RAW TRUTH

- you are a studyblr

- you are super friendly

- you love when people message you

- you want to support everyone in the community 

As protests against injustice in legal system, discrimination, police brutality spread through the US, it is necessary to educate yourself about these issues. 

Here are just a few book recommendations (there are so much more out there), include both non-fiction and fiction about racism and challenges that black people face throughout their lifetimes. 

Thank you so much for more recs. Below are some more amazing book recommendations from the comments:

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

White Fragility by Robin Diangelo

Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi

if you have 5 minutes...

watch a TED talk

light a candle

paint your nails

put on a hair/face mask

splash your face with cold water

walk around your house

stretch

have a small snack

make a cup of tea/coffee

clear your desk

if you have 10-15 minutes...

watch a longer TED talk

watch a youtube video on studying/something educational

do some yoga

go for a quick run

have a shower

make a smoothie

power nap

workout

organise your desk

if you have 20-35 minutes...

watch a longer TED talk

watch one short episode of a tv programme

do a longer workout

go for a longer run

go for a walk

bake something

call a friend

if you have 40-60 minutes...

watch a documentary

watch one longer episode of a tv programme

go for an even longer walk/run

have a bath

writing an essay in college is very different from writing an essay in high school. personally, i write more research/history papers than literary essays (the liberal arts life and curse), so this is going to be a post on how a general research-y essay that has a thesis and arguments. 

intro

don’t open with a quote and don’t be overly broad. 

avoid generalizations 

your intro should address the topic of your essay (ex. the significance of gardens in renaissance society), and then narrow down to what you want to talk about in regards to your topic (ex. the political influence of the Medici gardens during the renaissance)

thesis! it should include the argument you want to make about the narrowed down topic, and three (or however many your class requires) reasons to support it. I like to think of it as W = X + Y + Z. 

your thesis explains who, what and why in a concise manner. 

body

topic sentences should not be a word for word copy of your thesis.

the order of arguments in your thesis is the order of your paragraphs 

depending on the length of your essay, there should be at least two justifications to your argument. 

so, just as the intro has a formula, X = A + B, and so forth. 

A and B should be backed up with some sources/quotes. don’t forget that if you are quoting from class notes to put either the prof’s last name, or (class notes)

be sure to have clear and concise arguments, don’t be flowery

USE WORDS THAT ARE ACCURATE. thesaurus is great but if you use a word that sounds cool but doesn’t capture the meaning you want to convey then don’t use it, because it may just change the meaning of your argument

quote whatever isn’t yours. it is completely fine if 90% of your sentences are quotes. its weird to get used to, but don’t worry about it. 

conclusion

the worst part in my opinion. 

synthesize don’t summarize. show how your arguments relate back to the thesis.

try not to copy paste your thesis into the conclusion, word it so that the readers understands that through XYZ, you were able to conclude and support argument W (referring back to the thesis formula)

do not add any new information, do not add quotes. 

your final sentence should tie up the essay in a pretty bow, but try to avoid clichés 

protips

when writing the body paragraphs, your ‘weakest’ paragraph should be in the middle, strongest as your last, and the second best as your first.

if you’re stumped on the intro, skip it. write out the body first, then the intro and you’ll be able to concisely word your thesis

think of your essay as an infomercial. your intro is the loud and clear HERES MY PRODUCT, the body is blasting information on why the product is so cool, and the conclusion is the final push for the viewer to buy that product. make your teacher want to agree with your thesis! 

use a mix of paraphrase and quotes!

don’t forget your works cited lmao (the MLA Handbook is a gr8 tool, also OWL Purdue)

prime time for essay writing is in the morning or at night, but make sure you edit it meticulously 

EDIT ON PAPER NOT ON YOUR SCREEN

this is a step-by-step process that i have used for literally all of my papers in high school and college, including my ib extended essay and ia’s! it’s a way to help ensure you a good grade and to help you finish the paper without spending a whole lot of time on it.

if you have any questions or a suggestion for a post you want to see, you can message me, submit a question anonymously, or comment on any of my posts! i love helping you guys in any way that i can, school or life or anything in between, so don’t be shy!

how to self motivate & learn on your own when your university goes online 

☁️ map out your entire course(s)

make a list of everything you need to know by the end of the term.

add HOW you will learn each outcome (textbook sections, online lecture videos e.t.c.).

make a list of all assignments you need to complete and their due dates.

☁️ make a longterm plan

add all important dates to a calendar. I personally prefer to put them on my phone and set alerts. 

make your own due-dates of when you will have outcomes learned by, based on when you will have to understand those concepts to complete assignments and assessments.

☁️ set up a work-only space

set up an area in your home that is for study/work only! make this a place where you’re able to focus without distraction.

☁️ mimic a class schedule

attend any live online classes as they occur

take notes from any pre-recorded lectures when you would usually have that lecture in a day

OR: make your own class schedule with the same number of hours per course that you had during the regular semester

keeping to a regular schedule ensures you’re on track and keeping up

☁️ ask for help!

don’t be afraid to contact your instructors and TAs!

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker

THIS BOOK is life changing. (Even Bill Gates thought so!) I learned so much, and not just scientific facts that satisfy my curiosity. My (seemingly defunct) sleep habits have been validated, and I’m now empowered with ways to drastically improve my physical, mental, and emotional health. Ever since finishing the book I’ve been enthusiastically telling others to please read it.

Some things I’ve personally learned:

Being a night owl, early bird, or somewhere in the middle is genetic. We literally can not change this “habit”, because it’s not a habit; it’s a biological function. About 40% of people are early birds, 30% are night owls, and 30% are in the middle. The theory as to why we’ve evolved this way is because as a social species, this natural ability to take turns keeping watch at night improves our survival as a whole. Thus we as a society need to rethink and rework the ways that our world favors early birds and shuns night owls.

All teenagers have a shift in circadian rhythm that is different than young children and adults. They literally can not naturally fall asleep until well past midnight, and thus should not be waken up until after their 8 hours of sleep. What parents–and society–expecting teens to go to bed by 10 pm and wake up by 6 or 7 am for school is like asking an adult to go to bed at 7 or 8 pm, and then wake up at 4 am. Horrible, right? And yes, that chronic sleep-deprivation does have real consequences, such as a link to increased physical and mental illness. 

The natural human sleep schedule is a continuous 7-8 hours at night, and a brief 30 - 60 min nap in the afternoon. Studies have shown that in cultures where this schedule has been suddenly disrupted (like a study in Greece), people with no history of cardiovascular disease suddenly showed a 37% increase in the chance of dying from heart disease (vs those who still maintained a mid-day napping schedule) over the 6-year study period. Yikes. 

Oh, btw, that whole observation in Western Europe about people sleeping in 2 segments in the night (and waking up in the middle to eat, socialize, etc) is not a biological thing, but rather, cultural. That is not how humans have evolved to sleep. 

I think we’re all kind of familiar with knowing that sleep is attached to remembering facts, but sleep is also necessary for learning new facts. Thus a good night’s rest is not just essential for doing well on tomorrow’s exam, but also for remembering tomorrow’s lecture in another class. To put it another way: you retain short-term memories in the hippocampus, but it has a storage limit (like a USB stick). Thus sleep helps move those memories into long-term storage so you can remember them, and by doing so, also frees up that space for new memories. 

Sleep is also essential for learning new motor skills. If you’re having trouble with say, playing a difficult piece on the piano, try again after a full night’s rest. When you’re sleeping, your brain is still actively working perfecting that sequence of piano keys you need to press. Thus the adage of “practice makes perfect” should be amended to “practice and sleep makes perfect”. 

Sleeping 6 hours/night for 10 days straight will cause a cognitive decline equivalent to staying up for 24 hours straight. And for those of us who keeps that exact same sleep schedule and think we’re “fine”, we really don’t realize how not fine we are because we think that’s our baseline normal. If you’ve ever wished to have more energy and be more productive, sleeping more may just be your magical wish-granting-genie.

Every hour in the US someone dies from a car accident caused by someone behind the wheel not getting enough sleep, due to the brain essentially “blacking out” to outside stimulus for a few seconds during a micro-sleep. As a perspective: a drunk driver is merely slow at reacting to say, slamming the brakes; a sleep-deprived driver going through a micro-sleep doesn’t react at all. 

Heart attacks across the US spike significantly the day following daylights savings when everyone loses an hour of sleep. The opposite is true when we gain back that hour in the fall: heart attacks drop the following day. And that’s just one piece of evidence that sleep supports a healthy heart. 

Sleeping 4 hours/night for just six nights increases your blood glucose levels so much you would be classified as pre-diabetic. 

It’s well known that alcohol can disrupt REM sleep. What was interesting is that alcohol-disrupted sleep can interfere with memory (and thus learning) even up to three nights later, even if you get 2 full nights of sleep before consuming alcohol. Therefore, if you have an exam on Monday, drinking on the Friday before will interfere with remembering everything you’ve studied the previous 2 days. 

Blue light, like those emitted from LED lightbulbs and the phone/tablet/computer screen you’re reading this from, stimulates our brain to wake-up and to stay awake. The evolutionary hypothesis for this is that we–and all land animals–evolved from marine life in the ocean, where the only visible light is blue, and therefore our brains recognize blue light as a cue to wake up. 

CLEANING

Dish soap

Laundry detergent

All-purpose cleaner

Hand soap

Broom

Mop

Wash cloths / rags

Vacuum

Dustpan

Lint roller

Sponges

KITCHENWARE

Plates

Bowls

Spoons

Forks

Knives

Glasses

Mugs

Tongs

Spatula

Plastic wrap

Ziplock baggies

Garbage bags

Paper towel

Tupperware

Ice tray

Oven mitts

Potato peeler

Mixing bowls

Frying pan

Pot

Baking sheet

Whisk

Stirring spoons / ladels

Tea infuser ball

Measuring cups

Strainer

Cutting board

Coffee maker

Kettle

Toaster

Magnets

Dry erase markers

Sticky notes

Microwave

Wire sponge

Trash bin

Recycling bin

Rubber gloves

Silverware organizer

Measuring spoons

Aluminum foil

Wax paper

Can opener

Bottle opener

Containers for salt, sugar, flour, etc.

LIVINGROOM

Sofa

Rocking chair (you know you want one)

Loveseat

Coasters

Blankets

Throw pillows

Coffee table

Book shelves

TV

TV stand

Floor lamp

End table

Stereo system / radio

BEDROOM

Mattress

Box spring

Bedframe

Linens

Sheets

Comforter

Hangers

Laundry hamper

Trash bin

Curtains

Pillows

Pillow cases

Night table

Alarm clock

Lamp

Dresser

Coat rack

Desk / vanity

Comfy chairs

DININGROOM

Dining table

Minimum of 2 chairs

Coasters

Placemat

Tablecloth

Tea lights /candles and candle holders

BATHROOM

Face clothes

Towel

Soap bar

Body wash

Shampoo

Conditioner

Tissues

Toilet paper

Trash bin

Plunger

Toilet cleaner

Cold, flu, pain, and allergy meds

Hydrogen peroxide

Antibacterial ointment

First-Aid kit

Tweezers

Nail clippers

Band-aids

Shower rod

Shower curtain

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss

Period products

Bathmat

Air freshener

Trash bin

Towel rod

Towels

MISCELLANEOUS

Elastic bands

Stapler

Stables

Paper clips

Needles and thread

AA / AAA batteries

Light bulbs

Extension cords

Scotch tape

Duct tape

Shovel

Rake (if you have a yard)

Stain remover

Jar of courters for laundry mat

Screw drivers

Hammer

Nails

Sticky tack

Screws

Box cutter / X-acto

Pliers

Wrench

Pens

Paper

Pencils

Pencil sharpener

Eraser

Welcome matt

Shoe rack

Coat rack

Flashlight

Flashlight batteries

Watch batteries

Rechargeable batteries and charger

Safe place to discard dead batteries

Candles

Matches

Lighter

Mini travel fans

Real fans

Emergency Survival kit

Fire extinguisher

Landline phone

Window air conditioner

Carbon monoxide alarm

Fire alarm

FOOD STUFF

Mustard

Ketchup

Mayo

Salt

Pepper

Baking soda

Flour

Eggs

Milk

Bread

Olive oil

Tea

Jam

Peanut-butter

Coffee grounds

Cereal

Rice

Pasta

Vegetable soup

Tomato sauce

Frozen vegetables

Crackers

Chickpeas / lentils

Apples

Oranges

Granola bars

Juice

Hot chocolate mix

Frozen meats

to keep sane and occupied! here are some ideas:

keep active:

take a walk

do yoga or pilates along to a youtube video

stretch

yard work if you have a yard

if you have potatoes in your house, you can easily plant new potato plants by cutting their eyes out.

deep clean your home

dance furiously around your house

relax:

start that show you were looking forward to! two shows i like that are available on amazon prime are good omens and fleabag.

google a list of the 500 most iconic movies and make a watch list of the ones that interest you

start reviewing the movies and shows you watch

make a reading list

read old books you liked as a kid

read in general!

see if your library is connected to overdrive (it probably is). overdrive allows you to check out ebooks and audiobooks from your library.

try a readathon—read as much as you can in 24 hours

play a new game on steam or nintendo online. you can start a farming co op on stardew valley with your friends!

watch a livestream of the monterey aquarium!

play online multiplayer games like trickster hearts and skribbl

watch game streams on twitch

explore new music

check out my self care tag for more ideas

make something:

make a scrapbook with stuff around your house

cook a comfort food or dessert

cook something complicated or create a new recipe

make a stop motion video with stuff around your house

draw

paint with coffee

play an instrument

write a short story

write a poem

make an escape plan for the zombie apocalypse (for fun. this is not a real thing)

keep a journal

bullet journal

make random top ten lists (top ten songs by your favorite artist, top ten street foods, top ten movies influential in your life, etc)

make an impossible list

find ask games on tumblr and write down your answers to the questions in a journal or word document to read years from now

write a letter to your future self

learn something:

learn to read music

learn morse code

learn braille

practice duolingo

and much more! there’s an online class for everything

do something for others:

call your family and friends

register to volunteer at crisis textline. volunteers work remotely, so you can do everything at home. if you are selected you will complete a course to learn how to be a crisis counselor and then work as a crisis counselor

see if there is any way you can volunteer remotely

make nice cards to send your family and friends

research the best charities to donate to

general stuff to try:

establish a routine (exercise, mealtimes, work time)

keep in contact with friends and family through video calls

set goals

create events for yourself (for example, playing an online DND session with your friends every friday at 3pm)

i also made a list of things to do during break

check out my break tag for stuff to do when bored

please stay home!!!! while it might be difficult to do so and you may go a little stir crazy, there are things you can do to pass the time.

Give yourself enough time to get ready before you have to leave in the morning. For me this means setting my alarm about an hour before the time that I have to get my foot out the door. Eat a proper breakfast, do a little stretching, figure out your plan for the day. Having a slower paced morning is a lot more relaxing, and you can get your day started correctly.

Drink water first thing. I used to be a pretty heavy coffee drinker in the mornings in high school, but I realized that I could get away with a lot less caffeine if I started my morning off with a nice glass of cold water. You’re probably dehydrated after sleeping and water helps wake you up. 

Make your bed. Making your bed is a visual reminder that sleeping time is over and that it’s time to get up! If I have a messy bed, I want to climb in and snuggle back into my blankets. This is especially true in the winters when it’s cold and dark. The movement also helps you wake up, which brings me to my next point:

Move! Your! Body! You don’t necessarily have to run through an entire yoga routine or go for a run (but hey, props to you if you do), but getting some movement in your mornings will help you wake up. I like to stretch a little bit, warm up my joints, maybe loosen up my limbs. It helps to get your blood flowing. 

Open your curtains. In the winter it might be kind of dark and depressing where you live, so this isn’t always something recommended. I like to open my curtains when it’s sunny out so I can get some natural light, which helps your circadian rhythm so you wake up better - and fall asleep at night better.