch up when you feel like everything is moving too fast. And may this post be helpful.

First, what are your expectations? Whether your a senior or a froshie, in high school or not, you gotta ask yourself what you want to achieve during your current school year. 

Once you find out what you want to achieve, work hard for it. It doesn’t matter if you have just one goal or a thousand, what matters is how you achieve it. Work hard for it no matter how it takes and don’t settle for anything less.

Also, please don’t pressure yourself too much. We all want to be good and ace the tests and competitions, however, not getting what you want at first doesn’t mean you are already a failure. Stay motivated instead of pressuring yourself.

Next, keep in mind that it gets more difficult each year. There might be some lessons that you wont understand easily. I suggest, try to sit in somewhere in front and near the middle. I feel like that’s really the best place if you want to be more focused on the lesson. But whatever place you’re in try not to talk to your seatmates unless needed, jot down important notes, and most importantly, try not to get bored and stay awake no matter how hard it is sometimes!😂

Don’t expect too much. Things doesn’t always go as how we planned them to be. Most of the time God has a better plan for us. Just trust him, always.

Breathe, it’s okay to rest. When you feel like you are so tired but, rest. You’re human, it’s normal for you to be tired. Don’t abuse your body so much but don’t procrastinate. Do what you have to do and submit everything on time. 

And when you feel like you cant catch up anymore, take a breathe first. School isn’t a competition. It doesn’t matter who gets to the finish line first. If you have some trouble catching up your lessons, you can always ask you teachers, friends, or you can just google it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here are some of my study tips:  

Try to discover what method/style of studying works best for you. Others can multi task while studying, like they can watch tv and listen to music while studying! I don’t know how they do that but it happens! Others also prefer group studies or studying in a quiet place. 

Personally I prefer studying alone in a quiet place while listening to classical music. Classical music makes me calm and helps me a lot to stay more focused and you might want to try that out. 😊I know a few people who can multitask, they listen to music while watching tv and at the same time, studying and they get good grades too. But I cant do that, I’ll probably just get distracted and watch tv and I wont study anymore😂 Also, group studies can be helpful sometimes but I really prefer to study alone because I’ll just end up talking to my study buddies and it will be very unproductive. Well, that’s me and I hope you’ll also find your own style or method of studying.

Another tip try using highlighters, post it notes, or post it flags for studying. You Image result for post it notes, highlighers, post it flags you can use this on your notebook, on your reviewers or directly on your book. They can make your notes and other important details to pop up more.

You can use highlighters to of course, highlight the important details. You can use different highlighters for different purposes. Like for example, pink for vocabulary words, blue for dates, yellow for important people, green for important notes, and orange for examples. Those are just my examples so your notes will be more organized and you wont end up highlighting the whole page like I do.😂 Personally I like the pastel Stabilo highlighters because they aren’t as bright and harsh like the original ones.

You can attach post it notes on your book, notebook, or reviewer for additional notes and other important details. Post it notes pops up more on your notes and you can see it easily. You can write there some reminders, projects that has to be passed, diagrams, questions you want to ask your teacher or words that you want to research later, etc. You can use post it notes for anything so don’t limit yourself.

Next, post it flags! I love using post it flags as page markers and you can also do that. One tip for post it flags or arrow head, you can stick it on the page that has important details or for some details you want to know more of or anything like that. 

Another tip, you can draw diagrams or illustrations for you to understand the subject or lesson more clearly. You can use graphs, you can draw illustrations from your physics, chem, bio class, you can also draw your favorite scientist if you want.😂 Again, don’t limit yourself. Whatever helps you understand the lesson better, do it. 

You can also personalized your notes. Others make their notes fancy and colorful, which is really pretty but I honestly have no time for that and I’m not that creative.

Just refer to the photos below on how you can personalized your notes and how to use sticky notes, etc. Also, these are just my suggestions. You can do whatever you want with your highlighters, and other stuffs but I my suggestions helped you somehow.

Here are a few more tips from me: 

Advance study and don’t cram. Do things and study ahead of time so you don’t have to worry before the due date of your task and on your exams. 

If you’re new to your school, don’t be afraid to make friends. Smile and be positive. Also, seniors aren’t bullies so don’t be afraid to talk to them.

Join clubs that you’re interested in. I don’t know about you guys, but in my former school, being a part of a school club/organization has points that will only be counted once you’re a senior. You can get an award depending on how long you’re a member of that specific club so basically, the longer you’re in, the higher your award is BUT that also depends if you’re an active member. Also don’t just join for the points or just because your bestfriend is in there, join because you want to be in that club. You’ll meet new people and you’ll learn more.

It also doesn’t have to be academic clubs. You can join the dance team, sports team, glee club, or whatsoever.

Don’t be afraid to speak your thoughts but of course, respect everyone’s opinions and beliefs. That’s what I’ve realized whenever we have our debates. Just because others have a different opinion that yours, it doesn’t automatically make you or them wrong. Learn to listen so you’ll be heard. And remember, you’ll never win against people who are closed minded and don’t bother explaining on people who doesn’t even want to listen. Some thoughts are better left unsaid, but some deserved to be heard because who knows, maybe it can change the world. 

Stay true to yourself. Be unique, be original.

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That’s all for now. Part 2 will be posted again soon because this post is getting long and I want to explain it better in a separate post. And there, I’ll be talking about entrance exams, tips and advice when taking entrance exams, senior high and more!

I hoped you learned a thing or two from this post. And if you like it, don’t forget to click the like button and follow this blog for more. I also posted some tips for back to school last year and if you want to check that out, just click here.

La vie est belle,

[andantegrazioso-deactivated2018]

Parisian roses | dana_chels

[aestrophilia]

1st Week Of School

A Week In My Life: Senior High School Edition

Last Monday, August 6, was the start of my school. My school has just begun and I can’t wait for it to be over. I’m so tired, honestly. I feel like I’m so drained and I needed coffee every morning to help me function. Nevertheless, it’s a fun and I learned new things in a span of 5 days.

Anyways, if you’re an incoming senior high student or your just curious what it feels like to be a shs student, then just keep reading.

MONDAY

1st day of school.I woke up early to charge my phone and because, I’m so excited that I cant sleep anymore. And I kinda regret not having enough sleep later because during our orientation, I was really sleepy. 

My friends and I waited for each other before we go to our own classrooms. And after that, our first subject teacher for that day guided us on our way to the school gym, in our school, it’s called the Sentrum.

We had our orientation and it is followed by the campus tour. We walked and walked and my feet hurts so bad. I’m a new student and seeing the whole school for the first time overwhelmed me. My new school is so much bigger than the old one and I’m kinda terrified and happy at the same time, because y’know, new school, new environment.

The we had our lunch break. When lunch was over, we’re told that we may or may not have classes for the afternoon depending on the teacher. No one came in our classroom so we didn’t have any classes at all. But some sections already met one or two of their teachers. And while waiting for the bell to ring, I was chatting with some of my friends. What I like the most about my new school is that it’s a digital campus. The wifi connects automatically once you’re inside.

TUESDAY

2nd day of school. So far I still feel excited and not tired on this day.

Unlike Monday, nothing much happened on this day. We met our some of our subject teachers and we have classes already. And of course, some teachers asked us to introduce ourselves. Although nothing exciting happened that day, it was a productive day. Some already gave activities and thankfully, we passed it later on the evening even if the submission date was still on Thursday.

WEDNESDAY

Nothing happened this day. Wednesday is like the day wherein we can do whatever we want. We can study, do our assignments and projects, but we cannot be absent because it’s still a  school day. And since it’s just the first week of school, we don’t have much tasks yet.

During the morning, I was busy chatting to my friends because I have no one to talk to on our classroom. I feel like crying because I thought I’ll have no friends and that scared me. However, after lunch, everything feels a bit better. My classmates are approachable and I realized, I have nothing to be scared about.

THURSDAY

On this day, I cant remember how many times I’ve said that I want the school year to be over. I feel so tired and I just want to sleep. We did a few subject related activities, and by this time, I can almost wander around the school without being lost.

I’m an ABM student. Although I haven’t met all of my subject teachers, by this time, the teachers that we’ve met are sharing some stories and experiences of what we will also be experiencing. I can feel the pressure already but I don’t want to pressure myself too much. I just want to do my best, study well, and learn something new everyday.

FRIDAY

5th day of school.

I was so sleepy and I’m so happy that the next day is a Saturday because I could finally get some sleep.

But anyways, teachers are starting to give school works and I have no idea how I could finish them. Thankfully, my group mates aren’t responsible and every is cooperative. Unlike in junior high I noticed that if not all, most students are more responsible and more mature. We finished everything on time and submit what is needed to be submitted earlier than the due date.

That’s just a short glimpse of what it feels like to be an shs student. It’s hard especially if you’re in a new school but life goes on. The only way out is through. You just gotta face your fears and do your best.

Like what I always say on my school related post, don’t be afraid to make new friends. Smile and don’t be shy and of course, treat everyone with respect. Whether they’re the janitors, teachers, school chancellor, seniors or freshmen, respect everyone and be kind. And also, allow yourself to learn something new each day.

Radiate positivity and love yourself.

La vie est belle,

[cwote]

:))