PT life

During High school I was one of those students who never really had to work for my marks, I had the uncanny ability to leave my assignment till the night before and still manage full marks that is ..till I got to university, my first year was a disaster I was barely passing my units I was stressed and depressed, what got me through high school was clearly not working in university. So to stop my second year in university from being a disaster as well and to save my gpa I decided to learn how to study from scratch!  spoiler: It worked and my marks have tripled since I adopted these habits. So here are the things I started doing!

- I invested in school supplies that I NEEDED and not just for aesthetic, example I bought tons and tons of basic cheap notebooks because I knew I was going to do a lot of writing and things like flashcards. My rule of thumb was if its functional its perfect.

- I attended every lecture and every class no matter what the time was! This is essential as it saves time later when you are rushing around trying to catch up. 

- I tried to stay up to date no matter what! Before I would let lecture after lecture pile up but ever since doing this, my study life has been much easier to cope with. 

- UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING YOU LEARN FROM THAT WEEK, I cannot stress how much this has helped me. If I am learning about a topic in week 5, I have to understand it fully in week 5, not when I am in finals week and stressing out. I use resources such as textbooks and the internet to help me understand or I will ask my teacher. The important thing is I understand it fully.

- Be organised!  Know when you have an assignment due, there are so many ways to do this. Handheld planner, wall planner, phone reminders, there is apps such as my study life. Anything that will remind you to get started on the thing before it is too late.

- Review your notes weekly or fortnightly!!! Memory works by relearning, instead of cramming the night before exams, review weeks before.

- Break down your essays weeks before its due, you don’t have to start writing them right away but at least start thinking about them.

- Utilise any free time, for example instead of listening to music on my 45 min bus ride to uni I started listening to a psych podcast or doing my readings for that day.

- Have mental health days, I found out how difficult it is to study and how necessary it is to take breaks. Studying is stressful, have days/half days where you relax and look after yourself.

-Cut down on caffeine, I was a serial coffee addict, Im talking 4 shots a cup three times a day. Cutting down reduced my anxiety and got me sleeping more, which improved my mood and energy.

- Have a study buddy/group, find someone who is serious about their study and have study sessions with them, you get to study and have a social life.

- Find a study schedule that suits you, don’t feel pressure to get up at 5 am if you find it easier to study at 6pm.

Procrastination is a challenge for all of us, unless you are a crazy super-being who is productive 24/7. If that is you, I applaud you! If that is not you, here are my tips for getting over that procrastination hump:

Procrastinate. Yes, I know what I just said. PROCRASTINATE. This might seem crazy, but I find that if you allot yourself about 10 minutes of time to actually procrastinate, your body can get over that I-don’t-want-to-be-productive stage. I suggest “wasting” time by cleaning up your study area. It is a way of being productive while procrastinating studying or homework. So, clear off you desk, wipe it down, if you’re into disinfecting like I am, disinfect the area and breathe in that wonderful 99.9% germ-free scent. If you still have time left, go ahead and go through any social media that you are dying to check or that usually distracts you while you’re working. Now you have a clean space to work in (which I find helpful and motivating) and no social media buzz tempting your brain. 

Get rid of your phone. Phone, tablet, iPod, whatever electronic device that is not needed for your task you should “get rid of.” Mine is usually my phone. I usually silence it and turn it upside down so I can’t see the screen. Either that, or I will put it in another room. Out of sight, out of mind. This way you will not be tempted to go through social media or play games on your phone or other electronic device.

Music. Put on your best studying/ motivational music. For me, its either classical pieces or film scores. Whatever music keeps you focused and gets you in the mood to study,listen to it. Chances are if you listen to the same genre whenever you are studying then upon your listening to this music your brain will recognize that it is time to get to work.

Get your work in front of you. One of the best things I can do for myself when tempted to procrastinate is to just put the work on my desk in front of me. I hate staring at it. I hate it being there. I just want to get it out of the way so I won’t have to look at it anymore. Even though I will be mentally cursing the work in my head, I’m always relieved when I don’t have to look at it  or worry about it anymore. 

Adjust your planner. I get it. Sometimes you just have a bad day and looking at your planner and all of the things you have left to do just make it worse. I’ve been there. I think we all have. I suggest numbering off your tasks in order of importance. Accomplish the top 3 at the least. Sometimes a heavily loaded planner can make us feel overwhelmed and want to procrastinate all of the work ahead of us. Just start with the first 3. Maybe if you’re left feeling motivated enough, you can move on to task 4, then 5, and so on. If you finish the 3 and are just completely done and exhausted mentally (and perhaps physically), that’s okay. You did the tasks that held the most importance and that is an accomplishment! It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and take a break sometimes. You’re allowed. 

hey friends!! a lot of you ask me for tips on things all the time + this is just some really good advice i’ve learnt throughout my years of being a student shared with you:

revision

study frequently so when exams/tests come by you only need to revise your shorter notes [you will thank yourself later]

i know it’s tedious but try to always do your homework [it’ll help you in the long run]

do your readings before class, this will help you understand better!!

use time wisely, for example study on the bus on the way to school [i really like doing this]

teach yourself material by giving lessons to soft toys or maybe using actual tools found in your household [i like using this method particularly for biology especially with water]

if you have to read to revise, read aloud

record yourself to be able to listen later when on the bus or something [i like doing this with poetry]

make sure to always get enough sleep, it’s not worth it losing sleep over studying! [also i find it better to wake up a little early to revise than sleep late]

incense works wonders if you’re trying to calm yourself down whilst studying

keep a hot beverage around when you’re studying + reward yourself by drinking a little bit of it when you want to

get rid of distractions while you’re studying, put your phone on flight mode or leave it to charge somewhere

if music doesn’t hinder your attention span, then listen to it whilst studying/doing homework [i suggest classical music/coffee shop noises/rain sounds] ~ [my spotify playlist // classical favourites // get ur studying on // flourishment]

watch videos on a particular topic before you cover it in class

if your syllabuses are available online, download them + print them out

have an organised desk, it helps you feel less stressed

use the pomodoro technique to study

make sure you have good lighting

work out past exam papers if they’re available to you, these are really good practice for your exam!

talk to your teachers during their office hours if you need to, that’s what they’re there for

if you’re too afraid to do the latter, send them an email when you need them!

have different files for every subject to keep you organised

don’t neglect any subject- just give them the time they need + prioritise

use a planner/bullet journal to help you plan your week

school stuff

smile at people, you have no idea how much it could brighten their day [plus your smile is great!!!]

always keep a water bottle handy

make your school lunch in the evening so you can sleep a bit more in the morning + not spend your money on school lunches

always take your headphones + charger to school [if they’re allowed]

keep some emergency money or something in your pencil case, you never know when you might need them!

if you menstruate make sure to keep a bag with stuff for when you’re menstruating [if not for you, maybe your friends may need something too]

take naps on the bus if the journey is long [make sure you don’t sleep + end up on the other side of the city/country]

if you have free lessons, utilise them! do your work at school if it can be done there so you are able to study/relax at home!

always take a book with you to school just in case you ever get bored

go to a guidance counselour if you need one [they can help with practically anything you may need!] 

go to private tutoring lessons if you need them/can afford them

personal life

take pictures, lots of them!!! not just for instagram or something, they’re actually a really great memory

don’t forget to visit your relatives every now and then

watch the news/read articles to help you stay in touch with the real world

don’t worry so much about social media honestly from experience, it’s trivial anyway. indulge yourself in the real world + spend time with family and friends!!

don’t compare yourself to others, you’re not them + they are not you!

try to get some exercise done, even if it’s just using the stairs instead of a lift or dancing around in your room

always keep yourself hydrated

remember to take a day off once a week, it’ll help you avoid burnout

eat fruits/nuts as a snack!! 

+ my masterposts

notes, studying, and self-study resources

self-study resources

supplies

igcse resources

improving your handwriting

how to studyblr

literature masterpost

organisation

aesthetically pleasing notes

annotating

studying a foreign language

really great apps

math

college + uni

motivation

biology

space!!!!

chemistry

physics

summary writing

the discursive/argumentative essay

the narrative essay + the descriptive essay

the ultimate english masterpost!!

stress relief

+ more

these are all practically all the tips i can remember!! i hope they help a lot of you out <3 good luck with school 

hello again dear friends!!! a lot of you have asked me how to stay productive during holidays + this is just a tiny masterpost to help you make the most out of your holidays :]

wake up early!!! this helps you get stuff done

also don’t sleep too late at night [unless it’s christmas eve or new year’s eve then i understand why you’re still up]

take time for yourself!!! practice your hobbies, take baths, go on vacation, sleep a little bit more…take a day to do whatever you may feel like doing, holidays shouldn’t be stressful [here are some ideas]

finish that book you wanted to finish or start a new one!! remember life is not just studying all the time

prioritise what you need to do + get your homework done asap!!! do the trickiest tasks first so you just have simpler ones left to do [if any]

revise!! this will help you just in case you have any important exams coming up after the holidays or just to keep your mind refreshed on the material you did in class

make a list of goals you want to accomplish next year!!

find time to go shop for gifts [if you do that sort of thing]

keep in contact with your family and friends!!! the holidays are the best time you get to talk to your family and friends, hang out with your friends and visit your relatives

organise your desk/room etc!! this helps you to free your mind and helps you stay productive [plus it’ll be prepared for the next scholastic term]

try to fit in time to exercise or go for a nice walk

avoid procrastination!! don’t waste your time no matter how good it may feel, you’ll thank yourself later [check out some apps here to accomplish this]

if you have any school projects, try to get most of them done during the holidays!! lord knows you’ll have a lot to do during the school year so any little extra work will help

try making your decorations instead of buying them [here are some ideas]

create shopping lists in advance!! these will help you make sure to get what you need and avoid buying what you don’t need [be it food, gifts, decorations etc.]

do some online shopping!! as you might be well aware of, january is the perfect time to treat yourself, take advantage of those sales

+ my masterposts

notes, studying, and self-study resources

self-study resources

supplies

igcse resources

improving your handwriting

how to studyblr

literature masterpost

organisation

aesthetically pleasing notes

annotating

studying a foreign language

really great apps

math

college + uni

motivation

biology

space!!!!

chemistry

physics

summary writing

the discursive/argumentative essay

the narrative essay + the descriptive essay

the ultimate english masterpost!!

stress relief

what i’ve learnt throughout my years of being a student

+ more

this is just about everything i wanted to say so i hope this helped a lot of you out!! happy holidays + remember to make the most of them while you have them <3