{BITS AND PIECES}

If you have been in love with Kylie Jenner’s lip colours but don’t have enough dough to splurge on her lip-kits which never seem to be in stock anyway, here is a great alternative. The Maybelline creamy matte collection glides on smoothly and looks just as seamless as liquid lipsticks. The shade nude nuance is a dupe for Mac Whirl and the shade touch of spice is a dupe for Mac Twig. For less than half the price and comparable quality, these lipsticks are a steal!

Google hacks

Oh the joy of finally getting Netflix in the comfort of your own crib! Watching shows curling under the blanket while munching on popcorn; life is a bliss! And suddenly you recall that book review you never finished and watch the rest of the show stressfully. Not much of a bliss anymore, huh?

Then you remember about your trusty friend Google. It has always been the unprecedented savior of students, and oddly enough, for teachers as well. Yes, teachers have their way around the search engine to optimise their talents. Here are some tricks to master the use of Google to better deal with those moments of desperations, for teachers and students alike.

Conversions

Don’t we all loathe busting our calculator’s conversion mode for doing those pesky conversions? You can spare yourself that hassle by typing the conversion you need directly into the Google address bar and you’ll have your answer within seconds. Give it a try if you don’t believe us.

Timelines

If you are a history teacher, you’d know the struggle of arranging your notes according to the timeline. Let that struggle be history and use "view:timeline" followed by whatever you are researching to get a timeline for that topic.

Definitions

If finding definitions have been the bane of your existence even when the table has turned you need to read this. To find definitions more easily just type "definition:word" in the address bar to find the definition of the word in your results

Details

If Google is your savior Wikipedia is the knight in shining armour for those excruciating projects. Make searching in Wikipedia easier by typing in "site:wikipedia.org" followed by what you want to search for to directly go to the Wikipedia page. Did we mention this works for other websites as well? Just replace the name of the website and you are done!

Specifics

Isn’t it frustrating probing through all the search results most of which don’t even make sense? To get specific and sensible search results, type in “scholar” followed by your query to get results catered only for academic uses

Formats

If you are looking for your results in specific format, there is a cheat code for that too! For example, if you wish your results to be in a PDF format, type in "filetype:pdf" followed by your search term to find results that are only in that file type.

Equations

Thank God for calculator we can do practically any mathematical calculation in seconds, but it is a real hassle when you have to constantly switch back and forth from your calculator to your laptop while working. You can easily solve any mathematical problem just by typing the expression into the search bar.

Notes

You can step up your online research game a notch by using Google Notebook. Using this simple note-taking tool, you can collect your research for a paper or project more efficiently.

Faces

Ways to productively change your brain when the study sessions get to you.

You look at yourself in the mirror. Bloodshot baggy eyes, dehydrated skin, and hair that will shame the smelliest hippies. You stare back blankly at yourself trying to overlook the desperation and depression in your eyes and fail. You don’t know what to think, what to do. How did you get here? This is what happens when you study for hours without a break. In this case, it is you. We thought you knew better.

Research reveals studying without breaks can take a toll on us and make us abstracted. Ideally, you should have a 40-90 minute study sessions, followed by a 10-15 minute intellectual breather. Switching gears will help you be more alert and hence result in a more productive study session. So switching gear in 1. 2. 3.

Snack attack

Utilise this time to cater to your growling tummy. Whip up a smoothie with some fruits and berries for a full-on antioxidant punch or get a refill of coffee or tea. You can also have an apple, or a bar of chocolate or granola bar but stay away from heavy meals because they will only weigh you down.

Get up and move

Get up. Start walking. Walk towards the main door, get a taxi. Go to the airport, take a flight and never come back. We are kidding. However, we do recommend you take a small walk or just a deep breath and stretch. A bit of yoga or a bike ride works too. Light exercise increases blood flow and can improve your memory and mood. Sorry we got distracted earlier, we need a break too.

De-clutter for the better

When your mind is overridden with chaos you might want to tame your chaotic clutter. Make productive use of this time and organise your room a bit. Make your bed, sort out the notes from the last final, sort out all your laundry from “the chair” (yes we all have one), and you’ll feel a lot better. According to studies, clutter tends to make us feel restless and stressed. So give in to your dormant OCD.

YouTube and chill

Take a moment to catch up on your favourite YouTubers. Be it those addictive “What I got for Christmas” videos or the playthrough of that game you have been dying to try after exams, YouTube is the ultimate tool to calm the nerves. A stimulating TED talk can also get your energy pumping. While you are at it you might even want to check out some educational tutorials. Or not.

Facebook time

We know you had been battling the urge to scroll through your newsfeed all this while. You can finally let yourself off the leash for a while. Check up on your friends, scroll through your newsfeed to see how other people are having the time of their life or pretending to, or maybe stalk your crush but don’t get too lost daydreaming. Reality check awaits.

Me time

If a hot shower doesn’t calm your senses, we don’t know what will. Get inside the shower for a relaxing bath to wash away all your worries. You can also try on that face mask because you never know, you might just meet someone cute during the exams. Take this time out for self-hygiene, cut your nails and toes, brush out your hair. Remember, your body is your temple. Yes, we have ventured severely into the hippy territory.

Food for thought

To keep your mind off the edge considering solving a crossword or Sudoku puzzle. These activities are the perfect escape that will make you feel less guilty about procrastination. Additionally they encourage concentration and sharpen your skills. It’s a win-win.

Time for some shut-eye

Colorpop holiday kit in FOXY

Firstly can we just talk about how cute and tiny these are 😍 The packaging is super quite and the colours are amazing. 

 Tulle: Arguably my new favorite. A gorgeous dusty mauve burgundy. 

Clueless: Dupe of Candy K. A dusty mauvish pink. Stunning! 

Beeper: Dupe alert! Perfect dude for Dolce K. A warm mid tone taupe. 

Creeper: You can never have enough reds can you? Add this beautiful red with blue undertones to your collection. 

More better: A nice wine colour perfect for fall! 

Don’t forget to prep your lips before putting these on, they tend to dry lips out a bit. Slather on some lip balm minutes before applying or exfoliate your lips. Wipe them clean with a makeup wipe or tissue for smooth application. They have pretty good longevity and definitely seem worth the price to me! Perfect if you want to try on some colours before going ahead and splurging.

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