wyd? studying.

61/100

Please keep going, I know you can do it

how i take notes effectively?

the mindset i have when taking my notes is to not rewrite it after. maybe once if i have more time while reviewing.

before you can write down your notes, you should have the right materials for it. personally, i prefer grid loose leaf papers rather than notebooks. it’s easier to write without having to flip the notebook or worrying about the spring on the side. it also makes organizing my notes into my binder easier. next, and the most important, are pens. i usually use a black pen and that’s it. i do the highlighting after when i get home to review my notes. and again, when i have time while reviewing before an exam, i rewrite my notes and that’s when i use other pens to color code or to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

another important tip when taking down notes is to have a layout that you could use throughout. for me, i simply use the outline method as it works the best with all my notes from different classes. my notes usually contains the date of the lecture, the topic, subtopics, and bulleted details. i don’t use other bullet symbols than a dash or a dot.

lastly, i take my notes in a manner that will make it more understandable for me. meaning, i don’t take down what my professor is exactly saying or what is written on the presentation or the board. i take down notes based on how i understand it the best. the only time i write down the exact words from a presentation or from what my professor has said is when it is a definition, a quote, or a text my professor emphasized. usually, professors would say if it will come out on a test and sometimes they would give out hints about it so i also take note of those.

these are the tips i have for taking notes effectively and these are what i personally follow. i know there are a lot more out there, and that it all really boils down to personal preferences. so find out about yours and share it too to help others!

Feeling in a slump? In desperate need of refreshment? After exhausting months of studying for exams like me? Well I have this plan to get my life together again and I thought I might share with you!

📚 Week 1: Rest and prep

Spend 3 days resting

No planning and no routines 

Don’t do anything you don’t want to do

Sleep in if you want

Binge that show or play that video game

1 day of cleaning your space

Keep it small and surfice level

Clean the dust and the floors

Change your sheets and towels

Declutter the things around

Let in fresh air

1 day of mental health reset

Focus on yourself and your mind with meditating or journaling

Go through your full routines

Read or be creative

Do your favourite self care activities

1 day of social media detox -no social media allowed

1 day of dopamine detox

You have to get bored

You are allowed to go for a walk or work out (no music tho!)

You can journal and meditate

A little bit of cheating: if you feel to desperate you can read

💖 Week 2: Family, friends and love

Spend this week with others as much as possible

Make small gifts for others

Hang out playing games or just talking

Make sure to tell people what they mean to you

🍓 Week 3: Body detox

Make sure to change up things in this part depending on your goals, health and your body’s needs!

No meat, bread (and other pastry) and sweets

No fried food

Drink water only

Fast for 16 hours a day (imtermittent fasting -a lot of you are concerned but don’t worry about me personally. It is safe for me. If you consider doing this do a proper research!)

Work out daily

Go for walks/jogging and spend as much time outside as possible

Take medications and vitamins properly

🧹 Week 4 and 5: Declutter and organise your space

Declutter and organise your closets and cupboards

Go through your clothes

Deep clean your space

Donate things you don’t want or need

😴 Week 6: More rest

3 days resting completely (like the first 3 days)

4 days of active rest

Follow routines

Be creative

Garden/clean/cook

Work out/go cycling/do yoga

Read or learn something new

🎨 Week 7: Be creative daily

Create something every day

📆 Week 8: Planning and new routines

Plan your future

Find new routines

Get into stable routine that makes you happy

-gotta have eat first

-gotta sleep enough first

(seriously so many days i’m like “i have all afternoon I’ma Do a Thing” and then i just kinda buzz around and do Nothing and think “WHY” and then i’m like “oh yeah i’m really fuckening tired”)

-gotta be Excited About It (ADHD brain only does things if they’re Literally the Most Interesting Thing Happening Right Now) (so like, hype yourself up to work on a project, or think about how happy you’ll be with a cleaner room/all those chores done)

-gotta have small, doable first step (like, “get cloth from fabric drawer” or “open google docs”

-FUCK distractions (computer is in drawer, phone is Off)

-Engage the Senses (if task needs Brain, play vague background Music, if task needs No Brain, listen to audiobook/podcast)

-maybe set time limit so i don’t get lost??? e.g. i have a little egg timer that i use because the ticking isn’t distracting but is enough to remind me that Time is a Thing that is Passing Right Now

-gotta have Self Awareness and Thinky about the Moment (get into the habit of Consciously Noticing what you’re doing at the moment, so you’re more likely to go “wait, this isn’t what i wanted to be doing” and be able to redirect)

-be willing to redirect and try to do something else if whatever you want to do Just Isn’t Happening

-DON’T beat yourself up for only doing part of something, or failing entirely- all that does is make your brain associate “trying to do stuff” with “well that SUCKED”. Which means you don’t want to try again. Tell urself u did good for trying, and if it didn’t work, try again later, or figure out why it didn’t work and try a different way. Reward yourself for trying

02.06.20 — slow, rainy mornings will forever be my favorite... 🖤☕️