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“We take photos as a return ticket to a moment that is gone.” Photography blog / Aesthetics 📷 +studyblr + bujo🖋 please do not use my pictures without credit or consent, thank u :)

[freshsui]

Fresh new weekly spread for next week (๑>◡<๑)

[b-uwu-ng]

Things Top Students Do

1. They don’t always do all of their homework.

In college, homework assignments generally make up 5-20% of your grade, but can be the biggest time-suck for most students. Yes, working problems is one of the best ways to turn new concepts into working knowledge, but a large majority of those problems that take you hours and hours to work through, you’ll never see on an exam.

2. They never “read through” the textbook.

Per time spent, reading the textbook is one of the least effective methods for learning new material. Top students use the examples and practice problems, but otherwise use Google, lecture notes, and old exams for study materials.

3. They Google EVERYTHING.

It’s like an automatic reaction. New concept = go to Google for a quick explanation. Don’t think just because your professor gives you a textbook and some examples on the blackboard that you’re limited to that information. You have a massive free search engine at your fingertips, so make use of it.

4. They test themselves frequently.

Testing yourself strengthens your brain’s connections to new material, and gives you immediate and clear feedback on whether you know something or not. Bottom line, repeated self-testing significantly improves long-term retention of new material. 

5. They study in short bursts, not long marathons.

Studying in short bursts tends to help you focus intensely because you know there is at least a short break coming.

This also fits in nicely with our Ultradian Rhythm, the natural activity/rest cycle of our bodies, which makes studying continuously for multiple hours on end counterproductive.

6. They reverse-engineer solved problems.

It’s one thing to follow and memorize a set of steps to solve a calculus problem. It’s an entirely different thing to understand what a derivative is, be able to take derivates of complex functions, know when to use the chain rule vs. the product rule, etc. The problem with simply following the steps the professor provided, or the textbook outlines, is that you’re only achieving a surface-level knowledge of the problem. Top students, instead,take solved problems and work backwards, from solution to question, asking “why.”

Why did this get this value? Why did they simplify this expression? Why did they use that type of derivative rule?

By following this process, you begin to understand the interconnections of the concept, and how to directly apply that to a problem. This “working knowledge” of a concept is key to performing well on exams, especially on problems that you haven’t seen before.

7. They don’t own a highlighter.

Highlighting anything = unengaged reading. If you want to note something that stands out, underline and write a corresponding note to go along with it. Or better yet, write yourself a note summarizing the item in your own words.

8. They sleep–a lot.

The daily routines of top performers, in any field, are characterized by periods of intense work (4-6 hours per day) followed by significant quantities of high-quality sleep (9 hours per night). You see this trend in top violin prodigies and chess champions, as well as elite athletes. The idea is to alternate periods of intense work with rest, so that you create tons of new connections in your nervous system, and then allow adequate time to assimilate those gains.

9. They engage themselves by asking questions.

What happens if I tell you, “Thomas Jefferson almost single-handedly drafted the Delcaration of Independence in 1776.”?

You might say “Hmm.. that’s interesting”, try to remember it for later, maybe even write down a note or two.

But what if I ask you, “Who was Thomas Jefferson?” What changes?

You start searching your memory, sifting through images of old guys, founding fathers, thinking about the Declaration of Independence. You come up with your own narrative, and then realize that you have gaps.

When was he around again? And why was he so important?

You’ll probably find yourself going to Google to fill in the gaps. Through that process your learning will be much more deeply seated in your brain than anything your history teacher ever told you about him. That’s the power of asking questions.

10. They make the best out of lecture.

Yes, your professor sucks. Yes, lectures are boring. Yes, it’s either too fast so you can’t keep up and miss all the important stuff, or it’s way too slow and you start zoning out because you already understand everything.

The best students look at this this way: I’m going to be there no matter what, so what’s the best use of my time while I’m in the classroom? Ask questions, bring the textbook and look stuff up, focus on the important practice problems to copy down in your notes, try to anticipate what the professor is going to say, make note of anything they put emphasis on as a potential exam topic. All of these things make the time you have to spend in lecture more productive and engaging. And that’s less time you have to spend studying later on.

11. They over-learn.

School is hard enough, with the amount of studying and homework you have to do. And on top of all of that Facebooking you have to get done? It might seem ridiculous to suggest learning more than you have to.

What!? Are you insane!?

But this is precisely what top students do. And paradoxically, they end up spending less time trying to understand how to do homework problems, andless time studying for exams because of it. Because when you “over-learn” past what’s presented in class, you build a better framework for the subject.

Think of trying to remember some details about Abraham Lincoln’s life. You try to remember the dates of the Civil War, or what he said in the Emancipation Proclamation. You study the same facts over and over and over again… but it’s just boring, and you quickly forget. But what if you knew his whole life’s story? About how Lincoln suffered from bouts of depression, and his relationship with his wife suffered? You start to learn that the dude was human, and you start to relate to the things he did and the struggles he went through. Now you’ve constructed a story in your head. And studies show that humans learn best through stories. So yes, it’s more information, but your brain knows what to do with it now that all those random facts are linked together. More learning, but less rote memorization and struggling to remember random facts.

12. They immediately study their exam mistakes.

Most students get their exam grade back, flip through to see if the professor made any mistakes they can argue about, and then promptly shove it into their notebook, never to be seen again until the mad scramble at the end of the semester to study for the final.

Instead, top students ignore what they got right, and use their mistakes as an indicator of what to improve on.

13. They’re busy with work and side projects.

Yes, to do well in a course, you need to focus and put in the hours. But like many geniuses throughout history have shown, involvement in a diverse set of subjects, activities, and skill sets keeps you active, and provides you with a rich and diverse set of mental models to pull from.

Also, as they say, “If you need to get something done, give it to the busy person.” If you stay active in multiple areas, you don’t have time to procrastinate, and are forced to be efficient with your study time. This generally translates into quicker learning and better performance throughout the semester.

14. They use lecture as a detective mission.

Though completely unaware of this fact, your professor has tells. Yes, like in poker. Tells during lecture will hint at particular types of concepts and problems that will be emphasized on the midterm or final exam. The best students pay attention to topics professors spend a seemingly inordinate amount of time on and make note. Chances are you’ll see something related on the final.

15. They don’t wait for motivation to strike.

Motivation comes and goes, but studying for a degree requires persistence and consistency. Just like Olympic athletes train even on their worst days, the best students figure out how to get their coursework done when it’s the last thing they want to do.

16. They practice under test conditions. The old adage “practice makes perfect” isn’t totally true. Deliberate practice under the right conditions, with the correct mindset, is more like it. Instead of reading through all of the lecture notes and redoing old homework problems, top students make themselves practice exams, and rehearse their exam performance, under time pressure and in similar conditions (no notes, uncomfortable chair, quiet room, etc.) to what they’ll see on test day.

17. They use old exams.

Professors aren’t the most inventive folk. Along with coming up with lecture material and departmental responsibilities, they’re also primarily concerned with research. So typically midterms and final exams more or less look alike for similar courses year-to-year and even across universities. Because of this, old exams are a gold mine of opportunity for figuring out what problems you should be able to solve and study from.

18. They make their own study guides.

The best students don’t simply use the study guide the teacher provides, they create their own.

Creating the study guide is half the battle, requiring you to go through your notes, consolidate them, and organize them in a way that you understand–all valuable study activities. You’ll also be able to use your equations sheet much more effectively on the exam itself (if allowed) because you know exactly where everything is.

19. They actually write on paper.

Writing out notes on a laptop is efficient. Too efficient. Because it’s so easy to quickly type out exactly what the professor is saying, you don’t have to do the work of trying to figure out how to consolidate the information into your own shorthand. Some also believe that the act of writing helps retain more information.

20. They use the 80/20 rule.

Yes, some students who get good grades do every reading assignment, finish every practice problem, and attend every study session they can get their hands on. But these students are missing the point. There will always be an endless amount of information you could learn given the time and effort, but having the ability to discern what is worth learning will truly set you apart.

Top students identify the 20% of concepts they need to learn deeply, in order to determine 80% of their final grade. They focus intently on those few things, and simply ignore the rest. This is a formula for high performance, without hours and hours of busywork. And it translates seamlessly into the real world too.

21. They don’t complain.

Complaining simply has no place in the smart student’s repertoire. If something sucks, change it or ignore it, but don’t waste your time, energy, and mental state talking about it. Got a crappy professor? Either switch class sections or focus on teaching yourself. Horrible textbook? Find alternate resources (Google is free in case you hadn’t heard).

22. They learn by doing.

Any technical subject can only truly be internalized through use. Just like learning a new language, learning to be fluent in algebra or calculus requires active application of rules and formulas. Top students know there is a big difference between knowledge, and applied knowledge.

23. They take personal responsibility for learning the material.

The best students understand that they, and only they are truly responsible for their own education. So waiting to be spoon-fed by your professor and doing the homework assignments will never be enough. Despite your school’s best intentions, they’ll never be as committed to your academic success as you can be.

24. Following what they love

Those students you admire are passionate about what they are learning. They have the drive to develop their learning further based on their love of what they are discovering. This may not always be the case and is often unavoidable but if you follow what interests you and cultivate a curiosity of this area, your motivation to learn will thrive.

Not every student is the same and many top students don’t follow the status quo. The best way to create good habits for students is to try a variety of techniques and figure out what works for you.

25. Question your teachers Thinking outside the box is a cliche but certainly a reality for students.  They question everything–especially test questions they get wrong.  This attitude is important because it shows a general inquisitiveness that is essential in learning.  As any parent of small children knows, questions are a way to gain knowledge.  Teachers can’t be offended when a student asks a difficult question and parents should encourage this behavior.  

26. They know the best way to study.

It is important to know the best way to study for yourself. Do you need pictures? Sounds? Study better in quiet or noisy environments? Figure out what works best for you so that you can make the most out of your study time.

27. They play hard.

We all know that a balanced lifestyle is the best way to stay mentally and physically healthy! Top students don’t spend all day in the library grafting (contrary to what you might think!) Rather, they take the time to put their studies aside and do something which is fun and exciting!

 Source : 1 2 3 4

[studybllog-blog]

RARE STUDY TIPS

1. write down how much you study over time, then write down how you did on the quiz/test. this will help you see the amount of studying is nessecary for you to get a good grade and fully learn the material!!!

2. make your study space smell fresh, preferably of mint. mint helps you focus and stay sharp. other good smells would be lemon, etc.

3. after studying for a long amount of time, go exercise for ~30 min. shower, get dressed, etc then review the info you had just been studying! you should come back fresher, and your brain is able to remember the info even better!

4. don’t always study in comfy/pj clothes. if you study a lot after school or classes, then it’s ok. but if all you plan on doing is studying for that day, for part of the day get dressed up! put on some business casual wear, that’s cute yet functional and do your hair, etc. this will put you in a “get shit done” mode.

5. after studying a unit/chapter, record yourself explaining it, as if to a person whose never heard of it. this helps SO MUCH. one, explaining/teaching helps you learn so much better, and two, you have a little video to review just before the test!!

6. study on the floor. if you have a carpeted area in your home, spread out all study materials, a white board, etc and study! it helps so much because you are comfertable and everything is within reach. do this if you need a break from desk studying.

[academicmedic]

I’m absolutely going to try the video one!

[optomstudies]

bullet journal ideas masterpost

Over 250+ spread ideas!🎊

hoping your dreams are fulfilled, your grades are awesome and your skin is glowing in 2018!

my tips for bullet journalling

Year in Review

highlights / reflection

achievements this year

lessons learnt / growth as a person

things you want to improve on

advice you’ve received / given

best music/movies/tv shows/etc of the past year

friends made during this past year

commonplace journal pages

things you’ve discovered during the past year

useful tips during the past year

odd facts and trivia during the past year

topics to explore during the past year

questions to ask during the past year

New Year, New You

calendar / future log / yearly or monthly logs

things to look forward to this year

upcoming books/music/movies/tv shows being released this year

maslow’s hierarchy of needs self-reflection spread

goals / new year’s resolutions + steps to put it into action

skills you want to learn this year e.g. coding

habits you want to break / habits you want to pick up

diary: day-to-day happenings

budgets: monthly/yearly budgets

inspiration spread for new projects

level 10 life: rate areas (academic, personal, mental, physical, spiritual, social, financial) of your life out of 10, and write down goals to improve that rating!

monthly overviews (e.g. progress on goals)

assignment due dates calendar

18 things to do by the end of 2018

Special Pages for Special Friends

business cards from networking events

gift ideas for your friends/family/significant other

birthday / anniversary calendar

emergency contacts / phone numbers of important people

friendship journal:

memories / moments they were there for you

how you met

moments you want to share in the future

their mbti/hogwarts house

their best qualities

Trackers/Logs/______ of the Day

gratitude journal - # things you’re grateful for every day

habit trackers

motivational quotes

news headlines / this day in history

daily affirmations

currently reading / watching / listening to / feeling / eating / wanting etc.

time usage (read: wastage) tracker

k-drama or tv show episode tracker (always forget what ep I’m up to :S)

expenses tracker / tax deductibles

dream diary (tracker, plot(?), lucid or not, dream meanings)

new album or song releases

photo diary / sketch diary

weather

follower milestones

social media post tracker

household duties/chores tracker

grades tracker

year in pixels

TIL (today I learned)

civics

appointments: dentist, optometrist, doctor, therapist, etc.

bills: car / internet / rent etc

tax: income statements and work expenses receipts

membership/licence renewals

health

weight tracker

resting heart rate tracker (gives general idea of cardio fitness)

water intake tracker sleep log / time to bed / time awake / total hours slept

exercise log: number of reps / steps / minutes

mood trackers

period tracker

Various Creative Spread Ideas

day-to-day / life planning spreads

skincare routines

perfect/ideal morning routine 

self-care reminders

exercise routines

wishlist

bucket list

firsts: kiss, date, house, vacation, car, concert, etc.

DIYs to attempt

savings jar (doodle it!)

yearly / monthly recurring tasks

usernames/passwords (hints only for security!) 

5 or 10 year plans

dream job

dream house

planning for moving houses

dream wedding / planning

date ideas

make a worse case scenarios primer

summary tutorials for your reference e.g. step-by-step tax returns

academic

studyblr ideas

topics I need to revise

finals study timetable/plan

aspirations: what you want to be and why / how to get there

class timetable

assignment ideas

project schedules / team meeting dates

professors’ emails/office hours

assessment results

anti-procrastination page

motivations to study

skills you want to learn or are useful e.g. coding

formulas page

courses you want to take and their pre-reqs

college comparisons

back to school shopping list

textbook list with prices

language learning

vocabulary lists

grammar structures

media (books/tv shows/movies) to consume in that language

self-reflection / personality traits

best and worst characteristics

what to be mindful of / what you need to work on

mbti types you’re most compatible with 

fears and how you want to overcome them

letters to your future self (include hopes and dreams)

letters to your past self (include achievements and things to be proud of!)

inspirational people

stress management tips

charities to donate to and why you support them

volunteering activities

fun, cute, and aesthetic spread ideas

things worth staying alive for / getting out of bed for

a spread with all the things you were worried about which turned out fine

message page from your friends to you

“i can’t live without ______”

creative crafts spread: tips / equipment / tutorials

aesthetic colour moodboards

happy / comforting / relaxing / funny things spread 

seasons (summer/autumn/winter/spring) spread

rainy day spread

holidays spreads: christmas / easter / halloween / thanksgiving

idioms and proverbs from all different cultures

flowers spread: fav flowers, meanings, bouquet/arrangements, press ‘em!

crystals spread: fav gemstones (doodle ‘em), meanings

succulents spread: fav succulents, terrarium layout ideas

coffee/tea spread: paint with coffee / fav blends / best cafes

what’s in my bag (doodle it!)

outfit ideas / polyvore style collections

magazine clippings

shower thoughts / hypothetical ideas spread

draw my life spread / personal timeline

favourite characters e.g. gudetama, kumamon, etc. (doodle ‘em!)

interesting words list (ephemeral, mellifluous, serendipity, scintillating etc)

ideal date ideas

wedding anniversary ideas (like 1st is paper, 25th silver, 30th pearl, 40th ruby, 50th gold, 60th diamond)

baby animals spread (duckies, puppies, bunnies!!)

#just bullet journal things

bujo spread layouts and devices to try out (e.g. chronodex, parallel time ladder) 

key/legend (keep it simple!)

colour palettes/swatches

washi tape / pens / markers swatches

banners / fonts

doodles

ticket stubs / receipts

stickers / stamps

cutouts of info brochures

pressed flowers

calligraphy / brush lettering / handwriting practice

favourite stationery

activities

_______ that you want to do* / have done* (kind of bucket list) *watch, read, listen to, try, taste, cook, play etc. 

books

movies

tv shows

music

hobbies

arts/crafts e.g. paper quilling

sports e.g. archery

how to play / equipment / etc.

video games

foods

activities

board games

books / movies / tv shows

summary / review

favourite characters

meaningful moments / moments that made you laugh / cry

(for the media critic) artful moments:

best descriptive passages

best cinematography

best action scenes

best use of soundtracks

(basically moments that make it deserving of awards)

music

album reviews

favourite songs

playlists for every mood and all seasons

meaningful lyrics

songs you shazamed

favourite genres and exemplar songs

kpop

reasons why i love my bias / bias wrecker / group

letter to your bias

comeback concepts / favourite outfits

visual/picture tutorials for makeup styles

calendar of your favs’ schedules during comeback season

in-jokes/memes

awards / achievements / records broken / milestones

translated lyrics

kpop songs vocab lists

upcoming releases

on this day

art

pics of your favourite artworks/artists + write about it

art styles you want to emulate

explain techniques for different media e.g. watercolour wet-on-wet

doodle ideas

astrology

natal chart readings/aspects/placements

solar return reading for the incoming year / transits

synastry / compatibility chart readings

constellation/star charts

symbol reference page for planets, zodiac signs, aspects

food

recipes

meal plans

shopping lists

interesting foods: (doodle ‘em!) taste / texture / smell (e.g. truffles, caviar)

cafes/restaurants you want to go to + their specialty dish (photo)

cocktails you want to mix/taste (doodle ‘em!)

media

interesting articles + moral/ethical issues it prompted you to think about

controversial topics on the news and for/against arguments/your thoughts

on this day in history

fav websites / blogs

jokes / puns / pickup lines

favourite poems / quotes / short stories

kinaesthetic

burn book - write things that make you angry/sad and rip the page out

wreck it journal - e.g. colour, scribble, stickers all over this page

travel

places to visit

travel itinerary

cultural parables

useful phrases in the language and their meaning

travel memories spread: things you did / places you went / selfies

postcard collection

packing list

friendly and not-so-friendly people that you met in foreign lands

writing

short story ideas

plot brainstorming spreads

journal prompts

drabbles

character designs

foreign words which can’t be directly translated into english

Follow optomstudies for daily original posts and study masterposts!  Links: all originals + langblr posts + 15-part college 101 series + web directory!

[chipfrap]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WORLDWIDE HANDSOME✨dedicated this spread to our alpaca💜stay happy healthy n handsome!!

[studylightly]

111117 | i was studying for my bio exam at a cafe in a library after school. i ended up getting a 74 on the test, which kind of sucks, but i am sure that i can do better next time! :-) dont let a bad grade demotivate you! ♡

[coffeeandpies-deactivated202012]

180819 // productive morning

[milkywaychronicles-deactivated2]

• september 7, 2019 •

the first week of classes is over, and wow i already have lots of things to do! but i’m super relieved because i really like my professors and TA’s and the material i’m learning is super interesting! i have to admit, balancing studying with chores and other life things like eating, cleaning, and doing the laundry can be a struggle, and my head is reeling because it seems like i have 20 deadlines to remember each week. but i’m going to stay positive and try to make the most out of my freshman year!

[mlykstudy-blog]

microeconomic notes today ft new modern renaissance palette and a peak into my pencil case !!!

[laenotes]

one of my favorite set of notes so far! I have a midterm today and am a bit nervous, but I’ll be glad when it’s over ☺️ Have a wonderful day!  

[jeonchemstudy-closed]

shadow’s awful bc i’m in the part of the library with the worst lighting but i tried real hard on these biochem notes

[jeonchemstudy-closed]

Hey friends, I’m back at it with chemistry tips, this time for the notoriously hard class of organic chemistry. The first thing you should know about the class is that like all other chemistry classes, it is a lot of work to keep up with, and you will need to maintain dedication and work ethic in order to stay with it.

This class is VERY different from general chemistry. Whereas gen chem was more math based, ochem is memorization based, so whatever helps you memorize things fast, I suggest you do it. Rewriting notes and making flashcards worked best for me.

Keep your details straight. There are lots of exceptions in organic chemistry, so you should know all of them, because that’s exactly what your professors are going to test. When thinking about questions involving trends, know the trend, and it’d also be helpful to know an example of such as well.

Get all your reactions and mechanisms in one place. I wrote a reaction master list for every midterm, and then I wrote a reaction master list for the final. If you have them all in one packet, then it’s much easier to do synthesis problems, because then you can just refer back to it.

Learn your mechanisms. This may involve flashcards, writing them out with words, trying them with different molecules, but understanding the mechanism is the foundation of you being able to think critically about higher level questions. Know where your arrows go, where electrons go (nucleophile/electrophile), whether an acid base reaction occurs. A lot of mechanisms in second semester ochem are very difficult, but they become manageable once you group them mentally about what type they are and how many steps they involve. This is the common sense part of organic chemistry.

Be really solid on general chemistry material like hybridization and Lewis dot diagrams, as well as equilibrium, thermochemistry, and kinetics. These topics will come back and bite you if you don’t already have a good grasp on them.

Know your pKa values. This becomes very helpful when predicting whether a reaction will occur or not. You will build on it as you go. Maybe keep a table of it.

When approaching spectroscopic questions, have a structure to the way you solve these questions. Make sure to take all the information into account. I like to look at mass spec first to determine whether I have a halogen in my compound, then the molar mass to determine if I’ve got nitrogen, and then NMR data. Take your time on these questions, maybe do them first!

There’s lots of names, informal and formal! Try to keep your nomenclature straight because those are the easiest questions to get points on when you’re taking a test, but note that some exceptions to rules can trip you up real fast.

Treat synthesis like a puzzle. If you’re stuck, what my professor suggested we do is go backwards from the final product and do a retrosynthetic pathway so you can see what the precursor of the final product is, and then build backwards until you have a complete synthesis. I always thought synthesis was the fun part of organic chemistry!

Practice, practice, practice. Even if your homework isn’t for a grade, still do it, because then you’ll learn the material even better. Sometimes there will be hidden exceptions in the homework that you need to look out for, or specific types of mechanisms that will be emulated on the test. Do the work! You want to have all your bases covered for the exam.

Remember that ochem is really hard, and it’s not only you who’s feeling dejected if we don’t do so well on a test- all of us are! It’s ok to feel like you’re swimming in new material, I know I did. Just do your best!

[jeonchemstudy-closed]

So by now I figure I am pretty good at chemistry. I’ve had three years of high school chemistry, including two years of IB chemistry and taking the AP test, and I am now a chemistry major who somehow survived gen chem and ochem. I’m going to be TA’ing for the gen chem lab this year, so I figured I’d write up a few tips for you guys when you’re studying for the class.

Chemistry is part memorization, part application. Some things you’re just going to have to memorize, like your polyatomic ions (learn those fact), equations, and a few definitions (thermochemistry). But most of the time, treat it like a math class. Your professors will want to stretch your critical thinking skills with difficult questions.

When you sit down to review your notes (trust me, reread your notes), make sure you’re learning actively. Whether it’s annotating your class notes or rewriting them to get them in your brain, making flashcards for vocabulary terms, or doing the homework, you need to be thinking about what you’re doing in order to absorb this difficult material. Consider examples, work practice problems. A strong part of me learns by rewriting and muscle memory, but don’t do it if it doesn’t work for you.

Reading the textbook doesn’t always help. If your professor tells you to read the textbook, READ THE TEXTBOOK otherwise there may be things they don’t cover in class that you’ll miss by not reading it. But if it’s not required, it’s up to you to decide whether reading is worth it. Gen chem is so math based sometimes that only practice problems will work.

Get your hands on every practice problem possible, and ask for help when you don’t know how to do them. When you’re doing stoichiometry, equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, and kinetics, it is a MUST that you do all the practice problems, not only once, but multiple times. Do the problems in your book. Do problems online. Especially, do the PRACTICE TEST to give you an idea of what the test will be like. Doing the homework will enable you to be more successful on the tests.

Write down or circle your pertinent information in all the questions. Cross out information that is not useful so it doesn’t confuse you. Write all your steps on the test so that your professor can follow your work and give you partial credit when your final answer is incorrect. This includes a) chemical reaction b) math equations you use, unsubstituted c) the substituted equation d) all dimensional analysis you may use. KEEP TRACK OF UNITS. Many professors often will not give you credit at ALL if you don’t leave units.

There are a lot of rules, particularly in the units of covalent bonding and atomic theory. Don’t question them unless you want to get lectured about quantum mechanics and physics things. Do not recommend. Also, most rules for naming are also dumb conventions that you have to live with and learn like another language.

Remember, above all, that chemistry is hard. It’s very difficult, and do not feel dumb if you struggle with it: everyone does! I know fifth year graduate students who still struggle with simple things like Lewis dot structures! But that shouldn’t deter you from trying your best at it, just like anything else difficult, because chemistry is fundamental to our understanding of the world and is one of the most rewarding subjects when you figure it out. It requires hard work and dedication, but you can do it!

[jeonchemstudy-closed]

So recently two of my besties have gotten stressed out about midterms and since they’re both serial procrastinators, their stress levels have reached heights that as their friend, got me really worried for their mental health. Thus, I wanted to help them out with some advice, and it also might help you, my lovely followers (1000! Wow!) I know I’m not perfect, because no one is, and I don’t follow a very strict, regulated study regimen. I also am writing this from the perspective of someone who’s taken a lot of college level science classes, so I’m sorry if this doesn’t help for high schoolers or any other subjects. But hopefully this might help you!

1. Studying for a test begins by reviewing your notes after class.

The first mistake many students make is taking notes in class, but never actually looking over them until the day before the test. My chemistry professor used to harp on us all the time for never reading our notes and then asking questions about things in the notes, so for me it first evolved as a defense mechanism, and then a studying habit. Always reread your notes, or even rewrite them like I do well before the test. You can make them pretty if you’d like, but that isn’t a requirement. Rewriting and rereading well ahead of time forces you to review the material well before the test, making your brain automatically absorb the material so that it’s familiar to you in the homework, later class periods, and then eventually on the test. Feeling comfortable with the subject is incredibly important, because if you feel overwhelmed right before the test and start cramming, the information will not stay in your head and you won’t do as well as you’d like.

2. Studying for a test begins by consistently doing the homework ahead of time, and doing it multiple times.

In high school homework is usually useless busy work, but in college, it is essential. My chemistry professor had us rework her homework three times: once for understanding, twice for accuracy, and thrice for speed. This is true of most other math and science subjects, because then you are able to build muscle memory and an eye for key terms you would miss if you didn’t do the homework. After doing the homework, you’ve seen everything; professors normally aren’t out to get you, so the test problems tend to be similar, but not exactly like the homework questions. Doing the homework again confirms you are comfortable with the material ahead of time and able to do it an appropriate speed. Try not to repeat doing the homework more than once a day; I like to space it out so that you do it once well before the test, right when the material’s fresh, twice about a week before to review, and thrice about one or two days before the test for speed.

3. Studying for a test should be a gradual process that eventually intensifies as you go.

While doing the homework and going over your notes is a good start, you really have to kick it into gear about a week before a big midterm. The soonest I’d recommend without significant amounts of stress is five days, because anything less will not give you a chance to be comfortable with the material unless you’re convinced it’s an easy subject. If you have multiple tests in one week, I don’t recommend focusing your attention on one and then winging the other one. As someone who has tried that multiple times, that doesn’t work too well. Studying for both, switching between one and the other when you tire of a subject, allows you to turn on a new light in your head. It (this isn’t scientific, but) activates different parts of your memory, and if you’re learning two intertwined topics (psychology and biology, for example) it will help you make lots of connections that will help your overall understanding of the material. The more times you cover material, the less likely you’ll forget it.

I don’t give myself time limits (i.e., study for this for this many hours) because I study until I know the material. This is why I start ahead of time. You want to be able to pull your knowledge out of nowhere and be prepared for everything the professor might throw at you.

The day before the test should be devoted mostly to studying, interrupted by short breaks, and the night before should be devoted to self-care. It isn’t healthy to study the night before and get no sleep, because the material just won’t stay in your brain, and knowledge is actually more solidified when you get more REM sleep. Sleep a decent nine hours. Eat a good dinner and a good breakfast the following day. Pet your cat. Take a hot shower or bath, whatever your preference is. Do what makes you feel relaxed, and rest. You don’t want to be nervous before the test.

4. Studying for a test should be in a controlled environment.

When you’re just getting trivial work done, you can and should study with friends. Friends and study groups may help you review notes and check homework, solidifying material early on. However, friends are a distraction when you have to kick your studying into high gear. When I go to the library, I go by myself, so I won’t be tempted to talk to my friends if they’re sitting near me. Don’t cut your friends out of your life before tests—that’s really unhealthy—but allot a certain time to hang out and get outside (I usually meet up over lunch or dinner). It doesn’t matter where you study, but you need to be able to get work done there. I prefer the library because it’s a relatively controlled environment, but if you work better in a café or your dorm—I have a friend who likes the ambience of fast food restaurants to get his work done—then go for it.

Personally, I don’t eat while I study, because I’ll always end up eating first. I like having healthy finger food, like fruit or vegetables to snack on, if I’m feeling hungry. I usually end up drinking water or tea as well. Coffee isn’t for me, frankly—I like the taste, but it makes my heart jump too much, and you want something that will keep you calm.

Make sure to study in an area with good light, and fresh air is always nice if you can study outside. Studying in a dark area can make you feel unmotivated and gloomy, particularly when it rains. DO NOT STUDY IN BED. YOU WILL FALL ASLEEP.

5. Other random tips

It helps to make lists ahead of time of what you need to study and focus on. Scheduling may help if you’re the sort of person who sticks to them, but making a checklist for ideas you struggle on ahead of time will help with both time management and just feeling less overwhelmed. It’s always good to have a visual confirmation that you’ve finished something. Hunting around on studyblrs will get you lots of printables that may help you; I personally use @emmastudies to do lists and revision packs because I like the format.

Keep all your notes, homework, and old tests if you have access to them, because mistakes you made on a previous test may come back to haunt you on an upcoming one. It’s particularly important to keep everything for the final.

If you’re taking a math or science course, practice on the same calculator you’ll use on the test when you do the homework. It’ll make test day go a lot smoother, especially when you’re not hunting for buttons.

I hope this helps you guys and good luck on your future exams! ❤️

[jeonchemstudy-closed]

Hi everyone! I would like to thank y’all for 2k followers now! It’s only been a few months but I’m already getting so much support for this studyblr. You guys are the best! As a gift for 2k, I’m writing this up after my own college finals experience. Hope this helps y’all out later, if not now!

Before finals

The most important to do before finals is get organized. The less organized I am, the more likely I am to panic because then I’ll forget that I don’t know some things or not review other things. I am a list-making maniac so my first instinct is to immediately write out a list of things to review, but in a structured form.

Flip through all your notes and old tests, finding concepts you struggled with and material that requires a lot of review.

Write down, in order of highest priority (this may be how much you remember the material, or how difficult the concept is), the broadest concepts you need to review. This may be a unit, a midterm, etc.

Write down the smaller topics under that concept you need to remember.

Under those smaller concepts, note the things you need to do to understand those topics more thoroughly, like doing worksheets or homework problems, or just going through your notes again. A snapshot of my review for my physics test is below if you’re confused.

After that, I write up reviews—you’ve probably seen them on my studyblr with my Stabilo highlighters– for important concepts and things I need to memorize. Rewriting things always helps me learn because it forces me to go over things again. If that doesn’t work you, you could try flashcards or something else that works for you, but make sure you’re actively learning rather than just passively looking at the material.

Do everything you said you’d do on the list, unless you are completely confident in your abilities to do something and need to focus time and energy on something else. Lots of points can be lost over silly mistakes or forgetting to read something, and nothing is more frustrating than coming out of a test knowing you missed something that you could have easily reviewed.

Start about a week or two ahead of time, especially if you’re not confident. Big tests require lots of preparation, and if it’s something memorization heavy like biology, you definitely need to start way before the test date. Try not to study for one test at a time, because if your schedule isn’t very spaced out (I have a friend who took one test every day for about four days straight), you need to time manage appropriately and start early. See my post “How to study for a test” under this if you’d like some tips with that.

So recently two of my besties have gotten stressed out about midterms and since they’re both serial procrastinators, their stress levels h

During finals week

The busiest time of the year on a college campus is finals week. Everyone rushes to the library to get some study time in, and it tends to be packed with people and smell very gross during this time. If you study best in a library, go there, but I tend to stay away from it during finals because it’s so crowded. It’s inevitable that you’ll be stressed out about finals, so here are some tips in case you find yourself caught up in stress:

Drink water or tea, not coffee. Coffee keeps you awake, but it does not calm your heart rate down. Drink decaf if you really crave the taste. Coffee will only make you more nervous, and if you’re particularly sensitive to caffeine like me, then it will make you bounce off the walls.

If you’re stressed and emotional, you will not be able to intake information as readily and quickly as if you are relaxed. Get at least six hours of sleep. (I know, that’s a stretch, but sleep deprivation doesn’t help when you have to cram.)

Try to eat semi-healthy. You won’t have time to exercise most likely (and if you do, you are a god in disguise), so try to stick to healthy foods. Then again, we all know we’ll end up eating a lot of chocolate and feeling really bad about ourselves.

Don’t study all the time. Take discrete breaks, but don’t get so distracted that you can’t get back to studying.

Pack everything you need the night before. I’m talking outfits, lunch, notes, anything and everything you will need so you don’t stress about getting up and ready in the morning. Finals only get worse when you realize you don’t have anything to wear.

Get. Enough. Sleep. I cannot stress this enough.

After a final

There’s nothing quite like the relief you feel after taking a big test. Even if you feel badly about how you did, the important thing is to get your mind off it and rest. My friend has this saying that your body can handle only one traumatic event a day. He’s completely right. Self-care differs for everyone, but here are some suggestions:

Take a shower. Scrub all that school dirt and grime off yourself and feel human again. Take a bath if you like them.

Eat some decent food. If you’re in college you’ll be craving some non-cafeteria goodness after your finals.

Distract yourself. Watch your TV show or a movie, read a little bit, online shop, watch Youtube (I know I do), and try to forget the test ever happened so you can move on.

Go to sleep. If your test was at 8 am, you’re going to want to sleep, and give in to that urge. Your body needs to recover from all that stress and adrenaline. Sleep, honestly, solves most of your problems.

I hope this helps y’all out during this hectic time!

[ingenuevibes]

25/04/2019 My summarised notes for art! It’s my last exam and I’ve got quite a bit of time before it so hopefully I should be alright :)

[celestiallessons]

One week left of exams! Not going to lie, I’ve had enough of revision, but I’m gonna keep going! ~ Xx

[procrastilate]

cool as a queuecumber, have a great day, you deserve it, stay safe x