FATIMA ZAHRA

15 // California // I blog mostly studyinspo, current events, photography, social activism, and humor. Check out my Flickr below if you'd like to see my freelance photography works! ❤️

[look-beyond-the--surface]

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[herhighnessthequeen]

Hoe Tips: School and Studying

I’m currently in PA school with close to a 4.0 GPA, and with college and back to school starting up, I’m dropping some tips for y'all. A hoe gotta get bomb ass grades if ya want a bomb ass career and to be successful af. So let’s get it✨

1. Write out your notes. Have two notebooks: one for when you’re in class (this one can be messy) and one for at home (this one is the neater one, for color coding, formatting, and all that organizational jazz). Writing things out is proven to enhance memorization 7X more than just reading is.

2. Have a go-to format for your notes. Numbering, bullet points, whatever floats your boat.

3. Type out your notes. I use Google Drive, because it automatically saves all your shit, and you can access your notes via your Google account literally anywhere. Typing out your notes does the same thing writing them out does, as far as helping you review the material.

4. Use Quizlet. Quizlet is a free flashcard website/app that allows you to type in all of your flashcards and definitions, and gives you review options like matching, testing, flashcard mode, and more. This shit made me my high schools valedictorian, no lie.

5. Keep your old quizzes and tests. Often times, teachers will ask similar questions on finals.

6. For math-based subjects, always always always show your work in your notes. I try to explain each step for a math problem in the margins of my notes, and generalize how to do each problem at the end.

7. Do practice problems consistently.

8. For my college hoes: never take an 8 am class. You think you can do it because you did it for high school, but I promise you will regret it. If there’s no avoiding the 8 am lecture, bring coffee and skip any makeup/hair that day. Sleep is too important.

9. Make flashcards. The night before my exams, I like to try and fit everything I need to know for a specific chapter/topic onto one flashcard, in order to weed out main ideas.

10. For essays, easybib.com is amazing with free citations to avoid any plaigiarism or incorrect bibliographies.

11. Rent👏your👏textbooks👏. Unless your teacher specifically requires you BUY it, you likely won’t need the actual textbook. Buying access codes for the book online is hundreds of dollars cheaper.

12. If you do get your textbooks, a lot of them have chapter summaries at the end of each chapter. Be sure to write out/type out/review those summaries.

13. For science labs, if you are allowed, take pictures of any models or slides you need to know for your exams. Pretty much all labs won’t let you take pictures of cadavers or animal dissections, but plastic models and microscope slides should be fine.

14. If you have a question, ASK YOUR TEACHER. It is better to look stupid in class and get your clarification, than to look stupid when you get your exam back and actually have it count against your grade.

15. Do study groups. I have two nursing friends in some of the same classes as me, and we’d always meet up before exams to go over the material. We would bring dry erase markers and map out shit in empty classrooms, taking turns explaining shit to each other until we nailed it.

16. Try to teach the material. Like I said in #15, study groups are great for this. By teaching the material out loud, you are subconsciously reviewing it yourself. This is a HUGE help.

17. Take breaks. You cannot exhaust yourself and expect to still recall anything you learned.

18. I know everyone does this and there’s no avoiding it sometimes, but DO NOT CRAM. Gradual learning is most effective.

19. Have one day every week where you don’t do any schoolwork. You need time to reboot.

20. Use your phone’s calendar/task checklist app for all major assignments, due dates, exam dates, study plans, appointments, etc. Set reminders as needed.

21. Charge your phone in another room while studying. No distractions.

22. Rainymood.com is a free website that plays a 30 minute loop of rain sounds. It helps me focus like nothing else, especially in my loud ass household, and every time the loop stops and replays, I know to take a break between 30 minute study sessions.

23. Feel distracted at home when studying? Try studying in a library, cafe, or even at school. I find that going somewhere else to study actually forces me to pay attention to what I’m doing, for some reason.

24. Reward yourself for good grades. Buy yourself a slice of pizza or a new highlight, have a netflix marathon, go to a party, or take a nap. Whatever conveys a job well done, do it. It’ll make all that studying feel that much greater when it’s over, and you’ll have a goal to work towards.

25. Sit in the front of the classroom as often as possible. You’ll be forced to pay attention, be able to actually see the board, hear the instructor better, and you’re more likely to have your questions answered quickly because your teacher will actually see your hand go up.

26. Caffeinate. I prefer tea because it’s healthier, but coffee works too. Ya girl is NOT a morning person, but my morning tea at least helps me pay attention during earlier classes.

27. Keep all of your school shit organized, together, and labelled.

28. Do NOT skip a class just because you’re lazy or don’t feel like going. The temptation is real sometimes, but a hoes gonna be pissed when ya see your participation average decline.

29. This may just be a psychological thing, but I love to use the same colored/brand of pen for all of my notes/assignments/tests. It just makes everything seem more uniform, and I’m able to recall information better.

30. Trouble taking tests? For any multiple choice question, read the question and try to answer it first without reading any of the options. If your answer doesn’t match the options, then use process of elimination to find the best answer. For true/false questions, write out justifications for each answer (you can also do this for multiple choice). You’ll be acing your exams in no time.

31. Chewing gum during class/studying, and chewing that same flavor gum during the exam, has been scientifically proven to boost your memory recall.

32. Literally any time you have the opportunity to do extra credit, DO IT. Cherish that shit.

33. If you aren’t doing so hot in a particular class (literally any math class for me lol), schedule a private meeting with your professor and go over test questions you missed, or topics you didn’t get. If you know your professor is a flop, or can’t get an appointment, meet with a tutor or another professor of that same subject. Sometimes another voice can shed new light on a difficult topic.

34. For essays, readable.io critiques your writing for free based on readability, grade level, formality, tone, grammatical errors, etc. Seriously a life saver.

35. Also thesaurus.com is ya bff for fancier words/phrases to make your writing more eloquent

36. Always make an outline for every essay or project to organize what you want to say. This will keep you on track, and help you work around any quotes or sources in you writing to make sure your writing is hella organized.

That’s all I can think of for now, please please please feel free to add and share. Enjoy those 4.0’s, hoes💞

[blackmessydesk]

Habits of successful students

Discipline: “discipline is doing what needs to be done, even when you don’t want to”, which means that you have to force yourself to start doing things. 

Concentration: when you make a real effort in your work (study, homeworks etc…) you will be more likely to actually focus, understand and learn. 

Organization: always set tasks and goals and organize a study-schedule. Maybe you don’t really want to plan all the week, but if you just wake up and open your agenda/bullet journal/iphone calendar and write down all the things you have to do, setting due dates and deadlines, you’ll feel more conscious and encouraged to stay on track. 

Tasks-splitting: sometimes, you write down your tasks. Some of these tasks may be very hard and complicated, and it will take a long long time to complete them. So, you can split them in smaller tasks, so you will feel satisfied after a shorter period of time, instead of studying for hours and still seeing that chapter undone on your study-schedule. 

Watch the sunrise: when I wake up late, I feel like I don’t have enought time to do my work and lose my motivation. I literally panic and then I think “whatever, I could not complete all the things anyway”. So, if you wake up earlier you will feel more positive and  controlled. 

Smart reading: try not to read your textbook just like a newspaper. For every paragraph you read, try to underline and write down key words and then your question about that subject. Literally, turn your textbook into questions. If you write down question - particularly why…? - and think about the answer, you will be more likely to remember that stuff later. 

Healthy lifestile: if you don’t drink enough water in the morning, you will be more likely to have a decrease of concentration in the afternoon/evening, so: stay hydrated. Try also to have some snaks every one-two hours: feed your brain. 

[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.  

[studyelement]

Doing well is much easier said than done. The best tip I have is to just do the work. It’s going to suck, but there’s no secret other than doing the work. Though, there are ways to make doing the work easier!

I. Time Management

Have a planner to gain a general idea of your week.

Schedule your time for studying but also schedule time for breaks.

Every morning I check what needs to be done for the day.

I treat college as a 9-5 job with a lunch break. This may not work for everyone, but this thinking allows me to be done by 5, and I usually finish everything for the day by that time.

Take a break after you finish an assignment. Allow yourself to feel proud for finishing and give yourself a reward.

Break up projects into smaller parts, this is incredibly important. It’s easier to do an outline, then a few paragraphs rather than doing an entire essay at once.

It’s not time well used if you don’t focus on the task at hand. If you’re having trouble, get rid of distractions using apps that limit phone/internet usage.

Don’t waste time on techniques that don’t work for you. I don’t rewrite notes, it doesn’t help me study. Instead I do extra textbook problems or I watch a video on the topic. 

Sometimes it’s hard to motivate yourself to do the work, to study. Then just do a single problem, a single page or paragraph. Usually starting is the hardest part.

II. Studying & Learning

Be present during class by asking questions and answering problems.

Use phone-locking apps like Forest if you need to to stay focused on the class.

Skim lecture notes ahead of time. You don’t need to take notes on them, the professor will tell you what’s important.

It’s ok if your notes aren’t pretty as long as they’re functional.

Practice problems until you can’t get them wrong.

Try to teach the material to someone else. This will show holes in your understanding. Pretend to teach if you don’t have a friend in the same class.

If you need, study in the library. Honestly, studying at my desk in my dorm has worked just fine for me though.

Do the homework, there’s no way around it. This is probably the biggest tip here. Do the work.

Actually do the homework, don’t just copy answers. Understand the answers. You can’t copy on a test.

Speaking of tests, do as many practice tests as you can find. Once the real test comes around, you won’t be as nervous and it should feel familiar.

Nice pens and notebooks aren’t required. However, spend a dollar and get a pen that writes well enough that you’re not wasting time during class getting it to work. (I’ve been through this)

Do the extra credit. There’s no reason not to, and your grade will thank you.

Go to tutoring, not everyone knows everything. You might even make a new friend since most tutors at my school are also students!

Realistically, you don’t need to do every reading assignment as long as you know what your professor tests on. If you don’t have the time, its fine to only skim the assignment.

Make study groups. If you don’t have a friend in the class, it’s as easy as asking “want to work on the homework together?” In my experience, most people are happy to work with you.

Go to your professors office hours if you need help. Your professors are a valuable resource.

Ask your friends for feedback, I do this all the time.

III. Treat Yourself

Sleep and eat well. Coffee is not a breakfast.

Please, don’t force yourself to cram a subject overnight. This is where time management comes into play.

An over-stressed student is a bad student, but a little bit of stress is healthy.

Find what motivates you. Personally, I wish to become a researcher so I work hard towards that goal to get into a good grad. school.

You don’t have to join a club. I’m not in one, and my social life is just fine since I spend time playing games with friends at night.

But join a club if you want, even for a single day. You might meet some friends.

Really do whatever you want with regards to your social life. Do what’s comfortable for you.

If you need it, colleges have a therapist that you can make an appointment with.

[lettersfromhav]

college advice from someone who’s been on both sides of it

So I’m finishing up my Ph.D. and preparing to depart for the real world (no, just kidding, I’m going to be in school forever, only in a different capacity) and I thought I’d put together a list of some college tips to share with you all. I graduated with my B.A. in 2012, magna cum laude, with 2 majors, 1 honours thesis, 2 on-campus jobs, and 3 music things. Since then, I’ve gone to grad school and also taught six semesters of first-year seminars. Now I’m going on the job market for teaching positions. All of this means that I’ve seen both sides of the college experience, as a student and as an instructor. There are a lot of great & useful college advice posts going around studyblr this time of here, and I wanted to add my own. I hope it’s useful. So here we go, with a “read more” because it’s long (sorry if you’re on mobile):

academics

find your classrooms ahead of time (profs’ offices too)

figure out how long it will take you to walk between places

figure out where your best seat will be & claim it

say hi to the people next to you, learn their names

take notes in class

take advantage of extra credit

try your best not to fall asleep in class (and if you do fall asleep, apologise to the prof afterwards)

bring your glasses if you need them, don’t be stubborn about it

check out the library, wander in the stacks, talk to the librarians

figure out how & where to print

buy used books/textbooks, or rent them, but be careful with ebooks (some profs don’t allow them)

plan breaks into your class schedule, or block everything together, whichever works best for you

work out the pros & cons of 8am classes and/or night classes

plan ahead – have a planner, put things in it, do them

fake deadlines are a thing (write down earlier deadlines, trick yourself into meeting them, bask in satisfaction)

grades won’t be what they were in high school

keep in mind GPA values: a 3.5 will see you graduating with honours

be nice to the departmental administrative staff, thank them for helping you (even with small things)

office hours versus emailing profs: both will get your questions answered (probably) but if you can go and talk in person, do it

profs & TAs are people too, they have lives, they have bad days

if something comes up, talk to your prof, be honest but don’t overshare, just show them you’re trying

on that note, try

Keep reading

[hufflepuffscholar]

university tips

*from someone that survived her own first year of university

university is SO different from high school; a brilliant student in high school can be just a mediocre university student, and this is simply how it is when people from all over the country come together in a class. 

so it is okay to stress, but only if afterwards you’re just trying your best! it doesn’t matter how much you already know (though it helps), but how willing you are to learn! so, really, if you want to be there, you can make it!

make sure you eat properly; after a while, your body will start feeling gross and it’ll eventually show in your capacity to do your work. go out, buy that extra meat, extra salads, extra fruits, at least every once in a while. it’s not luxury, it’s a need

go the extra mile. no matter how optional a task may be or how tongue-tied you feel on a particular day, put yourself out there. write that essay, do that projects, speak about your ideas. your teachers really appreciate it when they ask for interractions from students and they provide, and it’s nice to have your teacher know you by face and by actions. it might prove useful when they’re grading you during the finals as well.

go to all (most) of your classes, no matter how optional the attendace is or how little you understand on the moment. in the long run, it will matter, and it’s super helpful to complete all your materials with the extra knowledge you got from the class. and no one and nothing will truly replace a teacher’s explanation.

try to make friends with those around you; most are probably just as lost and lonely as you are and it’s good to have people around you who can motivate you when you’re done or with whom to simply share the struggles of getting an education. sure, not everyone will like you, but those that will, make sure they can stick.

get involved in all the extra programmes that you’re interested in! you’re young and a student once! these opportunities are mostly a once in your lifetime thing! get out there and try everything: go to that book club, get your ass for the cinephile gathering, sign up for exchange programs, help out your teachers with their projects, do volunteer work! whatever floats your boat, but just do it!

also keep your eyes wide open to catch all the interesting lectures happening in your school. check those posters, check those subjects, check those dates and go. most of the times, you’ll leave knowing much more and having something to think on.

do your reading and assignments ahead of time! you don’t want it to be 2 dayss before your first exam, and you still have to finish essays and books.

the library really is your best friend! either as a study place or alternative to spending all your money on the source materials for your homework.

tidy up at least once a week; as school materials will start pile up, it will be harder and harder to find anything and you’ll only just end up frustrated

no one knows you better than you do, so make sure to take only the amount of work you know you can do. it’s okay if you want to keep your first year as free as you can, so you have time to acommodate, and just as okay it is to try all the available classes if you can. 

keep your facebook name your real one so people can find you. make sure you’re in every possible group within the first week of university, so you know what’s going on. use said facebook groups to ask about teachers and classes, or find offers on used textbooks that are much cheaper than if you would have bought them yourself.

talk with the upperclassmen if you have questions, or simply for tips! really, it tickles our ego to have people actually interested in the experiences we have to share and most of us are more than happy to clear any misunderstandings or help you guys get a classroom right.

carry pills and proteine bars with you, especially if you spend a long time away from home! you never know when pain or hunger hits you, and it is better to be prepared than sorry. 

it became a running joke at this point, i know, but right during the exam period you’ll want to do everything you haven’t done ever. so make sure you nurture your hobbies as well as your studies, and hopefully your interests are not too time consuming or at least require frequent/long breaks.

literally no one cares about how you look; so wear that make-up and nice clothes if you feel up for it, but if you don’t, that’s fine as well.

it will be done in the blink of an eye. so be true to yourself and your wishes, enjoy what you’re studying and, remember, you can do it!

[succulentstudy]

things i wish i’d known in my first year of university

I’m reaching the end of my time at university and it’s got me all sentimental. and regretful. There are a number of things that I had learned during my time at university that I wish I’d known during first year. 

Read everything. The only valid excuse for not reading everything on the reading list is that you didn’t have time, not that you found it boring, or that it wasn’t useful. Because there’s nothing scarier than trying to write an essay on something you studied a month ago, and you have no notes on the topic. 

Revise constantly. I wish I’d revisited everything I did a week after I did it, just as a recap. I tended to focus on what I was doing in the moment because it felt the most important thing at the time. Well, during exams, everything is equal. And it’s so frustrating not quite being able to remember something. So, revise. Even just for ten minutes.

Don’t spend all of your money on impulse. I’ve bought so much rubbish that I really don’t need. And if I’d saved that money, I could have gone on holiday. Save every last penny you can. 

Eat well. I just said that you should save all the money you can, but I think that food is one exception to that rule. Try and save money where you can, obviously, but don’t go for days and days without fresh vegetables because you’re saving money for a holiday. Your mind, as well as your body, needs food.

Go and talk to professors in their student hours. I used to find this so awkward. To be honest, I still do. But if you’re going sending them an email and asking for clarification on a topic, consider maybe popping into their office when it’s open to students. And tell them if you’re struggling! If you don’t let them know, then they can’t help you.

Take hot drinks with you, to your lectures or to the library. Don’t spend all your money in the library cafe. Bring a flask of tea, and loads of study snacks in a packed lunch box. Trust me on this.

Make time to meet up with friends you haven’t seen in ages. Don’t wait for them to ask you. I make sure to socialise with my friends at least twice a week. And by socialise, I don’t mean getting blind drunk and going clubbing. Sit down and have lunch together. Chat. Get to know each other properly. Friendships formed over alcohol never last as long as friendships formed through actual conversation.

Do stuff that the university puts on for students. Join societies. Get involved. One of the best nights I ever had at university was a masquerade ball that my college put on. And for some reason, I’ve never done anything like that since then? And I don’t understand why! University is for making memories, and I don’t really have many!

Travel around your university town. If you’re university is on a campus, don’t let your life revolve around that one place. If you’ve travelled away from home to go to university, then make it worth your while! See the sights, be a tourist, get on a bus and go to a random town and buy ice cream. 

Experiment. This is the time. Dye your hair blue, join a weird and random society and take up a hobby you’d never dreamed of.  If you want to try drugs, make sure it’s a safe environment and do your research before hand. If you don’t want to do that kind of thing, then don’t judge other people for doing so.

Give yourself a day off per week. When you’re at university and you’ve got loads of work, it’s tempting to just work constantly - or at least, to work every day, if not all the time. But it’s so much better for your mental state to take a day off to just relax. 

Keep up with your chores. When you’re stressed about an assignment, you don’t want to be also stressed about that pile of washing up accumulating by the sink. Keep your room tidy too - clear space, clear mind.

Be kind to everyone. You’re going to meet a lot of people at university, some you’re going to hit it off with immediately. But there will be some who really rub you up the wrong way. Don’t worry about it, it’s completely fine to not like someone. But don’t be mean to them. This isn’t high school, you’re all here to learn and there’s just no need to make them feel bad about themselves. It’s just petty and childish.

Think about the future. I know that you’re completely wrapped up in your university life right now, but you’re going to have to venture out into the real world at some point. Do things that might help your future career: volunteer, get a job, join a sports club, make connections. University isn’t, sadly, forever.

There you have it! The advice that I would have given myself in the first year of university. Whether you’re just about to start university, or whether you’re just about to leave, I hope this is useful to you.

[jaime-etudier]

Final Exam Tips

If you couldn’t tell by the things I’ve been reposting lately, finals week has arrived. My first exam is at 8am tomorrow (wish me luck), and I wanted to share some tips and things I’ve learned over the years. Most of this applies to both college and high school, but everyone’s method is gonna be a little different. You do you boo. 

Self Care

This is super important. It may seem like you don’t have time to worry about these things but your body is just as important as your mind. Nurture it. 

Make your bed. Every morning. If you have to wake up early to give yourself more time, do it. Someone somewhere once said “the state of your bed is the state of your head.”

Brush your teeth. Floss if you can. I know it’s a pain in the ass but it’s literally 2 minutes of your time. 

Put on chap-stick. Bring it everywhere, to all your exams, leave some in your car, in your pocket. It’s never fun to have chapped lips. 

Wash your face. Morning and night, depending on skin type, etc. This is super important to wash away all of the dirt, makeup, and toxins your skin is exposed to. It also helps to wake you up and get you started. And if you’re anything like me, stress breakouts are always a possibility.

Moisturize. Your face, your arms, your legs, etc. A good facial moisturizer and body lotion can do wonders for your skin and your mood. Do a face mask too, if you really wanna pamper yourself. 

Keep your space clean. Where you sleep, where you get ready for bed, and especially where you study. This goes back to making your bed, your surroundings play an important role in your mood and state of mind. 

Eat Healthy. Don’t skip meals, your brain needs good nutrition to function. Take it easy on the sugar, you might be on a high for a little while but the crash is real. 

Drink. Water. Lots of it. I’m terrible when it comes to this, but I find that keeping a refillable water bottle on me, one that’s easy to take quick sips from, helps a lot. You need to be hydrated in order to function properly. Drink juice to help you stay awake if you’re not a fan of coffee or tea (Idk why but this really helps). 

Stay active. Keep moving, get that blood circulating. Whether it’s running, yoga, or a walk in the park, the movement is sure to clear your mind and get those endorphins kicking. 

SLEEP. 7-8 hours, ideally. No all-nighters. Don’t even think about it. I limit myself to one all-nighter a semester, and never on the night before an exam. Your brain works to learn and memorize at night, so get your rest and study in the process.Take catnaps between study sessions if you get tired during the day, but don’t sacrifice that sacred sleep for a few extra hours of studying that will haunt you the entire next day. 

Studying

Now that you’re all zenned out, you can fill your brain with all that dope knowledge. 

Go to review days. Your teacher should explain what’s on the exam and what she expects of you, and if you skip you could miss out on important details like room and time. It may seem like skipping gives you more time to study, but you’ll be at a disadvantage in the end.

Summarize. Outline/summarize/prep class content expected on the exam. Being able to summarize content and place it in an order that makes sense shows understanding, and it’ll help you figure out what you need to work on most.  

Find study stations. Coffee shops, the campus library, bookstores, diners, you name it. Study anywhere but home, at least not alone. I sometimes crash at my friend’s place and we’ll have silent study sessions, keeping each other in check. 

Use a time management tool. I use the app Forest, or the chrome extension. When you use the timer, you plant a tree or a bush and it grows until the timer is up. I like it because when I use it on my phone, I set the timer for 25 minutes and I can’t exit the app or the tree dies. On chrome, you can blacklist certain websites that distract you, and if you visit that website during your study session, the tree dies. Don’t kill trees people. 

Prioritize. What exam do you have first? How prepared are you for it? Which exam will be the hardest/are you least prepared for? Use your sessions wisely and focus on the material you don’t know as well. 

Method. What works for you? Are you an auditory learner? Record your notes and listen to them in the car or while you work out. Kinesthetic? Rewrite your notes, make models, etc. Visual? Find good pictoral representations of your content and try drawing diagrams. It’s super important to find a study method that works for you, and everyone’s is gonna be a little different.

Come prepared. Buy pencils, scantrons, and erasers beforehand and come to your exam with everything you need (i.e. calculator). Hand lotion, chap-stick, and deep breathing are great ways to calm yourself before an exam. If you’re religious - pray, spiritual - meditate/center yourself, non of the above - have faith in yourself and your abilities. 

Dress comfy. If sweats are the way you roll, then go with it. If you feel more productive dressing a little nicer, have at it. 

Trust yourself. Stop second guessing yourself. Trust in your work. Honestly, we doubt ourselves way more than we should. Don’t underestimate yourself, love. You show that exam who’s boss. 

Celebrate. You’re done! Congrats on another exam finished, another day slayed, and another semester behind you. 

[inspirationales]

here’s a compilation of college tips on tumblr! hope it’s helpful, and feel free to add your own.

a sister’s guide on how to college by @thatwasvesey (originally posted here)

actual good first-time college student advice by @lampurple​

advice for incoming college freshmen by @catsbooksandthoughts

advice for incoming college freshmen by @dearpanda​

college scheduling tips by @anxiousstudying​

college tips by @studysetgo

college tips from a real live college student by @socsciblr​

college/uni tips by @daenerystargaryn

how to survive your first week of college by @studypunks​

paying for college by @collegerefs​

things i learned during my first weekend at college by @hotmessacademics​

things i wish i knew before college by @thevolutionofnerdy

things is wish i knew my freshman year of uni by @studyswimsexsleep

things i wish someone had told me when i was entering university by @paddysnuffles​

thoughts from a senior in college by @thelittle-victories​

tips for college freshmen by @poshspicestyles​

tips for saving money on required books by @mertinawriting​

tips for surviving college (with a mental illness) by @annefreuds

tips for surviving university by @95noteu​

university survival tips by @lightninginthecolliednight​

5 tips for incoming freshmen by @passwithclassandaniceass​

10 angry college tips for incoming freshmen by @studycrack​

10 ways to make your dorm room (almost) instantly homier by @smithwithsophia​

17 things i learned my first year of college by @letsget-downtobusiness​

[optomstudies]

#optomstudies here with a post about university studying! I’ve been reading many study tips masterposts in the community, but some of these won’t work that well for university. So here are 3 tips for adapting to uni study!

Loose leaf? Notebook? Neither! (but if you must choose between the two, I recommend hole-punched loose leaf - easy to file :D) There is just no time, especially once you get to your higher years, that you will be able to write paper notes especially considering the level of detail that you are required to learn things to get good marks. 

When I was studying therapeutics, lectures were more like an essay crammed into 60-80 ppt slides! Using 10pt Calibri, 1.15 spacing, custom 1cm margins - I still had 12 pages for a 2 hour lecture (see below)

Two lectures / week, for 12 weeks! Although this was the most-content heavy subject, my other courses were still way too time consuming to write notes for. Sadly, you can’t summarise much, because MCQs pick at details.  

As for laptops, cheap netbooks are only ~$300, but I’d recommend these really great student laptops. 

And yet, you have to wonder why #studyblr doesn’t have more digital notes? Isn’t every studyblr the owner of a computer as a tumblr user? I’m trying to encourage everyone to feel more confident about posting their digital notes as part of the “#studyblrs get real” tag (see here), so if you have some great typed study notes, please tag me with #optomstudies and I’ll be happy to reblog you!

Read through your lecture slides so that you have a basic grasp of the topic before classes. If you have any readings assigned, do them too. This means that you’ll

go in knowing what concepts you need clarified

revise one more time (remember the forgetting curve?)

be much better placed to answer questions and participate in class discussions (get those participation marks!! ;))

find it easier to follow along with much more complicated topics than you’ve experienced in high school!

remember a lot more of the topic when you come back to revise later on!

Yes, I know, studyblr blasphemy right? But this is what you do when strapped for time. Particularly with biological/chemical sciences, lecturers will have basically summarised what you need to know on the slides. 

Before your lectures, read through the slides (should take about 30 minutes for a 2 hour lecture) and mark/circle anything you don’t understand - then when you get to the lecture, jot down a clarification in your own words based on the professor’s explanation. Eventually, you’ll find that you have studied the topic well enough to not need your own footnotes. 

It takes a little experience to know which professors have slides you can study off (tip: it’s usually the ones where you don’t have to write down much) but it’s totally worth the time you save!

Additional Clarification

Firstly, you need to be able to know which subjects you need to make study notes and which ones you can just study off the lecture slides.

The therapeutics notes were my study notes, not my lecture notes. I just whacked a colour scheme onto the headings since I’m a visual learner. For that subject, the prof just uploaded her ppt files onto moodle. It took me and my classmates 4-5 hours to go through the content, because the recording was written in the notes beneath the slide itself (see below)

See here, if you just take away the colour scheme, it’s literally just dot points and insert needed pictures from the lecture slide afterwards.

Usually if it’s an in-class lecture, I’ll do exactly what I described in my original post. I’ll annotate on the lecture slides themselves. Either print the slides out and handwrite, or use Adobe Acrobat to add comments.

^ Binocular vision was one of those subjects where I would write notes afterwards, because there’s a lot of explanation during the lectures.

WHAT IF I DON’T GET SLIDES BEFORE CLASS?

There’s two ways that I think both merit a mention.

Summarise from the slides projected on to the screen and the professor’s words as you go. 

Pro: quick way to make notes, no need to rewrite much

Con: can miss details from what professor is saying if copying down from slides too much.

Write down only a slide number, and then focus on only what the professor says about the content. 

Pro: don’t miss any information, less stressful because there’s only one source of information (the prof) instead of two (the prof and the slides)

Con: need to integrate information later at home in study notes/lecture slides, and if you misnumber the slides during class it can get confusing. 

Personally I prefer the second, because for me, not missing information is more important than the time I save. The second one is better for professors who are the type to add in more information to what’s already on the slide, rather than just going through each of the dot points, i.e. professors who use slides as a simple outline, rather than a complete guide to lecturing. Do what suits your style, and what suits the class speed/format.

Hope this has been an informative post about the differences between university and high school studying! Please follow me for weekly study tips, study pics and now kpop vocab lists!

Follow optomstudies for daily original posts and study masterposts! Links: all originals + langblr posts + 15-part college 101 series + web directory!

[annafreuds-blog]

Tips for Surviving College (With a Mental Illness)

Don’t compare yourself to other students. Just don’t do it. Because of your mental health, there will always be things that are more difficult for you than other students. Waking up early, keeping track of assignments, staying focused and motivated, socializing outside of class, joining clubs. All of these are things that can be harder for students with mental illness. It’s important to just pay attention to yourself and make sure you’re meeting the goals you set for yourself.

Walk as much as you can. Go for short walks around campus, walk to class instead of taking the bus or driving, walk around the library in between studying. Just get up and walk. It’s important to get in exercise where you can and walking is a great way to boost endorphins.

Know the attendance policy for each of your classes. Within the first week of class try to figure out how each professor takes attendance. Is it at the beginning of class, end of class? Is there a seating chart (seriously) or is it just writing in your name? Is there a daily quiz? Perfect attendance isn’t always attainable so it’s important to know not only how many days you can miss or be late, but how you can get around that. If you’re just having a bad mental health day it’s good to know when you can get a friend to sign you in so you don’t lose attendance points.

Have a “backup buddy” in each of your classes. On the first day of class or at least before the first test, make sure you get the phone number and email of two classmates. Not only is it good to meet new people, these are the people who will be your lifeline. Did you miss class or just completely zone out and need the notes? Do you need someone to sign you in? Did you abandon your bullet journal and forget all of the due dates? It’s crucial that you have TWO people you can reach (in case one or the other can’t help you) when you have a question you can’t ask your professor.

Know your professors!!! Introduce yourself first day of class (so it can be short and sweet) or go during office hours (so there aren’t a lot of people). Professors are a lot more willing to help you out if you’ve at least tried to establish a relationship with them. You’ll be closer with some more than others but if you ever have to send out a panicked email it’s important your professor can put a face to the name. If you ever have an emergency and need an extension it’s a lot more likely to get one this way. Bonus: also get to know your TA or GA if they’re the ones grading your assignments.

Take your medicine, see your therapist/psychiatrist. College is too stressful to go without the medical treatment that you need. If you can’t afford treatment, most universities have counseling clinics where you can get free or cheap treatment from grad students. Many university health centers also have psychiatrists you can see cheaply. At my university I see a grad student LPC for free and get to see a psychiatrist for $10 an appointment. Your therapist can also write letters in case your professor or school needs proof of treatment or anything like that.

Register with your school’s disability services. I’ve met a lot of students with depression or anxiety who had no idea that disability could apply to them. Mental illness is a disability! Registering with Disability is invaluable. You can get access to tutoring, support groups, peer mentors, and most importantly: accommodations. If you get really bad test anxiety you can arrange to take your test privately either proctored by someone in disability services or in your professor’s office. Extensions can sometimes be made for assignments in case you have an emergency like a panic attack or other life disrupting episode. 

Whether you need accommodation or not, I strongly urge you to register with disability in case something happens. If you need to drop your classes or were unable to and end up failing because of your health, being registered with disability can mean your bad semester can be “forgiven,” essentially meaning you can go on medical leave.

Have a family member or friend for a support system. Outside of your therapist or DS, have someone who you can vent to. Have someone to buy you ice cream and tell you everything is going to be okay. Have someone who can tell you you’re beautiful and perfect the way you are, whether that’s your mom or even someone on tumblr. There are people all around who care about you.

Know that you are wonderful and brave and have already accomplished so much just by getting into college. About 1 in 4 adults have a mental illness: you are not alone. Even if it might feel like you’re the only one having a hard time, there are hundreds of students all around you going through the same thing. 

[preparingforcollegeblog]

The Complete College Checklist (Use for Fall 2017)

Completely Updated Complete College Checklist!!

I have complied a list of all of the items someone needs to pack and bring to college if they are living in a residence hall. This list is categorized and alphabetized for your convenience.

Reblog this to help others who are struggling with their college checklist! 

Bed:

Bed sheets (2 sets)

Bed Risers (optional)

Blankets

Body Pillow

Comforter

Mattress Pad

Pillowcases

Pillows (2-3)

Bathroom:

Cup for toothbrushes

Paper towels

Shower curtain

Shower curtain hooks

Shower curtain liner

Shower organizer/shower caddy

Trashcan

Toilet Paper

Towels

Towel rack (over the door)

Washcloths

Q-tips

Room:

Command Hooks

Curtains

Desk lamp

Keurig (optional)

Microwave (optional)

Mini-fridge (optional)

Rug

Surge protector

Toaster

Trash can

Medical:

Advil/Tylenol/Aleeve

Band aids

Cotton balls/rounds

Hydrogen Peroxide

Midol

Neosporin

Rubbing Alcohol

Laundry:

Delicate bag

Dryer Sheets

Hangers (thin felt or wooden hangers)

Laundry hamper

Tide Pods

Toiletries/Personal:

Brush/Comb

Conditioner

Deodorant

Eyeliner

Floss

Foundation

Hand Soap

Kleenex Tissue

Lotion

Makeup organizer

Mouthwash

Pads/tampons (for the ladies)

Razors

Retainer (for those who’ve had braces)

Retainer case (don’t forget)

Shampoo

Shaving Cream

Sunscreen

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Tweezers

Q-Tips

Clothing: (Female) 

Bras

Dresses (I’m taking 3 or 4)

Jackets

Jeans

Pajamas (are a MUST)

Panties (15-20 pairs)

Pants (dress pants)

Purse (I’m only taking one)

Robe (a MUST)

Shirts (20-25)

Shoes (1-5)

Shorts

Slippers

Socks (24 pairs)

Sweaters

Swim Suit

Workout clothes (in case)

Clothing (Male)

Belt

Boxers/other undergarments 

Jackets

Jeans

Robe

Shirts

Shoes 

Shorts

Socks

Sweaters

School Supplies:

Backpack

Binder

Colored Pencils (you’d be surprised)

Cup for pencils

Desk Organizer

Erasers

Folders

Folder/Letter Holder

Glue

Highlighters

Index cards

Index card holder

Markers

Mechanical pencils

Notebooks (8)

(college ruled) paper

Pens

Post-it Notes

Post-it Note Dispenser

Ruler

Scissors

Staples & Stapler

Tape & tape dispenser

Cleaning Supplies:

Air Freshener

Broom & dustpan

Clorox Wipes

Gloves

Swiffer Sweeper (optional)

Tiny Trash Bags

Toilet Bowl Brush

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Other:

Alarm Clock

Car charger

Computer mouse

Flash Drive/USB/External hard drive

Headphones

Laptop

Laptop Charger

Phone

Phone Charger

Food:

Bottled Water (or Brita filter)

Cereal

Chips 

Mac and Cheese Cups

Tupperware Containers

If this list helped you and you decide to do a dorm haul video, send the links to the blog and I will post them! 

Note: If you are going to have a roommate, divide some of the cleaning supplies and bathroom items among each other to avoid having duplicate items (such as multiple shower curtains.) If you do not have your own bathroom, please disregard the bathroom items and some of the cleaning supplies. 

[thesoontobenewyorker-deactivate]

How to get straight A’s in college. Seriously.

Yes, even if you’re taking the maximum credit load. Because if I can do it, you can do it too. Note: My credit load also included a handful of honors courses. 

Side-note: I’m going to be a junior (how??) and an RA (!!!) in the fall. Life moves fast. College moves faster. Anyways, 

Here are my top tips: 

1. LOOK AT THE SYLLABUS AND WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. This is step number one, and it’s not up for debate. If you do this, there’ll be no surprises, and if there are: point it out to the professor (a simple, ??? this wasn’t on the syllabus ??, usually works). Also, you have to check and see what constitutes as an A in that class. Sometimes it’s a 90, sometimes it’s not. (a 96 was an A- in one of my classes last semester. I’m so serious.)

2. Get a calendar. Not a planner. One of those giant calendars with puppies or something on it and write down everything you have to do for the month. Put it above your desk. This helps A LOT because you can see everything you have coming up for the next few weeks, instead of jus playing it day-by-day. 

3. It is OK to use ratemyprofessor. Sometimes it can be really helpful, but pay attention to the more in depth reviews that talk about what the homework, tests, quizzes and projects are like (instead of “her lectures are boring :///) 

4. Sit in the front of your class. You’ll be more likely to pay attention and less likely to scroll through instagram. (by the way, mine is @parissdb :) It also grabs your professors attention, so even if you’re shy, they’ll at least know your face.

5. Do that extra credit. A lot of professors offer it in the beginning of the semester, and hardly anyone does it because no one’s thinking past tomorrow. It may be what saves you in the long run. 

6. Figure out your best method of note-taking. For me, it’s good ol pen and paper. It helps me remember everything. Some people prefer typing it out. This is beneficial bc it makes it easier for you to find exactly what you’re looking for. (Thank you, command + F)

7. Put your effort into the percentages. If an assignment is worth 1% of your grade, do it well, but don’t exhaust yourself. It’s 1%!!!! If it comes down to it, spend more time studying for that exam that’s worth 30% than the group project worth 20. 

8. Please. Stop studying what you already know. We’re all guilty of it. It makes you feel better knowing you have chapters 1-3 down, even if you don’t know 4-7. The key to studying is to learn what you don’t know. 

9. Learn how to study. (Yes, it’s actually a skill that has to be learned.) I’m the biggest procrastinator I know, especially when it comes to studying. But I’ve found that studying 2 days before an exam usually does the trick for me. I create a master study guide during day 1 and study it all on day 2. Depending on what time the exam is, I may review on the morning of day 3. 

10. SAVE SOME TIME FOR FUN ffs. Seriously. You don’t have to study 24/7, and I don’t know about y’all but my attention span was not built for that.

I might add more to this later, or make another post because I could give these tips for ever and ever. But hopefully this helps someone out there. 

Be sure to check out my college tab here:(http://thesoontobenewyorker.tumblr.com/tagged/college) and follow me on instagram @parissdb (https://www.instagram.com/parissdb/) for more stuff. :) 

[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! 

[studyspiration-coffee]

Friendly reminder that literally everything in life is in your hands and you have the time to sort things out to prevent future issues or fix issues that have arisen. You’re the one who can sign up for programs, you’re the one who can block social media sites when you’re studying, you’re the one who can delete Instagram because you think it’s a source of negativity, you’re the one who can take free online courses, you’re the one who can drag your ass out of bed 30 minutes earlier than you usually do to go for a run, you’re the one who can use duolingo every day to learn a new language, you’re the one who can brave the morning cold to sit on your balcony or outside your place or on the curb or on a bench and draw the sunset, even if you think you’re not very good. So stop feeling angry at yourself for not making the small decisions that add up to create a better you, in more ways than one. Who cares if you’re not the best artist and dropped visual arts as soon as you could, who cares if you haven’t run in two years and never moved on from your high school athletics carnival, who cares if you’ll lose the great feed you set up, who cares if people will think you’re a bit of a nerd for taking coding courses or going on Hogwarts is Here, who cares if people will scoff as you tell them you’re learning an odd obscure language and question you. So ignore the stupid voice in your head, and the voices around you, don’t let fear, self doubt and laziness screw with the things you know you’ll benefit from. It’s in your hands, so act like it.

[biculturalist-deactivated201612]

Did any of y'all notice the allusion to the Israel-Palestine conflict in OITNB? The “West Bunk” was where Black Cindy and Abdullah lived, the fact that Abdullah had her half of the bunk but then Cindy “took it over” by moving her stuff and encroaching on Abdullah’s space, the mediation with Taystee (a neutral party and leader of the troupe), and how they began to work together towards the end of the season. There were quite a few references.

[kianiiman]

It made me so uncomfortable. Abdullah left a “bomb” for Cindy to find. And Cindy said some very problematic things about being “bigger” & having “more friends to protect her” if Abdullah thought about retaliating against her.

[chamsas1-deactivated20160809]

it was ridiculously antisemitic and islamophobic. they had Abdullah be unnecessarily rude and violent to Cindy and they had Cindy doing the same. Abdullah and Cindy had no reason to dislike each other but they did anyways. not to mention, they had Abdullah make fun of Cindy’s Jewishness (ex: laughing at her mezuzah, her Hebrew name). they also had Abdullah only using her hijab for the purpose of storing contraband which many Israelis have accused Muslim Palestinians of using their hijabs as a way to hide harmful content. they weren’t including Jewish and Muslim characters for diversity. Cindy was there are a joke and Abdullah was there to give white people a reason to dislike Muslims.

[6-2-midnight]

I never realized this but oh my god you’re right…they hated each other immediately and there was no reason for it. Cindy got pissed that Abdullah left her slippers on the floor???? Like why the hell would she not do that that’s so normal??? What a lame ass way to allude to Palestine and Israel. Especially since nothing about it has to do with religion but thanks for reinforcing that misconception, OITNB