Emma’s Langblr

A French/ Italian language student at Cardiff Uni. Somewhere I can pretend to be working whilst procrastinating ☕️

[emmacoppen]

My Own Little Plastic Crisis

My Own Little Plastic Crisis

Last weekend I went to Lake Garda on a day trip with some friends, and while the whole day was wonderful and I really enjoyed myself, I’ve been left with a lingering guilt about two occasions when I irresponsibly played my own part in consuming single-use plastic when there was no need for it.

On the banks of Lake Garda (spot the doggy on the surfboard)

The first instance happened when I…

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[emmacoppen]

The Italy Bucket List While I'm spending a few months living in Italy, I've decided that the best way to make the most of my time is to list all the things that I want to do while I'm here.

[emmacoppen]

First Week in Italy - Told Through Food

First Week in Italy – Told Through Food

I get that this could seem like a pretty ineffectual way of documenting those first few days in a new country. So much is happening and it’s all quite exciting, but nothing seems to make any sense and you’re constantly confused and unsure. But do you know what does make sense, at least to me? Food. It was the thing I was most excited about when coming here, and I decided that when I arrived I was…

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[dee-thequeenbee]

30+1  Tips about Erasmus

(and things I wish I knew before going) 

Hello there! So, I thought it would be nice for some of you European kids to have a guide to Erasmus and studying abroad in general, especially if you are considering doing it/won the grant/are leaving next semester. (and all the lists I see here on tumblr are about packing for college in the US, sooo.)

I did an Erasmus twice, stayed abroad seven months, and I fully intend to get a third one during my master degree (fingers crossed), so I think I’ve gained enough knowledge and life hacks to be able to help you newbies. 

And here it is. You got that Erasmus grant and now? You didn’t think you were going to get it but you did! Congrats! Now buckle up kid, and take notes, because I’m taking you on a trip. Won’t be easy but it WILL be unforgettable.  

First thing. Your mindset. Some schools basically force students to go and maybe you didn’t even want to, but. You’re here now and you got an amazing chance, so embrace it. Start dreaming about it, but be careful, because reality is going to be different. Buy a guide about your new country. Start learning something about the culture, without going into stereotypes. For sure the last weeks before leaving are going to be mental. START GETTING READY. It’s never too early.

Bureaucracy. That shit is messy, especially the first time. Make a masterlist of stuff that needs to be done so you don’t miss deadlines. Go to meetings about Erasmus at your uni. Talk to others who are leaving. Ask to your uni tutor if you’re not sure about stuff. I can’t really give singular advice here because every uni is different and every uni website sucks, but my advice is: find someone from the previous years who’s gone to the same place, pay them a coffee and pick their brain. (Uni tutors can, in theory, give you their names.) Make a list of questions. I once sat for three hours in a café while a girl was basically interviewing me about my experience. But don’t worry! Unis are used to you being confused. Deep breath and get through it. Try being as precise and accurate as possible always. Also, if you don’t have one, you may want to consider getting a passport. I needed it for a short trip to Russia and without it I couldn’t have gone. In some countries you need it to open a bank account.

Next on, planning. So you got the papers ready, now start familiarizing with your host uni’s website. Start looking for flights and remember the basic sites (skyscanner, studentuniverse and so on). Book the first flight but – unless you know for sure when you’re coming back – don’t book the second one. Uni dates are unpredictable. Someone even uses a few days to explore around, before going home. Now it is the time to see if you need to worry about changing some currency (Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, UK are the ones I can think of) and buying adaptors to charge phones and laptops. (Don’t buy money and adaptors at the airport if you don’t wanna waste a bunch of money). Check if you’re gonna have free wifi, and think about your data plan, you’ll need it.  Act accordingly. Maybe buy a sim card once you’re there. Remember now we have new roaming rules in Europe so check that too. Think about where you’re going to stay. Host families are tough, and… I don’t know, they’re not for everyone. There’s gonna be accommodation linked to the uni, or private apartments. Check if the neighborhood is safe. 

Adult stuff. Insurance. Super useful especially if you’re staying more than three months. See if you need to register at the police or the town hall once you’re there. Check with your doctor if there’s something you need to do before leaving, special prescriptions or vaccines etc. Check if your credit card will work without extra fees. Get a bigger budget plan so you’re covered anyway.

Aaand we’re packing. Travel documents, passports, IDs and Erasmus bureaucracy should be in your carry-on bag or backpack AND they should not be expired/about to expire, and remember to see the bags sizes for your flight company. Check how the weather’s gonna be in your new country. If you’re going to cold places, it’s better to buy there the winter clothes as you’re sure they’re gonna be the same stuff natives wear and not some decathlon cheap stuff. In general, I’d say: bring a swimsuit, flipflops, towels and sheets. Umbrella and shoes for rain, a winter or rain jacket maybe? Don’t bring heels – you won’t need them. Even if you go to the disco, you’ll want to be comfortable. But maybe a pair of cute shoes. An elegant dress (I needed it to go to the ballet in Russia). Don’t worry if it looks like you have a lot of stuff, we’ll go through this later. Always, a sweater AND summer clothes – better safe than sorry, and you could be doing sports so why not? Sunscreen cream. Sunglasses. Hair dryer. Tissues and an alarm clock. Search for a map of your new town and print it, worry about the fancy version later. Don’t forget some basic food for the first night and morning – it’s not guaranteed you’ll have time to go shopping but you need to eat. Bring something for your new room: a poster, pics of your family and friends, postcards? A couple of books? Having a kindle can save your ass, by the way. Maybe a packet of cookies from home. (It’s nice to have something like that if you’re sad). Medicines are so important! Tampons if you need them, you’ll buy them there anyway at some point. Your contraceptive pills if you take them, band aids, alcohol to disinfect, condoms, aspirins, a thermometer, collyrium, those pills not to have diarrhea, and for basic stomach ache. Bring your laptop, its charger, a notebook and some pens, but don’t expect to have the same level of aesthetic  you have at home. Bring an agenda, a small dictionary, scissors and tape. A bag and a small clutch. Some make up stuff, don’t forget the wipes to remove it. Only your basic skin care stuff. That bottle of super luxurious cream? Won’t need it. Having your toiletries tho, it can be useful as you don’t know what they’re selling in your new country. Also, start making lists of stuff you’ll need – this is mine, but you may need different stuff. Start noticing what you use when you’re home. Also! Those bag you can remove air from are super useful when you pack. 

First impact. And you’re there. Scared as hell and excited and with two enormous suitcases, or more? IT’S OKAY TO CRY DURING YOUR FIRST DAYS. Just, cry a little during breakfast, and skype your fam, but then wipe your tears and chin up. No one goes through Erasmus without crying, I promise. Bring a freaking stuffed animal to hug. But go out, and ENJOY. Schedule skype calls and mind the time difference if there is. It may come a time where you are annoyed at the thought of calling who you left behind, because you’re having fun! but you should anyway. It’s really important that you stay in touch. Don’t be that person who disappears.

Transportation. Make sure you roughly know where the uni is, where’s your house and where’s the hospital and the nearest doctor. At uni they’ll probably help you about this during your first days. Depending on the town, you can go around by feet, or buy a bus card (check for student discounts) or a second-hand bike. You’re going to get lost at some point and google maps is a life saver, but also try asking for directions.

Roommates. Remember, you’re not there forever. You may be lucky, you may be not, but try and be friendly with them, they may turn out to be your best friends. Or not. Anyway try to establish cleaning rules, first thing you do. It really helps get the mood going.

Make it your home! Your room is your new home, most of the times. I recommend, as I said, pics from your family and friends, drawings, postcards, small posters, maybe buy a string of xmas lights? Take care of a mini cactus? I wrote a list called 100 things worth living for and it was SO HELPFUL during rainy days. I also brought my home country’s flag to hang to the walls. And I brought one of my fave mugs.

Go to orientation days. They’re SO important, and you need to know every little useful info you can get. (Where are the main things, the canteen, the best place for photocopies and so on.) Get friendly with the uni tutors. They’re your age and can’t wait to get to know you.

This is maybe the most important point. I don’t care if you’re a lone wolf at home. MAKE FRIENDS. I promise everyone is as scared as you, and as homesick as you, especially the new Erasmus students. You need to make sure you can count of them. There’s such a network of solidarity, you have no idea. Talk to everyone, you’ll find your own group in time. In general, stick to kids with your same passions – if you like to watch series all day don’t go with the group who likes hiking. Or do! Challenge yourself! If you can, make friends with locals too. Some of them will be haughty because they don’t want to make friends with abroad students who are going to leave soon, but others will be amazing. But at the same time don’t worry if these friends are just there during the Erasmus period. Not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever.

FB groups, whatsapp chats, new numbers. They can save your ass. Get involved.

Get up and go to class, seriously. Some teachers are kinda lax with Erasmus students but most aren’t and you’re gonna be treated like a native. So do your best to get up in the morning, see how the timetable is, see if you need to change the learning agreement. Be in contact with your home uni profs and tutors, and the person who’s sending you the grant.

Languages! Now, I’d say: if you get the chance to be offered free classes of the language of the country you’re studying in, take it, especially if you’re a beginner. Of course if you go to France, there’s a high chance you’re already proficient in French, but let’s say you go to Finland or the Netherlands, and you take your classes in English, also take a course of Finnish or Dutch. It’s gonna be useful.

Shopping. Find out where the grocery store is, bring your own bags. It really depends if you cook for yourself or use the canteen, but. Always have something at home, in case you can’t go out for a few days. Have some medicine too. Buy a couple of glasses and plates for your room anyway, and try to  share the house cleaning stuff with your flatmates. And about clothes… I mean shopping of clothes… don’t overdo it. Remember there’s a maximum weight for your suitcases.

Laundry! Really, buy a detergent for normal clothes and delicate clothes, and that’s it. Ask your more expert friends if you don’t know how to work the machine, or watch a tutorial, I promise it’s easy. However, you’re totally allowed to call your mom and ask her about a particular item. If in doubt wash by hand. Try not to use your super favorite items if you’re unsure about how to wash them. Better than ruining them.

Explore the city! I know that staying inside is tempting but try to live it at its fullest – especially on Sunday, it can be a nice occasion to bond with your friends. Go to parties! Absolutely sign up to the ESN (Erasmus students network) if you can, they’ll organize a lot of cool stuff around the city. But allow yourself to rest sometimes.

Relax. TV series can be useful too tho. There’s gonna be someone who loves the same series as you so why not schedule a night for you guys to watch them together? And if you did at home, do sports. Maybe change the sport but continue it. It’s super good to unload and it’ll be like a small ritual from home, a familiar thing in the middle of a brand new situation.

Safety. Try, let’s say, to be safe and walk home with your friends at night. Maybe go around with less money? Carry a couple of condoms with you? You never know. Catcalling is going to happen. Know the police number. Know some phone numbers by heart, for emergencies.

Get into the aesthetic and DO STUFF ALONE. You’re going to be alone on your own for a lot of time, deal with it; you won’t be with people you know all the time. Get away from the phone and do stuff. This is the masterclass experience to learn how to be alone with yourself. Go to that café while it rains and read a book. Music is your friend, make playlists. Eating by yourself will stop feeling weird. Go to the movies, to museums, to the theatre, do fancy stuff with a fancy dress or a fancy hat. No one knows you, no one will judge you. And you’ll also practice your target language!

For god’s sake TAKE PICTURES. I had a horrible breakout on my face during the first Erasmus but I still took pics of myself and my friends doing stuff. Because you don’t want to regret not doing that. Pictures, videos and all that stuff, the more the merrier, you’ll sort it out at home. But appreciate the moments, you don’t need to take pics of everything. Also, I bought a hard-disk to save pictures and documents because I was terrified about losing them. Make a shared Drive doc with your friends to get their pics too.

Trips! If you have the chance, explore the country, if needed skip uni days. I promise even the most boring-looking country is going to have something interesting to see. I mean! Give up a night or two at the club, you don’t need to go there always. Save some money and just go. Buses and hostels are your friends. If your mates aren’t coming, go alone, but be safe. Try new stuff, dare yourself. 

Eat the country’s typical food. Erasmus is not Erasmus if you don’t gain ten kilos (I’m joking, sort of.) Also, if you know how, cook your country’s typical food for your friends. International dinners are just amazing. And make bucket lists of things you wanna try.

Keep it up. Be updated with your home country – serious news, town gossip, the latest songs, so it will be easier to get in the flow once you go back.

Library. It’s SUPER useful to get to know it on the first days and get a library card. Try the uni library and the public library. You may find books you need there, and it’s a very popular place for Erasmus student to bond after class.

Alcohol and clubbing. Now I know everyone thinks the Erasmus is this super cool thing where you drink every night but. Of course you can do this but remember you need a number of passed exams to get the money. So unless you’re super rich, you may want to check that the number of evenings you spend at the clubs are balanced. I mean, if you have class at eight… maybe don’t? Or do, try the experience of going to class without having slept. Have fun but please, responsibly. Maybe it’s the first time you’re away from home and you wanna enjoy the freedom and I get it, but… don’t do things you’ll regret later. Know your limits! And most importantly HAVE FUN, it’s one of the best things about Erasmus. I’m just being an old grandma. I’ve seen some things… 

Packages. You’re about to leave and your room is FULL OF STUFF. You may want to send a package home before taking your flight? Plan it in advance. It depends on the country, so try the Post Office if the Post Service has a good reputation, or a private company. Booking the package delivery from your host country is going to cost less than making your parents do it from home. I get that you don’t know how you got so much stuff! It’s completely normal. Also, consider donating the stuff you leave to charity places in your host town, or to your neighbors. Better than throwing it away.

Final tests. Don’t stress about grades. In most cases you just need to PASS. The exams are gonna be different if compared with home. Go talk to the teachers if in doubt, they generally treat Erasmus students better (if they’re not assholes). Ask for a fac-simile of the exam. In general, when your home uni teachers will convert the grades, they’re gonna be generous. Please relax. During your final days there is so much going on – packing, the last dinners and evenings with your friends, the goodbye parties, and you don’t really want to lock yourself into your room and study all day. Go, do, and relax. Again, in most cases you just need to pass. And you’re doing them in another language! You’re amazing!

Going back. Be sure you have your bureaucracy stuff ready. The check-in papers for your flight, the documents your teachers or tutors have signed. It’s really important that you don’t lose them. Give back the key to your flat. Sell your bike if you had one. Plan some doctor appointments for when you go back – I assume you didn’t do your check-ups while abroad. Also, I hope you bought some souvenirs for fam and friends during your time abroad, but not too many. Really fundamental: you should buy something for YOURSELF. You won’t see the postcard you bought for your grandma every day, but you’ll see the things you’ve bought for yourself. I got a uni hoodie, and some other stuff. Oh and a really cute thing, I bought a giant flag of my host country and made each one of my friends sign it. It’s a really cool thing.

Post Erasmus blues. Cry as long as you need. You’re gonna experience some kind of reverse culture shock. Talking about it helps, especially to someone who has done an Erasmus. Try and keep contacts with your friends! But don’t worry if it dies off after a while. If you have the money for it, go visit them maybe? Be crafty about your Erasmus! Make a video or a photo album, or a scrap book. It really is a nice memory.

+ 1. 

AAnd that’s it! I really hope you’ll enjoy your time there, and get the best experience possible! And if you need advice, come and talk to me, my ask box is always open. Good luck! 

p.s. If you went to Erasmus and have something to add, please do! 

Once Erasmus, Always Erasmus <3

[aestudier]

Just completed and submitted the final version of my Extended Essay !!! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖° 

So I compiled lists of words that I found super super useful in making it easier for me to finish any essay !! Here is a masterpost of some sort with transition words + key vocabs grouped together for easy access as well as an IB IOC ‘cheat sheet’ I used for my english LAL orals last year (though most commentaries follow a similar structure so its generalisable) ~

Good luck with your essays !!!

… oops just realised I forgot to bullet point one of the lists 

[emmacoppen]

5 Notes on Italian Culture

5 Notes on Italian Culture

After the first week here, and while evidently being no expert on Italian culture at this point in time, I want to share some aspects that I wasn’t entirely ready for, or just intrigued me. I am still in ‘English mode’ and therefore every little thing that is done differently here in Italy is picked up upon by my brain immediately, so before that disappears I thought I’d write a key things I…

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[emmacoppen]

Erasmus in Pavia - The First 24 Hours

Erasmus in Pavia – The First 24 Hours

I knew it, I knew that the journey here ran just a little bit too smoothly. The past 24 hours here have not been a disaster, but they haven’t been much of a walk in the park either.

When I stepped off the train here in Pavia, I hauled my suitcase down then up some steps, exited onto the street, and looked for a bus that would take me up to Green Campus, my accommodation situated just outside…

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[emmacoppen]

For the Love of French Food - France's Attitude to Eating

For the Love of French Food – France’s Attitude to Eating

Towards the end of last year I was lucky enough to be working at a French language school in Burgundy, and as exciting as that is in itself, I’ll admit I was probably more excited about all the delicious food I was going to be exposed to. What struck me as time went by wasn’t just the superior quality of the food that they eat (for me that was a given), but the different attitude instilled in the…

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[languagequest]

Household Chores in French

Questions Qu'est-ce que tu dois faire…(?) - What do you have to do? …pour aider à la maison? - …to help at home? Ways to say it Je ne dois rien faire - I don’t have to do anything Je dois - I have to J'aime - I like… Je déteste - I hate…

Chores faire la cuisine - to do the cooking faire les courses - to do the shopping faire le jardinage - to do the gardening faire la lessive - to do the washing faire le ménage - to do the cleaning (general) faire le repassage - to do the ironing faire mon lit - make my bed faire la vaisselle - to do the washing up débarasser la table - to clear the table donner à manger aux animaux - to feed the animals garder mon petit/e frère/soeur - Look after my little brother/sister laver la voiture - to wash the car laver les fenêtres - to clean the windows nettoyer la sale de bains - to clean the bathroom passer l'aspirateur - to do the vacuuming/hovering vider la lave-vaisselle - to empty the dishwasher préparer les repas - to prepare the meals ranger ma chamber - to tidy my room travailler dans le jardin - to work in the garden sortir la poubelle - to take the bin out mettre la table - to set the table 

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

7 Ways to Really Love the People in your Life

1. Tell them how great they are and how much you appreciate them.

2. Be genuine and real in your relationships. Don’t pretend and wear a mask but share your true, authentic self.

3. Note, however, that being genuine doesn’t mean always dumping your garbage on those around you. Be respectful of their needs and feelings too – and recognise that we influence and affect others’ moods. That is, we can choose to either brighten or pollute the atmosphere.

4. Be a great listener. We feel loved and valued when others really listen to us (and demonstrate they’re listening through their nonverbal cues).

5. Don’t try to fix, change and make them into different people. Instead, allow them the freedom to be themselves, as well.

6. Recognise that we don’t have to agree with, or respect, others’ choices in order to have a good relationship with them. A lot of the time, we can simply agree to disagree.

7. Don’t allow yourself to fall into the role of victim or martyr … or a co-dependent lover, family member or spouse.

[francais-e]

Looking for some easier French works to read? Here’s a quick list of stories for anyone who’s looking for something more imaginative and less challenging than the classics!

All of the linked stories are available online.

Children’s Stories:

Restons bons copains! 

Le premier Noël de Bonbon 

Le Hibou et la Minette

Le Vilain Caneton 

Les Trois Petits Cochons 

La Muraille

Lexi Savant, Détective Privé

Miguel et le Roi Arthur

Léo le Lion

Léa, petite faiseuse de rêves

Une amie pour de vrai

Le quatrième roi mage

Tout au fond du jardin

Le loup, la clairière et le sablier

Longer Reads:

Le Petit Prince 

Le Petit Nicolas 

L’Étranger 

Bel-Ami

En Attendant Godot

That’s just a very short list of some French stories I’ve read in the past or have found online. Feel free to add your own!

[wonderful-language-sounds]

Here are some podcasts for French since I started the language.  Many you can find on  iTunes, on Android using Pocket Casts, or on their own websites/RSS feed. There are several more podcasts in French, but these should be enough for now.  Other Podcasts: Arabic| German | Italian| Russian |Spanish| Ukrainian| Eurasia

Language Learning

Coffee Break French

FrenchPod101

French Your Way

Je French

Learn French with Alexa

Mot du Jour

One Minute French

Real Deal French

Spotify- Learn French

Survival French Phrases

Listening For Beginners-Advanced

Cultivate Your French: Intermediate-Advanced.

Daily French Pod: Beginner-Advanced. Transcripts can be bought.

Easy French Poetry: Beginner-Int. Includes transcripts.

Français Authentique: Intermediate-Advanced. Includes transcripts.

French Podcasts: A2-B1. Includes transcripts.

Journal en français facile: Intermediate. Includes transcripts.

Learn French by Podcast: Beginner to Advanced. Includes transcripts and grammar lessons.

Native French Speech Podcast: Int.-Advanced. Transcripts can be bought.

News in Slow French: Beginner to Intermediate. Includes transcripts.

One Thing in a French Day: A2-B2. Includes transcripts.

The French Podcast: Beginner to Intermediate. Transcripts can be bought.

French Only

AnthroStory: Anthropology.

AppLoad: Gadgets and technology.

Bienvenue à Valnuit: French version of Welcome to Nightvale

La Conversation scientifique: Science.

Grosses Têtes: News & culture.

L’histoire du soir: Medieval literature.

LSD, La série documentaire: Culture & news.

Les Nouveaux chemins de la connaissance: Philosophy.

Les Pressés de l’Expression: Language and linguistics.

Parler Cuisine: Food and cooking.

Podcasts d'Europe: Culture, economics, politics.

Podcast Science: Science.

Poésie et ainsi de suite: Poetry

Positron: Music, film, TV.

Le RDV Jeux: Gaming.

Les Regardeurs: Art.

Rendez-Vous Avec X: History

Le rendez-vous Tech: Technology.

Le Salon noir: History.

Franceculture: Several podcasts can be found here and sorted by theme.

Franceinter: Website that hosts several more podcasts.

Francemusique: Website that has more podcasts.

[honeyfaun]

How to Feign Your Life is Together

Have a signature accessory, clothing article, make up look, or hair style.

Have a fragrance. Make your hair scents and lotions match your perfume.

It’s okay to dine alone. Bring a book or people watch.

Love your hair. Research the best brands for your hair type and use masks weekly.

Your nails don’t need to be fancy, but keep them maintained.

Stay worldly. Know works of art, artists, designers, films, books, politicians. Spend your lunch break reading the paper or a magazine.

Crying is not a weapon. It’s okay to feel your emotions, but never use them as an excuse to avoid your problems.

Jealousy is boring. Love and appreciate others. If you can’t love them, forget them.

Boost others. Flatter others, but don’t deprecate yourself in the process.

Don’t sulk. Don’t let the whole world know your problems. If you don’t want someone to give their opinion, don’t share your situation.

Your life is between you and the universe. Don’t post your personal matters for others to see.

Don’t emotionally blackmail others. They hurt you? Let them know and then move on. It’s between the two of you and not the world.

Cook dinner. Cook dinner and listen to music, the radio, or a podcast.

Treat yourself to candles and flowers. Be your own cheerleader.

Take naps. Take a cat nap on a Sunday afternoon with the blinds open and the fan on high.

Drink your water, eat your vegetables. Take care of your body.

Never have time to take off your jewelry before bed, but always have time to take off your makeup. Your nighttime skin regime is important.

Mystery is beautiful. You don’t need to reveal much of or about yourself.

Never appear other than as you are. Don’t lie about yourself. Embrace who you are at your core.

[tiny-personal-university-thing]

101 Ways to be Productive When Classes Are Not In Session

Get a job

Learn guitar

Learn piano

Study a new language

Purchase new study materials for the next semester (i.e new notebooks, a new pencil bag, a new backpack, new pencils, pens, or highlighters – 10/10 would recommend Crayola SuperTips they are extremely cheap!)

Clean your room

Clean your apartment/home

Make your bed

Make a list of your goals

Exercise

Write

Find a new podcast (for my pre-law friends, I recommend Think Like A Lawyer)

Read a new book or read all of the books you have bought but not been able to read yet

Clean out your closet - donate clothes you do not wear anymore to Goodwill

Clean out your car/wash your car (actually necessary to ensure that dirt does not accumulate in its parts - TRUST ME) 

Be a tourist in your own city - find a new coffee shop you might like to study at when classes resume

Try new recipes - learn to cook by watching Youtube videos

Start a new skin care routine (I recommend Noxema {app $4} for your face wash, follow it up with Witch Hazel {app $6} and finish with Tea Tree Oil {app $8}!)

Start a new blog (or check out my new blog @tiny-personal-aesthetics-thing I know I’m shameless)

Volunteer at local animal shelters, retirement homes, hospitals, libraries, Habitat for Humanity, etc. 

Redecorate your room - try moving your bed or furniture around and see how it changes the fung shui (if you are into that)

Learn about photography

Work on your mental and physical health

Take your dog for a walk - I’m sure they would appreciate it

Ride a horse

Create a budget for yourself

Start a bujo

Draw

Paint

Watch a documentary

Create goals for next semester

Reflect on this past semester

Learn self-defense

Visit a museum or a park

Sell items you don’t want anymore on apps such as Letgo or via the Facebook Market

Start gardening

Call friends/family you haven’t heard from in awhile

Write friends/family you haven’t heard from in awhile

Go for a hike

Improve your vocabulary using resources such as: vocabulary.com, or enhancemyvocabulary.com

Fix your sleep schedule (!!!)

Learn about your family history

Utilize Khan Academy videos to brush up on math, science, or humanities

Clean out your email inbox

Get a test prep book for the LSAT/MCAT/GRE

Talk to an adultier adult in the field you wish to enter regarding your career options

Work on your resume

Increase your typing speed using websites such as: typing.com, typeracer.com, or rapidtyping.com

Write thank you notes to professors/instructors/advisors that you found particularly helpful - or to friends/family/mentors that also helped you out

Get your planner organized for the new semester (or buy a planner if you haven’t already)

Find and price the textbooks and access codes you will need for the coming semester

Jazz up/update your social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) to reflect more on your professionalism (if you have those)

Update your style - new semester, new clothes, new you

Go swimming - nice low impact exercise 

Find a professional to shadow

Find an internship

Find scholarship opportunities (create a new email account to specifically use for scholarships!) 

Get a head start on the classes you will be taking by self-studying (a plethora of free information exists on the internet)

Be a mentor - tutor high schoolers/junior high students for SAT/ACT prep, or generally for whatever subjects they need help in 

Do manual labor - fix something, build something, mow the yard, clean the gutters

Do yoga

Work on breathing exercises

Treat yourself

Learn to say no

Go on graduate school tours

Travel (can be near or far, cheap or expensive - know your budget)

Do your own research project

Take an online sample course via edX,or Coursera

Start your graduate school application

Pet sit for someone

House sit for someone

Start your own Youtube channel

Work on your handwriting

Try sculpting

Attend networking events

Attend leadership events

Start a fundraiser for a cause

Learn to code

Study abroad - or solidify a study abroad trip

Create a four year plan for your degree

Visit family

Visit a friend

Get letters of recommendation

Get crafty

Take a practice test for the LSAT/ MCAT/ GRE

Take all of your loose change to a CoinStar and exchange them for cash

Learn about where your food comes from

Drink more water

Find an audio book to listen to when you are in the car or on the bus

Catch up on your laundry

Forge new good habits such as utilizing a planner or making your bed every day

Start a compost pile 

Grow your own herbs

Start meal prepping/meal planning 

Play basketball

Play tennis 

Get a haircut

Organize your desk 

Organize your laptop

Learn about astronomy

Rest, relax, and recuperate for the semester to come   

[plucky-deactivated20180916]

just like…. live for urself. live unapolagetically and genuinely because you werent born to impress anyone you were born to be you. and if you want to change yourself, change, you should be whoever you want to be. its all going to be fine and youll get to where you want to be and all you should worry about is taking care of yourself and doing what you want to with people you love and who love u. thats all u need yknow

[loveandknowledge]

Eudaimonia vs Happiness

Eudaimonia is an Ancient Greek word, particularly emphasised by the philosophers Plato and Aristotle, that deserves wider currency because it perfectly corrects the shortfalls in one of the most central but troubling terms in our contemporary idiom: happiness.

When we nowadays try to articulate the purpose of our lives, we commonly have recourse to the word happiness. We tell ourselves and others that the ultimate rationale for our jobs, our relationships and the conduct of our day to day lives is the pursuit of happiness. It sounds like an innocent and pleasant enough idea, but excessive reliance on the term means that we are frequently unfairly tempted to exit or at least heavily question a great many testing but worthwhile situations.

The Ancient Greeks resolutely did not believe that the purpose of life was to be happy; they proposed that it was to achieve Eudaimonia, a word which has been best translated as ‘fulfilment’.

What distinguishes happiness from fulfilment is pain. It is eminently possible to be fulfilled and - at the same time - under pressure, suffering physically or mentally, overburdened and, quite frequently, in a rather tetchy mood. This is a psychological nuance that the word happiness makes it hard to capture; for it is tricky to speak of being happy yet unhappy or happy yet suffering. However, such a combination is readily accommodated within the dignified and noble-sounding idea of Eudaimonia.

The word encourages us to trust that many of life’s most worthwhile projects will at points be quite at odds with contentment and yet are worth pursuing nevertheless. Properly exploring our professional talents, managing a household, keeping a relationship going, creating a new business venture or work of art… none of these lofty goals will probably leave us cheerful and grinning on a quotidian basis. They will, in fact, involve us in all manner of challenges that exhaust and ennervate us. And yet we will perhaps, at the end of our lives, still feel that these tasks were worth undertaking. We’ll have sampled something deeper and more interesting than happiness.

With the word Eudaimonia in mind, we can stop imagining that we are aiming for a pain-free existence - and then berating ourselves unfairly for being in a bad mood. We’ll know that we are trying to do something far more important than smile, that we are striving to do justice to our full human potential.

[theemotionmachine]

The meaning of life according to different philosophers.