self care isn't just face masks and bubble baths, it's also doing your assignment in advance so you won't pull an all nighter before the deadline, cooking at home instead of ordering out; discipline is an act of self love and care
Set a study routine that allows for breaks, meals, exercise, and relaxation. Having a structured plan helps you stay organized and focused.
Take breaks 🧸
Regular breaks during study sessions can improve productivity and prevent burnout. Aim for short breaks every hour or so, where you can stretch, hydrate, or engage in a quick physical activity.
Stay active 🤸🏼♂️
Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Exercise boosts energy levels, improves focus, and reduces stress. Find activities you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, dancing, or yoga.
Prioritize sleep 🛌
Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for optimal cognitive function and overall well-being. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and establish a consistent sleep schedule.
Eat a balanced diet 🥦
Nourish your body with nutritious foods that provide sustained energy. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in your meals. Avoid excessive caffeine and sugary snacks, as they can lead to energy crashes.
Stay hydrated 💦
Drink enough water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Dehydration can negatively impact concentration and cognitive function.
Manage stress 🧘🏻♀️
Stress can hinder productivity and affect your health. Practice stress management techniques like deep breathing exercises, meditation, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy.
Take care of your mental health 🧠
Prioritize self-care activities that promote mental well-being, such as spending time with loved ones, engaging in hobbies, or seeking professional help if needed.
Read my mini book “Student diet. How to deal with stress” 💌
Set a study routine that allows for breaks, meals, exercise, and relaxation. Having a structured plan helps you stay organized and focused.
Take breaks 🧸
Regular breaks during study sessions can improve productivity and prevent burnout. Aim for short breaks every hour or so, where you can stretch, hydrate, or engage in a quick physical activity.
Stay active 🤸🏼♂️
Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Exercise boosts energy levels, improves focus, and reduces stress. Find activities you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, dancing, or yoga.
Prioritize sleep 🛌
Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for optimal cognitive function and overall well-being. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and establish a consistent sleep schedule.
Eat a balanced diet 🥦
Nourish your body with nutritious foods that provide sustained energy. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in your meals. Avoid excessive caffeine and sugary snacks, as they can lead to energy crashes.
Stay hydrated 💦
Drink enough water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Dehydration can negatively impact concentration and cognitive function.
Manage stress 🧘🏻♀️
Stress can hinder productivity and affect your health. Practice stress management techniques like deep breathing exercises, meditation, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy.
Take care of your mental health 🧠
Prioritize self-care activities that promote mental well-being, such as spending time with loved ones, engaging in hobbies, or seeking professional help if needed.
Read my mini book “Student diet. How to deal with stress” 💌
tips i have for people returning to school this week:
idk i got a degree and these things kinda helped:
dump things/quotes you might want to write a paper about somewhere on a separate document so that when term paper time comes you have topics already cooking
if you want to buy a lil drink then pack yourself a lunch, if you want to buy lunch then make your lil drink at home. if your day sucks then buy both
send emails to your prof (don't spam them of course) but it helps them to learn your name even if they don't know your face
touch grass, see your friends, do an activity that does not involve school or work (this one is harder than you think)
invest in a quality water bottle. that is now your buddy, you will now be bonded for life. bonus points if you decorate it with cool stickers
just because people are loud, it doesn't mean they are smarter than you, your quietness should not be mistaken for weakness
before you buy your books, check the library to see if they have it. also audiobook will change your life
eat candy
grades don't matter (seriously)
no sweats (you don't need to come to class dressed in business wear, but how you dress will affect how you act) wash your face wear clean clothes, it will affect how you feel
you don't have to like or vibe with everyone you meet, be respectful and kind, but you don't need to be friends with everyone
sometimes school sucks, but remember it's not forever, be grateful and try your best
You've got the textbook and notebook open, the highlighter uncapped, the coffee steaming and laptop switched on.
Now what? Do I just highlight random keywords and write out key concepts whilst repeating important sounding phrases out loud?
While this may have worked in middle school or maybe even highschool, most college and university courses are an entirely different breed. Weekly pop quizzes and an in depth recap each class?
Highly unlikely, at least in my experience.
Uni very much leaves students to fend for themselves, with studying and learning the material taught in class as your own responsibility.
So what's a student to do? As someone who had to get her act together when starting the IB program, and then tackling university, here's my advice on how to actually study productively.
Create a study plan by breaking down the workload
Break down the workload:
Say you have a French vocab set to learn, an English paper due and an econ group project.
Study and write out your vocab, and then meet with your study group for practice.
Plan your paper research: what is the thesis, find relevant literary sources and highlight pontential useful concepts, do an outline of the points you want to cover, and then plan the dates and time that you'll actually sit down and write it out.
Go over the main econ project points, do your bit and then schedule a meeting with your coursemates to do the whole thing.
3. Create and maintain your study space.
If your space is messy and full of distractions, then your study sessions are probably not going to be as productive as they could be. Eliminate any distractions or at least try to minimize them
4. Join or create study groups!
They can be really useful when you actually study instead of hanging out (i'm guilty as charged unfortunately).
Divide concepts and have each member create a cheat-sheet or a short but detailed guide to share, so that you can cover more ground.
5. Use practise and past papers
You need to know how to actually approach the exam questions so that you can make the best use of your exam time, so familiarize yourself with the paper structure and the type of questions e.g. essay-based, scenario questions, numerical.
6. Take breaks!
Studying is important, but so is your well-being.
Schedule 10-15 min breaks for a quick snack and a stroll, but also 1hr-1.5 hr breaks for a proper meal, to catch up wth friends or to watch a show.
Overall, a study plan and a study group can go a long way in helping you get the most out of your study sessions, so do what's best for you!
to get as much done as possible, you may need to start waking up earlier. this can be hard, but once you start, it will get easier and easier until it is part of your routine. wake up earlier, start earlier, get it done.
try not to see others as competition, but use them as motivation
while paris saw rory as competition at first, she finished knowing that no one could compare to her and just because rory was also very intelligent, it doesn’t mean that she wasn’t. there will always be others that are getting better grades than you or studying better than you, but try not to get caught up in that. she’s top of the class? use her to motivate yourself to do better. if you’re feeling low and comparing yourself to others, there’s probably a reason for that. find what it is within yourself, fix it, and come back better than ever.
use all resources available to you
paris wouldn’t let one opportunity to better her education or further her intelligence pass, and neither should you. use every resource and opportunity handed to you and work for the ones that aren’t.
stay determined
there will always be times where you don’t feel like studying or you’re feeling discouraged, but do not let these moments or days keep you from doing what you need to do. it’s okay to rest your brain when needed, but never quit. your future self will thank you for it.
have a plan and stick to it
take time to make a plan that will work realistically and effectively for you. once you have your plan, stick to it. again, there will always be times where you aren’t feeling like it, but don’t let these moments negatively impact your habits and goals. stick to your routine and you will get to a point where you don’t even think twice about it anymore.
go above and beyond
when it comes to studying, it isn’t always enough to just do the bare minimum. most of the time, it will benefit you far more to put some extra time and work in. research further than just a chapter of a textbook or a few slides of a powerpoint. you will never regret being more well-read.
get out of your comfort zone
paris knows that to be the best, you will have to do some things that you have never done before. you will have to talk to new people, present your research to a big group of strangers, travel if needed, learn things you never thought you would have to learn, etc. your comfort zone will be your downfall. realize that you will have to do things you aren’t enthusiastic about, and that’s okay.
Here are some incredible productivity boosters that will help you stay focused, motivated, and crush your academic goals!
Optimize Your Study Environment: Create a dedicated study space that promotes focus and concentration. Keep it clean, clutter-free, and well-organized. Personalize it with inspirational quotes, plants, or artwork to make it a place you love spending time in.
Time Blocking Technique: Harness the power of time blocking to maximize your productivity. Divide your day into blocks of time and assign specific tasks to each block. This method helps you prioritize and ensures you devote dedicated time to each task.
Pomodoro Technique: Embrace the Pomodoro Technique for enhanced focus and time management. Work in focused bursts of 25 minutes, followed by a short 5-minute break. After four cycles, take a more extended break. This technique helps prevent burnout and maintains productivity.
Digital Tools and Apps: Leverage the power of technology to boost your productivity. Utilize apps like Forest, which encourages focused work by growing a virtual tree while you study. Tools like Notion or Trello can help you stay organized and manage your tasks effectively.
Prioritize Your Tasks: Learn to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. Prioritize your to-do list based on deadlines, importance, and impact. Focus on completing high-priority tasks first, and delegate or eliminate tasks that aren’t crucial to your goals.
Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your study routine. Take a few moments before starting to ground yourself, focus on your breath, and clear your mind. This practice increases your awareness and helps you stay present and engaged while studying.
Break It Down: Large tasks can be overwhelming, leading to procrastination. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps. By tackling one step at a time, you’ll make progress and feel motivated to continue working towards your goal.
Set Realistic Goals: Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals for your studies. Break down long-term goals into smaller milestones, allowing you to track your progress and celebrate achievements along the way.
Eliminate Distractions: Identify and minimize distractions during your study sessions. Put your phone on silent, use website blockers like Freedom or Cold Turkey, and let those around you know that you need uninterrupted study time. Creating a distraction-free environment will significantly boost your productivity.
Take Breaks and Rest: Remember to include regular breaks in your study schedule. Allow your mind to recharge and rejuvenate. Engage in activities you enjoy, such as going for a walk, practicing mindfulness, or pursuing a hobby. A well-rested mind is a productive mind.
It’s time to take control of your productivity and achieve greatness. Experiment with these boosters and find the ones that work best for you. Remember, productivity is a journey, so be patient and kind to yourself. Stay motivated, stay focused, and conquer your goals, one productive study session at a time!
Hermione is not the kind who would venture to a lecture without having read the required class material. In fact, she always read the class manuals and learn everything she can during her holydays, before classes even start! You could do the same by doing the required work your teachers give you. If you don’t get any, look up what you’ll study and learn more about it. Don’t ever come to class unprepared.
Read a lot and broadly
The brightest witch of her age likes to read. In fact, it’s one of her favourite distraction all throughout the saga. She seems to always have a book under her nose. She reads broadly: from boring history books, to children’s tales. She is the kind to read extra books for class, not just the required one. By doing this, she sure gets a broad culture and knowledge.
Get organised
Hermione knows her to success depends on good organisation. She is shown to have a study plan for her exams, weeks before they happen. A good organisation helps her to always be prepared for what’s coming and to get spare time to do extra work. She would never be the kind to pull an all-nighter in order to finish a project the night before it’s due because she had forgotten about it.
Teach others
Ron and Harry always need her and Hermione kindly help them in many situations. Teaching other (without doing all the work for them) is a great way to make sure you understand everything about a subject. It forces you to simplify and visualise clearly what you’re talking about. So, don’t think helping others is a waste of time, it helps you as well.
Pay attention in class and participate
Even though she is mocked for this trait, Hermione can’t help but paying attention and be active in class. She always has her hand in the air when a question is asked. She knowns paying attention in class is the most important way to understand and learn about a subject. Don’t be afraid to answer your teacher’s questions, just like Hermione does.
Make a list of the things you need to do along with an estimated time for each thing
Figure out how much time you have to catch up
Rank the things by importance. For example, a thesis statement for a research project is probably going to be more important than an hour long homework assignment.
Start on the long, important assignments and when you want to work on something different, pick a short thing to do. Take a break from that 8 page paper and go wash the dishes type deal. If you exhaust yourself on one thing, you won't get anything done.
Recognize that you most likely won't get everything you need to done. And be ok with that. Don't stress about it. Look at your list and ignore the least important things.
See if you can get an extension. Most times people are willing to help if you communicate!
Focus. This is buckle down time. It's hard and sucks but you can get through this I promise. It's ok to cry. We all cry.
Take plenty of breaks and don't panic. Focus on the important things. Just because something is lengthy doesn't mean it's more important.
Don’t let any one shame you for what time you wake up in the morning. Everyone has a time they feel most productive. Doesn’t matter if you wake up at 5 AM or noon.
As always do what’s right for you not what right for others.
Things I did last semester that boosted my average:
I don’t really like to toot my own horn but I see these posts a lot and I thought I’d share what really worked for me personally :)
•took both handwritten and typed notes (minimized hand fatigue so my notes were actually good lol) (also it’s far easier to take extensive notes and delete them later than to take minimal notes and be stuck trying to remember what was said)
•before an exam: created flashcards, diagrams, and rewrote or fleshed out notes on a word doc in a simulated exam atmosphere to enhance later recall
•planned a month at a time so I knew in advance when I could socialize and when I had to Grind™️ to prevent burnout
•made friends in my classes!! genuinely makes a big difference
•annotated the hell out of everything (pencil or post in textbooks to resell, pen and highlighters in books I knew I’d keep, all online readings were converted to PDFS and I scribbled all over them)
•annotated with jokes this is maybe unorthodox but I swear it worked for me- I’d laugh at the wording, draw emojis, reference memes, and crack jokes in the margins of my books and it made it so much easier to remember key points of the readings later on
•cut off toxic friends. self explanatory lol but stress impacts your grades!
hi everyone it's your local bipolar studyblr here with some thoughts on what I consider when I'm thinking if I need a mental health day. this is sort of a long post, but I think it's important. disclaimer this may not apply to everyone but such is life
when did you last take a day off? I'm talking nothing to work on, maybe some light reading, just resting your brain. if this was more than two weeks ago, you DEFINITELY should take a mental health day!
are you getting stressed or anxious at the very idea of opening your work? if yes, maybe take at least a bit of a mental health day
will it actively make you worse to not go to work/school today? will staying in bed only feed a harmful cycle? if so, maybe it isn't the day to take off. try to get yourself going and at least do something
are you having consistent stress migraines? if so, time for a mental health day
are you horribly anxious about the idea of going to school, work or whatever? this one is complicated. similar to number 3, will it do more harm to avoid the situation than face it? this one you need to face within yourself
An important caveat to this, is a rest day looks different for everyone. for me, sometimes it's nice to stay in a safe space like my room and get my work done. I try not to avoid the world too much, but sometimes I just need a break. ily all <3
The 2023 school year is in a few days, so here are some tips I have for note-taking! Most of these can be used for both digital and paper notes. I just wanna say these tips may not work for everyone, because we all have our own ways of learning, but these are tips that really help me and I wanna share them.
1. Colour-coding!!!
One thing I love about note-taking is the colour-coding part. I feel like colour-coding really depends on the subject and what you have to revise, here is an example taken from my Legal Studies notes:
For this particular subject, I’m highlighting key terms in pink (because Legal relies heavily on remembering terms), legislation in green, and cases in purple. However in other subjects, I have different systems, like in Maths I’m probably just going to use one colour highlighter for equations. You can also use coloured pens as well, like in Italian sometimes I write Italian terms in a blue pen and the English translation in black next to it, so my brain can process it and the excessive highlighting doesn’t blind my eyes.
Something really important to do when highlighting is HIGHLIGHT AFTER YOU FINISH YOUR NOTES. I find it really helpful to just write everything out first, and when I’m done with my notes I reread it and that’s when I begin highlighting. It’s good so you can process the information and you’re able to identity key terms, events, cases, etc.
2. Dot-points
Dot-points are really useful especially if you are taking a really content heavy subject, because they help seperate your points and are easier to read than huge paragraph.
As you can see, the notes on the right are hard to read even with the colour-coding, because all the points are in one paragraph and tbh there are too much words. On the left side, everything is easier to read because the dot-points ident the information and I can easily separate and read my points.
3. Tabs
They aren’t essential, but tabs are useful if you like to separate your units/topics from each other and want to find certain ones easily. I’m doing VCE, and every subject is divided into units which are then divided into areas of study, so if you’re doing VCE or your education system is similar to this, it would be useful to have tabs separating your topics so when it comes to revision you can easily find things without having to flick through pages. Again, not crucial, but they are convenient. I like using tabs for my textbooks when my teachers make us do questions for homework so I can easily find them and then when I’m revising I can go back to these questions as I know what to revise on.
4. Titles and sub-titles
Unlike sticky tabs, I feel like this is so important. Notes for pretty much every subject involves writing down titles, which give a very brief overview of what your notes will be on. It’s important to emphasise your titles. I’m not saying you have to take your time drawing banners, or writing your titles in calligraphy. I literally just write my main titles in capital letters and underline them. I’m just saying you have to make them distinguishable from your notes. Sub-titles are also pretty important. You can see from my Legal notes that my subtitles are underlined. This is just so I know that they are a sub-topic of my notes. I used to make my sub-titles capital letters which helps with tracking them down faster, highlighting them is good as well but I don’t do it because I highlight my notes and this would make the title blend in with the notes if you get what I mean. But yeah, like dot-points they’re very important for making your notes organised and not super crowded.
Honourable mentions
Sticky notes: good for adding in extra information when you’re rereading your notes or if you just forgot to add something.
Indenting: makes things easier on the eyes and adds more space for writing extra notes on the side.
Tables: these are so useful, especially for digital notes. I love using tables for Italian, or when I’m doing definitions for a subject. Again they just help organise your information.
Margins: if you don’t do your margins then you must be crazy. Margins are everything. You can put your dot-points in margins, not to mention they exist so you can write extra notes. My year 7 English teacher used to be obsessed with margins and now I understand why.
We all know that it can be hard to stay focused and keep up with our studies, but it’s important to remember that the hard work will be worth it in the end. So here are some tips to help motivate you:
Set a goal for yourself. Having a clear goal in mind will help you stay focused on the task at hand. Whether it’s doing well on an upcoming test or finishing all your reading for the week, having a specific goal will help you stay focused and motivated.
Break up your study sessions. Studying for a long period of time can be overwhelming. Breaking up your study sessions into smaller chunks can help you stay focused and be more productive. Divide your work into smaller, more manageable chunks. This will help you stay on track and make progress.
Find a study buddy. Having someone to study with can help you stay motivated and on task.
Reward yourself. Don’t forget to reward yourself for your hard work. Whether it’s a small treat or a night out with friends, it can be a great way to stay motivated and remind yourself why you’re studying in the first place.
Stay positive. It can be easy to get discouraged when studying, but it’s important to stay positive and keep your eye on the prize.
10 steps to revise for an exam (and my recommended timeline)
Quickly go over the material that will be covered on the exam. Put each topic into a category of "Good" "Okay" and "Bad" based on your understanding of that topic. (Day 0 - Before revising)
Look at steps 3-10 and put them into a study plan that you can follow. This will keep you on track and ensure you cover everything. (Day 0 - Before revising)
First, start with your "Okay" list. Briefly revise each topic, focusing on definitions, formulas, and general concepts. At this point, you should be ensuring that you know the information, not focusing on exam practice. I like using flashcards for this step to ensure I actually know the information (Day 1)
Now, do the same for your "Good" list. (Day 1 or 2)
Once you've done steps 2 and 3, you're ready to practice! If your professor has given you practice/review questions, use those. You can also find great questions in your textbook or from past assignments. (Day 2)
Now, focus on your "Bad" category. Do a much more thorough review of the information in this category, almost as if you're learning it for the first time. This is a step where flashcards may be super helpful, especially if you need to power through a lot of memorization work (Day 3).
This is where you practice your "Bad" category. Make sure to do multiple questions for each topic to ensure that you're prepared for anything that comes your way (Day 4).
Revisit all the information you've studied over this process, and do more practice problems on the topics you're struggling with the most. (Day 5)
Take a deep breath, get some sleep, and eat a good meal! (Exam day!)
Aromatherapy/diffusers/candles. You can get diffusers with timers you can set and use different scents to help with focus and concentration!
Apps! There's sooooo many super cute study apps that reward you for study time! There's also apps that reward you for being productive in general!
Nap breaks! Nothing is better than a nice little nap after a hard study session and this motivation is what helps my cousin study for a couple hours uninterrupted.
Play background noise on an app that you can't minimize or the music stops, like YouTube without premium. This forces you to not use your phone.
Make small, achievable goals with little rewards!
Set a timer on your phone and put it in another room. When the timer goes off, reward yourself with a fun activity.
Teach the material to a pet, stuffed animal, or younger sibling or a plant!
Turn it into a game. Instead of using flashcards the boring way, turn it into a matching game. Play hangman to teach yourself how to spell complex words or make an crossword for foreign language practice!
Make it a self care act. Self care always feels nice. Treat studying how you do any other self care activity. Maybe even do a hair and face mask while you study and listen to zen music.
Give yourself new goals to keep it exciting. Study times and information retention should be your focus and rewards can be anything you like!