When you need help

Just here to help people out

[parisgellerstudy]

MASSIVE list of book recs

plays

death of a salesman, arthur miller

macbeth, shakespeare

a streetcar named desire, tennessee williams

hamlet, shakespeare

a raisin in the sun, lorraine hansberry

a midsummer night’s dream, shakespeare

antigone, sophocles

king lear, shakespeare

the glass menagerie, tennessee williams

othello, shakespeare

pygmalion, george bernard shaw

the tempest, shakespeare,

much ado about nothing, shakespeare

as you like it, shakespeare

the taming of the shrew, shakespeare

the merry wives of windsor, shakespeare

the merchant of venice, shakespeare

oedipus rex, sophocles

an ideal husband, oscar wilde

who’s afraid of virginia wolf, edward albee

our town, thornton wilder

waiting for godot, samuel beckett

fantasy/fairy tales

the ranger’s apprentice, john flanagan

harry potter series, j.k. rowling

inkheart by cornelia funke

throne of glass, sarah j. maas

the chronicles of narnia, c.s. louis

the lord of the rings, j.r.r. tolkien

the hobbit, j.r.r. tolkien

percy jackson and the olympions, rick riordan

eragon by christopher paolini

the bartimaeus trilogy, jonathan stroud

howl’s moving castle, dianna wynne jones

the wonderful wizard of oz, lyman frank baum

the books of bayern, shannon hale

ella enchanted, gail carson levine

the princess bride, william goldman

the raven cycle, maggie stiefvater

the sisters grimm, michael buckley

the spiderwick chronicles, tony diterlizzi and holly black

the alchemist, paulo coelho

forgive my fins, tera lynn childs

alice in wonderland, lewis carroll

the faerie path, allan jones frewin

the school for good and evil, soman chainani

the grimm legacy, polly shulman

the sweetest spell, suzanne selfors

the tales of the frog princess, e.d. baker

the wide-awake princess, e.d. baker

once a witch, carolyn maccullough

the silver bowl series, diane stanley

the emily windsnap series, liz kessler

fairest, gail carson levine

the fairy realm series, emily rodda

the water mirror, kai meyer

the two princesses of bamarre, gail carson levine

non-fiction

the seven habits of highly effective people, stephen covey

the seven habits of highly effective teens, sean covey

mencken’s chrestomathy, h.l. mencken

yes please, amy poehler

is everyone hanging out without me? (and other concerns), mindy kaling

audrey hepburn: an elegant spirit, sean hepburn ferrer

how to be lovely: the audrey hepburn way of life, melissa hellstern

how to win friends and influence people, dale carnegie

how to win friends and influence people for teen girls, donna dale carnegie

#girlboss by sophia amuroso

14,000 things to be happy about, barbara ann kipfer

choose to matter, julie foudy

the little book of skin care: korean beauty secrets for healthy, glowing skin, charlotte cho

where stylists shop: the fashion insider’s ultimate guide, booth moore

the girls’ book of glamour: a guide to being a goddess, jeffrie sally

the girls’ book: how to be the best at everything, juliana foster

the girls’ book of excellence: even more ways to be the best at everything, sally norton

the life-changing magic of not giving a f*ck: how to stop spending time you don’t have with people you don’t like doing things you don’t want to do (a no f*cks given guide), sarah knight

bossypants, tina fey

we should all be feminists by chimamanda ngozi adichie

behind the scenes: or, thirty years a slave, and four years in the white house, elizabeth keckley

the pillow book, sei shōnagon

eat pretty: nutrition for beauty, inside and out, jolene hart

eat pretty every day: 365 daily inspirations for nourishing beauty, inside and out, jolene hart

narrative of the life of frederick douglass, frederick douglass

narrative of sojourner truth, sojourner truth

12 years a slave, solomon northup

night, elie wiesel

poetry

the flowers of evil, charles baudelaire

a season in hell, arthur rimbaud

she walks in beauty, lord byron

shakespeare’s sonnets, shakespeare

we real cool, gwendolyn brooks

poems of emily dickinson

poems of robert frost

leaves of grass, walt whitman

the raven, edgar allen poe

poems of edgar allen poe

milk and honey by rupi kaur

the sun and her flowers, rupi kaur

the princess saves herself in this one, amanda lovelace

romance

romeo and juliet, shakespeare

emma, jane austen

ever, gail carson levine

pride and prejudice, jane austen

eleanor and park, rainbow rowell

sense and sensibility, jane austen

jane eyre, charlotte brontë

landline, rainbow rowell

madame bovary, gustave flaubert

to all the boys i’ve loved before, jenny han

love in the time of cholera, gabriel garcía márquez

the sun is also a star, nicola yoon

young adult

fangirl, rainbow rowell

great expectations, charles dickens

aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe, benjamin alire sáenz

when the moon was ours, anna-marie mclemore

the goldfinch, donna tartt

looking for alaska, john green

we were liars, e. lockhart

the wrath and the dawn, renée ahdieh

little women, louisa may alcott

palace of spies, sarah zettel

the clique series, lisi harrison

the finishing school series, gail carriger

eyes like stars, lisa mantchev

the ever after high series, shannon hale

along for the ride, sarah dessen

girl online, zoe sugg

keeping the castle, patrice kindl

stargirl, jerry spinelli

stir it up, ramin ganeshram

prom and prejudice, elizabeth eulberg

the summer i saved the world…in 65 days, michele weber hurwitz

pink and green series by lisa greenwald

six of crows, leigh bardugo

the catcher in the rye, j.d. salinger

the house on mango street, sandra cisneros

turtles all the way down, john green

under the lights, dahlia adler

geekerella, ashley poston

simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda, becky albertalli

it’s not like it’s a secret, misa sugiura

the idiot, elif batuman

the outsiders, s.e. hinton

everything leads to you, nina lacour

a wrinkle in time, madeleine l’engle

dumplin’, julie murphy

historical fiction

the great gatsby, f. scott fitzgerald

the scarlet letter, nathaniel hawthorne

a tale of two cities, charles dickens

the song of achilles, madeline miller

the last of the mohicans, james fenimore cooper

the constant princess, philippa gregory

the count of monte cristo, alexandre dumas

les misérables, victor hugo

war and peace, leo tolstoy

a mad, wicked folly, sharon biggs waller

manor of secrets, katherine longshore

to kill a mockingbird, harper lee

uncle tom’s cabin, harriet beecher stowe

atonement ian mcewan

the unbearable lightness of being, milan kundera

things fall apart, chinua achebe

ophelia, lisa m. klein

the god of small things, arundhati roy

gothic fiction

frankenstein, mary shelley

dracula, bram stoker

the picture of dorian gray, oscar wilde

wuthering heights, emily brontë

parody/satire

catch-22, joseph heller 

candide, voltaire

don quixote, miguel de cervantes

animal farm, george orwell

the importance of being earnest, oscar wilde

science fiction

the city of ember, jeanne duprau

1984, george orwell

the handmaid’s tale, margaret atwood

brave new world, aldous huxley

the lunar chronicles, marissa meyer

the time machine, h.g. wells

the fourteenth goldfish, jennifer l. holm

fahrenheit 451, ray bradbury

twenty thousand leagues under the sea, jules verne

the extraordinary voyages series, jules verne

epics

beowulf, author unknow

the odyssey, homer

the iliad, homer

the bhagavad gita, vyasa

the mahabharata, vyasa

inferno, dante alighieri

miscellaneous

the bell jar, sylvia plath

the secret history, donna tartt

swann’s way, marcel proust

the art of war, sun tzu

the awakening, kate chopin

moby dick, herman melville

anna karenina, leo tolstoy

the canterbury tales, geoffrey chaucer

the crucible, arthur miller

one flew over the cuckoo’s nest, ken kesey

the antichrist, friedrich nietzsche

sew zoey, nancy taylor and chloe zhang

the candymakers, wendy mass

my sister the vampire series, sienna mercer

eight hundred grapes, laura dave

their eyes were watching god, zora neale hurston

the adventures of huckleberry finn, mark twain

the adventures of tom sawyer, mark twain

a christmas carol, charles dickens

the old man and the sea, ernest hemingway

to the lighthouse, virginia woolf

utopia, thomas more

a spy in the house of love, anaïs nin

crime and punishment, fyodor dostoyevsky

the assistants, camille perri

a room of one’s own, virginia woolf

the joy luck club, amy tan

sputnik sweetheart, haruki murakami

the namesake, jhumpa lahiri

a thousand splendid suns, khaled hosseini

crazy rich asians, kevin kwan

save the date, morgan matson

neuromancer, william gibson

thanks for reading! i hope this helped some of you out. hugs, mel ✨✨✨

[maximum-trash-collection-deacti]

For people starting collage in September ☺️

Buy a sturdy backpack, trust me satchels kill your shoulder(s) when there heavy.

Carry a refill pad, lined or gridded it's up to you. It stops you from having to carry around a shit tone of notebooks and paper, there also often cheaper than notebooks.

Only buy the textbooks you need, this often means waiting till you start collage. I bought the psychology textbook and don't need it bc collage had a free online addition.

Have a slim pencil case as textbooks/folders/lunch take up most room. In mine I have 2 black and 2 blue pens. 1 green for correcting work. A ruler, 2 pencils and those eraser-sharpener combos. Highlighters are also a must have.

Have one ring binder in your bag. Seriously, it saves space and makes your bag weigh less. I have plastic wallets and dividers in mine for each subject. Transfer work when you get home in to a separate folder for each subject. Only take recent work with you.

Display books are also great, wallets already included and light weight.

Have a refillable water bottle. Period.

Carry at cash with you at ALL times, spontaneous trips to mcdonalds seem much better when you can buy something. Pens runs out you can buy more, forget lunch at at least you can buy some. Saved my arse a few times tbh.

Carry headphones. Nuff said.

Textbooks but only the ones NEEDED.

Quizlet app, never loose flashcards again.

Get stuff ready the night before e.g. Clothes, lunch, bag ect

Carry a a small umbrella, it saved me from getting wet, when it's pissing it down here in the UK.

Take a tablet/Ipad rather than a laptop. Not as heavy but still just as functional. If you do take a laptop don't for get the charger. Power banks work on tablets./ipads as well.

Paracetamol (or an equivalent) is a must. Headache take one, pms take one ect

Have a good email address and a shitty email address. Sign up for open days with the good email.

Carry your student ID at all time even when not in college, students get discounts in some shops. Use them.

Buy loose pants/jeans. Skinny jeans are great but after 7 hours in a stuffy building and sitting down, they suck big time.

Layer up in colder months so that you don't have to carry a coat around all the time. Or invest in a fleecey jacket.

No one gives a shit what you wear in collage. Uggs go ahead, pajamas not a single shit given. Seriously, most people will look and probably wish they had come in them.

Start revision ASAP.

Notes don't have to be perfect, they can be scribbled to shit as long as you can read them.

Take a break. Burnouts are no fun.

Fucking Eat.

Make friends with people in your lessons, hanging out with mates you moved up with is fine, but catching up with missed work or revision is harder without someone who knows the course. Also it's someone to sit next to and pair up with in group projects.

General rule if you sit in a spot for at least 2 weeks it yours. Choose Wisley as only a few teacher have seating plans.

If your gonna skip a class, at least email the teacher if they can give you the work. Bad grades suck. Also, teacher don't care if you skip class once or twice. It's if you miss a few In a row that they throw a hissy fit.

But bad grades are part of learning, not passing one test is not the end of the world you think it is.

If you hate ice breakers. Remember everyone in that room would rather be hit by a truck and be shoved in a giant pile of salt, than give an "interesting fact" about them selves. Always say pets or pets that you wish you had. If your stuck for ideas. Hobbies such as hockey, netball, football ect are good as well

Carry purfume/deodorant.

Use the school resources, make the most of them. They're there to be used.

Have a planner I use a app on my phone, rather than a physical one to save space in my bag.

Forest app. If you need motivation to study.

Talk to people, most of them are there because they enjoy those subjects. You'll have more in common than you think.

Teachers know you have a job, trust me they will understand if you miss a few pieces of homework. Just don't use that excuse everytime.

Go to the top floor libraries, there often quiter and have bigger tables & comfortable seating.

Get to the bus stop at least 10 minutes early, you never know if traffic is going to be good or bad. Gives you time to walk slowly or go to the shop if needed.

Have a place where your things can be dumped when you come In from collage. Hooks for bags and student IDs. Shelving for books ect

Group chats for subjects or for friends are great. Share study material ot homework answers on there.

If someone starts drama. Drop them. It's collage, petty shit is stupid and is not what you need.

Report creepy behaviour, trust me teachers and staff will deal with it. They want the campus to be a safe environment. If they don't eat them. call the police ect and report the individual.

I can't stress enough dress how you want. No one cares. Collage is a time of realising your personal sense of style. If any one does make fun of you remember B and B (boobs or balls hurt a lot when hit lmao). *

Take a thermos full of tea/coffee ect. Cheaper in the long run than buying Starbucks or costa everyday.

That's all I can think of at the moment. I wish you all the best to those who are starting this year. Enjoy it because time flies.

*Screechingcollagestudent cannot be held accountable for any acts of violence 😂😂😂

[jonahsbuffy]

episode link masterpost

03x20 - “we were here” (series finale)

03x19 - “a moving day”

03x18 - “something to talk a-boot”

03x17 - “arts and inhumanities”

03x16 - “one girl’s trash”

03x15 - “unloading zone”

03x14 - “hammer time”

03x13 - “mount rushmore or less”

03x12 - “the ex factor”

03x11 - “one in a minyan”

03x10 - “the quacks”

03x09 - “secret society”

03x08 - “i’ve got your number”

03x07 - “the new girls”

03x06 - “cookie monster”

03x05 - “that syncing feeling”

03x04 - “hole in the wall”

03x03 - “it’s a dilemma”

03x02 - “howling at the moon festival”

03x01 - “the boys are back”

02x25 - “the cake that takes the cake”

02x24 - “we’re on cloud ten”

02x23 - “bought lost or stolen”

↑ mine ↑

↓ not mine ↓

02x22 - “keep a lid on it”

02x21 - “buffy in a bottle

02x20 - “for the last time”

02x19 - “andi’s choice”

02x18 - “crime scene: andishack!”

02x17 - “a walker to remember”

02x16 - “truth or truth”

02x15 - “perfect day 2.0″

02x14 - “better to have wuvved and wost”

02x13 - “cyrus’ bash-mitzvah

02x12 - “we were never”

02x11 - “miniature gulf”

02x10 - “a good hair day”

02x09 - “you’re the one that i want”

02x08 - “there’s a mack in the shack”

02x07 - “head over heels”

02x06 - “i wanna hold your wristband”

02x05 - “the snorpion”

02x04 - “mama”

02x03 - “friends like these”

02x02 - “chinese new year”

02x01 - “hey, who wants pizza?”

all season 1 episodes

[rommunism-deactivated20201016]

heres a list of lesbian musicians for ldov <3

Against Me!

Alex the Astronaut - indie pop

Beatrice Eli - pop

Bec Sandridge - pop/indie rock

Brandi Carlile - folk rock/americana

Brandy Clark - country

Chely Wright - country

Courtney Barnett - psychedelic rock

Cris Williamson - folk rock

Domo Wilson - rap

Doria Roberts - Early 00s pop

Erin Mckeown - jazz/rock/folk/pop

Eurotrill - rap

girl in red - bedroom pop

Grace Petrie - folk/protest

GRLwood - scream pop/punk duo

Hyphen Hyphen - pop band

Indigo Girls - folk duo

Jamie Anderson - folk

Janis Ian - folk

Ji Nilsson - pop

Julien Baker - alt rock/indie folk

k.d lang - folk/jazz/country

Kera and the Lesbians - “bipolar folk”

King Princess - pop

Lauren Ruth Ward - rock

Lauren Sanderson - r&b

Left at London - indie/alt

Lesley Gore - 50s pop

LP - alt rock/indie pop

Marika Hackman - folk/alt rock

Mary Lambert - pop ballads

Melissa Etheridge - 90s folk rock

Miki Ratsula - indie/alt

Mirah - indie/chamber pop

Ness Nite - independent hiphop

No Girlfriends - alt rock

OTEP - nu metal/hardcore

Palehound - folk punk band

Partner - Pop punk duo

PVRIS - synth rock band

Sara Renberg - indie rock

Sateen - queer disco/pop

Siya - rap

Sofya Wang - pop

Starley - pop

The Internet - r&b band fronted by Syd

The Japanese House - dream pop

The xx - ethereal pop

Toshi Reagon - rock/blues/gospel

Tracy Chapman - folk pop

Tribe 8 - queercore/punk band

Young M.A - rap

Zolita - dark pop

[thatirishlesbian]

Queer Webcomic & Comic recommendations. 🏳️‍🌈

I’ve just finished a wonderful webcomic featuring many queer main characters and it prompt me to do a recommendations list. To share with you all some of the brilliant LGBTQIAP+ webcomics & graphic novels that I’ve read.

1) Rock & Riot by Chelsey Furedi.

Rock & Riot is about 3 groups of teenagers as they deal with rivalries, love & their sexual orientation set in the 1950’s.

It’s a webcomic completely free to read online at Tapas or here on tumblr.

It’s hands down one of the most diverse comics I’ve ever read. Multiple main characters are queer including: Connie who is a woc and also a lesbian, Carla who is plus size & bi or pan sexual, Roller who is a Transwomen & Ace who is non- binary. We also have 3 f/f romances, 2 m/m romances and one f/enby romance develop as the comic goes on.

It’s unbelievably cute and I adored it!!

2) Taproot by Kenzey Young.

Flower shop Au in comic form!

Cute ghost guy falls for his flower shop owning best friend.

It’s so freaking adorable!

One of the cutest m/m romances ever!

More Humorous than expected.

I loved it.

3) Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neil.

Princess Princess Ever After is another webcomic available to read completely free online. If you type in the title the comic website will come up.

The cutest f/f romance.

The princess saves the princess.

Plus size main character.

Talks about gender issues and the roles of men and women.

Interrracial relationship.

Poc main character{ Amira is my favorite}

4) Fence by C.S Pacat & Johanna The Mad.

Let’s put it this way Fence is so good that I’m following the comic Issue by Issue and I NEVER do that. I normally just wait until the graphic novel is released.

Literally everyone is queer.

Sports comic that we all wanted!

Super diverse most of the main cast are POC.

Slow burn relationships to develop as the comic goes on.

I’m already shipping Seiji/Nicholas & Aiden/Harvard so bad!!

Waiting month by month will Kill you but the pain is worth it.

5) The Young Avengers by Kieron Gillen, Mike Norton & Jamie McKelvie.

The marvel movies are terrible when it comes to diversity but their comics do it right.

POC main characters.

Gay MC.

M/M Romance.

Superpowers!

Bisexual MC.

One of my favorite marvel comics. Honestly this and Ms.Marvel are the only ones done the right way!

6) Kim Reaper: Grim Beginnings by Sarah Graley.

Won’t lie this ain’t my favorite graphic novel ever but it has great diversity and kickass female main characters so I don’t mind.

Also has a cute f/f romance between the two main characters.

Queer Grim Reaper! Something I didn’t even know I wanted.

7) Starfighter by Hamlet Machine.

Another webcomic completely free to read online. Just look up Starfighter and the comic website will appear.

WARNINGS: This comic is erotic and at times gruesome!

It’s completely adult content!!

Scfi.

M/M romance.

POC Characters

Morally grey main characters.

To be fair this isn’t the best webcomic I’ve ever read but it’s weirdly addictive.

8) Long Exposure By Kam “Mars” Heyward.

Webcomic is completely free to read on Tapas.

Follows the story of Jonas and Mitch the guy who’s only back in school from prison. Mitch use to bully Jonas when they were kids. They’re forced to work on an assignment together and stuff happens.

They get powers is so fun!

Honestly I didn’t expect to love this like I did.

POC Main characters.

Jonas is so precious.

Mitch is morally grey but also precious.

M/M Romance.

9) The Legend Of Korra: Turf Wars part 1.

Korrasami is queens so of course I’m going to recommend my favorite comic in this universe.

It’s so good.

So much Korra & Asami content. We’re blessed.

I recommend watching the Tv Show first because it’s amazing. Also while you’re at it watch Avatar: The Last Airbender before it. I promise you won’t regret it.

Everything leads up to this wonderful comic.!!

10) The Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson.

Once of the most diverse middle grade graphic novels I’ve ever read.!

Honestly there’s so much beautiful content in the series.

The cutest f/f romance{ Molly & Mal😍}

The best thing about these comics is the friendship between the girls. They all love each other so much and knowing this is out there for young girls unsure of themselves and will be able to bring them comfort makes my heart happy.

POC main characters.

One of the girls has two dads.

Bonus: These are some I haven’t read but have heard great things about and want to really soon.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. Webcomic free online. Cute m/m romance between two high school boys who meet at a boarding school.

Goldie Vance by Hope Larson. Queer main character who is a WOC solves a mystery. She wants to become a detective. Has a crush on a cute girl during the graphic novel. That’s all I know but I need it!!

-That’s all folks. Let me know if you’ve read any of these I’d love to chat. Also please feel free to reblog and add more on. ☺️

[studycrack-blog]

10 Angry College Tips For Incoming Freshmen

(I finished my freshman year this spring with a 4.0 GPA, an off-campus research internship, and three professors contacting me suggesting that I apply for a fulbright scholarship.  These tips aren’t coming out of my ass.) 

1. LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY THIS: YOU DO NOT NEED TO “GET INVOLVED” IN STUPID CLUBS IF YOU DON’T ENJOY THEM.  Hear “get involved! :)” for the 1000th time and just barf in your mouth a little and move on.  If you work hard and get good grades, and socialize with people on campus when you have free time (it comes more naturally than you think) YOU WILL.  BE.  FINE.  Actually better than fine.  You’ll have time to get a real job/internship, which by the way, is what the real world wants to see you prioritizing.  Moral of the story: Only join clubs if they help your personality thrive and feel healthy.  Don’t do them because you feel pressured.  

2. DON’T TAKE SHIT FROM A N Y O N E. I know you’re trying to fit in and take the stance of trying to make everyone happy to make sure you’ll have plenty of friends.  But you have to realize that you literally just met these people, and they just met you.  If they create an uncomfortable environment for you that makes college harder to cope with, get them the fuck out of your life. Ain’t nobody got time for people’s high school-ass drama.  

3. SKIP YOUR CLASSES SOMETIMES.  If you really have your shit together, it won’t matter.  Your school will say the amount of skips you can get away with before it harms your grade.  Use. Them.

4. BECOME THE MASTER OF WRITING ESSAYS IN ONE NIGHT.  You will have to.  I’m telling you right the fuck now.  And you can get an A, if you work your lil ass off. I’ve done it many times.  

5. DON’T CARE FOR EVEN 1 SECOND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF YOU.  If you wanna wear sweats and no makeup, do it.  If you want to dress up and take time to put on makeup, do it.  If you want to stay away from partying, do it.  If you want to party, have a good ass time.  If anyone has enough time to judge you, they need to be studying harder or getting a hobby.  Make yourself comfortable and happy as fuck and enjoy your time in college worry-free. 

6. BE THE ASSHOLE WITH A TABLET OR LAPTOP IN LECTURE.  You won’t have time to copy it all down.  You’ll be miserable.  Just trust me.  I know studies say its more effective to write stuff down for memory, but, write them out later or something.  Learned that one the hard way.

7. DON’T REWRITE YOUR NOTES IF IT DOESN’T HELP YOU STUDY.  If you know doing that doesn’t help you memorize, don’t do it, period.  Or, if you have a collossal asston of notes (like I did) it isn’t even worth rewriting them all in the first place. I’ve fallen down that hole and lost motivation and time.  Just reread them or make flashcards or whatever.  Study for effectiveness, not aesthetic.

8. BE PREPARED FOR LAB TO GO THE “WHOLE TIME.”  Yah, you’re gonna see 3 hours on that brand-shiny-new schedule of yours and be like there’s no way it’ll go that long, right? LOL about that.  Just mentally brace yourself.  Eat and drink beforehand for the love of god we don’t need hangry people handling chemicals.  

9. COMMUTING DOESN’T MAKE YOU A LONER.  Just.  No. If you live close to campus, are comfortable with commuting, and know you’ll save yourself MAJOR debt by doing it, do it and don’t feel a fucking ounce of guilt about it.  It’ll be some early mornings, but your fresh out of college broke ass will thank you, and you’ll use your time more effectively.  (Plus you get a non grimy shower like??)

10. LOVE YOUR NEW FINE ASS SELF.  College is a fresh start.  Put energy into who you have always wanted to be.  And don’t compromise that out of social anxiety and embarrassment.  You’ll be happy and thank yourself if you step out of your comfort zone to be the person you’ve always had in mind.  

[universtudy]

How to Never Fall Behind in Classes

Alternatively titled: How to Use Your Planner or How Organization and Discipline Will Get You Better Grades

This is my full guide on how to use your planner effectively and make sure that you are never missing deadlines or falling behind in classwork and homework. This is definitely more about the university level and works best with a dated planner, rather than a bullet journal. Let’s get started! 

Get all of your syllabi together and write down dates. Go through one class at a time and mark down all of your major tests and assignment due dates. I recommend putting these dates into the monthly and weekly views, and perhaps coming up with a symbol or other indicator that tells you they are of utmost importance. 

Make a weekly schedule of when to complete readings and do a weekly review of notes. Instead of trying to randomly decide when to do these things, assign a date for each task for each class. If you have a tutorial on Tuesday, do the assigned readings for it every Wednesday. I recommend scheduling one to two weekly tasks per day, and to leave a few days open, whether it be weekends or days when you have a lot of classes.

Make a master list of assignments. I find that sometimes, even having due dates in the calendar view isn’t enough, and they can still sneak up on you. The master list will be a good place to double check if you have any deadlines approaching easily. 

In the week or so before a due date, create a checklist of smaller tasks needed to complete the assignment. Set individual due dates for each smaller task by working backwards from the due date. Smaller tasks may include finding sources, making an outline, writing a rough draft, and editing and adding references to create a final copy. Write the smaller tasks into your daily to-do list. 

You can also do this with studying for tests, but the checklist would look slightly different. You could either sort by study method (first do flashcards, then do essay outlines, etc.) or sort by the topics you need to study. 

Stick to the schedule you have made. Obviously, if something comes up and you need to move your to-do list around, do so! But if you aren’t doing anything and you see readings on your list of daily tasks.. do them. Having the plan set out like this makes it easier for you to remain disciplined. 

Why use this method? 

By creating a schedule for repeated weekly tasks like completing readings, you make sure that you can’t repeatedly push off smaller tasks until you are weeks behind. I don’t think it is very reliable to just will yourself to do readings, or to keep up with them without tracking it. 

By writing down all of your due dates, you will never be shocked to find out something is due the night before. You will know and you will be prepared. 

By creating smaller checklists of tasks to complete before a major test or assignment, you will never find yourself in a situation where you have an essay due in a few days and haven’t even started. You will be following a timeline and making sure you don’t have to rush.

I know this system may seem rigorous, but planning is the only way you can keep on top of your workload in university! Falling behind is a lot harder if you are organized and disciplined, and being on top of your workload will help you a lot when it comes to exam times… no cramming and all-nighters if you have been consistent all semester! 

[intellectys]

Being a studyblr is of course far more about the mindset and our shared passion for learning than the stationery, but in this digital world that revolves around photos, it doesn’t always feel that way. However, me that just saying “it’s who you are, not what you have!!” seems quite preachy and condescending, and I know from my own experience how not feeling the same can still hurt your confidence and make you feel like you don’t fit in- even if in reality, that’s completely untrue.

While I can’t solve all the underlying issues with the way this community often (unintentionally!!) functions, what I can do is share advice from my own experience- so here’s a few things I do as a studyblr on a budget to make my money go further.

Try using a makeup bag as a pencil case. So long as you’re not someone who likes lots of compartments, they’re often cheaper than bags specifically marketed as pencil cases (especially on sale). Plus, they’re waterproof and come in so many cute patterns!

Hold off on buying a planner or calendar until a couple of weeks into the year. If you can make do with a notebook for a while, you’ll save a tonne! Demand drops off massively after school starts so you can find some huge discounts on really nice quality planners. 

Use AliExpress to buy cute stationery, especially sticky notes. As long as you’re willing to wait a bit longer, it’s usually pretty reliable and always super cheap. Plus, you can avoid dropshipping scams and save money to support your favourite creators & artists!

Don’t be put off by places like Walmart! Even though they’re not the first places that spring to mind when you think of stationery, supermarkets often stock some good, cheap, and reliable supplies. And they can still be super pretty- look at this adorable notebook! 

Keep an eye on sales. If you’re after a specific brand, waiting for a sale or finding a coupon code can be a lifesaver. If it’s a specific product, try watching supermarket flyers until somewhere like the middle of Lidl or Aldi starts stocking it for cheap!

Become friends with DIY. One thing so many studyblrs are talented at is making things look pretty- make the most of that!! Decorate your notebooks! Embroider your bags! Use the skills you have to make the most of what you’ve got, and it’ll often look even better than something fancy and ridiculously expensive. 

Try some thrift stores. While this isn’t directly related to stationery, if you’re after homewares for your photos or even a nice background, thrift stores can be a solution. Don’t have a glam white desk? Lay out a big white shirt from the thrift store! Plus, sustainability is always a plus. 

Buy books secondhand or get them from the library. This isn’t just true for things like textbooks, but for things you want to read as well. Things like pretty bookshelves are definitely idealized but also very expensive. Secondhand books from places like Alibris, or my fave, AbeBooks, are not only cheaper but come with that vintage vibe that’s really in at the moment!

Save things like jam jars to use as stationery organizers. Who needs acrylic storage when we have glass? If you’re after the aesthetics, reused containers can look great for your desk (and photograph really well!) while things you use less often can be hidden away in shoeboxes elsewhere. 

Make use of freebies!! Studyblr is great for providing free resources, from gorgeous free printables to free extensions to make your computer look prettier. This sort of thing can be a fab way to customize your setup without spending a tonne, plus you can change the vibe whenever!

Enter all the giveways you can. So long as you’re old enough to give away your mailing address (or have permission from your parents!) and check that’s it’s a legit giveaway, you have literally nothing to lose. Especially on Instagram, brands frequently offer giveaways of their products, and it can be an amazing way to cop some name brand bits and bobs completely for free.

Realize that a lot of the “studyblr aesthetic” is nothing more than framing. I once used a Starbucks doubleshot can in photos across three whole weeks just to make my photos look pretty- no lie. This is quite deceptive but I think everyone, myself included wants to put their best self forward. You, too, are in control of what people see, and there’s so many free resources available online! Take a peek at @studyquill’s guide to photography  or some tips from @studypetals and make the most of free apps to edit your photos. Half the time, it’s not about the products, but rather what people perceive.

Please do remember, though, that your hard work, effort, and dedication are infinitely more valuable than the things you own. You don’t need a Mac or a Kanken or Tombows to be an incredible studyblr to motivate yourself and inspire others, even if it often seems that way. 

If that sort of thing ever affects your confidence, you’re more than welcome to drop me a message for reassurance, or to suggest more tips, or even just to chat!! I’ll also reblog anything you tag me in (#intellectys)- regardless of how “””pretty””” it is. 

This is just my (pretty small) effort to support everyone and make them feel welcome, since this community is filled with amazing people, all of whom deserve admiration and appreciation for the fantastic things they do <3

[eintsein]

Hey guys, so I’m nearing the end of my senior year, and it’s been great so far! I accomplished my academic tasks efficiently and didn’t burn myself out, and I think the main contributor to my success as a student is my organization system. This system has been refined throughout my high school years, but I think now I’ve finally found the most effective methods.

Please remember that this isn’t the only organization system you can adopt; this is just the one that works the best for me, and I hope that by sharing it with you, you’ll gain a new perspective on how to stay organized as a high school student.

The first thing I wanna talk about is my notebook system, which I briefly mentioned in my Guide to Note-Taking.

My notebook system comprises three types of notebooks: the Everything Notebook, the subject notebook, and the revision notebook.

The Everything Notebook

The first stage is in-class notes. I only bring one notebook to school every day. I call it my Everything Notebook, and this is where I write down all of the notes I take in class. This way, I don’t have to lug around six notebooks where I’m only going to use a few pages in each of them that day.

Subject Notebooks

At the end of the day, I would revise my notes and compare them to the syllabus so I know where we are in the learning process. I would then transfer my class notes from my Everything Notebook to my different subject notebooks. This is stage two. I also start to jazz up my notes because I use the notes in my subject notebooks to study for tests.

In addition to my class notes, I include material from my teachers’ notes that they might not have elaborated on, as well as points in the syllabus (I’m currently taking A2) that were only glazed over briefly, or not at all, in some cases. (Note: this does not mean they completely skip a chapter or topic; it’s more like they missed a few bullet points that should be in my notes but aren’t. An example would be if we’re learning about phenol reactions and the teacher forgot to mention the use of FeCl3 as a test for phenol.)

Revision Notebooks

Stage three comes a little later, when exam week is just around the corner. Essentially, I rewrite and improve my notes from my five different subject notebooks into a single revision notebook or binder. (Recently, I’ve opted for a revision notebook because they’re lighter and easier to carry around.)

Because my teachers don’t always teach in the order of the syllabus, the first thing I do is organize my notes according to the syllabus. I would then fill in any other missing gaps in the material that hadn’t been filled in stage two.

When compiling material for my revision notebook, I use as many sources as possible: my own notes, my teachers’ notes, youtube videos, online sites, and my favorite, the mark scheme! I add in some answers from past papers (explanations only, so no calculations) mainly to secure marks. It’s safer to memorize definitions straight from the mark scheme than from the textbook or from handouts. I also do this to ease my memorization, especially for topics that require lengthy explanations. It’s a lot easier to remember the 6 points I need to explain the principles of NMRI than to remember everything in the four-page handout my teacher gave me.

Folders and binders are essential to organizing your papers. Some people keep a single accordion folder for all their papers, but for me it’s just too heavy to carry around all the time. The same goes for subject folders that are brought to school every day.

Instead, my binder/folder system comprises my Everything Folder and my subject binders.

The Everything Folder

The folder I carry with me to school every day is this A4 folder I got from Tokyu Hands. It has 5 pockets, one for each day of the week, so all the papers I receive on Monday will go behind the first divider, and so on.

Some people also keep blank papers in their folders; I don’t because my school has its own lined paper and graphing pads that I keep under my desk that I use if a teacher asks us to do an assignment on those papers. If I do work at home, I prefer to just use a plain A4 paper or a legal pad.

Subject Binders

At the end of the week, I’ll sort my papers into my subject binders. Sometimes I’ll keep some papers in the folder if I think I’ll be needing it the next week. This usually only applies to worksheets because all my teachers’ notes are available on Google Classroom, so I can access them even if I don’t physically have them.

Each of these binders have sections inside them:

Physics: 1 for handouts, notes, and tests, 1 for Paper 4 (Theory), 1 for Paper 5 (Practical Planning). I included extra tabs to mark the different topics in the handouts section.

Chemistry: same as Physics.

Economics: 1 for Paper 3 (MCQ), 1 for Paper 4 (Case Study and Essay). A lot of my Economics material is online, though.

English: 1 for Paper 3 (Text and Discourse analysis), and 2 for Paper 4 (Language Topics, which includes 1 for Child Language Acquisition, 1 for World Englishes). Past papers, handouts, and notes all go under their respective topics.

Mathematics: I just keep everything together because I never revise math and just constantly do past papers.

This makes it easier for me to revise each subject because I can just take one binder with me instead of a messy folder with everything just shoved in there.

I keep a magazine file for each of my A-Level subjects (English and Mathematics are combined). All my textbooks, revision guides, and subject notebooks are kept here, so if I need to revise one subject, that’s the magazine file I’ll take out.

These magazine files prevent any small things (like my book of flashcards) from being shoved to the back of my bookshelf, or materials from different subjects from getting mixed up.

In my senior year, I mostly plan using this app called Edo Agenda. It syncs across all my devices for free and has all the features I need: a to do list to organize tasks, monthly and weekly calendars to organize events, a journal to organize notes and memos.

I used to bullet journal regularly, but it takes too much time during weekdays, so now I just bullet journal for the therapeutic effects it gives me, and I use an app for organizing tasks and events. Sometimes at the end of each week, I’ll transfer my tasks to my bullet journal and then decorate the page, but again, this is just for its therapy.

Organizing your school supplies is just as important as organizing your papers and notes. With a more organized backpack and pencil case, you won’t waste time looking for your things at the bottom of an abyss.

Pencil Case

I don’t find it necessary to bring so much stationery to school unless I plan on making notes at school (usually during revision week).

Backpack

Because we’re already in the revision term, I don’t really carry a lot of things in my everyday backpack, just the following:

Pencil case

Everything Notebook

Everything Folder

Revision notebook

Kindle

Phone

Wallet

Earphones

Calculator

Speaker

Drinking bottle

A pouch with things like a hairbrush, pads, and lip balm

And that’s all for now! I hope this post will help you organize your school life (if you haven’t already) or at least provide some useful insights on some ways to stay organized as a high school student.

[thecornercoffeeshop]

Hello, I will be traveling to Spain in a few months and I was wondering if there were any cafes/bookstores you recommend visiting Xoxo love your blog btw

Hello and thank you! I’ve only been to a few cities in Spain and these are the places I’d recommend there:

Madrid:

Cafe de la Luz (fairly affordable with a gorgeous old-timey charm)

Toma Cafe (really good range of coffees)

Plantate Cafe

La Libreria (the gorgeous exterior is perfect for pictures)

Desperate Literature 

National Library of Spain (must-see for book lovers)

Biblioteca Uned

Barcelona:

Cafe Cometa

Espai Joliu

Altair Bookshop (limited range of books in English)

Calders Bookshop (very unique vintage aesthetic)

[patientno7]

the suffering never ends

[sinksanksockie2]

This is the real process

[thewritingbeast-blog]

Resources for you!

Character Ideas:

Character creation masterpost

Character Alignment Chart

More character alignment descriptions

Muslim Character questions

Characters with magical powers

Building a new character advice

How to create a character for an online or tabletop RPG (also a good guide on creating characters in general)

Royalty/nobility TV Tropes page

Basic character profile

OC masterpost

Random character generators - (1), (2), (3), (4)

D&D Character Building Tool

Character Design Ideas:

How clothing affects a character’s personality

Character Design Inspiration blog

Concept art, fan art, cool art to be inspired by

Character design references and inspiration

Sources for POC character design ideas and models

Create your own character model using HeroForge

For horned characters

Body and hair types guide

Random outfit generator

Naming Help:

Amazing site with an endless amount of naming resources

General advice on avoiding naming appropriation

Hispanic Surnames

Gothic Victorian names

Huge master list for character things in general

Masterlist of names of all types - including but not limited to ancient/old world names, Celtic, African, Northern European, Southern and Central American Native names, Japanese, Chinese, Mongolian, Polynesian, and more

Another name masterlist

How to pick a character name guide

Yet another names masterlist

Creating Background/backstory:

Character Sheet/Development Sheet

Another character development list

In-depth character personality, motivations and traits sheet

320 talents and passions for characters

On writing likes and dislikes that aren’t frivolous

Why you should write non-human characters non-conforming to the gender binary

Stereotypes, tropes, and archetypes

Random backstory generator

Assassin and thief character tropes to avoid

Character Interactions and putting your character into your world/story:

Comparing character height/height references

Characters who are scientists and writing about them doing science

Describing what different voices sound like

Describing skin tones

Writing friendship interactions that are platonic

Why having one character knock their friend unconscious to prevent them from doing something is a bad idea

Advice on shipping OCs with canon characters and what to avoid doing

Sweet Polly Oliver and Sweet on Polly Oliver situations (think of Disney’s Mulan for an example)

How to write multiple viewpoints/juggling a main cast of more than 4 to 6 characters

How to make readers care about your morally gray hero/anti-hero

On platonic OC and canon character relationships

How to avoid Godmodding in RPs

When it’s cheap to kill off a character

Writing dialogue

Things you shouldn’t do to canon characters

Avoiding purple prose in writing and RPs

Slang resources

Dialogue tips

Websites to chart your story/plot/character relationships

Bonus art masterlist!

[martinihomestead]

Basic Homesteading Skills

Crafts

quilting

embroidery

cross-stitch

knitting

crochet

sewing

Cooking and Baking

homemade bread

homemade butter

homemade extracts

dandelion jelly

Canning

26 canning recipes

canning jars 101

60 canning recipes

Gardening

edible trees to plant

what to plant to save the bees

cure and braid garlic

save seeds for next year

braid onions for long term storage

build a greenhouse

Animals

homemade chicken feed

raising mealworms for chickens

why to raise nigerian dwarf goats

Outdoors

starting a fire with sticks

trail signs

knotting

find true north without a compass

Medicine

homemade neosporin

all purpose healing salve

[hanging-ivy]

side note: be wary on that salve, id advise not using it on infants or young children, despite what it says. at the very least, please do not add the 10 extra drops they recommend for kids under 10. they are often much more sensitive to them, and allergies are fairly common (i have one to teatree!!!). i really recommend doing a swatch on your wrist or anyone else’s you plan to use it on to make sure youre not allergic before you try it out as a salve!

[hil-arrr-y]

Two job-hunting resources that changed my life:

This cover letter post on askamanger.com. A job interview guide written by Alison Green, who runs askamanager.

[curliestofcrowns]

useful

[blownfromthesunintothesurf-blog]

Alison Green’s advice works. 

[sw-or-gtfo-deactivated20211219]

Alison Green got me all my interviews from 2012 onward, I am reasonably sure.

[luchia13]

hey guys psa regarding hospital bills

don’t just pay it. do not automatically pay the hospital bill when you receive it. call your health insurance provider and POLITELY say, “excuse me, i just received a bill for $1200 for my hospital visit/ER visit/etc., is that the correct amount i’m supposed to pay?” because hospitals bill you before your health insurance and they will take your money no matter how the amount due may change based on your health insurance looking at it. 90% of the time, if your health insurance is in any way involved in the payment of that bill, you do not have to pay as much as the hospital is billing you for. call your health insurance provider first, and POLITELY request clarification, always remember that the person you are talking to is human and this is just their job, and then you will very likely find out you actually only owe $500.

don’t shout at anyone about it, don’t get mad, just understand that this is The Way Things Are right now and call your health insurance provider before paying the bill your hospital just sent you. there’s a chance the hospital bill might be correct, true, but call your health insurance provider.

[smallercomfort]

THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT. after my car accident last year the hospital billed me ~$8000. They sent me letters asking me to pay, and I called them back saying my insurance was processing the claim. This is also what I told the collection agency when they kept calling me about the $1000 emergency room fee (billed separately from the hospital fee, mind you). Once everything got straightened out, all I was actually liable for was my $200 emergency copay.

[thevelvetdevil]

!!!!!!! things my ass didn’t know !!!!!!!!

[anamatics]

Yes this is a life lesson my adulting ass didn’t know I needed and I’m out 80 bucks for an anti-nausea pill. 😒😒😒😒😒

[elodieunderglass]

Reblogging for American friends.

Also, it is important [for people receiving medical care in the USA] to carefully read all of the items on the medical bill and look for errors and overcharges. I know that the normal feelings of avoidance and dread can make it hard to look at scary hospital bills, and that’s okay! But as the OP mentions, private orgs like hospitals don’t monitor overpayment of bills - they are motivated to charge you extra - and it is basically impossible to get your money back. Read the bill carefully and make sure that the charges are correct, using the links below for help if you need. If they haven’t sent you an itemized list, you can ask for one. Sometimes you will be charged extra for items or treatment you didn’t receive. Most people don’t know that you can dispute medical bills! But in 2009, Consumer Reports stated that 8 out of 10 medical bills scrutinized by a watchdog had errors, and generally you are not obligated to pay for someone else’s error.

You may be charged for using medication that you actually brought into the hospital with you - that’s easy to dispute! You may be charged for the consumables used during your stay such as sheets, gloves, gowns, etc - the hospital should actually cover that under its running budget. You may be charged for a brand name drug if the generic was available for cheaper - the links below explain how and when you can dispute this. You may be charged a surprisingly expensive “oral administration fee” (where a nurse puts pills for you to take in a little clean paper cup and then hands it to you) but that’s worth disputing if you were actually able to take the pill out of a bottle and put it in your own mouth. And so on.

8 Things You Should Know About Challenging a Medical Bill (FORBES) (includes links to sites that help you calculate how much a procedure/treatment usually costs in your area, if the costs seem super high)

7 Tips for Fighting and Paying A Huge Medical Bill (FORBES) This explains briefly how to negotiate costs, and payment plans.

10 Common Medical Billing Overcharges You Can Prevent (Bill Advocates) A breakdown of errors and overcharges to double check.

Check medical bills for errors: Overcharges are fairly common, and correcting them can save you thousands of dollars (Consumer Reports) More of the same with links to some groups.

[5am-studies]

hello guys and Happy March!! so today I decided to write about something different and I have been meaning to doing this since a month ago **1000/97 procrastination level**

lots of time I don’t feel like studying or doing anything else and later when I have some food, I realise that it was hunger that was causing that feeling of procrastination. therefore, food plays an essential role in keeping us mentally straight as well. this post consists of two main parts- the first one will be about eating healthy and the second will be about staying fit.

1.     try to have a heavy breakfast before you leave for your work as it goes without saying that breakfast is the important meal of the day! try to have two parts of breakfast, which includes the breakfast and a brunch. I leave for school at about 6:55 and before leaving I have oatmeal or just tea and the brunch (which I have at school) I just have anything that my mom packs which includes a variety of foods starting from noodles to a ‘nut salad’ thingy

2.     for some reason, if you skip lunch or dinner or both, and if you have something else instead and in a later time, that’s completely okay according to recent research, if you’ve had a heavy breakfast and brunch

3.     avoid eating too much biscuits, cakes or anything other food containing was too much saturated fat because that’s kind of hard to get rid of from the body because its sticky in nature. check the nutritional information at the back of the packaging before purchasing. but remember, a little doesn’t hurt, you don’t have to be too hard on yourself considering you need energy to keep you going

4.     have at least one fresh fruit or bulky salad every day to replenish you mineral and roughage levels in your body

5.     stay hydrated of course and carry a bottle of water with you. during summer, I always keep a 1.5 L bottle and a 500mL glucose or lemonade water bottle with me. a good way to know if you are dehydrated is if you are finding it difficult to move your tongue while talking which is obvious. other than that, you can also set up a timer to remind you of having water timely 

6.     replace caffeine with tea. tea is healthier than coffee because it contains less amounts of caffeine than coffee, it also stunts your growth and if taken in higher quantities like 5-6 glasses per day or more, chances are you will be raising the chances for hepatitis. of course, again, little quantities do not hurt (I am talking about the times when you’ll have to put on an all-nighter)

7.     have any sort of herbal tea which includes a variety of them staring from green, white, red, black to hibiscus or dandelion tea. trust me, there are so many that I am often shocked to hear their names (like what happened on hearing the name of dandelion tea. I know I am a cow.     

8.     drink a glass of water to rehydrate your body after 7-8 hours of sleep           because you had been dehydrated during that time.

9.     listen to music. this keep you mentally healthy, you all know it. I especially like to listen to lo-fi music when I am working because of its ambience

I am not a fitness professional, but I have been working out for 3 years now and I have gained some experience from that journey (which is still going on). so, a little advice won’t hurt, I guess

1.     as you are a busy student, you have the excuse of working out at any time of the day when you are free. for example, I wake up by 5:30 or 6 am every day because I leave for school at about 6:55. I work out just then which is somewhere between 6:15 to 6:30. but when I am not in the mood or have not got the time, I just do it at any time I am free which even includes 23:00

2.     I prefer doing yoga over working out. I don’t know but working out has hardly worked out for me, so I switched to yoga because it has a lot of benefits other than getting fit, like stabilizing your mental unstableness, helping you to focus, fight depression or insomnia (if you have any). but that doesn’t imply that I am promoting yoga. you will have to try between a variety of workouts and yoga and see for yourself what works the best for you

3.     drink green tea, preferably with ginger before working out. it helps you to stay energized and boosts up your metabolism and helps you lose fat faster (if that’s what you are aiming at)

4.     do not go on a diet. it will only drain out your energy. you will also raise your chances of being anorexic which is more life-threatening than it sounds.

5.     do not work out for too long as it will result in muscular cramps. this advice is for the beginners but if you have been doing this for a long time, it’s better if your workout for small time lapses instead of working out straight for a long time. for example, if you are aiming at working out for 30 mins, break it up into two 15 minutes time lapse, out of which, one will be in the morning and the other at evening (or basically at any time you want, as aforesaid). or you can break it up into three 10 minutes lapse. the choice it completely yours and you can adjust it in accordance to your free time

I hope this (shit) post kind of helps you to taking care of yourself

-x

[teacomets]

a small guide on how i battle my essays! (click on an image to view it clearer) 

(keep in mind: i’m an english major so a majority of my essays are literature-focused!)

these are just some of the methods i want to share that work for me when i write my innumerable amount of essays! i’m definitely a huge planner so it’s no secret that i spend a lot of time on an essay. if you’re a deadline fighter, these tips might not necessarily be helpful (especially the handwriting one). but i hope this gives you an insight on how i write my essays! 🌈

[dick-winters-blog1]

my masterlist of 'how to life’ tips

Cleaning & Tidying

Make your bed in the morning. It takes seconds, and it’s worth it.

Reset to zero each morning. 

Use the UFYH 20/10 system for clearing your shit. 

Get a reed diffuser and stick it on your windowsill. 

Have a ‘drop-zone’ box where you dump anything and everything. At the beginning/end of the day, clear it out and put that shit away.

Roll your clothes, don’t fold them - or fold them vertically.

Automate your chores. Have a cleaning schedule and assign 15mins daily to do whatever cleaning tasks are set for that day. Set a timer and do it - once the timer is up, finish the task you’re on and leave it for the day. 

Fold your clothes straight out of the tumble dryer (if you use one), whilst they’re still warm. This minimises creases and eliminates the need for ironing. 

Clean your footwear regularly and you’ll feel like a champ. 

Organisation & Productivity

Learn from Eisenhower’s Importance/Urgency matrix. 

Try out the two-minute rule and the Pomodoro technique.

Use. A. Planner. (Or Google Calendar, if that’s more your thing.)

Try bullet journalling.

Keep a notebook/journal/commonplace book to dump your brain contents in on the regular. 

Set morning alarms at two-minute intervals rather than five, and stick your alarm on the other side of the room. It’s brutal, but it works. 

Set three main goals each day, with one of them being your #1 priority. Don’t overload your to-do list or you’ll hit overload paralysis and procrastinate. 

If you’re in a slump, however, don’t be afraid to put things like “shower” on your to do list - that may be a big enough goal in itself, and that’s okay. 

Have a physical inbox - a tray, a folder, whatever. If you get a piece of paper, stick it in there and sort through it at the end of the week.

Consider utilising the GTD System, or a variation of it.

Try timeboxing. 

Have a morning routine, and guard that quiet time ferociously. 

Save interesting-looking shit to instapaper. Have a set time where you read through the stuff you saved to instapaper and save the shit that you like from instapaper to evernote (or bookmark it properly). 

During your working hours, put on your footwear, even if you’re sat on your bed. (Why?)

Have a folder for all your important documents and letters, organised by topic (e.g. medical, bank, university, work, identification). At the front of this folder, have a sheet of paper with all the key information written on it, such as your GP’s details, your passport details, driving licence details, bank account number, insurance number(s), and so on. 

Try using StayFocusd and RescueTime (or similar apps/extensions). (I promise, you’ll find that you’re not as busy as you think you are.)

Schedule working time and down time alike, in the balance that works for you. 

Money

Have. A. God. Damn. Budget. 

Use a money tracker like toshl, mint, or splitwise. Enter all expenses asap! (You will forget, otherwise.)

Have a ‘money date’ each week, where you sort through your finances from the past seven days and then add it to a spreadsheet. This will help you identify your spending patterns and whether your budget is actually working or not. 

Pack your own frickin’ lunch like a grown-up and stop buying so many takeaway coffees. Keep snacks in your bag. 

Go to your bank and take out £100 in £1 coins (or w/e your currency is). That shit will come in useful for all kinds of things and you’ll never be short on change for the bus or the laundry. 

Food & Cooking

Know how to cook the basics: a starch, a protein, a vegetable, and a sauce.

Simple, one-pot meals (“a grain, a green, and a bean”) are a godsend. 

Dried porcini mushrooms make a fantastic stock to cook with. 

Batch cook and freeze. Make your own ‘microwave meals’. 

Buy dried goods to save money - rice and beans are a pittance. (Remember to soak dried beans first, though!) 

Consider Meatless Mondays; it’s healthier, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly.

Learn which fruits and vegetables are cheapest at your store, and build a standard weekly menu around those. (Also remember that frozen vegetables are cheap and healthy.) 

Learn seasoning combinations. Different seasoning, even with the exact same ingredients, can make a dish seem completely new. 

Don’t buy shit for a one-off recipe, especially if you won’t use it all. If you really want to try out a recipe, see if a friend would be interested in making it with you, then pool for the expenses. 

Make your own goddamned pasta sauce. Jamie Oliver has a decent recipe here, but the beauty of tomato sauce is that you can totally wing it and adapt the fuck out of it. 

Misc

Have a stock email-writing format. 

Want to start running, but find it boring? Try Zombies, Run!. 

Keep a goddamn first aid kit and learn how to use it. 

Know your OTC pain relief. 

Update your CV regularly. 

Keep a selection of stamps and standard envelopes for unexpected posting needs. (It happens more regularly than you would think!) 

Some final words of advice:

Organisation is not a goal in itself, it is a tool. Don’t get caught up in the illusion of productivity and get distracted from the actual task at hand. 

Routines and habits will help you. Trust in them.

You have the potential to be an organised and productive person, just as much as anybody else. It just takes practice. 

[the-girlygeek]

this is truly excellent 🙌🏻