studyblr

resources!

[hillbillyoracle]

Bullet Journaling: An Introduction and Resources

So I’ve been tagged in quite a few questions about bullet journaling threads recently and I find myself giving the same sort of links and advice. Since bullet journaling is something I spend a lot of time doing with Alexandria, my partner, we teamed up to write this collection of resources that we recommend.

Overall our advice is pretty straight forward – keep it simple, stick to what you like doing, and above all do what works.

The biggest misconception I see these days is that bullet journaling amounts to making a planner from scratch – that’s not the case! Bullet journaling is a system and people take that system in different directions. If you’ve ever been too nervous to try it because it seems like a lot of work, try watching the videos in the Start Here section to see what it’s actually all about.

Start Here

Marz: I got started with Bullet Journaling back in 2014 when I was working a research job with weird hours and tasks that didn’t get assigned neatly. I started with a small A5 notebook with graph paper and used the older version of the first video on this list – and that worked. I didn’t draw in it, I didn’t put washi tape in it, I didn’t have any trackers. I just had that notebook and a gel pen and it changed everything. It’s only this last year that I’ve gotten more artsy with it. Keep it simple. When in doubt come back to Ryder Carroll’s original work.

Ria: I absolutely adore Ryder’s book and highly recommend it to anyone who’ll listen to me long enough to get the words out. It’s back to basics for people used to bullet journaling and an amazing ground-up tutorial combined with self-help book for everyone else. Life-changing, and in no uncertain terms. Start as basic as you can go and build from there as you get used to things; don’t let people who go wild with their art deter you.

“How to Bullet Journal” – Ryder Carroll

https://youtu.be/fm15cmYU0IM

“How to Create a Bullet Journal Plus My Top 10 Tips” – How to ADHD

https://youtu.be/jkZEEQG6IVE

The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39071691-the-bullet-journal-method

  Go a Little Deeper

Marz: I like these videos where Ryder goes into really practical considerations for bullet journaling like how to keep track of everything, so you can find it again. You’ll see his style is very simple. The art part is fun, but THIS is the stuff that makes it worthwhile, useful.

Ria: Ryder addresses some really common use-cases for various aspects of his system, and it’s awesome to see him answering them. He’s great about giving credit to other people and promoting the community that’s cropped up around the bullet journal method, and his advice is so useful. He’s able to present multiple perspectives in a way that’s very much not overwhelming.

“Bullet Journal: Projects, Monthly, and More” – Ryder Carroll

https://youtu.be/TewqmhFC-oE

“Bullet Journal: Work vs Personal” – Ryder Carroll

https://youtu.be/xO7S3sCd8rw

“Bullet Journal: Collections and Threading” – Ryder Carroll

https://youtu.be/P5pi69TiFM8

“Bullet Journal: Transferring Notebooks” – Ryder Carroll

https://youtu.be/DgrQpIKcVOg

  Supplies

Marz: You can start with literally any notebook and a pen or pencil – so please don’t let the artsy folks discourage you. But if you want to get into the more colorful side, these are solid places to learn about some common supplies for folks. For instance – we gave my sister a Bullet Journal starter kit for Christmas and all that was in that was a Leuchtturm 1917 A5 notebook, 100 pack of Crayola Super Tips, and a pack of Microns. The only thing I’d add to that would maybe be some glue tape and washi tape. Not necessary at all but you can go FAR with just those.

Ria: Please start basic. It’s easy to get overwhelmed if you don’t. If after a week or a month or whatever you’re desperate to add in something pretty, then go for it, but get familiar with the system first. That said, I love Pilot G2 gel pens, Crayola SuperTips, and Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens (specifically the hard tip) for some very cheap basics that I use almost exclusively nowadays.

“My Bullet Journal Essentials: Supplies I Can’t Live Without!” – AmandaRachLee

https://youtu.be/FadsWHYNLE0

“9 Life-Changing Bullet Journaling Supplies” – BuzzFeed Nifty

https://youtu.be/DSacIsHLTWs

    Tracking, Calendexes, and Other Methods

Marz: If you want to expand on the base Bullet Journal system, these would be the things I would recommend. Only track as much as you enjoy. Don’t give yourself more to do. Have fun!

Ria: Trackers can be so cool and fun to set up and use; I’ve seen some truly beautiful designs out there. I’ve gone through several iterations of tracking, and they all helped me when I did them and I stopped when they weren’t so helpful any more. Don’t be afraid to change up what you do.

  “How to Bullet Journal: Trackers – How and Why?” – Eclectic Scribbles

A lot of people like bullet journals for tracking; LOTS of ideas here

https://youtu.be/lKecSNWeOHQ

“Eddy Hope’s Calendex” – Boho Berry

If a future log isn’t cutting it, I recommend a calendex

https://youtu.be/-c2NdTRw1gc

“How I…|Use the Alastair Method”

If your to-do list is getting a little overwhelming, try the Alastair Method to sort tasks into groups

https://youtu.be/yPiL-6m2Zjc

  Inspiration: Keeping it Simple

Marz: This is a slight step up form Ryder Carroll’s minimalist style. Don’t let the calligraphy scare you off, I don’t do any. Just write neatly or in your favorite font. Fancy but simple. Its where I end up with my weeklies and dailies.

Ria: I personally keep things really simple in my bullet journal right now. I do quick calligraphy for headers and everything else is in gel pen and very list-like, and it really suits me.

“November Bullet Journal Set-Up [NaNoWriMo Update]” – Boho Berry

Set up starts at 14:05 if you want to skip ahead

https://youtu.be/PQQs1ap2g0I

“Plan with Me|November 2018” – Sunshine and Stationary

Set up starts at 19:33 if you want to skip ahead

https://youtu.be/GaudoFbPxVA

  Inspiration: Getting Artsy

Marz: I tend to look more on Instagram for artsy spread inspiration. I’m not totally sure why. I just think there are more people doing experimental stuff on there. Whether I’m artsy or not depends on my time and energy, though personally if I invest more time at the beginning of the month, I use the spreads more throughout the month. But I do it because it’s fun for me. My journal is almost a place to me and I like going there and spending time in it. If it’s not your thing, steer clear of it.

Ria: I had a lot of fun with art starting out, and the roar video below is one of my absolute favorite bullet journal art videos of all time. I love her forest images and wish desperately that I could imitate them. No pressure to get so intense with it as what you’ll find on Pinterest or Youtube, though! It can be a lot, so focus on making your journal work for you and then make it pretty.

“PLAN WITH ME|May 2018 Bullet Journal Set Up” – AmandaRachLee

Lavender Theme, on the simpler side of doodling

https://youtu.be/cmstU61NUr4

“Minimalist bullet journal – January 2018 (Winter theme)” – roar

Winter tree theme; Alexandria’s favorite spread of all time

https://youtu.be/wJS-TMlpEsI

“Plan With Me | 2019 Bullet Journal Set Up + Flip Thru” – Shayda Campbell

Botanical designs, minimalist designs with detailed drawings

https://youtu.be/slwTnzpl6oI

  Flip Throughs

Marz: I love watching flip throughs because I get to learn from other people’s victories and mistakes. It’s also a good example of why I love bullet journaling – you can change everything about the way you do it without throwing out the whole journal. You just turn the page and keep doing. My journal this year evolved massively. It’s fun to have a document of that evolution. I get a lot of inspiration watching others.

Ria: I love watching how other people evolve, seeing what worked and what didn’t. Sometimes it’s easier to learn from other people’s experiences. It can also feel really validating to see other people change things up because no one’s first guess at what’ll be useful is 100% right.

“Bullet Journal Evolutions | Episode 4 | Dailies” – Sunshine and Stationary

https://youtu.be/W5j2JsrZD4I

“Bullet Journal Flip Through!” – Boho Berry

https://youtu.be/84zGiiPH6Wk

“My 2018 Bullet Journal Flip Through | A YEAR IN MY JOURNAL” – AmandaRachLee

https://youtu.be/ZGhHjsyfPto

  Conclusion

So we hope this gets you started with Bullet Journaling. There’s a lot of room to make it whatever you want or need. We plan on putting together a brief post on how we use bullet journaling for witchy things a little later and we’ll link it here when it’s ready. Until then, best of luck with your new journals!

[kaylareads]

almost 2019

[eintsein]

February 9th, 2016 // bio notes that I’m actually proud of. Finally finished with my Sec 3 biology notes. Super thankful for the Chinese New Year holiday.  猴年吉祥!

[paperfriendly]

sUPER PRETTY OH MY GOSH

[mariacrodriguesx]

OH MY!🌟 Can you help me? I would love to know how you did that!

[studyclarity]

08/05/17 - 14/05/17

i’m trying out a new editing style, i think it looks a lot better and cleaner. i love light green spreads, they feel so fresh and neat!

[teaacupfairy]

this is a masterpiece, for real

[vanesastudies]

How I Use OneNote for University

Hey, all! I thought I’d share how I use OneNote, for any students who might want to use it for school organization. I have used this since the beginning of my university career and have found a method that works for me, after nearly three years.

I provide templates for what I use as .one files that can be imported into OneNote, and you’re free to use & modify them however you wish. 

Semester Calendar Template: Download

Customized Syllabus Template: Download

Cornell Outline Template: Download + Outline inspired by How to Use Cornell Cornell Note-Taking Method on OneNote by @strive-for-da-best​

As a student with learning disabilities, I found that using a computer, rather than writing everything out, is the best method for me to learn. I type up notes in class so as to not worry about keeping up with a professor, handwriting, or neatness. OneNote is my favourite note-taking application for this, because it’s essentially an upgraded version of Word that’s free and syncs automatically across devices. When my computer crashed, I was still able to access my notes online.

OneNote isn’t all typing. You can use it on a tablet or use a drawing tablet, in my case, to handwrite notes for a more natural feel. A very efficient way of taking notes is to import the lectures slides in OneNote and to write directly on them. I found that very useful in math-heavy courses, such as statistics and chemistry. The equation tool, while nifty, isn’t efficient.

By no means whatsoever is this the only way to use OneNote! In fact, I’d recommend you find a way that works for you, because while this may be highly organized, it takes a bit of set-up time and is tailored specifically to my needs. You can use my example as inspiration, but play around with it! The beauty of OneNote is that it can be used in a variety of different ways.

Download OneNote for Windows | Download OneNote for Mac

[studivore-blog]

Here is a masterpost that i have created for you. It has a lot of printables that would help you become more organised in your school year.

Yearly Calendars

2017 yearly overview. By @emmastudies

2017 yeary overview. By @arystudies

2017 yearly overview. By @thearialligraphyproject

Keep reading

[plmss-deactivated20170630]

28th September — today is my birthday 🎂 and also the second day of my linguistics class, so I spent the morning in this beautiful library organizing my lecture notes!

[educatier]

This library is gorgeous ahhh

[codenamemaximus]

If this gets 50 notes I’ll tell you guys how I ran an underground sex ed class and helped put a pedophile in jail during second grade

[codenamemaximus]

Okay, so my mom has always been super open about health stuff and when I was just starting elementary school she got me a bunch of those American Girl books about your body and your feelings and they were really informative and truthful and I really liked them. One day I was talking to a friend about one of them and we started reading it and she was asking a ton if questions and seemed really excited and interested by it and I answered questions and explained stuff. We talked about the books during recess and eventually more girls joined in until we were a group of about 10-15 seven year-olds talking about puberty and sex and a lot of things that most adults don’t The thing about those books is that they look really innocent with cute drawings and there are chapters about brushing your teeth and stuff; but what most people don’t expect is that there’s a lot of health stuff about puberty and mental illness and drugs and a lot of really important stuff that everyone should know. The teachers didn’t care because the books looked super innocent and they thought were talking about proper brushing habits or something. We’d go sit down and read a chapter and I’d add some other stuff that my mom had told me and then we’d just talk and ask questions. It was kind of like group therapy but with sex ed. This was all okay until one of the boys saw a page with a ton of boobs on it (the page was demonstrating a breast exam) and he told the teacher. So they found and I got suspended and I wasn’t allowed to bring any more of those books into school. 

Closer to the end of the year, one of the second grade teachers was revealed to be a pedophile when one of his students said that he tried to touch her inappropriately and then three other girls came forward with the same story. After he was arrested, the girl told me that she said what he did because we had talked about what to do in that exact situation. Because of our group she knew that she probably wasn’t the only one and she knew that it was wrong for him to do that and that she wouldn’t get in trouble if she told someone and that she probably wouldn’t have said anything if she hadn’t read those books.

I started doing it again the next year. No one stopped me. 

[maya-tl]

Bless.

[muslima-nadjoua]

Reblogging again in hope someone could give me those books’ names

[ariverofmilk-deactivated2019041]

https://www.amazon.com/Care-Keeping-You-Younger-Revised/dp/1609580834#immersive-view_1495174594789

The Care and Keeping of You.

I believe it’s this one! Fits the description and the back cover even has the brushing girl.

There’s a series of books! ^^

[ginkasei]

The American Girl books are really, really good. They talk about things honestly but simply, and cover a lot of important stuff. 11/10 for those books.

[gracy]

These books were the only sex ed I had as a young girl. These were a door to reading bigger, badder texts and getting involved in activism…

100% recommend you buy these for sisters, daughters, nieces. 110%

[nevver]

das Bibliothek, Olivier Martel Savoie

[soniadiazflores]

Transition Words For Your Essays

Transition Signals:

Transitions are words and phrases that connect ideas and show how they are related.

To repeat and ideas just stated:

In other words,

That is,

To repeat,

Again,

To illustrate an idea:

For example,

For instance,

In particular,

To illustrate,

In this manner,

Thus,

To announce a contrast, a change in direction:

Yet,

However,

Still,

Nevertheless,

On the other hand,

In contrast,

Instead of,

On the contrary,

Conversely,

Notwithstanding,

In spite of this,

Time:

At once,

In the interim,

At length,

Immediately,

At last,

Meanwhile,

In the meantime,

Presently,

At the same time,

Shortly,

In the end,

Temporarily,

Thereafter,

To restate an idea more precisely:

To be exact,

To be specific,

To be precise,

More specifically,

More precisely,

To mark a new idea as an addition to what has been said:

Similarly,

Also,

Too,

Besides,

Furthermore,

Further,

Moreover,

In addition,

To show cause and effect:

As a result,

For this reason,

Thereafter,

Hence,

Consequently,

Accordingly,

Conclusion:

In short,

To conclude,

In brief,

On the whole,

In summary,

To sum up,

[messy-elliot-deactivated2021041]

Thank you

[intellectys]

I’m going to uni this autumn, and I feel like most of studyblr’s incoming freshmen are just as clueless as I am. Here’s a bunch of tips from the more experienced among us, and I hope it’s just as useful to you as it is to me!

this took forever to make so i’m really hoping it’s good

Money Matters

Textbooks

Sites where you can get free textbooks by @thearialligraphyproject

Get textbooks online

Tips for textbooks by @theorganizedcoyote

Websites to get cheap textbooks by @theorganisedstudent

Ultimate guide to buying college textbooks

Safe ways to get free textbooks

Saving Money

A girl called jack: eating under the line

Qriket

Scholarship masterpost by @wallcalendar

Save money while shopping online

College scholarships 2016-17 by @wonderstudying

Tips for finding & getting scholarships

How to budget

Where to find student discounts by @collegerefs

Searching for scholarships by @collegesmarts

Creative ways to save money in college

Places that offer discounts with student id

Ways to save/earn money

Paying for college by @collegerefs

Student Life

Dorm & Living

PSA for college freshmen

Dorm tips from @humanitaes

Ultimate school locker (uni bag) kit by @girl-studying

Resolving issues with roommates

Tips for living like an adult

How to eat healthy in dining halls

DIY dorm decor by @notquitenightingale

Everything I actually used in my freshman dorm room

Guide to living alone by @piratestudy

Living with a roommate by @collegerefs

Packing Lists

Thing I forgot to bring to college by @myberkeleyadventure

Sam’s ultimate failproof guide to packing by @staticsandstationery

Ultimate college packing list for freshmen

College packing list by @kimberlystudies

What to bring to college

Checklist for dorms & campus living

Packing up: preparing for college in @theacademiczine

College dorm packing list by @produitivity

Recipes

One-pot chicken fajita pasta

100 dirt cheap recipes for students

57 go-to recipes for college students

Cheap & healthy recipes 

Over 400 fast & healthy recipes

Classes

Studying & Taking Notes

Organizing notes with Google Docs by @academla

How to write a lecture summary efficiently by @collegerefs

Symbols & abbreviations for note-taking 

How to take lecture notes by @hstrystdyblr

How to take notes in college by @determinationandcaffeine

Getting the most out of lecture by @strive-for-da-best

How to get your best grades in college by @saralearnswell

If you have a bad college professor

Essays

Transition words for essays by @soniastudyblr

How to analyze historical sources by @rewritign

How to write a university level essay by @healthyeyes

Analyzing a written text

Essay writing: university vs. high school

How to write a history paper by @thehistorygrad

How I plan and write literature papers by @notaperfectstudent

Exams

A quick guide to finals by @emmastudies​

10 revision tips for final & first year exams

High school exams vs. college exams

Crucial study tips for finals week in college 

3 day study plan by @getstudyblr

Low stress college study strategy by @plannerdy 

+ More

Masterposts

A college student’s masterpost by @eruditekid

Random college tips by @determinationandcaffeine

College advice by @studenting

Giant college masterpost by @heyiwantyoutostay

Advice

Advice for college by @collegerefs

10 tips for starting uni by @studycubs

Advice from a college senior 

Great tips from @fuckstudy

10 more excellent tips

Things nobody tells you about university by @polcry 

Miscellaneous

8 things successful students do by @frankfurter-studies

Email tips by @haileymostudies

@collegerefs‘ entire blog– so much good stuff that’s incredibly useful

my grace.uni tag– all the posts I’ve saved for university

Staying in contact with high school friends

How to make friends in college

[cowplantcartel]

Before I started my final year of uni I was stressing out about finding a job. I did quite a bit of research and planning, and managed to receive a job offer before I even finished my degree!

Here are a few tips I would give to those of you in the same situation:

1. Know what your end goal is

Before you start aimlessly applying for jobs, take some time to think about where you actually want to go with your career. Where would you actually like to end up?

Do some searching and see what type of jobs exist in the area you want to work in. Search though graduate job sites, your universities careers website, or just Google. Make a list of all the jobs that appeal to you, and if you find any, make sure you note when applications open & close so you don’t miss out.

2. Google your name & clean up your social media act 

Employers are using Google to find out about potential employees, so if you search your name and something embarrassing turns up in the top results (i.e. drunk facebook photos/inappropriate comments etc), either delete the posts or make your account private. When I did this I discovered that there was someone with the same name as me who posted really embarrassing stuff, so I created a bunch of social media accounts with my real name on all of them to move those out of the top results. 

I’m not saying you can’t be the real you on social media, but try to keep things that you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see on your private accounts.

I would recommend taking at least one professional photo to use as your photo on social media sites.

Also make a LinkedIn! It’s really boring but employers use it and you can follow companies you are interested in. Add in all your skills and experience and write up a summary letting everyone know what kind of work you are looking for.

  3. Sign up to all of the graduate job sites 

In Australia GradConnection is really good, but other countries will have different sites. It probably won’t be hard to find them! 

Graduate job sites generally list a huge number of jobs from mainly large companies, as well as when applications open and close. Some of the good ones have a blog with tips to help you improve your applications. You can usually make your own profile which employers can look through.

If it is an option, opt in to email alerts, especially if you can get them tailored to the field you want to work in. It serves as a good reminder for submitting applications, and you may find a new job to apply for through the alerts.

Remember this isn’t the only way to find jobs! Smaller companies sometimes advertise through your university careers website, or general websites like Indeed, SEEK, etc, so make sure you look in a few places before ending your search.

4. Jazz up your resume and cover letter

I don’t mean making them bright pink or anything, but make them stand out in a professional way.

Resume tips:

Tailor your skills/experiences to the job you are applying for. Look through the job description and skills required and make sure you cover each skill on your resume.

When describing your skills, don’t just use examples from university. Try to use examples from part-time work, clubs you have joined and extracurricular activities as well.

Also don’t be too wordy, it probably won’t be read. Simple one or two sentence dot points should be okay.

Use a professional email! Plz don’t use [email protected] etc

Include a link to your LinkedIn/professional twitter etc in your contact details

Don’t submit a 20 page resume! It will most likely be deleted/thrown in the trash. Stick to 1-3 pages depending on your experience and make sure everything is actually relevant.

Inspiration

Resources [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Cover letter tips:

Mention why you want the job

Try to mention something about the company that you like - e.g. that they work with a specific charity or they provide excellent training. Do your research!

Don’t drone on like a robot - keep it interesting and use your voice

Keep it to 1 page - don’t make the HR person’s job harder for them

Find out who to address it to - you can usually google who the hiring manager is

Resources [1] [2] [3] [4]

Also:

If you can, get your school’s career adviser to look over your resume and cover letter

Always submit your resume & cover letter as a PDF - it looks way more professional if you read it on the computer

Format it nicely, keep it consistent between everything you submit in your application

ok this is probably obvious but CHECK YOUR SPELLING!!~~~

Try using Canva to make your resume pretty

5. Make a personal website 

If you want to stand out more than other applicants, make your own personal website and include a link in your application. Make sure it looks professional and highlights the best you.

Things to include:

Samples of your work

Links to your (professional) social media pages

A short description of yourself, your professional interests and where you would like to head in your career

A blog if you are really looking to stand out

Skills, experience etc

Resources [1] [2] [3]

6. Network 

Contact someone from your dream company and ask them if they would like to go for coffee/ask to chat. If you know someone or even know someone with a contact - reach out to them! Try to get them to put in a good word for you - people usually like to help others out.

Attend careers festivals and meet people from the places you want to apply

Ask around - your lecturers/fellow students/friends’ parents might know some important people

Ask what the company is really looking for in its candidates

Resources [1] [2] [3]

7. Online tests

If you are invited to do an online test as part of the recruitment process, find out what type it is and see if you can get your hands on a practice piece. If it is a personality test there is usually no way to prepare - just be honest.

I found online forums really good for this. If you’re applying for a large company, chances are there are tons of people who have done the same test and there could be existing forums about this. See what people said about them and if there is anyway to prepare.

Some of these honestly aren’t bad. For one application the test I had to do was actually a game, and for others it was standard logic questions - it all depends on the job!

Resources: [1] [2] [3]

8. Interviews

Interviews are probably the worst part of looking for work - but it’s something you need to get good at. With larger companies, online interviews are becoming the new big thing because they are cheaper to run and it is quicker to weed out candidates. Usually a question will pop up on the screen for a minute or two and then you will have a couple minutes to record your response via a webcam - you won’t be speaking to an actual person so it can be a bit awkward, so i’d suggest practicing first.

Interview tips:

Practice answering common interview questions - try to memorize a few responses such as the most common one “tell me about yourself”

Research the company again before going in to refresh your memory. Find out when they started, if they have grown recently or changed their direction.

Bring in questions - trust me, they WILL ask if you have questions

Dress appropriately

blue makes you look trustworthy, black looks professional, plz don’t wear orange

in online interviews you have the advantage of not wearing pants ;)

Bring a copy of your resume & make sure you have it memorized

Make sure you know where the interview is being held

Don’t cross your arms/yawn

Smile and be friendly!

Pretend you are a confident person, even if you are secretly about to wet yourself ;)

Thank the interviewer afterwards

Resources [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

9. Get some experience

It really sucks when you are looking for a job when everywhere wants someone with experience. 

Do an internship - you could get a job offer at the end

Volunteer somewhere in your field

Get a part-time/casual job while you study

If all else fails, try an online course - MOOCs are short courses you can usually do online for free. Do one that relates to the type of work you are looking for, it shows initiative and that you are actually interested in the field and dedicated. 

10. Apply everywhere 

I don’t mean somewhere that requires 10 years of experience, but don’t discredit a job just because it’s not exactly what you want to do. Try applying to places that are slightly outside of your field, as long as you have enough skills and experience to do it well - it could end up being something you love!

The more places you apply - the higher your chances of hearing back. But make sure your applications are of a high quality! Don’t just send out identical resumes/cover letters.

11. Don’t give up!

I applied for soooo many jobs in my final year. It was super stressful and I got rejected outright tons of times. I did a few online interviews and face-to-face interviews and some of them I never heard back from. This is not the end of the world! Find out what you did wrong, ask for feedback and do better in your next application/interview. You can do this!

More links & resources

97 actions you should take to become THE person companies want to hire - College Info Geek

Preparing for the future by @studysthesia

Job hunting advice by @harryjamcs

How to get a job fast as hell by @thechronicleofshe

lol

p.s. good luck & don’t neglect your grades too ;-)

[coyote-stardust]

This needs to be rebloggable …

[journie]

number 9 tho

[sdelabelle]

number fucking 9. there was a dude that would play his guitar outside of my window at 1 am all the time

[midnitedancer]

Some bits that I’ve picked up:

There’s a general rule of college that if you were sitting in that seat for over two weeks, that is your seat. Not many if any professors have seating arrangements but switching seats will fuck everyone up.

Get there early and stay late. As soon as you get home you will not want to do shit. Stay on campus and do some homework while you’re in the environment.

SIT UP FRONT. The best way to start understanding something is to listen to someone talk about it and you can’t do that from the back of the class trying to listen over everyone whispering to each other. LISTENING WILL MAKE HOMEWORK SO MUCH EASIER. 

Be childish, but be respectful. Have a massive snowball fight across campus, but don’t aim for anyone not taking part. 

SHUT THE FUCK UP IN THE LIBRARY. Some people work there, some people sleep there. It is a quiet space. 

Don’t be afraid to talk to professors. They are not there to flunk you. They would rather you pass than not.

IF YOU NEED TUTORING GET TUTORING DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU’VE DUG YOURSELF INTO YOUR GRAVE.

Get involved. It will help you make friends, give you new skills to learn, and even help you get a leg up in the work place if you know the right people.

[vexie-chan]

I will add to this as a GTA:

   Take time for yourself—buy a planner, figure out when your best study hours are, figure out WHERE you study best, and figure out how much time you need to complete an assignment—AND THEN make sure to pencil in an hour for video games, some time to watch a TV show, or time to just lay on your floor and blow bubbles. Whatever you like. Don’t forget about YOU.

  SLEEP. EAT. DRINK WATER. Don’t die. Caffeine =/= sleep. I cannot emphasize that this much. 

    AND MOST IMPORTANTLY:

  COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR INSTRUCTORS! If you’re sick, shoot an e-mail and say “Hey, I’m sick today. Can I set up a time to talk to you about what I missed?” If you’ve got a good opportunity (scholarships, to go to another country, to check out a cool lecture, etc.) let your prof know ahead of time. If you just need time to work on projects, all it takes is an e-mail. We understand. I gave a student a free skip day because he e-mailed me and said “Hey, look, I have two massive tests and a project due and I need the time to study.” And THAT IS OKAY.

   However, sometimes you just need a personal day, and you know what, when you wake up and getting out of bed seems like the worst idea ever….just turn off your alarm and get that sleep.

[kripke-is-my-king]

Some additionally tid-bits that might help you 

Before signing up for classes, look on “ratemyprofessor.com“ and see if the teachers at your campus are included. There may be two or more teachers for the same course, and you want to try and pick the good/easy one. Who your professor is can have a great affect on what grade you make, even for the “same” class. 

Look for a facebook group for your “graduating class” set up, which is a good way to make friends and find people with similar interests (particularly for introverts). 

Look for a facebook group for each of your courses. If there isn’t one, MAKE ONE and send it out via the course email or word of mouth. These groups are helpful for if you missed class and need the notes, and especially for review time before exams. 

If no one else does it, make a google doc of the exam reviews and post it on the class facebook page. That way everyone contributes to the review. 200 brains are most definitely better than 1. 

During lectures, unless Internet is required, TURN IT OFF. If it’s on, you WILL end up on tumblr or some other site, and you will miss important shit. 

For the love of God, pay attention to your syllabus. Sometimes assignments are listed there, and that’s the only place it’ll be mentioned. Also, if it says to do a reading by a specific date, DO THE READING BY THAT DATE. Otherwise you will get behind, and you will have 200+ pages of textbooks to read in one night before the test, and you will cry.

Yes you actually need to do the readings. Yes it is a lot. Yes it will suck. Do it anyways. 

If you are used to getting all A’s, do not cry when you get a B. Take it from someone who killed herself for two years to maintain a 4.0, it feels like the end of the world when your GPA drops, but it’s not. You’ll be okay. Just breathe and do your best. Your best is good enough.

[dotanon]

Addons—

Try to make sure you leave an open hour around midday so that you have time to get food in you. A lot of people forget to do this. If you have to have back to back classes, check your syllabus or with your teacher—some midday classes allow you to bring in a drink and a snack. Some will even allow you a full meal.

If you can get an online/pdf copy of the book without busting the bank, DO IT. Sometimes there are even annotated versions online. This can make notetaking a shitton easier, because you can highlight printed-out versions of the book and they won’t dock you on the money back. Sometimes professors move through their lecture too fast for you to write stuff down. Shrugging off that old ‘don’t ruin your books’ rule you had in high school may be your only hope.

UNLESS YOU NEED THEM OR REALLY WANT TO KEEP THEM TRY TO SELL BACK YOUR BOOKS—maybe even offer them online to incoming students. You won’t get nearly the worth of them but someone after you will thank you a million times over for providing a used copy. If you take good notes, you can sometimes buy/sell those as well. A lot of professors teach literally the same class every time.

IF YOUR PROFESSOR PUTS NOTES ONLINE GET THEM. GET THEM NOW. TRUST ME. YOU WANT THOSE NOTES. Bring them in with you if it’s possible to get them before class.

Keep change on hand. Always.

The Best Way To Make Friends:

Bring a printer with you to college and offer to print people’s stuff for half of what the school does or for free if you can afford it.

Carry around small candies with you and offer them to people while waiting outside of class. If you are the ‘candy person’ this gives you an in for starting conversations.

Buy a jumbo pack of chalk and find an open sidewalk on a free day. Write the words ‘Come draw with me?’ and begin doodling.

Have a pack of cards.

Last But Not Least: if you go onto campus and you can’t find what you’re looking for, and you are afraid to go up to someone and ask, find an open, well-populated area, hold your schedule/map in hand, and walk in circles for a few minutes, looking up and around in obvious confusion. Other students know this body language well. Someone will stop and point you in the right direction. (if you are worried that the person’s directions are a joke or faulty, wait for them to leave and take up the stance again; if the directions match-up the second time, they’re legit; do not allow a person to ‘show you the way’ unless EVERY STEP is along an obvious walkway, just in case)

For those of you who fear assault, most campuses aren’t much for small blades or mace. Carry a pocket air horn or a hand bag of those little pop-rock fireworks unless you can get a concealed weapons permit.

[bubbly-bypass-adventurer-deacti]

Adding my own tidbit:

Make friends with transfer kids. Chances are, they won’t be able to live in the dorms and it’ll be ten times harder for them to meet people since they have to drive to and from campus. It’s also fun hearing about their experiences before the college you both go to. 

Make friends with an older student. I’m talking about students who have families and full-time jobs. You can learn a lot from them, and they honestly have the best stories. They’re often the smartest and the most dedicated, so they make great study buddies. 

[shorm]

Also: your teachers are people! Joke around with them, talk to them a bit during break. Make sure they at least recognize you as “that dude with the god-awful puns during break”. In my experience, professors are even more willing to bend over backwards to help the students they know. (But also, in general? They want you to learn! If there’s a way they can easily help, there’s a really good possibility they’ll do it!

[eruditekid]

I started making my own masterpost of links for personal use back in November, and I ended up collecting enough links that had to be split into multiple posts! So, as a result, this masterpost entails everything college related, including applying, dorms, exams/finals and more (I would add a lot more, but Tumblr won’t allow me). If I repeated any links or if the links are dead, please tell me and I’ll fix it up as soon as I can! Or, if I’ve included your post and you’d like me to remove it, please tell me and I’ll do so immediately. Otherwise, hopefully this helps anyone who needs it!

Keep reading

[softiestudies-deactivated201801]

hello everyone!! i wanted to post something over the summer because i know a lot of us are studying for our college entry exams. so here it is my act masterpost hehe.

HOW TO SELF STUDY FOR THE ACT and SAT

disclaimer! i have never had a tutor, i am simply a student who isn’t super rich that decided that studying by myself with a few videos would help me get a thirty or above on the ACT. p.s. these tips apply to the SAT as well.

practice, practice, and uh practice! if you are like me and you want to get a thirty or above, the best way to do that is to practice as much as possible. the secret about the ACT is that they ask the types of questions on every exam so, if you practice hard enough then you will become familiar with the questions. you can easily find practice books on amazon or even just go to crackact.com and you’ll find FREE printable act test from the past i use those a lot. i find that the best way to practice is to practice each section separately instead of the whole test.

time yourself! this is a mistake that a lot of students make… they don’t time themselves so when they go into the testing room they are completely taken of guard because of how fast the time went. but, you can eliminate that by timing yourself when taking the practice test. the more you practice the faster you’ll get in each section. the best way to implement this system is to time yourself completing each section, when doing this you are able to really see your problem areas and see where you’re going wrong in each section.

work on your problem areas! the key is too eliminate every single mistake when you practice each section separately you are able to see your problem areas and see the areas that you are struggling in. work on those areas and practice them over and over again. for example, i am terrible at the math and reading portions of the exam. so what i do, is i repeatedly work on the math and reading sections and circle the types of questions i don’t understand. so at the end of the test what i can do i go back and really focus and try to understand material. personally the questions i suck at are geometry questions, i do not remember anything from that class so little by little i reteach myself all the basics like angels and elementary trig, and i’m able to conquer one circled question at a time with that method.

read more! one important fact i recently just discovered, is that the more you read, the better you perform in the reading section. so just take time out of your day to read a book every two weeks or actually read the paragraphs in magazine. when you read more you are able to expand your vocabulary and find reading style that is comfortable for you. READING TIP: WHEN READING TRY TO READ WITH AS MUCH ENTHUSIASM SO YOU CAN STAY ENGAGED. THIS HELPS TO RETAIN WHAT YOU READ SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO BACK AND READ

if you do decide to take the whole test take breaks in between! taking timed breaks allows you to give your brain a break in between every test. you can eat a healthy or unhealthy snack, listen to some really relaxing music, or just go out in your backyard and feel the breeze lol. but taking breaks is really useful and puts you in the right mindset for the next section you might be taking

make a list of concepts you need to remember! if you help remembering a few things make a document of a list of things you need to remember!! e.g. two supplementary angels equal 180 degrees

find a study partner! if you are the type of person that just can’t study by themselves then find someone (like your friend) to study with you. you guys can exchange ideas on how you solved one problem and grade each others practice exams. i suggest finding someone that you are just friends with someone you aren’t truly familiar with because 1. sometimes best friends can be a bit of a distraction (idk about any of you though) and 2. you can make a new friend.

MATH

math help

act math questions answered in depth

a list of math concepts i made

some other math concepets

crucial equations

15 things you need to know for the math test

ENGLISH

colon and semi colons

some comma rules

common questions they ask!

tips and strategies

10 prepping tips

math trigger words

READING

some more tips

need to raise your score

look at some questions with a nice girl

helping verbs in the reading

road mapping is helpful

SCIENCE

helpful tips

how to conquer this section

need to raise you science score?

explanation of the way experiments are set up

how to read and understand the section

some more science review!

JUST MORE STUFF IF YOU NEED HELP

more tests

need a cheap act prep book?

my favorite timer

need motivation

more motivation

last minute stuff you need to know

free released tests

all about da act

need a 30 or above?

i hope this helps everyone i worked really hard on it! have faith and never give up! and i’m sure you’ll do great.

[medicine-blr]

10 Tips For The IB: Non Academic

1. You are what you eat. 

Weight gain is an all too familiar battle for not only me, but many more students around the world. I’m sure there are periods of your time where you tend to eat more. Be it the time of the month, during a time of high stress or when you’re bored, either way - your hand is reaching for that bag of sweets and those sweets are soon in your mouth. Well, doing the IB is quite like being on a perpetual period, it’s painful, can be bloody and seems to last forever. To counteract the almost inevitable weight gain, make sure you know what you’re eating. Your body image is the last thing you want plaguing your mind. 

2. Fitness? Ain’t nobody got time for that. 

After a hard day of slogging off at school, fitness is right at the back of your mind. Working out at the gym sounds absolutely ridiculous after 7 hours of non-stop brain activity, and going on a run? Um, please. However, this tip really goes hand in hand with the one above. Working out actually leaves most people feeling more energised after the work out, than they were to start out with. Exercising is not limited to lifting weights and going on five mile runs. Find what works for you. Pilates, yoga, aqua jogging, spinning, whatever, just do it (pun intended.) You may be thinking “I hardly have enough time to sleep let alone work out.” 30 minutes out of 24 hours is just 2% of your day. TWO PERCENT. Think about it. 

3. Be selfish.

There are going to be many times when you will have to sacrifice socialising for schoolwork. You may feel as if you are letting your friends down but listen, you have the right to put your own self and your own future over others. These two years hold a significant amount of potential to shape the next few years of your life (maybe even the rest of your life) give them the importance that they require and deserve. Give yourself the importance that you require and deserve. 

4. Read outside of your English curriculum. 

Reading is good for the soul. As we grow older, we seemingly have less time to sit down and read a novel that we want to. Too often I find myself falling asleep with a book I’m assigned to read in my hands. Studying really does take the joy out of reading. I’m sure your childhood was filled with a love or appreciation for books. Reading engages your mind, broadens your understanding of the complexity of humans (not to mention your vocabulary) and can transport you to another world. Read whatever you want - cliche romance novels, your favourite childhood book, classic literature, a horror story that’ll make you shit your pants. Just read. 

5. Never deny yourself the joy of listening to music. 

If you’re in need of new songs go on 8tracks.com. They have tonnes of playlists made by very cool people (really, as cool as you could possibly get i suppose) who have insanely good music tastes. 

6. Your peers don’t care. 

Regardless of what pre-university curriculum you may be doing, high school seems like a fighting pit. As if you’re the losing gladiator in the colosseum filled by your onlooking peers. You may feel as if everyone is looking at you, just waiting for you to mess up so that they can laugh in your face. In all honesty, they are all just worrying about themselves. Your peers don’t care what you dress like, what kind of music you listen to, the pitch of your voice, the colour of your hair. They don’t care what you do. It is so hard internalising this but you must. 

7. Take ‘mental health’ days 

There will  times when things just get a bit too much. Take a day of school and just spend it on yourself. You will not miss out much in one day - you can always ask your friends what you missed anyways. Take this day to watch the movies you want to, eat the food you want to, paint your nails the colour you’ve been wanting to but have had no time for. Take your dog on a walk. Eat ice cream from a cone. Take this day to focus on you. It can get a bit draining otherwise. 

8. Respect your parents.

As a teenager, we often forget to respect our parents. We’re just far too busy to reply when they call, or answer their questions or give them a proper sentence that consists of more than just “fine” when they ask us how our days went. Your parents are your biggest supporters. They will stand by you when others wont. Respect them. 

9.  Make time for the little things. 

In two years, you will be at university, bogged down with even more work than you have now. Take time to see the beauty in your current surroundings. Savour your last few years of childhood. You will look back on this time and regret that you didn’t otherwise. 

10. Have faith in the process. 

You may loose motivation. You may feel it is too hard. You may want to quit and call it a night. Don’t give up. You must not. Have faith in the process, have faith in whatever you believe in: Jesus, Allah, Vishnu, Buddha, the universe, science, the law of attraction - whatever it is, have faith and trust the process. 

[powerhousearena]

The Last Words Of 25 Famous Dead Writers

When you’ve dedicated your life to words, it’s important to go out eloquently.

Ernest Hemingway: “Goodnight my kitten.” Spoken to his wife before he killed himself.

Jane Austen: “I want nothing but death.” In response to her sister, Cassandra, who was asking her if she wanted anything.

J.M Barrie: “I can’t sleep.”

L. Frank Baum: “Now I can cross the shifting sands.”

Edgar Allan Poe: “Lord help my poor soul.”

Thomas Hobbes: “I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap into the dark,”

Alfred Jarry: “I am dying…please, bring me a toothpick.”

Hunter S. Thompson: “Relax — this won’t hurt.”

Henrik Ibsen: “On the contrary!”

Anton Chekhov: “I haven’t had champagne for a long time.”

Mark Twain: “Good bye. If we meet—” Spoken to his daughter Clara.

Louisa May Alcott: “Is it not meningitis?” Alcott did not have meningitis, though she believed it to be so. She died from mercury poison.

Jean Cocteau: “Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking towards me, without hurrying.”

Washington Irving: “I have to set my pillows one more night, when will this end already?”

Leo Tolstoy: “But the peasants…how do the peasants die?”

Hans Christian Andersen: “Don’t ask me how I am! I understand nothing more.”

Charles Dickens: “On the ground!” He suffered a stroke outside his home and was asking to be laid on the ground.

H.G. Wells: “Go away! I’m all right.” He didn’t know he was dying.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “More light.”

W.C. Fields: “Goddamn the whole fucking world and everyone in it except you, Carlotta!” “Carlotta” was Carlotta Monti, actress and his mistress.

Voltaire: “Now, now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies.” When asked by a priest to renounce Satan.

Dylan Thomas: “I’ve had 18 straight whiskies…I think that’s the record.”

George Bernard Shaw: “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.”

Henry David Thoreau: “Moose…Indian.”

James Joyce: “Does nobody understand?”

[matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll]

26. Oscar Wilde: “Either the wallpaper goes, or I do.” 27. Bob Hope: “Surprise me.” He was responding to his wife asking where he wanted to be buried.

[ellejello]

reblogging because of Voltaire though

[swearysunflower]

“Please, bring me a toothpick”

[phantity]

I’m quite disappointed that my absolute favourite has been missed off here: 28. Roald Dahl’s last words are commonly believed to be “you know, I’m not frightened. It’s just that I will miss you all so much!” which are the perfect last words. But, after he appeared to fall unconscious, a nurse injected him with morphine to ease his passing. His actual last words were a whispered “ow, fuck”

[lira-mira-deactivated20180126]

Oscar Wilde: “Either the wallpaper goes or I do”

Evidently, the wallpaper stayed