Galactic Neutral

hey!! I’m finally on winter break and the last weeks I had to study a lot so I thought why not post my study routine?

I. atmosphere

this the thing that gets me studying. I turn on my fairy lights, a lofi livestream on youtube and get me something to drink. Find your perfect atmosphere (search for study moods on tumblr).

II. starting

I start studying about 4 days before the exam,  but it depends on the subject. For math I start one week before the exam, for english two days. Be realistic & start early, srsly since I stopped studying one day before the exam, it got way easier because I only have to do a little bit every day.

III. study method

I gather my material and decide on a study method. This also depends on the subject. I recommend flashcards for memorizing, mindmaps to show relations, and summarys for subjects with a lot of info. Find one that works best for you.

IV. studying

I used to do the pomodoro method but it doesn’t quite work for me. I study for about an hour and then take a 15 minute break. For subjects I really don’t like I actually use the pomodoro method because then I won’t get too frustrated. 

V. practice

I think that’s the most important step for good grades and a lot of students just skip it (I did too). Use your old worksheets, exams from the last years, find some exercises on the internet or make some up. This prepares you very good and you’ll know how to use all the information you studied. 

VI. evening before

I started to facetime with my best friend the evenig before every exam. We talk about the subjects, ask what we didn’t understand and make each other less nervous. This helped us both a lot because we’re like “we can do this” and this took a lot of our worries. recommend 100%

📓: What’s your degree/major?

📒: What does a typical day look like?

📕: What is your weakest subject?

📗: What is your strongest subject?

📘: What is your favourite subject?

🎨: Are you a doodler?

🎹: Do you have a study soundtrack?

🎓: When do you plan to graduate?

💰: Do you plan to do a post-grad?

🎤: Do you prefer group projects or presentations?

📚: Describe your study space.

📌: If you could go to any university, which would it be and why?

📝: Do you prefer essays or tests?

🌗: Are you a morning or night studier?

💤: How much sleep do you get each night?

🍸: How often do you go out and party?

🍪: What are your favourite snacks to get you through studying?

🎾: Were/are you athletically gifted?

✏️: Do you like your handwriting?

🛏: Do you pull all-nighters?

💯: What’s your proudest academic achievement?

💆: What does your self-care routine look like?

☝️: What’s the best university advice you’ve ever been given?

Il faut se méfier de l’eau qui dort (beware of sleeping waters) : means that the quiet ones can turn out to be the worst and that you shouldn’t assume what they’re really like (it’s pretty negative)

Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre : All things come to those who wait (à point means at just the right time)

Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l’auras (a ‘here you go’ is better than two ‘you’ll have it’) : A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (tbvh I prefer the French way of saying it, it’s just a bit clearer lol)

Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir (preventing is better than healing) : better safe than sorry

[Il ne faut pas] mettre tous ses oeufs dans le même panier : you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket

[Il ne faut pas] mettre la charrue avant les boeufs (one shouldn’t put the plow before the steers) : you shouldn’t put the cart before the horse

Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné : it’s better to be alone than in bad company

Les bons comptes font les bons amis (good reckonings make good friends) : a debt paid is a friend kept; short reckonings make long friends (you should have a healthy financial relationship with your friends if you want to stay on good terms)

Paris ne s’est pas fait en un jour (Paris wasn’t built in one day) : French version of ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ (we still use the Rome version from time to time)

Tel père, tel fils/telle mère, telle fille : like father, like son/like mother, like daughter, etc. (obv ‘tel père telle fille’ and ‘telle mère, tel fils’ work too)

C’est la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase (it’s the water drop that makes the vase overflow) : it’s the final straw

C’est la cerise sur le gâteau (it’s the cherry on the cake) : it’s the icing on the cake

this is just a quick list of study habits that work for me, as a straight a’s student

1. even if it’s not in your teacher’s presentation written on a slide, if you hear your teacher mention a fact, WRITE IT DOWN. you might need it later for a test.

2. when you’re rewriting your notes/compiling a study guide, pretend you’re making it for someone else. include everything, even if you think you know it. (unless you’re low on time, in which case, just write what you don’t know)

3. when you’re trying to learn a new concept, pretend you’re teaching it to someone else. this is a form of active learning, and the act of breaking the concept down into steps that you can teach will improve your understanding of the concept. (for the longest time, i actually didn’t even know this was an actual study technique, because i’ve always done it subconsciously!)

4. don’t over color your notes!! if you really need a key for all the colors, then you’re using way too many. try to stick with 2-3 pens/pencils. for me, i write most of my notes in black ink or pencil and i write the important concepts i might need to find quickly later (such as vocabulary) in red or blue pen.

5. have your water bottle next to you (so you remember to stay hydrated; this makes focusing easier as well), as well as any other things you might need during a study session so you don’t have to keep getting up to get stuff (which is pretty distracting for me as i’m easily sidetracked).

6. make it a habit to write lists of everything you need to do by the end of the weekend (or the end of that day, depending on how much work you have). this’ll help you familiarize yourself with your tasks so you have a clear plan of what needs to get done.

7. (not really necessary, just something i like to do!) learn to eat with your non-dominant hand so you can eat and take notes and turn pages w/out ripping them instead of scrolling through social media. keep in mind that sometimes, meal times are for taking your mind off school so unless you’re really pressed for time, it’s not a huge deal if you spend this time w/passive reading, texting friends, etc.

8. when you’re assigned a research project, COME UP WITH A THESIS FIRST so you know what to research. try to get all your research done within the first two days or so, to have more time to plan out how you’re going to structure it. then get your draft done (something is better than nothing) so you can revise at your own pace instead of rushing at the last minute.

9. prioritize your homework!! as someone who spends hours fencing and even misses school for fencing tournaments, is part of symphonic band, and on the robotics team (build season is suuuuuper busy), i can’t express how important this is!! if you have math first period, get that done first, whereas if you have math last period, you can do it at lunch and spend your time working on something that’s due in the morning. don’t do this all the time, but if you need to, know which teachers are more strict with due dates so if you really do need an extension, you’ll be asking the least strict teacher and will have much better chances of getting said extension.

10. if you study at home like me, change into new clothes (comfy clothes, but not pajamas) before cracking open your textbooks. it’ll help make you feel more refreshed and ready to start your homework, but not confined to uncomfortable uniforms from school. tie up your hair, if it’s long. try to study at a table/desk rather than in bed (for sleeping not studying) or on the floor (bad for your posture).

11. check out this post for productive things you can do when you aren’t studying, but still want to be productive!

hope these helped some of you!!

in

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

7. earbuds or headphones?

8. movies or tv shows?

9. favorite smell in the summer?

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

12. name of your favorite playlist?

13. lanyard or key ring?

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

18. ideal weather?

19. sleeping position?

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

21. obsession from childhood?

22. role model?

23. strange habits?

24. favorite crystal?

25. first song you remember hearing?

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

28. five songs to describe you?

29. best way to bond with you?

30. places that you find sacred?

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

32. top five favorite vines?

33. most used phrase in your phone?

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

35. average time you fall asleep?

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

38. lemonade or tea?

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

41. last person you texted?

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

44. favorite scent for soap?

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

47. favorite type of cheese?

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

51. current stresses?

52. favorite font?

53. what is the current state of your hands?

54. what did you learn from your first job?

55. favorite fairy tale?

56. favorite tradition?

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

62. seven characters you relate to?

63. five songs that would play in your club?

64. favorite website from your childhood?

65. any permanent scars?

66. favorite flower(s)?

67. good luck charms?

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

70. left or right handed?

71. least favorite pattern?

72. worst subject?

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

82. pc or console?

83. writing or drawing?

84. podcasts or talk radio?

84. barbie or polly pocket?

85. fairy tales or mythology?

86. cookies or cupcakes?

87. your greatest fear?

88. your greatest wish?

89. who would you put before everyone else?

90. luckiest mistake?

91. boxes or bags?

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

93. nicknames?

94. favorite season?

95. favorite app on your phone?

96. desktop background?

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

Phone: Alarm is set for 4 hours and 37 minutes from now.

Me:

We all have those days where you really don’t feel like studying and I really can relate to this as I am procastinating with writing this post, so here are some tips:

Tidy up, when you tidy up your work space, you already have done something productive so you it’s easier to continue now that you are in the “work flow”. Now that everything is tidy, you can start fresh and it’s easier to focus.

Get cozy, studying doesn’t has to be something unpleasent, by making some small changes in your suroundings you can make studying a little bit more fun. For example: my friend told me that she has “study sweaters”, she has bought these very comfy sweaters that she only was allowed to wear when she would study. She told me that when she was at uni she couldn’t wait to get home to put on her comfy study sweater, to make a warm cup of tea and to start studying. You also can listen to some music, burn a candle while you study or whatever makes you feel cozy when you have to study.

Plan, write down all the things you need to do/study and then plan when you are going to study what. Afterwards your mind feels less cluttered and you feel less  overwhelmed by all the things you need to get done. After you have planned everything, you will have a clear view of the things you have to get done and know you can get started with a fresh mind.

Only 15 minutes, tell yourself you are going to study only for 15 minutes. Like this you get into the work flow and you probably end up studying longer than those 15 minutes. If after those 15 minutes you really cannot set your mind to it, don’t worry, get some rest and try again later. It’s important that you take care of yourself. Most likely when you try again later you feel much better and you are able to get some work done. 

Why, ask yourself why you are studying? Because you want that dream job in the future? You want to get succesful? You want to give the best life to your children? Or mabye you want to help others with your future job. Whatever the reason may be, make sure to get clear on your goals and work towards them. It may be hard now, but in the end it will have been worth it.

Go to the library, the chances are bigger that you can get somework done when you go to the library. You are less likely to get distracted and you can see other people studying around you which can be a good motivation. Make sure to bring everything that you want to study, your chagers, a (healthy) snack and some water. 

Find inspiration, you can find loads of inspiration to start studying on tumblr, pinterest and youtube. You can follow studyblrs, watch study with me video’s etc. For some people this may be a good option to get motivated, but if you are anything like me, I wouldn’t suggest it, before I know I’m watching two hours of youtube videos and find myself scrolling randomly on tumblr. But who knows for some people this can be great to get started!

Be grateful, remember that not everyone has a chance to go to school and not everyone has the same opportunities that you had in your life. There are so many people who wish they had your life. Do not take it for granted. 

Also, make sure you are hydrated and have eaten something before you start studying! 

Addition

To begin with, 

In the first place, 

Firstly, 

The first reason

Additionally

Furthermore, 

Another reason why

Secondly, Thirdly, 

Next, 

Pursuing this further, 

Also

Lastly, Finally

In the same way,

Comparison

Similarly,

In the same way,

Likewise,

As with,

Equally,

Contrasting

However,

Nevertheless,

On the other hand,

Even so

Alternatively

At the same time

Otherwise

Instead

Conversely 

Result

Hence

Therefore

Accordingly

Consequently

Thus

As a result

In consequence 

For this reason

For this purpose

Time

Meanwhile

Presently

At last

Finally

Immediately

Thereafter

At that time

Eventually

Currently

Subsequently

In the meantime

Importance

Importantly

Especially

Above all

With attention to

Example

For example

For instance

That is

Such as

As revealed by

Illustrated by

Specifically

In particular

For one thing

This can be seen by

An instance of this

Literary

Clarifies

Conveys

Depicts

Demonstrates

Determines

Displays

Emphasizes

Establishes 

Explains

Exemplifies

Highlights

Illustrates

Indicates

Potrays

Represents

Shows

Signifies

Suggests

Beginnings/Causes/Effects

Affects

Generates

Ignites

Impacts

Imposes

Influences

Initiates

Introduces

Involves

Launches

Leads to

Presents

Promotes

Prompts

Results in

Summary

In conclusion,

To sum it all up,

To summarize,

In the final analysis

You can see why …

Finally,

Therefore,

In summary, 

In short,

lots of you have been messaging me asking for study tips and methods i personally use, so here is a masterpost for studying that i’ve created for all of you! feel free to reblog and add your own advice, but just remember to keep in mind that learning is a very individualized process and what may work for me may not work for you. that being said…here we go!

staying focused

- an app called self control (which i think is only available for mac) is perfect for people who use their laptops to do work but always find themselves aimlessly browsing buzzfeed, facebook, and twitter instead. it blocks websites for you for a specified amount of time so you can’t access them! what i like to do is set it for anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, do some intense studying, and then reward myself with a 15 minute break. then i set the timer again.

- sometimes when i try to sit and study for long periods of time, i start to get antsy and starting fiddling with my pens or shifting in my seat a little too much. what i do to combat this is get out of my seat and do a very quick mini work out to calm my nerves and get the restless feeling out of my system. this also helps if i start to feel drowsy or tired because it helps get oxygen to your brain and gets blood flowing! i like to do to 10 jumping jacks, 10 sit ups, 10 pushups, and 10 squats.

- switch up your studying methods occasionally. there’s nothing more boring than copying notes everyday or reading chapter after chapter of the same textbook. quiz yourself with flashcards, create a diagram or chart instead of plain notes, annotate your textbook as your read with different pens… varying your methods of study will not only help you grasp the material better (since you’re learning it in many different ways), but it’ll keep you from getting bored.

- turn off your cell phone. i’m sorry. but seriously. turn it off. put it away. and none of that “i’ll just put it on silent” bullshit. turning it off is way better because then you get too impatient/lazy to turn it on and use it again.

- try not to devote more than 5-6 hours of studying per day. after that long, your brain becomes over-tired and stops processing information as well. there’s no point in forcing yourself to sit any longer. i myself usually study for 3-4 hours a day, and if i need to do more than that, i’ll do one session in the morning/afternoon and one in the evening.

staying motivated

- keep a picture of nicki minaj giving one of her “stay in school” speeches on your desk/as your laptop background (when you’re using it to do work). seriously. and if you’re not a fan of nicki then bye.

- this is so preschool, but when me and my roomie lived in the dorms our first year (of college), we would put up tests that we got an A on on our mini fridge. seeing them displayed there made us want to study more for exams and tests because we got so excited to pin shit up on the fridge. try it. it’s surprisingly rewarding.

- there’s an extension for the google chrome browser called momentum that displays as your home page your main goal for the day and a to-do list. i’ve found this is really helpful because whenever i start up my computer in the morning, i’m shown what i need to do for the day (along with a pretty nature picture - you’ll see what i mean when you install it) and can check things off as i go.

- while you eat breakfast, make a to-do list for the day and include one thing you’ve already done (e.g. cook & eat breakfast). that way, you already get to check something off and it’s easier to keep going for the rest of the things you have to do. 

staying on track

- keep a planner/agenda. i personally like having a physical agenda, but i know some people who prefer their phones for convenience. i look for agendas with a monthly calendar followed by a week on two pages. what i like to do is take my syllabi i’m given on the first day of class and write down all of the major assignments or tests in my planner and highlight them so they’re easily seen. i write down the readings week by week since those are subject to change, whereas major tests/papers usually do not.

- speaking of syllabi, keep them where they’re easily seen. for example, tape them above your study desk so you have easy access to assignment and reading due dates as well as contact information and office hours for your professors.

- some classes are modeled such that the current week’s lesson build upon what you learned in the previous week. it’s very easy to fall behind in such classes, so what i like to do is go over the notes i took in lecture and rewrite them in more explicit terms. if there’s something in my notes i can’t explain to myself, i’ll flag it and take it to my professor’s office hours (or simply email them, if the question is simple enough) so i’m not clueless come the next lesson.

- #SundayGetShitDoneDay. yep. it’s totes a thing. use your sundays to try and get ahead with the reading assignments. i’ve found that reading assignments (as opposed to online assignments or papers) are the first things to get ignored once the workload increases. try and combat this by doing them ahead of time on the weekend.

- make your bed.

- find motivational quotes, studyspo, scenes from films, whatever you want, print them out and stick them near your desk.

- have a journal for positive affirmations that you can scribble in or doodle in or flip through when you’re feeling down.

- put almond oil or rose hip oil on your skin and flip through your flashcards or make your notes while it’s getting absorbed.

- if you’re into Harry Potter, turn your desk or bedroom into your house dorm or common room. I’m in ravenclaw so my desk chair is blue, same with my pen case and my folder of papers and I have the ravenclaw emblem stuck in front of me on the wall.

- watch productivity videos on youtube or vlogtobers/vlogmases of youtubers who are also students.

- cut your nails.

- wash your hair.

- put a few rings on (trust me, it works, especially when you go back a cup of tea and you look down at your hands and you feel a bit brighter because of how pretty they look (super weird but truuuust me).

“you make mistakes because you’re focusing on the target and not on your actions”

and i was like woah