🕊

just trying to improve my study habits

[pchcrew]

how to be a winner

[thexfiles]

if you didn’t get into your top choice college i love you, if you can’t attend your top choice college for financial or other reasons i love you, everything’s going to be okay, the system is rigged, and you’re all going to do incredible things regardless of whether you end up at your first choice school or your last

[socsciblr]

college tips from a real live college student

Hey guys, I’m currently a college freshman at a major research institution and I thought I’d share some of my tips with you all. These are basically things that I wish someone would have told me before I went to school.

So you breezed through high school. I did too. (Or maybe you didn’t, and that’s fine–if you know how to study and manage your time already, you’re in a better place than those who got by without studying) And maybe you’re even an honors student. Me too. But unless you were at the very top of your class and test like a damn genius, you’re going to have to get your act together in order to be better than average in college. The thing is that colleges accept students just like you as the norm. A student with a 3.5 in high school is a 2.5 student in college unless they learn to put in more work than they ever have before. I’m a national merit scholar in the Honors college at my school and I’ve had to learn how to manage my time more than ever before in order to maintain a 4.0. Basically, my point is this: you’re not as smart as you think you are. Get studying.

Take every AP test you can while in high school. I know the concept of college credit is a little abstract right now, but every AP credit you get in high school is $500 in tuition and $300 in books you don’t have to pay.

Which brings me to my second point: books are expensive. Shop around as much as you can. Try online thrift shops, and know that amazon isn’t always the cheapest. Rent whenever possible, and make sure to check the store’s policy on highlighting in rentals.

Read your textbooks. I get it, the lectures are the same as what’s in the textbook, but if you want to impress your prof and understand the material, at least skim your textbook. Focus on the conclusion of every section as well as topic sentences. Highlight a key phrase or two and mention them in class–it’ll get you hella participation points.

Bring a damn bike. If your campus is larger than a block, you’re going to want a bike. Not only will it get you around quickly on campus, but it’ll get you off campus efficiently as well. Plus, it’s a lot easier to bike back to your dorm at night than it is to walk.

You don’t need all the clothes you think you do. I wore shorts, dresses, knee highs, etc when in high school and I brought those with me to college. But I didn’t need them and couldn’t wear them. Take tank tops/anything sleeveless for example. If you’re walking to class with something sleeveless on and you are also carrying a backpack, your back is going to sweat and you’re going to get backne. Or maybe not, I guess, but I sure did. Backpack sweat is real and it kills. Also, if you brought a bike you don’t want to be trying to bike around in shorts/skirts/dresses if your bare skin will be on the seat. Your legs will sweat and you will get clogged pores. Not to mention flashing everyone you ride by–nothing against that, but I personally didn’t feel comfortable biking like that.

Bring warm clothes if you live in a temperate climate. Here in Michigan, it gets fucking cold. If you’re walking a half a mile to class,  you really, really need to be dressed warmly. You also need boots or comfortable walking shoes. Heels are hot but crying because your feet hurt from walking across campus in them is not a good time.

Drink as much water as possible without having to pee unreasonably much. This is just general life advice.

Learn to poop in public. Everyone does it. It happens. If you have communal restrooms or a roommate, you’re going to have to go when someone else is in the bathroom eventually. It will be a lot better for your body if you learn to go when you need to instead of holding it for hours until you’re alone.

Utilize academic advisors and counseling services. They’ll usually be willing to help you out with scheduling, required classes, and personal issues. Transitioning to college can he difficult to adjust to and talking about it can help a lot. Counseling is usually free for students.

You just moved in and all of a sudden they want you to pick where you’ll live next year? What the fuck? So here’s how it worked for me. I moved into my dorm and a month later I got an email telling me that signups for housing next year would be happening soon. I panicked. I wish someone would have told me that you have to be prepared to find somewhere to live next year early on. You may want to live in the dorms again, in which case you’ll need to sign up a couple months after moving in. You may decide you want to live in an apartment or rent a house. In that case, you should get hunting in order to get a good deal on a good apartment close to campus. Apartments go fast, so you’ll need to be on top of it. Your university may also have housing cooperatives, which are large houses owned by a not-for-profit student organization that works differently from traditional houses or apartments. Do your research to find out which housing situation is right for you early on and you’ll face less stress when deadlines to sign leases occur.

Anyway, this is what I can think of for now. If anyone has any questions about transitioning to college or about MSU in particular, feel free to ask!

[sistahdear-blog]

if you're in college, here are a few tips for you...

DON’T procrastinate. girl. you think you have all the time in the world, but no. that ain’t happening. just get everything you need to do done, and then go have a blast. 

don’t get wasted. the “college experience” is overrated. yea, it’s fun, but don’t overdo it. going to an 8AM class with a hangover ain’t the business. 

there are limits, don’t cross them. this is really general, but it’s very important. set limits for yourself BEFORE going to parties, BEFORE anything happens. don’t cross the limit with alcohol, don’t cross the limit with drugs, don’t cross the limits with sex. basically, use these limits to prevent doing anything you’ll regret later. 

this is something even i hate doing, but I do what I gotta dooo. go to class. yes, it’s early, yes, it’s far, but you gotta go. you or your parents or the government paid money for you to go to school. don’t waste money and do what needs to be done. college is an investment to your future. the things you learn in college might not always teach you things you’ll need in life, but the more you know the better.

have fun. the advice I’ve given isn’t really the best if someone is looking for “fun.” but honestly speaking, alcohol, drugs, and sex aren’t needed to have fun. hang around the right people, and you’ll have fun whenever the hell you please. for those who are constantly studying, a little fun never hurt anyone. in fact, it does the total opposite. 

I say this last part pretty often, but stay be-you-tiful. by this, I mean stay true to yourself. don’t change or do things because your friends want you to. screw that, if a friend is trying to change you (into something bad*) then they aren’t really your friend. find those who love you FOR YOU. find those that you can have those belly aching laugh sessions with. find those that will watch your back. once you find them, honey, you’re set. 

lastly, good luck! whatever you’re majoring in, whatever you plan on doing, I hope you succeed and are happy! <3 

I’m kidding there’s more :P remember why you came to college, remember how you came to college, with whose help you came to college (ahem family, friends, teachers, role models, ahem)

*something you aren’t comfortable doing. however, if your friend is trying to help you become a better person, and you think what they’re doing is bad, you might want to consider the change. 

[briellestudies]

miscellaneous tips for your first year of college/university:

academics

- try as much as possible to avoid 8 am classes. you could do it in high school, but trust me when I say you don’t want them in college. (but also realize that sometimes you have to take them if you want to graduate on time, especially if the classes are only offered during a certain time.)

- go to office hours. go to office hours. for the love of god, go to office hours. you want to be on good terms with the professors, especially those in your major department because chances are you’ll be in their class more than once and you’ll need a letter of rec from them.

- but if you’re trying to raise your grade, kiss up to the TA (teacher’s assistant). they’re the ones that are in charge of your grade, not the professor. they know you better because of the smaller class sizes and they’ll know how much work you’re really putting into the class.

- it’s quite possible the pull off writing a 5-7 page paper the night before it’s due and still get a good grade on it if you know the material well.

- address emails to the professor with “Hello Professor, …”, include the class you’re in, and conclude with your name and student ID number. be professional and keep in mind that the professor lectures to hundreds of students.

- bring a cold bottle of water to morning lectures and drink from it if you feel like falling asleep. the cold will keep you up (and it’s healthier and cheaper than coffee).

- library floors get quieter the higher you move up.

- if you want to take adderall, don’t start with a large dose. start with 10mg, see how you handle it, and go from there. adderall can be dangerous if you OD. some side effects of adderall include trouble falling asleep and loss of appetite.

- it’s in your best interests not to plagiarize. properly cite all the sources you use. maybe you got away with it in high school, but that shit won’t fly in college.

- study groups are only helpful and beneficial to you if everyone in that group has something to contribute.

- self control, momentum, and evernote are great productivity apps for your mac.

dorm life

- tide pods for laundry is so much easier than lugging down a bottle of detergent and a separate bottle of softener and then having to measure them out.

- if you’ve already washed your colored clothes at least once, you don’t need to separate lights from darks. just remember to use cold water. (I myself am a lazy fuck and I don’t sort my laundry at all. my clothes are fine.)

- ask your RA to get a clock radio for the bathroom (if it’s communal) so music can drown out the sound of the person taking a shit in the stall next to you.

- don’t be afraid to speak up if your roommate does something that is annoying you. approach them in a friendly way (chances are, they didn’t even notice it was bothering you) so that they’ll give you the same courtesy. communication is key.

- you don’t have to be friends with your roommate. you just have to live with them. don’t try and force a friendship if it clearly isn’t working.

- don’t be that asshole that hits their snooze button 10 times so their alarm goes off repeatedly.

- instant noodles = life.

- bring tupperware and hide it in your backpack so you can sneak food out of the dining commons.

partying

- don’t go to parties if you don’t like them.

- don’t drink any hard liquor that comes from a plastic handle.

- you should not be with friends that try to convince you to violate your morals.

- conversely, you should also not be with friends that judge you if you don’t share their morals.

- always. use. the. buddy. system.

- if someone passes out/falls asleep, lay them on their side, not their back. that way, if they throw up, they won’t choke.

- if you get to the point where you need an ambulance because of all of the drugs/alcohol you ingested, tell the medic the truth about the substances you took. they’re not interested in putting you in jail; they’re just trying to save your fucking life. (I can personally attest to this.)

- make sure the change your privacy settings on facebook if you don’t want your family seeing pictures of you with alcohol in the background, dressed promiscuously, etc. some friends don’t ask before putting up/tagging you in pictures.

sex

- to someone that has never had sex, it seems like everyone is having sex all the time and that’s all that matters, but trust me when I say that’s the furthest thing from the truth. don’t let the pressure get to you.

- use condoms even if you’re on birth control to protect from STDs.

- try to take a sex ed/human sexuality class. (the one I took was offered through the sociology department.) in universities as opposed to high school, the sex ed is more comprehensive, usually covers queer relationships (mine did), and does not teach from an abstinence-only POV. they’re very helpful even for those who have had a lot of experience.

- don’t expect people you hook up with at parties to be anything more than that - hookups.

- abstaining from sex doesn’t make you any better than someone who fucks a new person every weekend and being sexually active doesn’t make you “cooler” and someone who has never had sex. remember that.

- don’t use flavored condoms for penetrative sex; you could get a yeast infection. flavored condoms are meant for oral sex only.

- speaking of condoms, it’s really easy to get them for free. student health hands them out like candy the first couple weeks of school.

- get tested first if you and your partner want to have unprotected sex. seriously.

free free to message me any more questions you might have about college/uni. I’d be happy to help/share from my personal experience or elaborate on anything I’ve said here. reblog and add more tips if you have them; I’m sure i haven’t thought of everything. have a great upcoming school year, freshmen!

[study-well]

Learning how to study:

Understand that studying is not the same as doing homework.

Create a study plan.

Making a timetable.

Have a good study space.

Manage your time.

Guide to bullet journals.

How to prioritise tasks

A guide to different planners

Apps for scheduling

Take effective notes.

Guide to note taking.

Taking Notes that Work (article by Dustin Wax)

Colour coding your notes

Taking lecture notes visual (by strive-for-da-best)

Getting the most from lectures

An example of Cornell notes (by overmycoldcoffee)

Read text before and after class.

SQ3R Reading

Study smart.

Guide to studying with mindmaps

Visual guide to mindmaps

The Pomodoro technique

Feynman Technique

How to Hermione the Shit out of your studying (byhermionetheshitoutofstudy​)

Things top students do (by study-studymore-studyhard​)

Learning how to learn (by strive-for-da-best)

Use test taking strategies.

Maintain your studies.

Manage your stress.

Getting a good night’s sleep

Stress relief techniques and ideas

23 Science Backed Ways to Reduce Stress

25 Destressing Techniques

Failure anxiety

Do nothing for 2 minutes

Calm (meditation site)

[applicantmusings]

hello appblr world!! I recently graduated high school (c/o 2015), and I will be attending Duke University in the fall, hoping to pursue a double major in English and Political Science with a minor in either Psychology or Neuroscience :’) 

applying to colleges was one of the most stressful experiences of my life, so I really want to help out anyone who is now currently feeling those tidal waves of anxiety and panic. my intention is to help and hopefully alleviate any nerves about applying to college (in America)

the summer before my senior year, every time I read the word ‘college’, my heart rate spiked & I started internally freaking out. for me, the whole process was super overwhelming, and my distaste for the education system (specifically, the american education system) quadrupled. I remember feeling incredibly confused and alone because I didn’t know where to start, so here is a lil guide thingy!!! 

THE SUMMER BEFORE SENIOR YEAR: 

make sure and finish all your summer assignments – I know that college applications are a strong focus, but get what you’re supposed to do out of the way first + you will feel less overwhelmed and more productive

start making a list of colleges that you want to apply for – my best suggestion is to categorize them into safety schools, match schools, and reach schools

ref: generally people look at a school’s admitted profile (on the school website) and compare stats, which means gpa, rank, test scores, etc. if you can, it’s also helpful to read into their supplementary essay prompts and examples to give you a general idea of what a college is looking for (ex. UChicago is notoriously known for their quirky supplementary essay prompts; famous past prompts include: Find X, Where’s Waldo?, Why are you here?, What’s so odd about odd numbers?) 

do lots of research on schools you’re interested in – ok now I know that reading these long paragraphs on school websites can get really tiring, so try watching some youtube videos or looking the school up on reddit, and be sure to talk to current students to get a first-hand account

look at location, diversity, the programs offered in relation to what you’re interested in, size, public vs private institutions, sports, social scene, political affiliations, financial aid offered, study abroad, etc)

try and figure out a general field of what you’re interested in – you do NOT need to know what you want to major in, but when you’re applying for colleges, you will most likely need to select an intended major; if not, you will apply as undeclared, which has its advantages and disadvantages!! but even with an intended major, most colleges don’t make you officially select a major until sophomore, sometimes even junior year, so it is okay to not know what you wanna do when you’re 16/17/18!!! but explore and reflect and try and figure out a general field of what you’re interested in. do NOT use your grades as a sole factor in deciding; if you are good at math and have really high grades, that does not necessarily mean that you should be a math major - pursue your passions!! if you know that you like writing and reading, then consider a major in english or literature. if you think you’d like to work with computer software, then consider a major in computer science or computer engineering. ALSO know that there are so many potential majors + even the option to create your own at some universities!! and also know that many people change majors, and that is totally ok :) 

in august, common app will open, which is what many colleges use for the application process. certain schools will have specific websites themselves (i.e. MIT, University of California schools, etc) – if you make an account BEFORE august, it will be deleted by then, so be careful!! now, when you make ur account, you can add schools and you can look at their supplements and stuff. be sure and note deadlines!! 

DURING SENIOR YEAR: 

keep up with your school work – senioritis is REAL AND ALIVE, my friends. you will think it’s really bad first semester, but then it just explodes into a frenzy of apathy and indifference second semester + you basically don’t care about anything; this is normal, but still try and focus. colleges can rescind their acceptances, altho it’s not likely unless you suddenly fail everything, but overall, it’s just important to still try

keep good relations with your teachers (both current teachers and past teachers) & decide on which to ask for a rec – for many schools, they will require at least one teacher recommendation, so you must decide between which teachers you wanna ask. I would advise picking the teachers you’ve always had good relations with, and in a subject where you’re really passionate about learning the material. when asking, be respectful of deadlines (aka don’t ask them to write you a rec two days before the deadline. they are people too), and be sure and say thank you. if you can, make them a card or make/buy them a little gift; I promise you, they’ll appreciate it!! 

if the school you’re applying to requires multiple teacher recs: many people advise asking teachers of different subjects to emphasize your well-roundedness – you can do that or you can ask teachers of one subject that you’re really interested in; weigh your options and politely ask. asking teachers can be really scary sometimes, especially if you’re very shy, but they’re there to help you and it’ll all work out :)

write a common app essay (if applicable) – common app has 4 prompts that you can choose from, and then you’ll submit that to all the colleges ur applying to thru common app. this is very important. if you’re not a good writer, do not fret!! most of the time, the subject of these essays are very personal. a lot of people write about some trying time in their lives, but plenty of other people write creatively about something small, but important. remember that essays are a way for admission directors to get to know the real you :’) that sounds super cliche, but keep in mind that you are more than ur gpa and ur sat/act score. prove that to them by writing about something you care about

if you are ok with it (and it’s totally ok to not be ok with it), ask someone you trust to read over it and edit it. a lot of people ask their language arts teachers just bc they’ll help with grammar and structure, but asking other trusted adults and peers will be helpful too!! keep in mind the potential of bias from parents + friends though 

you will most likely write your common app essay multiple times. you will have lots of drafts & it can be really stressful, but patience. you will be so happy when you finally finish 

finalize your college list and start writing supplementary essays – many colleges will have supplementary parts to the application on top of common app. this can range from totally separate essays to lil short-answer questions, so be prepared and give yourself plenty of time to write!! just as with your common app essay, getting feedback can be super helpful

also remember that many colleges accept arts supplements (this range depends on the college, but I’ve seen colleges accept writing, dance, music, visual art, etc) & these fall under a different deadline, usually. if you want to submit in an art supplement, you may have to submit in your essays and everything earlier 

OH ALSO some colleges will have an early decision or early application deadline – this is basically an earlier deadline for ur app in exchange for an earlier decision. be careful on the difference between EA and ED!!! ED is BINDING, which means that if you get in, you have to go (you can get out of it for financial reasons tho), and EA is NONBINDING, which means that even if you get in, you can decide to go to another school

submit in your transcript and any test scores you need – different schools have different policies, but most fall under either the SAT + SAT 2 scores OR ACT + writing scores; I would suggest contacting the counseling office asap, but be super nice!! counselors are there to help you through this process, but it can be really overwhelming for them too

pay close attention to whether or not ur college requires a counseling rec or not

double check everything for small details – some colleges accept peer recs, but sometimes they don’t publicize that detail very much so just be observant! same with priority deadlines for interviews; you may have to submit in your app earlier if you want priority for an interview

accept ur interview opportunities – meet with an alumni or go on campus if you can and give an interview!! they’re really helpful sometimes bc it provides the school with a look into who you are as a person, not just as a student. also, from my experience, the alumni are super nice and really interested + it’s nice to just talk and nerd out about the school you like :’) 

submit ur apps (hehehe of course!) 

apply for scholarships – this is something that I wish I had taken more seriously, but really, college is expensive and scholarships can make all the difference. talk to your counselors if you don’t know where to start & literally just google for them!! be careful you are eligible for the ones you’re interested in and make sure you submit everything in by the deadline too 

AFTER SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATIONS:

distract yourself like crazy – the wait is horrible and the anticipation is killer, if you’re anything like me at least. hang out with your friends and just enjoy your senior year!! this is the last of high school & i promise you that as much as you may hate it (if you do hate it), you will feel bittersweet by the end of the year. so make memories and make the best out of the time you have left in high school 

check your email – colleges oftentimes send you emails if they need you to send them anything more, or they’ll update you about things. they’ll usually also email you with where you need to go to check your decision

don’t let the senioritis take over ur soul 

RECEIVING YOUR DECISIONS: 

acceptances – YAY CONGRATULATIONS!!! be proud of yourself and know that you deserve it 100000%, wholeheartedly. they did not make a mistake, and you ARE that amazing. celebrate your accomplishment, but also be humble. it’s likely that you have a friend that either got waitlisted or denied, so be careful what you say 

rejections – i’m sorry, my dear!! but you are not meant to be at that school, and that is okay. even if it is your dream school. this does not reflect ur self-worth & this def does not mean that you aren’t good enough. this simply means you aren’t a good fit for the school!! most people have to deal with rejections, so take some time for yourself. eat some comfort food and watch some tv. read a book if that relaxes you. take a bath with lots of bubbles. do whatever is necessary to cleanse yourself of any negative thoughts you may have, and then realize that you can accomplish SO much wherever you end up!! UR A BRILLIANT SHINING STAR & I HAVE FAITH IN YOU :’)

waitlisted – being waitlisted (or deferred during EA/ED, which basically pushed you back to the regular decision time) sucks so much bc you just want to know; take a deep breath and consider all your options. make backup plans. if you’re really interested in the school, email them and tell them that!! make sure if you want to be on the waitlist, that you notify them of that (usually via mail or online somehow). if you don’t wanna be on the waitlist, make sure you take yourself off so you give everyone else a better chance :) 

weigh your options through careful, careful consideration – there are so many factors that may come into play when finally deciding on which college to go to

money is usually a huge factor, and sometimes you won’t be able to go to a great school even though you got in bc it’s too expensive. but do not be sad about this. give yourself time to feel sad, but don’t let it dictate your life!! you need to stay logical and rational. think long-term. sit down with your guardians and discuss the option of taking out loans and so forth. if you’re planning on pursuing grad school afterwards, you need to keep that in the picture as well 

talk to current-students and compare important things – if you’re really big on community service, ask the current students at different schools how it is there. this applies for everything!! first-hand accounts are incredibly helpful. you can also consider emailing professors of departments you’re interested in for a more professional and academic perspective 

look into their programs and try and avoid putting too much emphasis on rankings - be specific and read up on the department that you’re interested and compare them with different schools. don’t blindly let an overall ranking mislead you!! (i.e. Duke is ranked higher overall than Georgia Tech, but Georgia Tech is ranked MUCH higher in many of its engineering programs) 

talk to people – talk to your parents. talk to your counselors, your teachers, your peers. basically everyone is talking about college your senior year, so take advantage of it. talk with other people and get second, third, fourth, fifth opinions. expand your mind and consider everything!! 

senior year is this giant conglomeration of sweat and tears and happiness and anger and jealous and confusion, so do not worry if you are feeling overwhelmed!! it is normal, and i promise that everyone has felt scared about the future at some point. but with that, be confident in yourself. you’re absolutely lovely + you will go far in life!! 

ok 1) I apologize for how absurdly long this post is and 2) I am here to help if ANYONE has ANY questions about anything!! literally I would love giving advice, so feel free to msg me anytime (my main account is @naiveety though, so whichever works)  ALSO if anyone is interested in Duke, please please please come to me & I will help!!!

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE APPLYING TO COLLEGE & MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL, BRILLIANT FUTURE :’) 

[fishingforcolleges]

AP Cram Packets Galore!

Someone on the Internet consolidated this list and sent it to me. So so helpful! GOOD LUCK everyone!

Art History Smarthistory: a multimedia web-book about art and art history Course-notes Barrons pdfs Biology AP Biology Exam Guide Chapter Review Giant Review Sheet Calculus AB & BC Cheatsheet (AB & BC) Stuff You MUST Know Cold for AP Calc (AB) If you see that, do this (AB) Chemistry AP Chemistry Notes Podcasts Quick Review Comparative Government and Politics Government Comparisons Cramsheet Study Sheet Computer Science Review: Part 1, Part 2 English Language Rhetorical Strategies AP Language Review Environmental Science Vocab to Know Tips APES Review European History STUDY GUIDES Exam Review Sheets French Language Cram packet Human Geography Course-notes Macroeconomics Every Graph You Need To Know (YouTube) Cram packet Microeconomics Cue cards Study guide

Physics B & C Cram sheet (B) Equations (C Mech) Equations (C Mech) Unit Notes (C Mech) Unit Notes © Unit Notes © Equations © Psychology Crib notes Cram packet Quizlet sets Statistics Cram packet Inference Procedures AP Stats formulas U.S. Government Cheat Sheet Review Materials U.S. History Cram Packet: part 1, part 2 The Giant AHAP Review Unit study guides Quizlet sets Quick Review The Comprehensive AP US History Study Guide World History Cram Packets and Review Sheets Cram packets by era Course-notes Mr. Hubbs History Reviews Released MC and review books Kiwiasian’s site ‒ released MC exams, review books in pdf Chilldude’s collection ‒ released MC exams, review books, textbooks in pdf

(note: NOT MY STUFF. The MC exams have been officially released by College Board. None of these materials were acquired through illegal means.)

[biscuitsarenice]

[januariat]

hire this man

[myresin]

I have learned something today

[pomegranateandivy-deactivated20]

everyone needs to know how to properly wear a tiara

[cutestudy]

tips on how to improve your english lit essays

Okay, we’ve all been there, writing flashcards and storing the information for exams in our brains for weeks on end. That’s why when mocks came around I always slightly disappointed with my C grades, in essay based subjects you can have grade A information, but it won’t be of any use unless you know how to write it down.

Unfortunately in state schools essay techniques are usually badly taught due to the vast amount of information which students need to cover. This is problematic as exam technique is likely what’s preventing the majority of English Lit students from achieving higher grades. For instance, in the English department at my sixth form we get extremely narrow feedback such as ‘expand your points’ this vague wording helps no one.

In order to write an A grade essay you probably won’t need much of an introduction, if any, you may as well just start with your points. Preferably, you should make these chronological- there’s no point talking about the end of a novel first. In the question you will be given a basis with which to form your points; usually how the writer portrays a key theme within the novel. Use this in every point you make. It will show examiners you have read the question and understood it. Your points should also be slightly specific but not so specific you can’t write about it; for example, 'both writers use character narration in order to portray the theme of adolescence in different ways’ or 'Ishiguro using setting in his novel shows that science creates victims’. Your points need to be clear and concise so they are easily understood by tired examiners. 

Back your point up with a quote from the text, If you don’t do this you can seriously mess up your grades. In some English Lit courses you may be asked to memorize the quotes. Don’t neglect this; learn at least 10 important quotes per novel which are flexible enough to be used for literally anything.

Your analysis needs to be as clear as the point you made earlier. Use phrases like this ‘shows’ or ‘highlights’ or ‘the reader can interpret this as’. Your analysis should tell the examiner why you believe your point by backing it up and explaining. For instance, ’ this shows that the narrator is hiding their challenging experience by putting up a front; wanting to feel better about their situation’. Analyzing your quote by using connotations also helps. By this I mean taking a specific word from your quote and using it to show how you worked out your point.  Examiners love to see how you came to your conclusions - it gives them an idea that you understand how writers use specific words in order to produce a reaction. 

In order to make your point stronger you should offer an alternative viewpoint after your initial point and then knock it down. To do this it’s good idea to start a sentence with ‘alternatively’ or ‘in contrast’ and any other synonyms you can think of. Your alternative viewpoint should not be neglected - apply the same sort of effort to it as your original point. if your alternative point is strong it makes your original look better in comparison when you knock it down. Use a quote to back up your alternative view further. You need to show that there is more than one piece of evidence a reader could use to form your alternative view.  To knock this point down and show the examiner why you think the original point you made is better say 'however, this is unlikely as…’ or a similar phrase. Then take another quote from the text and analyse it steering it towards your original point and, yes, do make another connotation in order to make this even stronger. 

To finish your paragraph link it explicitly to your original point. Don’t say 'in conclusion’ or any of that jazz - this is only one point your examiner will think your wrapping up a little early. You need to do this for every point you make.

Generally, A-level English lit essays have about 4-5 points. I prefer to stick to four as then I can refine them. However, if you’re particularly fast at writing you could probably fit more in. Once you’ve made all your points sum them up in a short, concise, conclusion.

 If you’re doing a comparison of two texts, be sure to compare how the authors work. For example, they could express similar ideas with different methods or have different interpretations of ideas, use this to make links between points. For example, 'whilst Ishiguro uses narration to elicit an emotional response in terms of sciences impact on societies views Wells uses it to–’.

And that’s it! If you have any questions/contribution feel free to send an ask.

[iceb0x]

Also, don’t listen to people who say college is harder then highschool and everyone dies, I do drink a lot of coffee and stay up doing homework and complain a lot but I think it’s because I actually live in the dorms so it feels like I’m at a school camp, but I used to make Cs and Ds and all sorts of grades but now I’m making As and getting to choose your schedule is AMAZING one of my classes I don’t even have to wake up till 2pm and that’s my only class for the day! Plus you’re taking classes that fit your major so you’re interested in almost every class. So keep striving, college is fantastic and I hope for people who have been let down with the “just wait till you get to college” talk can make it here and experience it for what it truly is

[imaginary-mountains]

School Survival Guide 📒

[absorbance-blog]

Hey guys, I know a lot of you are starting school/college this year, so I’ve put together my top seven go-to’s for the upcoming academic year! 

Forgot to read it?

Bibliography 101 (MLA, APA, etc.)

Quick & easy online cash/gift cards

Taking effective notes

Online student planner

Every kind of essay

FOCUS

[vetiverfox]

[caesarstudies]

writing an essay in college is very different from writing an essay in high school. personally, i write more research/history papers than literary essays (the liberal arts life and curse), so this is going to be a post on how a general research-y essay that has a thesis and arguments. 

intro

don’t open with a quote and don’t be overly broad. 

avoid generalizations 

your intro should address the topic of your essay (ex. the significance of gardens in renaissance society), and then narrow down to what you want to talk about in regards to your topic (ex. the political influence of the Medici gardens during the renaissance)

thesis! it should include the argument you want to make about the narrowed down topic, and three (or however many your class requires) reasons to support it. I like to think of it as W = X + Y + Z. 

your thesis explains who, what and why in a concise manner. 

body

topic sentences should not be a word for word copy of your thesis.

the order of arguments in your thesis is the order of your paragraphs 

depending on the length of your essay, there should be at least two justifications to your argument. 

so, just as the intro has a formula, X = A + B, and so forth. 

A and B should be backed up with some sources/quotes. don’t forget that if you are quoting from class notes to put either the prof’s last name, or (class notes)

be sure to have clear and concise arguments, don’t be flowery

USE WORDS THAT ARE ACCURATE. thesaurus is great but if you use a word that sounds cool but doesn’t capture the meaning you want to convey then don’t use it, because it may just change the meaning of your argument

quote whatever isn’t yours. it is completely fine if 90% of your sentences are quotes. its weird to get used to, but don’t worry about it. 

conclusion

the worst part in my opinion. 

synthesize don’t summarize. show how your arguments relate back to the thesis.

try not to copy paste your thesis into the conclusion, word it so that the readers understands that through XYZ, you were able to conclude and support argument W (referring back to the thesis formula)

do not add any new information, do not add quotes. 

your final sentence should tie up the essay in a pretty bow, but try to avoid clichés 

protips

when writing the body paragraphs, your ‘weakest’ paragraph should be in the middle, strongest as your last, and the second best as your first.

if you’re stumped on the intro, skip it. write out the body first, then the intro and you’ll be able to concisely word your thesis

think of your essay as an infomercial. your intro is the loud and clear HERES MY PRODUCT, the body is blasting information on why the product is so cool, and the conclusion is the final push for the viewer to buy that product. make your teacher want to agree with your thesis! 

use a mix of paraphrase and quotes!

don’t forget your works cited lmao (the MLA Handbook is a gr8 tool, also OWL Purdue)

prime time for essay writing is in the morning or at night, but make sure you edit it meticulously 

EDIT ON PAPER NOT ON YOUR SCREEN

stay humble, study hard 

[study-like-you-mean-it]

66 Essay Transition Phrases-

To continue an idea:

Furthermore

Moreover

In addition

As well as this

What’s more

Additionally

Regarding this

The fact that [x] is so, shows that

To compare and contrast ideas:

In comparison

In contrast

Unlike [x], [y]…

Like with [x], [y]…

Similarly

Comparatively

In the same way

Another way of viewing this is

Yet

Still

Nevertheless

On one/the other hand

Conversely

Notwithstanding

In spite of this

However

Besides

Though/Although

On the contrary

Contrary to this

In order to list:

Firstly; Secondly; Thirdly; Finally

To begin with; In addition; In conclusion

These are the following:

These are as follows:

In order to introduce an example:

An example of this is (the fact that) (the following)

To illustrate this

This is exemplified by the fact that/to exemplify (this one seems a little bit weird, but I use it all the time in order to show an idea being strengthened within a lot of my English Literature essays)

For instance

For example

In this manner

In particular

Namely

[x] can be shown strongly/most clearly when…

To show that something causes something else:

As a result

Because of this (I wouldn’t use this one in very formal writing because formal writing tends to discourage the use of ‘because’ and ‘also’ at the start of your sentences)

Consequently

Hence (this can also be used in the middle of the sentence to explain why something is the way it is)

For this reason

The consequence of this is

To repeat an idea with more/as much detail:

To repeat

That is,

In other words

To be precise

To be exact

More precisely/exactly

To reiterate

To draw conclusions:

From this, I can extrapolate (most of the time, personal pronouns are not used in very formal writing, so ‘it can be extrapolated’ is good if you want to sound very sophisticated)

From this, it can be inferred that…

It is clear that from [x], [y] means…

This shows the reader/audience that…

This enables us to understand the fact that…

[x] shows us that [y] feels…

From this, it is clear that…

To make an overall conclusion:

In conclusion

In short

To summarise

In summary

To conclude

I hope this helps!

[ioegreer]

[newmoongoddess-deactivated20160]

stargazing, the smell of earth after it rains, misty mornings by the sea, earl grey tea, lavender, the smell of old books, charcoal drawings, braids, long conversations late at night, quiet afternoons spent listening to music, baking, owls, winter, open windows, getting so absorbed in a book you forget the world exists, snow globes, watching milk swirl into coffee, getting up early to watch the sunrise, the sound of rain on a rooftop as you try to fall asleep, keeping a journal