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On my desk.✨ // My Instagram
↳ thursday 18.09.06.
worked a super long and suuuuuper slow shift at the welcome table for incoming international students, but had the best time bonding with my shift mates! always try and make connections with your colleagues, it makes work feel like play~ now i’m jumping between chinese vocab review on quizlet and finishing moving back into my old room at my parents’ house (which i’m moving back out of in like three weeks lmao why am i even trying?)
After making a grand total of 11 cheatsheets since starting university less than a year ago (I know, my uni is weird), I wanted to share some of my tips and tricks for making the most effective cheatsheet for your needs! They’re a hassle to make, but depending on how you make yours, it could either be an incredibly useful resource or just an extra sheet of paper on your desk.
(By “cheatsheet”, I mean a typically printer paper-sized memory aid, usually handwritten, that is allowed to be brought into an exam.)
1. You don’t need to write small, nor do you need to write a lot.
Some people go out of their way to buy 0.1mm pens to cram everything they can onto a cheatsheet. But okay, hear me out: unless you plan on using your cheatsheet to study (more on this later), what is the point of writing as much as you can? It is super difficult to find the exact piece of information that you need in the stressful environment of an exam, especially when you’ve written in the equivalent of size 4 font and your page is cluttered with information you definitely know . And honestly, for most exams, it’s a waste of time trying to look at your cheatsheet. Just put down whatever you’ll definitely need; the rest will only slow you down or overwhelm you.
2. Use colours, or at least find some way to keep it organized.
Once again, you need to spend as little time as possible looking at your cheatsheet in an exam. If the exam allows cheatsheets, the class probably has something else to up the difficulty level of exams. In my experience, it’s usually either application questions or a time crunch, sometimes both. So, make your cheatsheet efficient. Colour-code it so you know what to look for in order to find any given piece of information. Find some sort of format, so that you also know where exactly to look.
3. Don’t wait until last minute to make it. If it comes to that point, just put down the major points and sleep.
There are so many reasons why you shouldn’t do this. Just trust me, my lowest exam marks are from exams where I made a cheatsheet the night before. You shouldn’t be staying up the night before your exam. Copying the textbook onto a sheet of printer paper isn’t effective studying. Most importantly, your cheatsheet becomes so much more effective when you’ve actually done practice exams with it. Or else, how would you know how well it actually functions and what else you should add?
4. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
Please don’t spend too much time on your cheatsheet. Obviously, interpret this advice based on practice exams and the scope of whatever course you’re taking, but don’t get to a point where you’re relying on your “perfect” cheatsheet to pass the exam. Instead, spend your time studying the material and question formats so that you almost don’t need your cheatsheet. No matter how informative or detailed your cheatsheet is, it won’t matter if you don’t have time to use it during the exam, or if you haven’t done enough practice so you don’t know how to format the cheatsheet’s information.
5. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.
I think this goes without saying for practically anything, really. Just do you. If the prof says you’re allowed a single piece of printer paper, front and back, it doesn’t mean that you need to fill that. Nor does it mean that you should be intimidated when you walk into the exam and see that you’re the only person who hasn’t filled up your cheatsheet completely. Do whatever you need to succeed. If spending a few extra hours cramming information onto your cheatsheet won’t help you, then don’t do that. If it will, then don’t let me and my opinions stop you.
1. For the stuff that you actually don’t know and isn’t worthwhile to memorize
This is pretty obvious, but you should prioritize the stuff that you actually don’t know and is too difficult to memorize. For example, the 20 amino acids for Biology.
2. Diagram compilation
Personally, I think that the most useful thing you can do with your cheatsheet is to add diagrams and charts. They are the easiest thing to find on your cheatsheet. Also, diagrams are able to sum up a whole list of details, so you don’t need to worry about missing something. It is always useful to refer to your diagrams for inspiration!
3. Checklist
What are the three points you need to include to describe a histogram? What steps does the prof want you to do to show autosomal dominance? If you are someone who often loses marks because of missing details or the way you format your answers, your cheatsheet can function as a checklist. Write down exactly what you need to address to get full marks on certain types of questions.
4. Personalized formula sheet
If you are anything like me (ie. I am so afraid of Math that I chose not to major in Biochemistry just so I don’t have to do Calc III), then writing out some formulas in the way that you like them written might be useful, even if you are given a formula sheet. It’s a comfort thing.
5. Study guide
As a heads up, this is the only situation where I would condone writing as much as possible on your formula sheet. If you’re the type of person who studies by copying out your notes (ie. you memorize things by writing them out), then you might as well kill two birds with one stone and just copy your notes onto your cheatsheet. But, then again, your cheatsheet will probably be less functional during the exam, so do this at your own discretion.
Here are two of my own cheatsheets, to illustrate some of my points. The first one is for Biology, the second one is for Statistics.
I don’t keep a consistent colour code, but generally, red is for categories or units, blue is for definitions or important terms, and blue underline is for things I commonly forget or refer to (ie. the 4 factors affecting membrane fluidity). The units follow the order that we learned them in class. Although I tend to write small and there is a lot more information than strictly necessary, I can easily find anything I’m looking for.
Here’s the bottom line: do whatever is the most useful for you!! These are just a few things that have worked for me and some people around me, but do whatever will help you succeed.
Happy studying, everyone!
– 7.14
100 DAYS OF PRODUCTIVITY [22/100] - Clean room, clean mind
My room has been a mess lately and so I decided to act on the age old proverb, clean room, clean mind! I tidied everything up and even found a cat in the process! I’m going to try to keep my room as clean as possible for my own mental health.
Books everywhere 📚📖
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwfeoo_gMUd/
[7/100] Days of Productivity
Running on two hours of sleep for reasons related to my cat, but I’m doing surprisingly well today! I took a few pages of notes from my history textbook, and I’m going to combine them with my class notes tomorrow!
4/29/19 | 🎧: perfect places by lorde
studygram
- energy density, specific energy, engines and sankey diagrams
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I feel so tired and sleepy today😴But at least I finished my history IA, extended essay, math IA and even did up some physics notes
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IG: @studybroe
27.04.19 | it’s Easter so here we don’t have school for two weeks. But, we have a lot to study but I think it’s manageable, with some music I can even say I enjoy it👏🏻
It’s not “uncool” to be smart and prepared and passionate and dedicated. Ignore people who say otherwise.
You will be okay
Failed a class? Me too. My GPA at the end of my first semester of university was a 1.0 out of 10. I managed to fix it, and so will you.
Had a rough exam? We’ve all been there. It’s just one exam, it’ll be okay. You’ll rock the next one.
Feeling overwhelmed? It’ll be fine. Take a day or two, or even just a few hours, to focus on yourself, then get back at it.
You will graduate. You will pass your classes eventually. You will be okay.
realistic tips for uni students
i’ve seen many tips for university students fly around here and i’ve noticed that some of them are either unrealistic or not necessary at all (take it from someone who has been studying 3 years already) so here are some real tips to help you
BUY. A. BACKPACK. i’ve made the same mistake and my back is in s h a m b l e s. and honestly, you don’t need an expensive one, but be sure to check if your backpack has a laptop compartment in case you bring a laptop a to class. i know it looks unflattering as hell but trust me your back will thank you for it.
You don’t need expensive stationary. any pen or notebook will do but make sure you bring enough pens to classes, exams, etc because you don’t want to sit there panicking because your pen gave out.
on the topic of stationary ALWAYS KEEP A NOTEBOOK IN YOUR BAG what if your laptop dies? what if you want to make a reminder to yourself that you will forget about 5 minutes later? just keep a small notebook in your backpack in case you need it.
Always bring food and water! i’m particularly bad at this, not gonna lie, but especially when it’s summer and hot as hell this tip is incredibly important or you will most likely feel awful. i’m not a big breakfast eater myself because i get stomach issues from it but i make sure to bring something for either on my way to class, just before class, or during the break you might have in class.
For those of you who menstruate: keep tampons/pads in your bag. you’re friends will thank you for it as well!
Moving on from backpack arrangements: pro-tip you don’t have to be bff’s with you teachers, especially not in your first year. later when you’re writing your dissertation, it’s can be helpful, but honestly they most likely won’t remember you in your first year and they will also most likely not grade your papers/tests either so no need to suck up
on the topic of teacher: you don’t have to attend every single office hour. if you have a question, please go, but otherwise you’re wasting your damn time
wait until your first lecture/seminar before buying books your professor will most likely say please buy this or this is optional. don’t waste money!
read the damn syllabus not just so that you know what to do before class, but also so that you know what to do in case you fall ill and what the attendance expectancy is (some professors have a 80% attendance or you will fail and others don’t give a shit)
don’t sign up for 9 am classes you won’t go okay? it seems fun at the beginning but you’re gonna end up dreading that class even though it would’ve been interesting if you were awake enough to take it in
procrastination is normal everybody does it and guess what? YOU DON’T NEED TO GET ALL A’S!!!! strive for it? great! but work yourself until you’re crying from the stress and thinking about dropping out because you can’t handle it? not so great!
mental health is more important than that 4.0 GPA speaks for itself but also if there is something going on please talk to your student advisor or tutor! you can better warn them in advance than try to build a case after you flunked that assignment/exam
try to make friends honestly it will make your uni experience so much nicer. and i get social anxiety, but at least try to get on friendly terms with people so you have notes when you’re sick, a partner when there is group work to be done, and just a friendly face when it’s all too much!
wear comfortable clothes yes i get the need to look cute but honestly when you’re freezing in your lecture hall because you wanted to wear that one top, you’re gonna be mad at yourself. also bring a jacket/scarf to put over yourself when you know a lecture hall/classroom is cold as hell it helps, trust me.
have fun sounds cliche but sign up for that one class that has absolutely nothing to do with your major but it looks fun, go out partying with your new buddies and stay up later than you should, it’s okay. nobody is all study all the time and you get to enjoy yourself. just find something fun in everything you learn even if you f-ing despise that one course because it will help you get through these years!
dec 03 2018 i accidentally deleted it ✨🌻
I really love this spread and the days I spent while i was doing it
I approached to a new style of journaling and I’m looking forward to other spreads like this!!