Diane's Blog

Free Notion Template | Cleaning Schedule

I’ve been experimenting with Notion recently and made myself a household tracker! I keep forgetting when I’ve changed hand-towels in the kitchen and silly things like that :S I shared a post on Reddit and got lovely feedback so wanted to share what I’d made!

Key features include:

40 pre-existing tasks

toggle options for large households with multiple rooms / people

icons to suit both light & dark mode

overview page for at a glance (household tracker version)

Download free here!

Thank you for checking this out! If you have any questions and issues, please let me know.

Free 10 Minute Study Planner Printable 

Here is a 5 day (undated) planner following the 10 minute scheduling idea ☺︎

Key features include:

several colour options

6am - 12am

Download free here!

Thank you for checking this out! If you have any questions and issues, please let me know.

Free Sticky Note Digital Stickers 

A few free digital stickers to help beautify your notes! ☺︎

Download free here!

Thank you for checking this out! If you have any questions and issues, please let me know.

These are the things I do when I’m utilising my time to the max. I’ll be 100% honest and say that I haven’t been doing these all the time recently, and as a result I’ve been having terrible time management. But at least that proves these tips work for me. I really do think that some of these will work for you too.

Here is a list of all the printables I currently have available for download!!

ALL PRINTABLES IN ONE FOLDER!

2022:

yearly + monthly calendars (january to december, A4 + letter, monday & sunday)

new years/goals/resolutions page (2022 calendar, to do lists, 365 day tracking, monthly goals, general goals, bucket list, resolutions)

2023-2023 student printable planner (200 pages)

Digital planners:

2022 digital planners

free undated digital student planner (months, weeks, days, and more)

free 7 day daily planner (+ alternative covers, stickers)

free digital stickers

Timed schedules/planners:

study schedule printables

week at a glance printables

4 designs pastel weekly planners

weekly planner

weekend planner

daily planner

10 minute weekly study planner

Studying:

student organisers (daily planner, weekly planner, weekly meal planner, weekly semester planner, weekly class timetable (15 minutes & untimed), 10/20/30 minute time tracker)

student printables (daily + weekly + monthly planner, 30 habit tracker, class overview and timed worklog)

languages study pack (two options - 16 pages of premade tables or 8 pages of customisable/blank tables)

study planner pack (daily + weekly + monthly study planner, 10 minute planner, study plan, study tracker, subject and chapter summary, and priority breakdown)

DIY flashcard printables (2 covers, dotted, lined, grid, Q&A versions)

assessment planner (two options)

subject to do list planner

study session planner

back to school printable set (includes 2017-18 academic year calendar (monday + sunday start), semester overview, assessment + grade tracker, revision checklist, untimed weekly organiser, study session tracker)

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

binder / subject covers / topic pages (16 colours)

Finance planners:

weekly, monthly, yearly finance and budget trackers (7 colours)

Misc:

to-do list printables

100 days of productivity tracker printable (explanation of 100 days challenge here)

literary techniques and devices sheet (goes with this post)

note taking printables (includes dotted, grid, lined, Cornell paper)

organic chemistry printable

Motivational quotes/art printables:

motivational monday quote printables

Handwriting:

cursive handwriting cheatsheet (goes with this post)

normal handwriting cheatsheet

Whilst these printables are free of charge, it would be amazing of you to check out my Ko-fi account!

Free Notion Template | Cleaning Schedule

I’ve been experimenting with Notion recently and made myself a household tracker! I keep forgetting when I’ve changed hand-towels in the kitchen and silly things like that :S I shared a post on Reddit and got lovely feedback so wanted to share what I’d made!

Key features include:

40 pre-existing tasks

toggle options for large households with multiple rooms / people

icons to suit both light & dark mode

overview page for at a glance (household tracker version)

Download free here!

Thank you for checking this out! If you have any questions and issues, please let me know.

ʚ♡ɞ materials ʚ♡ɞ

❀ Black gel pens (Muji, Pilot)

❀ Markers with cute colours ( Crayola’s Super Tips, Mildliner)

❀ Ruler

❀ Good quality paper (100-120g)

❀ Post-its (preferably of a light colour)

ʚ♡ɞ how to do ʚ♡ɞ

1) Choose the colour theme

2) Do a fancy title with a lot of colour and details (the title is the name of the unit)

3) Do a fancy subtitle, but not as fancy as the title (the subtitle is the name of the point)

4) Scan the text you have to make notes of and underline keywords (so you have an idea of what’s the text about)

5) Read carefully the text and decide which info is important and which not

6) Write the important info in your notes with your own words -> easier to understand in the future and helps to retain info in ur brain

7) Underline keywords

ʚ♡ɞ tips ʚ♡ɞ

✧ Organize all the information with bullet points

✧ Summarise the more as possible

✧ Mark the most important info with some colour or a little drawing

✧ Improve your handwriting to make it look as neat as possible

✧ Write a lot of examples (especially in maths-related subjects) in a different colour than the text

✧ Don't be afraid of leaving white space, it makes ur notes look more organized

✧ Write little mind maps only with keywords about the most difficult subjects

✧ Use post-its to write the teacher's explanations of the topics that you find the most difficult and to write the most important topics that you have to study

✧ Spend more time on choosing the info you will need and organizing it (so it helps you to study) than on making your notes look visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing

✧ Do drawings if necessary to clarify info

ʚ♡ɞ examples/inspo ʚ♡ɞ

motivation psychology in language learning

language diary's tip

science journal: the 4 types of motivation

how do we acquire language? a speech

i'm a lazy language learner and that's fine

scientific study tips video

lazy ways of learning

making it easier

reasons to learn

on efficiency

on goals

UPDATE because apparently not everyone has seen this yet the new and improved version of this is a MEGA folder

the usual A* tips:

make your revision resources as you go

use apt and different study methods for each subject

do your homework as soon as it's set

make in depth plans for coursework before starting the main project (dissertation plans, to do lists etc.)

have a reliable and efficient organisation system

have a morning, after-school, night and weekend routine

studyquill: how to be a straight A student by @studyquill (who inspired me to make this blog in 2017, haha)

advice for stem subjects:

how to study maths (1) (2)

how to memorise formulae

unjaded jade: A* in a-level maths

unjaded jade: A* in a-level biology

unjaded jade: A* in a-level chemistry

fayefilms: Cs to 4 A*s at a-level (physics, biology, maths, economics)

aymara anahi: a-level A* step-by-step guides (physics, biology, chemistry)

ibz mo: A*/A psychology a-level advice

mariana’s corner: 15 study tips for science students

advice for humanities subjects:

studying history at a-level

speaking exams tip for modern foreign languages

detailed single word analysis made simple

how to structure essays

substitutes for ‘shows’

jack edwards: A*A*A* at a-level (history, english, politics)

ibz mo: A*/A english literature a-level advice

immie sophie: a-level languages IRP advice

life with blessy: A/A* a-level french (1) (2)

further advice:

you are a student before anything else: schedule social outings and extra curriculars around your studies, not the other way around.

always have an ongoing to-do list; don't let it get empty: it might seem overwhelming at first, but you'll come to realise that there is always something you can be doing towards your grades.

use the specification and teaching documents from the exam board! stem subjects especially have a plethora of online documents detailing exactly what you need to know, whether it be content, maths skills and formulae, vocabulary or exam technique. print them off and go through as many as you can find!

perhaps don't bother with the EPQ: if the entry requirements of the university course you're aiming for cannot be lowered by the EPQ, it might be better to spend your time focusing on your courses, as many find that the EPQ takes just as much time as another subject.

ask for 1-to-1 sessions: if there's a topic you're struggling with, mention it to your teachers and be willing to sacrifice your free time (lunches, free periods, after schools etc.) to run through it with them 1-to-1.

fight for teachers that meet your needs: if you have a teacher who isn't helping you to excel and whose teaching methods possibly aren't the strongest, bring it up to your institution's director. it's their job to make sure that you're recieving the best standard of education possible.

talk to your tutors and teachers about your workload if it's becoming overwhelming at all.

evaluate your priorities, study methods and organisation system after each half-term.

complete your university research and application (including your reading for and writing your personal statement) before year 13 starts: it will save you so much time, as many feel that the UCAS process is like picking up another subject as well.

start preparing for university admissions exams over the summer, before year 13: UCAS gives a run down on which courses require admissions tests, here.

other masterposts:

how to get started studying - a neurodivergent’s guide

how to deal with a lack of motivation

how to study when everything sucks

study tips for different learning styles

how to take notes from a textbook

habits of successful students

how to do well in a class taught by a crappy teacher

how to avoid education burnout

how to revise big subjects

Vocabulary is an essential part of language learning, and if your memory is not particularly good, then you might struggle with it. In this post I’m going to offer some advice on how you can learn new vocabulary in a foreign language!

First, I’m going to talk about where you should get your vocabulary from.  When you are a beginner, there are three sources I think you should get vocabulary from. First, a textbook or online course, or various learners materials. Second, an app of some sort (like Duolingo, Lingodeer and Memrise). Thirdly, I would suggest gaining vocabulary from immersion. Do NOT memorise every word you come across, only the ones that you need to know. I also would not suggest using a frequency list to choose words to know. It is much better to learn vocabulary through context. Try writing down all the new words you discover in a notebook. When you are an intermediate learner, I would suggest focusing on extensive reading and listening (i.e. reading or listening to lots of content without looking up words you don’t know) rather than intensive reading and listening (i.e. reading and listening to content, and looking up every word you don’t understand). You could learn the vocabulary from a textbook, specification, immersion or various vocabulary lists from the internet. An upper intermediate learner might want to focus on intensive reading and listening, instead. An advanced learner might just absorb new vocabulary from advanced native material and conversations (e.g. textbooks made for native speakers, talking about politics, historical texts and dramas). At this stage, it would be handy to use a dictionary in the target language, instead of translating it. You can also look up synonyms of the word.

Use flashcards! Maybe create paper ones, or use apps like Quizlet, Anki and Memrise.

Create your own example sentences! It is important that you actually know how to use the word or phrase in a sentence, so try and write down or say a few sentences with the word in it. Make sure you get corrections!

Say it out loud! When you come across it, check the pronunciation with an application like Forvo, and repeat after it. Say it again and again, until you feel comfortable, and then test yourself on it.

Actually use it! When your speaking and writing, try and use as diverse a vocabulary as you can. Try and sneak in a recently learnt word into conversation, and don’t be embarrassed if you use it wrong.

Don’t use transliterations! They do not help with pronunciation at all. Memorise at least some approximation of the script, along with the pronunciation of each sound in the language, and learn the word using that instead of transliteration.

Test yourself both to and from the target language! This is important as you want to be able to both produce and understand the word.

Maybe use images instead of translations! It could help stop you from translating in your head.

Memorise set phrases! When you hear or read something which sounds good, then learn it. This will really enrich your vocabulary when you speak or write.

Sound it out to memorise spelling! Remember reading when you were a kid, and take on that kind of mindset. Try to over pronounce each syllable as you read it, and say it multiple times.

Look up words as you go! When you don’t know a particular word or phrase when speaking or writing, then look it up. Same when you’re reading and listening (this is how we learn words in our native language after all).

Write it multiple times! This also helps with spelling!

Read and listen a lot! Input. Is. Everything. So read and listen to as much diverse content as you can. It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember it the first time you see it, you’ll get it eventually. Imitate what you see yourself. Remember, more often than not we get our own speech patterns and vocabulary from input - think of how people who read more tend to have a broader vocabulary, even in their native language.

Regularly review! When you memorise a word, write it down, and later on test yourself on it. Try going through your vocabulary notebook once a month, or if that’s too much, then set up a system, like with flashcards and spaced repetition. Maybe write the next date you will review a particular list of vocabulary on the top of the page?

There are also dictionaries, vocabulary, phrase books.

📂 - Link.

This should be enough but I'll update if that'd be necessary.

Happy Learning!

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of literature we can learn from. Baby books bore you, but you’re not ready for any type of novel, so what’s left?

Here are some tips 

For beginner/A1/A2 learners

Watch a YouTube video in your target language, then read the comments

you’ll already have vocabulary from watching the video, most of the comments will probably use that vocab

it’s a short enough text that you won’t get fatigued

the only downside is that sometimes people utilize abbreviations and slang terms, but even these are good to know

Read news headlines and if you find one you understand almost fully, try to read the full article

sometimes the vocabulary used is not common in everyday usage, but it’s a total win for an A1 learner to fully read and mostly understand any text

while vocab is not used everyday, it will give you the ammunition to talk about that particular topic

Watch Netflix in target language with subtitles in the same language

believe it or not, you will learn to read better, especially because you don’t have to understand written description of visuals (usually uses very niche vocab) or emotion

and now you can slow down or speed up 

I watched DARK in German before I felt like I could read a book, and I understood 85% of it. This is because I looked up some vocabulary in the first episodes and they continued to use it throughout the show so it really cemented in my head to the point where I don’t even think about it. Now, I had to rewatch some conversations the characters had, but that’s much better for understanding than switching it to English or looking up full phrases and sentences. 

For intermediate/B1/B2 learners

read fanfiction

it’s ALWAYS good to read about something you’re interested in so if you like any major movies, books, television, this is the perfect option for you

most people use relatively basic language and you can choose the length 

find a comic book or graphic novel

like watching tv, that visual aid really helps with understanding of the plot without all those tricky descriptions

read a book in your target language that you’ve read and loved in your native language

this is by far my favorite way

you don’t have to worry about trying to understanding the bigger picture because you already know what’s happening/what will happen, you really have to discover the meaning of each sentence and then you begin to picture the scene using only your target language

Learning a language is a long long process. But it can be made fun and easy.

Learning through apps

1. Duolingo

2. Memrise

3. Quizlet

idk any more apps now please do tell if you all know any

Online sites with language learning resources

1. https://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-portuguese.html

This is available for the following languages -

French

English

Spanish

German

Italian

Portuguese

Hebrew

Russian

Arabic

Japanese

2. XeFjord

(european, middle eastern, african, asian, oceanic, native american, etc. etc.)

3. Learn a Language

This site is full of lists of words, phrases, etc with meanings and pronunciation for a bunch of languages. I wish I had discovered it earlier, it is really helpful.

4. Lexicity

Filled with a lot of resources for ancient languages like Akkadian, Egyptian, Mayan, Old English, etc.For each language, it has dictionaries, grammars, texts and some other resources.

5. BBC language learning

This site is filled with courses and lectures etc. for about 40 languages! It also has handy lists like '12 essential phrases in so and so language'

6. Internet Polyglot

This site does not have a languages, but is really good for learning and understanding languages.

7. Ethnologue

this is not exactly a language learning site, but worth a mention. The site claims claims to have language information, language family maps, etc. for world's 7,139 known living languages. It also has your basic information relatied to languages, like the most and least spoken one, endangered ones, etc.

8. Native Language

quote from their site: Native Languages of the Americas: Preserving and promoting American Indian languages

A very good Google document with language learning resources for more than 100 resources is this (credit to reddit user u/chlebka)

Another very good folder is this (credit to the tumblr user @salvadorbonaparte)

If there is some language you want to learn but it is not available on any of the above sites, feel free to send ask me to look for resources for that language. I'm more than happy to help. Or you could message me at @life-gave-me-oranges (my main).

please inform me if any of the above links are broken

https://tonyschocolonely.com/us/en

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony%27s_Chocolonely

Whole Foods carries it. If you don’t want to support an Amazon-owned company, World Market carries it. You can also buy it directly from the company. 

Aldi

Aloha Feels Chocolate

Alma Chocolate

Alter Eco Chocolate

Amano Chocolate

Askinoise Chocolate

The Beach Chocolate Factory

Belicious

Black Mountain Chocolate

Cacaoteca

Caribeans Chocolate

Castronovo Chocolate

Charm School Chocolates

Chocolate Cartel

Chocolat Celeste

Chocolate Tree

Chocolate Troubadour

Choconat

Coco Chocolate

Compartes Chocolates

Dandelion Chocolate

Dark Forest Chocolate

Denman Island Chocolate

Divine Chocolate Co.

Eating Evolved

Eat Your Hat

El Ceibo

The Endangered Species

Equal Exchange

Fairafric

Forever Cocoa

Fresco Chocolate

Fruition Chocolate

Gayleen’s Decadence

GEPA Chocolate

Giddy Yo Yo

Grenada Chocolate Company

Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate

Guittard

Habitual Chocolate

Hagensborg Chocolates

Health by Chocolate

Hilo Shark Chocolate

HNINA Gourmet

Honest Artisan Chocolate

Hooray  Tuffles

Ithaca Fine Chocolates

L.A. Burdick Chocolates

La Iguana Chocolate

Lake Champlain Chocolates

La Siembra Cooperative

Lillie Belle Farms

Madecasse

Malagasy

Maverick Chocolate Company

Max Havelaar

Mayan Monkey

Mayordomo

Mia Chocolate

Montezuma’s Chocolates

Nayah Amazon Chocolates

Newman’s Own Organics

Purdy’s Chocolate

Omanahene Cocoa Bean Company

Ombar

OpuLux Fair Trade Chocolate

Original Hawaiian Chocolate

Parliament Chocolate

Montevérgine

Patric Chocolate

Plamil Organic Chocolate

Potomac Chocolate

Pure Lovin’ Chocolate

Rain Republic

Rapunzel Pure Organics

Ritual Chocolate

Samaritan Xocolata

Sappho Chocolates

Seed & Bean Chocolate

Shaman Chocolates

Sibú Chocolate

Solkiki Chocolate

Sweet Earth Chocolates

Sweet Impact Fudge

Sweet Riot

Sun Eaters Organics

Taza Chocolate

Terra Nostra Organic

Terroir Chocolate

TCHO

The Chocolate Wave

Theo Chocolate

The Original Chocolate Bar (Houston, TX)

Tobago Estate Chocolate

TONY’S CHOCOLONELY

Vivani Chocolate

Vosges

Wei of Chocolate

Xocolatl Chocolate