just keep going

Crish | 17 | Trust me, I'm gonna be an Engineer | A blog on my struggles

[chichalen-blog]

update // we transferred to this gate

[chichalen-blog]

Food are fckin expensive at the airport smh I still love tuna sandwiches tho <3

[chichalen-blog]

While waiting for boarding...

*flight was "slightly" delayed

[chichalen-blog]

I hope I can sketch again soon. I need to feel super artsy before I can finish a sketch. Idk. I just can't finish most of my artworks unless I feel super artsy hahaha

[extramadness]

[chichalen-blog]

Update: I passed all my subjects!! God is the best 💙💙💙 Now, I'm just thinking of what subjects will I take 'cause currently I can take 7 subjects but it's prolly gonna be tough since we only have 11 weeks in a term and I'm sure deadlines are gonna pile up if I take all 7.

[optomstudies]

What to do when you’re stuck with a lazy group? I’m with two guys and we still haven’t chosen a topic. We have to present in two weeks. Nobody replies to my messages and both left after class this week. I just wanted to choose a topic and leave!!!! So I booked a study room today and they all made excuses. Ugh. I’m gonna be the one who’s doing all the work. This is worth 40% of our grade. Same as the exam. FML

Hi there, thank you for asking, as this is a super common problem in high school, university and the workplace! I’ve never seen this question answered in depth on studyblr, so I’ll give it a go! 

NB. It depends on your personality as to the approach you want to take, so let everyone who’s reading this not pass judgement upon others in such a situation~ Remember in all of this to be polite, understanding and gracious no matter how much you want to flip tables. The following 5 Options go in order of how many bridges you want to burn :’)

Option 0. Wait for a bit longer and try communicating with them again.

I have seen a similar question asked once on tumblr where the studyblr blogger answered “two weeks is plenty of time, you’re probably over-reacting”… Obviously, I’m not going to trivialise your answer by giving you just one option like that - I frankly thought that studyblr was quite rude for answering so shortly to someone who took the time to ask them a question.

How to do it: The way you communicate with them now might not be effective, so make sure that you’re ticking off the following boxes if you choose this option, rather than just letting nothing change: meeting face to face, setting mini-deadlines for each part instead of just allocating once at the beginning, and make sure each member knows what and when they have to complete something.

This option is best suited for people who:

really don’t want to create a commotion and would rather wait a little longer and reduce the time available for them to do the project,

or people who would answer ‘Strongly Disagree’ to “Being organized is more important to you than being adaptable“ and “In a discussion, truth should be more important than people’s sensitivities.” in a personality quiz (a strong prognostic factor for Option 1 tbh),

or people who know they can tackle everything in less than 1 week,

or people who just realised/kind of know they’re actually overreacting,

or have just realised whilst reading this that maybe they didn’t actually try contacting the other group members all that well (i.e. don’t have enough evidence for Option 3).

Pros:

Nobody gets angry at anyone, and it doesn’t reflect badly on you either (because no one finds out if you don’t say anything - people tend to be judgemental if you pick one of the three options below).

Less stressful for some people than confrontation.

You might get eventual cooperation.

Cons:

You might not get eventual cooperation, and end up being stuck with all the work anyway (hence resulting in options below).

More stressful for other people as you feel time is ticking away and nothing is changing.

The time you spend waiting for the others will result in less time for you to tackle all the actual work.

Pro-tip: doing as much individual work as possible sometimes will egg those team members to finally start pulling their weight, or can help you with Option 3 if you do end up going for it.

Option 1. You make all the decisions and do all the work.

Best suited for people who: are academically gifted, like doing work independently, have excellent time management skills.

Pros:

You can ensure the quality of the work will be excellent.

You get to choose what topic to do and direct the overall project turnout.

No one hates you for anything, but NB. your friends and family relationships that suffer as a result of the time you have to sacrifice might not have anything pleasant to say about it all.

Cons:

You need an extraordinary amount of time.

The other people in the group get a free ride and in nastier words, some would say you get taken advantage of for your goodwill.

Lack of group opinion may make the quality of your work suffer.

Other subjects you’re taking may suffer.

Option 2. Badger the other group members until they do some work.

Best suited for people who: don’t want to be stuck with Option 1, but don’t want to escalate to Option 3. Give them an ultimatum about the work, or just decide the topic by yourself if they don’t step up.

Pros:

Very similar to Option 0 in that you wait a bit longer before taking drastic action, so you might get eventual cooperation, and you don’t bother your professor.

Cons:

You stress yourself out badgering other people.

Other group members get annoyed at you, and your classmates that happen to watch you badgering have a not-so-great impression of you.

Option 3. Document a significant amount of evidence that shows your effort to get them to contribute and contact the professor about it.

Best suited for people who: would like to do things independently but just cannot afford the time because of other commitments.

Pros:

Professor can step in and (hopefully) offer some sort of alternative solution.

Your other subjects won’t suffer.

Sometimes you have a really great professor and they end up taking into account that you’ve done the project by yourself and mark super nicely/give a bonus mark, or even penalise the other students.

Cons:

Professor may snuff you and say “the purpose of this project is also to learn about team cooperation”. Had a prof before who told us straight up at the beginning of the project that “you work it out, not me”

Professor may help you out, but in a way that doesn’t really end up helping e.g. he just emails the two members of your group to tell them to start working once and that’s it.

Other group members hate you for life (and I know this bothers some people enough not to go through with it, again pls remember no judgement fellow readers)

How to do it: Email should be along the lines of the following:

Dear Professor _______,

I am a current student undertaking [course code]. I am sorry to contact you in unfortunate circumstances, but I have been having severe difficulty convening with the other members for the remainder of the _____ project. While I am aware that group projects have a dual purpose to both educate us on the academic topic as well as to improve our cooperation and communication skills, I have tried [insert whatever means you attempted to contact them by, attaching evidence is up to you]. I have already completed the intro/background research/other individual task, however I cannot complete the ______ by myself/without group input.

I would appreciate any guidance you could offer/I would greatly appreciate your help/If it is possible, could you please [insert action depending on how desperate you are - don’t ask for anything unreasonable!]?

I apologise for having to inconvenience you, and thank you for your understanding on the matter.

Kind regards,

[Name and student number]

Option 4. You do all the work and then leave their names off the work.

Best suited for people who: work independently, don’t mind burning a few bridges. I won’t actually recommend this option, but I’ve seen this happen in real life.

Pros:

Sense of self-satisfaction for some people when the lazy members don’t get a free ride.

Again, you make sure the project quality is exactly what you want.

Cons:

Similar to Option 1 minus the free ride bit.

Not only do the other group members hate you, but their friends in your cohort will too. At least in Option 3, those guys can’t try and gossip behind your backs because whoever they tell will realise that they didn’t do the right thing either.

Do this at your own risk, as it can backfire depending on the professor - if anyone’s watched Cheese in the Trap - the main character does all the work but the professor managed to suss out that the other group members didn’t do anything, and as a result penalised her with a D grade for failing to make it “group” work despite the fact she would’ve gotten an A. Some profs are really… they just don’t see it your way :/

Hopefully things don’t have to escalate to Option 4, but whatever you choose to take, I’ll wish you the best! I’ve given quite detailed instructions and written comprehensively, but feel free to contact me any time if you need any more help :)

MY STUDY TIPS

Please see my #optomstudies tag or my study tips directory (web only) for the full list of study tips + see my kpop vocab lists + stationery + bujo spreads! ^_^

WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN BEFORE UNIVERSITY STUDY TIPS SERIES 0 Choosing a Degree , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10-1 , 10-2 Saving Money 11 Adapting to Uni Study , 12 Study From Textbooks in Uni

[imrisah]

Talent. Don’t bother about whether or not you have it. Just assume that you do, and then forget about it. Talent is a word we use after someone has become accomplished. There is no way to detect it before the fact, or when someone is still grappling with the learning process. It is impossible to predict when or if mastery will click into place. Besides, the thing we label as talent is not a single ability. It is a complex mixture of motive, curiosity, receptivity, intelligence, sensitivity, good teaching, perseverance, timing, sheer luck, and countless other things. If any part of it is genetic, God-given, the result of astrological fiddle-faddle, or destiny, that part is not the sole determining factor. All the other ingredients must be present in the right combination–and no one knows the exact recipe. Therefore Dear Reader, don’t waste time worrying if you are talented–and don’t blame any failures on the lack of it–that is really a cop-out.

“Alla Prima - Everything I Know About Painting” - Richard Schmid (via imrisah)

[studylou]

how to start studying after school

clean up your desk: it’s hard to concentrate when there’s a pile of rubbish on your desk. the chance of you fiddling with things is also higher! you’ll get more done by cleaning your desk! if you’re looking for an easy way to organise your desk, check out these handy organisers!

get your books: get out all the books you need to study that particular subject. if it’s geography, an atlas might be handy.

get a notebook: if you’re in uni or college it’s a good idea to re-write all your notes for your classes that day. make them look clean and tidy. if you’re in secondary school and you’re studying for a test, summarize everything you have learned. in any case, it’s best to have a few notebooks on your desk too. here’s a 4 pack of spiral notebooks for $7.04!

grab some pens: seems self explanatory! i recommend you having an ordinary pen, a highlighter and a pencil on hand. (a.k.a. the basics!) here are some super cute gel pens!

turn off your phone: by turning off your phone, you will get less distracted by social media. sure, people won’t be able to reach you but you’ll get some peace and quiet. obviously leave it on if you’re expecting an important call!

look for a study playlist: if you easily get distracted by your laptop too, skip this step. i personally find it harder to get distracted by my laptop than my phone, so i leave it on and look for some music to study to. here’s a masterpost of some good playlists to listen to!

get a glass of water: you really need your h2o, everyone. grab a large glass or fill up a water bottle. some super cute ones: i ii iii

get a healthy snack: if you’re like me and you love snacking on things while your studying, the best thing to do is to grab something healthy. cut up some apples and sprinkle some cinnamon on them (try it. it’s amazing.), grab some hummus and some celery or carrots or cucumber to dip in it, fill a little bowl with nuts, treat yourself to a square of dark chocolate! if you’re studying during dinner time or lunch time, make yourself a nourishment bowl to nibble on. for more study snack ideas, go to pinterest and snoop around the study snack tag for a while. try out my favourite smoothie bowl too!

take a deep breath: i know from personal experience that sometimes the workload can be really scary and freak you out. the most important thing to do is to take a deep breath and to tell yourself you can get through all your work. you can do anything if you try hard enough!

get cracking: now that you’ve done steps 1-9, you can actually start studying! good luck!

[chichalen-blog]

shoutout to my friends

[chichalen-blog]

I kinda want to be a studyblr but I have a shitty handwriting and I’m too lazy to take notes most of the time :/

[extramadness]

[acdemic]

hey hello hi!!! it’s been ages (6 months?!) since my last masterpost, and i’ve been seeing so many great educational apps on the google play store. so here’s a list of some educational smartphone apps that you should check out! 

disclaimer: i have not used most of these applications (i generally don’t use study or even productivity apps), so i’m recommending them based on reviews!

general education

curiosity [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] curiosity is a super cool app that’s all about learning new quirky facts! every 24 hours new content is released, including mind-blowing science, history and technology facts. it’s like having the best museum and the most fascinating library at your disposal.

coursera [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] with coursera, you can access more than 1,000 courses and specializations developed by 140+ of the best colleges and universities in the world, and master subjects from python programming and data science to photography and music.

edx [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] edx provides free online courses from the world’s best universities and institutions. there are so many topics to discover, including computer science, engineering, history, psychology, nutrition, big data, statistics and hundreds more. with edx, you have the flexibility to learn on your schedule. it is free education, when and where you want it.

khan academy [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] khan academy allows you to learn (almost) anything for free. browse over 10,000 videos and explanations at your fingertips in math, science, economics, history, and much, much more. sharpen your skills with over 40,000 interactive practice questions with instant feedback and step-by-step hints. khan academy is a wealth of resources and it’s all free!  note: i really really recommend khan academy! it is super helpful and there’s also the free sat prep (and the upcoming free lsat prep for people interested in law school)!!

udemy [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] udemy is your place to learn real world skills online. with over 32,000 online courses and tutorials, offered in more than 80 languages, you can choose from a wide range of topics to inspire creativity, hone your skills, be your own boss, and more. courses in everything from programming, it & software, business, marketing and entrepreneurship, health, design, languages, music, and much more.

goodwall [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] goodwall is basically a social network for students - you can share your skills and achievements and win scholarships (and even be recognized by colleges and universities!) when you join, you are eligible for a $500 weekly new student award, in addition to the $1000 student of the month scholarship. people seem to think that it’s a great way to connect to other motivated students throughout the world (obviously the studyblr community is The Best ;) but here’s an awesome alternative!)

schoold [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] schoold is a super cool app that allows you to find information on 3000+ colleges and 25k+ scholarships by major and admission chance. It also offers free college counseling (advice on applications, financial aid, majors, and careers) and future planning tools! 

science

phywiz [ play store, free ] need help with your physics homework? phywiz provides step by step solutions for questions in over 30 physics topics, including kinematics, forces, gravity, and quantum physics. ask phywiz a question like "if mass is 6 and velocity is 7, what is momentum?“ and get your answer immediately. many of the positive reviews call it “one of the best apps i’ve ever used”.

little alchemy [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] [ website ] this is such a cute game where you start with four elements and combine them to create interesting, fun and surprising items. it’s definitely addictive!

chemistry quiz [ play store, free ]  500+ quiz questions covering the elements, the periodic table, bonding and interactions, matter and mixtures, chemical reactions, acids and bases, organic chemistry, nuclear chemistry, history of chemistry, and labs.

skyview [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] a beautiful and intuitive stargazing app that uses your camera to precisely spot and identify celestial objects in sky, day or night. it’s a great app for people who love space but don’t want to purchase fancy equipment to enjoy its beauty. you can see what each star and planet is and where it’s going. be sure to calibrate it first!

coding

encode [ play store, free ] encode is packed with bite-sized coding lessons that combine succinct explanations and clear real-code examples. it is a wonderful way for beginners to start programming.

sololearn has a ton of apps that are all about learning to code: java, c#, python, javascript, c++, etc.!

programming hub [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] your one-stop solution to learn all of the top programming languages! you can learn c, c++, java, html, javascript, r, css, vb.net, c#, python 2.7, python 3, linux shell scripting, swift, sql, jquery, and assembly 8086. there are over 1800+ pre-compiled programs with output for practice and learning. a new feature seems to be the programming-related interview questions that can help you prepare for a job interview!

codenza [ play store, free ] codenza is a dictionary of 3000+ ready-made computer programs: the ultimate coding encyclopedia for university curriculum. codenza covers everything from computer graphs to artificial intelligence! note: codenza does not teach programming. it only provides programs and offers explanations for the more complex programs.

math

cymath [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] [ website ] stuck on a math problem? cymath allows you to enter your problem, and helps you to solve it step-by-step. topics include pre-algebra, algebra (equation solving, factoring, logarithms, exponents, complex numbers, quadratic equations, trigonometry, partial fraction, polynomial division, etc.), and calculus (product rule, quotient rule, chain rule, u-substitution, integration by parts, integration by partial fraction, trigonometric substitution, rationalizing substitution, etc.)

photomath [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] math is full of symbols that we are inconvenient to type, and photomath solves that problem: simply point your camera toward a math problem and photomath will show the result with detailed step-by-step instructions. there is a new feature of handwriting recognition as well!

mathway [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] [ website ] yet another math problem solver! this one allows you to type your problem or scan a picture of your problem. mathway covers basic math, pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, precalculus, calculus, statistics, finite math, linear algebra, chemistry, and graphing. one flaw seems to be that you need to be online for it to work, but otherwise, it’s a fantastic tool!

history

history timeline [ play store, free ] okay, woah. this is a detailed timeline of world history with thousands of entries! it includes world history (events, nations, leaders, and wars) AND history of science, art, literature, music, and philosophy.

today in history [ play store, free ] [ similar apple, free ] for the history enthusiast who wants to learn something new every day: today in history tells you what historical events happened on that day! it works offline and you can choose from over 50 languages.

ancient history encyclopedia [ play store, free ] [ website ] thousands of informative and reliable articles on ancient history. articles are written with students in mind and are carefully reviewed to ensure accuracy, and are easy to read. 

languages

duolingo [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] one of the leading language learning apps, duolingo gives you the ability to learn english, spanish, french, german, italian, portuguese, dutch, irish, danish, swedish, russian, ukrainian, esperanto, polish, and turkish for free. you can practice your speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills and improve your vocabulary and grammar.

productivity

forest [ play store, free ] [ apple, $1.99 ] forest is a cute productivity app that keeps you off of your phone! you set a certain amount of time, and during that time a tree ‘grows’, but if you use your phone before the times up, the tree dies. :( 

habitica [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] have you heard of ‘gamification’? habitica is an app that allows you to gamify your tasks! check off tasks to level up your avatar and unlock features such as armor, pets, skills, and even quests! it’s a great way to have fun while being productive! note: habitica is another one of these apps that i’ve actually attempted to use - it is super cute and it’s definitely a great way to stay on track!

timetune [ play store, free ] timetune is a great app for people who have established a daily routine or would like to. you can set up a routine (or multiple routines) and add your daily tasks. it can be used as a daily task reminder, student calendar, timetable planner, routine schedule organizer, routine optimizer, habit creation tool, daily time manager, or daily planner.

ike [ play store, free ]  ike is a to-do list that uses eisenhower’s priority matrix. you can organize your tasks by importance and urgency, and add all sorts of details such as due dates and location reminders.

habithub [ play store, free ] habithub is based on seinfeld’s productivity secret, which involves building long streaks of days that will motivate you to keep moving forward. (snapchat for habits? i think yes!) it includes a full calendar view for every habit, reminders, compatibility with smartwatches, the option to write notes every day, more flexible goals, the ability to categorize your habits, and graphs that show you how you’re doing. the interface looks beautiful and people seem to love the abundance of settings.

pomotodo [ play store, free ] [ apple, free ] there is an abundance of pomodoro timers in the app store, and pomotodo is one of them! pomotodo easily syncs across platforms, has advanced to-do list options, the ability to customize pomo and break times, offers background noise to keep you focused, and sends you weekly email reports to help you track your productivity. i don’t want to list a ton pomodoro apps in this masterpost, but here are the many options on google play store!

alright, that’s all i’ve got for you today !! i hope that this was helpful, and feel free to send me an ask with any questions, suggestions for future masterposts, or your recommendations for other study apps/websites!! :) have a great day!

icon by madebyoliver

[booksquoteslove]

Everyone is afraid of something. We fear things because we value them. We fear losing people because we love them. We fear dying because we value being alive. Don’t wish you didn’t fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn’t feel anything.

Cassandra Clare, Lord of Shadows (via booksquoteslove)

[chichalen-blog]

— Lang Leav, Love & Misadventure

When you truly love someone, you need to accept everything about him. You have to accept not only the good things about him, but also the bad. Even the little things. He may have blemishes on his face. He may be too fat or too skinny. He may even annoy you in any way he knows how. He may not reply as fast as you do. He may not even be your ideal guy but still, you’ll choose to be with him. Because when you really love someone, the flaws won’t matter anymore.

I’m not an expert on this matter but a lot of people get confused over this. You should accept and learn to love everything about him but never be afraid to correct, for example, a bad habit. If the person that you love smokes, it’s never wrong to tell him and remind him every once in a while to take it easy. It just shows that you care about him. Never be afraid to correct him over things that you think are wrong and he should also do the same. It’s a two-way process. A relationship won’t work with just one person doing all the work.

Just my opinion tho hahahaha

Ps. I used male pronouns cause it's easier

[chichalen-blog]

07.02.17

Today is Sunday. We’re on our term break so I have more time to slack, watch movies, etc. Even though I don’t have any classwork to worry about, I’d still get a few hours of sleep. I stay up late then wake up early. It’s my body clock. I blame my 7:30 am classes! 

I study in Mapua University (formerly Mapua Institute of Technology) in the Philippines. I’m a second-year student of Civil Engineering. In Mapua, we have this kind of after effect. Mapuans got so used to doing school stuff everyday that when the term is finally over, we start to feel useless. We feel like we’re supposed to do something. Anything. Sometimes, we wake up in a rush thinking that we’re already late for school. 

A while ago (12 pm), our grades were up for viewing. I took up five subjects (courses) for the previous term. I passed three of my subjects but the other two indicates N/R or no record. It’s 2:16 pm now and still, no update on my grades. The same thing goes for my friends. This is making me anxious since I didn’t really attain good grades on all of my exams but I’m still hoping that my professors would be kind enough to pass me. DASAL LANG TALAGA!

[chichalen-blog]

Welcome!!!!

Hi, guys! This is my first blog so I don’t know how to start. I don’t even know what to write in this very post. This is like my 4th attempt at writing this post. I know guys. I know. So bear with me as I try to figure this out. Expect random posts, too, because I don’t have any specific ideas for my content. Maybe, my thoughts just about anything? My struggles as I learn how to adult? My life as an engineering student? As a Mapuan? I don’t know guys but I know that I want to have a blog. 

I’ve been planning to start a blog for a long time but now, I’ll finally give it a go. I think what hindered me is that I thought too much about it to the point where I didn’t even wanna do it because of the what ifs. What if, I’m not really meant to do this? What if, I write so bad, no one wants to read my blog? Now, I didn’t think about it too much and look, I’m writing my first entry! All I want to say is that sometimes not thinking about what you want to do too much is not always a bad thing. You can always learn in the process. Grow up in the process, I guess.

So yeah uh, help me grow in the process, guys. Hahaha. I’ll try my best to make this interesting for the both of us.

Random fact: I have poor decision-making skills.