Letistudies

Letícia Mayumi, 22.Brazil USP Medical student, future neurosurgeon

[languageboutique]

[mienar]

in the forest cabin

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[traitspourtraits]

In the saga “coffee pots and productivity”: Busy is not a badge of honor !

You don’t have to be exhausted, overworked, to be worthy of respect.

You don’t need to be in constant search for the sacrosanct productivity to deserve praise.

In a society that puts our value in our hability to work, it’s important to remember that our worth is not our productivity.

[mienar]

“these stars are for you, child.”

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[eintsein]

Energy Management

A human-based organization method

click on images for better resolution; images also available here (link to google drive)

Other posts that may be of interest:

Getting stuff done: How to deal with a lack of motivation

Flexible time-blocking: A more breathable way to get things done

The ABCDE Method

[civilwhore]

if ur sad do not fear friend i am sending puppies to help u

[muststudy-deactivated20250929]

TOP TIPS FOR YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT

Hello! I’m about to start uni in a few weeks so I thought now would be a good time to share my top tips for writing a good personal statement. There is no ‘special formula’ for writing a good one but these are some tips I picked up from family, friends, online articles, teachers and universities themselves:

WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT?

you need to say why you want to study that course - how your interest developed, how you’ve pursued it (e.g. extracurricular activities), how you’ve drawn inspiration - basically demonstrate a lot of enthusiasm but be specific

give evidence that you’re right for the course - demonstrate with examples that you have researched it, understand what it entails and have the correct skills

say what you’ve done outside of the classroom - further reading and opinions (but try to be original - don’t talk about books that are really well-known in your subject)

explain why your experiences are relevant to the course and to a future career - reflect on experiences, don’t describe them!

give examples of transferable skills - teamwork, time management, problem solving, etc. and then expand on the most relevant skills - success in projects, how you grew from particular experiences, biggest challenges you’ve faced, etc.

also show you’re a critical thinker and mention long term plans

AN EXAMPLE:

as an example, here’s what I wrote about in my personal statement:

a public lecture I’d been to at a local university and how this inspired me (you could watch a TED talk online and discuss it)

how I was interested by the lab equipment and research I’d seen at a university when I went on a taster day

hobbies I have and how I was interested in my subject outside of school (books, magazines, podcasts I like and why)

a line about my EPQ and how this follows on from a podcast I listened to

how I’m finding my A level subjects (e.g. I enjoy science practicals)

how my AS levels helped me (e.g. AS history really helped me with essay writing)

what I learned from tutoring some GCSE students and volunteering at a charity shop

how I found shadowing a PhD student at a local university - how this inspired me and motivated me in my chosen subject

TRY TO INCLUDE:

paragraphs and GOOD GRAMMAR!!!!!

balance of academic and extra-curricular 

evidence you’ve done research

show genuine engagement 

lateral thinking - link to a more obscure theme that you find interesting 

honesty and a desire to study 

what you want from course 

positivity

CURIOSITY! 

make it interesting, thoughtful and personal - say what inspires you

DON’T INCLUDE:

academic achievements - unis know what qualifications you have and which grades you’re predicted so don’t waste your characters! 

quotes - this is YOUR personal statement, not Winston Churchill’s!! 

lists - you need detail and explanations 

clichés - you have not wanted to be a doctor for as long as you can remember! 

sweeping statements 

‘passion’ and other commonly-used words 

stilted vocabulary - use language that you actually use (but not slang)

exaggeration 

humour - it’s a dangerous move to use humour 

negativity 

irrelevant facts - it’s not a school essay!

OVERALL:

show not tell - “I’ve been able to develop my communication skills by tutoring three GCSE science students” is better than saying “I’m a good communicator” 

DRAFT!!!! you will not be able to write a good personal statement in one go - it took me months of regular drafting and re-writing to get mine even close to being finished! 

get help! ask friends, family, teachers, etc. to read it and give feedback

don’t be too precious about it - you will have to cut bits out, shorten sentences, lengthen sentences, delete words, re-arrange the structure, etc. so try to stay open minded!

one uni I visited on an open day suggested using the ABC formula: A is for Activity (say what you did), B is for Benefit (say the skills you gained from the activity) and then C is for Course (relate it to the course and say how it prepares you) - I didn’t use this myself but I have friends who found it useful!

be specific! don’t say “I love French” - say “I love how learning new languages helps me to understand the world around me….”

I hope this is helpful and good luck! Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have! :)

[study-blr]

Study tips to actually get shit done

And no, the first tip isn’t to ‘just start’, or to whip out your 84727 coloured pens, agenda, and colour code your life. 

1. Give yourself incentive: You’re a lot more likely to actually do the work if you tell yourself you’re going to watch a movie in 3 hours, rather than having an abyss of time to finish that chapter. 

2. Start early: I’m assuming most of the readers are on summer break now. I’m not asking you to start studying from the evening you finished your exam, but start at least one month before your school begins, so you can ease into the next school year. Here’s how to go about it:                                                            Get the total syllabus - You can mostly find this online, or on the school website. 

 Decide how much you want to cover over the summer - Don’t try to learn the entire 2-year course in 2 months. Start with around 2-3 chapters to give yourself a head-start. 

Get the textbooks - Again, you can mostly find these online, or at your library. If you can’t locate them online, ask someone! There are many websites dedicated to that particular board of education, and most of the textbooks come with a CD that has the book in .pdf form, and most people would gladly send you the first couple of chapters.

Stay away from past exam papers - I say this because past exams are limited, and you want to ensure that you have enough resources to practice from before your actual exams. Practice the Excercise questions in your textbook instead. Or if you really really want to practice more, invest in a question bank. 

3. Determine how you learn best: Contrary to popular belief, there aren’t only 3 kinds of learners. See for yourself:

And while we all feel we’re stress learners, that’s not quite the deal. If you have the time, try out each of these methods to find which one would suit you on the long term. 

4. Don’t movie into the library: I know it must be tempting to just sit in the library all day, but 4 hours of blogging in the library is still 4 hours of blogging. Going to the library just gives you the illusion of productivity, if you don’t do anything there. 

5. Ask you friends/family to help you stay focused: Tell them to confiscate your technology or turn off the wifi when you’re studying. Download whatever material you need for college work, or use a website-blocking app. (There are a zillion of those floating around.)

6. DON’T. HIGHLIGHT. Unless you abso-frikkin-lutely have to. Highlighting leads to passive reading. You start studying on autopilot, and there’s no point of having 4 pages of neon orange that you don’t remember reading. 

7. Note-taking: Sure, all the studyblr pictures of notes with MacBooks and sharpies and Staedtler pens might look ‘aesthetic’ but don’t try to replicate that if it don’t work for you. If you lie to scribble down your notes on newspaper margins with a black ball pen, then by all means, do that. There really is no point having an ultra-pretty study guide that you don’t really use, or worse, don’t have time to use.

8. Cut your flashcards out of paper for short courses. I find this especially helpful for vocab, etc, because it’s just a few words that I will become familiar with quickly. Use proper flashcards for things like definitions and mnemonics, as you’ll be needing these on the long term. (Also, I’m sorry I can’t help you more with flashcards, as we don’t get those in my country. It’s like I live in Narnia, minus the cool stuff.)

9. Do all the practice problems: This one is pretty self-explanatory. 

Bonus tip: If you use a bullet journal/to-do list, I recommend highlighting the tasks you have finished. this one is totally optional, but it helps me feel more accomplished at the end of the day. 

[tgmdea]

This is a great idea for those wanting to create a unique home decor in a space. A tapestry hanging from your ceiling can add a wonderful scenic feature to your room, giving some love to the most forgotten element of your home… the ceilings! So why not hang a special ceiling tapestry for that?

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[gabrielithaa]

These looks so great! I need all of them 💖

[keilachante]

it looks so good i bought the small one and it’s the perfect size the product arrives in 12 days i am from Australia. i give my five stars feedback 🌸💖

[calenza]

These are really beautiful ~💐💐

[loirest]

I love these tapestries!!! They’re much better quality than I was honestly expecting. I love how they look on my wall and they really make my bedroom look super cozy. And they were super easy to hang!

[psyychstudies]

the temperature hit 27 degrees f (-3 celsius) today so i’m bundled up in my room with thick socks and cozy blankets, trying to accept the fact that this is the new reality for the next 5 months 🌨

[kahvi-studies]

2019 reflection on study habits

What days do you study and what days do you not study?

How long do you study at a time?

Do you allow your phone to send notifications?

Where do you study?

Do you like to study alone or in a group? What works better for you?

Do you take notes per hand or on your computer?

Do you review your notes? How often?

When do you start working for an assignment?

Do you always go to class? What’s your excuse when not?

What do you do during class?

Do you use your phone while in class?

Describe your study habits. Do you typically read before/after class?

Do you start studying easier or complicated stuff at first?

How much do you usually study for an exam?

Were you happy with your academically success this year? Why/Why not?

Be honest. What could you’ve done different or better?

Did you learn something new about your study habits this year?

Which type of learner are you?

Which study methods have been your favorite?

Are there any other methods you wanna try?

What helps you focus?

Where do you like being productive the most?

[luminous-studiess]

how to study with a mental illness!!!! aka a guide to simultaneously caring for yourself and your academics

(disclaimer: this is from purely personal experience and is not a substitute for seeking professional help. these are just personal tips as i was formally diagnosed with depression and anxiety in the third year of college, but had been showing symptoms even in high school. different methods help for different people, but i really hope some of these things can help a struggling student out, because one of the reasons i went on studyblr in the first place was that i felt really lost and anxious.)

1. done is better than none. sometimes an assignment you have to turn in would be objectively easy to complete, but it takes longer to do so because you’re afraid that the final product won’t be as good as you want it to be, or as good as a professor expects it to be. it’s hard to remove those expectations, but it is a little easier when you remember that getting some points (no matter how many they are) are better than getting a deduction for late submissions or not turning in the project at all. many people – including myself – suffer from perfectionism in university, but it is overall more important to complete something to the best of your own ability, and learn from the feedback on the project later on. more importantly, often, you’re doing better than you think you’re doing, so surprise yourself. you can do it. just start.  2.  keep careful track of your deadlines.  much of my undergrad anxiety came from the fact that i knew something was due, but couldn’t keep track of it, or didn’t want to confront it. it’s better to confront it because you have more time to do it slowly and thoroughly. as soon as you hear about an impending exam or paper deadline, keep track of it. personally, i use google calendar. from there, you can make smaller plans and break down your goals to make it more doable! 3. don’t be afraid to ask for help.  there used to be a huge stigma against mental illness, but thankfully, many educational institutions are much kinder and more considerate about it. if you really can’t meet a deadline or come to class, let your professor know. most professors are kind, reasonable people who genuinely care about you and your well-being. even one of my scariest professors granted extensions to a girl who was genuinely struggling with serious depression, and the college of law i’m in takes mental health very seriously to the point that they instruct faculty how to deal with such cases.  if you’re not able to talk to a professor, try to ask help from a classmate or a friend who can share notes or fill you in on how they accomplished a certain assignment. many people will be happy to help. you are not a burden, love. 4. be kinder to yourself.  mental illness is like any illness. it often keeps us from doing as well as we’d like to be because it’s a genuine and serious health problem. sometimes it helps to keep this in mind when we flub a report in class (as i did several tens of times in undergrad), get a bad score, say something ridiculous during recitation, or mess up a paper. it’s okay to do your best while you heal. you know you’re trying your best, and slow growth is still growth. 5. on that note, care for your other needs.  one of my happiest and most fulfilled semesters (even though it was my busiest) was when i had time to see a psychiatrist, run, pack lunches and fruit to school to eat healthy, and have a reasonable-ish sleep schedule. this was during my thesis semester. while i had to take an incomplete, and finish my thesis the next sem, because i was attending to my own needs, i felt like a living, breathing, learning, happy person. and i finished my thesis the next semester. it’s better to look after your own physical health and needs before your academics. 6. sometimes, it’s better to do nothing and rest. you deserve it.  part of the reason i’d been doing horribly in law school was that i didn’t sleep and it was making me mildly unbalanced and incredibly suicidal; not to mention the fact that i wasn’t really retaining any information or performing well. rest days are just as important as days when you study because rest IS productivity.  7. take your meds. see your psych or therapist if you have one. avail yourself of mental health services on campus if there are any. these genuinely saved my life at a time that i thought i was beyond saving. please go seek help if you can.  BONUS: MY STUDY SETUP ON A TERRIBLE MENTAL HEALTH DAY (like today) - i try to clear the space and clean up as much as possible. it makes me feel like i have things under control, and have my work things where i can see them. - i eat something healthy, like fruit, and get a lot of water. i keep a water jug on my desk because it clears my thoughts and helps me replenish the fluids lost from crying (1/2jk). it also really keeps up my strength for the study process. - i turn on a calming playlist, like a jazz or lofi or ghibli playlist. in another window, i turn on a rain sound video on a softer volume, and it helps center me. - it helps when you have a soft or calming scent to calm you down. i use a lavender room spray, and it makes me feel cozy and productive, but in undergrad, i used this tea-tree lavender mix and it smelled like sunny afternoons and guitar coffeshop playlists. it really is nice. - there are breathing exercises and gifs all over the internet. they help calm you down when things seem Too Much.  i really hope this helps, guys. don’t hesitate to message me if you’ve been having a hard time with school or life or anything. please, please care for yourselves. you can do it.  – sam

[praestantias-deactivated2020032]

LITERATURE : WHERE TO START ? | MASTERPOST

[healiing]

you do not need to constantly justify yourself. go ahead. eat pancakes. eat a ton at dinner. eat ice cream sundaes at 1am. take a rest day. take six rest days. sleep in. watch a movie. watch ten movies. no explanations needed. you’re allowed to be kind to yourself.

[einstetic]

Moods of productivity or lack of it:

1# inspired by @coffeeandpies :The thick layer of smog is hiding the towering buildings and you are starting off your morning at the downtown café with a cup of hot soybean milk. It is the early morning but the subway is almost empty. The almost identical appearance of the architecture and the inadequate city planning is making everyone pull their hair out, even the locals are sharing the same experience. An intense school day is rewarded with some boba tea and the study cafes are inviting people to stay long into the nights. As you are heading home late in the night, the amazing smell of street food is filling the air and once in a while you can hear someone having enjoying themselves with a karaoke session.

2# northern europe: You are late as per usual. With a takeaway coffee in your hand, you are trying to rush among all the others who are late. The cold weather hits your right in the face as you step outside of the busstation and start making your way towards class. Trams and cars are honking like crazy as some are crossing the roads when the lights are red. The humongous group of asian tourists are standing in the way of all the locals, trying to capture the grey atmosphere with their selfie sticks. After class you realise you haven’t done anything productive but still decide to skip studying to go for a lunch with your friends. As hours go by you decide it is time to go home and in the bus you fall asleep with the textbook in your hands.

3# high school: At 5.30 am you groan out loud as the alarm goes off. You end up snoozing until 6 am and realise you are going to be late for the bus. By 7 am you are sitting in class with the look of a zombie, but you are not only one. At lunch you are heading to Starbucks and order yourself an iced almond latte. The afternoon is spent at the school library with your friends and even though you were supposed to finish the three assignments, you are gossiping and looking through memes.

4# the mess: Once the alarm goes off you lay in bed contemplating your life: to go or not to go? As the warmth of the bed is inviting you decide to opt for the second option and text your friend to add your name on the attendance list. At 1 pm you decide it is time to get your shit together and you gather your stuff to the kitchen table. Two essays, a lab report, three exams and plenty of small assignments are waiting for you. Exhausted you pour yourself a huge mug of black coffee and get to work. By 12 am you realise you haven’t eaten all day but you decide it is just time to go to bed.

5# holly gabrielle: It is 6 am and you are making yourself a hot lemon water. A few yoga stretches later you sit by your desk to write the to do list for the day. When it is done you get right in to work and start your research for a paper. At 11 am you have a long lecture which you, surprisingly enough, enjoy a lot. When you get back to your dorm room your start rewriting and adding additional information to your lecture notes and at 7 pm you find yourself at your gym. By 10 pm you have finished everything on your list and happy, but tired you head to bed hoping for tomorrow to be just as productive.

[bio-child]

I was soaked and freezing cold by the time we reached this alpine lake, but something about the sound and tranquility kept me completely unbothered.

[leave-her-a-tome]

(source)

Unsplash -  photography, illustration, and art

Pixabay - same as unsplash

Pexels - stock photos and videos

Stockvault.net - stock photos

Veceezy - vectors and clipart

Getdrawings - simplistic images and drawing tutorials

Gumroad - photoshop brushes (and more)

Canva - needs login but has lots of templates

Library of Congress - historical posters and photos

NASA - you guessed it

Creative Commons - all kinds of stuff, homie

Even Adobe has some free images

There are so many ways to make moodboards, bookcovers, and icons without infringing copyright! As artists, authors, and other creatives, we need to be especially careful not to use someone else’s work and pass it off as our own. 

Please add on if you know any more sites for free images <3