a guide by a former applicant who never received a single rejection letter!
table of contents
where to begin
essays
transcripts + test scores
letters of recommendation
interviews
before we begin, please remember that while the process of applying to college may seem like it will never end, in just a few short months it will. yes, it is a stressful time full of uncertainty, and you may start to think that college isn’t even worth it, but this is the time where all the hard work you’ve been putting in for the past four years really comes to fruition. you know how hard you’ve worked to get where you are, and let your applications accurately reflect that.
where to begin
figure out where you want to apply. have a backup, somewhere you can get in for sure, at least two schools you’d be happy to attend including one you know you can for sure afford, and then of course your dream/reach school. some people do more than this (I applied to 8 in total), but this is a good starting point.
set up your common app account. the common app application usually launches on august 1, but go in before that and get your account set up so you can get a head start. the first thing I would do is fill out the application part itself, sans essays. it’s a ton of information, and it’ll be overwhelming at first, but if you can get it done, especially before you go back to school, then you won’t have to worry about it.
get organized! go through the requirements of every school you’re applying to. figure out what you need to submit and when. be aware of your deadlines from the beginning and make a checklist to mark everything off as you go.
essays
to be perfectly honest, the essays are the most time-consuming and most daunting part of this process. here’s how to tackle them:
first of all, start early. in august it may seem like you have plenty of time, but then you’ll blink, and it’ll be november. I spent a first week and a half of my christmas break trying to finish a 2000-word essay because I didn’t really start my essays until october. please save yourself that stress and aim to finish at least a first draft of all your essays by halloween.
KNOW. YOUR. SCHOOL. I cannot stress this enough. this is the one thing I can tell you that will make or break your entire application. certain schools and even programs value certain qualities in their applicants, and knowing what they’re looking for can help you cater your essay to their specific tastes. for example, NYU values the diversity of their student body and their reputation as a global institution. express why you also value diversity and how you would contribute to or take advantage of that globality. don’t go into your essay writing without some semblance of what the schools you’re applying to stand for. if you can demonstrate that you understand their missions and their vision, you can turn your borderline acceptance into a much more solid one.
on a similar note, get familiar with your school or program’s website. for one thing, it will help you get to know your school better and understand what they’re looking for (point above). you can also prove just how interested you are by naming specific programs or opportunities available that you’re interested in or even a professor you’d like to study under. do outside research too: watch youtube videos, talk to current students, and read student publications. a deeper understanding not only strengthens your essays but also helps you to know what’s available to you.
show some enthusiasm, even if an essay is for a school that’s lower on your list. admissions officers want students who want to be there. you may think you’re above gushing, but you’re not. gush, even if it’s your backup and you’re a shoo-in. apathy is not impressive to an admissions officer.
really focus on what makes you unique. I know that sounds cliche, but admissions officers read thousands of essays every application cycle, so you really need to find what can make you, and thus your essay, stand out. I promise you, you can find some unique experience to write about, even if it’s some obscure anecdote. spin it to be a thoughtful, profound experience. talk about something that has seriously impacted you or your trajectory. if you’re having a hard time writing about yourself (I know I did) ask a parent or a friend, someone who knows you well, what they think makes you different. I promise you there’s something there you can use.
work smarter. reuse material from similar prompts. reuse old graded essays. I even reused a book review I had already written for my english class. writing these essays is not your full-time job (though it may feel like it), so be smart about it where you can.
transcripts + test scores
(combining these since really at this point all you have to do is submit them)
in terms of test scores: so it’s the beginning of your senior year and you’re still not happy with your standardized test scores. take them again! you still have time! you should doublecheck to be sure, but most schools will take your test scores all the way up to the application deadline, and sometimes even after, which gives you at least two or three more opportunities to take the SAT/ACT. also, sending scores to multiple schools can get really expensive really fast (roughly $15 per school, so you do the math), so see if you’re eligible for fee waivers before you submit.
in terms of transcripts: request them early. it took my guidance counselor at my smallish public school almost 6 weeks to submit my transcripts after I requested them to be sent. the longer you wait, the more time it’s going to take them, because they’ll be doing the same for hundreds of other kids. also, double check and see if your schools require mid-year transcripts; most don’t unless you’re actually going there, but some do. make sure your guidance counselor knows you need those in by a certain date; mine almost didn’t make it in time because it took the school district almost two months to get them done. you’ve already done the hard work to make the grades on your transcript; don’t let a lack of action create an issue with it.
letters of recommendation
(this is one area that can actually really help you if you take the time and put in some effort)
teacher recs: most schools require at least one teacher recommendation. start thinking about whom you want to write your recs once school starts, and then ask those teachers as soon as possible. chances are, they’ll have other students asking as well. it takes time to write a really good recommendation, and you have to remember your teacher is doing all of this on top of their other work. so be courteous and don’t wait until three weeks before the deadline to ask.
counselor recs: pretty much every school requires a counselor recommendation. this process probably varies from high school to high school, but at least for mine, we had to print an online form and fill it out to give to them. I had no idea, however, that that was a thing until one of my friends told me. so get on your school’s website as soon as possible and see if your guidance office has a section posted about the college application process. then, as with teacher recs, make the request as soon as possible. counselor recs may take even longer (again, hundreds of students), and you don’t want to wait until the last minute to get something so simple done.
other recs: recommendations from someone associated with the college you’re applying to—a prominent alumnus (the more money they’ve donated, the better) or a well-respected staff member are your best options—can really tip the scale in favor of a borderline application. we all know that in the real world it’s not always what you know but whom you know. yeah, it’s unfair, but work that system anyways. ask your parents if they know anyone with some kind of connection to your school. if you live nearby, get in contact with a professor in your field. even if you don’t, go on facebook and find your local alumni chapter. contact someone involved and ask them to meet you for lunch. express how important that school is to you, and I’m sure they’d be more than happy to help. make the system work for you!
interviews
*a total sidenote: interviewing was actually really helpful for me personally. my interview at my former top choice made me realize what I really wanted for myself in college and totally changed the trajectory of my college experience*
let me just say, interviewing is not for everyone. some people come off better in person than they do on paper, and some people don’t. so do not feel like you need to interview at every single one of your schools if that really isn’t your thing.
again, know your school. most schools offer interviews, but it’s rarely a requirement. if your school strongly recommends you interview (ex. wake forest), you should probably do it. if not, it’s really up to you.
just putting in the effort of interviewing, especially if you have to travel to get there, shows your interest in the school and can help you in the long run. an interview is typically weighted equally with all the other aspects of your application, so unless you really bomb it, it won’t make a big difference.
prioritize. some schools offer skype or local alumni interviews to make things more accessible if you farther away, but not all do. if you have to travel for an interview, especially if it involves getting on a plane, pick your top two or three choices to focus on, especially if you think you’ll be more of a borderline applicant.
every school does interviews differently. some treat it more like a conversation, others like a Q&A. you may be interviewed by an alumnus, a current student, or an admissions director. it all varies. do your research ahead of time so you’ll know what to expect. some schools even have sample questions you can practice answering.
prepare, prepare, prepare. the more prep you do, the more confident you’ll feel, and the better you’ll do. talk through the questions you’ll be answering. have a mock interview with someone you trust, preferably who has interview experience and can give you pointers. if you know ahead of time who will be interviewing you, do a little research on that person so you know something about them and what to expect. and again, know your school and what they value in their students so you can exemplify those qualities.
random bonus tips
get in touch with the admissions director for your region. most schools have multiple admissions officers that read applications for a certain area of the country (ex. pacific northwest). most likely, they’ll be the one reading your application. so email them with your questions or issues (although, please, please don’t ever ask anything that can be found on the website, and for the love of god, don’t have your mom call or email for you). if you happen to be on campus, stop by admissions and make an effort to introduce yourself. by the time that person gets to your application, the hope is that even if they don’t recognize your name right off that bat, it at least seems familiar enough that they know you’ve made an effort and demonstrated your interest.
thank you notes! if you interview or have someone besides your teacher or counselor write a letter of rec for you, don’t forget to send a handwritten thank you note. it’s just a little adult thing to start doing that goes that extra mile. plus, if you mail a thank you note to your interviewer via the admissions office, it may get put in your file, which will reflect well on your personal professionalism.
more helpful tips & resources
if you have any questions, please feel free to send an ask. also, if you’d like more specific advice here are the schools I applied to: emerson college, univ of central florida, colgate univ, wake forest univ, college of william & mary, middlebury college, new york univ, and univ of st andrews.
essays
“those different essays that keep popping up tips” by @thisnerdsadventures
“college essay masterpost” by @studyfandom
“would you admit you?” by @genericappblrurl
“college essays” by @sootudying
“college essay edits” by @intellectys
letters of recommendation
“teacher recs” by @etudiance
interviews
“15 questions to know for college interviews” by @solustudies
“college interviews” by @cyberstudies
general
“massive college masterpost” by @heyiwantyoutostay
“college application websites masterlist” by @cyberstudies
How to Plan Your Day Realistically: The 1-3-5 Rule
Have you ever planned a to-do list for the day, only to feel frustrated at the end by how few tasks got accomplished? Chances are, you overestimated the amount of work you could get done in one day. Heck, we all have overestimated our capabilities at one point. Some days we wake up and feel on top of the world! On these days, I feel like I can do anything! However, realistically, there’s only so much time in the day, no matter how optimistic or productive we are feeling. Recently I learned a new strategy for planning a productive day. This strategy is called the “1-3-5″ rule. It’s so simple and easy you won’t believe you never thought of it!
Step 1: 1- The One stands for one big task. Obviously, big, medium and small are pretty subjective. So it may take some time to figure out what tasks fall into these categories.
Here are some examples of “big tasks” in my life: writing a rough draft of a paper, studying for an upcoming test, completing an online training module for my job, cleaning my room.
Step 2: 3- The three stands for three medium tasks. I define a medium task as things that take significant time, but not the majority of the day.
Examples of medium tasks in my life: laundry, dishes, reading assignments, shopping and meal prep.
Step 3- 5 The five stands for five small, easy to accomplish tasks.
Example of small tasks from my life include: answering a quick e-mail, scheduling an appointment, taking out the trash, planning for tomorrow/next week, and papers less than 3 pages in length.
Basically, the goal is never to expect to accomplish more than 9 tasks with this breakdown. If you are in an optimistic mood, or have a surplus of free time and want to try to do more than 9 tasks, you can, but be careful of burn out, and also of any other negative feelings that could result from setting unrealistic goals for yourself.
This one’s all about archetypes! (Think TV Tropes)
Find part 1 here!
Find part 2 here!
Symbolic Archetypes
Light vs. Darkness - light suggests hope/renewal/intellectual illumination; darkness implies the unknown/ignorance/despair
Water vs. Desert - water is necessary to life & growth so it appears as a symbol of (re)birth, also used in baptism so spiritual birth. The appearance of rain can also suggest spiritual birth
Heaven vs. Hell - humanity has traditionally associated part of the universe with the dwelling of the primordial forces that govern the world. Skies & mountaintops house gods while the bowels of earth contain demons
Haven vs. Wilderness - places of safety contrast against dangerous wilderness. Heroes are often sheltered for a time to regain health & resources
Fire vs. Ice - Fire represents knowledge/light/life/rebirth; ice represent ignorance/darkness/sterility/death
Character Archetypes
Father-Son Conflict - tension often results from separation during childhood or from external sources when individuals meet & where a mentor often has a higher place in the affections of the hero than the natural parent. Sometimes the conflict is resolved in atonement
Friendly Beast - These animals assist the hero & reflect that nature is on the hero’s side
Hunting Group of Companions - these loyal companions are willing to face any number of perils in order to be together
Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity - Some characters exhibit wisdom & understanding intuitively as opposed to those supposedly in charge
Loyal Retainers - These individuals are like the normal sidekicks to be hero. Their duty is to protect the hero; often the retainers reflect the hero’s nobility
Mentors - these individuals serve as teachers/counselors. Sometimes they work as role models & often serve as a parental figure. They teach the skills necessary to survive the journey/quest
Young Person from the Provinces - the hero is taken away as a youth & raised by strangers. They return home later & are able to recognize new problems & solutions
The Creature of Nightmares - this monster is summoned from the deepest, darkest parts of the human psyche to threaten the lives of the hero. Often it is a perversion or desecration of the human body
The Damsel in Distress - this vulnerable woman must be rescued by the hero. She may be used as a trap
The Devil - evil incarnate. They may offer worldly goods, fame, or knowledge to the protagonist in exchange for possession of the soul or integrity
The Earth Mother - symbolic of fruition, abundance, & fertility, offers spiritual & emotional nourishment to those she contacts. Often depicted in earth colors with a large figure
Jerk With a Heart of Gold - a redeemable devil figure (or servant to the devil) that is saved by the hero’s good heart
The Hero - the one who will complete the quest. Typically experiences some type of initiation
The Initiates - young heroes who, before their quest, must endure training. They’re still innocent here
The Outcast - banished from their community for a crime (real or imagined). Destined to become a wanderer
The Platonic Ideal - this source of inspiration is often a physical & spiritual ideal for whom the hero has an intellectual attraction
The Scapegoat - a figure whose death (often in a public ceremony) expiates some taint or sin that has visited upon the community. This death often makes the hero more powerful
The Star-Crossed Lovers - these characters are engaged in a love affair that is fated to end in tragedy
The Temptress - characterized by sensuous beauty, she is one whose physical attraction may bring about the hero’s downfall
The Unfaithful Wife - this woman, married to a man she sees as dull/distant, is attracted to a more virile/interesting man
Here I figured I’d go into the meanings of some common symbols
Find Part 1 here!
Find Part 3 here!
Numbers
One - unity, individual importance
Two - balance, yin/yang
Three - trinity
Four - order, symmetry
Six - man, harmony/balance
Seven - completion, entirety
Eight - universal order, new beginnings
Nine - harmony, divine protection
Ten - spiritual achievement
Twelve - universal fulfillment
Thirteen - death, unlucky
Forty - spiritual order
Colors
White - purity/innocence/goodness/morality, light, peace, morality, creative thought, East, spirit
Black - evil, death, darkness, chaos, mystery/the unknown, before existence, the unconscious
Gray - ambiguity
Silver - the moon, wealth
Purple - royalty, nostalgia, memory, advanced spirituality, Neptune, the note B
Blue - serenity, clear sky, the day, the sea, height, depth, heaven, religious feeling/devotion, innocence, truth, spirituality, Jupiter, the note F, physical soothing & cooling
Green - nature/vegetation, new life/growth, hope, envy, Earth, fertility, sensation, death, water, sympathy, adaptability, the note G, Jupiter & Venus
Orange - fire, pride, ambition, egoism, Venus, the note D
Yellow - happiness
Gold - majesty, sun, wealth, corn, life dependency, truth
Plants
Apple - temptation
Grapes - abundance
Peach - marriage
Cherry - immortality
Fig - fertility
Plum - independence
Acorn - potential
Poppy - sleep
Lily - purity
Rose - love
Daisy - innocence
Tree - where we learn, tree of life, tree of knowledge
Forest - evil, lost, fear
Cypress - death
Oak - strength
Olive - peace
Palm - protection
Willow - forsaken love
Cedar - incorruptible
Yew - resurrection
Aspen - lamentation
Animals
Dog - loyalty
Cow - motherhood
Pig - unclean, greed
Ram - virility
Snake - satanic
Turtle - perseverance
Seahorse - good luck
Rooster - morning
Ostrich - coward
Dove - peace
Stork - birth
Ant - industrious
Cat - malevolence
Bull - fertility
Donkey - stupidity
Sheep - blindness
Crocodile/alligator - death
Fish - Jesus
Whale - power
Snail - renewal
Peacock - royalty
Cuckoo - adultery
Swan - grace
Butterfly - change, rebirth
Shapes
Circle - cycle of life, never ending/eternity, heaven, intellect, thought, sun, 2, unity, perfection, oneness, celestial realm, hearing/sound
Oval - woman, passivity
Triangle - trinity, communication, between heaven & earth, fire, 3, aspiration, movement upward, return to origins, sight, light
Square - pluralism, earth, firmness, stability, construction, 4, material solidity
Rectangle - the most rational, the most secure
Spiral - the evolution of the universe, orbit, growth, deepening, cosmic notion, relationship between unity & multiplicity, macrocosm, breath, spirit, water
Nature
Spring - birth, life
Summer - growth, ripening
Autumn - maturity
Winter - death
Air - activity, creativity, breath, light, freedom/liberty, movement
Fire - the ability to transform, love, life, health, control, sun, God, passion, spiritual energy, regeneration
Lake - mystery, depth unconscious
Moon - light within darkness, cyclical, feminine
Crescent moon - change, transition
Mountain - height, mass, loftiness, the center of the world, ambition/goals
Valley - depression, low-points, evil, unknown
Sun - happiness, light, masculine, hero, son of heaven, knowledge, the divine eye, fire, life force, creative-guiding force, brightness, splendor, active awakening, healing, resurrection, ultimate wholeness
Figured I’d start out my quarantine with a bit of spring cleaning, so here’s some notes! Exam season is coming up & there’s no reason we should be unprepared
There are three categories of symbols:
Archetypal - the first symbols of humankind that have replicated themselves into stories across history
Cultural - as cultural groups use archetypal symbols to represent their values/fears/beliefs/expectations, these objects take on a specific meaning to that group
Nuance - these objects take on symbolic meaning in the work in which they appear
Note that a motif is a recurring symbol. A leitmotif is a motif specific to a particular work. As these leitmotifs become more familiar, they can be considered symbols.
Hey guys, so I’m nearing the end of my senior year, and it’s been great so far! I accomplished my academic tasks efficiently and didn’t burn myself out, and I think the main contributor to my success as a student is my organization system. This system has been refined throughout my high school years, but I think now I’ve finally found the most effective methods.
Please remember that this isn’t the only organization system you can adopt; this is just the one that works the best for me, and I hope that by sharing it with you, you’ll gain a new perspective on how to stay organized as a high school student.
The first thing I wanna talk about is my notebook system, which I briefly mentioned in my Guide to Note-Taking.
My notebook system comprises three types of notebooks: the Everything Notebook, the subject notebook, and the revision notebook.
The Everything Notebook
The first stage is in-class notes. I only bring one notebook to school every day. I call it my Everything Notebook, and this is where I write down all of the notes I take in class. This way, I don’t have to lug around six notebooks where I’m only going to use a few pages in each of them that day.
Subject Notebooks
At the end of the day, I would revise my notes and compare them to the syllabus so I know where we are in the learning process. I would then transfer my class notes from my Everything Notebook to my different subject notebooks. This is stage two. I also start to jazz up my notes because I use the notes in my subject notebooks to study for tests.
In addition to my class notes, I include material from my teachers’ notes that they might not have elaborated on, as well as points in the syllabus (I’m currently taking A2) that were only glazed over briefly, or not at all, in some cases. (Note: this does not mean they completely skip a chapter or topic; it’s more like they missed a few bullet points that should be in my notes but aren’t. An example would be if we’re learning about phenol reactions and the teacher forgot to mention the use of FeCl3 as a test for phenol.)
Revision Notebooks
Stage three comes a little later, when exam week is just around the corner. Essentially, I rewrite and improve my notes from my five different subject notebooks into a single revision notebook or binder. (Recently, I’ve opted for a revision notebook because they’re lighter and easier to carry around.)
Because my teachers don’t always teach in the order of the syllabus, the first thing I do is organize my notes according to the syllabus. I would then fill in any other missing gaps in the material that hadn’t been filled in stage two.
When compiling material for my revision notebook, I use as many sources as possible: my own notes, my teachers’ notes, youtube videos, online sites, and my favorite, the mark scheme! I add in some answers from past papers (explanations only, so no calculations) mainly to secure marks. It’s safer to memorize definitions straight from the mark scheme than from the textbook or from handouts. I also do this to ease my memorization, especially for topics that require lengthy explanations. It’s a lot easier to remember the 6 points I need to explain the principles of NMRI than to remember everything in the four-page handout my teacher gave me.
Folders and binders are essential to organizing your papers. Some people keep a single accordion folder for all their papers, but for me it’s just too heavy to carry around all the time. The same goes for subject folders that are brought to school every day.
Instead, my binder/folder system comprises my Everything Folder and my subject binders.
The Everything Folder
The folder I carry with me to school every day is this A4 folder I got from Tokyu Hands. It has 5 pockets, one for each day of the week, so all the papers I receive on Monday will go behind the first divider, and so on.
Some people also keep blank papers in their folders; I don’t because my school has its own lined paper and graphing pads that I keep under my desk that I use if a teacher asks us to do an assignment on those papers. If I do work at home, I prefer to just use a plain A4 paper or a legal pad.
Subject Binders
At the end of the week, I’ll sort my papers into my subject binders. Sometimes I’ll keep some papers in the folder if I think I’ll be needing it the next week. This usually only applies to worksheets because all my teachers’ notes are available on Google Classroom, so I can access them even if I don’t physically have them.
Each of these binders have sections inside them:
Physics: 1 for handouts, notes, and tests, 1 for Paper 4 (Theory), 1 for Paper 5 (Practical Planning). I included extra tabs to mark the different topics in the handouts section.
Chemistry: same as Physics.
Economics: 1 for Paper 3 (MCQ), 1 for Paper 4 (Case Study and Essay). A lot of my Economics material is online, though.
English: 1 for Paper 3 (Text and Discourse analysis), and 2 for Paper 4 (Language Topics, which includes 1 for Child Language Acquisition, 1 for World Englishes). Past papers, handouts, and notes all go under their respective topics.
Mathematics: I just keep everything together because I never revise math and just constantly do past papers.
This makes it easier for me to revise each subject because I can just take one binder with me instead of a messy folder with everything just shoved in there.
I keep a magazine file for each of my A-Level subjects (English and Mathematics are combined). All my textbooks, revision guides, and subject notebooks are kept here, so if I need to revise one subject, that’s the magazine file I’ll take out.
These magazine files prevent any small things (like my book of flashcards) from being shoved to the back of my bookshelf, or materials from different subjects from getting mixed up.
In my senior year, I mostly plan using this app called Edo Agenda. It syncs across all my devices for free and has all the features I need: a to do list to organize tasks, monthly and weekly calendars to organize events, a journal to organize notes and memos.
I used to bullet journal regularly, but it takes too much time during weekdays, so now I just bullet journal for the therapeutic effects it gives me, and I use an app for organizing tasks and events. Sometimes at the end of each week, I’ll transfer my tasks to my bullet journal and then decorate the page, but again, this is just for its therapy.
Organizing your school supplies is just as important as organizing your papers and notes. With a more organized backpack and pencil case, you won’t waste time looking for your things at the bottom of an abyss.
Pencil Case
I don’t find it necessary to bring so much stationery to school unless I plan on making notes at school (usually during revision week).
Backpack
Because we’re already in the revision term, I don’t really carry a lot of things in my everyday backpack, just the following:
Pencil case
Everything Notebook
Everything Folder
Revision notebook
Kindle
Phone
Wallet
Earphones
Calculator
Speaker
Drinking bottle
A pouch with things like a hairbrush, pads, and lip balm
And that’s all for now! I hope this post will help you organize your school life (if you haven’t already) or at least provide some useful insights on some ways to stay organized as a high school student.
hey!! to celebrate my birthday month and autumn in general, i thought it would be nice to post a challenge! i always wanted to do my own one. anyone can join, you don’t have to do every day and it’s okay to switch days if the challenge is inconvenient that day. don’t forget to use #nostalgicautumn so i can find your posts. I would appreciate a reblog so as many people as possible can join! so here it is:
let’s get it! set some goals: what do you hope to achieve this october? include some autumn activities.
create an autumn playlist to keep u company this month! (on spotify and post the link, or just write down the songs on here)
what’s your favorite drink for autumn and why? post a recipe if it’s something fancy.
light a candle for today’s study session & post a pic.
write a short love letter to yourself and put it into your jacket pocket to be your lucky charm. if it’s not too personal, post it on here to. otherwise just recap how it was writing to yourself: was it easy or did you struggle a bit?
how do you say “autumn” in your native language / the language you’re learning? plus points if you google the origin.
read this poem. what did you think of it?
give your notes / your bujo some autumn vibes: doodles, autumn colors, … be creative & post a pic.
what’s your favorite quote?
fav study snack this autumn?
today’s to-do: reading! get yourself cozy and enjoy your book.
are you affected by bad weather? what do you do to make yourself feel better?
what’s your morning routine? is there’re something you could do to make it more enjoyable?
night routine?
record yourself explaining your study material and take a walk outside. did this method work for you / will you try it again?
my hands always get super dry when it gets cold outside. so today’s task is easy: use some handcream! any recs?
watch a documentary or a short educational video on youtube. it can be about anything! some ideas: environment, space, crime, famous people (buzzfeed unsolved counts too ;))
what’s your favorite thing about autumn?
stretch when taking a study break today. what stretches did you do? how did it feel?
do you get nervous for exams? what do you do to deal with nervousness?
post a pic of your study space.
collect some leaves, get some fresh air and take some pics. don’t forget to press the leaves!
document your day with some pics. what are you most proud of for getting done today?
describe your ideal autumn day.
how do you study?
get something done today you have been procrastinating on for weeks. it doesn’t have to be study-related and it’s okay if you only spend 5 mins on it! something is always better than nothing.
have you ever had any magical or paranormal experiences?
time to journal! make yourself some tea and let your thoughts out.
give someone a compliment today. what was it?
what was this month’s biggest accomplishment?
time to take a break & enjoy halloween! what are your plans?
If it weren’t for Dorian, it would be the 4th day of school. Already, the teachers have swamped us with work...IB really isn’t meant for a summer break. We’ve pretty much picked up where we left off in our classes.
One of our classmates took it upon herself to make a Google Classroom for all the IB Seniors. She posts things when they were assigned with their due dates, & she left us a little message today
“Hey guys! Hope you're all staying safe in our unpleasant weather! I'm making this post to remind you that it's Start Strong September, meaning that we are putting our best foot forward in our final September of high school. It also means that we are leaving procrastination in the summer. We have too many assignments (as we have already experienced in this first week :/) to be able to wait until the last minute for anything. It's just not possible and will stress you out more, something you don't need as IB provides enough stress for us as it is. Take this 3 day weekend to evenly distribute your workload, or just make a schedule that works for you. 😃 Remember to save a little downtime for yourself; school homework is important but so is your self care homework. Love you! Happy weekend.“
Hello everyone! I’ve had some questions about the assignment schedule I posted here.
The idea was born out of my desire to eliminate the “Oh shit is that due tomorrow?!?!” late night moments of panic. I knew I wanted to have one master list of all of the things I needed to get done. Something about having absolutely everything I need to do written down and in front of me makes a challenging semester seem less daunting and more doable.
The best part about this schedule is that you can tweak it until it works for you! I chose to use Excel because it was more flexible than writing it in my planner, and I could add/delete tasks as the semester went on (and as professors changed the due dates a million times).
During syllabus week, I go through each syllabus and list every task, reading, assignment or exam from the beginning of the semester all the way through finals week. By the end of the week, I have a comprehensive list of what I need to do for every single class, all in one place. I’m getting ready for the new semester and thought I’d walk everybody through how I organize mine:
Completed: mostly because I like to mark tasks off as I complete them, but also because it made it easier to quickly scan and find where I’m at in the list.
Type: I used this to discern between assignments and tests or quizzes, which I put in bold. I also put in the readings I assigned myself, and projects assigned by teachers.
Due Date: Alternating colors to block tasks by due date, so you can see at a glance how many things you need to do for that day.
Assignment: Quick description of the task or assignment. I put in any information given by the syllabus about the material the test covers.
Class: Color coded! Amazing!
You can add or delete the categories to fit your needs! I’m adding a “Grade” category this semester. Let me know if anyone tries it for the new school year, and as always, send me an ask if you have any questions!
I’ve had many requests for a free digital planner so decided it might be time to make one :-) Hopefully this suits the needs of everyone and can be enjoyed!
This file is mainly designed for iPads & tablets with apps such as Goodnotes, Notability, Xodo, Zoomnotes. However, it can be used on a computer if needed.
You can download it for free at the links below:
Folder including Monday & Sunday start options
All other free printables (can also be used digital or imported into this file, however will not be linked)
This planner includes a multitude of pages such as yearly overviews, monthly/weekly/daily calendars, student organisers, etc. It includes the 12 months for you to customise, along with 5 weekly pages and a selection of daily options. A reminder that this is undated. Pages can be duplicated to add more, links should not be impacted. However, if you delete the page which holds the link, the link will no longer function.
If you have any queries or questions, please direct them to my askbox!
Whilst this version is free, I do have a selection of paid options on my Etsy shop. There are several 2019 dated options, along with more student-specific calendars or for everyday use :-) These ones are much more extensive, include stickers and a variety of colour palettes and designs hence their price. I continually offer 10% discount using ‘student10′ if you are ever interested in making an additional purchase! I really appreciate the support I’ve had for my Etsy so far :D
I hope you enjoy using this! If you upload a photo featuring it, I’d love to see. Please tag me on Tumblr with #emmastudies or on Instagram with @emmastudiess. You can see other people using my items by visiting the #esprintables tag on my blog! Please remember, these printables are for personal use only and should not be redistributed as your own.
Here are a selection of wallpapers for both your computer and phone :-)
You can download all the sets below:
Monday start
Sunday start
Undated designs included in the above links
To download the mobile versions, I’d recommend using the links below to open the image at its best quality and save from your browser.
1: Monday / Sunday
2: Monday / Sunday
3: Monday / Sunday
4: Monday / Sunday
Pink background versions are available via the above Google Drive link :-)
I hope you enjoy using these and if so, I’d love to see them in action! Feel free to tag me #emmastudies in any photos you upload on Tumblr, Instagram or Twitter.
Whilst these wallpapers are free of charge, it would be amazing of you to check out my Ko-fi account! :-)
Disclaimer: These backgrounds are for personal use only! Please respect that :-) If there are any problems, please contact me!
One of the things about the IB program is that our teachers have a ton of work to grade... except they don’t. They procrastinate as much as we do and nothing gets graded until the day grades close! This is a really big issue for grades that we can do corrections on too. We have essays from an entire book ago that just got graded, and in Psychology we got tests back from several months ago... It’s really stressful on us but I understand that being a teacher is hard too.
I’m sure y’all’ve heard us rant about French before. Well, here we go again! Our teacher doesn’t teach. Like, at all. In the 3 years we’ve been in high school, we’ve learned less than 15 new things. Barely any vocab, a couple new tenses & some pronouns. We pretty much only work in packets. We’ve spent 3 months on the same damn pronouns. We’ll take basically an entire week off for coloring & listening to our teacher tell us stories (in English, mind you). And then she has the audacity to blame us for task avoidance.
So that y’all can do better than us, we’ve linked all of our original french posts to this one! Think of it as a masterpost~
izzy806
andulkaphoto
jacobvanloon
pixelskylines
dailybridgerton
