Somehow I Got 95/20 On An Assignment

Tips For The New Semester

I. Time Management

Use your planner to map out your weeks

Remember to study smarter not harder

Check your emails before each class

If class is cancelled then use the time to study/review for that class

Take a 5 min break after each assignment to avoid distractions

Break up projects into smaller parts to avoid doing it all at the last minute

If you feel burned out or unmotivated then do one assignment or use the 5 min rule

II. Studying and Learning

Be present in the moment

Actually make the effort and go to class (biggest goal for me)

Turn off your phone while studying

Write notes on the reading before class and add to notes during class

Study in a place with no distractions

Do your own homework

don’t copy other’s homework answers esp. if you don’t understand the topic

Make practice tests for yourself

Always do the extra credit

Go to the tutoring center if you need help

Talk to your classmates and make study groups

Go to your professor’s office hours for help

III. Treat Yourself

Sleep at least 6 hours every day (2nd most important goal to me)

Don’t cram for tests in one night (causes too much stress)

Find someone you can talk to about stress

Find what motivates you

Go hang out with friends or family at least once a week

Take some time to stretch, take a walk, workout, or meditate everyday

Read something for fun everyday

General School Tips

Stay organized.

Organization is hard for some and easy for others. I recommend having a planner of some sort, a folder, and pencil case, and some sort of system to stay organized.

Have a planner. 

You can use any type of planner. I Personally use a Bullet Journal style system in a dotted journal. But you can use a pre printed planner, your phone, a printable or some other form of planner, its up to you. Just have one and use it, write due dates, test/quiz dates, birthdays, holidays, and even your daily tasks. I wrote my work i got in class down as soon as i got it and if i finished it i crossed it out. I would write down websites and little notes to not forget things also. A place to put all of those random thoughts you have can reduce stress

Turn things in on time. 

This one seems like common sense but I will still address it because I personally know people who never turned things in and still expected the teacher to pass them. You cannot get a grade with out turning things in. If your teachers is fine with you turning it in late than turn it it. Anything is better than a zero in the grade book. 

Ask questions. 

I get it, you think your smart enough or good enough or even afraid to ask questions. But teachers are paid to do just that. Their job is to teach you so if you are having trouble with something ask. Also don’t be afraid to ask a question during class. Raise your hand and ask, someone else may have a similar question, it will make the teachers life easier.

Take breaks.

If you find yourself feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take a break. If you’re at home stand up and walk around, get a drink or something to snack on. Get some air. If you are in class ask to go to the bathroom or to get some water. If you cant leave the room then stretch your arms in front or above you and take some breaths. I found that if I couldn’t focus or was stressed that mindless doodling on a blank page for a bit helped.

Find a study style. 

There are many ways to study. Reading over notes/books, rewriting notes, condensing info onto flash cards, quizlet, or using memory tricks. Just find one that suits your life and try different ones out. Personally I like rewriting my notes when I have the time or I will condense my notes onto a flash card using an erasable pen. The ink erased with heat so I would have a candle on my desk and waved the card over it to erase. I would do this while writing the info over and over again until I memorized it.

Write your info on your stuff. 

If you are prone to leaving things around like I am, write your name, the class, the teacher, the period and the room of the class. If you have a water bottle or something not for a class just put your name and maybe a way to contact you.

Carry a water bottle. 

I would highly recommend you have a bottle, just make sure it follows your schools policies. 

Have just in case stuff. 

When I say just in case I mean things like pain relief, allergy medicine, deodorant, maybe some cough drops, and if you have a period, some spare products. Just have things you may need.

The best thing, Is that even now, when I’ve lost my home, and a few friends, my sense of direction, and my savings. I can still see the joy in life. I can still see the joy in finding an apartment with a small window so my dog can look outside and see when I get come, and the joy in helping my mother arrange empty bottles on her shelf for decorative purposes.  I can see the joy in studying to go back to school, or continuing to go to work. The best thing, is that even though times are tough, I can still see joy in everyday.

Excerpt from a Book I’ll Never Write, Perhaps the Best Thing (via sunflowerletters)

be kind

back to school

i know, i know, i’m a little bit early. it’s all good, i have anxiety, i plan ahead constantly. i figured i’d share some of my plans to prepare myself for heading back to school.

1. fix your sleep schedule

for school i wake up at 6:30, in the summer i wake up at 12. and recently i decided to fuck that up even more by pulling an all-nighter and just, in general, screwing up my sleep schedule. i’ll need about a month to fix all this damage, but in general, you should start reacquainting yourself with your school schedule about two weeks before you have to head back.

2. figure out your note keeping system

i’m switching things up this year, and i won’t be using the binder system i’ve had all throughout high school. it’s simply to heavy for my walk to and from school. instead, i’ll be using a filing folder, and keeping loose leaf paper, as well as the week’s lessons in there, and once the week is over, i’ll transfer my notes to the binder system at home, which should limit the weight i carry. also, this’ll force me to have better organization, and hopefully make weekly review easier. just as a rule of thumb, refreshing your note keeping system is something you should do annually, at the start of a new year or even before a new semester; you know what’s been working and what hasn’t been.

3. gather breakfast ideas

i have about ten minutes scheduled in my morning routine during the school year for breakfast. and about five of those minutes are spent figuring out what to eat. i want to gather simple breakfast ideas that i can test out now, so i don’t waste time deciding what to eat. this just, in general, makes mornings less of a hassle and can help make sure you’re getting a good start to the day.

4. take stock of your supplies

i need a lunchbag and highlighters, my previous ones are no longer able to function, so i need to replace them. i don’t, however, need new pencils, i have plenty. doing an inventory check can really help prevent buying duplicates of something you thought you didn’t have.

5. create achievable goals

this year is my final year of high school, and then i’m off to university, most of my goals centre around applications and just graduating. but there are other things i know i need to do. embracing study habits for one. i’m hoping to do so by staying in the library after school instead of walking home right away because i know i can’t get work done as effectively at home. i’ll also be doing a review for exams all throughout the year, instead of the day before, by creating flashcards and mindmaps for each days lesson. set a general goal, then add the steps you’ll need to take to achieve it.

6. check your courses

i’m dropping out of physics because i don’t need to be taking it and it will give me a spare instead of a full course load. i need to talk to my guidance counsellor before school starts because of it. as well, i like to make sure i’m in the correct classes and that my schedule is as balanced as possible. some schools may not allow this for regular students, mine does. make sure you’re taking what you need to take and what will allow you to succeed.

7. put dates in your planner

my school offers a tentative list of events going on through the year, with set exam and break times. i like to keep track of these, and setting them in my planner makes it easier to see how my year will play out. if your school doesn’t offer this, check out past years scheduling so that you have a general feel for how your year will go.

these are just some of the things i’m doing to ensure this year goes smoothly for me. let me know what y’all are doing too!

the greatest skill a woman can learn for herself is self reliance

A Really Fucking Vulgar Guide to Not Losing Your Shit in College (Condensed Version)

Bitches love to put things into lists. Moreover, bitches love numbered shit. Here’s some numbered shit in list format to help you not suck in higher education. You’re welcome.

1. Go to class. Like 210% serious. I don’t give a shit if you’re a get by on nothing, A+ slacker. You’re fucking paying for this crap so you might as well get the services owed to you. Take your ass to class even if you zone out 99% of the time. You know 1% more than you did when you walked up in there. Congrats, asshole.

2. All that free time you have during your first week of classes? Make it your bitch. Don’t just print the goddamn syllabus and be like all done. No motherfucker. Take a good fucking look at that assignment list. What’s due next week? Yeah, do that shit now bc I know you don’t have anything else to do. Then when you’re coughing up a lung six weeks into the semester and don’t feel like getting your ass up to do that calculus homework, you’ll remember this week. You’ll remember that you’ve been a week ahead this whole damn semester. Pat yourself on the back, ass wipe.

3. Prepare yo self. No seriously. You got notes to print for class? Sure you could be like all those other bitches and just shove them into your backpack, or you could actually /prepare/ for class. I’m talking looking that shit over, identifying key concepts, getting a decent grasp of the material before your ass is even in class. You a STEM major? Yeah, make this kinda shit your life because now class is like one bomb ass group review session. Again, you’re welcome.

4. Snack like a motherfucker, but save that junk food shit for the weekends. From now on, you are a fucking health guru during the week or if you’re a slacker like me, at least on the days you have class. Fruits? Hell yeah. Pack some of those. Mind wandering in class? Snack on some apple slices. Can’t stay awake? Keep eating some almonds or some shit, but don’t be that bitch with the potato chips. Just don’t.

5. Read. Yeah, you heard me. Read and I’m not just talking assigned reading. I bet my left butt cheek that your campus library has /something/ of interest to you. Commuting and don’t want to drive out there? Library databases bro. We’re in the digital age, motherfucker. I’d bet my other butt cheek that the shit you want is in a nice little PDF somewhere. But na man, you thinking maybe you want to go into computer science? Check out computer science books and eat them up bro. You don’t like reading them? Probably not the field for you. You a biology major in your second year? Yeah dumbass. Time to break out the bio books and not the ones your professor is shoving in your face. Amaze your friends and teachers with your out of class knowledge. Be a fucking star.

I... don’t want to do this, but I don’t know what else to do...

I am $105 short this month. My card was charged without permission, and the people are saying that they will not refund it and will only credit my account for the next month. I have bills & debts that I absolutely need to pay and cannot put off any longer. If anyone can give even $1, I would immensely appreciate it.

Here is my PayPal. My CashApp is $allthatsknown. Thank you.

𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘 𝚍𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞… 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢. (っ◔◡◔)っ 

[𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢]

Staying Sane During Exams

Speaking as someone with both depression and anxiety, I know it can be easy to forget you have a life during exam week. SO, I have some tips on staying sane.

Don’t sacrifice your health. That means:

Drink plenty of water

Shower

Make sure you eat meals and snacks

Go outside, even for just a minute

Get some exercise

BREATHE

It’ll be ok. You can do this.