If I Can’t Move Heaven

18 // Scottish // Maths & Astrophysics

[lifewithlala]

How I strategically plan my semester

AND GET SHIT DONE FOR REAL (part 1)

1. Study your syllabus. 

 In there you’ll get all the important information: books, assignments, scores, goals, due dates, deadline, you even get a planner. You can’t overlook any of this. Nowadays most syllabi are full of crap, they have more pages than they did a couple of years back, yet students are still confused or don’t even use it. These are the things I look for in the syllabus: 

Books. Yeah, you get a list at the beginning of the semester but some courses have readers or make use of articles as materials too. Which you are likely required to download or print yourself. I like to be 101% prepared and that means getting all my reading materials. I download all my books, readers and articles and organize them right away on Google Drive so I don’t have to look for them at the last minute. 

Learning objectives. My syllabi have a section dedicated to the objectives of the course. This is a lifehack by Shirou, folks. So listen carefully. If the syllabus says “create a marketing communication plan based on the marketing policy”, YOU 👏 WILL 👏 GET 👏 THAT 👏 SHIT 👏 IN 👏 YOUR 👏 TEST. 👏 NO 👏 ARGUING. You better start looking at what a marketing communication plan consists of. So write the objectives down in your notebook, in a document, somewhere you’re sure to look, so when the professor starts explaining that objective, you’ll paying 200% of your attention. I like to write them down with checkboxes. That way, if I see we’re getting close to exam week and the professor still hasn’t explained that objective, I’ll take the opportunity to ask and not lose any time. The entire course is likely to go around these objectives. So if you understand them, and can explain them, then you’re likely to pass that course. It has worked for me these past 2 years. 

Test. What kind of test will I get? Is it a written test, digital, presentation, essay? A combination of these? If it’s written or digital, you know it’ll most likely be individual. If it’s a presentation or essay, chances are high it’s in a group. I have the most difficulty with group works. They give me a hell of a time and I want nothing more than to avoid them. So I take this opportunity to see how hard I will have to work for the subject. And of course, if there are multiple exams within a course, I take a look at the percentage of each one of them so I get to prioritize the most important examination. If I have a presentation that counts for 20%  and I have to write a report that counts for 80%, I’ll work my ass off to get a perfect score for that report. Ultimately, that’s what’s going to raise my score faster. So it will be downright stupid to do a mediocre work on the report, hoping the presentation will raise my final score. 

Take a good look at the planning. Are there any due dates or deadlines for things you have to deliver before midterms or exam week? Highlight those! In my first semester, I overlooked those in between due dates where your professor gives you feedback. Bad decision, people. I could have had a higher score if I had delivered things as planned and get feedback. But nope. 😥

In the second part, I’ll explain how I make a personal study plan based on the planner you get in the syllabus, and I’ll share my tips on how I stay on track with the planning. 

[ipablo6-blog]

language learning made easy

I’ve summarized professor  Alexander Arguelles’ video, because I think this is crucial for language learning. 

There is no magic trick that will help you become fluent in 1 month, but there are very effective approaches to learning a new language and if you combine them, you will surely become fluent.

If you’re learning a new language, the most important thing you need to consider is – what type of language learner are you? 

1. If you:

have a more deductive approach, which means that you’re better at listening to and observing the language first and learning through that, rather than starting with plain grammar points from a textbook

have a fair degree of intuition

like to observe a phenomenon

feel somewhat comfortable with ambiguity for a while, until things become clear

are someone who can feel comfortable being corrected when they realize they were wrong, rather than getting confused and frustrated because they went down an initial path that turned out not to be correct (so you actually learn from being corrected and you don’t get confused by it)

then, these manuals are best suited for you: the Assimil Language Series, the Linguaphone Series, the Cortina Methods.

2. If you:

have a desire to have things explained to you beforehand in a nice and clear way

have a logical and analytical mind (which is usually the product of education in general)

have a need for a systematic approach (basically if you’re most comfortable with a book which is going to introduce the grammar according to an agreed set of methods or an organized plan)

then, you should try out some of these manuals: the Hugo Series, the Made Simple Series, the Teach Yourself Series, the Buske Series. 

3. PAY ATTENTION TO PATTERNS!!!

the most important part are the patterns of a language

no matter what type of language learner you are, I think it’s really clever to incorporate this method into you learning. 

a language is actually made up of patterns which constantly repeat themselves and that is THE KEY TO FLUENCY

repeating the patterns over and over again, until they become natural, until you no longer have to conjugate the verbs in your head before speaking

when you become really good with patterns, your sentences will come out naturally, and patterns are what will get you to fluency

I’ve provided the links, where you will find a review of the books, so that you can have an idea of what they look like. You can find most of these on amazon.

There is also an amazing blog on here, which provides free books, and I think that you can find half of these series for free there.  @lovelybluepanda

[sexygirlsinsexydresses]

Simply

[fiti-vation]

Strength Conditioning For Runners

Build Your Running Body A Total-Body Fitness Plan for All Distance Runners, from Milers to Ultramarathoners by Peter Magill

Anatomy for Runners Unlocking Your Athletic Potential for Health, Speed, and Injury Prevention by Jay Dicharry

Ready to Run Unlocking Your Potential to Run Naturally by Kelly Starrett

Quick Strength for Runners 8 Weeks to a Better Runner’s Body by Jeff Horowitz

[studyandstorms-deactivated20250]

Positive Weekly Aesthetics

Monday: New week, new motivation, a pile of finished homework and a nicely organised pencil case. A clean, fresh bullet journal spread and empty to-do lists. Your outfit is ready for you when you wake up, prepared the night before. 

Tuesday: Getting into the rhythm, your favourite tunes and morning runs. Your journal starts to fill up, cute drawings decorating the pages. The world seems slow, the week long as it has just started; yet it is chaotic at the same time.

Wednesday: Hump day. Early morning coffee and messy lecture notes, sticky notes with reminders and to-do lists, scribbling on white boards and collapsing in bed with blankets and a good book after a long day, the distant sound of rain hitting your windows.

Thursday: Grabbing brunch with friends and laughing at old memories, green smoothies and almond croissants. Friendly curious talks with your teachers and professors. Working on an assignment due weeks away and watching a movie by the fireplace.

Friday: Looking forward to the weekend, early morning study and typed notes. Going through colourful flashcards at a local cafe, friendly smiles and latte art. Going out at night and loud music blasting through your ears, walking home with friends under the cool air and peaceful stars.

Saturday: Green tea and cold water, warm showers and sleeping in. Readings and PowerPoints, looking out into the busy streets from your beautiful desk. Getting dressed up, sharp eyeliner wings and meeting with friends, engaging conversations during dinner and later crawling into the warmth and comfort of your bed.

Sunday: Lazy mornings and making pancakes in your pyjamas, finishing homework and getting a head start on next week’s readings. Dancing freely as you clean and organise and being comfortable in your own skin. Watching your favourite TV show at night and going to bed early and ready for next week.

[lucylangblr-deactivated20220424]

La Lectura en Español Part 1

I have already done one of these in French, but I thought I would do one in Spanish, which I’m not as good at:)

Conversation Verbs:

Acatar - to respect/obey

Aducir - to put forward (reason)

Advirtir - to warn/advise

Añadir - to add

Anunciar - to announce

Bromear - to joke

Canturrear - to sing softly/hum

Cortar - cut off/interrupt

Decir - to say

Espetar - to blurt out

Explicar - to explain

Interceder - to intercede

Inquirir - to inquire/question

Mascullar - to mumble/mutter

Murmurar - to murmur

Musitar - to mumble

Precisar - to specify

Preguntar - to ask

Proclamar - to proclaim

Proponer - to propose

Protestar - to protest/refuse

Reflexionar - to reflect on/think about

Replicar - to answer/argue/answer back

Responder - to answer

Silbar - to whistle

Susurrar - to whisper/mutter

Quejarse - complain/moan

Verbs:

Abalanzarse - to jump on/leap/rush

Agacharse - to crouch/bend down

Alabarse - boast (praise oneself)

Bostezar - to yawn

Chasquear - to click (fingers/tongue)/snap (fingers)/crack (whip)

Coger - to take/grab/catch

Colocar - to place

Desabrochar - to unbutton/undo

Desembarazarse de - to get rid of synonym of - deshacerse de

Deslizar - to slide/glide

Engancharse - to get hooked/snagged on

Enterarse - to learn- realise/understand

Esconder - to hide

Espantar - to scare/frighten

Estallar - to burst/go off/shatter

Estirarse- to stretch/stretch out

Golpear - to hit

Pillar - (familiar) to catch- ¡Cuidado! ¡Nos pillarán! (Watch out, they’ll catch us)/to understand - no lo pillas (don’t you get it?)

Sonrojar - to make someone go red

Tambalearse - to sway/stagger

Tumbarse - to knock down/lie down

Phrases:

A rastras - to drag kicking and screaming/unwillingly/reluctantly

Darle vueltas - to think over

Decir bobadas - to talk nonsense

Despojar de - to remove (clothes)/give up

Desquitarse con - to take it out on

Echar un vistazo - take/have a quick look at

En cuanto - when/as soon as/while

En cuclillas - squatting/crouching

Fruncir las cejas - to knit your brow

Hacerle notar algo a alguien - to draw to someone’s attention

Huir de - to avoid

Procurar hacer - to manage to do

Quedar chasqueado - to be let down/disappointed

Adjectives/Adverbs:

Aferrado - stubborn

Asombroso - amazing/astonishing

Bondadoso - kind

Cuidadosamente - carefully

Desgraciadamente - unfortunately

Diminuto - tiny

Parecido - similar

Puntiagudo - sharp/pointed

Redondo - round

Sabiamente - wisely

Tenue - light- weak/faint/dim - voice - soft/weak/faint/low

Tuerto - one-eyed

[selenocysteine]

Tips to learn a new language

The 75 most common words make up 40% of occurrences The 200 most common words make up 50% of occurrences The 524 most common words make up 60% of occurrences The 1257 most common words make up 70% of occurrences The 2925 most common words make up 80% of occurrences The 7444 most common words make up 90% of occurrences The 13374 most common words make up 95% of occurrences The 25508 most common words make up 99% of occurrences

(Sources: 5 Steps to Speak a New Language by Hung Quang Pham)

This article has an excellent summary on how to rapidly learn a new language within 90 days.

We can begin with studying the first 600 words. Of course chucking is an effective way to memorize words readily. Here’s a list to translate into the language you desire to learn that I grabbed from here! :)

EXPRESSIONS OF POLITENESS (about 50 expressions)      

‘Yes’ and ‘no’: yes, no, absolutely, no way, exactly.    

Question words: when? where? how? how much? how many? why? what? who? which? whose?    

Apologizing: excuse me, sorry to interrupt, well now, I’m afraid so, I’m afraid not.    

Meeting and parting: good morning, good afternoon, good evening, hello, goodbye, cheers, see you later, pleased to meet you, nice to have met.    

Interjections: please, thank you, don’t mention it, sorry, it’ll be done, I agree, congratulations, thank heavens, nonsense.    

NOUNS (about 120 words)

Time: morning, afternoon, evening, night; Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; spring, summer, autumn, winter; time, occasion, minute, half-hour, hour, day, week, month, year.    

People: family, relative, mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, husband, wife; colleague, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend; people, person, human being, man, woman, lady, gentleman, boy, girl, child.    

Objects: address, bag, book, car, clothes, key, letter (=to post), light (=lamp), money, name, newspaper, pen, pencil, picture, suitcase, thing, ticket.    

Places: place, world, country, town, street, road, school, shop, house, apartment, room, ground; Britain, name of the foreign country, British town-names, foreign town-names.    

Abstract: accident, beginning, change, color, damage, fun, half, help, joke, journey, language, English, name of the foreign language, letter (of alphabet), life, love, mistake, news, page, pain, part, question, reason, sort, surprise, way (=method), weather, work.    

Other: hand, foot, head, eye, mouth, voice; the left, the right; the top, the bottom, the side; air, water, sun, bread, food, paper, noise.    

PREPOSITIONS (about 40 words)    

General: of, to, at, for, from, in, on.    

Logical: about, according-to, except, like, against, with, without, by, despite, instead of.    

Space: into, out of, outside, towards, away from, behind, in front of, beside, next to, between, above, on top of, below, under, underneath, near to, a long way from, through.    

Time: after, ago, before, during, since, until.    

DETERMINERS (about 80 words)  

Articles and numbers: a, the; nos. 0–20; nos. 30–100; nos. 200–1000; last, next, 1st–12th.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.    

Quantifiers: all, some, no, any, many, much, more, less, a few, several, whole, a little, a lot of.    

Comparators: both, neither, each, every, other, another, same, different, such.    

ADJECTIVES (about 80 words)    

Color: black, blue, green, red, white, yellow.    

Evaluative: bad, good, terrible; important, urgent, necessary; possible, impossible; right, wrong, true.    

General: big, little, small, heavy; high, low; hot, cold, warm; easy, difficult; cheap, expensive; clean, dirty; beautiful, funny (=comical), funny (=odd), usual, common (=shared), nice, pretty, wonderful; boring, interesting, dangerous, safe; short, tall, long; new, old; calm, clear, dry; fast, slow; finished, free, full, light (=not dark), open, quiet, ready, strong.    

Personal: afraid, alone, angry, certain, cheerful, dead, famous, glad, happy, ill, kind, married, pleased, sorry, stupid, surprised, tired, well, worried, young.    

VERBS (about 100 words)    

arrive, ask, be, be able to, become, begin, believe, borrow, bring, buy, can, change, check, collect, come, continue, cry, do, drop, eat, fall, feel, find, finish, forget, give, going to, have, have to, hear, help, hold, hope, hurt (oneself), hurt (someone else), keep, know, laugh, learn, leave, lend, let (=allow), lie down, like, listen, live (=be alive), live (=reside), look (at), look for, lose, love, make, may (=permission), may (=possibility), mean, meet, must, need, obtain, open, ought to, pay, play, put, read, remember, say, see, sell, send, should, show, shut, sing, sleep, speak, stand, stay, stop, suggest, take, talk, teach, think, travel, try, understand, use, used to, wait for, walk, want, watch, will, work (=operate), work (=toil), worry, would, write.    

PRONOUNS (about 40 words)

Personal: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, one; myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.    

Possessive: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Universal: everyone, everybody, everything, each, both, all, one, another.    

Indefinite: someone, somebody, something, some, a few, a little, more, less; anyone, anybody, anything, any, either, much, many.    

Negative: no-one, nobody, nothing, none, neither.    

ADVERBS (about 60 words)

Place: here, there, above, over, below, in front, behind, nearby, a long way away, inside, outside, to the right, to the left, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, home, upstairs, downstairs.    

Time: now, soon, immediately, quickly, finally, again, once, for a long time, today, generally, sometimes, always, often, before, after, early, late, never, not yet, still, already, then (=at that time), then (=next), yesterday, tomorrow, tonight.    

Quantifiers: a little, about (=approximately), almost, at least, completely, very, enough, exactly, just, not, too much, more, less.    

Manner: also, especially, gradually, of course, only, otherwise, perhaps, probably, quite, so, then (=therefore), too (=also), unfortunately, very much, well.    

CONJUNCTIONS (about 30 words)

Coordinating: and, but, or; as, than, like.    

Time & Place: when, while, before, after, since (=time), until; where.    

Manner & Logic: how, why, because, since (=because), although, if; what, who, whom, whose, which, that.   

[thepolyglotblog]

Oh i love this concept!

[amateurlanguager]

I love it too! I love it mostly because it makes me feel less overwhelmed. When you break it down like this, everything seems so much more manageable. Like, hey, I could memorize 20 words at a time (even if ‘at a time’ varies wildly for me), and just do that like ten times. That’s a HUGE chunk of a language.

(And since I have the habit of doing languages that are similar to ones I’m already familiar with, the grammar part usually comes pretty easy, too.)

[foxlanguages]

Okay so, it is the celebratrion of independence in my country and I feel very festive. Also, as a thank you token for being so damn good to me, I’ve decided to share some book with you! These are all files I’ve found over the years.

These are all books in Spanish

Harry Potter:

la Piedra Filosofal

la Cámara Secreta

el Prisionero de Azkaban

el Cáliz de Fuego

la Orden del Fénix

el Príncipe Mestizo

las Reliquias de la Muerte

John Green:

Bajo la Misma Estrella

Buscando a Alaska

Ciudades de Papel

[laurenslangblr]

Holy shit

[annieattemptsdeutsch]

concept: i’m in a foreign country, speaking one of my many languages effortlessly, to one of the new friends i made. i have no worries about translating everything correctly, i just speak

[woailanguages]

Being a language enthusiast and a Potterhead at the same time, I’ve decided to make a list of vocabulary you may need if you want to read, watch or maybe just talk about Harry Potter in Spanish.

la bruja - witch el mago - wizard la varita - wand la escoba - broom la lechuza - owl la rana - frog el sapo - toad el león - lion el tejón - badger la serpiente - snake el águila - eagle el hechizo/el encantamiento - spell la poción - potion el caldero - cauldron el castillo - castle el comedor - dining room los calabozos/las mazmorras - dungeons el andén - platform (el andén nueve y tres cuartos) el callejón - alley (el Callejón Diagon) la hierba - herb el dragón - dragon el unicornio - unicorn el fénix - phoenix el fantasma - ghost la capa - cloak el profeta - prophet el Buscador - Seeker el Cazador - Chaser (hunter) el Guardián - Keeper el Bateador - Beater (batsman)  Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal - Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone Harry Potter y la cámara secreta - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry Potter y el prisionero de Azkaban - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter y el cáliz de fuego - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry Potter y la Orden del Fénix - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter y el misterio del príncipe - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[ravenlangblr]

LEARN SPANISH WATCHING TV SERIES (FROM SPAIN)

As you all may know, watching TV in your target language helps improving the vocabulary, listening comprehension, and knowledge of it in general. This is why I decided to create a masterpost with some of the most well-known TV series in Spain. The titles are clickable, and they redirect to a trailer or some short clip of the show. 

(Not following any particular order)

Las chicas del cable: Netflix’s first Spanish original series. It’s set in 1928, and it tells the story of a group of girls working for a telecommunications company. It has this Great Gastby feeling, highly recommended! 

Física o química: I’d say this is a low-budget, Spanish version of Skam or Skins, but a bit outdated since it’s from some years ago. But basically same story, the struggles of some high school kids.

Cuéntame cómo pasó: it narrates the daily life of a Spanish family of the second half of the twentieth century, so of course it has some historic episodes going on. It started back in 2001, based in 1968, and it’s still on air, narrating the year 1986.

Aquí no hay quién viva: sitcom which depicts the problems of the neighbours of an apartment building. It stopped being broadcast in 2006, but a new series with basically the same argument and actors emerged, called La que se avecina.

Los hombres de Paco: drama comedy which tells the story of some policemen.

Farmacia de guardia: apparently this is the most watched Spanish TV series ever. It’s a sitcom about a pharmaceutic and her life.

Los Serrano: drama comedy about a family and their struggles.

Vis a vis: a Spanish remake of Orange is the new black, basically.

El ministerio del tiempo: fantasy TV series about a ministry that travels in time.

Velvet: story of love between a heir and a seamstress in the 50s. Miguel Ángel Silvestre (who also appears on Sense8) plays the lead role here.

Sin tetas no hay paraíso: a love story between a posh girl and a troubled guy. Miguel Ángel Silvestre also plays a role here.

El príncipe: drama series of a relationship between a Christian policeman and a Muslim woman.

Aída: sitcom about a poor-ish, low class family and their neighbours.

Águila roja: about a masked hero, set during the 17th century.

La señora: set in the 20s, about a love story between people of two different social classes.

Amar en tiempos revueltos: soap opera depicting the life in the Spanish civil war.

Gran hotel: drama series set in 1905 about a family who own a hotel.

El internado: thriller which focuses on the lives of students living in a boarding room.

Médico de familia: a bit old, tells the story of a doctor and his family.

Hospital central: drama about the lives of some hospital workers.

Verano azul: from 1989, one of the most iconic Spanish TV series. It tells the story of some children and their summer vacation.

If you want to watch any of them and aren’t able to find them (or if you have any doubts), drop me a message and I’ll be glad to help. Happy learning!

Learn Spanish watching TV channels online

Learn Spanish listening to radio stations online

[roachpatrol]

i should make a low-effort cookbook

like you get those ‘i hate to cook! 101: easy meals for the kitchen novice!’ and it still wants you to make a three-cheese spinach casserole

mine would be like

did you know you can put chocolate chips on a spoonful of peanut butter and obtain the perfect snack

did you know if you crack some eggs into your pasta sauce and stir there’s more protein in it so you can go longer without having to make another goddamn meal

did you know you can mix a cup of cooked rice to any condensed soup instead of water and now you have dinner and breakfast

also put cheese on it

put cheese on fucking everything

and finally here’s a list of things you can microwave in a short enough time that you won’t walk out of the kitchen, go back to bed, fall asleep for four hours, and totally forget you attempted a lunch

[isozyme]

frozen pizza is expensive but!  biscuits in a can + last dregs of jar of tomato sauce + some shredded mozzarella cheese = EIGHT MINIPIZZAS

dump all your chinese delivery into a hot pan and crack two eggs into it, stir, now it is soft and good

if you add a kraft single to mac and cheese from the box it’s magically more delicious (and if you also add hot sauce then it’s spicy)

nachos: chips + shredded cheese + salsa + rummage in fridge in case there’s other things?  and then under the broiler for a minute or two.  if it’s hot it counts as a meal!  works good on stale chips.

an incomplete list of vegetables that won’t instantly rot on you: anything frozen, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes (they get wrinkly but u can still eat them), carrots, onions…i throw away a lot of veggies that have gone soft :(

i love parchment paper.  $4 for a roll but lay it down on ur baking sheet and know you’ll never have to scrub cheese or cookie crumbs off it again.  perfect for cooking with low spoons.  nothing sticks to it!

[mhyinblogs]

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT

[ursavorpalis]

also: mug cakes also also: if you cook rice you might as well dump some canned tomatos and canned beans in it. TADA NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE MEALS in the list of foods that last: apples. apples can last an entire fucking winter. also also also: cottage cheese + bell peppers + crackers = what I ate for dinner for like a year

[leahazel]

1. You cook the rice in a pot. No spices, no nothing, just water oil and rice. 

2. Just before it’s ready, when there’s about a pinkie fingernail’s worth of water on the top, add in a tablespoon of peanut butter. 

3. Stir. Cook the rest of the way. 

4. It’s a meal! It has carbs and protein, it’s filling, it tastes good and it looks and feels like a legitimate dish, which is great for lifting the spirits a bit. 

5. If you feel fancy, add a teaspoon of honey or a handful of crushed peanuts. 

[hagar-972]

Alt., mix the rice with lentils. Cereal (rice, wheat) + legume (lentils, beans) = complete protein. Most people’s bodies will accept that in lieu of animal products.

Since no-one explained how to cook rice: (1) put bit of oil in pot, heat up on medium flame, (2) add 1-1.5 cup rice, mix up and add a bit of salt (you may need to reduce flame), (3) while you’re doing that, boil water in an electric pot, (4) add 2 cup water for each 1 cup rice; reduce flame a few seconds before you do that and mind the steam won’t hit you, (5) cover and set a 20min timer.

Pasta: (1) boil water, lots of water (covered pot goes fast; you can also use an electric pot for a shortcut and bring to a full boil on the stove - experiment), (2) up to 100 gr pasta per 1L water will work, but the more water per pasta the better, (3) reduce flame to medium (light bubbling), add pasta, set time to 10min, (4) check and add time as necessary - you may not need to.

Egg or bean noodled cook faster than pasta - like, half the time.

Easiest pasta sauce: 20-50gr of butter, melt; 1-2tbs lemon juice, homogenize; dump in pasta (and possibly peas, boiled from frozen). Taken 5min or under and will liven up pasta that’s been sitting in the fridge.

Easiest cream sauce: 1 standard (250ml) cream carton, 1 tsp shredded cheese (keeps well in freezer) or more, 1 tbs cottage cheese, spices to taste. Heat in a small pot on a small-to-medium flame while stirring constantly (if it’s too hot to stick a finger in, it’s too hot). Takes maybe 5-10min. Will keep in fridge up to 1 week.

Rice freezes well. Pasta doesn’t. Plain pasta (and most noodles) will last for up to a month in the fridge, though, and just dump it in the pan with some ketchup/tomato paste(+oil + water) and you’re good.

…nobody said that dry onion lasts? Dry onion lasts. Fried onion freezes well and keeps forever. So does diced garlic. If you like ‘em but worried about them going bad/don’t always have the time or spoons to deal with ‘em, there you go.

Fresh bread freezes well. Keep emergency bread in your freezer, sliced. It’ll thaw in the fridge/on the counter overnight, or you can stick a slice as-is in the toaster (just turn it up 1 notch relative to your usual preference).

Potatoes in their peel are the single most nutritious food. (You can, actually, survive on mashed potatoes.) A boiled potato will stay good in the fridge for a couple days. Boil partway (should still somewhat resist a fork), turn over/toaster oven on 150C (350F) or higher while you do the rest, slice potato(s), spread like deck of cards, brush oil over (with the sort of silicone brush one uses for eggs - costs next to nothing and you’ll be glad you got it), bit of salt, stick into oven and come back 20-40min later. Will re-heat well.

All of the following are good in eggs, just (1) dump them in the pan before the eggs, (2) the more you fluff up the eggs the betters: cubed semi-boiled potatoes, sliced/cubed tomatoes, tinned garbanzo beans (<-legume), tinned/frozen corn. Tinned and frozen stuff lasts forever. A pre-boiled potato and a couple eggs will save your ass on a cold, miserable morning.

3 shortbread cookies + 2 glasses of milk = 500kcal balanced dinner. Or breakfast.

1 cup cooked pasta + couple fluffed up eggs + shredded cheese (from frozen) to taste, in a stove-top pan or in the oven for ~20min = full meal.

Black lentils, cooked, will last nicely in the fridge - and unlike other legumes, they don’t need a pre-soak and only take 20min to cook. ½ bowl + 3 tbs oil + 2 tsp lemon juice + ¼ onion = dinner so nutritious you won’t believe it.

Cottage cheese and honey. No really. You only need a couple tsp honey for 250gr cottage tub.

1tbs peanut butter (flat as you can make it) + 3 tbs soy + 2 tbs maple/honey + 1 tsp vinegar = marinade for ~500gr of whatever. Takes ~5min to mix, 20min-2hr to soak, 5-10min to fry (non-stick pan and you don’t need oil). This + pot of rice (<-make while chicken/meat soaks) = lunch for a week. (Or dinner, if dinner’s your main meal.)

A tin of mayonnaise will last for months in the fridge. Hardboiled eggs last a nice while, too. 3 hardboiled eggs, chopped + 1tbs mayo + 1/3 onion chopped = 5min of work and egg salad for a few highly nutritious meals.

Ever make yourself hot chocolate? Make it with milk instead of water, for fuck’s sake. A large cup of hot chocolate is a legit small meal.

[m-winnike]

Buy broccoli and green beans frozen. For a couple dollars you can get a big enough bag of either to get at least 8-10 servings out of it and it keep for at least 6 months if you keep the bag closed. Buy a jar of chopped garlic in olive oil as well. That’ll keep in your fridge for months and adding a little bit to a handful of broccoli or green beans and sauteing(lightly browning them in a pan or pot on the stove) them together until everything is warm is a cheap, easy way to have a flavorful snack or meal. 

Also, ramen, drop an egg and a handful of some kind of frozen veggie(the previously mentioned ones or even some mixed carrots and peas) it adds a lot of nutritional value to your ramen, makes it so much more filling, and makes it have way better flavor than plain ramen. 

Buy a jar of Better than Bouillon. Amazon has them for as cheep as $2.99 a jar and one jar has enough in it to make a couple gallons of broth. Just one teaspoon of this stuff added to 1 cup of water will give you a deliciously broth for soup. Pick your flavor and drop whatever veggies or noodles you’ve got leftover in the fridge and you’ve got dinner. It’s also great to add to the water you’re cooking your rice in to give it some flavor as well. 

Don’t buy boxed Kraft mac and cheese. It may seem like an easy approach but there is a cheaper approach. A 3 lb bag of macaroni noodles is only a couple dollars and you can get a 1 lb bag of the powdered cheese just like in Kraft for $10 on Amazon. I bought a bag of cheese powder that size and it lasted me more than a year and I made mac and cheese once a week. You can also mix it with milk and broccoli and you’ve got a great dinner of broccoli cheese soup. 

My biggest tip for saving money on food is to make things that will freeze well. Say you make a pot of spaghetti. You could get 5 or 6 servings out of a full pot easily, if not more, but you’ll get tired of spaghetti before it’s gone. Stick servings in plastic baggies(which are fine to rinse and reuse!) and freeze them! Then you’ll be able to take out just the amount to eat for a meal and have some back up meals for when you’re loaded down with work, homework, etc and have no time to make a meal. 

[lovelylovelyartist]

ALL OF THIS

[quonunc]

fried rice:   cook a ton of rice, get some frozen veggies, whatever you like.  Fry the veggies in olive oil for a couple minutes, add the rice.  whisk two eggs and about a tablespoon of soy sauce.  Add in.  Cook until no longer wet. 

Tada - comfort food, you can freeze it, it tastes good, complete meal.

Also rice and pasta sauce is surprisingly good.

[idolsidle]

Sweet potato –> rinse –> stab all over with a fork –> cook in microwave for 8-10 minutes, turning once –> BAM baked sweet potato, top with cream cheese, yogurt, or any kind of cheese you damn well want go crazy and get that protein

Rice + sunny side up egg –> drop egg on top of warm rice, roughly chop at it with your fork until the yolk starts to run and it’s all in pieces –> mix thoroughly –> that’s arroz a la cubana baby and it’s filling and delicious, add hot sauce for flavour points

Frozen fruit –> eat frozen blueberries plain –> it’s a little harsh on sensitive teeth, but they warm up fast –> frozen fruit is just as good for you as fresh and it’s an incredibly refreshing snack/dessert

Get steel cut oat/plain quick oats/oatmeal of whatever kind you want –> cook a LOT of it to a reasonably thick texture –> serve out one portion and keep the rest in the fridge –> it will stay good a fairly long time and all it needs is a quick nuke session and some cinnamon, maybe apples

Frozen peas are the best –> they go with a surprising amount of things –> italian dishes, asian dishes, aforementioned arroz a la cubana –> they cheap as hell –> they are legumes that are more vegetable-y than your average beans so go get those greens

In terms of flavouring –> miso paste –> it can be expensive but a little goes a loooooong way and it will never go bad as long as you keep it in the fridge since it’s already fermented –> use it in marinades, soups, salad dressings

Make pieces of meals and piece them together as needed –> e.g. marinate some tofu, fry/bake it up and have it ready in the fridge –> maybe the next day you make some stir-fried kale or chard or whatever green is cheap as heck that week –> next day you have to run somewhere but you need lunch –> grab some of that tofu, grab some kale, a granola bar, water –> it’ll do

Baby carrots –> I don’t really buy the big carrots anymore because I’m lazy as heck about peeling –> if I want diced carrots in something I just chop these up –> and they’re also always ready for snacking –> alternatively you can get a big bunch of carrots and make them all snack-size all in one go and then do what I do e.g. cutting them up smaller for dishes when you need it –> this may be cheaper but I’m not actually sure

Compare prices per 100g or kg –> grocery stores should have this price listed in itty-bitty writing on every label below the advertised price –> generally, no surprise here, larger bulk items will cost less per 100g or Kg than the smaller ones and on the whole it saves you money if you plan to use it again in the future

Finally, never underestimate the goodness of an old-fashioned grilled cheese

[mochi-studies]

for y'all college kids 為你們上大學的孩子 为你们上大学的孩子

[cyborgsinc-deactivated20190520]

latest greatest out of context quotations from my favorite professor/now advisor who taught Bible as Literature this past semester:

“Abraham tries to throw ‘em a bone, but no. they wanna fuck the angels” 

“there is something very Forest Gump-y about Jesus”

“I’ll drink from my own shoe. whiskey, of course. it’s not special or anything, I do it quite often.” 

“Samuel’s like, well! you’re going to die for this nonsense”

“I was going to give you a rendition of Ahab’s dying moment as originally performed by Gregory Peck, but I decided not to”

“basically you imagine Christ there like SHUT. UP”

“doves in the Bible mean dinner more than anything else”

“I enjoy the idea that getting fired from an elite boys school is somehow equivalent to crucifixion” 

“it’s almost like Marlon Brando gave birth to Tom Hanks”

“God’s all, Moses! Get out of that bush!” 

“it’s a new type of spicy mustard I enjoy. thanks, Christ!” 

“Mel Gibson in any movie whatsoever? CHRIST.” 

“if I understood how this room worked at all I would show a scene from Jonah, but” [points at oddly shaped podium] “I don’t even know what this is”

“eminent domain. God Needs It” 

“there was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence…it’s like an LSAT question! congratulations Simon, you got into Harvard.” 

“how has he been brought there? car? amtrak? is he twenty minutes to two hours late? is this the beginning of Hamlet Act 5?”

“but he calls him son of man and is not in fact retroactively referencing Phil Collins” 

“I would have done it too. I have a gambling side, and I don’t care about human life.” 

[duodenalis]

Some studyblr’s have such amazing and pretty notes and bullet journals. Meanwhile my notes sometimes look like I’m writing on a potato, lmao. But either way, at the end of the day the important thing is that you design and style your notes to help you learn and succeed.

One style or form isn’t superior to the other.

[lampurple]

Actual good first-time college student advice:

Wear jeans/pants that “breathe” and bring a sweater, even if it’s scorching hot out, until you know which building blasts the AC to 60 degrees F and which feels like a sauna

Backpacks with thick straps are your friend!  Messenger bags are cool and all but if you’re commuting with a lot of stuff, symmetrically styled backpacks are better for your back

You are your own person and you can walk out whenever you need to or want to, so long as you’re not disrupting the class.  Meaning you can go to the bathroom without permission, take a breather if you’re anxious, answer an important phone call, etc.

If you don’t like the class on the first day, if you can- DROP THAT CLASS AND TAKE ANOTHER ONE!  It’ll only get worse from there!

If you can, take a class outside your major; it’s a good break from your expected studies.

You are in charge of your schedule.  Your adviser and guidance counselor is there to ‘advise and guide’ but if you don’t like certain classes and you can substitute for others, that’s your choice.

Consequently, if you are changing anything drastic in your plan, talk with your adviser and instructors.

Pay attention to your credit hours and grades.  Never leave this to the last week of school, you will be sorry and stressed beyond belief!

Unless it’s a lab book or otherwise specified, go to the class for a week or so before buying an expensive textbook.  Some classes, while having it on their required list, do not actually use the textbook a whole lot and you might find some of it scanned online.  Rent if you can or buy used online (schools actually don’t give discounts).  Use your best judgement on what you think you need.

Tell the people who go up to you selling or advertising things you are not interested in that you are in a rush to class and don’t have time to listen to them.  It’s less rude and they’ll leave you alone.

The smaller the class, the better it is to have some sort of acquaintanceship with a couple classmates.  They might save your ass if you are absent one day or need to study.  And talking with them makes the time go by faster without it being so insufferable.

You don’t need to join a club or sport, but internships are cool and useful!

If you can afford it, take a day off once or twice each semester if you’re too exhausted.  Just be aware of what you missed and if it was worth missing!

Your health is the most important, this goes for mental health too!!  Note: College-age/upper teens is when mental disorders like depression and anxiety are most commonly diagnosed.  Most schools have therapy services, especially during exam time.  Look into it if you need to!

Communicate with your professor if you are having trouble with something.  Anything.

Eat and stay hydrated.  Bring a water bottle and snack to class.

All-nighters will happen but never go over 36 hours without sleep.

It’s going to be hard and there will be times you might think about giving up.  This WILL happen.  You just have to make sure what you’re doing isn’t making you absolutely miserable and/or there is something rewarding and positive to look forward to at the end!

[saintmosshart]

I did none of this and it bit me in the ass every time so this is EXCELLENT ADVICE.

ADDITIONAL ADVICE

Don’t let a mental health day turn into a mental health week because you will be so screwed.

Pay attention to the syllabus and do not lose it. A lot of professors put all of the assignment due dates in there and ONLY in there.

If your school has blackboard or moodle etc. CHECK IT. a lot of professors will only post certain info there and not talk about it in class

Check your student email account weekly. A lot of it will be unimportant junk but sometimes it’s the only way professors will communicate.

[beauty-and-learning-blog]

Check your student email multiple times DAILY. 

[fightostudy]

THANK YOU. I’m so glad i have resources like this queued up in my ‘college’ tag bc honestly i was so stressed before

[studyingallnight]

Advice from someone who really fucked up their freshman year:

READINGS ARE NOT OPTIONAL.

I REPEAT. READINGS. ARE. NOT. OPTIONAL.

Put them in your schedule, read BEFORE class. And summarise it. For bonus points, come up with some questions about the text and go introduce yourself to your professor either after class or during office hours, and ask them about it. This will make them much more likely to remember you in a positive light (and possibly bump your grade up if you hit a hard patch.)

Your library will have a copy of your textbook. If you cannot afford to rent it, you can go to the library and borrow it from the front desk for a few hours whenever you need it. It is there for you, okay? 

SO DO YOUR READINGS.

[studyquill]

as requested by quite a few people - a masterpost of educational podcasts. links go to either the site or the itunes podcast store. an excerpt of the description is included with each.

* indicates a podcast that i listen to regularly

entertainment

*welcome to night vale - twice-monthly updates for the small desert town of night vale

*muggle cast - everything harry potter

general information 

radiolab - investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea

*stuff you should know - about everything from genes to the galapagos

*stuff mom never told you - the business of being women 

tedtalks

good job, brain - part pub quiz show, part offbeat news

news

no one knows anything - the politics podcast from buzzfeed news

wait wait…don’t tell me - weekly current events quiz

college

*college info geek - the strategies and tactics the best students use

*getting in - your college admissions companion

math

math for primates - a couple of monkeys who decided that arguing about mathematics was a better use of their time than throwing poo at one another

math mutation - fun, interesting, or just plain weird corners of mathematics

science

60 second health - latest health and medical news

the naked scientists - interviews with top scientists, hands-on science experiments

60 second science - the most interesting developments in the world of science

startalk - astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe

nasa science cast - science behind discoveries on earth, the solar system, and beyond

history

*myths and legends - myths, legends, and folklore that have shaped cultures

stuff you missed in history class - the greatest and strangest stuff you missed

the podcast history of our world - from the big bang to the modern age! …eventually

witness - the story of our times told by the people who were there

the history chicks - two women. half the population. several thousands years of history.

entrepreneurship & finances

practical money matters - better managing their finances

the internet business mastery - learn how to create an internet based business

social triggers insider - the fields of psychology and human behavior

listen money matters - honest and uncensored, this is not your father’s boring finance show

writing & literature

professional book nerds - it’s our job to discuss books all day long

a way with words - words, language, and how we use them

grammar girl - short, friendly tips to improve your writing

classic poetry aloud - recordings of the greats poems of the past

language

esl (english) - improve english speaking and listening skills

language pod

coffee break

search in your podcast app for specific languages!

art

99% invisible - exploration of the process and power of design

tips and tricks photography 

the arts roundtable

hobbies & other

stash & burn (knitting)

practical defense - staying safe in our increasingly dangerous urban environments

zen and the art of triathlon - a triathlete’s view on living the multisport life

the art of charm - make you a better networker, connecter, and thinker

the indoor kids - isn’t just about video games, isn’t not about video games

rationally speaking - explore the borderlands between reason and nonsense

the dice tower - board games, card games, and the people who design and play them

motivational & inspirational

back to work - productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more

personal growth podcast - classic and contemporary self development audio

what it takes - conversations with towering figures in almost every field

here be monsters - exploring the dark corners of the human mind

on being - the big questions of meaning with scientists, theologians, artists, teachers

[laurenslangblr]

When to use flash cards: memorizing words/vocab, numbers, equations, names, dates, and verbatim facts or lines.

When to use mnemonic devices: memorizing steps of a process or sets of facts/information/people, especially in an order.

When to use concept maps or drawings: learning (rather than memorizing) relationships, processes, concepts, systems, etc.

When to use tables or charts: learning or memorizing systems (eg. conjugation in a foreign language), sets of sets of information (eg. people and when they lived and what they did), and other large/complex groups of information.

When to use songs: for learning or memorizing anything.

Disclaimer: this is a general guideline. If something else works for you, do it!