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Improving Your Quality of Sleep for Studying

Just a PSA, people often misuse melatonin and then think that it doesn’t work. You still need to do all the environmental things to help the melatonin set in e.g. closing blinds, no night lights, stop using technology for at least 1 hour prior to sleeping, etc. Have a read of Sleeping Early and Waking Up Early. 

Focus on exercising and meditation techniques as well. Research has shown that exercise improves the sleep quality of those with chronic insomnia. 

Also, I’m not a sleep scientist by far (I’m sure your GP/sleep doctor has already advised you on treatment/management), but on particularly restless nights I will literally force myself to keep my eyes closed and lie in bed, and force myself to clear my mind repeatedly. I have once tried doing this for two hours straight on a day I stupidly decided to drink coffee at night. Eventually I did fall asleep. 

You should also follow the tips I’ve written for people who have to study whilst dealing with sickness (listed here again for convenience):

Studying in the Worst Case Scenarios

Cramming Tips That Actually Work

Catching Up with Your Studies

Dealing with Bad Results

Being Realistic about your Results

Finishing an Assignment While Sick

Thinking Differently to Prevent Stress 1 and 2

Dealing with Guiltiness when You Haven’t Studied

Dealing with Mental Health at University

Studying With Depression

Studying With Anxiety

Studying When You’re Sick

Hope that helps!

These are methods I use to help me keep information in my head or to help me memorise faster and be done with studying sooner so I thought I’d share them.

Wake up early and study. I sometimes wake up at 4-5 AM to study if I’m not feeling very productive the day before. It’s much easier to study when I just woke up and my mind’s clear. Make sure to sleep early if you want to wake up early. Sleeping at midnight won’t help you get up at 4 AM! I go to bed around 8-9 PM if I plan on waking up early.

Take long relaxing breaks then start with the hardest subjects. If you plan on studying a subject that requires a lot of memorisation, prioritize it. Get home, relax, then start studying that subject first. You’ll be more motivated to do it then.

Walk! I know this sounds strange but I memorise things better when I’m walking around.

Use more than one sense. Read loudly. Recite the information and write it down..etc.

Don’t listen to music when it’s the first time you study that lesson. You want your brain to concentrate on your work as much as possible. At least don’t listen to something you know and can sing/hum along with.

Study it regularly. Find it hard to memorise something? Study it often. For example, study it every Saturday till you find that you know it by heart.

Study the lesson then solve excercises on it. I find this to be the most helpful tip. So you learned a new lesson today and the information is still fresh in your head, go home, study it then solve excercises on it even if the teacher didn’t assign them. It’s as if you studied twice and this makes it much easier to recall information when you study it again later on.

Don’t study after eating. If you feel sleepy after eating (that’s normal. don’t worry) then it’s better to not try memorising anything. It’ll only slow down the process. It’s better to study sth easy and quick or just relax till you regain your energy.

Sit somewhere with a lot of sunlight. This doesn’t directly affect memorisation (rip. I wish) but it helps set me in the mood to study.

In this post, I’m going to talk about the study methods that have worked for me and that I learned during my time at UCLA!

(see another post like this about being healthy here)

Short Term Productivity

Use a stickynote/index card and write a couple goals for today only. Don’t write too many or you will feel overwhelmed! Stick it on your laptop or planner or notebook (somewhere you will see it)

Have a whiteboard at your desk and write down things you need to remember (like a simple equation or some vocab)

While waiting for something (the bus, your coffee, the shower to warm up) have something to recite in your head (probably something you already know, but would like to reALLY KNOW)

When you read, try to tie big concepts to things you would remember easily (like acronyms or symbols) like for example i remember gen chem oxidation as OIL RIG: Oxidation is Loss (of electrons) and Reduction is Gain (of electrons) and I remember the first four unordinary hydrocarbons from Me Eat Peanut Butter (lmao): Methane, Ethane, Propane, Butane

Longer Term Productivity

Plan out your weeks!!! Plan when you will study on each day of the week and keep track of due dates

Make it a habit to do homework/assignments AS SOON AS YOU CAN (like right after you snack or something after classes)

Try not to think about how long you will study and rather think about the number of topics you will study

Don’t stop until you feel confident in your knowledge OTHERWISE YOULL JUST LOSE IT IT ALL 

Keep your notes organized because you never know when something is gonna bite you in the butt again in the future

Review everyday. Like, Serioouslyyyy. It helps a lot.

Read before going to bed instead of being on your phone for 400 hours :C I THINK ITS TRUE THAT THE STUFF YOU READ BEFORE BED STAYS WITH YOU BETTER BC YOU GET TO SLEEP ON IT

Try to keep your area quiet or have only white background noise because if someone is talking about the weather and you’re studying math, best believe you’ll only remember the weather

Reading a Textbook

Most of the time, you don’t need to read the introduction paragraphs.

Read the bolded titles to see what you will be getting into

Before class you can skim lightly!! It will help you not feel lost in class

AFTER CLASS you will now FOCUS YOUR READING ON WHAT WAS SAID IN CLASS because most of the time, class-covered topics ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT! save yoself some time!!

When reading after class, do NOT just read. If you go over something that makes you go ??? in even the slightest way, read it again to understand. Look it up. Do it in THAT moment because you’re gonna forget to do it later.

If you don’t wanna read the whole darn book because ur lazy (like me) or you are cramming, READ!! THE!! SUMMARY!!! 

The back of the book might have some seriously useful appendixes 

Try not to skip the diagrams and pictures lol they’re there for a reason

Taking Notes in Class

dont be on your phone or whatever during class time Like actually PAy attention because if you learn it now, you won’t have to try to learn it again later (you can be on your phone later)

Take down everything written on the boards FOR SURE because if the professor/teacher thinks it’s important to write it, you better think it’s important too

Be an engaged listener! Don’t let it slide straight thru ur head

Try not to scribble your notes so you can read it later

Make CLEAR HEADERS for the topics so you can find those notes quickly

Def make friends in class in case you miss something on the notes ://

Doing Practice Problems and Homework

Get yoUR HOMEWORK DONE FIRST OF ALL

Homework is seriously a great study tool because your instructor assigned that FOR A REASON (aka it’s prob gonna be tested on)

Try to know what you are doing before you start the homework so that you don’t feel lost as heck doing it

When doing practice problems, if you have the answers, don’t be afraid to look at the answer the first time around if you don’t know how to do it. IVE SELF TAUGHT MYSELF SOOOOO MUCH by just looking at the answer to a question.

DONT RELY ON THE ANSWERS THO

Don’t memorize how to do the practice problems, you should memorize the method of solving the problem and understand each step clearly (and understand WHY you do that step!!!) just in case the test pulls some funky stuff on you

The more you can do, the better. But don’t be sleepy and do them because you won’t really retain anything

Other Random Things

My organic chem professor actually did a funny study on sleep and test scores. He said on his final exam he asked “How many hours of sleep did you get last night?” 

and like obviously the more hours of sleep reported, generally the higher the student scored on the exam

SLEEEEPING IS GOOD FOR YOUR LEARNING

WHEN YOU SLEEP AND HIT THE REM CYCLE, YOUR BRAIN PROCESSES THE INFORMATION BETTER and it will really stay with you. So yall need to sleep. Don’t do the all nighters. You won’t remember anything

anyways like nike you should Just Do It

I hope you guys find this useful!! Remember that everyone has different needs and preferences, so take these tips as just tips and not rules!! Experiment with things, see what you like best, see what gives you the best scores. 

I will find prosperity, peace, and safety in the coming season!

Allow yourself to slowly wake up in the morning, so that you are able to ease into your waking State and are able to reflect on your dreaming state.

Ground, and center, so that your energy comes back to itself, and you are more grounded in the moment.

Playing with your energy by making energy balls and moving energy around your body.

Any form of meditation. Guided, or otherwise. Just something to get you into an altered state of consciousness.

Lighting a candle for a specific purpose, or intention, so that its energy can be sent in that direction.

Perceiving, or visiting the astral through astral projection, or astral travel.

Praying, and thanking your ancestors.

Perform Shadow work to examine your shadow.

Creating sigils.

Casting spell, and ritual for an intention that you have.

Choose specific clothes to wear for that day that have colors connected to specific metaphysical properties you wish to bring into your life that day.

Charge or bless your food, and drink before consuming them.

Eat, and drink mindful.

check the phases of the moon and the other positions of the planets.

Go for a walk outside, and taken the fresh air, as you do so try to feel your connection to the earth.

Set up or maintain your altar, or altars.

Go look for things to collect in order to use later in your practice.

Write your knowledge down in a journal, book of shadows, or grimoire, or start one.

Do daily divination on how the day is going to go, or on a specific thing that is  on your mind.

Study, and research things having to do with occultism, esotericism, mysticism, spirituality, or religion, along with anything else that could be brought into your practice.

Charge the crystals that you own, so that they will be working at their highest potential.

Cleanse your living space through the burning of herbs, or some other form of cleansing method.

Cleaning up your living space physically, so that the energy can flow through your space better and you will feel more comfortable in that space.

Set up or maintain protective magick on your living space by reshielding your space and recharging your wards.

Creating an astral Temple, or maintaining your already existing astral Temple.

Check up on and water your plants.

Memorize chants, and say chants throughout the day.

Acknowledge the moon’s presence when you see it.

Creating sigils in your outdoor using stones that you find outside.

Think over, and examine your beliefs, religion, and practice.

Worship, honor, and/or work with your deities.

Take a magickal, or cleansing bath, or shower.

Send a friend positive energy.

Send an enemy negative energy.

Listen to music that is connected to your spiritual practice.

Communicate, or work with your spirit guides, or spirit companions.

Read books or listen to audiobooks having to do with your practice.

Study your holy books, or the holy books of other religions.

Search for videos or blogs that maybe helpful in advancing your understanding of your practice.

Charge, and energize your energy centers so that your energy flows more smoothly through your body.

Go outside, and stargaze try to identify constellations, and look up into the universe.

Drink different forms of tea, or herbal tisanes.

Look for signs throughout your daily life.

Examine your natal chart.

Create a staff, or wand out of fallen branches you find around your living space.

Communicate and work with other magical practitioners that you know.

Visit a place that is religious, spiritual, or some other form of liminal space.

Place items underneath your pillow so that they can enchant your sleep state.

Meditate before sleep so that you can ease into your sleep state easier.

Hey y’all! This post is aimed at people who are making the transition from textbook-based science classes to article-based science classes. Scientific journal articles are dense compared to textbooks and aren’t written with the intent to teach basic concepts but rather with the intent to expand scientific knowledge. It can often be very confusing to figure out what is going on. Here’s how I was taught to read them 10+ years ago and how I still approach them today. 

(I) After reading the title, start for real with the Results section. 

Why would you do this when you know the abstract will give you a basic overview of the study and the introduction will set the context? Because you want to be an active reader. You want to figure out what happened in this study in a way that makes sense to you rather than be able to parrot what the author’s say happened. This is the major difference between reading a textbook (where you need to regurgitate the information later) and reading an article (where you need to be able to intelligently discuss the content either in class or in writing). 

Look at the tables and figures first. Can you tell what the independent variables were? What the dependent variables are? What might the relationship between them be? What trends or patterns do you see? Depending on your style, it may be a good idea to mark up your document with this information or jot some notes down somewhere else. 

Now read the text part of the results. What parts of the figures are the authors choosing to highlight in the text? Are there any results buried in the text that you can’t connect to part of a figure?   

Now pause and think. What is the most important result of the study? Highlight where this appears in the text and figures. Remember that important doesn’t necessarily mean statistically significant! A good p-value doesn’t signify real-world meaning; you need to make that connection yourself. Take a moment in this step to notice what results still don’t make sense to you– no need to panic or write questions down yet because you haven’t read the rest of the paper. 

(II) Get the gist of the Methods. 

Chances are your professor did not assign you this reading with the intent to make you replicate the study. You don’t have to understand every sentence (or even most sentences!) of the methods unless you’re an advanced graduate student. You do have to be able to explain in layman’s terms what the researchers did. 

Particularly important questions to answer that can be found in the text include: What were the independent variables? What were the dependent variables? What variables were controlled for, either statistically or through researcher manipulation? What statistical methods were used to look for an association?  In health research, we use the acronym PECOT to deconstruct method’s sections.  

P = population– who was being studied? 

E = exposure– what variable were the researchers trying to determine the impact of? This might be an intervention (ie., a smoking cessation video) or something outside researchers’ control (ie., at least 5 years of daily smoking). 

C = comparison– who is the population of interest going to be compared to? This may be a formal control group (ie., smokers who were shown a video on handwashing) or something outside researchers’ control (ie., former smokers of a similar demographic background who haven’t had a cigarette in 5 years). 

O = outcome– what were the researchers looking for? This is also known as the independent variable. 

T = time– how long were participants/subjects tracked and when were measurements taken? 

(III) Read the Introduction. 

Now that you have a very good idea about the design and results of the study, you’ll be better able to understand the introduction of the study. The basic goal of an introduction in any scientific paper is to explain why the study happened. The background may give you some helpful context, or it may be redundant at this point. I typically don’t spend much time on the introduction except for the end where the study purpose/research question and hypotheses are usually written. Mark these in the text! You should already have a good idea of the study’s purpose from the methods and results. Here’s some questions you should answer internally or in your notes at this point: 

Did the methods align with the purpose? 

Did the results support the hypothesis? 

What are the scientific implications of these results? 

(IV) Read whatever is at the end of the article: Discussion, Conclusion, Reflection, Limitations, Research Implications etc. 

It is very important that you save these sections for last because these sections are where researchers tell you what to think of the results. You need to be prepared to critically engage with their interpretation of the results by already having your own. That’s what the three questions above are about! Of course, the discussion was probably written by multiple advanced scientists and you are but a lowly student. That doesn’t mean you should accept their conclusions without seeing their logic. As you read the discussion, think about these questions: 

Do the researchers think the results support the hypothesis? 

How are the researchers interpreting the primary results? [Bonus: what other interpretations are there, and are they mentioned?]

What do the researchers think the scientific implications of these results are?

What limitations do the researchers acknowledge, and how could those limitations be impacting the results?

(V) Synthesize it. 

Try to boil down everything in the paper to just a few sentences that an 8th grader could understand. Whether you think through it internally or write it down is up to you. I usually print out my readings and write my synthesis on the blank back page using the following sentences starters: 

The researchers wanted to know whether… 

They found that… 

This means that… 

Taking the time to write the synthesis and any lingering questions you have can be really helpful if, like me, you do reading far in advance of class and need a quick refresher to glance at before class starts. It can also be helpful for paper writing or exam studying later. Consider revising your synthesis after you participate in the class discussion or hear your professor’s take on the article in lecture. Don’t rely on the abstract– that’s someone else’s synthesis, not yours.

— 

I hope this was helpful!! Don’t feel bad if this process is ridiculously time consuming. I have spent probably 3-4 hours on a 5-page study before. The goal of science writing is to be as concise as possible, which makes reading short articles more difficult than longer ones. I am a graduate student at a top American university, and I typically read 9-12 articles per week this deeply. If a professor assigns more than 4 research study articles per week for a regular course, make sure they explain what students are supposed to be getting out of each article so you can target your reading better. Chances are, you can skip some sections and focus on coming to class with clarifying questions rather than a firm understanding.

Happy reading!! 

Hello friends well it’s that time of year for aussie 12th graders, so I thought I’d give you all some tips on how to effectively prepare for your exams and such; they can be applied to more than just the HSC exams. Best of luck!

General tips:

Give yourself plenty of breaks. Devote some time to yourself each day- I would say at least 10 minutes. Make it a stress-releasing time, and do things that relax you. Have a hot bath, paint a picture, snuggle in blankets, call a friend, read a book, drink tea or hot chocolate, listen to nature sounds, go for a walk in the nature, sing a song or play an instrument. Anything that calms you down and lifts your mood!

Don’t stay up at night cramming for exams. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t help you. Rather, it drains your energy levels, and you’ll wake up the next day and forget most of what you learned. It just won’t stick in if you cram it all into one night and then try to regurgitate it the next day.

If you have run out of time studying by the end of the day or need to cram right before an exam, focus on understanding only one or two syllabus points that you’re uncomfortable with, rather than skimming through all your notes. 

Maintain your mental health. Psychologists and psychiatrists have revealed that the key to optimum mental health lies in proper sleep and diet. So, eat proper meals and sleep enough hours to keep up your energy levels, mood regulation and concentration levels. It’ll take time, but give yourself time to get into a routine, and you’ll really feel the difference. I really did after my hospital admissions.

Exercise adequately during exam period. Studies have shown that the students who achieved the highest marks in the HSC exercised regularly. Exercise is great for clearing the mind and keeping healthy, and it really does help with your mental health too! My eldest sister used to exercise during her HSC, and she ended up with a mark of 99.55!

Have a good support network. Whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed with stress, stop and talk to someone, it really helps! Remember, your cohort are also in the same boat as you for the rest of the year. Even better, speak to a friend or family member who has finished school, and learn more about their story. As you will see, there are many ways to achieve your goals! Your school counselor will also be great help.

Have a life outside of school. This is very important. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be stuck in your room studying all day every day to get good marks. In fact, the people who achieve the best marks actually have a life outside of school. Hobbies, social outings, family time, and part-time jobs are really important, so keep them going regularly, and give yourself time to relax. This will relieve stress and maintain your mental health, which will therefore allow for higher marks in the long run.

Set goals. Have weekly goals for work you wanna achieve by the end of each week, and try your hardest to work towards them! It really helps to have something to work towards, and a reward to motivate you! Don’t be ashamed to reward yourself when you’ve done something good!

Have a specific ATAR in mind. For example, if you just say, “I wanna get around the 80 mark”, then your brain thinks around 80%, and you’ll work towards that, rather than an 89 for example. You’ll be more likely to achieve an 80 because that’s what your mind is set on. But, if you have the specific ATAR to get into a course you want, you’ll work towards it more. It’s true, I’ve heard from seminars! In fact, my sister used to write little notes to our parents saying little things like “I owe you a 99.5 UAI” and she would stick them everywhere and rewrite it. She ended up surpassing that mark! Same thing happened to my cousin!

Stick up your goals in front of you. If there’s a specific uni you wanna go to, stick pictures of it in your room. If there’s a specific course you wanna aim towards, print out the details, highlight it and stick it above your desk. Be able to visualize your goals, so you’re more motivated to work towards them.

Time management, workload and studying:

Make a schedule. This is essential during exam period too. Make a schedule of each hour of the day that you’re awake, and plot which hours are dedicated to which activities. Give yourself plenty of breaks, but also adequate study time. Place your leisure activities, social activities and any job you may have within your schedule, then schedule your schoolwork around your daily life. Most importantly, stick to your schedule in an outline- don’t become obsessive and try to follow each and every little detail, otherwise you’ll break down when you miss a part of your day.

Keep a diary. Write down all your stuff in there. Seriously they’re helpful.

Have a weekly planner, and stick it above where you study. Do what I do, and buy a whiteboard! Draw up a table of each day of the week, and plan what work you need to get done and when. Refer to it often. It really helps keep you organized!

Study in one place, and on a desk. Emulate an exam environment and get used to working there (empty desk, quiet room without visual or auditory distractions). This way, when you’re in an exam, your brain will kick into thinking mode, and you’ll find it easier to regurgitate information, because your brain will be thinking, “Hey, I’m used to working in this environment, so I’m able to think!”. Do not study or work on your bed- only associate your bed with sleeping, otherwise when you try to sleep at night, you’ll be wide awake, because your brain will associate your bed with schoolwork, and you’ll be ready to work instead of sleep.

Prioritise homework over assignments. I know this sounds crazy, but homework covers a lot of information in the HSC syllabus. Spend about half an hour on homework each day, then do assignments- if you don’t prioritise the assignments, you know you’re gonna have to do them eventually. But, if you do the assignments first, you’ll be too tired to do the homework, so not everything becomes finished.

Allocate at least three weeks to studying for exams, and stick to a schedule. Week one- Write down notes for each syllabus point that will be tested. Week two- memorise those notes and answer textbook questions. Week three- do practice papers. Practice papers are essential.

I cannot stress enough the importance of working on practice papers. You don’t even have to always do them under exam conditions, just try to answer some of the questions each week. Pretty soon, you’ll be used to what they’re asking you, and you won’t be surprised in the exam. Ask your teachers if they have any exams from previous years with answers separate, or head to the Board of Studies website and look at the past HSC papers.

Practice under exam conditions. For example, if you’re trying to memorise an essay, try to write it within the 40 minute time period. It helps to know how many words you can write in 40 minutes, so try to make your essay that long. Keep trying until you can finish the essay and have it memorized. (Note: DON’T memorise essays for subjects other than English, because those subjects will mark you down for not being able to answer the question)

Use your teacher for their purpose. They’re supposed to be teaching you, so don’t be ashamed if you don’t understand something. If you’re not getting something, ask about it. If you got questions wrong in an exam, ask them where you went wrong, and try to fix your answer, and return the paper back to them. Constantly get teacher’s feedback until you get it as close to perfect as possible. It will do wonders.

Try to write at least one practice essay per week or two, and hand it into your teacher for feedback (good questions to answer are those in old exam papers, or one in an exam you could’ve improved on). Keep editing it and getting feedback. It’ll really help in exams!

To memorise essays, or just articles or notes in general- don’t have blocks of information in front of you. Reading a big paragraph over and over again is not gonna help you memorise everything, even if you highlight it. What’s really worked for me and gave me good marks, is getting a separate piece of paper and writing dot points about each sentence of your essay. Reduce each sentence into as few words as possible, and use trigger words to help you remember the sentence. Each dot point is about a new sentence. Then, memorise those dot points instead of the whole thing. Keep it next to you the first couple of times when you practice writing the essay.

Find new ways of studying, and see what works best for you. Reading textbooks isn’t gonna make you memorise the information. Studies show that reading information only allows you to retain 10% of the information, and listening to it only 5%. Writing notes and answering questions is a lot better, and teaching others is most effective, with a 90% retainment rate!

Studying with friends can be great, and teaching others really is the most effective learning tool statistically, but if it’s gonna distract you then don’t do it. Either study with very studious people, or study on your own. 

Turn off your phone. If you’re using it for a timer, then set it to ‘do not disturb mode’. If you don’t trust yourself, get someone else to hide your phone away for you. Also no internet. I see you there scrolling on tumblr yeah stop it.

Time management in exams and assignments:

Separate your time adequately during exams. Let’s say you have multiple choice, short answers, and an extended response in a 2 hour exam. Now, it’s your choice of what you want to do first, but work on getting it all done. In this case, you should leave 40 minutes for the extended response, 40  minutes for the short answers, 20 minutes for the multiple choice, and the remainder to go over your exam. Always try to have time left over in your exam so you can check your answers. (Personally, I like to do multiple choice last- it’s easy and quick, and if I were to be short on time, I could just guess the last few answers).

Stick to the time limits you set in the point I just explained above. So, using the same 2 hour exam example, if you’re three-quarters through an essay but already spent 40 minutes on it, then turn to the other questions, and only finish the essay if you have time. Look at it this way- it’s better to have an incomplete essay and mostly completed questions, than a full essay and incomplete questions. Short answer questions are a really easy way to earn marks, and they’re quick to answer. If you’ve only got your conclusion or something left in an essay, you’ll only get one or two extra marks for finishing it, because you won’t be introducing much else. But, you’ll have a better chance of getting marks if you answer more of the short answer and multiple choice questions.

Don’t think too long on multiple choice questions. If you spend more than about two minutes thinking of the answer, skip it and come back to it when you’re done. It’s not worth stressing over a one-mark question when you’ve got 3 and 5 markers to answer.

Pay attention to how many marks each question is worth. I used to sit there are rant on and on and on when answering a question to make sure that I got a mark- I’d write unnecessarily long answers, and then I wouldn’t have the time to finish the other questions, so I’d have an incomplete exam! You can’t get more than the maximum mark for each question, so bear that in mind. Allocate one minute to each mark- so, if it’s a one mark question, don’t spend more than a minute on it. If it’s a three mark question, don’t spend more than three minutes. Don’t rant on and write an answer that is irrelevant to the question- the markers aren’t looking to be impressed by your knowledge of the topic, they just want you to be direct about the specific question.

For assignments, set yourself a time limit and a goal. For example, let’s say you have a 1000 word essay to write in two weeks. Start it as soon as possible, and give yourself maximum of an hour on day one, with your goal being to write the introduction of the essay. Just tell yourself, “Ok, I’m only gonna spend one hour and write the introduction, then I’ll do whatever I want after”.  The next day, give yourself about two hours, and aim to get body paragraph one done. After about 45 minutes, give yourself a break for 10 minutes, then continue. Day three, give yourself 1-2 hours to work on body paragraph two, etc. This way, you get through it step by step, you don’t cram it in, and you’re not stressed!

If you’re having trouble with managing time for anything, ask your teacher or your school counsellor for advice. Don’t feel embarrassed, because any tips would really help you out during this time! You’re not the only one who’s ever had this trouble in school, so it’s nothing they haven’t seen before!

Useful links:

Board of Studies HSC

HSC past papers

Students Online

HSC Online Resources

When should I go to sleep?

How to pull an all-nighter and still do well in an exam

Useful tools:

Productivity:

Get rid of distracting websites Mac // PC

Presentation tools:

Animoto 

Prezi

Slideshare

Flash card tools: 

Anki

Brainflips

Quizlet

Organisation of ideas:

Bubbl.us

Exploratree

Mindmeister

Evidence Chart

Search engines:

Internet Archive

Find Articles

Google Scholar

Make or find a quiz:

Make A Quiz

Quiblo 

Study planning and preparation resources:

MyStudyLife 

Create your own online study plan

Online study planner and timetable (free document download)

Make a 5 day study plan

How to create a study plan

How to create a study schedule

Draft a study plan

Study apps:

30/30 (iPhone)

MyStudyLife: iPhone / Android / Windows 8 / Chrome

StudyBlue: iPhone / Android

8 best free apps to improve study methods

12 Apps for students

Masterposts and tips:

How to achieve a Band 6 in HSC English

Standard/ESL English won’t hold back your ATAR

How to make a weekly/study timetable + how to write an English essay

Note-taking tips

Study preparation tips

Study and exam help

My self-care masterpost

Study masterpost + resources

Stress relief:

Stress relief games

Rain soundtrack while studying 

Nature sounds

Ocean sounds

Coffee sounds

Progressive muscle relaxation

Paint with sand

Dealing with panic attacks

Anxiety relief

Stress relievers

Motivators:

Staying motivated while studying 

More motivation while studying

get kittens while you write!

DRAMATIC MUSIC

SRSLY YOU CAN GET ANY WORK DONE TO THIS MUSIC (AND FOR 10 HOURS OK)

There I was again tonight forcing laughter faking smiles so I made up this long ass post for y'all!

So you a potato. Me a potato. World conquered by we potatoes. But potato need survival tips. So your bro potato help you out. Yay potato. Go go potato.

Study related stuff :

1. Get good grades

Catch concepts, not chapters. Your portion is most likely gonna be super vast, so it’s helpful to know a little something from every chapter rather than knowing just 50% of your syllabus.

Figure out which concepts are important and master them.

Keep all assignments completed at least 1 day before submission date. This isn’t always possible but trust me if you do this you’re guaranteeing marks for proper submission. Job done early? Proof check and add touches to enhance that essay!

Let the teachers know that you’re working hard. I actually passed math because my math teacher knew I was working super hard on my math skills. Participate in the class, gather a bunch of doubts and then dump them on your teacher when the chapter ends.

Try not to miss lectures because chances are you’ll remember that silly mnemonic your friend made up in class and get the answer correct.

Analysis of your exam type is super important. Want me to make a long ass post about it?

2. Be more productive

Having a stuydjo/bujo by your side helps hella lot.

Plan plan plan. Lists, organise lists and colour code them. Basically become Monica Geller Bing and you’re set for life.

Motivational quotes from pinterest almost make me guilty for not being productive and force me to do something.

Before starting your study session, dance around to upbeat music for like 5 minutes. You’ll see the difference I promise.

Seek out inspiration from your smart friends /tumblr friends /people you look up to by constantly reminding yourself about them. I always think of hermione granger because even randomly picturing her with books in my mind ignites that badass boss feeling complying me to study tf up.

3. Manage your time

Studyjo/bujo saves your life.

Wear a watch all the damn time, it will remind you of how much time you’re spending doing nothing. You’ll end up saving several extra minutes!

List out what you’re gonna do every hour of the day on a sticky note and refer to it when you feel lazy.

Get a super nice friend /parent /sibling who will constantly remind you to utilise your time.

Think of time as currency and pretend that it’s all a game where you need to save up as much money as you can to become a billionaire. Save up your time and become rich af.

4. Avoid procrastinating

Stduyjo/bujo again. You know the drill now.

A little bit of exercise before starting work generally works you up and sets the correct mood.

Knowing how ahead your friends are from you often makes you wanna catch up so try getting that motivation.

Set goals + rewards that actually matter to you. Maybe a face care spa day isn’t your thing but munching on a snickers bar is. Treat yo self.

Tell someone a detailed plan of what you are going to accomplish the next day. Now whenever you see that person you’ll want to prove to them that you’re doing what you promised. Or the guilt may drive you too.

Appearance related stuff :

1. Look more put together

Try the lipstick trick. There are days when you do not have the time /want to put on makeup, so just put on a lipstick that matches your outfit and you’ll automatically create an illusion of being more put together, boss af and fabulous.

Try out cheap (potato can’t afford sorry) but elegant accessories. If it’s a necklace try tucking it under the collar of your shirt and see the magic. Stick to one staple accessory that’s gonna be your trademark.

Tame that mane potato. Your hair isn’t gonna detangle itself. You gotta do it. I mean, don’t you love your hair?

Minimalistic colours rock. Some outfits never go old like flannels or white shirts or black dresses.

2. Feel beautiful

The lipstick does the trick for me.

Putting my hair in a sky high ponytail makes me feel like I’m a queen or something.

Save little compliments for yourself as reminders and when you get them you’ll feel 10x more beautiful than before.

Mind related stuff :

1. Deal with burnout/slump

Try to accomplish super tiny stuff. Break down every task into micromolecular basics.

Give yourself a ted talk. It works.

Sometimes the best way of dealing with burnout is by detoxing from the thing that caused burnout. Stay away form books and after some time you’ll actually want to study.

2. Study with slumps/mental illness

Step one is to finish homework /assignments. If you can concentrate on them, you’re good to go.

Do not take up a lot of load, just skimming through textbooks, reviewing notes, going over flashcards should do the trick.

If you desperately need to get shit done, just ignore the fact that you do not want to do it. It’s harsh on your mind but desperate times require desperate measures.

Avoid forcing yourself to study because you’ll not retain info like that.

Take it easy. But consistently. Maybe just one topic a day. But do not miss a day. A steady everyday practice goes long way in the future.

3. Strengthen self control

There are several apps that can help you with this, like forest. My top pick is the Tide app which has a gorgeous interface and super aesthetic timers with new pictures everyday. I shit you not every time I quit my pomodoro I feel the guilt of having killed 1000 puppies its worse and I avoid doing that at all costs.

If you study in your room, keep your phone in the kitchen for some time. Your lazy ass is less likely to get up and use the phone.

Switching the phone off before starting a study session works because I care for my phone like a baby and it feels horrible to switch it on and off and on and off.

Practice 30 minutes of digital detox everyday. You don’t have to study at that time, just stay away from everything that is technology. Read and book, eat a fruit, make a sandwich, paint, sing, dance, exercise. Study if you want. Just no gadgets.

4. Deal with stress

Yoga works. Potato body ain’t that flexible so just breathing exercises for a start is also enough.

Highly recommended : brain dump every night before sleeping can ensure that you’ll not stay up too late pondering over the meaning of your existence and world politics.

Having a hearty talk with someone you trust will also lift weight off your chest.

Pin point the cause of your stress and annihilate the problem. Slay it.

Life related stuff :

1. Drink more water

Carry a cool ass bottle of water with you every frigging where.

Make it a rule to have a drink everytime you go to the loo or you take a bath /shower.

Replace one of your daily caffeines /sugars with water. You don’t have to get rid of coffee because that’s just non potato ish, but maybe that third cup could be replaced with water.

Try a game thingy. Maybe everytime the word ‘procrastination’ pops in your mind take a drink. Wow, I’m so creative *sighs for eternities*.

2. Be more healthy

5 minute stretches right after getting up works you up.

Try one of those YouTube videos of 15 minute workouts. You can have 3 such workouts through the day and call yourself a fit potato.

Replacing one packet of junk food with nuts/fruits also works.

Everytime you hear someone say something related to money, have a banana. Random much? Nope, bananas are known to increase hormones that make you happy in your body, meaning you’ll feel full and happy. Maybe offer the person a banana too.

3. Be more happy

Eat bananas!

Take pictures of things you love, not things your followers love.

Puppies are a source of eternal joy.

Reading goofy/cheesy/romance books make you giggle and feel good in general.

Watching cheesy films or good ass romcoms works just well.

Friends was created for a reason.

Writing down what you accomplished today gives a sense of pride and satisfaction. Take that shit.

Tumblr has shitposts made basically to make you happy.

4. Find your true calling /figuring tf out what you wanna do with your life

Lists lists lists. Subjects you love, you hate, you’re good at, you suck at.

Consulting your teachers, family etc and find out what they think you’re good at. Sometimes other people can see traits of yours better than you.

Career tests rock.

You’ll figure it out in the end somehow.

And that’s about it for now folks, hope this helps. See y'all laterz~

Genetics: Do not. Unless cheek swabs?

Chemistry: NO!!!!! DO NOT!!!!!!

Archaeology: Perhaps. But might be human bone.

Geology: Sometimes needed, sometimes dangerous 

Psychology: Best not.

Physics: ????????? How??????

Botany: You might hallucinate or die, OR it might be delicious

Computer Science: the tingle of electricity on your tongue is how you know it’s working

Alien: so why did humanity get out here so quickly? Surely theres more Important things needing to be done on earth?

Human: well you see davw an i made a drunken bet that i could never lick an alien. So i wanted to win the bet. Im so sorry about this…

C