Hannah

21, she/her + isfj social studies ed major + book lover

[prawnsbookclub]

some pictures that I took today while looking for a place to study

[prawnsbookclub]

cr: outlander by diana gabaldon

[macaulaytwins]

female character: *is rude or evil or commits heinous deeds*

me, with stars in my eyes:

[escapismsworld]

The Opera Garnier, is a renowned opera house in Paris, France. Designed by the architect Charles Garnier, it is a masterpiece of Second Empire architecture and was inaugurated in 1875. The Opera Garnier is celebrated for its opulent and ornate interiors, including the famous grand staircase, chandeliers, and Marc Chagall-painted ceiling. It continues to host ballet and opera performances and is an iconic symbol of Parisian cultural heritage.

📸: Andrea Perotta, Constance de Tourniel

[prawnsbookclub]

september tbr

❧ hunter by rebecca sharp ❧ outlander by diana gabaldon ❧ out on a limb by hannah bonam-young

9.03.23

[prawnsbookclub]

just spent the day cleaning and studying the map of Africa. i'm going to go ahead and read my textbook for at least 30 minutes.

[theunaestheticstudyblr]

Some of my favorite easy and fast foods/snacks for $5 or less that aren't ramen and spaghetti:

Couscous. You can get boxed couscous for like $3 and it's enough for 2-3 side dishes at least and takes literally 5 minutes and no extra ingredients. You can get large containers of it for like $5 at Walmart too so you can season however you want. A nice grain that's easy to digest and pairs well with almost anything.

Popcorn. Everyone's favorite healthy junk food that can satisfy most cravings. You can usually get a box for like $4 or a jar of kernels for like $6.

Oats. Whole oats. Extremely versatile. Put them in smoothies, make cookies, granola, snack bars/balls, brownies, oatmeal, etc. Truly the best bland fiber and filler out there. You can even easily make your own oatmilk for super cheap by blending them with water and straining!

Frozen veggies. Last for months in the freezer and usually under $2 a bag. Not great if you prefer raw veggies, but if you are fond of sautéed or roasted ones, save some money and just get them frozen.

Chocolate chips. Cheaper than chocolate bars and you get a lot more chocolate. Perfect for those cravings!

Powdered potatoes. I know I know but if you ignore the package directions and put some butter and milk and seasonings in it, you can't tell. Ready in like 2 minutes and you get a shit ton of mashed potatoes for like $2.

Vegan Mac and cheese. I'm lactose intolerant and so I will forever be thankful for the vegan movement of the early 2010s for making nondairy products easier to find and more affordable. Vegan Mac and cheese literally tastes the exact same and bakes so well. Annie's so far has been my favorite brand and they have other pastas with sauces too like squash which is so good.

Crepes. You can make your own batter for cheap but who likes all them dishes? You can find pre-made crepes for like $3 for 10.

Apples. You can find 2lb bags of these for $3 at a lot of places. I never knew they were so cheap and I go through phases where I'll eat like 4 a day.

Lunch meat. Packs of turkey cost like $4. I use turkey on so much. Bagels, omelets, salads, sandwiches, wraps, croissants, etc.

Ready to bake pastries. I'm not a big bread person but croissants ready to bake have my whole heart and cinnamon rolls can really help make a bad day a little better.

Pretzels. I'm an absolute whore for Pretzels and eat so many of these things. They're so easy to pack for snacks for class or anything really. I can't go two weeks without them.

Rice crisps. Rice cakes are great but they're big and crumbly and get stale if you don't close the bag JUST right. But little Rice crisps??? Elite. They come in so many flavors and are super crunchy and they're just super cute too and they're bogo a lot at publix.

Frozen potstickers. You can get them for so cheap and I have a giant bag of them in my freezer right now that I got for like $7. I usually get smaller portions for $4 or so though but decided to splurge and get 3lbs of them cus why not.

Frozen shrimp. A bag of extra small Frozen shrimp is about $5 at Walmart. Eat them thawed and cold or put them in pastas or rice or Soups. They're a staple in my house.

These are just a few I could think of off the top of my head. Please add to the list!

[prawnsbookclub]

my go to pens for studying

- muji gel ink ballpoint pen .38 (black)

- bic gelocity .7 (pink)

- pilot friXion clicker 07 (black)

[iammyownstarr-deactivated202309]

Your life a year from now will be a result of what you do today. Never take your time for granted.

[mellifluous-maiden-deactivated2]

ways i’m going to romanticize september .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆

making myself cinnamon spice tea before my 8 am classes

wearing my cardigans with lacey camisoles

listening to french music as I write poetry

reading my fall favorites as I wait for my next class

drinking pumpkin spice lattes as I sit in my school’s cafe

heating scented wax melts that remind me of autumn (apple pie, french toast, cinnamon, chai)

using autumn exclusive Bath and Body Works fragrance mists and creams

updating my school page on my notion to track my assigned homework and readings

exercising at the university's gym every weekend

[cache-e]

“I'm a master at speaking silently, all my life I've spoken silently and I've lived through entire tragedies in silence.”

Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Meek One.

[prawnsbookclub]

friday to-do list

read Ibn battuta "In Black Africa"

study political map of Africa

go to world geography lecture

transfer note to onenote

find a new romance or fantasy book to read

8.31.23

[awindinthelantern]

Fun ideas that should be included in more historical-fantasy novels:

snowball fights (especially between main characters and their supporting-character friends, giving the extras fun additional screentime)

Soviet Socialist-Realism murals glorifying the Working Proletariat displayed in town squares

characters, professional artists or otherwise, painting en plein air

communal reading time, where one character reads aloud to their friends from an improper novel for all their knowing enjoyment

star forts

tax-avoidance schemes, as practiced by all members of society

candle clocks

(more) women obsessed with rats

male brothels, and the sexy, sexy gigolos employed therein

canals, and the moving of products across long distances via said canals

wandering around The Moors™ on rainy winter days, the characters’ breath fogging in the mist

parades & carnivales

stagecoach routes and post inns

Fancy-dress (costume) balls

characters attending a hoedown in a podunk town, and throwing off their cares and worries for an evening, dancing free as the musicians throw down a mean jig and reel

Bisexuals, and Bisexual Moments™

arrogant Male Leads being taken down a peg and humiliated (it’s so sexy)

[foxiswriting]

story outlining methods, pt. 1:

take off your pants!! (“take off your pants!: outline your books for faster, better writing” by libbie hawker)

this outline starts with a character — specifically their biggest flaw — and leads to five points that will make up the core of your story. it’s best for plots and subplots that focus on overcoming the flaw!

this outline doesn’t just have to be used for coming of age novels. it is just as important in your dystopian, fantasy, or thriller novels that the main character learns something or has changed by the end.

STEP ONE: think about your character

your main character — what is their name, and what are their important features?

what are your character’s flaws? what about their FATAL flaw? ex: hubris, overconfidence, stubbornness, etc.

STEP TWO: think about the end of the story

the story (whether the main plot, a subplot, or a facet of the main plot) is the journey lead to overcome the flaw. now that you know the character’s flaw, you know what lesson they need to learn.

the end of the story = the flaw mastered, the lesson learned.

STEP THREE: think about the external goal

the external goal is the plot, the outer motivation to push the character to the end of the story where the goal is mastered. if you remember my post on quests, you know that a quest has two reasons to be there: the external factor (shrek saving fiona for his swamp), and the real reason (the lesson learned)

the external goal should provide a chance for the character to recognize their flaw and begin to change. how does your plot tie into their character development?

STEP FOUR: think about the antagonist

thinking about the external goal should reveal who the antagonist is. the antagonist should want to achieve the same goal or a goal that impedes with the protagonist’s goal. the antagonist should be the biggest obstacle to the character.

STEP FIVE: think about the ally/allies

the character(s) that is capable of forcing the protagonist down the correct path. where your protagonist most likely will resist changing and confronting their flaw, the ally will help force them to do so anyway.

STEP SIX: think about the theme

so what’s the point of your book? if you are struggling to boil it down to one sentence, you might want to think about it a little longer. this is what keeps the story feeling coherent. what are you trying to tell us?

STEP SEVEN: think about the plot

each main plot element should somehow relate to the core of the book, aka the character’s development in overcoming their flaw

OPENING SCENE - set the stage. address the flaw or the theme

INCITING EVENT - what forces the character out of their everyday life and into the story?

REALIZING EXTERNAL GOAL - what makes the character begin seeking their goal?

DISPLAY OF FLAW - if the character’s flaw hasn’t been made blatantly clear, now is the time. make it known to the reader.

DRIVE FOR GOAL - what is your character’s first attempt to reach their goal?

ANTAGONIST REVEAL - how do you first show your antagonist’s opposition to your character?

FIRST THWART - what happens to your character that keeps them from reaching their goal?

REVISIT FLAW - show the character’s flaw again, even if they themselves aren’t aware of it yet.

ANTAGONIST ATTACKS - what does the antagonist do that makes things worse?

SECOND THWART - where your character fails most likely due to the attack

CHANGED GOAL - the character finds a new goal or focuses on the external goal in a different way

ALLY ATTACKS - what does the ally do to force the character to see the flaw?

AWAKENING - the character knows what they must do to reach the external goal. how will you show that the character has also awakened to their flaw? how will you show them changing?

BATTLE - the final showdown with the antagonist!

DEATH - the character’s flaw dies here. how will you show that the character truly is different now?

OUTCOME - show whether the character won or lost the external goal, reveal the theme of the story.

naturally, you don’t have to follow that outline exactly, but it can be a good place to start ;)