estudyr.

Hey guys!

follow me on goodreads!

It’s getting super close to when I’m supposed to be moving in to college and as per usual whenever I’m preparing for a big change in my life my to-read list becomes massive! No worries though because I actually have a good list of books that I’m either gonna read for the first time or re-reads that I think can help me in the world of adulting and going to college. These are the books I’m planning to read before college:

The financial diet: I love watching the financial diet on youtube and I browsed through their new book that they have in barnes and nobles and it seems pretty interesting and not too financial and stuffy, like I would need a cup of coffee to get through, so i’m gonna pick this one up for some everyday, real life financial advice.

The life changing magic of tidying up: I’ve read this one before and it absolutely changed my life, ever since then my mind has been cleared and my space actually stays tidy for way longer, but since i’m gonna be moving to college ( and to a different country)  and have to downsize, i figured and i would read this book again for moral support while i declutter and consolidate my life.

Rich dad poor dad: another re-read this summer because I cannot sing the praises of this book enough. I’m gonna need this one to remind me that buying a car isn’t an asset when you’re a broke college student (it’s gonna be hard cuz i’m lazy and love convenience lol)

Broke millennial: very similar to the financial diet. its an urban, young woman (or man’s) guide to just getting your financial shit together. If you cant tell i’m into these more fun financial books.

Profit first: I don’t know much about this one (except that its finance and business related) but I heard someone on a podcast I listen to rave about it and say it was one of the books that made a huge difference in how he approached finance and business, so of course I decided that I have to pick it up!

Lean in: women, work and the will to lead: ok so this one is a bit of a doozy for me because I don’t think women should need a book particularly for them in leadership (its kinda condescending IMO) but of course the reality is leadership for women in the workplace is different and its important that we not only address why that is but to learn how to deal with this while it’s happening also. I hope this book give me some insight into that since its so highly rated, I’ll keep you guys posted.

The immortal life of Henrietta lacks : Again, I don’t know much about this book, but the blurb sounds super inspirational like it’s going to be about womanhood and perseverance and as black person moving to the united states I figure it would be a fitting and inspirational read.

A mind for number: how to excel at math and science: nuff said lol. I’m not a math person at all ( science I can deal with) and I’m starting to think I have such a mental block against it that it will forever be a roadblock in my educational path, so I’ve decided that I’m hopefully not going to college with this issue and this book is highly rated so fingers crossed it helps ya girl out.

Dear Ijeawele: if you don’t know this book was written by Chimamanda Adichie and ugh, her mind is just so powerful. Her thoughts on feminism are so concise and inspirational, i just have to read this book again before i go to college.

Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that won’t stop talking: ok so this book has been on my tbr for freaking ever and I finally decided that I MUST read it before I go to college, if there’s ever a time in my life where I need to know how to wield my introvertness to my benefit rather than being crippled by it, its now.

So there’s my before college tbr, its quite ambitious but I have about 2 months of free time (lol this was written in June!) to read these and hopefully get all the inspiration and motivation I need to have a kickass first year of college. Remember I haven’t read most of these so if you read any of them and have any opinions please message me! I hope guys have a lovely day.

Hey guys!

follow me on goodreads!

It’s getting super close to when I’m supposed to be moving in to college and as per usual whenever I’m preparing for a big change in my life my to-read list becomes massive! No worries though because I actually have a good list of books that I’m either gonna read for the first time or re-reads that I think can help me in the world of adulting and going to college. These are the books I’m planning to read before college:

The financial diet: I love watching the financial diet on youtube and I browsed through their new book that they have in barnes and nobles and it seems pretty interesting and not too financial and stuffy, like I would need a cup of coffee to get through, so i’m gonna pick this one up for some everyday, real life financial advice.

The life changing magic of tidying up: I’ve read this one before and it absolutely changed my life, ever since then my mind has been cleared and my space actually stays tidy for way longer, but since i’m gonna be moving to college ( and to a different country)  and have to downsize, i figured and i would read this book again for moral support while i declutter and consolidate my life.

Rich dad poor dad: another re-read this summer because I cannot sing the praises of this book enough. I’m gonna need this one to remind me that buying a car isn’t an asset when you’re a broke college student (it’s gonna be hard cuz i’m lazy and love convenience lol)

Broke millennial: very similar to the financial diet. its an urban, young woman (or man’s) guide to just getting your financial shit together. If you cant tell i’m into these more fun financial books.

Profit first: I don’t know much about this one (except that its finance and business related) but I heard someone on a podcast I listen to rave about it and say it was one of the books that made a huge difference in how he approached finance and business, so of course I decided that I have to pick it up!

Lean in: women, work and the will to lead: ok so this one is a bit of a doozy for me because I don’t think women should need a book particularly for them in leadership (its kinda condescending IMO) but of course the reality is leadership for women in the workplace is different and its important that we not only address why that is but to learn how to deal with this while it’s happening also. I hope this book give me some insight into that since its so highly rated, I’ll keep you guys posted.

The immortal life of Henrietta lacks : Again, I don’t know much about this book, but the blurb sounds super inspirational like it’s going to be about womanhood and perseverance and as black person moving to the united states I figure it would be a fitting and inspirational read.

A mind for number: how to excel at math and science: nuff said lol. I’m not a math person at all ( science I can deal with) and I’m starting to think I have such a mental block against it that it will forever be a roadblock in my educational path, so I’ve decided that I’m hopefully not going to college with this issue and this book is highly rated so fingers crossed it helps ya girl out.

Dear Ijeawele: if you don’t know this book was written by Chimamanda Adichie and ugh, her mind is just so powerful. Her thoughts on feminism are so concise and inspirational, i just have to read this book again before i go to college.

Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that won’t stop talking: ok so this book has been on my tbr for freaking ever and I finally decided that I MUST read it before I go to college, if there’s ever a time in my life where I need to know how to wield my introvertness to my benefit rather than being crippled by it, its now.

So there’s my before college tbr, its quite ambitious but I have about 2 months of free time (lol this was written in June!) to read these and hopefully get all the inspiration and motivation I need to have a kickass first year of college. Remember I haven’t read most of these so if you read any of them and have any opinions please message me! I hope guys have a lovely day.

YES YES YES! Here are my main squeezes: 

@college-help-and-hacks: One of the first blogs I followed when I started my own blog.

@collegelifehacks: About 75% of the posts are college related, but the rest are general adulting and A+.

@diyadulting​: We’ve got a lot of the same things going on (including cats).

@foodffs​: The absolute best recipe blog on Tumblr! Ranked.

@growup-gloup: New fav, this blog is just starting up.

@hipdomestic​: Another blog that is not updated enough, but has an archive that will straight up shock you.

@howtogrowthefuckup: Super popular, super informative, basically what I strive to be.

@howtoimpersonateanadult: Extremely similar to what I’m doing, we’re hardcore mutuals.

@lifehacksthatwork: I get all of my infographics from this tumblr/site. Occasionally they’ll post hysterical comments.

@poorpersonsgiude: Stalking this blog is my No. 1 hobby.

@studydiaryofamedstudent: For all your studying/homework needs.

@writing-reference: Does not post too much nowadays, but has an absolutely insane archive with everything you could possibly ever need ever.

The ABCDE Method: Accomplish Tasks more Efficiently

write down every deadline!

get someone’s number in every class, in case you have to miss a class or need a study buddy

don’t buy textbooks before you go to the first class – you might not even need them

same with notebooks, binders, folders, etc

live on campus for at least a year if you can – you’ll make more friends and get more involved that way

apply for a work study job  – your boss will be way more understanding about taking time off to study than if you work off campus 

put yourself out there, especially in the first couple of months. go to club interest meetings, hang out with people from class, introduce yourself to your hall mates

if you don’t like the free t shirt, don’t take it. you’ll never wear, no not even to sleep, and you’ll just end up stressed out about your lack of closet space

don’t go straight back to your dorm after class – study in the library, hang out in union. don’t coop yourself up in your room all day!!

start your work as soon as you get it

always carry a water bottle

don’t leave the dining hall empty handed! grab some fruit or cookies for a snack later

keep a travel mug in your backpack so you can get free coffee from the dining hall instead of starbucks

coordinate with your roommates on big stuff – fridge, coffee maker, etc

apply for fafsa the day it opens!! if they need any extra info you’ll wanna know asap 

lay out your clothes the night before, so you can sleep a little later

use the resources available to you!! go to the gym, the campus clinic, etc because you’re already paying for it!!

go to sporting events even if you don’t like sports, it’s a chance to really appreciate your school + get away from homework for a bit

start your work as soon as you get it!!!

take classes that interest you!! even if they’re outside your major

study hard but don’t forget to take a break!! spend time with your friends and make memories!!

always keep $20 in your car for emergency gas or food

you’ll probably switch majors. that’s okay.

if you decide you want to ~party~, take it easy. always go with people you trust, and don’t be afraid to leave early if you’re getting a bad vibe

don’t wear a lanyard. sure, they’re convenient, but at what cost?

speak up in class, but don’t be a know-it-all. if you’re speaking over all the other students or acting like you know more than the teacher your attendance grade is going to be the same as if you hadn’t talked at all

don’t sweat your gpa too much. it’s not like high school, and unless you have to have a certain gpa for a scholarship it doesn’t really matter what it is

keep your room clean. seriously it’ll make your relationship with your roommate much better and will keep your space from stressing you out

avoid all-nighters like the plague

● Seize time opportunities. If I have 15 minutes until your next class, I sit down and do homework in the hallway. If I have a long commute, I’ll do flashcards. This works because you most likely won’t have anything else to do anyways, so it’s easier to get your work done.

● Start something. When I get a lab report assignment, the first thing I do is pull up the directions and at least start the cover page and pull up some research links. It takes 5 minutes but it gets the ball rolling and makes it more likely that you’ll finish what you started.

● Auto-mode. When I procrastinating, it’s usually because I’m too busy thinking about what I’m going to do. Instead, I like to pretend I’m in “auto-mode” and just get started as fast as I can. auto-mode means shutting out distracting thoughts or pleas to watch one more funny cat video and forcing your hands to open your textbook. Works every time.

● Personally, creating time schedules don’t work for me because if I fall out of time, the whole schedule falls apart and I usually give up. Instead I use time games. I’ll tell myself something like “work as hard as you can until 11:00 sharp and if you finish, you can have a break”. This is great for developing self discipline because it’s in the moment so you can be more realistic and flexible.

● I don’t like writing down earlier due dates in my planner because it’s confusing so instead, it’s good to have some sort of mental rule. for example, my mental rule is to finish everything at least two days before the due date. following through with that will keep you on track.

● Do a little bit every day. If you have a big project, chip at it within a week rather than stressing out 2 days before it’s due. the same goes for studying for an exam. if you review lecture notes and attend office hours after class + work on flashcards throughout the week, then do a final review at the end, you’ll be well prepared and won’t need to cram. It’s a good habit and you won’t get stressed. Two birds with one stone.

● Use mornings too. I’m not really an early bird, but using mornings to get some work / chores done is great because it gives you a productive start to the day, which makes you feel proud of yourself for knocking out half of your tasks in the a.m. 

a. Lay out your lecture notes / worksheets on the table the night before and open your work tabs on your computer so they’ll be the first thing you see when you turn on your computer.

b. Put your computer far away from your work space and go to sleep.

c. When you wake up, the first thing that you’ll see is your ‘paper’ work, so get it done first. then start on your ‘screen’ work (you’ll be less likely to get distracted if you do your ‘paper’ work first). when you open your laptop the first thing you’ll see are the work tabs you opened the night before. Your job is to go on auto-mode and get started.

PART ONE - IPHONE

part two here

So this is my first post that isn’t a stupid text post or overly bright photo of my stationary, so I hope you’ll like it! It will consist of two parts, one for the ios apps and one for google chrome extensions. Feel free to send me recommendations!

bolded = favourite, cursive = apps I use every day

Note taking and co

Pocket - very useful app to save websites, articles, posts etc and read them offline.           

Keynote, Pages, Numbers - basics if you have an apple device. I actually like keynote better than powerpoint c:

Notability - Very popular app and it really is worth its money. Great for note taking, especially in class!

Evernote - On my phone for over 4 years now. The group feature is so great and I use it for preparing posts

Werdsmith - very clean and minimalistic app for writing, I use it mainly for creative writing.

Microsoft One Note - Simple app for note taking and making online notebooks.

Languages

Leo - a great dictionary in 8 languages. If you log in you can save problem words and make vocabulary lists.

Memrise - My favourite app to learn languages for free. I’m learning Japanese with it!                                                              

Duolingo learning languages for free is always fun and duolingo is so easy to use, it’s even more fun! I use it to practice my Spanish.

Studying

Forest - Who doesn’t know and love forest yet? It’s such a cute application and I use it when I have a long study day/night ahead.

Brainscape - My to go app for flashcards. It has a giant library and it’s easy to make your own. Honestly, I’ve been using it for 3 years now and I still love it.

Mindly - A very beautiful app to make mind maps. I use it for story ideas and school work.

MindNode - also an easy way to make mind maps.

Uberchord - learn how to play the guitar for free c: 

TheSimpleClub - videos, and tutorials of all important school subjects, mainly in German, I think

Notenapp - keep track of your grades - German 

Khan Academy - like the simple club but with a broader spectrum and in English.

Tide - promodoro app with nice background sounds & inspirational quotes 

Swifty - learn how to code in a very fun and simple way! 

Flow timer - another great promodoro timer (they are everywhere). I like the minimalistic look and nice colours.

Inspiration & Motivation

Vantage - Simple but beautiful designed calendar

Calm - Helps me calm down with breathing exercises backgrounds and sounds.

Elevate - games and exercises that help to keep your mind fit 

Pacifica - an app that helps with anxiety and mental disorders with a very kind community

TED Inspiring, interesting and motivating videos on a wide variety of topics.

Others

Textgrabber & Scanner Pro -  Essentials. Scans photos and grabs texts of pdf and other documents and converts them into word/text documents.

Sleeptown - From the makers of forest a very cute app that helps you keep a healthy sleep schedule. I try to use it but I forget it often, sadly. 

Tydlig - not free but honestly the best calculator you can have on your phone! Beautiful and simple it makes math so much more fun!

Spark - organizes your emails (even from multiple accounts) and notifies you if something important comes in. Very neat design.

Moon - cute app that shows the phases of the moon depending on the date.