Let's Study!

so in this post a few days ago, one of the study tips I mentioned was ‘practise recall not recognition’, and I’ve since discovered that quite a few people don’t know what that means and why it helps, so I figured I’d explain!

WHAT IS RECOGNITION AND WHY ISN’T IT HELPFUL?

Recognition means teaching yourself to identify and acknowledge information that you’ve seen before. This means that, if you’re shown a piece of information in class, you’re able to recognise it and think, ‘hey - I know that!’.

The issue with this is that you don’t actually know and understand that piece of information; you simply know that you’ve seen or heard it before. In an exam context, unprompted, you won’t be able to rewrite that information - let alone expand on it - because it’s not in your head.

Examples of recognition-based study methods include:

Reading through notes

Highlighting or simply rewriting notes

Flashcards  which just show the information

Reading a textbook

All of these are passive studying techniques, meaning that they’re not difficult and, in turn, that they’re not engaging your brain with the information that you’re trying to learn.

WHAT IS RECALL AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Recall means training yourself to remember information unprompted; if somebody were to ask you (outside of your class) what x means, you should be able to tell them without checking your notes or textbook.

The importance of this is that it’s exactly how most exams work. Unless your education institute uses open-book format, you’re never going to have the information in front of you to ‘just check through’ when answering a question. In an exam situation, you have to be able to pull that information straight from your brain in order to write an answer and that is exactly why recall-based studying is so key to learning.

Examples of recall-based study methods include:

Practising past papers/exam questions

Question/answer style flashcards

Flashcard-based activities on sites such as Quizlet

Setting yourself mini-tests

Writing out everything you can remember, and then adding in the missing information using a different colour

Getting other people to test you

Some of these things do ultimately sound a little basic, but it’s something that I’ve been taught about a few times, and it’s honestly one of the biggest mistakes that students make when studying for exams! I really hope this post does a decent job at explaining the concept to anybody who hasn’t heard of it before, but if anybody has any questions or add-ons, feel free to message me or send an ask!

1. Start a skincare routine

I know this sounds silly but this is a very easy and simple way to make you feel motivated and organised. Starting a skin routine will not only make you feel better, it will also make you feel healthier and more confident. It only takes 10 minutes, morning and night, and you can cater your skin routine to fit your personal needs. Also it will make your skin look AMAZING.

2. Start a diary/to-do list

My tip for this, coming from an excessive procrastinator, is only put 3 things to do each day. This way you don’t overwhelm yourself with tasks, and it is easy to complete and after you have done it you will feel a lot better about yourself. Instead of doing 15 things in one day, do 3 things a day for a period of 5 days. Starting a to-do list/diary will give you the push to actually do what you have put on it. Writing down all of the things that you have to do will make the tasks seem easier and it will be less overwhelming.

3. Read a book

Reading a book that you enjoy, not one that you have to read, is a great way to clear your mind. I recommend reading for 30 minutes before going to bed. Make sure you have the book in a physical copy, not on your phone/other electronic devise, as using these before bed can negatively affect your sleep. This kills two birds with one stone: Reading, and not going on your phone before bed

4. Exercise!

Whether this is 15 star jumps in the morning or 3 hours in the gym, exercise is a great way to feel more confident about yourself. Also, when you exercise, your body releases endorphins which make you happy! :) This will also help you to be healthier which is an added bonus.

5.Do your homework the night you get it

Obviously this is only if its possible, but leaving your homework until the night before its due in is a terrible habit to get into, which just ends up in you feeling stressed. Getting your homework out of the way the night it’s set will help you feel more prepared and less worried.

6. Read ahead

About to start a new topic? Read ahead. This means you will be ahead of everyone in your class, which will make you feel more confident, and it means that once it is taught to you, you will have a better understanding of it and if you don’t understand anything, you can ask once it is taught.

7. Clean your room every night

Cleaning your room every night will mean that you will feel more organised and you won’t have much to clean up the next night. Trying to work in a messy room will make you feel unmotivated and you will be more likely to procrastinate.The same goes for if your desk is messy. A clean room is a clean mind!

8. Make your bed in the morning

I see this posted everywhere, but still people don’t understand the importance of it! Making your bed in the morning will make you feel prepared and you will start your day will a clear mind. Its one thing off of your list of things to do.

9. Drink lots of water!

Being dehydrated can be a cause for headaches, fatigue and many other things that will make you feel unmotivated and down. Drinking at least 5 glasses of water a day will not only make you healthier, it will also make you feel generally better and happier.

10. Get at least 8 hours sleep!

This one is so important! For teenagers, 7 or less hours sleep is considered as sleep deprivation. Being sleep deprived can cause things such as: Bad concentration skills, a lack of motivation and also decreases your chances of remembering something by 40%! Enough sleep is crucial for having a good day and getting those A* grades your aiming for!

Study breaks are really important, but sometimes it can be difficult to think of what to do, or even know what kind of break to take. So here are some suggestions for breaks depending on how you’re feeling at the time. 

Some generic multipurpose breaks:

Yoga or guided meditation.

Moisturise your hands, or paint your nails.

Go to the toilet, and get a drink.

Go for a walk.

Play a game online.

Listen to some music.

Write down a bit of your daydream.

Make a meal.

Play with a pet.

Read an article/wiki page

For when you’re overwhelmed:

Have a relaxing shower with a favourite body wash.

Make sure to step away from your study space, this is important.

Go for a walk; do a short yoga routine, or a 15 minute guided meditation.

Talk to a friend or parent, see if they can give you some support.

Give yourself a treat - like a packet of chocolate buttons, or something small you enjoy. Eat them, and savour them, away from your desk.

For when nothing seems to be coming together:

Make a to-do list of what needs to be done.

Look at the task as if you’ve never seen it before.

Have lunch or a snack, or nice drink. Do it away from your desk.

Do something you enjoy, like reading a bit of a book, or playing a playlist you like.

Talk to someone about the problem; ideally a supportive parent, friend, or teacher

For when you are stressed and want to rip your hair out:

Shower, or have a bath.

Watch funny videos online, or read those funny reviews, like the Haribo gummy bears ones.

A short yoga or guided meditation video can really help (and I’m not one of those ‘yay, yoga’ people, but it can really help).

Do something you are capable of doing without much stress - this could be a chore, a hobby, or something random you like.

Make yourself a drink you enjoy, make it as special as you can, and then find somewhere else to drink it.

When you are bored:

Engage in productive procrastination.

Learn a new skill - such as a basic crochet stitch, or how to start a fire without a lighter.

Watch a TedTalk, or short documentary on YouTube.

Make a study playlist, try to include some music you’ve not heard before.

Find a new recipe to try / place to visit.

Play a quick game online - bingo, pictionary, etc.

When you are hungry, but the bored kind of hungry:

Try eating something that takes longer to prepare. Not just a snack that’s quick to grab, but something that takes a little more time. Cut up your fruit, make it look nice; make several snacks that can be stored for latter or another day.

Take a few minutes to some pictures of your study space or notes, edit them and make them into a post ready to pop on your blog.

Go for a wander. It needn’t be outside, even walking around the stacks in a library and looking for some interesting titles can give you a break (and an inflated reading list, so do this one at your peril).

Paint your nails, or do some cuticle maintenance by moisturising them.

Spend five minutes on Pinterest looking at ideas for crafts or something you enjoy (make sure to set a timer for this, it’s easy to be distracted).

When you haven’t taken a break in a while because breaks are for wussies:

Read about the Pomodoro method and how it helps boost productivity. Use a free timer app to give it a go.

Zentangle, relaxation colouring, going to the toilet, etc.

Just chil-lout. Seriously, do something to relax yourself. You need a break!

When literally anything is more interesting than what you’re supposed to be doing:

Go for a short walk, or do a few stretches away from your study space.

Watch a TedTalk on something interesting or a totally random subject.

Find an article/wiki page on something you know nothing about. Remember to limit yourself, time-wise, on this sort of thing.

Organise your bag/folder/pencil case (anything small you have on you).

Listen to some music in a target language/language you would like to learn.

When something keeps distracting you:

If it’s something you can get rid of, try to do that.

If it’s something you need to do, if possible, then to do it.

If it’s a thought that won’t go away, take five minutes and write it down in as much detail as you can, and then put it away for later.

Leave your study space for a moment, get up and walk around a bit, maybe stretch your neck, back and arms.

Tell your pet what’s wrong. Bonus if you do this in another language.

For when you feel like giving up:

This is a good time to step away from your work and doing something else entirely for a little while. Take a longer break, watch an episode of a show you like, or browse for some new music, read a bit of a book.

Take a shower.

Make yourself a drink and something to eat, and eat it away from your desk. Relax a bit while you’re doing so, and set up a pomodoro-style timer when you get back to studying, so you can remember you’ll soon have another break.

Engage in a small act of kindness.

Pet a cute fluffy friend.

When you feel entirely unproductive:

Perform some productive procrastination! Vacuum the house; wipe down a window, scrub the kitchen tiles, reorganise your underwear drawer. Pick a chore that needs doing and do that. Honestly, even just tidying a bookshelf, or taking your washing out of your room, or packing away some clothes can help. Do something where you will be able to see a visible difference that your actions have made.

Spend half an hour on a hobby you like - knit, make origami swans, fiddle around with a robotics project.

That thing you’ve been putting off? Go on, go and do it, and tick it off your check-list.

use actual note cards for vocab. yes, apps like quizlet are dandy when you’re on the go, but actually physically writing out each note card helps put the information into memory faster than typing them.

visual learner? make charts and diagrams. they don’t have to be pretty. the lines don’t have to be perfectly straight. it doesn’t have to be photogenic. but if it helps you learn, do it.

after you take notes (in class or at home/from your text book), write down possible quiz questions about the material on the next page while it’s still fresh in your mind. later on when you’re studying for the test, use these questions to gauge what specifics out of that chapter you need to work on the most.

start sooner rather than later. i know, you’ve heard this a million times from every teacher ever. but it’s legit. especially as you get into harder level classes and college courses because there is literally so much material that the tests cover that you simply can not accurately learn all of it over night. instead, start about 10 days in advance (but of coarse, the sooner the better).

studying doesn’t have to be a big giant study session that takes hours. if you start far enough in advance, study sessions can be around an hour, hell even 45 minutes is a good. if you go too long in one study session your brain will be fried and studying will be pointless because your brain won’t be processing any of it. that’s why it’s important to take breaks and not just cram for 5 hours the night before an exam.

actually study. hold yourself accountable and make your education a priority. if you have homework and studying to do, make it a priority over going partying or watching tv. there will be another party. you can dvr your show. you can’t take your test on a later day because you don’t feel ready. so be ready.

be careful with study groups. if you have a study group with all of your best friends, lets face it, you’re going to end up spending more time talking about harry styles and supernatural than actually studying. it’s better to have a study group with people who are your friends, but not best friends. and it’s better to keep it between 5-7 people so that everyone can be involved.

if the material is just super confusing and you can’t seem to understand it no matter how hard you study, it’s not you. it’s the way you were taught it. each teacher teaches a bit differently, and maybe their style of teaching just isn’t for you. if this happens, find a way that explains it the best for you. for example, if chemistry is just super confusing for you, try watching the Crash Course chemistry videos on youtube or have a friend explain it to you. this will give you a completely different perspective on the material and will help you understand it better.

The 100 Days of Productivity Challenge with EmmaStudies!

Productivity challenges are a fun way to help boost your motivation to get things done! ‘100 days of productivity’ is one of the most popular challenges when it comes to Tumblr and Instagram. As I am planning to start the challenge, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get more people involved! So, where do we start?

What is ‘100 days of productivity’? To put it simply, the challenge is to do something productive for 100 days. It comes from the idea that each day, we can do at least 1 thing that pushes us forward. The challenge is meant to improve your sense of accomplishment and show that with a bit of motivation, you can get things done!

What classifies as productive? This is entirely up to you and what you feel is worth recognition. Whilst the majority of study blogs do something study related each day that isn’t a set rule. Some examples could be:

studying for an accumulative time of 2 hours a day

decluttering your desk and study space

finishing all your homework

drafting an assessment you’ve been procrastinating on

organising your files

sorting through your emails and implementing a filter system

backing up computer files and phone

organising your monthly plan

going to study or read at the library

finishing a book you’ve been meaning to read

setting up a file organisation structure on your computer

creating a resume and cover letter

applying for jobs, internships, work experience

spring cleaning your bedroom and study space

organising your bookshelf

unsubscribing from spam emails

collecting account emails and passwords

sorting out your expenses and budgets

deactivating unused social media/email/etc accounts

Obviously, this list has just a few options. You can do anything which you find achieves a positive and organised result! Even if you do something small, you can count that :-)

Does it have to be consecutive days? It can be, but there isn’t a rule. Most people attempt to do consecutive days but that isn’t always possible. Doing something productive one day after another is great for building your self-discipline, however, you can skip days if need be. If you do, don’t feel bad! Remember to bounce back and continue the next day.

Who can join? Do I need to have a studyblr/studygram? It is open to anyone! There are no requirements for joining. You don’t need to have a studyblr or studygram! If you’re looking for a fun way to motivate yourself with the backing of other people, this is a great challenge to be a part of. 

When do I start? Absolutely whenever you want. Could be the start of a month, the start of your school term or for the new year. For this which I’m setting up as a collective challenge, I am planning to start on Monday 9th October. For anyone who has seen this post before then, you are more than welcome to start the same day! But if you see this afterwards, you can still join and be a part of it - but you’ll just be a few days behind, but that is not a problem! :-)

How do I track document my productivity? Most people document their journey through Tumblr or Instagram by posting a photo each day (or every few days). I will be doing this! I will be tagging my posts with #emma100dop which you should too. This way I can see your photos and reblog them too!! As a challenge which I am hoping lots of people can get involved in, having a specific hashtag is great for motivation.

Similarly, it is worth tracking your days on paper. I have created a printable set which you can download for documenting each day’s work. *Download link here!*

Do I have to share pictures? If you don’t want to, you don’t have to share. For studyblr and studygram accounts this is a good idea because you’re uploading original content but if you don’t have a study account, you don’t need to upload any. You can still document your progress with photos and make a gallery on your phone if you want. As mentioned above, I have a printable which you can download for free to track your progress. If you don’t want to take pictures, you can just cross off or write down what you did that day! 

I am really excited to start this challenge with you guys! :-) I think doing it as a collective group is a fantastic idea in terms of boosting and maintaining motivation through the whole challenge. With lots of accountability partners, we should all hopefully manage 100 days! Best of luck! Remember to tag me in your pictures on Tumblr and Instagram!! x

How to Finish

15th June 2017 — stressed out for exams hais currently listening to // i — taeyeon (ft. verbal jint)

1/5 back to school 2017 masterposts

school is starting soon (or has already started) and i also wanted to somehow thank you guys for 7k in a way other than the usual blog rate or blog awards. keep a look out for the other 4!

this is a collab with @studyruels. her masterpost is on making a morning routine which you can check out here!

now, i’m naturally a morning person. i just am, and i always have been. no matter how late i go to bed my body thinks it’s a great idea to noT sleep in and wake up at 6 am every day (’: here are a few things i do to make it a little easier and enjoy my mornings!

1. GO TO BED EARLY. this is honestly a no brainer but STOP SPENDING HOURS ON YOUR PHONE WTH like it’s so harmful for your eyes and your mind and your brain and your body will thank you in the morning when your eyes aren’t burning with exhaustion. 

1.a. when i decided to stop being an irresponsible smol child who tried to stay up every night, i started setting alarms for going to sleep. so like at 9:00 (ok ik thats pretty early but thats usually when i go to bed), or maybe that’ll be like 10:00 or 10:30 for you so that you can go to bed around 11. but anyways, when you hear this alarm, it’s time to get off of your phone or laptop (-: send your gn streaks and texts, close insta (log out if u have to), and shut it all down. soon after, you will start to notice how tired you actually are without all that blue light distracting you !!!

2. read! this is a personal favorite just because i’m a huge nerd but reading right before bed is just killing 2 birds with one stone: you’re exercising your mind and subconsciously improving your writing skills (vocabulary and grammar) while making yourself very tired!! if you think reading, especially at night, is boring, you aren’t reading the right books for you.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3. prepare yourself for the morning so it seems less dreadful. OPEN YOUR BLINDS BEFORE BED JUST DO IT OMG you will wake up with the sun. do a little miniclean of your room before bed so you’re not waking up to yesterday’s disaster. make your coffee the night before and leave it in the fridge if you like it iced in the morning. plan out what you’re going to wear tomorrow, as well as your lunch. shower (so u sleep better and/or dont have to do it in the morning) and brush your teeth. pamper yourself. set up fairy lights. just do anything that will cause you to wake up and go “jeez glad i did that last night; now i have more time and peace of mind”. 

4. find something to look forward to in the morning. this might be going to get coffee or tea with a friend in the morning, getting to wear the cute outfit and eat the delicious lunch that you prepped last night, or remembering that you’re going to see a movie after school. whatever it may be, let it motivate you to get up and start your day as soon as possible. 

5. turn off/disable snooze. do it. if your alarm app can’t do this, install an app that can. i also like to set up my alarm so that i have to do some challenging mental math to turn it off. 

5.a. make your alarm something that will cause you to get up. it doesn’t necessarily have to be something really annoying. it can be something upbeat and light that puts you in a good mood for the day. however, if you’re a really heavy sleeper then you might want to make it some obnoxious and loud sound so that you will be motivated just to get out of bed and turn it off. 

6. put your phone across the room. we’ve all heard of this one but most of us are too lazy to do it. at night, when you whip out that book, log off all your social media and then put your phone somewhere so far that you’ll have to physically get out of bed and turn off the alarm.

7. make your bed suit your aesthetic. this derives from the basic “make your bed” tip. sure, you can make your bed, and sure, it might motivate you to not get back in. but if you really struggle with this, buy one of those prepackaged bed sets that has a nice color scheme. once you make your bed, you’re not going to want to ruin that aesthetic tbh

8. keep a consistent sleep schedule, even on the weekends!! i’m not saying you have to wake up at 6 am even on saturdays, but don’t go from waking up at 6 to waking up at 12. maybe push your wake up time to 8:30 or 9 latest on the weekends. as you get used to waking early (and sleeping early, too!) you can slowly push back your weekend wake up time earlier and earlier until it’s almost identical to the time you wake up when you have school.

essays - make each essay you write better than the last


 small assignments - aim for 100s, expect 100s, get 100s


 homework - pretend they’re assignments


 homework that’s not graded - pretend! they’re! assignments!


 tests - study for 100s, expect less


 long term projects - act like it’s due in four days -even when it’s not- until you’re done with it


 group projects - do not get angry


 presentations - pretend you’re obama

Organisation

how to set up a bullet journal

setting up a digital bullet journal

mossery co planner review

planner brand recommendations

bullet journal spread ideas

bullet journal decoration hacks

whats in my bag

my favourite stationery

back to school basic supplies

how to improve your handwriting

balancing study and work

2017 monthly planner printables

2018 monthly planner printables

Productivity

productivity and time management applications

how to remove distractions

types of procrastination and how to deal with them

google chrome new tab options for improved productivity

10 small ways to improve your productivity

applications to block websites

no distraction writing applications

100 days of productivity challenge 

how to focus in class

how to stick to a schedule

how to stay alert

how to build self-discipline

how to organise for exams

Motivation

what to do when you’ve tried everything

how to gain back motivation

motivational monday printables

how to stop avoiding studying

what to do when you feel exhausted before studying

how I stay motivated

tips on maintaining motivation

how to start a studyblr

how to set up a studygram

dealing with competitive people

how to bounce back from ‘failure’

Studying

applications for students

how to take effective class or lecture notes

how to take notes from a textbook

studying printable pack 

my note-taking method

my notebook system

how to write faster

how I organise my binders

good habits to implement

how to study (my method)

how to organise a colour code

how to memorise information effectively

how to memorise quotes

how to use flashcards

how I reduce waffle and narration in essays

tips for essay writing

how to find out where you’re going wrong

how I prepare to study

different ways to study

how to annotate a book/novel/etc

how to get ahead in school

studying as a visual learner

how to practice and present a speech

mindmapping apps and extensions

how to deal with online classes

how to study a language

apps to write without distraction

Self Care

how to improve your sleep schedule

how to study when sick

over-coming self doubt

dealing with stress

how to balance studying and anxiety

how to balance studying and depression

apps that help with depression

ways to reward your productivity

my favourite tv shows

ways to use empty notebooks

how to be more sociable

Printables

weekly study schedule

note-taking printables (dotted, grid, lined, cornell method)

exam revision printable pack (revision checklist, formulas + definitions sheet, essay + project planner, weekly schedule)

week at a glance

organic chemistry printable

100 days of productivity tracker

literary techniques 

Hi guys! So a lot of our classes are starting today, even with the eclipse so I thought I’d share some tips my teacher sent out to help everyone get a better grade in the sciences classes, which may or may not be slightly trickier than others. It’s important to realize that no one can get through all of these, so pick what is most important to you.