ren-ata

[yoursummerafternoon]

damn im like the pettiest person i know and im not proud of it

[goro-goro-studies]

some uni tips for shy people (like me)

when going out/attending events, make sure you don’t sit at the corner of the table. It might seem tempting as you can leave easily from that position, but if you aren’t the type of person who’s making themselves the center of the conversation, you’re likely to get left out there

if you aren’t comfortable with your flat-/roommate(s), it’s fine to keep the interaction at a minimum. Honestly, getting along well with your flatmates is nice, but it’s the cherry on top - as long as you do your share of the housework, 99% of people probably won’t mind if you don’t want to interact with them a lot

you will find the right people, don’t stress yourself out

there’s absolutely no shame in going somewhere alone - this isn’t highschool, you don’t have to be surrounded by frinds all the time, so if you want to check out that new cafe, just do it on your own if you feel like it

in seminars and other types of classes where participation is important: try to contribute, but don’t stress yourself out over it. Quantity<quality, it’s better to say one constructive thing every two weeks than to raise your hand five times in every class without actually having something to say

you don’t have to attend any uni events if it makes you uncomfortable, but it’s worth keeping in mind that there aren’t just parties, but also movie nights, poetry slams, reading clubs… my university even has a knitting club (Hello Knitty lol) where you can learn the basics, share designs, drink coffee and knit together, so honestly: there’s probably something for you, too, so keep an eye open for that!

it’s always fine to ask for help, chances are the other person has been in your situation before and can give you good advice!

in general: enjoy your time at uni as much as you can, it will be over before you know it

These are some things I found out over the course of my first three semesters - feel free to add to the list!

[yoursummerafternoon]

wow i just realized number one is so true? sitting at the corner is my favorite and i definitely get left out Very Often

[huffleporg]

I do legitimately envy those who can confidently say, “I’m going to study at the library because I’m much more productive there than I am at home.”

I’m all just like, “Damn, I could be in a white, padded cell with my eyes open Clockwork Orange-style and still find a way to distract myself.”

[yoursummerafternoon]

srsly though like yes no particular place can stop my from willfully distracting myself

[overshadower-deactivated2026010]

How I am making the best of my education!

I see lots of people asking how to be successful in college. I thought I’d make a post to throw everyone my 2 cents–though no one asked for it. It’s free money though. Who doesn’t want it?

1) Figure out your learning style. If you google VARK learning profile, there’s a great quiz you can take with study techniques based on your results. We actually use this quiz at the tutoring center at my college. You’d be surprised how many students come specifically for help figuring out how to study.

2) Keep a planner. Or a bullet journal. Or use google calendar. I even know someone who carries around a full size 18 month calendar folded up in her backpack (and she’s a professor). Just find something and WRITE EVERY SINGLE ASSIGNMENT DOWN IN IT. EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU’LL REMEMBER IT, THERE’S A CHANCE YOU WON’T. DON’T TAKE THAT CHANCE.

3) Try to make a personal timetable and stick to it! This kind of goes along with the planner point, but it is different. It takes lots of discipline to block off and actually study during study times, but you’ll be thanking yourself later when you’ve finished your homework and can actually get to bed at a reasonable hour. In addition to studying, homework, and classes; also block off time for eating, possible times for napping (if you take them), and extracurriculars. If you can’t find adequate time for things, maybe you should consider dropping a class or an activity for the semester.

4) Make a to-do list every day. I personally use sticky notes and stick them to the page of my planner. This helps me remember things that are school related, but also other things, like appointments, social gatherings, research stuff, and family events (since I live at home and commute to school). Yeah, it’s important to remember school stuff, but the other stuff you’ve gotta get done, like laundry and social time, is JUST AS IMPORTANT.

5) Don’t neglect your health! I cannot stress this point enough!! If you aren’t eating enough, sleeping enough, or spending enough time relaxing, you will burn out very very quickly. You think it won’t happen to you, but it will. I thought I was immune to burnout, but after a month of intermittent and inadequate sleep and nutrition–I really figured out that I was SO wrong. I ended up missing an entire day of class towards the end of the semester (plus missed a lab the next day because my professor sent me home) because I just couldn’t make myself do any more stuff. It could have been much worse, but I was lucky. I used those days to rest up and returned to my classes ready to finish out the semester strong. College is hard enough to do with no mental health conditions. If you have one, and even if you don’t, be extra sure that you are taking care of yourself. YOU come before EVERYTHING ELSE. Nothing is more important than you. If you have to, ask people to check up on you. Ask a friend to check in with you, or your RA, or even your parents. They won’t mind. Your RA really does want to help you.

6) Study smart, not hard. Sometimes, studying just isn’t worth it. If it’s been half an hour and you just CANNOT FOCUS and feel like you’ve learned nothing: go outside, do some homework, do some laundry, or even just switch the topic you’re studying. If you’re trying to study the right way and you can’t make yourself do it, just find something else productive to do. Come back in another 15 minutes and try again. It happens to all of us. Also, if you’re studying for hours at a time with no breaks, it leads to burnout super quick. I have friends who do that and I don’t understand why. They’re so miserable about studying. It doesn’t have to be terrible! If you take the 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off approach, studying becomes less terrible, because you know there’s an end in sight. Plus, the 5 minutes off gives your brain a little time to process what you’re learning. That said, try to study what you learned in class that day a few hours after class. Material is so much easier to learn this way! Don’t save it for the night before your exam. Cramming rarely helps. Don’t let other people fool you–studying doesn’t have to be something out of your worst nightmare.

7) Find professors who inspire you. I always love a subject more when the professor makes it exciting. Luckily in college, it’s a lot easier to find those kinds of teachers–those who genuinely love what they do. I never would have gotten interested in math without my stats professor (who actually taught me how to integrate, bless her heart), and my proofs professor, who basically let me live in her office last semester (i.e. I like doing my homework with help 5 feet away because I always have so many questions). Find the professors who want to help you. They exist.  

8) Make connections with them! Show up to office hours. Ask them questions you had from lecture. If it’s not a rushed, busy time for them, ask how they got interested in their subject; ask them about what they study–they’ll totally explain it to you like you’re a 5 year old, so don’t worry. In my experience, I have found that professors really like to connect with students. Maybe I’ve just been really lucky. Making connections is easier to do at a smaller school, or within a smaller major–but you never know what will come out of a few questions! Maybe you’ll find a research advisor, or someone you could TA for. I am friendly (and even friends) with so many of my professors just because I’m a curious person. I ask them questions about their experiences in academia, and just general stuff (believe it or not, the decorations they have in their office often lead to some cool conversations). In turn, they’re usually curious about me too. They ask me about what I’m interested in, if I need a reference letter for anything, and even just about my life in general. I know I can ask them for advice on applying to grad school, any problems I’m having with lecture material, and sometimes even general advice. For me, it’s just comforting to know that I have some people on my side who have been through college (especially if you’re like me and 17 or 18, fresh out of high school). Also, they know what you should do if you accidentally miss a final exam (like I did my first semester).

9) This is for all my math, science, tech, and engineering people out there–and people taking those classes! It also applies to other majors to maybe not as great an extent. Don’t get frustrated if you come across a problem you can’t solve.  If you can’t figure it out and have spent a chunk of time on it, move on and go back to it at the end. If you still can’t quite get it, try to go to office hours for help! You are not stupid for not being able to arrive at an answer. When you can’t figure something out, you might just be missing the most crucial piece of the puzzle you need to solve it! Don’t think “Wow I’m such an idiot” (don’t be like me basically), think “what am I missing here?” Think about it. See if you arrive at any conclusions. If not, go find someone to help you. If you find that you’re struggling with a majority of the questions, consider getting a tutor. Tutoring should be offered by your school for either very little or no charge at all. Take advantage! Tutors don’t know everything, but they sure can get your thought process on the right track! I’m a tutor and believe me–it really does help.

10) Find study buddies! My study buddies have become my best friends. We all share a love of biology, and it really brings us together. We love hiking together, and commiserating when it feels necessary. Plus, we make studying fun! If you have trouble making friends (I know I really struggle), start a study group. It’s really a great way to make connections with other people in your major, or even people outside your major.

I hope this helps! Good luck in the fall to any of you kids who are just starting college–and happy studying!

[shelbys-advice-blog]

I want to live by myself when I move out of my parent's place but I'm really afraid of money problems? I'm afraid that the only place I can afford will be in the ghetto and it'll all be torn apart and I'll only be allowed to eat one granola bar a week. I'm really stressing out about this. I don't know anything about after school life. I don't know anything about paying bills or how to buy an apartment and it's really scaring me. is there anything you know that can help me?

HI darling,

I’ve actually got a super wonderful masterpost for you to check out:

Home

what the hell is a mortgage?

first apartment essentials checklist

how to care for cacti and succulents

the care and keeping of plants

Getting an apartment

Money

earn rewards by taking polls

how to coupon

what to do when you can’t pay your bills

see if you’re paying too much for your cell phone bill

how to save money

How to Balance a Check Book

How to do Your Own Taxes

Health

how to take care of yourself when you’re sick

things to bring to a doctor’s appointment

how to get free therapy

what to expect from your first gynecologist appointment

how to make a doctor’s appointment

how to pick a health insurance plan

how to avoid a hangover

a list of stress relievers

how to remove a splinter

Emergency

what to do if you get pulled over by a cop

a list of hotlines in a crisis

things to keep in your car in case of an emergency

how to do the heimlich maneuver

Job

time management

create a resume

find the right career

how to pick a major

how to avoid a hangover

how to interview for a job

how to stop procrastinating

How to write cover letters

Travel

ULTIMATE PACKING LIST

Traveling for Cheap

Travel Accessories

The Best Way to Pack a Suitcase

How To Read A Map

How to Apply For A Passport

How to Make A Travel Budget

Better You

read the news

leave your childhood traumas behind

how to quit smoking

how to knit

how to stop biting your nails

how to stop procrastinating

how to stop skipping breakfast

how to stop micromanaging

how to stop avoiding asking for help

how to stop swearing constantly

how to stop being a pushover

learn another language

how to improve your self-esteem

how to sew

learn how to embroider

how to love yourself

100 tips for life

Apartments/Houses/Moving

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 1: Are You Sure? (The Responsible One)

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 2: Finding the Damn Apartment (The Responsible One)

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 3: Questions to Ask about the Damn Apartment (The Responsible One)

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 4: Packing and Moving All of Your Shit (The Responsible One)

How to Protect Your Home Against Break-Ins (The Responsible One)

Education

How to Find a Fucking College (The Sudden Adult)

How to Find Some Fucking Money for College (The Sudden Adult)

What to Do When You Can’t Afford Your #1 Post-Secondary School (The Sudden Adult)

Stop Shitting on Community College Kids (Why Community College is Fucking Awesome) (The Responsible One)

How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter (The Responsible One)

How to Choose a College Major (The Sudden Adult)

Finances

How to Write a Goddamn Check (The Responsible One)

How to Convince Credit Companies You’re Not a Worthless Bag of Shit (The Responsible One)

Debit vs Credit (The Responsible One)

What to Do if Your Wallet is Stolen/Lost (The Sudden Adult)

Budgeting 101 (The Responsible One)

Important Tax Links to Know (The Responsible One)

How to Choose a Bank Without Screwing Yourself (The Responsible One)

Job Hunting

How to Write a Resume Like a Boss (The Responsible One)

How to Write a Cover Letter Someone Will Actually Read (The Responsible One)

How to Handle a Phone Interview without Fucking Up (The Responsible One)

10 Sites to Start Your Job Search (The Responsible One)

Life Skills

Staying in Touch with Friends/Family (The Sudden Adult)

Bar Etiquette (The Sudden Adult)

What to Do After a Car Accident (The Sudden Adult)

Grow Up and Buy Your Own Groceries (The Responsible One)

How to Survive Plane Trips (The Sudden Adult)

How to Make a List of Goals (The Responsible One)

How to Stop Whining and Make a Damn Appointment (The Responsible One)

Miscellaneous

What to Expect from the Hell that is Jury Duty (The Responsible One)

Relationships

Marriage: What the Fuck Does It Mean and How the Hell Do I Know When I’m Ready? (Guest post - The Northwest Adult)

How Fucked Are You for Moving In with Your Significant Other: An Interview with an Actual Real-Life Couple Living Together™ (mintypineapple  and catastrofries)

Travel & Vehicles

How to Winterize Your Piece of Shit Vehicle (The Responsible One)

How to Make Public Transportation Your Bitch (The Responsible One)

Other Blog Features

Apps for Asshats

Harsh Truths & Bitter Reminders

Asks I’ll Probably Need to Refer People to Later

Apartments (or Life Skills) - How Not to Live in Filth (The Sudden Adult)

Finances - Tax Basics (The Responsible One)

Important Documents - How to Get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate (The Responsible One)

Important Documents - How to Get a Replacement ID (The Responsible One)

Health - How to Deal with a Chemical Burn (The Responsible One)

Job Hunting - List of Jobs Based on Social Interaction Levels (The Sudden Adult)

Job Hunting - How to Avoid Falling into a Pit of Despair While Job Hunting (The Responsible One)

Job Hunting - Questions to Ask in an Interview (The Responsible One)

Life Skills - First-Time Flying Tips (The Sudden Adult)

Life Skills - How to Ask a Good Question (The Responsible One)

Life Skills - Reasons to Take a Foreign Language (The Responsible One)

Life Skills - Opening a Bar Tab (The Sudden Adult)

Relationships - Long Distance Relationships: How to Stay in Contact (The Responsible One)

Adult Cheat Sheet:

what to do if your pet gets lost

removing stains from your carpet

how to know if you’re eligible for food stamps

throwing a dinner party

i’m pregnant, now what?

first aid tools to keep in your house

how to keep a clean kitchen

learning how to become independent from your parents

job interview tips

opening your first bank account

what to do if you lose your wallet

tips for cheap furniture

easy ways to cut your spending

selecting the right tires for your car

taking out your first loan

picking out the right credit card

how to get out of parking tickets

how to fix a leaky faucet

get all of your news in one place

getting rid of mice & rats in your house

when to go to the e.r.

buying your first home

how to buy your first stocks

guide to brewing coffee

first apartment essentials checklist

coping with a job you hate

30 books to read before you’re 30

what’s the deal with retirement?

difference between insurances

Once you’ve looked over all those cool links, I have some general advice for you on how you can have some sort of support system going for you:

Reasons to move out of home

You may decide to leave home for many different reasons, including:

wishing to live independently

location difficulties – for example, the need to move closer to university

conflict with your parents

being asked to leave by your parents.

Issues to consider when moving out of home

It’s common to be a little unsure when you make a decision like leaving home. You may choose to move, but find that you face problems you didn’t anticipate, such as:

Unreadiness – you may find you are not quite ready to handle all the responsibilities.

Money worries – bills including rent, utilities like gas and electricity and the cost of groceries may catch you by surprise, especially if you are used to your parents providing for everything. Debt may become an issue.

Flatmate problems – issues such as paying bills on time, sharing housework equally, friends who never pay board, but stay anyway, and lifestyle incompatibilities (such as a non-drug-user flatting with a drug user) may result in hostilities and arguments.

Your parents may be worried

Think about how your parents may be feeling and talk with them if they are worried about you. Most parents want their children to be happy and independent, but they might be concerned about a lot of different things. For example:

They may worry that you are not ready.

They may be sad because they will miss you.

They may think you shouldn’t leave home until you are married or have bought a house.

They may be concerned about the people you have chosen to live with.

Reassure your parents that you will keep in touch and visit regularly. Try to leave on a positive note. Hopefully, they are happy about your plans and support your decision.

Tips for a successful move

Tips include:

Don’t make a rash decision – consider the situation carefully. Are you ready to live independently? Do you make enough money to support yourself? Are you moving out for the right reasons?

Draw up a realistic budget – don’t forget to include ‘hidden’ expenses such as the property’s security deposit or bond (usually four weeks’ rent), connection fees for utilities, and home and contents insurance.

Communicate – avoid misunderstandings, hostilities and arguments by talking openly and respectfully about your concerns with flatmates and parents. Make sure you’re open to their point of view too – getting along is a two-way street.

Keep in touch – talk to your parents about regular home visits: for example, having Sunday night dinner together every week.

Work out acceptable behaviour – if your parents don’t like your flatmate(s), find out why. It is usually the behaviour rather than the person that causes offence (for example, swearing or smoking). Out of respect for your parents, ask your flatmate(s) to be on their best behaviour when your parents visit and do the same for them.

Ask for help – if things are becoming difficult, don’t be too proud to ask your parents for help. They have a lot of life experience.

If your family home does not provide support

Not everyone who leaves home can return home or ask their parents for help in times of trouble. If you have been thrown out of home or left home to escape abuse or conflict, you may be too young or unprepared to cope.

If you are a fostered child, you will have to leave the state-care system when you turn 18, but you may not be ready to make the sudden transition to independence.

If you need support, help is available from a range of community and government organisations. Assistance includes emergency accommodation and food vouchers. If you can’t call your parents or foster parents, call one of the associations below for information, advice and assistance.

Where to get help

Your doctor

Kids Helpline Tel. [phone]

Lifeline Tel. 13 11 44

Home Ground Services Tel. [phone]

Relationships Australia Tel. [phone]

Centrelink Crisis or Special Help Tel. 13 28 50

Tenants Union of Victoria Tel. [phone]

Things to remember

Try to solve any problems before you leave home. Don’t leave because of a fight or other family difficulty if you can possibly avoid it.

Draw up a realistic budget that includes ‘hidden’ expenses, such as bond, connection fees for utilities, and home and contents insurance.

Remember that you can get help from a range of community and government organizations. 

(source)

Keep me updated? xx

[brihann-deactivated20220622]

Reblogging for myself

[bridgyrose]

reblogging for those that follow me that may be starting to move out

[yoursummerafternoon]

just in case...

[glowdetails]

details, bora aksu spring 2021 rtw

[yoursummerafternoon]

another uni orientation task: mendefinisikan peran

Saya tidak punya mimpi besar. Saya tidak punya inovasi canggih yang ingin ditemukan, misteri dunia yang ingin dipecahkan, pertanyaan eksistensial yang ingin dijawab. Saya tidak ingin jadi miliuner, atau triliuner, atau orang terkenal yang muncul di televisi. Saya tidak mau jadi presiden, atau ilmuwan terkenal. Saya cuma mau jadi saya, tumbuh dewasa dan mungkin jadi budak korporat dengan gaji biasa-biasa saja dan tidak dikenal siapa-siapa.

Nama saya Renata, lahir 1 Juni 2002. Saya anak sulung dari dua bersaudara, dan seperti semua anak sulung lainnya, saya dibesarkan dengan ekspektasi dan harapan-harapan keluarga. Namun untungnya keluarga saya keluarga yang biasa-biasa saja, jadi tidak ada yang berekspektasi saya jadi orang yang luar biasa. Buat orangtua saya, bahwa saya mengusahakan yang terbaik setiap harinya sudah mengabulkan harapan-harapan mereka, jadi untungnya saya tidak diharapkan jadi presiden atau semacamnya.

Saya orang yang biasa-biasa saja, tidak ada hobi keren atau bakat yang menarik. Dulu saya mengira saya tidak punya pelajaran favorit karena saya berbakat dalam semua pelajaran, tetapi kelamaan saya sadar saya justru medioker dalam semuanya dan tidak punya spesialisasi apapun. Jika ada hal yang saya pandai di dalamnya, mungkin hal itu adalah melaksanakan kewajiban dan menaati peraturan, dan itu membuat saya jadi orang yang sungguh membosankan, tapi saya senang-senang saja dan tidak mau jadi orang lain.

Saya punya obsesi kecil dengan jadwal dan sistem. Saya tidak suka saat hal-hal muncul dengan tidak terduga – jika saya bisa memilih, saya ingin tahu bagaimana hal-hal akan terjadi dari tujuh hari sebelumnya. Hari kerja dan tidak termasuk tanggal merah nasional. Makanya saya cenderung kaku, dan tidak suka mencoba hal-hal baru, tetapi hal ini sedang coba saya ubah. Misalnya, ya, kuliah ke ke Bandung sini. Kalau saya terus-terusan berada di zona aman, pasti sekarang saya kuliah di kota saya tinggal, jurusan ilmu dan teknologi pangan, tempat ayah saya kuliah dan ibu saya kuliah dan ayah saya mengajar sekarang.

Saya bukan orang yang paling pandai dalam berteman (apalagi, ya, secara online). Namun saya loyal dengan teman-teman saya, dan saya peduli dengan setiap hal kecil yang terjadi dalam hidup mereka. Mungkin itu hikmahnya saya tidak punya banyak sekali teman, karena nanti saya jadi peduli terlalu banyak hal. Tetapi meski saya tidak berteman dengan beribu-ribu orang, saya dikenal ramah dengan semua orang. Hanya saja saya memilih untuk memercayakan cerita-cerita dan keluhan-keluhan eksistensial saya ke orang-orang terdekat saja.

Selain peduli dengan teman-teman saya, dari dulu saya peduli dengan ilmu, dan bagaimana ilmu bisa mengubah hidup orang-orang. Saya bukan yang paling pintar, tapi saya sadar ada banyak jendela yang bisa dibuka dan banyak hal yang bisa diubah jika kita mau belajar. Bahkan saat cita-cita orang bukan jadi saintis dan tidak ada niatan menjadi insan akademik, ilmu tetap, pada taraf terkecilnya, adalah alat tukar yang baik dalam kehidupan.

Saya percaya semua orang pantas punya kesempatan belajar. Mungkin perguruan tinggi bukan pilihan semua orang, tetapi sekadar pendidikan dasar sudah seharusnya menjadi hak. Dengan dibekali pendidikan dasar dan keinginan untuk belajar, akan banyak pintu yang terbuka.

Saya tidak bisa banyak hal, tetapi saya bisa mengajar. Saya senang melihat kelipan mata orang-orang saat mereka sadar mereka sudah mempelajari hal baru. Saya senang menyaksikan kekaguman anak-anak pada fakta-fakta menarik dari belahan dunia yang lain. Saya senang mengajak orang untuk menyadari bahwa ada dunia yang lebih besar dari gelembung kecil yang kita tinggali, bahwa sesungguhnya kita hanya partikel kecil alam semesta dan bahkan saat dunia kecil kita masing-masing runtuh sekalipun, bumi tetap berputar dan matahari terbit setiap harinya.

Saya cuma punya mimpi kecil: saya ingin membantu orang-orang di sekitar saya. Dan saya percaya, tidak perlu jadi orang besar untuk melakukan itu. Karena saya tidak punya otot kuat atau uang banyak, saya ingin membantu dengan apa yang saya punya. Saya punya sedikit ilmu, dan saya ingin mengajar. Mungkin sudah ada banyak orang  yang bisa melakukan apa yang ingin saya lakukan; apa yang ingin saya lakukan tidak berbeda, baru, maupun unik. Apa yang saya lakukan juga tidak akan membuat saya pintar, kaya, atau terkenal. Tetapi saya percaya kalau yang dibutuhkan dunia bukan cuma orang pintar dan orang kaya dan orang terkenal; ada tempat untuk orang seperti saya yang biasa-biasa saja dan ingin membantu dengan cara yang biasa-biasa saja. Tidak ada bantuan yang terlalu kecil. Karena bantuan yang terkecil sekalipun, kalau dilakukan dengan tulus, akan membuat setidaknya satu orang bahagia, dan itu sudah cukup bagi saya.

[yoursummerafternoon]

what i learned during first week of uni

[disclaimer: this is my personal reflection, not intended as a piece of advice for anyone]

it hasn’t been a full week, actually. today is thursday and we have no classes but we still have class tomorrow. yet i think too much shit has gone down in such short time and it’s probably time for some reevaluation.

i think the biggest issue is still that i’m bad at allowing myself to take rest. i have realized the importance, yet practicing it is a whole other skill i need to learn. i should learn how to let go and unwind when i find myself tired at 8 pm instead of beating myself up for not doing enough for the day, forcing myself to stay up for another hour and ending up falling asleep, lights on and no nighttime routine whatsoever, then waking up all restless at 2am to turn off the lights and go back to sleep to get up for the day with same level of refreshment i would have if only slept an hour. i should learn to let go and put off my studying during unproductive hours instead of forcing myself to do it and get stuck in the instagram-scrolling cycle then beat myself up for it. and all the other things.

time management is also an issue. i finally discovered the obvious truth that schedules are a waste of time when you don’t actually follow them. making them can be fun, especially with all the colors and the hopes of being super-productive, but committing to them usually aren’t even half the fun.

there are other small yet impactful issues, too. so here are the things i think i should remember the upcoming uni weeks:

- commit to your schedule. commit to every bits of it, even the breaks. breaks will feel more rewarding when you’re not stealing bits of it every few minutes throughout your working time. and you will feel less tempted to steal short breaks when you have a real, rewarding break ahead of you. doesn’t it seem like a goddamn cycle??

- do analog breaks instead of digital ones. when it’s time for your breaks, put away the gadgets and get some fresh air. if you stare at the screen all the time, it would be hard to find balance between your breaks and your productive screen time because your breaks aren’t done properly

- keep yourself busy, then give yourself rewards. we both know that instagram-scrolling is neither productive or relaxing. it’s simply what we do to get away from the things we’re actually supposed to do. keep it mind; if you avoid getting on social media every two seconds, you’ll probably have enough time to rewatch a feel-good movie tonight.

- go to bed when you’re tired, why is that so hard to do???????????

- understand the studying strategies that work best for you. remember that it’s unlikely for you to finish any brainwork during the afternoon. so use the time to finish the other things on your todo list (yes, always keep yourself occupied, otherwise you’ll end up with not-so-nice thoughts about yourself). remember that class discussions don’t work for you, so find other things to do during it

- remember to do previews and reviews, always. you do not know whether you will have enough time to study nearing the exam weeks. emphasis on the preview, you know you can’t survive a class without reading the materials beforehand.

- allow yourself to slip off the schedule every now and then. what i mean is not to do it intentionally, but when it happens (because it IS going to happen), don’t beat yourself up over it. we can’t be on track 24/7. forgive yourself and get back up again

- have a purpose. i haven’t found one, and this should be sorted out asap i guess.

[taylorswift]

Yeah I showed up at your party...then made a thematic album chapter about it 😄

Taylor Swift - folklore: the yeah I showed up at your party chapter

Listen to folklore: the yeah I showed up at your party chapter by Taylor Swift.

[yoursummerafternoon]

this is probably my favorite chapter off the album

[yoursummerafternoon]

a VUCA analysis: intellectual rights in the new age of internet

(this is a task for uni orientation)

violation of intellectual rights -- from the most “casual” bad deed like streaming movies illegally to the actual serious issues like plagiarism of scientific works -- is not a new problem. yet it has been getting worse, and the worst thing about it is that the worse it gets, the less people see it as a problem.

why i identify this issue as needing a VUCA analysis is simply because it fulfils the aspects. first of all, violation of intellectual rights in this new age has a very great deal of ambiguity. most of us must have heard about the fights between small artists and big companies, business owned by minorities and giant corporates, about which design is owned by which. or the internet going crazy every now and then about this artist copying the music of that other artist. or cases as simple as a teacher accusing her student of plagiarizing content for a given homework. with the development of technology, it is so easy to take inspiration from whatever piece of info we find on the internet, and most of the time, there’s only a very fine line between stealing a design and finding inspiration in it. the rules aren’t really clear, especially for the commons that we are.

the issue is also volatile because it is hard to control the violations of intellectual rights when basically everything is flowing freely on the net. you can take down hundreds of illegal streaming sites and the same amount will pop up again in matter of days (if you’re indonesian, you maybe remember the case with indoxxi). millions of illegal book copies are circulating, either via torrent or those places like libgen or even being casually sold on e-commerce sites. and for plagiarism, the wide variety of sites to copy from is definitely a big temptation for students when they are racing with deadlines. and so, the issue is also complex. it’s not just about shutting down sites or banning plagiarism, it’s also about educating the masses about which actions are considered as violations of intellectual rights. the reality is that a lot of the violators never even realize that they’re breaking any rules whatsoever. illegal movie streaming, app cracks, leaked music tracks, book copies sold as pdfs with none of the price ending up in the writer’s bank account. they are so all over the internet, so massive, that they have become normalized. and the community is so unaware, so clueless that what they have been doing is clearly illegal. one of the reason why this attitude is so normalized, especially in our nation, whether we like it or not is admittedly the fact that the lower-class society can’t afford the entertainment they used to get for free -- though illegally. it does not justify the action, but it plays part as one of a factor.

with all the reasoning above, we can also see that it is very uncertain when, or even whether at all this issue would come to a solution. greed is human nature, and there will always be people who seek advantage from others’ misfortune. as long as we try to solve this issue with traditional ways, there will be no putting end to it.

therefore, as one of a VUCA issues, the violation of intellectual rights in this new, modernized age of internet requires a re-thought-about solution. it requires strategy and definitely, cooperation from all parties. educating the masses and therefore ensuring that demand is low, then we can step ahead to erasing the supply altogether.

however, like all big issues, we can start small, and we can start from our own tiny selves. be aware of intellectual rights, and take part in protecting them -- which can be as simple as including citations in your research project.

[profeminist]

“It’s 2019. Can we all now please stop saying “climate change” and instead call it what it is: climate breakdown, climate crisis, climate emergency, ecological breakdown, ecological crisis and ecological emergency? #ClimateBreakdown #EcologicalBreakdown”

-  Greta Thunberg‏

[yoursummerafternoon]

so much crisis hit me it got me questioning like is this a puberty thing or is it a human being thing so i gotta deal with it forever?

[mxsiclyrics]

Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars

[culturenlifestyle]

Enchanting Bookworm Inspired Digital Illustrations by Simini Blocker

NYC based illustrator Simini Blocker understands the enchanting world bookworms revel in. From Hogwarts to Neverland or King’s Landing, Blocker captures the spellbinding imaginative realms literature has introduced to us with vibrant colours, gorgeous brushstrokes and fitting quotes from our favourite authors. You can find her gorgeous illustrations on Society6 and Etsy.

View similar posts here!

Keep reading

[yoursummerafternoon]

i love these so much

[wordsnquotes]

Can’t Adult Today | Get Yours Here

[yoursummerafternoon]

eeeeverrryyydayyyy

[fyp-psychology]

Eight Ways to Remember Anything by Alex Lickerman M.D.

Reference: Research-based strategies to boost your memory and keep it strong via psychology today

[penfullofslime]

Listen up horror/murder writers! You keep on using inaccurate facts when you’re writing and it’s pissing me off!!

1. Chloroform A: the most common inaccurately written tool.

The Problem- We’ve all heard of it and we all know that with a few sniffs the victim will be knocked out, right? WRONG.

The Reality- Chloroform isn’t some miracle drug; it’s kinda fast acting, but it still takes ~5 minutes to actually work. 5 fricking minutes of holding the chloroform soaked cloth in the proper position while the victim is punching and kicking and fighting. Tl;dr IT’S NOT QUICK AND EASY!

2. Chloroform B: Hahaha I’m not done ranting about it yet, because this stupid drug has another flaw!

The Problem- A character drugs someone, actually manages to knock them out with the chloroform, and now they’re doing whatever with the unconscious victim. Most commonly kidnapping them. Hours later, the victim awakes tied up in a warehouse or something. They scream, it’s scary, it’s INCORRECT.

The Reality- A character manages to knock someone out with chloroform. Let’s say it took 5 minutes. Whelp, the character now has around 5 minutes until their victim regains consciousness! Chloroform not only takes time to work, but it also only knocks people out for a time equivalent to how long they were breathing it. It’s “fast” acting and very fast wearing off. You want the character to hold it over their face after their victim has passed out in order to prolong the effect? If you wanna severely increase the risk of brain damage and death, then go for it! If you want an unharmed unconscious victim, however, then you’ll need to find a different drug.

3. Strangulation: Ugghhhh this one really bugs me because I’ve only seen it done correctly a few times.

The Problem- A character puts a bag over the victim’s face (Or just chokes them. Really this happens with all forms), and after the victim passes out they’re determined to be dead.

The Reality: Noooo they are NOT dead yet! They are passed out! Adult humans to have their air cut off for AT LEAST 3-4 full minutes for the brain to even start dying! Keep your characters strangling until the pulse has disappeared and definitely isn’t coming back.

4. Knives: I was so steamed by this one that I literally risked self injury just to prove my point lmao.

The Problem- Writers seem to enjoy gentle mutilation, and honestly, I get it. A bit of fluff to even out the gore can be nice… when it’s done right. There is no “I gently ran the knife along their skin, reveling in the red beads of blood that dribbled up.”

The Reality- A knife “gently” run across the skin isn’t going to do shit. Seriously. I grabbed a freshly sharpened, never used razor blade and after softly attempting to cut myself, I didn’t even leave a scratch, let alone draw blood. A sharp knife can’t do any damage unless you actually apply pressure!!

5. Mind Control: A'ight, the kind of mind control you often see in media isn’t real or possible, but there’s still a way you can screw up writing it.

The Problem- It’s way, way too common for me to read something along the lines of “they wanted to break free and turn away, but they found they couldn’t care enough to do so.”

The Reality- Basically, when you write this, you’re saying they want to do something but at the same time don’t *really* want to or care to do it. This oxymoron is nonsensical, and despite knowing that the writer says this to make the scene more dramatic, all it accomplishes (at least for me) is drawing the reader’s focus away from the story and to the strange way it was written.

6. Duct Tape A: A very inefficient way to shut people up.

The Problem- when writing about kidnapping, it seems a lot of writers believe duct tape is the Go To™ way to shut the victim up. Have you ever had your mouth taped shut? For most writers I’ve seen, the answer is, quite obviously, no.

The Reality- Lemme tell you that 99% of people have tongues, and there is no duct tape in the world strong enough to prevent the victim from sticking out their tongue, wetting the tape, then simply opening their mouth to rip it off. It’s literally so easy to get duct tape off your mouth!! If you still insist on using duct tape to shut the victim up, then have the aggressor wrap that tape around their entire head. Multiple times to be safe. If it goes all the way around, then chances are not only will it be 100x harder to get out of, but they aren’t going to even want to get it off since it’s sticking to their hair as well.

7. Duct Tape B: Admittedly I’ve only ever seen this situation used once, but it was done WRONG so I figured I’d add it in to fix that 100% fail rate lol.

The Problem- a certain favorite game of mine had the aggressor place 2 pieces of duct tape over the main characters face; one piece over the mouth and another over their nose. The purpose was to cut off the main character’s ability to breathe.

The Reality- I wasted multiple pieces of duct tape and could never get it lined up so that it completely blocked off all air. I’m sure using the solution from Duct Tape 1 you could eventually get it to work, but simply sticking two pieces of tape over your breathing holes is not going to suffocate you in 99% of scenarios.

8. Drugs: Whether it’s for kidnapping, murder, torture, or whatever else an aggressor is doing, a lot of writers will include the use of drugs as a means to an end; in many cases said drug is injected while the main character is alone, and they pass out practically instantaneously.

The Problem- This isn’t really a big deal because I know there are indeed fast, nearly immediately acting drugs in existence. The problem I have with this is trope is the type of drug used is never specified because such efficient methods are really hard to obtain unless you’re specifically working with them for your job.

The Reality- Seriously, if you look up fast acting drugs (besides chloroform), the best you’re gonna find is stuff that takes a minimum of like 15 minutes to have any sort of effect. Sure, the aggressor could have designed their own concoction, but then how can they guarantee that it won’t be deadly? It all just seems like a really sketchy and half baked idea, especially if the aggressor has zero knowledge about chemistry, pharmacology, and/or biology.

9. Open Your Mouth: Often used on little kids who don’t want to take their medicine, but kidnappers, abusers, etc have been shown doing it to. The victim will be refusing to open their mouth because they don’t want to ingest medicine or whatever, so the antagonist will holds their nose, stating “you can’t hold your breath forever” or some threatening phrase like that until eventually the victim concedes, opening wide to take a breath and inadvertently allowing the antagonist access to their mouth/throat.

The Problem- You don’t need to open your mouth super wide to breath. Seriously, usually only a child will lack enough common sense to actually fall victim to this “trap.”

The Reality- Try this at home! Close your mouth, hold your nose, and try to breathe through a tiny slit in between your lips. If you purse your lips just right, a person shouldn’t be able to tell your mouth is open at all! Sure your breathing may be a bit more shallow, but it’s still better than getting forcefully drugged!

10. Inject Air Between the Toes: Evade forensic detection by injecting air between a victim’s toes! Many drug addicts inject themselves there so it won’t seem as suspicious, it’s air so there’s nothing to detect in the body, and the body will die after a few hours from an air embolism resulting in heart attack, stroke, or respiratory failure. What could go wrong?

The Problem: No matter how simple this murder method seems, there’s way too many possible ways it could go wrong for it to be considered an effective and viable murder method.

The Reality: Not only is it just based on “luck” that the venous/arterial embolism will actually travel to the right place to cause death, but it has to be more than just a little air to even cause damage. On top of that, the idea that you’re “hiding” the obviousness of an injection is only effective if the victim is already a drug user. Forensic scientists look for causes of death, and though it’s small a single syringe pinprick in a person who doesn’t do drugs would probably be cause for extreme suspicion.

[yoursummerafternoon]

would i need this