@theartofmadeline
bliss lane
titsay
Not today Justin
The Stonewall Inn
roma★
noise dept.
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
Interview Vampire Daily
YOU ARE THE REASON
occasionally subtle
RMH
TMBGareOK. The Official They Might Be Giants tumblr
Cosmic Funnies
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
$LAYYYTER
almost home
Noah Kahan
tannertan36
Product Placement
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@study-love-live
Here’s some weapons for your essay writing arsenal!
Hemingway Editor Calmly Writer The Most Dangerous Writing App Purdue O.W.L. One Look Thesaurus JSTOR Google Scholar
Reply with your favourite or other great websites I didn’t include!
wholesome student life things that we should collectively start romancizing
waking up and being genuinely thrilled to go to class because today is THAT CLASS you love so much you’d like it to never end
coffee breaks with friends, chatting and joking about this particularly hard essay and the prof’s mannerism
coffee breaks on your own, as you absent-mindedly watch the people around you, while thinking about what you’re working on
finding this book you’ve been dying to read for so long, and borrowing it from the library
the feeling of excitement that goes through you whenever you remember The Book is in your backpack
understanding everything during demanding classes and being genuinely interested in the subject
buying a New Special Pen and taking colorful notes that look super pretty
not being able to shut up about your school projects (no your friends dont really care about the intricate details of what you’re working on, they don’t even have the same major as you, but they’re happy to hear you rant with such a burning passion)
actually doing the extra reading and having your curiosity so piqued by what you’re reading that you go on and on and suddenly its 1am and what happened
printing the project you’ve spent so much time and energy on and feeling the paper’s warmth
actually submitting that project without feeling awful about it because you know you did your best and aren’t responsible for what happens next
when you finally finish this Super Hard And Important Essay at like 3am, open the window and feel the cold night air on your burning cheeks and everything is dark and quiet and you can see the moon and you’re at peace with everything for a few minutes
when this professor you admire says you did a great job and/or that you’re talented!!!!
realizing two concepts that seemed so far away from each other and that you discovered in wildly different contexts are actually interlinked, then Realizing™ things and linking concepts/works/articles to each other at the speed of light & being super excited about it
being so deeply immersed in your work that you didn’t realize two hours have passed
finding the Perfect Spot at the library
that Pure Joy moment when you FINALLY understand that super obscure sentence/text
when you feel anxious because you’re not done with your homework & the deadline is super tight & your friend tells you they aren’t done yet either
same but with an even more intense relief feeling when you realize you both haven’t even started yet
when the professor starts a new reasoning and you can predict what the next idea/the final conclusion will be
when the professor mention your favorite novel/author/fictional character in class and you feel like your internal screech of joy could shatter glass
the Academic Salt™ that has you like 👀👀
when the professor tears apart an author or scholar you hate and you’re like YES I WANT BLOOD GIVE ME BLOOD
when you learn that Cool New Fact that makes you reconsider your whole life
leaving the library after a long productive day and feeling like nothing is real but experiencing everything more intensely
leaving the library at night after a long study session and everybody has left already and its just you and the long neon-lit corridors then stepping outside and smelling the crisp night wind
feel free to add your own!!!
when you learned a thing that interessted you and two days later someone completly unrelated to your work will say “hey i wonder how this works?” and you’re so excited to explain it because you KNOW THAT
when you’re anxious af for a class and the professor is actually super friendly and you feel confident enough to ask questions
and suddently thank to this one professor EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE
understanding that One Difficult Point and suddently you feel like you UNDERSTAND THE FABRIC OF THE UNIVERSE
sometimes you can feel like you have too much in your bag but then one friend has a problem and they are pleasently surprised when you have Just The Right Thing
Running half the campus because you’re so excited to see your friend and to eat with them !!!!!!!!
This is the light academia aesthetic I strive to embody
that last dot point :’) @academicinfj
Googling your favourite professor and finding that all their books are super interesting 🧐
Hi, guys! Lala here. We all know the importance of having a morning and night routine, but I haven’t seen a lot of people talking about having a study routine. So I wanted to share mine with you and hopefully you guys can get some value out of it.
Do you have a study routine too or want to share some tips? Share them with me!
Tips for Productivity
I think many of us are currently struggling with working from home right now. Personally, I have awful work ethic to begin with and now I’m constantly surrounded by distractions. I usually like to do as much of my work as possible on campus, since I don’t have a desk at home, so it was a struggle getting into the groove of things and figuring out what works best for me. I’m hoping some of the things I’ve learned in the last month will help some of you as well, pandemic or not.
Start off Strong
It’s always easier to feel motivated when you’ve already gotten a taste of satisfaction. Start off your day by doing something small. Make some sort of accomplishment and it will set the stage for your future endeavors of the day. Simple tasks such as making your bed, cooking a healthy breakfast, tidying up your room, starting on some laundry, or feeding your pets/watering your plants can make you feel accomplished early on.
It’s also important that, if you’re anything like me, you wake up at a reasonable time. For me, when I wake up and it’s past 9 I feel like the day is wasted and it’s hard for me to feel motivated when that’s bumming me out. This also means to go to bed at a reasonable time so you aren’t tempted to hit snooze.
Create a Work Space
You’ve probably heard that doing work in a designated place will help you focus when you’re in that spot as well as preventing unnecessary stress in other areas of your home. Beyond that, I find that it helps to make that space feel like it’s yours. I like to make a set, so to speak. Decorate and organize your work area so that it looks Pinterest worthy. This gives the illusion that you have your shit together. Then just act like that’s true. Dial in on any thoughts about why you want to do well. Maybe you want to make straight A’s or get a promotion. Maybe you just want to come across as the kind of person who is hard working and reliable. Think about those things and use it to drive your acting skills. Pretend you are a person that fits those roles. This is classic fake it ‘till you make it.
Surround yourself with aesthetic desk decor, use cute stationary, put coordinating washi tape on everything or keep it simple. Make it your style and make it a place you want to work in.
If you have a desk, keep it tidy and clear away anything you aren’t immediately working on. Keep it close by so you can get to it when you need it, but having it within sight will just stress you out. If you don’t have a desk, you might have to just work with what you got. I was working at the kitchen table for a few weeks, which worked fine but it was a little uncomfortable and often noisy. I wanted to work is my own private space and be able to work undisturbed and without disturbing my family. I finally broke down and ordered a foldable desk space I can use in bed. They say not to work in bed, but I think the added desktop and a change of orientation puts my mind into work mode rather than relax mode.
Schedule your Tasks
If you find that you can’t be bothered to cross things off throughout the day, to do lists might be a hassle and may even stress you out more. I find that I often schedule in too many tasks and then get mad at myself when I don’t complete them all. I started a system where I separate the most important tasks that need to be done from the more mundane things. I keep these important tasks to a minimum, usually around 3, and focus on those first and foremost. This helps me to feel accomplished knowing that I get through everything that’s urgent and I can give myself a break when I don’t do all thirty of the other items on my list.
It’s also a great idea to break down tasks into parts. This allows you to feel accomplished more frequently and keep the motivation up. If you need to write an essay and you get through the research and the rough draft, there’s no point in letting yourself feel like you didn’t do enough just because you can’t cross off the all encompassing “write essay” task. This also helps you stay on task if you want to do something across multiple days. Instead of Monday and Tuesday saying “start essay” and “finish essay,” put the specific tasks for each day.
I recommend this to everybody, but especially those who aren’t into daily to do lists; make a calendar. Use a calendar app, planner, or just make your own. Microsoft Word has some good templates. In the past I’ve even made an Excel document and just put the dates for the semester running down and next to it typed in the assignments. It’s important to have a broad sense of when things need to be done in relation to the current time. I find this is especially useful as a student so I can see all the assignments for all of my classes in one place. It might also be helpful to color-code what you write so you can see what class/category of task you need to get done at a glance. Put due dates as well as your own self-imposed due dates. If you want to complete part of a project on a certain day, put that in the calendar.
Relax and Unwind
One big problem I struggle with is balancing work and leisure. I often find myself either overworking myself and not relaxing, or trying to relax and feeling too guilty to enjoy it. When it’s the latter of the two, I find myself relaxing for way longer than I wanted, trying to desperately to enjoy myself, and then feeling even more guilty for not working. I think this is a problem that a lot of us have, and being at home surrounded by comforts and distractions can make it especially difficult to not over do one or the other.
If you find yourself relaxing too much, consider that you may not be taking enough breaks. It might seem counter intuitive, but staring at a text book for too long can make you go crazy. It’s a good idea to take a quick break every 30 minutes to an hour. Just taking five minutes on your phone can help you reset yourself so to speak. These breaks will rest your mind and ultimately make yourself more productive. It helps you work faster and stay on task overall, curb your cravings to do something else, and save time for relaxation later on. Similarly, if you find yourself not able to concentrate on a difficult task, try to take a break from one task and go to another. It allows you to remain productive while letting your mind rest. Instead of doing an entire set of math problems, take a break halfway through and clean your room or go for a walk. Maybe even switch to work from a different class. Anything that uses a different way of thinking will do wonders.
For those times when you can’t seem to shake the anxiety of getting stuff done, it’s important to allow yourself the relaxation you need. Again, splitting tasks into parts will help you feel more accomplished and alleviate some of that leisure guilt. It might also help to schedule your downtime in. Work for a few hours and then watch a movie or play a game. Writing these into your plans can make the relaxation seem more important, and it is. It’s important to unwind and enjoy your life just as much as being productive and getting stuff done. Similarly, if you make a list of your leisure tasks, it will help you feel productive even if you aren’t doing “work”. Write down the shows and movies you’ve wanted to watch, the games you wanted to play, books you want to read, and creative pursuits and hobbies you want to indulge in. This not only helps you feel like you’re getting stuff done, it can also help when you want to relax but aren’t sure what you want to do.
It’s super important that during stressful times like this, you give yourself the space to enjoy yourself. With that being said, it’s often easier to do that if you feel like you’ve used the day to your advantage. Get through your work and live a healthy lifestyle to the best of your ability, but don’t let yourself feel guilty if some days you just want to lie in bed and do nothing. That’s fine too, within reason. I hope these tips were helpful, and I hope that despite this turbulent time in history, everyone can feel productive and useful without losing their sanity in the process.
Join me on the Wix app to easily stay updated and get in touch on the go.
tips to get your life back on track after a breakdown™
sleep. your body needs to rest. the average panic attack takes as much energy as running a half-marathon. let yourself rest. take a 20 minute nap. any longer and you’ll hit your REM cycle, and you’ll wake up worse off. after, you’ll feel so much better.
clean something. literally anything. a plate, a drawer, the whole mf bathroom. it doesn’t matter how much or how little. it’ll make you feel more in control, and it’ll make your surroundings more appropriate for recovery.
get some fresh air. even just opening your window for a few hours will help. if you feel up to it, take a walk. take your dog. pick some flowers. cloudgaze. even just sit in your garden for a bit. your body will thrive off of non-stale air.
eat and drink. I know for some people, myself included, this is Hard. it’s alright if all you can manage is a granola bar, or some cereal. anything is progress and will fuel your body. drink water if you can, but anything apart from alcohol will hydrate you.
take a shower. I have clinical depression. have done since I was 12. I know how hard it is to take a shower. but it fucking helps. if you don’t do anything else off this list, do this. it’ll help more than you know.
talk to someone. I can’t stress this enough. humans are social creatures! we crave interaction. even the most introverted introvert needs to talk to someone. call your mom. text a buddy. skype your brother. chat to your local cashier. anything !! you’ll feel less alone, and hopefully get some good serotontitty flowing.
do something fun! same as above, it’ll make u feel so much bette, and provide a distraction. some good options are writing, drawing, watching a movie, dancing - anything you enjoy!
be kind to yourself. it’s okay if you relapsed, or if you had a bad day, or anything else. treat yourself gently. you wouldn’t so harsh to a friend in your situation. it’s gonna be okay.
if you can’t do all of these, it’s okay. there are better days ahead. this, too, will pass.
-go to orientation: I am an orientation leader for all you incoming freshman this year, so of course I want you all to go to orientation, but in all honesty, I found orientation so fun and it really made me love campus! Also, it helps you figure out your way around campus and meet new people!
-get a locker: If you aren’t living on campus, a locker can be really helpful. I mostly use mine for storing my winter jacket, textbooks and lab coat and goggles in between classes! I don’t want to be carrying all that all over campus!
-don’t buy food: During my first semester of uni, I bought food almost every day. Apart from it being incredibly unhealthy (um hello New York Fries Braised Beef Poutine <3), my wallet suffered. I have been a bit better this semester. I still buy supper on campus when I’m staying late but I usually bring my own lunch. Yay me!
-used textbooks: I don’t understand why people buy textbooks new. If you’re using it for only a semester, who cares if the pages are bent or the cover is torn. I used sites like Kijiji, Bookmob, Chegg, as well as friends for finding the cheapest textbooks!
-find classes ahead of time: make sure you take the time to find your classes before they start! I hate walking into a lecture and trying to find a seat when the class has already started. Also, find the best routes in between classes because once winter has hit, you’re gonna hate going outside.
-sit near the front: don’t worry about being a keener. I find that sitting near the front makes me more engaged in the class and keeps me from chatting too much with my friends. (even though I still do oops)
-have breaks with friends: I love my breaks with my friends. It helps you forget about the stress of school for an hour and you can just catch up. It’s fab.
-friends/support group: I can’t even begin to tell you how much I need my friends in university. They are going through the exact same thing as you so they are great for ranting to (or crying or hyperventilating y’know).
-stay at school to do homework: I don’t know about you but if I go home right after school, I just go on tumblr or watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians for like 8 hours straight. Alas, my homework doesn’t get done. Therefore, I usually stay at school and try to get all my work done there. Uni has such great studying places. If you go to the University of Alberta, try fourth and fifth floor of CCIS and of course, my favorite Cameron Library.
-keep organized- Stay on track, keep all your notes organized, keep up with textbook readings etc etc. You know the drill.
-ratemyprof: The professor you get really determines your grade in the class. Research the type of notes he gives, how hard his tests are, his accent (I’m horrible at understanding accents!), how easy he marks, flexible office hours etc.
-make friends: I’m not a posterchild for this tip because I definitely didn’t make many new friends last semester. I tended to stick with my high school friends but I did make a couple of new friends! If you are going to a university with no one you know, definitely just start chatting to people in your lectures. They will be so grateful that you did!
-go to class: It is so easy to skip classes at university. Nobody will notice and nobody cares. However, I find that going to class is really beneficial. It forces you to keep on top up of all that new information and you can hear the profs explain things which is usually pretty helpful (sometimes not).
-sorority: I’m not in a sorority right now, but I did do rush (recruitment) and I absolutely loved it! I’m definitely going to be joining this year and I’m super excited. It’s such a great way to feel involved in university and meet new people (and boys just saying— hey frat boys!)
-grades: study lots and try your best but your gpa doesn’t define you. You will accomplish everything if you are determined. Your health is more important than your grades.
-live: I know that the most important thing about university is your grades but do you really want to spend these four years just studying? When you exit university, you are going to be an adult and your are going to be in the real world. So why not just relax a bit and enjoy your last years of freedom. Sometimes you need a few nights out of a month to enjoy what life has to offer. For example, me and my friends devote every friday (termed Friday Funday) to explore the shops around campus and eat at a new restaurant. Sure, we could be studying and saving our money, but we look forward to every friday and it has become such a fun tradition.
I guess what I’m trying to say, is that follow these tips but don’t put a lot of stress on yourself. I hated the thought of university but once I started to relax and get acquainted with it, I fell in love. University has so much to offer. It is full of so many new experiences. I know that I always said how much I love high school but university is truly so much better. Say goodbye to cliques and drama and say hello to a whole new life (and cuter boys #holla).
It’s always a good idea to lay some groundwork before a new semester starts, even if we’re just talking reading over the syllabus. It is one more thing you don’t have to do once the semester starts. To get you and your thoughts started, here are a four suggestions of how you can spend the summer getting a head start on the fall semester.
Go through the syllabus
If you get it before the semester starts, go through it, highlight the important dates (exams, due dates etc) and maybe write it down in your planner or calendar. This way you have an overview of what is coming up when.
Do some research on your classes
If you’re starting new ones, check out what the class will cover and try to gain some background information. If you’re continuing one, brush up on what you’ve learnt earlier and check out what you’ll be learning in the new semester.
Learn about your teacher
If it is a new teacher, asking some of their earlier students about them could be a good idea. This way you’ll have some idea about their teaching style, their test questions and everything. This will be especially relevant if it is the teacher or professor that makes the exam and the entire course. Having some detail about what the semester will be like will make things easier for you, also when it comes to your preparations.
Read ahead
We all know those reading assignments will come sooner or later. If you already have your textbooks (before you get them, check out my textbook tags to see if you can get them for cheap), try to do some reading ahead, and maybe even take some notes. That way you’ll have a head start. Just be warned that it’ll be swallowed pretty quickly.
This is a 10-day plan/checklist to prepare for the next semester since it is almost back-to-school season. I have also made a printable for the list below!
DAY 1: Tidy you books and notes from the previous semester.
Do you still have clutters on your desk that belongs to last year’s classes or even previous years’?
If you don’t want to throw them away but at the same time want them to get out of the way, you may use some storage boxes to keep them.
You can also just scan them or take pictures of your work/essays and exams if you like.
DAY 2: Mark down all the important dates for the next semester.
Mark down the important dates listed on your school’s website on your planner. If you have your course syllabus you can add in your exam dates and assignment deadlines etc.
DAY 3: Contact your advisors and professors.
Send an email to your academic advisor or professor (if you know who is teaching your courses). Try to ask them if there is anything to prepare for, and talk about your plan with the course / your academic plan. It is always good to leave a good impression.
DAY 4: Check if you have all your school supplies, and build your own organisation plan.
You may check out the stationery tag here to get some inspiration on what to get.
Basic supplies you need: notebooks, binders, folders, post-its, flashcards, and writing utensils
Remember to think about your own organisation plan. Do you want to take notes on notebooks or laptop? Binders or folders. This is my study plan for your reference.
DAY 5: Check if you have purchased the textbooks that you already know you have to use for the next semester.
Also check if you can get them on these websites that offer free textbooks. Here is also a tip to get cheaper textbooks.
DAY 6: Create your own schedule, and get your planner ready
Have you decided whether to use bullet journal or planners yet? What is your own planning organisation? Here is a bullet journal tag and planner tag for you to get some inspiration! And here is my bullet journal set-up.
Do you want to use printables for planning instead? Here are some great ones! And here are my free semester planner printables.
Plan your class schedules. Think whether you like morning classes more or afternoon classes. Do you want classes to stick together or you would like to have a one to two-hour break before the next class?
DAY 7: Set out your semester goals
Really sit down and think about what you want to achieve in the next semester. Volunteer more? Participate in internship? Get a better GPA? Or network with some professors?
Think about what study habits do you want to build. For example, write a reading journal every week.
DAY 8: Make a financial plan
What is your budget this semester? Do you want to make a plan to save some for travelling?
DAY 9: Think about your extra-curricular plans
What are your interests other than studying? What clubs do you want to join next semester? Are there activities or clubs that are favourable to your education and career plan?
DAY 10: Relax, and get yourself motivated
Just look through studyblr, for example, to get yourself excited for school! You can also look at some masterposts to see what studying strategies you would like to use for the next semester.
Here is a printable of the above checklist to help you prepare for next semester, with some extra space to input anything that is important for you (e.g. buy living essentials for those who are going to live in dorms)!
click here for my study tips series (strive-for-da-best)
STUDY TIPS: how to get A’s
Hey everyone! What’s up? (still have no idea how you should answer this question >o< awkward..)
I’ve wanted to do something useful for you for quite a long time and finally I came up with the idea of sharing my study tips. Besides, finals are soon so we need that boost of inspiration to achieve great results, right? Btw, i had my IELTS exam 2 weeks ago and i actually scored 8.0 overall which is INSANE! Seriously, no one could expect that! But i was very happy because that’d mean I can choose a good uni and all those hours/days/weeks/months i spent preparing did help me.
Without further ado let’s get to the actual tips.
MY STUDY TIPS
1. Be consistent
if you want to achieve results in anything then you should dedicate yourself to what you want to do. Don’t think that you can study for a few hours today and then do nothing until the next week. Nope, that’s not how it works. You will benefit even from 15-20 minutes a day
2. Plan your time
That really does help you! If you have a planner. Write down the time you should spend studying science or maths, for example. Like 20 mins- science//15 mins-maths. And just do it. Simple as that. Or you can print the schedule and pin it on your wall/put on your desk. That will be helpful too. Just search for “weekly planner printable” on Pinterest. I’m sure you’ll find the ones you may like.
3. Make it fun
Everything is better when it’s fun, rught? So make your study place colourful (if you like that, obviously), get some stationery, DIY some stuff and just enjoy the process. I can also suggest playing some relaxing music but it should not distract you. There are lots of good mixes on 8tracks.
4. Take breaks
You’re a human, not a zombie! Studying might be cool and that process when you feel you brain enriching with information is also fantastic (i’m not kidding) but when it gets too much you need to take a rest! You can take breaks every 20/30 mins if you feel comfortable with that.
5. Have a snack
I’m all for vegan treats and they are waaay bettern than saturated fatty sweets so….I’d say make yourself a nana icecream or a smoothie bowl. You can also have a fruit plate and nuts, whatever you prefer.
6. Discover new ways of studying
Do you actually know that studying dies not only exist within your books? You can find sth useful everywhere-even on tumblr! Tumblr is an endless source of information and inspiration. Find quotes for your essays, opinions of different people on various problems. I track the tags “politics”, “economy”, etc. and they do give a great spectrum of information. Watch documentaries, read books, blogs, anything! There are tons of things to do. You can even take a course on Coursera which offers free lectures/material/tasks/assignments. After completing the course you’ll get a certificate which may be very handy one day.
7. Play cards
nope, I don’t mean playing actual cards. I suggest making your own! Take a sheet of paper, cut it into 8/10/15 parts and write 1 question on one side and the answer on the other. lay down the cards and make the fun start. It’s a lot better when you can play with someone so call your squad and study together!
8. Keep notebooks and journals
They will show your progress. Write down what you’ve done, new words (if you’re studying a new language), sth which was important to you, sth that surprised you…
9. Don’t get distracted
Switch off your phone. Yes, I know how sometimes it’s much more interesting to spend time on social media or just surfng the internet. But remember your goals! Visualize them! You can achieve academic success and that’s not that difficult!
10. Revise
Our memmory is constructed in a certain way that if we learn new information we need to revise it in 5 minutes, in 30 mins, in 1 hour, in 5 hours, in 1 day, etc… and also having a look at your notes before going to bed may help you too. Engage all types of memmory and draw, read aloud, write down all the stuff you need! I promise you’ll succeed.
11. Question everything
No matter what subject it is you should be critical. Learn to question everything you see. If it’s a picture/cycle find out who is the sender of the message, are you the one that should get this message, what did the creator of the pic want to say? If it’s a text then get the basic idea and be sceptic about what you read, Question yourself and try to find the answers.
And the last, most important thing is to see your goals. If you don’t have any, you won’t progress. It’s important to know why you’re studying this, be interested in what you’re studying and be willing to develop and learn more every day!
Hope this helps!
Bisous, Eli xx
BACK TO SCHOOL
high school supplies lists
back to school shopping list
the broke student guide to buying school supplies
keep your school bag organized
how to organize your desk
getting organised… and keeping it up
what to wear on the first day of school
how to prepare for a new semester
how to wake up early
the “secret” to doing well in school
how to study effectively and have a great school year
make a list of topics to cover in the next school year
an app that organizes your time for you
STUDY TIPS
things to keep in mind before you start studying
how to start studying
can’t start studying?
how to take a study break
things to do on a study break
planning your study time
10 mistakes when studying
studying: what to avoid
what to avoid
ways to avoid burnout
important things to remember
how to stay organized
5 tips on keeping your attention in class
Sunday checklist
what to do if you haven’t studied enough
when studyblr tips contradict…
MOTIVATION AND DISCIPLINE
5 tips for staying motivated
some tips to stay motivated
motivation tips
how to motivate yourself
give yourself an incentive
how to stay motivated
how to get motivated when you don’t feel like doing anything
what to do when you don’t feel like studying
why discipline is better than motivation
form good habits
don’t break the chain
how to stick to your plan
the curve of forgetting
websites/apps that will help you with procrastination
blocking apps and extensions
how to overcome procrastination
the science of procrastination, and how to beat it
NOTE TAKING
the Cornell method
the Cornell method 2
how to take good notes
note taking method
another note taking method
in class notes
5 tips for mindmapping
symbols and abbreviations for note taking
various types of subheading
fancy handwriting
ESSAYS
how to write an essay
essay writing tips
how to approach poetry analysis in an exam
guide on punctuation
Word will format your entire paper
do your eyes a favor and change the background color
tools for referencing
social media citation guide
100+ words for SAT
transition words
synonyms for “different”
synonyms for “shows”
synonyms for “suggests”
synonyms for “said”
synonyms for words commonly used in students’ writings
45 ways to avoid using the word “very”
RESEARCH AND FREE BOOKS
free research
free textbooks
free study resources
cheap online bookstore
why you shouldn’t use torrents to get free textbooks and what to do instead
English literature masterpost
60 awesome search engines for serious writers
how to utilize Google Scholar efficiently
Zotero
BULLET JOURNALS AND PLANNERS
guide to bullet journaling
guide to bullet journals
pros and cons of bullet journals
sample bullet journal legend
bullet journal tips
5 bullet journal page ideas
bullet journal setup
bullet journal setup 2
bullet journal setup 3
bullet journal setup 4
bullet journal setup 5
weekly spread
planners review
PRINTABLES
daily and weekly planner
today’s plan of action printable
today’s hustle
daily planner, essay planner, assignment planner
weekly planner
weekly class planner
course overview
goal getter, month at a glance and grade tracker
note-taking printables
study printables
studying for exams
study and revision planner
essay planner
THE STUDYBLR COMMUNITY
beginner’s guide to starting a studyblr
the studyblr community map
theorganisedstudent’s blog roll
noteblr: share your notes
IB studyblrs list
IB Kik study groups
the older studyblr crowd
So I’ve my bullet journal for about 2 months now and I feel I can share how I’ve learned to untilize my personal bullet journal. In this post, there are going to be a few ideas and tips that work for me (but might not work for everyone!) as well as the general structure and reasoning behind my journal system. It’s a bit of a read and won’t make a lot of sense unless you know the basic structure of bullet journaling, so I recommend browsing the bullet journal tag before diving into this!
Materials: The tools maketh the master. Okay, not entirely. But I’ve found I need a few basic things to really organize my journal. My journal itself was a birthday gift from the person I’m dating; an unlined, 100-page A5 sketchbook from a Daiso. I handwrote ‘Bullet Journal’ on the front and my number on the back (in case it gets lost) and we were in business. I use 5 basic Mildliners and an 03 Sakura Micron, as well as some really cute sticky notes I bought recently from Ikea (featured in later pictures). I’m pretty simple so these materials are enough for me, but if you want to decorate your journal with Copic markers in a bazillion shades- go ahead!! It’s your journal and it should suit you!
Encouragement: Not to say I haven’t decorated some parts of my own bullet journal. I made sure to prettify the inside cover of my journal with my favorite motivational quotes and phrases! You can never have enough motivation–morale is majorly important in any venture, whether interpersonal, scholastic, or professional. I don’t like extraneous things cluttering up my entries so I limited my motivation to the inside cover, which works for me, but if you want to designate a quote of the week between your entries or even dedicate a whole page to inspirational sticky notes then do it! Whatever keeps you well motivated and fits your organisational scheme.
Key: So I’ve made a lot of add-ons to the original Key Page scheme in my journal. I don’t use all of the bullets with reguality; I usually keep to the ‘task’/’task completed’, ‘note’, ‘event’, and ‘shopping list’ bullets. I found I use color coordination more, and I highly recommend experimenting with color organisation to find what fits you.
For example– as a person who menstruates, I find it important to keep track of my menstrual cycle. Every Day/Date headline I make is color coded: pink for when I’m menstruating, grey for 7 days immediately after, blue for the next 7 days, and purple for the remaining days before menstruation (signifying ovulation). I think of it like a monthly bomb attack: grey in the smouldering aftermath, blue when threat is still low, bright purple when the bomb is about to go off, pink for detonation. Since I use a menstrual cup, I use this system to be prepared and have my cup on me for when my period happens but I totally recommend it for young or nervous menstruators.
Other adjustments I’ve made to my bullet journal are reflected on my key page, including the ‘MORA’ section of my daily entries. I’ll explain how my ‘MORA’ system works in a later section, but the ‘M’ or ‘mood’ aspect is what is reflected with color coding. Every morning, I write what mood I was in when I went to sleep, then I highlight the ‘MORA’ divider in the color that best reflects that mood. Grey for ill/uncomfortable (like queasy or sweaty), blue for a passively negative mood (like awkward), pink for actively negative (pissed off or extremely irritated), purple for passively positive (like a good tipsy or simply just not bad), and green for actively positive (pretty damn happy or joyful). It’s mostly for reflection when the week is over–its great if you have a therapist or if you’re starting a new diet and are keeping track of mood swings.
I think the best adjustment I’ve made to my journal is the corner system. The journal I’m using has really thin paper, which makes it hard to flip between the pages quickly. So I color coded certain important pages in the place of doing a whole table of contents based on page number (which I would never use, and I’ve seen not many bullet journalers do so do what you will with that information when constucting your journal). Instead, I just color the corner of each page I need to find quickly and make sure the color bleeds through so I can immediately see it from the front, back, or side of the journal. These colors are actually pretty arbitrary: green to find the key, pink for the future log, purple for month to month, and grey for list pages.
Future Log: I mostly kept with the original structure for the future log, so this section is going to be pretty empty. You can see that I added a school centric note, but mostly the future log is just what it’s supposed to be: future appointments, birthdays, etc.
Monthly Calendar: I have made some adjustments that really help me in the calendar section, particularly for period tracking. When my period is over, I go to the calendar page and highlight the dates I was actively menstruating. This way, in addition to knowing day-to-day when my period is nearing with my color code system, I can also guesstimate when my period will strike based on past calendars.
I also added an end of the month recap note, as you can see from my ‘July’ page. This highlights anything significant that may have happened in the month, or can just be important notes or observations. If you want this could also be a little motivation section based on your experiences from that month!
You can also see I added a shopping list section on my August page, with symbols next to each item denoting importance or type (a ‘+’ for health, or a ‘F’ for food as examples) I did this mostly because my I was making note of what I needed day-to-day and hadn’t centralized my needs in a list. This list is what is left over from 2 months of making notes and purchases. I didn’t do it until August because I sometimes make a note to buy something then go out and buy it immediately (like food or medication) and it gets crossed out right away. Other purchases (like a mattress pad, or slippers) aren’t time sensitive yet so they ended up in the end-of-the-month master list.
Lists: For the shopping list I doubled up on a month page, but I’ve also made list pages that I update over time as ideas occur to me. For example, my ‘TV Shows/Movies’ list is constantly updated, which you can tell by the variation in the neatness and size of my handwriting. I recommend list pages for creating playlists, planning events, etc., as the the original bullet journal scheme outlines.
Important Notes: If I have something important I need to remember, like a certain phone number or a topic I need to bring up to someone at some point, I’ll circle and highlight the edge of the page next to the note–much like I did with important page corners. This way, I can find that important note quickly, no fuss! I recommend this if you dont like shuffling and squinting through a million tasks and notes to find what you need!!
‘MORA’: As you can see from my daily entry pages, I’ve added a section parallel to my bullet sections. I call this my ‘MORA’ section. I explained the ‘mood’ portion and color coding thereof of ‘MORA’s in the ‘Key’ section. The ‘O’ part of ‘MORA’ is actually pretty private but I’m going to be adult and honest with you when I say it has to do with sexual activity. I’ll leave it at that unless some of you have (appropriate!) questions, in which case you can message me directly (and discreetly). The ‘R’ stands for ‘read’ as in the past tense. As an avid reader, I like to keep track of how many (non-academic) short stories/books I read per day, in case I have to acknowledge that I need to focus on other tasks–more a deterent system than a points system. One or two medium-length works per day is fine, for example. Five is excessive.
The ‘A’ in ‘MORA’ has turned out to be the lengthiest section. ‘A’ Stands for ‘ate’, where I record everything I’ve eaten and drunk as the day goes on. I think when I eventually have a little money coming in this section will help me eat a little healthier. As for now, it helps me limit how much fast food I eat in a given week. Would you like keeping track of diet choices, emotional health, and extracurricular activities in addition to utilizing the entirety of your daily entry page? Then I recommend creating a ‘MORA’-like section! Before I created this section I felt like I was leaving much of my pages blank before moving on to the next, this really helped!
That’s pretty much it– if you have any questions feel free to message me, I promise I will reply as soon as I am able!
How To:
How to use a planner
Bullet Journal – The analog system for the digital age
The Bullet Journal - A Quick Guide to Über-Efficiency
Everything you need to know about bullet journalling
How to get started with a bullet journal
How to bullet journal (by anothermanual)
How to bullet journal
How I Use My Bullet Journal
Bullet Journal Setup Update
How to bullet journal
Some bullet journal FAQ
My guide to bullet journals
Bullet journalling (by studdiction)
Bullet journal tips (by studysblr)
Tips, Tricks, & Page Ideas:
10 Tips for Using a Bullet Journal
Printable bullet journal reference card
A planning system
How to use a journal to help your mental health
50 ways to use a planner
A chat about page ideas for bullet journals
Having 2 bullet journals
Tips for student use of bullet journals
Bullet journal page/list ideas (by bulletjournals)
More bullet journal page ideas (by bulletjournals)
Using a habit tracker (by @wannabemoved)
Bullet journal tips (by bulletjournals)
An expense page
How to Use the Spiraldex for Time Management
Chronodex: Visual Time Management
How to use a chronodex
Inspiration:
Set up (by ambivity)
Set up (by staticsandstationery)
This page (by mountainsofpens)
This page (by ambitiousandcaffeinated)
This page (by studysimply)
This page (by ambivity)
Set up (by toomanynotebooks)
Journal (by studywithstyle)
Page (by neurophia)
One of my favourite books
(Image source)
10 Study Tips
Hey everybody! The school year has definitely started (I am tired all the time, I feel weirdly stressed and for some reason there is always a cup of coffee in my hand…) so I decided to make a list of study tips!
1. Pay attention in class. This is so important because it introduces the topics and ideas you will be studying, and you won’t find yourself playing “catch up” later. Additionally, once you grasp the concept/lesson, you won’t waste time taking notes on everything; only the essentials. Studying starts in the classroom.
2. Keep a planner. A planner plays a vital role in maintaining study habits and getting good grades. I know a lot of people have had success with bullet journals, but a standard weekly/monthly calendar works great too! I personally have adapted the bullet journal format to best fit my needs (if you guys want, I can post pictures of how I organize it). I use my planner to record assignments, assign study blocks, and break larger projects down into daily tasks. I also use it to organize my everyday life too. Another perk is that it gives me the illusion of control!
3. Stay organized. While we are on the topic of organization, another key tip is having a system to file all of your assignments/notes. Don’t just write the notes and throw them in the bottom of your backpack. If you take the time to write detailed notes use them, don’t lose them! I keep a notebook and a folder for each of my classes. I put all my completed notes in the designated class folder, and at the end of a unit, I pull all my notes out and make a cumulative study guide! Keep track of your notes for optimized unit test studying.
4. Keep a tidy study space. A cluttered desk means cluttered thoughts! But a clean and organized desk encourages productivity, and won’t distract you. When choosing a study spot, opt for a quiet place with enough space to lay out all your materials. Natural lighting is a bonus too ;) before you start a study session, make sure you have all the necessary materials: textbooks, notebooks, writing utensils, and anything else you find helpful. Also have a waterbottle and a snack at hand. This way, you won’t interrupt your concentration to get anything!
5. Find the right method for you. As much as highlighting, color-coding and bullet-journaling is aesthetically pleasing, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best method for YOU. Personally, coloring and highlighting helps me organize my thoughts, but if it overstimulates or even distracts you, don’t do it! You don’t get any awards for pretty notes. Find what works well with you. Make note taking fun!
6. Read the text. It is very attempting when given a reading assignment to just take notes or answer the questions as you read. But unless you are seriously crunched for time, it is ideal to read the text first (keeping in mind any questions you might have to answer, and jotting down some quick notes), take detailed notes and THEN answer the homework problems. Yes, this method is more time-intensive, but I guarantee that you will retain the information better. Plus, reading the text before you start note taking can actually save time! Once you understand what the major points are, you can record just the essentials.
7. Write conclusions. Something I have started doing when I’m done with notes is writing a summary or conclusion that reiterates key information. So far, I think it has been very beneficial! Writing a conclusion reminds me of the most important details, and helps me make connections too. Also, when briefing for a quiz, instead of reading all my notes, I can just skip to the summary! Bam. Easy review.
8. Take breaks. It is vital to take breaks when studying! It helps your brain absorb information, and avoid that awful “fried” feeling. Find a ratio that works for you. Personally, a 45:15 minute study to break time is best. Make sure whatever you come up with gives you enough time to get into your “study-groove,” but doesn’t exceed your concentration limits. During a break, I like to go for walks, do some stretching, drink water and eat food, or chat with my sister! Break time is great, but make sure it is distinct from study time. When you go back for another study block, don’t bring your phone! It interrupts your concentration if you are looking down every other minute to read a text, or check a notification. In order to optimize study time, unplug and leave any devices in another room so you aren’t tempted.
9. Dedicate time. This tip kind of goes along with taking breaks. Make yourself a study schedule! And when you plan a study session, really commit yourself to it. Don’t procrastinate or let yourself be distracted. Be as productive as possible in the time you have reserved for study!
10. Don’t get too stressed. It can be difficult to find a balance between being a dedicated student and normal human. But remember: you are a person first, then a student. If your workload is seriously interfering with your mental health, get help! Talk with your teachers, counselors or parents. They are there to assist you. And don’t get caught up in grading; you are going to school to learn, not to be judged. Make learning and studying fun so you get the most out of your education!
I hope these tips help you guys to have a totally productive and kick butt school year! Have fun :)
I don’t know about you guys but I am psyched to get an education, woo. This year is a hella important year for me because if I don’t finish this school year with five As then I am a dead man walking, you get me? So this started off as a collection to help me get those fabulous As but I thought, what the hell? I’ll share this perfection with everyone else because sharing is caring. Anyways, down to the nitty gritty
001. CALEDONIA'S DECLASSIFIED SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE
how to survive freshmen year of high school
college packing list
alternative to buying expensive textbooks
dorm room survival
free online college courses
002. WRITE LIKE A FUCKING ANGEL
the ultimate guide to writing
how to write good
how to write an essay
how to write a good essay
the five paragraph essay
deadly sins checklist
formatting your paper
tips on getting started
seven tips to become a better writer (stephen king)
four ways to have confidence in your writing
seven ways to speed up your writing
five ways to add sparkle to your writing
how to finish what you started: a five step plan for writers
thirty-one ways to find inspiration for your writing
tips for dealing with writer’s block
003. READING ISN’T ONLY FOR NERDS AND FANGIRLS
how to take care of your books
how to read shakespeare
no fear shakespeare (i found this incredibly useful when studying macbeth!)
one hundred most read books
how to read difficult books
how to read faster
books made into movies
books made into tv shows
350+ free ebooks
004. STUDY MOTHER FUCKER
studying techniques
how to pull an all-night and still have a successful exam result
how to get motivated to study
tips to help you concentrate
time management tips
chrome site blocker
005. LEARNING SHIT
solve any maths equations: 1, 2.
when your teacher says not to use wikipedia (an alternative)
square root calculator, cube root calculator
for when you can’t do your homework
chemical equation balancer (what got me through chemistry last year)
cliffnotes, sparknotes
college courses
how to: multiply big numbers
crash courses (youtube)
teaches you everything
006. PRESENTING YOUR BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL WORK AY
free powerpoint (prezi)
free powerpoint presentations on anything
help with presentations
007. USEFUL WEBSITES BECAUSE THE INTERNET IS A WONDERFUL PLACE /SOMETIMES/
TED (basically gods gift)
challenge your brain
feed the hungry and up your vocabulary game
free online textbooks
final grade calculator
a whole page dedicated to studying and organising
008. MUSIC TO CALM DOWN UR SCHOOL DAY BLUES YO
a really chill playist
coffee shop blues
coffee shop sounds
calm nature sounds
concentration/focus playlist
relaxation is key
four hours of classical music
playlists to listen to: xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx.
009. ALL THIS STUDYING??? YOU NEED A BREAK, MY FRIEND.
watch a cute ass dog lick your screen
one hundred thousand stars
movies masterpost
foreign movies
gay movies
lesbian movies
lesbian movies you should definitely watch
broadway musicals
LGBT+ books
download free books
read any book
the best masterpost ever if you’re bored
010. TIPS FOR SCHOOL N STUFF BCUS I WANTED TEN BITS
try your best. not everyone can get all As, and getting all As does not make you better than everyone else. just do the best you can and be the best person you can be.
don’t sleep in class! i know it seems so so tempting but slept my way through geography last year and i got a C in my exam instead of the expected A so…
Don’t tick off your teacher, follow the rules to an extent, get to class on time, respect your classmates and teachers. you know, just be a decent person.
be positive!!! and not just for the first week or so, keep the positivity going throughout the whole school year. if you don’t believe in yourself then why should anyone else?
“you can do it, wildcat, i believe in u” — something troy bolton said one time probably definitely
Why I nearly failed my first year of college/university - and what to do instead
Hey everyone. I haven’t written a studyblr post in ages but I had the idea for this post in the car and I thought it couldn’t hurt to share it. As some of you may know, I graduated from uni last year and I’m going to start my Masters next year! But, a couple of years ago, I was failing my first year of university and things were dire. So I thought I’d write about the reasons I ended up in that situation, and how to avoid it.
1) I couldn’t make it in time for my 8 a.m. calculus class.
I commuted every day to university with my sisters and some of my cousins. Which meant that - every morning - somebody was running late and the earliest I’d get to class was often a good fifteen minutes in. Which was often the most important part of the lesson, and I’d struggle to find a seat at all (thanks to the commerce kids attending the science calc class -____-). This ended up being so demoralising I sometimes didn’t even bother attending the class or watching the lecture recordings because I was so far behind.
What to do instead: if you miss a class, watch the lecture recording on the same day. If there’s no lecture recording, find out what topics were covered and self-study from the textbook on the same day.
2) I didn’t know how to catch up on work.
I was one of those annoying students in high school. I’d go to school about three-four days a week (thankfully my mom was very lenient) and still keep up with all my classes with barely any effort. So when I got to university and missing a class meant that I missed a whole lot of work, I had no clue how to catch up. I didn’t know how to check the syllabus for the topics I needed to study, how to ask my friends what we did or how to find the material in the textbook or online notes. I had all the resources but I didn’t know how to use them.
What to do instead: learn how to study. The studyblr community has great advice on this! You can also ask your friends for help, or even other students who are a year or two ahead of you!
3) I didn’t do my homework properly.
The biggest trap at university is homework that you’re assigned but won’t be graded on. For calculus and maths-related courses in particular. Because you don’t have to hand anything in…it’s super easy to just not do the work. I spend all our tutorial classes chatting to my friends and not even asking for help - because I didn’t do the homework in the first place. It meant that I didn’t get any practice at using calculus until I crammed for my first test and was promptly handed back at 23% (yes…23%). My grades only really improved once I started doing the homework problems we were assigned. For my physics class, where our homework problems were graded so I actually worked on them every week - I passed without a problem (though my grades were just average)
4) My mindset was all wrong.
This is something that I’m still working on. In high school, my natural “intelligence” got me straight As with zero effort. But at university, that “natural intelligence” wasn’t enough and I was failing HARD. I thought there was something wrong with me. That I somehow wasn’t intelligent at all and that’s why I was failing - because I wasn’t smart enough. I can now confidently say that I was completely wrong. I was failing because I wasn’t doing my work (see Step 3). It wasn’t until I overcame this mindset (known as a fixed mindset) did I start improving (around the time I actually started doing my homework). Natural intelligence can only take you so far. Eventually, you need to do the work. So don’t pay attention to anyone else who seems to be just breezing through university without effort - they’re either cheating or working hard when you don’t see them.
What to do instead: research the “growth mindset”. If you have time, the Coursera course “Learning How to Learn”, as well as the ethos of Khan Academy, concentrate on developing a growth mindset.
Also: Do the work.
5) I didn’t know where to study.
Finding *your* study spot is something that really takes time. When I tried to study at first, I couldn’t settle on a good spot. I’d try to find somewhere I could hang out with my friends at the same time (bad idea) or I’d go to parts of the main library that were dull and uninspiring. At home, I could do some work, but I also got distracted easily. I only really found my ideal study spot in my 2nd year of uni - a small, quiet, botany library with ancient-but-beautiful books, natural light, overlooking the street without being distracting and most importantly fairly secret and quiet. I could study undisturbed there and the surroundings helped me feel calm and comfortable.
What to do instead: ask around for good study spots and try them out. Older students especially! They know all the good spots because they’ve been around for a while!
I hope you found this post helpful! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to send me an ask or a message. If you’d like to see more of my postgrad life, please give me a follow. I also have a bookstagram account where I occassionally share some of my planning and artwork as well.
Happy studying
xx Munira
