Biotechnology student

23|Slovakia|Comenius University|biotechnology

[fuckyeahbiotechnologystudent]

Final year of my master's degree

In one month I will start my final year of doing my master's degree. I am a little bit nervous because I have not started my diploma thesis yet (procrastination level 1000). This post is dedicated to the courses I will take in the last year of my studies (not including long planned PhD which (hopefully) will come after I finish this year).

Winter semester:

Pharmaceutical biotechnology

Highly parallel sequencing and data analysis

Management and economics of biotechnology companies

Exercise of graduates 1

Special seminar 1

Selected chapters of molecular biology

Summer semester:

Legislation and biosafety of biotechnology

Biotechnology and biomedicine

Exercise of graduates 2

Special seminar 2

Selected methods of molecular biology

My state exams will contain four parts:

Defense of the diploma thesis

Molecular biology

Biotechnology

Pharmaceutical biotechnology and biotechnology in biomedicine

Hopefully I will finish this year successfully with no mental or physical damage lol.

Wish u luck

E xx

[fuckyeahbiotechnologystudent]

1st year of doing my Masters degree

In June, I successfully achieved my first degree ever. Bachelor degree from biology. On September 13, I am starting my two year study plan to achieve my masters degree in biotechnology. Therefore I would like to introduce you my classes I will take this semester. 

Biotechnology

Biotechnology seminar

Proteins

Molecular biology of pathogenic bacteria 

Protection of intellectual property in biotechnology

Advances in molecular biology 

Advances in molecular biology seminar

Advanced lab practice in biotechnology

Advanced methods of molecular biology

Wish you the best. 

[prosperity-and-ruin]

Advice for studying in lockdown

Get yourself a thermos or insulated pitcher. Fill it with hot water. Bring a mug and a few tea bags back to your room. Now you have a day’s worth of hot tea at your fingertips.

Get away from the computer and take some pen-and-paper notes. I know it may be tempting to just stare at your screen all day, but any chance to rest your eyes is a good one.

On that note, invest in some computer glasses, or a blue light filter program for your computer. We’re all in the digital realm these days, and protecting our vision is important.

If you need to, set yourself a weird sleeping schedule. All of my classes are in the afternoon or evening, due to classmates in other time zones. I stay up til 2:00 am and sleep in until 10:00 am or later most days.

Have different clothes set aside for class. I understand the temptation to show up to that Zoom call in your pajamas, really I do. But your mind connects certain physical objects with certain activities, and it can be difficult to truly wake up when you’re giving your brain signals that it’s time to sleep.

For the same reasons, do not study in your bed. If you get sick of your desk or table, try spreading out on the floor instead.

Do not check the news before studying or class time. You will be distracted, anxious, and unable to focus. Get your own day in order first, then worry about what’s going on outside.

If you are struggling to feel productive even while you’re getting your schoolwork done, take breaks to do chores. It means you’re still getting things done, but you’re switching from mental progress to physical, tangible progress.

Go sit outside for a while. Leave your phone in the house and just sit on the front porch, or in the back garden. Being shut inside is not good for creatures like us, so we need all the sunshine and fresh air we can get.

Please, for goodness’ sake, do not compare yourself to other people. For every blogger out there proudly posting 3 pictures a day of their immaculate, artistic, detailed notes, there’s two dozen who have gotten absolutely nothing done and feel like shit because of it. Other people’s success is not your failure. We are all struggling right now, even those of us who are good at hiding it.

[greenstudies]

Using time during the pandemic

Some countries are slowly returning to “normal” life thanks to the vaccines and that is amazing news. Unfortunately, not all countries can and not all people can. Whatever reason you have to stay at home or to limit your regular activities, I have some ideas for you. These are things that will make you feel less like you’re wasting time or that will ease the boredom a little bit:

REST BITCH -Please, please, PLEASE take the time to rest properly. Sleep as much as you need, watch the shows you wanted to watch or do anything you consider resting. You don’t have to be productive all the time

Work on your mental health -Get a therapist, try some soul searching, find healthy coping mechanisms or even spend time crying if you need to. No matter what you need, this could be a good time to start

The projects you always think about doing -Now is the time

Clean up -We often put off cleaning because we get busy. Now you can go and clean up. It doesn’t have to be a huge deep clean. Just wash the dishes or clean the dust

Learn something new -You can literally just read one article about something or you can go ahead and learn a whole language if you want.

Find new internet friends -It’s a lot easier than you think. Just start a conversation about something you like. There are whole groups for that! Go and find your people

Have I mentioned rest? -One more time, you do not have to be productive. Resting is an amazing way to use your time. Constant productivity is a standard set by capitalism and you don’t want to support capitalism, do ya?

I hope you take my damn advice and rest. Please have a good day!

PS I’m in the process of moving so I’ll be posting only sporadically

[joyce-grad-deactivated20191013]

ESSAY WRITING AT DEGREE LEVEL: THE BASICS

when i started my undergraduate literature degree my writing was no way near up to scratch. my punctuation and grammar was all over the place, i didn’t know how to properly structure my essays and as a result my ideas were often all over the place. in the second year of my degree i made it my priority to work on this and spent HOURS trying to improve my writing. it took time, a lot of patience and there was a lot of frustration (especially since it wasn’t reflected in my grades until my third year). but, eventually, it really paid off. it’s important to acknowledge that being able to write well can take time and is often not something that comes naturally, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get there in the end.

here are a few things i learnt:

first things first, sort out your punctuation and grammar. these are easy marks to lose and it’s just a matter of practice. firstly, to find out where you’re going wrong go and talk to someone. universities often have writing sessions or one-to-ones aimed at tackling problems like these. this is where you can show them your essay and they can guide you through what you need to improve on (having someone else point out your common mistakes can be really helpful). secondly, find yourself a copy of hazel hutchinson’s how to write great essays and dissertations. this book was my go-to during second year. it covers everything from structure, to punctuation and using secondary sources, so it is a great way of figuring out the basics. another one i’d recommend is my grammar and i (or should that be ‘me’?).

once you’ve got that down, begin to closely read academic essays and secondary sources. whilst these are great means of research, they are also super useful for seeing what an academic essay should look like. take note of the way they structure sentences. what do their introductions look like and how do they shape their ideas? by the end of your degree your essays should essentially be shorter versions of these so it’s a good idea to use them as a base for your own writing.

essay structure: throw out your a-level paragraphs! when i first started my BA, i thought each paragraph was expected to contain a point, evidence and explanation (p.e.e. as it was taught to me in school). what i later learned is that, although this is to some extent true, starting a new point every paragraph makes the essay sound choppy and the argument can be stunted and undeveloped - especially as you’ll be writing longer essays at undergrad. rather than doing this, i ended up making just one or two points throughout the essay and spreading this across a few paragraphs each time, using two or three bits of textual evidence, close analysis and lengthy explanation to develop my argument.

writing is about rewriting. it’s rare that your writing will be as good as it can be after the first draft. try and finish your essay a week before it’s due (although this is not always possible), have a few days off and then look back through it. at this point, i normally print a hard copy, take a highlighter and read it through slowly, highlighting anything that sounds out of place or could be explained further as i go. this way, you can go back through and tighten things, make your sentences smoother, and ensure your argument is as clear as it can be.

finally, and most importantly, don’t  -   try  -  to  -  look  -  fancy. i can’t stress this enough. too many students think they have to use big words and complicated sentences for their work to sound clever and “academic”. that’s not true!! the most important thing is to be clear and concise. show your intelligence off in your argument, not your writing. your tutors want to be able to understand what you’re saying and for it to be easy to read, so don’t panic if you think your essay sounds too simple or “dumb” because you haven’t used big words - it doesn’t!

[teeashirts]

✧･ﾟplaylists to help pass the time *:･✧

hi everyone! it’s been a while since i made a huge playlist masterpost, but i thought that right now when we’re all stuck inside wondering what to do with our time i would make a list of all my playlists. listening to music is so calming and definitely helps me pass the time…so enjoy! - cam

songs that remind me of a fashion show 

a mix of songs that remind me of driving down the coast 

a playlist dedicated to paris 

songs that inspire me 

a dreamy mix

songs to listen to when you feel carefree

a super fun workout/running playlist to keep you pumped up 

songs to listen to during golden hour 

a mix of songs to listen to on a sunny day 

a playlist full of songs that make me feel alive 

songs that remind me of my teenage years 

a study/coffee shop playlist to keep you calm 

songs to listen to on the weekend 

songs that make me feel like living in the moment 

a friday kinda mix !

songs that remind me of a warm spring evening 

a mix dedicated to nature 

my all-time favorite songs all in one playlist 

songs that remind me of flowers and sunshine 

a 12-hour long playlist of songs that make me feel nostalgic 

songs that remind me of going back to school 

my ultimate summertime playlist 

songs that make me feel like i’m in a movie 

upbeat songs to get ready to in the morning 

songs i’m currently loving & listening to right now

a playlist dedicated to italy and all its wonders 

songs that are soft and delicate 

a mix to listen to while watching the sunrise / sunset 

a playlist for a rainy and stormy day 

songs to listen to when you wake up ! 

another nature playlist because why not?! 

a monday playlist to make your monday more enjoyable 

my springtime playlist 

songs that are bittersweet 

my girl power anthems playlist 

for the daydreamers 

songs that remind me of the spirit of traveling & exploring 

a mix to listen to before bed 

songs to listen and dance to in your kitchen 

a super fun 70s playlist 

relaxing songs for a sunday 

songs that remind me of wintertime 

for people who love the east coast 

for people who love the west coast 

a mix of lo fi beats 

songs to listen to in your car at night 

fresh finds (new songs every monday!)

the ultimate sing along playlist 

an indie playlist 

the perfect road trip / daily commute mix 

a super studious playlist to keep you extra focused 

songs that remind me of the beach 

a mix of songs to listen to when you’re j chillin

songs that remind me of a trip to outer space !

listen to this when you’re in love 

songs for stargazing…

the perfect autumn playlist 

songs that make my heart flutter 

a mix of carefree & happy tunes 

the grooviest 80s playlist around 

a mix of golden oldies 

listen to this if you like rap / r&b 

another workout playlist !

a mix of fun, upbeat songs to dance to 

a playlist inspired by call me by your name

a coming of age playlist 

a mix of songs that deserve more hype 

songs for all the main characters out there 

a mix to listen to with your best friend(s) 

songs that make me feel angelic 

a dark academia playlist 

a spooky halloween mix !

[greenstudies]

Aesthetics and plans for seasons

I really like the idea of living aligned with nature and the changing seasons. Plus I like bringing specific aesthetics into it. So here have this weird mix of a post:

Spring 🌺 rejuvenate

Clean up and declutter

Things to wear: hoodies, leggings, pastel colours

Start going for walks/runs

Wake up earlierThings to drink: white tea, green tea

Get new plants and flowers

Focus on physical self care

Go cycling

Listen to new pop music (or this spring playlist I made *wink*)

Change hairstyle/get a haircut

Summer 🌞 hustle

Things to wear: dresses, skirts, light shirts

Focus on physical activity and getting in shape

Focus on work and goals

Eat breakfast outside

Things to drink: lemonade, mohito, iced tea, milkshakes

Things to eat: fruit, salads, ice cream

Pick flowers and plant flowers/plants

Do yoga/exercise outside

Spend nights outside

Hang out with friends as much as possible

Listen to uplifting music (I have two playlists even! 1, 2)

Autumn 🍁 nest

Things to wear: sweaters, stockings, thick socks, scarves

Things to drink: black tea, hot cocoa

Things to eat: apples, cakes

Bake with apples

Read more

Sit outside watching the rain

Focus on orange, red, brown and yellow

Listen to folk and generally calm music (this self promoting is ugh)

Burn candles

Listen to podcasts

Watch tv shows: Gimlore Girls, Friends

Winter 🎄 hybernate

Things to drink: black tea with milk, fruit tea, cocoa

Bake Christmas cookies

Listen to christmas music (I am embarassing myself at this point)

Burn candles

Decorate for christmas

Watch more movies: Home Alone, The Grinch, Harry Potter

Things to wear: hats, scarves, gloves

Focus on mental health and physical rest

Facetime friends

Host cozy parties inside

[studyhack]

How to study a difficult subject:

[tullestudies]

How to Be Organised

There are lots of posts about organisation, and no doubt there are: because organisation is a strength. A student who is organised can effectively manage their academic, social and personal life. As a bonus, being organised helps in time management and fighting procrastination.

All this make “organisation” seem like ambrosia, a deal that is sure to give you an academic happily ever after, and if only I could get organised for once—

Stop right there. The key is not getting organised. It is being organised. It is a habit, that you inculcate and develop, not a five-step success procedure. Staying organised, making it a habit, that is, will give you all the benefits of organisation.

The “Defining Matter”

It would be better to look into this matter deeply, so that one can use this habit to their advantage. First, let’s start with what is organisation:

That is how Google defines organisation. Take a look at the synonyms: planning. arrangement. Or look at the sub-point two: the quality of being systematic and efficient.

What Organisation Means to You

Here’s the deal: Organisation is not just buying organisation items and colour-coding your planner to a rainbow, no offence intended. It is less about the techniques used for organising and more about the techniques that work for you. Using colours and planners works for most people, which is the reason it is popularised, but it does not necessarily mean that it will work for you too. 

I tried the colour coding techniques multiple times this past year, but it just wasn’t working for me. Maybe the same applies to you, maybe not. The objective is to find out what organisation means to you, and which method works best. And you do that by…

Experimenting

You don’t have time for this, I know. You’re busy. It’s okay. Go through your exams, your tests, your social life, sort everything, and come back. Experimenting, and specifically with studying techniques, takes a while. So find time, or better yet, make time for it. You can do this.

When you do have time for it, run through some articles on organisation, pick out things common in all of them. And try them out. See if they work out for you. Here’s a list of things you can do:

Make a Bullet Journal: Bullet Journals are great for planning your academic life. The basic idea is this: you get a notebook, list out things you might need to do, your ideas, plans, assignments, doodles—practically anything. They’re effective in sorting tasks and ideas, and the best thing is that you can use them for any purpose you like. The following site will give you a tour of bullet journaling: http://bit.ly/1e0BYKr

Colour Code: This technique works best for visual learners. Colour-coding tasks in bullet journals and daily planners gives you an idea of what the schedule is like. A brief overview sorts out your study times. Assigning a certain colour to each subject gives a better idea of the arrangement of subjects in your day or week. As a bonus, it’s fun. Here’s another link: http://bit.ly/1y5WMzj

Buy a Folder: A folder that is numbered, or alphabetically sorted, is good for minor classes. Separate folders for various subjects might also be a good idea, only if your professor assigns you that much work. Otherwise, opt for folders with pockets. In college, having folders according to your majors and minors is a good idea. Here you go: http://bit.ly/1CpvDTd

Organise Your Study Space: This is often belittled, as it is a tedious task, but once you sort through all the junk, you can create a productive environment. Clean your desk, your backpack, your old study folders, and don’t forget the bookshelves. As in the aforementioned point, create “folders” in your shelves. Assign certain places to certain subjects. History goes in the topmost shelf, Anatomy in the second right, Physics in the second left, and so on. Besides that, have a clean desk. It is good to keep changing study environments, but having a primary place where you can focus is great, too. Keep only the necessary things. It’s a study desk, after all. (Also, I like links: http://bit.ly/19RihIs)

These are four basic things you can do. But remember, you are to experiment with them. Don’t be rigid. Test the waters, find out what works for you. Do pastel colours seem better in colour coding? Does a certain format in your journal increase your productivity? Have you tried using a folder and it just doesn’t work for you? Experiment! Get to know yourself and what works best for you. Once you get the hang of a certain thing, you’ll be on your way.

Mix and Match

A technique that helps you categorise your work and your tasks. That’s what you need. If a technique only seems to work partially, try mixing it up with others. You’ll eventually find what complements your learning. 

So that’s that. If you have managed to come all the way down here, congratulations. I hope you have found something you wanted to find. Go, now, and try this out. It’ll take a few weeks, maybe months, to get used to systems like these. Find out your favourite bullet journal format, figure out your favourite study space arrangement, or try out the popular organisation techniques that many students use. Apps, planners, binders, reducing hoarding, management. There are a lot of things you can do. Just remember that organisation is about you, and what is best for you. What helps you remember your projects, due dates, sort through daily plans, weekly plans, monthly plans. Get on with it! Best of Luck.

               +++               

[anxietyproblem]

[lifewithlala]

Work From Home Routine For Productivity

Hi, there! I’m Lala! Today I am sharing my WFH routine. Some things to keep in mind are that I only work 4 hours a day and my pomodoros tend to be longer. Usually it’s 25 minutes, but for me 25 minutes is too little, I tend to work better in 45-minute pomodoros. I hope this can be of info to you guys, it really has helped get my shit together. 

I am using this app called Routinery to help me manage my routine AND IT WORKS WONDERS. I love how simple and customizable it is, it has made following my routine a breeze. I love it so much I even have the paid version, and I never pay for apps. This is not sponsored post or whatever, this is me genuinely recommending you this app! You can check them out here if you want to download the app. 

[nadjastudies]

Another great pomodoro tracker is “Forest” - you can find it as an Chrome extension, in the App Store (both Android and iOs).

[werelivingarts-deactivated20230]

studying while dealing with depression

Hi everyone! It’s werelivingarts!

Depression is a very common mental disorder that can affect negatively on the way you feel, think and act. I think that giving some tips and strategies on dealing with depression while studying would be essential to some of you who might struggle out there to get started on assignments. 🙂 Hope that this can help you to fight against depression and embrace your positivity while studying! Remember that you are loved and you are enough ❤️💙💜

And if today all you did was hold yourself together and survive, I’m still very proud of you. 🍀💐

[nadjastudies]

So this is a very important topic for me because even though I love the studyblr community, I feel like it doesn’t give space to this topic! All of you, no matter your age, what you are learning or what you are trying so hard to do - all of you are important.

Take all the time you need to heal.

Don’t let studyblr pressure you with all the perfect notes, the perfect desk that’s always clean and the caffeine consumption that just looks dangerously unhealthy.

Unfollow the accounts that make you feel like shit.

Your mental health is more important than anything you might see here.

[studyingmood]

[productive-tips]

Follow @productive-tips for more tips and content like this posted daily! Handpicked and curated with love :)

[athenaeanstudies]

📍when reading is tough 🔮

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Online classes have me getting whip-freakin’-lash and I have a mountain load of readings to do, and I thought hey, maybe you do too. So here’s a carefully curated list of what to do when reading gets tough. 

1. Read it again.

Difficult material is often easier the second time around. If you read an assignment, and do not understand it, DO NOT DESPAIR. Admit confusion. Sleep on it. Wake up fresh and read it again!

2. Look for essential words.

Mentally cross out all adjectives and adverbs. Focus on the verbs and nouns. It’ll be simpler then.

3. Hold a mini-review. 

Pause briefly to summarize what you’ve read so far. Stop at the end of the paragraph and recite, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, what you’ve read. Jot down notes and/or create a summary or outline. 

4. Read it aloud. 

Read a passage aloud several times. Use different inflections. Emphasize a different part of the sentence. Imagine that YOU are the AUTHOR talking. 

5. Stand up. 

Change positions periodically. It can combat fatigue. 

6. Use another text.

Find another text. Sometimes, it is easier to understand if it is expressed in another way. 

7. Pretend you understand, then explain it.

Oftentimes, we understand more than we think we do. Pretend it’s crystal clear and explain it to another person or yourself. Write that explanation down and you’ll be amazed with what you know. 

Reference: Ellis, D. B., & Toft, D. (2014). When reading is tough. In Becoming a master student, concise (p. 112). Australia: Cengage Learning.

[greenstudies]

Tips for better sleep

I’ve had trouble with sleeping since I can remember. It took me a very long time to fall asleep and the little sleep I got wasn’t really giving me any energy. After few years I’ve learnt a few things that make my sleep much better. Here’s a bunch of them:

Find out how many hours do you need -This is very important. For example I need around 7 hours while my friend need almost 10. Adjust your bedtime to the of hours of sleep you need.

Morning/Night person -Another important detail. Are you happier in the morning or in the evening? When are you the most productive? If you are a morning person, try to go to bed as early as possible and you can wake up early. Night person can stay awake longer and sleep longer. However be careful because sleep before midnight is the most important.

Get stuff ready for tomorrow -An hour or so before bedtime I get stuff ready for the next day. I plan tomorrow and I put my books in the bag. I prepare an outfit and make snacks and sometimes even lunch for tomorrow. All this makes me go to bed less stressed and sometimes even excited.

No screens -Blue light and science stuff… Screens are not really good for you before bed because it makes you more awake. I turn everything off an hour before bed.

Read -Reading actually makes me sleepier and it’s a calm enough activity to slow you down bit.

Stretch -You loosen your muscles after a long day and clear out your head a bit. If you don’t feel like moving, meditation also works well.

Calm or no music -I am very creative person who loves rock music. Music makes my mind race with new ideas. Not good…

No coffee, black tea or green tea -I don’t drink coffee however I love tea. These drinks can keep you awake.Try chamomile tea or even warm milk helps.

Self care -Evenings are a great time for self care. Personally it calms me down and it just overall feels nice.

Warm showers -No need to say more…

Let some fresh air into the room

Of course if you’ve been having serious sleep problems for some time, you should definitely visit a doctor! However I hope I was at least a little helpful and have a nice… night? 

[productive-tips]

Follow @productive-tips for more tips and content like this posted daily! Handpicked and curated with love 🥰

[sleepysnowglobe]

Tips To Make Yourself Feel ALIVE

Drink water so cold it makes our mouth feel a little numb     

Pick plants yourself (flowers, herbs, etc) and use them to run  a bath. Take the bath. Enjoy the bath. Close your eyes and dunk your head under the water. 

Kiss someone. Not necessarily on the mouth. 

Scream. Loudly. High pitched and shriek or low and growly. Until your voice is hoarse,  I like doing it in my car while I’m driving.  

Get a good paperback and mark it up. Underline your favorite lines, star your favorite passages,   write notes in the margins. Poetry books are good for this, so are classic novels, so is pretty much anything else you want. 

Go for a run. Don’t just jog, actually run, like fully sprint at top speed until you have an asthma attack. (Note: This one requires asthma, and also having an inhaler on hand).

Buy Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape (The gum) and eat all of it at once 

Lick a tree 

Find the tallest building in your town and devise a way to sit on the roof, then go sit on the roof. Meditate there. Be aware of the fact that you’re literally above everybody else. 

Collect every blanket/sheet/pillow that you own and then pile all of them on top of you and lay in the abyss 

Stab something 

Bake something with citrus fruit in it, so that you have to zest the fruit and juice it and just generally enjoy the pulverization of citrus. 

Drink something that warms you up from top to bottom to middle to top again.  

[productive-tips]

Follow @productive-tips for more tips and content like this posted daily! Handpicked and curated with love 🥰