Your Local Biochem Major

Here is my brand new challenge! I hope that you will all enjoy taking part in this challenge <3

✨✨✨

Info

This challenge will begin on the 1st October 2020 and will run for the entire month

HOWEVER! My plan for this challenge is also that it can be done at any time (like the 100 days of productivity challenge for example), so although it will be officially starting then (and that is when I will be doing it) you can start it at any time

There are 31 prompts - one for each day of the month

If you do the challenge, use the tag #studyblr community challenge so i can track the posts and see what you are all posting (and so others can see as well!)

Days 1 -14 are essentially a way to introduce yourself to the community and to find out about the person behind the blog!

Days 15 -28 are what really excite me about this challenge! Essentially, my initial idea was to do an ‘appreciation challenge’ and so these days are essentially this idea within the larger challenge. It is an opportunity to tag studyblrs that you love and let them know that you appreciate them 

The final three days of the challenge are about reflection and looking at yourself positively.  

✨✨✨

Aims

As the name suggests, I want this challenge to be about community 

Studyblr has personally helped me so much and I’ve met some incredible people and I thought this challenge would be a good way to bring the community closer 

When I was creating this challenge, I tried to keep in mind new studyblrs. I think that it is a good way of introducing yourself and getting involved in the community, as well as having things to post, if you have just started! It could also be a good way for people to find your blog!

That said, if you have been in studyblr for a while (for example, like me!), this challenge is definitely still for you! I think it will be a good way for your followers to find out more about you and to discover some new blogs!

Overall, I hope that this challenge will promote positivity, appreciation and productivity

✨✨✨

Rules

If you want to do this challenge, please reblog this post

There are daily prompts for 31 days but challenges should never be a burden so you can post as frequently as you like/are able to 

When tagging, please do not spam people. Tag someone different for each day so we can share the love. 

I would suggest only tagging 1 person for each of the days but I understand that it could be a hard choice for some days. Therefore, I would say that a maximum of 3 people can be tagged for each of the days. 

Please be respectful. Some of the prompts are asking about personal opinions and you might disagree, but make sure to remember that everyone has had different experiences and the questions are designed to promote the sharing of ideas. 

✨✨✨

Prompts

Day 1 - Introduce yourself and tell us what you study!

Day 2 - Explain your studyblr URL! 

Day 3 - Why did you create your studyblr?

Day 4 - How long have you had a studyblr?

Day 5 - Have you ever done a challenge before?

Day 6 - Why did you decide to do this challenge and what is your goal?

Day 7 - What is your goal for your studyblr for the next few months?

Day 8 - What is the best thing about studyblr in your opinion?

Day 9 - What is the worst thing about studyblr in your opinion?

Day 10 - What is one thing you wished you could change about studyblr?

Day 11 - What is something that you have learnt from studyblr?

Day 12 - How much time do you spend on studyblr per day on average?

Day 13 - Do you have an ‘aesthetic’? If yes, what is it?

Day 14 - What are some of your study essentials?

Day 15 - Tag someone you look up to

Day 16 - Tag someone who has beautiful handwriting 

Day 17 - Tag someone who you think is really kind

Day 18 - Tag someone who makes you think more deeply about things

Day 19 - Tag someone you are grateful to have met

Day 20 - Tag someone who has a lovely aesthetic

Day 21 - Tag someone you think works really hard and deserves appreciation

Day 22 - Tag someone who makes you smile

Day 23 - Tag someone whose blog you always check 

Day 24 - Tag someone who posts the best text posts

Day 25 - Tag someone who gives good advice

Day 26 - Tag someone who you would like to get to know

Day 27 - Tag someone who makes you laugh 

Day 28 - Tag someone who you think everyone should follow

Day 29 - What are three things that you are proud of?

Day 30 - What are three things about yourself that you love?

Day 31 - What are three things that inspire you? 

✨✨✨

I really hope you will all get involved and if you have any questions, please feel free to send me an ask!

✨✨✨

TAGLIST

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” - Antoine De Saint-Exupéry, Le Petit Prince 🌒

Today I wanted to share some tips on how to make studying easier despite mental illness. I chose to mention anxiety and depression specifically because it’s what I have experience with.

Give yourself time -I know this one is easier said than done, especially when your illness makes you procrastinate. But this will help you fight overwhelm so much I promise. Try to start doing things as soon as you can. Talk yourself into starting. Just starting, nothing more.

Divide tasks into smaller chunks -If you give yourself time, then you can work small piece by piece. Writing 10 page essay is overwhelming as hell but knowing you have to write a few words per day or just do research will help you dial the feelings down a bit.

Just start -Tell yourself you have to do this just for 5 minutes. Just 5 minutes. Nothing bad can happen to you in 5 minutes. This will get you started and once you’re in it and going, you should be able to continue for a lot longer.

Something is better than nothing -You might not be able to memorise all 20 pages or write the entire essay right now, but if you start and learn one page or write half a page, you’re already moving forward.

Done is what we’re going for -Just get it done. Not perfect, not even good. Just done. Because sometimes it’s the best thing you can do for yourself.

It’s never as important as it seems -Things always seem huge and scary but ultimately, it’s never that bad. Hell, if you really zoom out you’ll realise the most important thing is just staying alive and a bad grade isn’t going to kill you.

Priotitize -Sometimes you just won’t have the energy to do everything, so pick the most important ones and leave the rest. You might come back to it later, you might not.

Ask for help if you need it -Ask teachers, ask friends. Know you’re not alone.

Be kind to yourself -Do not beat yourself up over failing things or feeling like you’re not doing as well as others. Just realise that unlike healthy people, you’re dragging this huge boulder. Sometimes lighter, sometimes heavier, but it’s always an extra weight. And yet you’re running the same race and you’re surviving. You should be proud of yourself.

Relax properly -Make time for yourself. Do things that doesn’t involve mindless scrolling. Get all the rest you need.

(disclaimer: this is from purely personal experience and is not a substitute for seeking professional help. these are just personal tips as i was formally diagnosed with depression and anxiety in the third year of college, but had been showing symptoms even in high school. different methods help for different people, but i really hope some of these things can help a struggling student out, because one of the reasons i went on studyblr in the first place was that i felt really lost and anxious.)

**credit to my research advisor, she’s an amazing mentor and I aspire to be just like her someday :)

Read the abstract. Write down what the paper says it is going to be about.

Read the introduction. Write down what the paper says it is looking to accomplish and how.

Read the conclusion. Write down what the paper actually did accomplish.

Go through and find all the pictures, graphs, or diagrams. Write notes explaining these images to yourself.

Read the whole paper start to finish. Write a summary of the paper as though you are explaining it to a layperson, and then another summary as though you are explaining it to a colleague.

Throughout all of the above steps:

If there are words you don’t know google them and write down the definitions

If the paper defines a formula, law, variable, etc in a certain way write that down

10 time management tips

healthy study habits to develop

four important study tips to remember

my seven favourite motivational quotes

how i take notes in med school

how to cope during breakdowns and get back up again

20 motivational reminders and wholesome goals for you

20 reasons to stay motivated

5 tips to make the most out of your morning

“As a woman I have no country. As a woman I want no country.”