IB memes &tips

Pulling off all-nighters or cramming is no stranger to us. However, these study styles aren’t actually efficient in eating those chunks of information we need to pass our tests.

1. Distributed practice. Or basically have planned study sessions in chunks. Studies show that you best encode information in repeated short training sessions. This is because repeated short training sessions, spaced in time, engage multiple sets of synapses. It’s as if your brain is working at full power. So yes, if you want to become a successful student then you need to learn to be consistent in your studies and to have regular, yet shorter, study periods.

2. Use flashcards. Flashcards engage in “active recall”. In other words, you are attempting to remember the concept from scratch rather than simply staring at the passage in your textbook or recognizing it on a multiple choice quiz.

3. Sleep. While drinking and eating is an indispensable requisite, sleeping is just as important. Even a brief nap may boost learning, memory, and creative problem solving. Though napping isn’t a shortcut to success, it can help improve your memory and solve problems. Sleeping well at night, and long enough, is associated with good health.

4. Teach what you’ve learned. When you teach what you’ve learned, your brain organizes the information and lets you recall the materials you’ve read. If you can’t find someone to teach, then imagine yourself teaching someone. You can even use a stuffed toy if you have no one to teach.

5. Practice testing. Practice testing helps you prepare yourself from questions that may or may not appear on the test. Furthermore, it helps you remember the materials you’ve read while practicing.

https://openstaxcollege.org

The holidays are nearly over, which means we’re at a convenient intersection between summer travels and back-to-school college visits, both of which often mean a lot of driving! To help combat the boredom and make sure you stay productive, here are a few of my favourite tips :D

What to bring

A neck pillow (they really do help)

Apps for learning (try duolingo or memrise)

Audiobooks or podcasts (you can download some for free at LibriVox!)

Electronics (whatever you’ll need to be productive— phone, computer, tablet)

Snacks and water (try and be healthy!! snacks need to keep you energized)

Some good headphones (they’ll keep you in the zone)

Things to charge your electronics with (this means cords and a portable charger!)

Things to do alone

Write some blog posts/essays: road trips provide plenty of time without the distractions of the internet to get stuff done! Of course, this isn’t a good idea if you’re driving, but if you’re the passenger then take full advantage of the time and do some work.

Annotate: if you’re in a language class that requires annotations, take the time and relative smoothness afforded by a road trip on motorways and get some chapters done!

Listen to some podcasts: most are free to download, and they’re a great way to pass the time while you learn something new. If you’re interested, here are some of my podcast recommendations!

Read a book: if it doesn’t make you too sick, try enjoying some literature, whether digital or physical. The length of most road trips make them a great time to do some uninterrupted reading.

Learn something new: with the wide availability of mobile devices, apps can help you learn something new whether stationary or on the move!! Try duolingo, memrise, tinycards, or quizlet.

Enjoy your company

Listen to an audiobook together: whether traveling with family or friends, listening to a book you’ll all enjoy makes time pass much more quickly, and can also help to keep the driver awake.

Play vocal games: these are especially good if you’re traveling with little siblings! Classics like I Spy, Twenty Questions, and the license plate game (if you’re in the US) are always good fun.

Avoid motion sickness

Try sitting in the front seat: it lets you look at the road, so your body and brain stay in sync with what they’re perceiving.

Don’t eat too much fast food: greasy, spicy, and heavy foods won’t help with nausea.

Take breaks: getting out to stretch your legs or run around for a little bit will make you feel a lot better in the long run, since it gets you some fresh air and stops the constant motion.

Open the windows: again, fresh air is your friend!

Don’t read/use the computer/text: you might not be as productive, but it’ll be worthwhile! If you focus on one thing, it makes your brain think you’re still, but all the bumps and turns in the road will contradict this and make you sick.

Eat little and often: grazing is good for you! Try grapes, crackers, or pretzels as snacks, and remember to drink water.

Get some rest

Get comfy: don’t wear your favourite pyjamas, but cozy trackie bottoms or shorts and soft t-shirts always help! Use your neck pillow for comfort and take off your shoes.

Get rid of distractions like light and sound: sleep masks and headphones with a relaxing playlist make sure the daylight doesn’t stop you from sleeping, and neither does any chatting going on in the car.

Make use of reclining seats: if you’re in the front, make it the most like a bed you possibly can to maximize comfort!

I hope some of these suggestions help you out! Don’t get too stressed and try and have at least a little fun when you’re on the road. Happy summer and good luck in the new school year!!

hey guys!! 

so since i’m a rising senior i’ve been working hard all summer in preparation for applying to colleges this coming fall. throughout the duration, i’ve found some amazing websites to help you through the process, and resources i think are worthwhile to check out. 

email

set up an email specifically for colleges (best to do this before/during junior year) b/c

your inbox will overflow with college emails

you will hate yourself if you don’t

use it as your email for college-oriented websites you sign up for

put it on interest cards you fill out during college fairs/visits

colleges are going to email/spam you 24/7 just direct them here honestly

google drive

make a folder for college

put your essays in there

you can share essays with editors really easily this way

make a spreadsheet of all the colleges you are applying too with categories like size, type, location, etc. 

make a list of achievements, awards, teams, clubs/extracurriculars, etc. that you can refer back to during applications

make sure to have an emergency flashdrive with your important college documents on it

finding colleges & stats

cappex: helps find colleges that fit you, calculates admissions chances, helps you plan college visits, helps with scholarship search, etc.

through cappex you can access meritaid, a great scholarship resource

naviance: a college readiness worksite site that does a ton and is basically a combination of every single site listed. it’s used through your school, normally, so get in contact with your counselor about making an account

unigo: this site gives reviews/advice/experience from current or former college students regarding the school they attended, and also offers tips and tutorials for admission from professionals, plus a college database

collegenavigator: exactly what it sounds like. this site has a ton of info on schools and it’s really easy to use

collegeboard: general resource! 

collegedata: lots of statistics and overviews of schools

collegeresults: shows the graduation rates of colleges

collegeinsight: gives info about affordability, diversity, and student success

admitted.ly: this is an awesome website (and app) for matching you with schools, and it’s really organized/manageable as well

collegeniche: this is basically yelp for colleges. reviews for students, by students, about specific colleges

organization/tracking

overgrad: tracks college and career goals

makemeafreshman: this website is an actual godsend. enter all the colleges you are applying to (including what type, such as early action, early decision, etc.), and it will generate a schedule of things you need to do and specific dates they need to be done by (submitting fees, completing the commonapp and FAFSA, etc.)

scholarship oriented

posse: organization that identifies gifted scholars, then groups them into “posses” by region, and hands out full scholarships to top colleges 

questbridge: links exceptional students (esp. low-income) with colleges, scholarship providers, enrichment programs, and employers

college greenlight: amazing for finding scholarships to apply for (they can find a scholarship for anything), plus does college matches based on criteria you give

majors

collegemajors101: provides info about a variety of majors, like course requirements, career options, etc.

i’ll definitely keep adding to this list, and if you have any questions about the sites or have some you think should be added, please message me!

remember, the best thing you can do is get things done early. summer’s not over yet and there is still a lot of time between now and application due dates. make the most of it! get organized, and get educated about college.