Big Dreams, Bigger To-do List

Aspiring zoologist/ecologist/conservationist | Eli | She/Her | Ravenclaw | University (Year 3) | infj | recycle pls

[genznaturalist]

*creates a studyblr to boost iq*

[brbgensokyo]

we really dont fuck around and wake ancient gods enough 

[genznaturalist]

you know what I found out today? falling asleep and then feeling like the noise you could tolerate when you were fully awake becomes physically painful to hear is not a universal experience??

Whenever people fell asleep somewhere in a living room or something, I always used to turn the TV low and talk at a very low volume because I know the pain of loud volumes when you’re in a light sleep.

Crazy.

[smolsnailhugs]

Listen. Do it for the aesthetic. If you want to fill an entire 20 dollar sketchbook with anatomy drawings fucling do it. If you wanna get lost in the woods and come stumbling home with a bag of dried mushrooms and bones you go goblin dude. You aren't alive to go to work and hurt!! You're alive because bumblebees bump into little flowers and dandelions only open up in the sun! You're alive because cats purr when you pet them and coffee keeps you up all night!! Do everything for the aesthetic!!

[genznaturalist]

at this point I’m having breakdowns on the reg about my a levels and tbh I’m very close to giving up on them

In other news I have a doctor’s appointment on the 17th about adhd so that’s gonna be fun

[briellestudies]

yooo how do u email a prof for a recommendation letter?

Hi Professor!

I am in the process of applying to ____ and they require letters of rec. I sincerely enjoyed your classes, and felt that they gave me a particularly good chance to display my strengths, such as ____ [class participation, writing, etc.] and would love for you to write me a letter, if you’d be willing. The due date is ____, and I can send you further instructions for submission later if you accept.

Attached to this email is ____, the piece of work I did in your class which best showcases my abilities, as well as my current CV [or resume]. If you agree to write me a letter, soon I will also send you drafts of my ____ [statement of purpose, personal statement, application essays, other relevant material] for my application to aid in your writing. I am also happy to meet in person to discuss this with you.

I want to stress that this application is quite competitive, so if you feel you will not be able to write me a strong letter then I completely understand - but please let me know. Thank you so much for your time!

Sincerely, ____

—

a few notes:

- you should have all your relevant materials (app essays, etc.) sent to them *at least* a month in advance to give them ample time to write the letter

- thus, your initial email asking them if they’d be willing to write a letter for you should be sent *over* a month in advance. professors are busy

- if you are applying for a really prestigious position/scholarship/fellowship, or grad school, it’s best to have at least a majority of your letter writers be professors (rather than adjuncts or post docs). ideally you’d want them to be full/tenured professors. in lots of cases, especially academic ones, *who* writes your letter matters - not just *what’s in* your letter

- the reason you send them the piece of work you did in their class that you are most proud of is to remind them of your abilities as a student and the quality of the work you produced for them. they have lots of students. sometimes they need a bit of help jogging their memory of exactly what you did in their class.

- the reason you send them your other application materials (personal statement, statement of purpose, CV) is so that they have information to draw from when writing your letter. they know what you’re passionate about, what you hope to do in the future, other experience you have, and can use this information when writing your letter

- on a similar note, this is also why you’d want to list the strengths you displayed in their class

- basically, you want to give them as much information as you can about your strengths, goals, and intentions - give them prompts they can use to write your letter

- the bit at the end about asking for a “strong letter” is important because some professors can only write you mediocre letters (e.g. “this student was always on time to class and gave their undivided attention during lecture” - what does this tell admission committees? well, it tells them that the professor has nothing positive to say about your *academic* abilities and so they’re resorting to other strengths. it’s a polite way of saying “this student was okay, but not spectacular in any notable way”. big red flag for admissions committees.) if all you’re going to get is a mediocre letter, you might as well not get a letter at all

- if the professor you ask accepts, then be sure to send them polite reminders as the date approaches. (i usually send a reminder at the 1-month-till-due-date mark when i send the other application materials, and then again at the 2 week and 1 week marks, and, if necessary, every day after the final 3 days leading up to the due date

—

i know this was a lot, but i remember being in your shoes and being completely lost when it came to applying for stuff so i know how daunting it can be. i figured i’d just throw all this information at you to be of as much help as possible.

for reference, i’ve applied to graduate programs, fellowships, and scholarships. i have been accepted into several of the top 10 graduate programs in my area, as well as received multiple scholarships and a fellowship, and received honorable mentions for some of the most competitive fellowships in the US. i have also worked with the admissions committee at my graduate program to organize multiple informational events for those interested in applying to graduate school and, in the process, have learned a lot about what makes a strong application.

so while you should absolutely take my advice with a grain of salt (different circumstances call for different standards), i do have quite a bit of experience with applications and what makes a strong letter of rec.

i hope this helped! best of luck with whatever you’re applying for :)

[alexistudies]

i’d also like to add that it helps to ask in person or over a zoom call, but emails are nice too as long as they look like this!

[apocalyptic-cake-deactivated202]

LIST OF SUICIDE/SELF HARM/MENTAL HEALTH HELPLINES IN INDIA:

NOTE: These have been verified, but not by me, by the website I got them from.

Aasra : [phone]

The Mumbai-based organisation has a 24x7 dedicated free helpline number where professionally trained volunteers are there to answer the call. The volunteers can converse in Hindi and English. 

Fortis 24x7 Stress Helpline: [phone] 

The Fortis 24x7 Stress Helpline number is for students and/or parents who may have queries related to stress, mental well-being related to exams and academics. A team of mental health specialists, who can converse in English as well as regional Indian languages, from the hospital, will be there to help out. You can write to them at [email protected]. 

Parivarthan: [phone]

The Bangalore-based counselling centre has a dedicated helpline number where one can call in and get connected to professional & trained counsellors who can converse in English, Kannada, and Tamil. The helpline number is open from 1 pm to 10 pm, Monday through Friday. Online counselling sessions are also available should one need it. You can email them at [email protected].

Cooj Mental Health Foundation (COOJ) : [phone]

The Goa-based mental health organisation has both e-counselling as well as a suicide helpline number. They are available on call Monday through Friday between 1 pm and 7 pm. For e-counselling, one can send an email to [email protected].

Sneha Foundation: 044-24640050

Sneha is a suicide prevention organization based out of Chennai. One can reach out to them via email at [email protected]. Their suicide helpline number can be reached on all days between 10 am and 2 pm.

PS: Once the restrictions and lockdown get lifted in Chennai, the number can be reached out 24x7.

iCALL: [phone] and [phone]

iCall is an email and telephone-based counselling service run by Tata Institute of Social Sciences and they offer free services with the help of a team of qualified and trained mental health professionals. They are available Monday to Saturday between 8 am and 10 pm.

Vandrevala Foundation: [phone], [phone], and 1860 2662 345

The Vandrevala Foundation is an NPO and they are around-the-clock trained counsellors. Apart from their 24x7 helpline number, one can also email them on [email protected].

Samaritans Mumbai: [phone], [phone] and [phone]

Samaritans Mumbai is has trained volunteers and professionals to offer support for those who are stressed, distressed, depressed or feeling suicidal. One can call their helpline number between 5 pm and 8 pm all through the week or email them at [email protected]. They also offer a free service with a counsellor for those looking for professional help. You can connect with them Monday to Friday between 10 am and 4 pm to set up an appointment.

Please reblog, this could really help someone!

[aadyeah]

!!!

[genznaturalist]

Look at me taking the initiative and scheduling my summer work

[genznaturalist]

Might do the 100 days of productivity challenge — god knows I need it

[6i]

it takes years to develop your craft. do not romanticize the idea of an ‘overnight success’. be a student. grow organically. get really good. hate your work. start over. find new ways to express the same ideas. the student becomes the master. your time will come.

[exciting]

petition to change all of academia’s “et al” to “& besties”

[blacklilyghost]

currently on an imaginary adventure through the woods, heading to the dragon’s lair.

Who’s down to join me?

[source: Pinterest]

[emmastudies]

Back to school guide!

Organisation

2018 student planner

how to set up a bullet journal

setting up a digital bullet journal

mossery co planner review

planner brand recommendations

bullet journal spread ideas

bullet journal decoration hacks

whats in my bag

my favourite stationery

back to school basic supplies

how to improve your handwriting

balancing study and work

2017 monthly planner printables

2018 monthly planner printables

my september downloads (phone + desktop wallpapers)

Productivity

productivity and time management applications

how to remove distractions

types of procrastination and how to deal with them

google chrome new tab options for improved productivity

10 small ways to improve your productivity

applications to block websites

no distraction writing applications

100 days of productivity challenge 

how to focus in class

how to stick to a schedule

how to stay alert

how to build self-discipline

how to organise for exams

Motivation

what to do when you’ve tried everything

how to gain back motivation

motivational monday printables

how to stop avoiding studying

what to do when you feel exhausted before studying

how I stay motivated

tips on maintaining motivation

how to start a studyblr

how to set up a studygram

dealing with competitive people

how to bounce back from ‘failure’

Studying

applications for students

how to take effective class or lecture notes

how to take notes from a textbook

studying printable pack 

my note-taking method

my notebook system

how to write faster

how I organise my binders

good habits to implement

how to study (my method)

how to organise a colour code

how to memorise information effectively

how to memorise quotes

how to use flashcards

how I reduce waffle and narration in essays

tips for essay writing

how to find out where you’re going wrong

how I prepare to study

different ways to study

how to annotate a book/novel/etc

how to get ahead in school

studying as a visual learner

how to practice and present a speech

mindmapping apps and extensions

how to deal with online classes

how to study a language

apps to write without distraction

Self Care

how to improve your sleep schedule

how to study when sick

over-coming self doubt

dealing with stress

how to balance studying and anxiety

how to balance studying and depression

apps that help with depression

ways to reward your productivity

my favourite tv shows

ways to use empty notebooks

how to be more sociable

Printables

weekly study schedule

note-taking printables (dotted, grid, lined, cornell method)

exam revision printable pack (revision checklist, formulas + definitions sheet, essay + project planner, weekly schedule)

week at a glance

organic chemistry printable

100 days of productivity tracker

literary techniques 

my Etsy shop (lots more printables! use ‘student10′ for 10% off any purchase)

[genznaturalist]

current mood: crying three times over two days because exam marks are coming before predicted grades ✌️😭

[letters-to-your-beloved]

Somedays you catch a whiff of petrichor and then you just want to sit by the window and watch the rain.

[ashstfu]

i'm sitting on my bed reading. it’s almost midnight. it’s summer. my window is open and the cool wind is blowing. it's cloudy but i can see the moon shining through the clouds. the crickets are very loud but very soothing. my room smells dusty and warm and no one else exists. the feeling never goes away. everything is quiet and i'm at peace.

[genznaturalist]

Exams are over but the stress is real