stu(dying) @studieswithlauren - Tumblr Blog

college is like. i am the stupidest person in the world. i am a god. i am universally loved. these people only tolerate me because they live with me. everyone in this library desires me carnally. i am repulsive. i am myself. i am as far from myself as i have ever been. i am an adult and i have never left the womb.

reviseandreview

Things I wish I already knew going to University

Here are some reminders to myself. Hopefully, they are also helpful to some freshmen or anyone who’s curious:

1. University is not school.

You can’t shilly-shally around, take your sweet time and expect to just roll with it. Trust me, you will be in for a rude awakening. Find a goddamn studying method early in and stick with it. Flashcards and quizlets, whatever works for you. The deadlines and exams will draw closer faster than you think they will.

2. Your profs are not decoration.

Ask. Questions. Seriously. And go to office hours if you have any particular problem to resolve. Make use of that time. A lot of them will actually be thankful anyone is showing up. Against popular belief, professors indeed do make a mental note of a lot of their students. Don’t be one of those 20 people standing infront of their office for the first time a week before the exam.

3. Get as much work as possible done until noon.

It’s 12 and you have already studied for three and a half hours? Amazing. Look, I know, I am not a morning person either. But at least try it out. Get your sleep schedule in check. It will feel so much better than to procrastinate until evening and then you HAVE to do it anyway.

4. If you can explain it, you have understood it.

Done studying? Bet you’re not. Try explaining yourself the material loudly like teaching it to a clueless person. Or get yourself a study buddy and explain your subjects to each other. It’s even better if you don’t have the same majors. If you are able to explain the topic and have the other person understand it, you actually know the topic. If not, you now know where the shoe pinches. It’s also great practice!

5. You may feel a bit lonely at first.

Okay, I don’t want to scare anyone. I did find a lot of friends. Especially at first, everyone is your friend. Because everyone is scared of missing the boat and feeling left out. There will be so many people around you. Still – or maybe that’s the reason – you will probably feel a bit lonely at first. I want to tell you that this is normal. It’s because everyone is still a stranger to you and maybe you’ve just moved out! Maybe you are far away from home for the very first time. I’ve struggled with this. That’s fine! Everything will be fine. You will feel at home eventually.

I hope everyone is doing well. Take care! :)

productive-tips

Follow @productive-tips for more tips and content like this posted daily! Handpicked and curated with love :)

fuckstudy

See full response to anon’s ask here.

For anon who asked;

hey can i ask your advice on feeling better after an awful exam? last week i had my hsc half yearlies and i had 5 exams all in one week and i have adhd so study is really hard for me and i did a lot of last minute stuff…and i’ll be lucky if i get 12% and i’m so worried about what my teacher’s going to say…and i’ll embarrass myself and i’ll go from top in the class to irredeemably bottom and it’s all over now but i feel so so awful, i can’t sleep at night bc of stress about it and i don’t know what to do

“Effort will never betray you”

This quote gets circulated around a lot. With good reason.

But you know what?

Sometimes effort will betray you.

So here’s some tips on what to do when that sonofabitch stabs you in the back.

(Aka learning to get up when you’ve been (metaphorically) kicked in the balls)

Immediately after the exam

Fight or Flight?

Everyone responds differently to post-exam stress. Some people find it cathartic to discuss their asnwers immediately after the exam. Others don’t. If you fall within the latter group then don’t be afraid to hightail the fuck out of the exam room as soon as possible. There’s no need to exacerbate your stress levels. Take care of yourself.

What can you control?

Be honest about what you can control after the exam. You can’t sit the exam again, you can’t rewind the clock two weeks and change your study habits. Whilst its natural to feel a sense of regret or dread over the questions you found challenging, realise that these feelings do not change what has happened. The decisive step is how you respond to these negative emotions. For example, try not to let your feelings about your performance in this exam affect your performance in your next exam. Whether it be ‘compartmentalisation’, ‘crying it out’ or ‘ignoring it’ - stick it in the “IOU” box of emotions to unpack later. All you can do now is to wait for your results.

Quick review

While it’s still fresh in your mind, write down three positives of the exam, followed by three negatives. Did your study methods correlate to the areas examined? Were you nervous? Was time management an issue? How did you feel walking out of that exam? What song best describes the entire experience? This quickfire stream of consciousness review will serve as an honest reflection from which you can target and refine your exam preparation technique, both academically and emotionally. I also find writing things down a great way to ‘let go’ of those residual emotions from the exam.

Take a break

Chances are, you’ve been highly strung for the past few weeks (or heck, the all nighter you’ve pulled to study for the exam). Congratulate yourself - fuck yes you’ve completed an exam! Find an activity to break up the cycle of study-eat-rest-study. You’ll be back to that routine in a few hours. Let yourself breathe. Listen to that album, watch that movie, catch up with that friend you’ve been rescheduling for the past month, read that book. Mindlessly scroll tumblr, binge watch netflix - Reset and recuperate so that you’re ready for the next hurdle.

Comparing yourself to others

Its natural to judge your performance against everyone else in the exam, how much they wrote, what answers they got, how they solved a problem. Don’t give too much weight to what people say they’ve done. You don’t know what they wrote, and just because five people wrote the same response doesn’t mean that your response is incorrect. . In the end you can only control your own performance. Putting it bluntly, after the exam, it doesn’t matter what your peers wrote. Because it doesn’t change the fact that you can’t go back and change your answer. What’s done is done.

Upon receiving your results

Break it down

What were your strengths and weaknesses? What types of questions did you do well in? Is it a substantive or procedural problem? (e.g. is it because you don’t understand the content, or is it because you can’t manage your study time/ write that quickly/ poor time management during the exam). Use this as a matrix to target your study method and review for your next exam

Ask for help

Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher or professor for advice. Even when you’ve done well - it doesn’t hurt to ask where those extra marks could have gone, or how you could further develop your response for future exams. Its always daunting to ask for advice when you’ve done poorly in an exam. But don’t forget, your teacher is paid to help you. Literally.

Special Consideration

If you feel as if your performance has been affected by a health issue, don’t be afraid to ask for a formal review of your marks or for special consideration (alteration of your marks) for your next exam. Check your high school/ university policies on this matter. Some will require formal documentation, and there may be a strict deadline you’ll need to adhere to. Asking for SC is nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t mean you are any less deserving of your results. Its simply a recognition that “hey, we need to level the playing field here.“

Some advice from people who are much more qualified than me:

A kinder, gentler philosophy of success

On being wrong

On getting up again

Getting stuck in the negatives (and how to get unstuck)

Overcoming hopelessness

The Power of Vulnerability

What next?

On the necessity of failure

Dealing with failure

Some advice from Oprah, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Julie Andrews

Why you will fail to have a great career

Come here friend, and let me whisper in your ear: I failed.

Studying and Exams

Motivation by @areistotle

How to reduce exam stress by @studydesu

How to mentally prepare yourself for a test by @eruditicn

What to do the night before an exam by @beautifullearning

Focusing on a long term goal by @studybuzz

Preparing for a day of study by @gracelearns

Annotating Texts by @delthenerd

Using onenote by @strive-for-da-best

Study Apps by @katsdesk

Dealing with anxiety and mental illness

Resources for studying with a mental illness by @studybowie

How to study with a mental illness by @haleystudies

Dealing with Test Anxiety by @studybuzz

ADHD As A Difference In Cognition, Not A Disorder by Stephen Tonti

Depression, the Secret We Share by Andrew Solomon

Living and Studying with anxiety by @hayley-studies

5 tips for an exam if you have test anxiety by @collegerefs

Overcoming Test Anxiety by @staedtlers-and-stabilos

Study and mental health by @getstudyblr

This answer by @studyrose

Self Care, Sleep and General Health.

101 self care ideas when it gets all too much by @hbstudy

Balancing a healthy lifestyle with studying by @joolshallie

Tips for getting better rest by @overstudies

Sleep by @studygene

Calculate your bedtime

How to succeed? Get more sleep by Arianna Huffington

Pzizz

Relax Melodies (iPhone) (android)

This list by @thecaseyfeed

A few things to help you feel better

See this list

A Song A Day

Find something on the Nostalgia Machine

Spotify playlists by @studyrelief

Motivational texts from @academla

Looking beyond: University Entry

Success is not a predetermined route.

Whilst it may feel like your future hinges on this one exam, remember your future isn’t some pre-determined linear equation. Your definition of success will change as you change. Your ambitions will change. Your gaols will change. And as long as you keep your mind open and you harbour a willingness to adapt, then there will always be a pathway for you to achieve your success.

And for those who have no frickin’ clue what their ‘passions, dreams, ambitions’ are? Its ok. You don’t need some ‘overarching mission to save the world’ every morning. In the wise words of Tim Minchin:

“Americans on talent shows always talk about their dreams. Fine, if you have something that you’ve always dreamed of, like, in your heart, go for it! After all, it’s something to do with your time… chasing a dream. And if it’s a big enough one, it’ll take you most of your life to achieve, so by the time you get to it and are staring into the abyss of the meaninglessness of your achievement, you’ll be almost dead so it won’t matter. I never really had one of these big dreams. And so I advocate passionate dedication to the pursuit of short-term goals. Be micro-ambitious. Put your head down and work with pride on whatever is in front of you… you never know where you might end up. Just be aware that the next worthy pursuit will probably appear in your periphery. Which is why you should be careful of long-term dreams. If you focus too far in front of you, you won’t see the shiny thing out the corner of your eye. Right? Good. Advice. Metaphor. Look at me go.”

A few pointers:

The following section is sponsored by my opinions

Effort might betray you.

You can work hard at something and still not get the result you want. It’s all about expectation management. You might work hard and fall within the top 1% of your cohort. You can work hard and still fail.

This is not to say that you shouldn’t try at all.

It’s merely a recognition that things don’t always go your way, you cannot control everything. The best thing you can do in that circumstance is to prepare for any contingencies.

You can control how you respond to that failure.

Sometimes it’s a question of studying effectively. The adage ‘study smart, not hard’ etc. Target your study to the syllabus, the material covered in the exam, the specific style of questions in the exam. Sometimes it may simply be exam technique.

Other times its things beyond your control. Stress, nerves, blanking out - we’re only human.

In the end, what you learn from the process is just as important as the result. Conversely, the result may not always justify the means.

On confidence and self worth

Its only natural to assume that your self worth is tied to your academic achievements. Up till now, you’ve spent the majority of your waking hours at school, under the pressure of constant assessments and scrutiny.

Keep in mind that one exam is only a reflection of your performance at one precise time, on one specific date, in one specific place. How you perform on 10am on Monday in exam hall A does not reflect your capacity nor ability for the other 364 days of your life.

Find something which you can do for yourself. Something which you can fail in, without feeling terrible.This other thing doesn’t have to be another ‘hobby’ you’re amazing at. It doesn’t have to be something you’re good at. “Being the best” is not a pre requisite to “enjoying something”.

A final note:

Its ok to be stressed. Its difficult to distinguish our achievements from our self worth. Its not as simple as ‘just getting over it’. Because its something you’ve invested time, emotion, sleep - and a whole heck of a lot more- on. Its something you’ve based your foreseeable future on. The pressure of a promised future, a ‘better future’, a future ‘that justifies all this suffering I’m dragging myself through’ is sometimes the greatest pressure we put ourselves under.

Its easy to underestimate the weight of our own expectations.

Whilst you cannot control every outcome, you can control your reaction to it. Choose to learn from your past mistakes, choose to forgive yourself, choose to accept your flaws. Try not to get lost in the maze of it all. Once again, in the words of good ol’ Tim Minchin,

You will soon be dead. Life will sometimes seem long and tough and, god, it’s tiring. And you will sometimes be happy and sometimes sad. And then you’ll be old. And then you’ll be dead.There is only one sensible thing to do with this empty existence, and that is: fill it. Not fillet. Fill. It.

And in my opinion (until I change it), life is best filled by learning as much as you can about as much as you can, taking pride in whatever you’re doing, having compassion, sharing ideas, running(!), being enthusiastic. And then there’s love, and travel, and wine, and sex, and art, and kids, and giving, and mountain climbing … but you know all that stuff already.

All the best,

fuckstudy

Masterposts can be found here. Feel free to request a topic here.

Please note: I have a penchant for long replies and a reputation for being very late.

productive-tips

Follow @productive-tips for more tips and content like this posted daily! Handpicked and curated with love :)

universi-tea

College applications can be seriously stressful and overwhelming. After going through the process a few months ago and getting into both schools I applied to, I thought I’d share a few tips and a general timeline to shoot for!

as soon as possible

Begin making a list of colleges you’re interested in and researching them.

Start thinking about what extracurriculars you want to list; drop the ones you don’t care about to give you more time for the ones you enjoy most.

Think about the teachers that know you the best and ask if they would be willing to write a letter of recommendation.

six months before applications are due

Narrow down your list to your top choices only.

There’s no point in wasting money applying to colleges you don’t want to go to!

Look at the Common App essay prompts and start brainstorming topics.

as soon as applications open

Fill out the easy parts of the application – your name, address, etc.

Make a list of any fields that you will need help filling out (like if you’re not sure what your advisor’s phone number is).

Start rough drafts of your essays, even if you aren’t sure of the topics.

three months before applications are due

Nail down essay topics and begin serious revisions.

Ask people if they would be willing to proofread your essays.

Visit campuses if possible, or speak to an admissions counselor to better tailor your applications to each school.

one month before the due date

Send essays to the people that have agreed to go over them.

Finish up the questions portion of the application.

Enter in actives and have someone proof them.

Begin final edits of essays.

Contact the teachers that are writing your letters and add them as recommenders on Common App (if that’s what you’re applying through).

one week before the due date

Finalize your essays.

Have a parent review your application make sure all the information is accurate.

Make sure all test scores, transcripts, and any other supplemental materials are in order and will be sent on time.

Submit your applications as soon as possible so you’re not stressing about getting it in on time!

a few things to keep in mind

There’s no right number of schools to apply to.

I applied to two, my sister applied to one, and I have friends that applied to ten. Do your research and narrow it down as much as possible to save time and money, but above all make sure that you’re happy with the schools you choose.

Schools want to see applicants that are unique and passionate about something. It’s not so much about finding a student that’s done a million different things and is a member of every club, but finding one that shows dedication and individuality through their application.

They can tell the difference between an essay written by a high school senior or college transfer and an adult pretending to be one – don’t ever ever ever hire someone out to write yours for you.

Be creative with extracurriculars if you think you don’t have enough! Everything from babysitting your siblings to coding themes counts.

Seriously never underestimate the importance of having other people proofread. You’ve been looking at your essays for so long that you would never catch that one bit of an old sentence sandwiched in between a new one, but someone else will.

Don’t sweat it! You’ve totally got this.

productive-tips

Follow @productive-tips for more tips and content like this posted daily! Handpicked and curated with love :)

apricitystudies

here’s a quick guide on how i proofread and edit my essays as an humanities undergrad! i tend to spend more time on research and editing and much less time on writing and my first drafts are often horrendous, so editing is really important for me :^)

i’ve also created guides on essay preparation, the 5-paragraph essay, how to research, and how to write essays. you can find all my other masterposts here.

transcript below:

academiix

How I got a 4.0 first year in college | academiix

Watch the video version on Youtube.

View my other tips and masterposts.

vaststudies

Pt 1 | pt 2

School related

Emails to make your life easier

college tips for english majors (or other reading heavy humanities)

School tips

Guessing strategies for multiple choice questions

Shit grade?

Things i wish i knew before going to university

5 things you can do to prep for the next academic year

Psychology practicals tips

Studying Tips

Understanding over Detail

Study tips for ex gifted academics

Study in a brain friendly way

Study tips that aren't bullshit

Emmastudies' study tips masterpost

Study Methods

How do i study for _____?

Study tips for accounting students

How to study for a subject you don't take a fancy for

Think like a four year old method

How to study hundreds of pages in the shortest time possible

Online Learning Related

Managing attention for online learning

random things I do to fool my brain into staying interested during online study

How to survive online school

How to make online learning easier

Study Breaks

Self care during study

Self check in during study sessions

Study break ideas

Other

Types of motivation

Guide to studying well (masterpost)

Should your notes be pretty?

How to fix your study schedule

How to deal with study burnout

Languages

Books for self studying chinese

Books

Replacement bookshop if u don't want to buy from amazon

Free books

ADHD specific

Reading with adhd

ADHD resources

Get stuff done adhd edition

Other

Bored/artsy masterpost

Boredom cheat sheet

Vaguely academic things to do to keep yourself entertained

Life outside of academia

How to live in the ghibli aesthetic™

Dealing with the worst case scenario

Apartment hacks masterpost

How to put "ran a studyblr" in an application

Resume writing for someone with no experience

Studyblr related

Editing studyblr pictures

How to start a studyblr 101

Misc

Debunking productivity myths

Using the memory you have

Masterpost of everything

starting school again on the 23rd, honestly so nervous for it but 🥲

vaststudies

School, Studying, and Learning Masterpost!!!

[id: an animated black and white gif of a person tapping a pencil on a blank sheet of notebook paper. /end id]

Dividers used are by @firefly-graphics and their IDs are in the alt text! | Pt 2 | pt 3

Tips for school in general

General school tips, dealing with online class, strategies for school in general, etc

Attention and Concentration

How to pay better attention in online classes | another

Strategies to improve concentration

How to stick to your plans

Schoolwork and Tasks

Review Tips and Presentation Advice

Dealing with executive dysfunction masterpost

How to use google search like a unicorn

How to annotate a text

General Tips

For the lazy night owl (masterpost)

University tips and advice

Avoiding burnout (tips + resources)

Dealing with impostor syndrome

Good emotional skills to know for college but also for life in general

Grad school advice

Studying

Study Strategies and other study advice things

Studying general

For neurodiverse students (masterpost)

Studying with ADHD (the actual post is a joke about but check the notes - they have actual advice there)

How to study for an exam in a really short time (masterpost)

Scheduling studying + other productivity tips (masterpost)

Studying effectively

Lazy Study Tips

Study tips from a Psychology Prof

Studying with a study buddy

Study Breaks

On productive breaks

Types of study breaks

How to deal with mental fatigue

Note taking

Hybrid note taking nethod

Note taking guide

Upgrade your notes resources masterpost

Using google docs to take notes

Resources

Resources that could be useful for school and academics

Self study

Self study resources (masterpost)

Learn things for free (masterpost)

Textbooks | more textbooks

Sites to download literature masterpost

Free online courses

Technology and Apps

Asmr ambiences (masterpost)

Productivity apps and extensions (masterpost)

Wallpapers screensavers and apps

Productivity apps masterpost

Specific Subjects

Resources and Tips on specific subjects

Language Related

Languages and linguistics of africa

75 free language learning resources

American Sign Language

Mandarin learning resources

Classical language learning

Arts

Course on reading poetry

Cultural quarantine masterpost

Sewing resources

Misc

Video essays | Essays/Food for thought

Computer science and engineering masterpost

IB Psychology Study Tips

How to study for mathematics

Study tips for accounting students

Black History Library

Other Studyblr and Academic Stuff

Not much school related but I included because they could be useful

Journaling/Bujo

Journal prompts

How to fill your empty notebooks (masterpost)

Studyblr

Dividers graphics for posts

How to start a studyblr | another post

Misc

Master the art of napping

Job interview tips + masterpost

Use firefox instead of chrome

Actual frugal recipes (lots of helpful websites and links)

psychlu

Hi! I have decided to make this masterpost, putting in one place everything that I have found ADHD - related!

For some links, I have listed some of the things you can find there, choosing those that I thought were the most useful, but check the whole site because everything is great!

BASICS:

what is ADHD.

types of ADHD.

adult ADHD.

adults vs kids ADHD.

women and ADHD.

ADHD test - please, tho, don’t take this for granted and please don’t self diagnose, talk with your doctor about the results!

the best ADHD related youtube channel. - adhd in girls // sleeping // relationships // how fidgeting is useful.

signs of ADHD.

debunked myths.

things nobody tells you about having ADHD.

7 Everyday Struggles Of People With ADHD.

STUDYING:

studying with ADHD. (problems+solutions)

15 study tips for students with ADHD.

more study tips.

even more tips.

another list of tips.

exam tips. // grade tips.

math accomodations.

writing help / websites.

APPS.

ADHDtricks - format study material // blue tack // trouble understanding // readable web .

FOCUSING:

keep your focus.

food to help focusing.

chronic procrastination.

hyperfocus.

fight distractions.

focus right now.

more focusing hacks.

MISC:

boredom.

sleeping. // tips for better sleep.

medications + avoid side effects.

meds’ side effects (and how to reduce them.)

more about meds.

ADHD strenghts!

read some life experiences!

planning. + great planning site.

relationships.

2 hour glitter jar calming video + how to make one!

some satisfying videos.

aquarium calming video.

WEBSITES:

CHADD.

ADDA - adhd starter kit!

ADHDtogether.

kidsinthehouse’s ADHD section.

ADHD reddit.

Totallyadd.

verywell’s ADHD section.

ADDtitudemag.

ADHD study tumblr.

Social networks! Use facebook to find support groups and pages, use Tumblr to connect with others like you and use Twitter to find out about new articles and resources with the tag #adhd!

Thats it! Hope you have found this mp useful, feel free to add things!

+ other links:

useful programs masterposts.

how to write an analytical/scientific essay.

cute ‘n unusual stationery.

dyscalculia resources + advice.

how i take my math notes.

my pics.

vaststudies

Another Resources Masterpost

[id: an animated gif of a spiral bound notebook on top of a bed. To the right of it a light skinned hand holding a pink pen hovers. /End id]

See part 1 here | pt 3 | dividers source (described in alt text)

School Tips

ADHD Specific

ADHD masterpost

ADHD Friendly Study Tips

Books that give you tips for how to life with adhd

Studying

Active revision tips

Review tips and presentation advice

Studying with anxiety

How to do uni readings

Break ideas

How to study for an exam in a really short time | battling exam stress

Taking notes from a textbook

Dealing with a bad grade

School

Why the 5 paragraph essay thing sucks

What graders want to see: tips for papers, essays, and long exams

10 tips for smarter notetaking

How i got a 4.0 in college

How to do well in a class taught by a crappy teacher

Stuff u need to write essays (masterpost)

Asking for a letter of recommendation

How to: college applications

Online Class

How to survive online classes

Study tips for online classes

Online school/uni tips

Reviewing online learning tips

Misc

Advice/comments on impostor syndrome

How to handle having too much to do

School Resources

Books and Literature

Sites to download pdfs

Sites in india to buy books from (there are firsthand and secondhand options)

Stuff you can get at libraries

PdfDuck

Music

Study music masterpost

Masterpost of music by @werelivingarts

Tree.fm

Other Media

Museums you can visit online

Educational youtube channels

Photopea, which is basically photoshop but free and on the browser

General Resources

Broke college kid masterpost

Dear researchers of tumblr

Back to school masterpost

Misc resources

Reading

Unsettling short stories | more short stories (that arent unsettling)

Intro to literary theory

Non-anglocentric reading list

Books from Metropolitan museum of art

Languages

Chinese learning resources (masterpost)

20s english lingo because why not

What to write in a language journal

Studyblr and Academic Related

What to write in a journal

Job hunting

Real examples of job interview questions

CV/Cover letter/Resume advice

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

stu(dying)