Studyblr Asks (pt. 1, Q’s 1-20)
Thank you @stylizedstudying for creating these questions <3
How long have you had your studyblr?
2. Why did you decide to make your studyblr?
To motivate myself in my studies, and to keep track of my progress throughout university :)
3. Do you have any other blogs besides your studyblr?
I do...but it’s a kpop fanpage (specifically for EXO’s Kai)...it’s currently inactive.
4. How did you venture into the studyblr community?
I remember going through a tough period in year 10 where I was just so unmotivated to do work, yet I still wanted to achieve well at school. The studyblr community was just beginning to get popular on youtube, and after going down that rabbit hole, I fell in love with the community and started following a lot of blogs on Tumblr.
5. Did you have good study habits before making this blog?
A few? I would say most of my study habits were pretty bad (I was a master procrastinator- I once completed a chemistry assignment which we had 5 months to do, in 2 days :( I would say I got through high school mostly by fluke, and my natural intelligence. I am quite lucky in the sense that I am able to learn concepts very quickly, which is why I don’t see too many negative consequences whenever I procrastinate.
A great habit I developed during my first year of university, was to write out my notes the day of the lecture. That ensured all the information was still fresh in my mind and so I could revise and summarise the content effectively.
6. Have you made any friends through your studyblr?
Yes, I have made a couple, and I hope to make many more :)
7. What do you think about the studyblr community?
I aM sO pRoUd Of ThIs CoMmUnItY.
aha no for reals, I am so grateful that this community exists. It has motivated me so much throughout the years!
8. Do you do your homework as soon as you get home or late at night?
During high school, I would usually come home and rest for a few hours before getting into my homework. School in Australia ranges for 6 hours, but it took me an hour to travel back home, so by the time I got back, I was usually very exhausted. Now that I am in uni, I tend to get work done as soon as possible, whether that be during a free hour in between lectures, or whether it means I get stuff done as soon as I get home.
9. What is your favourite stationery?
Grey Mildliner- I don’t use mine for highlighting notes, but rather for outlining my subheadings/important questions. Grey is a very neutral, mild colour, so it works in a lot of different cases.
10. What is your favourite piece of stationery you own?
My mildliners, even though they are quite expensive (+ shipping, because Australia is in the middle of nowhere apparently!)
11. What kinds of pens do you prefer?
Black gel pens, but they can be a bit expensive...I try to write out my notes in black ballpoint, and I write revision/summary notes with my gel pens.
12. Favourite book you’ve read for school?
Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
13. Favorite studying apps?
Forest (i think now there is another similar app called Flora). I started using it during my final year of high school to prevent me from getting distracted by my phone. You can add friends and compare how productive you were compared to your friends- this was the main reason I used it so often, because I would see my friends study for hours and become motivated myself!
14. What advice about studying changed your life?
To try out active recall more. I would say my studying style already consisted of many active recall techniques, but once I learnt about the science behind it, and hence the benefits, I fully incorporated it into my study routine.
15. What quote has impacted you the most?
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” -Albus Dumbledore
16. What do you do when you’re feeling unmotivated?
I TRY to force myself to get even 10 minutes of work done. The key word here, is TRY- most of the time I end up procrastinating, but once in a while, I am able to pull myself through and get shit done.
17. Have you ever felt not good enough?
Definitely. Imposter syndrome is a real thing, and I have often found myself feeling guilty about my marks. Compared to my friends, I am nowhere near as hardworking, but I have the ability to learn concepts and memorise facts so easily, and this often means I am able to score higher on exams as compared to them, with only half the effort. I often feel guilty about this, and I have always felt that I don’t deserve such marks, or that I am not really good enough. It’s taken time for me to just accept this fact- because if anything, I should be grateful for such gift, and I should make the most of it!
18. What is your organization system for school?
Notes are typed out or written on loose leaf paper. These are stapled according to topics or “weeks” at uni. They are filed into a binder that stays on my desk, along with worksheets, practical notes and extra problems I may have done throughout the semester.
As finals approach, I go over the entire binder, and make summarised notes on some paper (say I had about 100 sheets of lecture notes, prac notes and worksheets- I would condense this all into 10-20 sheets of paper for my summary). I would study from these for finals.
19. How has having this blog changed you?
It has made me more conscious about the appearance of my notes. I would like to point out that a negative consequence of starting this studyblr, is that I have spent a lot more time trying to make my notes “pretty” or neat. I don’t think this is an essential feature of what makes you a good student, rather I feel as though in some cases, it can be kinda unproductive? Nevertheless, it is one way I like to relieve stress, and it helps me be a more active citizen of this community, so it doesn’t matter all too much for me...and I definitely revert back to my messy style of note taking if I am time-poor, or if finals are coming up soon :)
20. Do any of your friends from school know you have a studyblr?
No, and I don’t think I’ll ever tell them. The main thing I love about this community is that while we are all close, none of you actually know me in real life. I’m quite a private person, and I share a lot of personal/deep stuff on my blog, and I feel at peace knowing that none of you can trace that back to me :) Keeping myself anonymous on this platform can ensure I be as open and honest with you all as possible, without having to be embarrassed or worried about the implications in my actual life.
~Well, that’s it for Part. 1 of this Q&A~
Again, thank you so much for @stylizedstudying for creating these questions.
Keep a look out for Part 2, coming soon! <3