studyblr and chill

A University Senior ft. ADHD! Majors: International Studies, English (w/ a focus on Creative Writing)

[wecandoit]

~60-61/100~

09.10-10.10.2022 // got a lot done in the past two days! but i need to keep this up for at least a few weeks to see this semester through.

🎧: case 143 by stray kids | ☕️

[somerabbitholes]

weekend — buying and reading books, plus getting a few research things in order

[girasolesyseda]

Most common Spanish slang words and phrases from Spain (preply.com)

1. Guay

Spaniards use this word every 5 seconds. Use it to describe how great something is. You could hear extended versions like “guay del Paraguay” (cool from Paraguay) or “tope guay” (very cool) in movies from the 80s and 90s. Stay away from them. They’re out of date.

“Estas gafas están guay.” These sunglasses are cool.

2. Vale

This is the informal version of “de acuerdo” (all right/ok), and it’s basic Spanish slang. This is probably the first Spanish slang expression you’ll hear repeatedly and you can use it in many situations.

”¿Salimos 5 minutos a tomar el aire?”

¡Vale!

”Shall we go out for 5 minutes to get some fresh air?”

OK!

3. Qué fuerte

This is one of the top 3 Spanish slang words, along with “guay” and “vale.” Use it when something happens that you find shocking, in a good or bad way.

¡Qué fuerte que te despidan por esa tontería! How crazy that you get fired for that nonsense!

4. Chulo

Locals use this in a positive way to express how cool objects and places are.

“Este centro comercial es muy chulo.”

This shopping mall is very cool.

“Un chulo” can also be used to describe a person who is acting cocky. “El dependiente es un chulo, vámonos.” The sales clerk is too cocky; let’s leave.

5. Es la leche

This classic Spanish slang phrase is used to describe how great something is.

“Cómprate esa cazadora, por favor. ¡Es la leche!” Buy that jacket, please. It’s great!

Pro tip: As with almost any colloquial expression, do not modify it. For example, don’t say:

“Esos zapatos son las leches”. It would literally mean “Those shoes are the milks.” Stick to “Esos zapatos son la leche” (Those shoes are great/amazing).

Warning: If an angry person yells at you: “¡Eres la leche!“, follow your instinct. He is shouting “You are unbelievable” at you. Run!

6. ¡Qué mono!

Combine this phrase with objects, places, people, and pets, not only if you find them attractive but also if you think they are adorable.

“Me ha traído flores. Es muy mono.” He brought me flowers. He’s so nice. “¡Qué monos esos pantalones!” How cute are those trousers!

7. Cutre

Use “cutre” for things, places, and people that you think are either bad quality, cheap, or dirty.

“Laura y yo terminamos en un bar cutre alrededor de la una de la mañana.” Laura and I ended up in a seedy bar around one in the morning.

8. Puente

This word translates directly to ‘bridge’ but it is used in Spanish slang to describe a long weekend when bank holidays connect with a weekend. And what do you think Spaniards call a 4-day long weekend? “Un acueducto” (an aqueduct). True story.

“¡Venga, hagamos algo en el puente!” Come on, let’s do something on the long weekend!

9. Currar

This means ‘to work’ (“trabajar”). You can also compliment someone on how hardworking they are: “Eres un currante.” (You’re a hard worker.); or complain about how much you hated your last job: “Odiaba mi curro, tía”.

“No me digas que tienes que currar.” Don’t tell me you need to work.

10. Quedar

This verb is not exactly Spanish slang, but it’s part of the informal vocabulary Spaniards always use to make plans. You will say it every day.

“¿Quedamos para ir a una exposición de arte?” Shall we meet to go to an art exhibition?

11. Tapeo / Terraceo

Every Spanish learner living in Spain should know how to say: “Quiero ir de tapas” (I want to go for tapas). You can step it up by saying: “Quiero ir de tapeo.”

“Terraceo” comes from “terraza” (terrace). If you are afraid of heights, beware. “Terraza” can be a patio or a rooftop. Confirm where you’re going!

“¿Prefieres ir de terraceo, un tapeo…?” Would you prefer to go to a terrace, go for tapas…?

12. Botellón

“Botellón” comes from the word “botella” (bottle), and literally means a big bottle. This Spanish slang term probably comes from the huge beer bottles youngsters drink in parks and squares across Spain. Use it to describe groups of teenagers drinking in the street.

“Yo evitaría Malasaña. Hay mucho botellón.” I would avoid Malasaña. Groups of teenagers drink in the street there.

13. A gustito

Use this slang term to describe how comfortable you’re. If you dare to sound like a pro, mix it up with the verb “to go”, for example: Voy muy a gustito en tu coche (I feel good going in your car). There is a simpler version, “a gusto,” but it’s not as powerful.

“En La Latina estaremos más a gustito.” In La Latina, we’ll be more at ease.

14. Tardeo

The word of 2021, “un tardeo” is used to describe a leisure activity that happens during the afternoon. Probably born a few years back, but in 2021 it was the trendiest thing to do in many Spanish cities and, during curfew, the only possible thing to do.

“A mí me hace un tardeo.” I feel like going out early in the afternoon and getting back home soon.

15. Liarse

You will say this when you want to have a relaxed, early night unlike last weekend. Careful, “liarse” also means to hook up with someone: “Me he liado con Cris” (I’ve hooked up with Cris). Use it wisely!

“No me quiero liar hoy.” I don’t want to get back home late at night.

16. Colegueo

“Colegueo” comes from “colega”, which means ‘friend’ in Spanish slang. “Colegueo” refers to a friendly relationship or situation between people. Stay away from “colega”; it’s old-fashioned!

“Tan pronto Marc, Elena y Juan se conocieron, ya estaban de colegueo.” As soon as Marc, Elena, and Juan met, they were all hanging out / having fun (equivalence).

17. Tío/tía

Tío/tía are the direct translations of uncle/auntie in English and are usually used in Spanish slang to address friends. The British English equivalent would be “mate” and US English “buddy.”

“¿Qué pasa, tía?” What’s up, girl?

You will also hear “tío”/“tía” to refer to a third person.

“¡Qué tío/tía tan guapo/a!” What a good-looking guy/girl!

18. Majo

While most of the words on this list are newer slang, no one seems to remember the origin of “majo,” a term to describe a friendly person.

“El camarero es muy majo.” The waiter is very nice.

19. Guiri

Locals use “guiri” to refer to foreigners, tourists, or expats, whose physical appearance stands out from Spaniards. Sense the tone since it can be said with love or out of mockery.

Yo no parezco un guiri, ¿verdad? I don’t look like such a tourist, do I?

20. Churri

“Churri” is Spanish slang in its purest state. It’s a very loving word that you would use to describe someone’s partner or significant other.

“Creo que esa es la churri de la camarera.” I think that girl is the waitress’ girlfriend.

21. Guarro

It is like saying someone is a pig  (“Ese tío es un guarro.” / That guy is disgusting). You can use it to describe things, places, and people that are not clean.

“¡Qué guarro lleva ese el pelo!” That guy’s hair is filthy!

22. Cañero

This expression comes from the word “caña” (sugar cane/sugar cane grower). You can use it as an adjective to describe people and things that are strong, loud, or fast.

But usually, you’re going to use it to refer to a person who likes to party a lot, or is full of energy. In a negative context, it means that the person is too intense or hardcore.

“Tu amigo Alex es muy cañero.” Your friend Alex is too intense.

23. Pijo

This word usually refers to young people who dress, behave, or speak, in a way that shows they come from a wealthy social class. “Posh,” “preppy,” and “snob” may be equivalent to this expression.

“Mira cómo se viste Daniel, como un pijo.” Look at how Daniel is dressed, he looks like a snob.

24. Flipar

Locals took this slang word from the English verb “to flip” or “flip out,” so it’s an easy Spanish slang word for English speakers to pick up.

“¡¿El jefe dijo eso?! ¡Estoy flipando!” Our boss actually said that? I can’t believe it!

“Flipar” also means to be crazy about something. Trust us, you’ll say a lot in Spain.

“Me flipa este libro.” I’m crazy about this book. / I love this book.

25. Cabrear

When you’re angry, this is how you’ll express it. Spaniards use it as a verb (“¿Por eso se ha cabreado?” / Is that why he got pissed off?) and as a noun:

“Menudo cabreo lleva el jefe.” The boss is in rage.

26. Joder

The common Spanish slang word ¡”joder”!” can be used to express how good something is:

¡”Joder, qué bien”! Damn! How great!

or how bad it is:

“¡Joder! ¿En serio salimos a las 3 todo el año?” Damn! Do we really have to leave at 3 all year long?

The tone of voice you use will change the meaning entirely.

27. Ir a tu/su bola

This expression means that a person is minding their own business. You can also use it to say that someone is selfish and puts themselves first. Other versions “ir a tu rollo” and “ir a tu aire” are used in the same way.

“El de recepción va a su bola.” The guy in the reception minds his own business.

28. Mala pata

The expression comes from the ancient Spanish belief that you can earn good luck by carrying a rabbit leg. Someone’s bad luck might be due to their leg being “bad”(“mala pata”)  and so they are left unprotected.

You can intensify this slang phrase using “muy” (very), for example: “Carmen tiene muy mala pata” (Carmen has very bad luck).

“Carmen se ha roto el brazo. ¡Qué mala pata!” Carmen has broken her arm. Such bad luck!

29. Me sabe mal

A favorite slang expression in Spain. It implies that something bad that happened left you with a bad taste in your mouth.

“Me sabe mal pero no voy a poder invitar a Manolo a la fiesta.” I feel bad about it but I won’t be able to invite Manolo to the party.

30. Pavo / pavos

This word means ‘turkey’ in English. About 100 years ago, people started calling “1 pavo” (1 turkey) to the currency euro because this bird was worth precisely five “pesetas” (1 euro). In Spain, “pavos” means “euros.”

La cena costó 40 pavos. Dinner cost 40 bucks.

[somehow-i-studymoved]

Sometimes I consider making a main blog for a studyblr/ Langblr because I’d like to interact more w/ people and have a tumblr feed that’s more dedicated to learning than memes. But I also don’t want to abandon the little following I have here.

If anyone happens to see this and have thoughts pls let me know 😅

[diarystudyblr]

My new office✨📖☕

[marie-curie]

25.09.2022 // i'm moving into my new apartment on wednesday. there i can see the sea from the roof which is lovely. i already found a café where i can drink a strong coffee. it still feels very unreal to be here and not going home in a week but staying for several months. i spoke a whole lot of spanish in the past days and i'm very proud that i understand so much here.

[memewhore]

[sleepnoises]

ID: two screenshots of LeVar Burton, a Black man, former host of Reading Rainbow, speaking into the camera. he says “Listen, there are plenty of books to choose from. But you know what? Read the books they don’t want you to. That’s where the good stuff is!” *police siren* “Oh shit. They’re coming! Read banned books!” end ID. original 2-minute clip from the daily show at this link.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

"Don't spy on a privacy lab" (and other career advice for university provosts)

This is a wild and hopeful story: grad students at Northeastern successfully pushed back against invasive digital surveillance in their workplace, through solidarity, fearlessness, and the bright light of publicity. It’s a tale of hand-to-hand, victorious combat with the “shitty technology adoption curve.”

What’s the “shitty tech adoption curve?” It’s the process by which oppressive technologies are normalized and spread. If you want to do something awful with tech — say, spy on people with a camera 24/7 — you need to start with the people who have the least social capital, the people whose objections are easily silenced or overridden.

That’s why all our worst technologies are first imposed on refugees -> prisoners -> kids -> mental patients -> poor people, etc. Then, these technologies climb the privilege gradient: blue collar workers -> white collar workers -> everyone. Following this pathway lets shitty tech peddlers knock the rough edges off their wares, inuring us all to their shock and offense.

https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/21/great-taylors-ghost/#solidarity-or-bust

20 years ago, if you ate dinner under the unblinking eye of a CCTV, it was because you were housed in a supermax prison. Today, it’s because you were unwise enough to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for “home automation” from Google, Apple, Amazon or another “luxury surveillance” vendor.

Northeastern’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC) is home to the “Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute,” where grad students study the harms of surveillance and the means by which they may be reversed. If there’s one group of people who are prepared to stand athwart the shitty tech adoption curve, it is the CPI grad students.

Which makes it genuinely baffling that Northeastern’s Senior Vice Provost for Research decided to install under-desk heat sensors throughout ISEC, overnight, without notice or consultation. The provost signed the paperwork that brought the privacy institute into being.

Students throughout ISEC were alarmed by this move, but especially students on the sixth floor, home to the Privacy Institute. When they demanded an explanation, they were told that the university was conducting a study on “desk usage.” This rang hollow: students at the Privacy Institute have assigned desks, and they badge into each room when they enter it.

As Privacy Institute PhD candidate Max von Hippel wrote, “Reader, we have assigned desks, and we use a key-card to get into the room, so, they already know how and when we use our desks.”

https://twitter.com/maxvonhippel/status/1578048837746204672

So why was the university suddenly so interested in gathering fine-grained data on desk usage? I asked von Hippel and he told me: “They are proposing that grad students share desks, taking turns with a scheduling web-app, so administrators can take over some of the space currently used by grad students. Because as you know, research always works best when you have to schedule your thinking time.”

That’s von Hippel’s theory, and I’m going to go with it, because the provost didn’t offer a better one in the flurry of memos and “listening sessions” that took place after the ISEC students arrived at work one morning to discover sensors under their desks.

This is documented in often hilarious detail in von Hippel’s thread on the scandal, in which the university administrators commit a series of unforced errors and the grad students run circles around them, in a comedy of errors straight out of “Animal House.”

https://twitter.com/maxvonhippel/status/1578048652215431168

After the sensors were discovered, the students wrote to the administrators demanding their removal, on the grounds that there was no scientific purpose for them, that they intimidated students, that they were unnecessary, and that the university had failed to follow its own rules and ask the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to review the move as a human-subjects experiment.

The letter was delivered to the provost, who offered “an impromptu listening session” in which he alienated students by saying that if they trusted the university to “give” them a degree, they should trust it to surveil them. The students bristled at this characterization, noting that students deliver research (and grant money) to “make it tick.”

[Image ID: Sensors arrayed around a kitchen table at ISEC]

The students, believing the provost was not taking them seriously, unilaterally removed all the sensors, and stuck them to their kitchen table, annotating and decorating them with Sharpie. This prompted a second, scheduled “listening session” with the provost, but this session, while open to all students, was only announced to their professors (“Beware of the leopard”).

The students got wind of this, printed up fliers and made sure everyone knew about it. The meeting was packed. The provost explained to students that he didn’t need IRB approval for his sensors because they weren’t “monitoring people.” A student countered, what was being monitored, “if not people?” The provost replied that he was monitoring “heat sources.”

https://github.com/maxvonhippel/isec-sensors-scandal/blob/main/Oct_6_2022_Luzzi_town_hall.pdf

Remember, these are grad students. They asked the obvious question: which heat sources are under desks, if not humans (von Hippel: “rats or kangaroos?”). The provost fumbled for a while (“a service animal or something”) before admitting, “I guess, yeah, it’s a human.”

Having yielded the point, the provost pivoted, insisting that there was no privacy interest in the data, because “no individual data goes back to the server.” But these aren’t just grad students — they’re grad students who specialize in digital privacy. Few people on earth are better equipped to understand re-identification and de-aggregation attacks.

[Image ID: A window with a phrase written in marker, ‘We are not doing science here’ -Luzzi.]

A student told the provost, “This doesn’t matter. You are monitoring us, and collecting data for science.” The provost shot back, “we are not doing science here.” This ill-considered remark turned into an on-campus meme. I’m sure it was just blurted in the heat of the moment, but wow, was that the wrong thing to tell a bunch of angry scientists.

From the transcript, it’s clear that this is where the provost lost the crowd. He accused the students of “feeling emotion” and explaining that the data would be used for “different kinds of research. We want to see how students move around the lab.”

Now, as it happens, ISEC has an IoT lab where they take these kinds of measurements. When they do those experiments, students are required to go through IRB, get informed consent, all the stuff that the provost had bypassed. When this is pointed out, the provost says that they had been given an IRB waiver by the university’s Human Research Protection Program (HRPP).

Now a prof gets in on the action, asking, pointedly: “Is the only reason it doesn’t fall under IRB is that the data will not be published?” A student followed up by asking how the university could justify blowing $50,000 on surveillance gear when that money would have paid for a whole grad student stipend with money left over.

The provost’s answers veer into the surreal here. He points out that if he had to hire someone to monitor the students’ use of their desks, it would cost more than $50k, implying that the bill for the sensors represents a cost-savings. A student replies with the obvious rejoinder — just don’t monitor desk usage, then.

Finally, the provost started to hint at the underlying rationale for the sensors, discussing the cost of the facility to the university and dangling the possibility of improving utilization of “research assets.” A student replies, “If you want to understand how research is done, don’t piss off everyone in this building.”

Now that they have at least a vague explanation for what research question the provost is trying to answer, the students tear into his study design, explaining why he won’t learn what he’s hoping to learn. It’s really quite a good experimental design critique — these are good students! Within a few volleys, they’re pointing out how these sensors could be used to stalk researchers and put them in physical danger.

The provost turns the session over to an outside expert via a buggy Zoom connection that didn’t work. Finally, a student asks whether it’s possible that this meeting could lead to them having a desk without a sensor under it. The provost points out that their desk currently doesn’t have a sensor (remember, the students ripped them out). The student says, “I assume you’ll put one back.”

[Image ID: A ‘public art piece’ in the ISEC lobby — a table covered in sensors spelling out ‘NO!,’ surrounded by Sharpie annotations decrying the program.]

They run out of time and the meeting breaks up. Following this, the students arrange the sensors into a “public art piece” in the lobby — a table covered in sensors spelling out “NO!,” surrounded by Sharpie annotations decrying the program.

Meanwhile, students are still furious. It’s not just that the sensors are invasive, nor that they are scientifically incoherent, nor that they cost more than a year’s salary — they also emit lots of RF noise that interferes with the students’ own research. The discussion spills onto Reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/NEU/comments/xx7d7p/northeastern_graduate_students_privacy_is_being/

Yesterday, the provost capitulated, circulating a memo saying they would pull “all the desk occupancy sensors from the building,” due to “concerns voiced by a population of graduate students.”

https://twitter.com/maxvonhippel/status/1578101964960776192

The shitty technology adoption curve is relentless, but you can’t skip a step! Jumping straight to grad students (in a privacy lab) without first normalizing them by sticking them on the desks of poor kids in underfunded schools (perhaps after first laying off a computer science teacher to free up the budget!) was a huge tactical error.

A more tactically sound version of this is currently unfolding at CMU Computer Science, where grad students have found their offices bugged with sensors that detect movement and collect sound:

https://twitter.com/davidthewid/status/1387909329710366721

The CMU administration has wisely blamed the presence of these devices on the need to discipline low-waged cleaning staff by checking whether they’re really vacuuming the offices.

https://twitter.com/davidthewid/status/1387426812972646403

While it’s easier to put cleaners under digital surveillance than computer scientists, trying to do both at once is definitely a boss-level challenge. You might run into a scholar like David Gray Widder, who, observing that “this seems like algorithmic management of lowly paid employees to me,” unplugged the sensor in his office.

https://twitter.com/davidthewid/status/1387909329710366721

This is the kind of full-stack Luddism this present moment needs. These researchers aren’t opposed to sensors — they’re challenging the social relations of sensors, who gets sensed and who does the sensing.

https://locusmag.com/2022/01/cory-doctorow-science-fiction-is-a-luddite-literature/

[Image ID: A flier inviting ISEC grad students to attend an unadvertised ‘listening session’ with the vice-provost. It is surmounted with a sensor that has been removed from beneath a desk and annotated in Sharpie to read: ‘If found by David Luzzi suck it.’]

[softandfruity]

december 09th, wednesday

hey hello, it’s been a while. term time is difficult and hectic but when northern english days are dark and gloomy like today, I spend my time day dreaming of oxford and the home my heart has found there.

[historygirl]

Sunday 10 January 2021

Back to online school again... currently reading The Ancient Paths: Discovering the Lost Map of Celtic Europe by Graham Robb.

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

i'm tired of otherwise-lighthearted media pushing this global obsession with being the best at something. exhausted with protagonists whose one driving motivation is to be the best in their chosen field, like that's a noble and healthy thing.

because see, there are nearly 8 billion people on this gorgeous godless blue earth. many-if-not-most of us live in abusive economies wherein we are regularly pushed to our limits to overachieve, at the cost of our health, happiness, and personal lives. being the very very best at something, out of all 8 billion humans on the planet, does not happen because of automatic talent or being divinely appointed by god/s. it happens because of talent, plus thousands upon thousands of hours spent in practice. and if those thousands-upon-thousands of hours come at the cost of your inner healthy and balance--as living under high psychological pressure often does--that's not noble. that's self-abuse.

and while I deeply empathize with characters who feel that pressure to push themselves to unhealthy extremes, I want to see that philosophy ultimately rejected, not romanticized. No one needs to be the best. No one even needs to do their personal best, not all of the time. It's okay to live life without constantly trying to measure up to something. It's okay to just live.

[somehow-i-studymoved]

A colorful day of cases for work and (hopefully) Spanish language practice.

I’m a few weeks out from moving to Spain (which feels surreal) and I know I need to practice more 😅

Packing and travel arrangements have been really time consuming but I want to focus on the language learning.

Currently staying hydrated and excited about the future

[myhoneststudyblr]

07|08|2022

i’ve been feeling pretty unmotivated recently and i’ve fallen behind on pretty much all my tasks. my goal for this coming week is to slowly get back into a routine again and get back on track.  

[yuumie-tries]

today has been a good day! 🌻🐣 spent hours on research for essay proposals but had a balanced amount of breaks in between :D

tonight I'm staying up late to catch up on work since school starts tomorrow!

Day 7/30

[bashircore]

This tweet has changed my life btw

[bashircore]

Here’s a guide of what I’ve determined the meanings to be

walking around - self explanatory

fellowship - hanging out with friends

deliciousness - having something tasty

transcendence - feeling that you have reached a different level of some sort; alternatively, when you do one of the other delights to the extreme and feel really good about it. (you know transcendence when it happens)

goofing - having a good laugh at smth

amelioration - working towards the betterment of something, for example, working on a skill you hope to improve

coitus - fuckin’

enthralment - becoming incredibly engaged in something, hyper focusing on something

wildcard - anything that you feel was a delight in your day that does not fit one of the above delights

[liberalsarecool]

Remember these dates. #StudentLoans

#CancelStudentDebt

[somehow-i-studymoved]

New intrusive thought just dropped: maybe I should go to grad school.

[somehow-i-studymoved]

Joking but also… now that my mental health is doing better and I’m a few years out of undergrad, doing something like moving to London for grad school feels like it could be on the table. I’ve got a couple of areas of academic interest that I’d have to pick between, and I have no earthly idea what I’d need to sort out financially, but the thought keeps crossing my mind. Probably a plan for a year or two out, but it keeps crossing my mind.