estudios

Around November a kid in my class got the chickenpox. This caused our class to be quarantined for a little more than 2 weeks, which sucked even more because it started on the day before our over-night field trip. And it was pretty chaotic since we’re seniors. I didn’t see the need to post this before since not many of us on here lives in China, but now that most people are going through the same thing I decided to post some of the tips I have on staying at home and staying productive. Enjoy~

1. Set an alarm and wake up on time

I cannot tell you how many times some of my classmates missed homeroom (for us it’s mandatory cause they take attendance and it affects whether you graduate or not). Setting an alarm makes you wake up on time and prevents you from oversleeping. I admit there were times where I forgot to set my alarm, hit stop and contined to sleep, or literally slept through it. It happens. But you can’t let it keep happening. This messes up your whole day and might causes you to procrastinate even more because ‘everything is ruined anyways’ (though this may have smt to do with my mental health..). So remember to set an alarm to get started on your day on time!

2. Have a schedule and (try your best to) stick to it

Routine helps. When you literally have nothing to do, having a scheduled saves you from boredom and also from wasting your time thinking about what you have to or should do today. It doesn’t have to be packed, just a simple list of chores and activities would do. This also refrains you from delaying schoolwork for ‘tomorrow’.

3. Exercise!!

Yes. Staying at home and not moving much will not make you feel good. Especially to those who live in dorms or apartments. So move around, exercise a bit. You could do yoga, stretch a bit, or just freestyle jump around to music. Anything to get you moving, do it. It’ll help you from feeling cramped, stop you from gaining weight, and also make you feel better. Why? Because exercise=endorphins=happy people (and happy people don’t kill their husbands) . Doing some chores would work too! So get up and start moving!

4. Open the windows

For all those who grew up with your mothers opening the windows, you get it. You need to ‘change the air’. Right now you’re not getting any fresh air. And you can’t just go out to take a walk, right? Open your windows for half an hour in the morning, and you’ll feel a difference.

5. Have something to look forward to each day

This one is kinda related to the second point. I strongly recommend you to have something new to look forward to everyday. It could be eating a slice of the cake you decided to bake, an episode of your favorite tv show, or trying to achieve your goal of touching the ceiling idk. Having something to look forward to motivates you to get up everyday and keeps you from having your days mashed up together till you don’t remember whether you ate the bananas on Tuesday or Wednesday. Personally, I look forward to what I’m having for breakfast, that way I have another incentive to get up early and enjoy it before the rest of my family wakes up. So create a list of things you like to do (or would like to try), go over it right before bed, and choose one for the next day.

6. Change your clothes

Staying in your pajamas is really really tempting. However, your brain associates your pajamas with sleeping. So staying in it the whole day will make it question whether you should sleep or do something productive. This could also mess up your sleeping schedule. So lay out an outfit before you go to bed, and change into it when you start working.

7. Shower, please. And do your chores.

I don’t mean to sound like your mother, but just because you didn’t go outside, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to shower. If you are staying in your pajamas the whole day and for a few days now, go shower and get a change of clothes. And chores? Yes you still need to do them. It is your job to keep the area you live in clean and tidy. Plus, cleaning it would get rid of germs. Take care of yourself, please.

8. Journal

Last one, stay with me kids. This was a habit I developed during the chickenpox quarantine. Although it was solely for my mental health, it helped a lot to just sit there and write about my thoughts, feelings, and what happened during the day. For those of you who are alone and have no human interaction, this might help you when you feel like ranting. Just sit down at the end of the day, and pour your heart out. If you don’t feel safe having a physical book lying around containing all these intimate and vulnerable parts of you, download a journaling app. Some have locks, and worse case you can just delete it to never see it again.

9. Human interaction

Wait no, this one’s the last one sorry! Contact your parents or friends once in a while. For those of you who often see them physically yet don’t have a habit of holding conversations with them online, call them. It helps with the loneliness that creeps In sometimes. Catch up with them, make sure they’re ok.

10. Lotion

YOUR HANDS ARE GOING TO GET DRY FROM ALL THAT WASHING SO PLEASE REMEMBER TO APPLY LOTION OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD HELP

to keep sane and occupied! here are some ideas:

keep active:

take a walk

do yoga or pilates along to a youtube video

stretch

yard work if you have a yard

if you have potatoes in your house, you can easily plant new potato plants by cutting their eyes out.

deep clean your home

dance furiously around your house

relax:

start that show you were looking forward to! two shows i like that are available on amazon prime are good omens and fleabag.

google a list of the 500 most iconic movies and make a watch list of the ones that interest you

start reviewing the movies and shows you watch

make a reading list

read old books you liked as a kid

read in general!

see if your library is connected to overdrive (it probably is). overdrive allows you to check out ebooks and audiobooks from your library.

try a readathon—read as much as you can in 24 hours

play a new game on steam or nintendo online. you can start a farming co op on stardew valley with your friends!

watch a livestream of the monterey aquarium!

play online multiplayer games like trickster hearts and skribbl

watch game streams on twitch

explore new music

check out my self care tag for more ideas

make something:

make a scrapbook with stuff around your house

cook a comfort food or dessert

cook something complicated or create a new recipe

make a stop motion video with stuff around your house

draw

paint with coffee

play an instrument

write a short story

write a poem

make an escape plan for the zombie apocalypse (for fun. this is not a real thing)

keep a journal

bullet journal

make random top ten lists (top ten songs by your favorite artist, top ten street foods, top ten movies influential in your life, etc)

make an impossible list

find ask games on tumblr and write down your answers to the questions in a journal or word document to read years from now

write a letter to your future self

learn something:

learn to read music

learn morse code

learn braille

practice duolingo

and much more! there’s an online class for everything

do something for others:

call your family and friends

register to volunteer at crisis textline. volunteers work remotely, so you can do everything at home. if you are selected you will complete a course to learn how to be a crisis counselor and then work as a crisis counselor

see if there is any way you can volunteer remotely

make nice cards to send your family and friends

research the best charities to donate to

general stuff to try:

establish a routine (exercise, mealtimes, work time)

keep in contact with friends and family through video calls

set goals

create events for yourself (for example, playing an online DND session with your friends every friday at 3pm)

i also made a list of things to do during break

check out my break tag for stuff to do when bored

please stay home!!!! while it might be difficult to do so and you may go a little stir crazy, there are things you can do to pass the time.

Online academic resource JSTOR has announced it is making its database accessible to the public, amid the widespread closure of universities across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The database, frequently used by university students for research and essay work, announced on Twitter today that it has made over 6,000 ebooks and over 150 journals accessible without the need for an online login.

Previously, students needed a university login to access these resources.

This is the first time that the database has been openly accessible to non-subscribers.

This fluffy alpaca cares about you! It wants to share its warm blanket with you. ♥

it’s midweek and i already studied 10h30m!! 🧺🥖🍓

Every library is closed, so are universities and you may be desperate because the library was the only place where you were able to focus.. I totally get you! But as someone who’ve spent most of its school years studying at home.. I can assure you that it’s totally fine! You just need a few techniques and organization skills and you’ll see that everything will be ok ! So here we go : 

Clean and declutter your study space. Store the books you don’t need anymore and only keep the essentials on your desk. I’ll share with you an old article I wrote on Tumblr about how to upgrade your workspace!

Block distractions : give your phone to your mom, use the Forest app, the Flipd app or just put it in airplane mode !

Cut the outside noise : a good playlist (my Lofi playlist for example :P), earplugs and the door shut can help you be in the « library » mood…

Make a study plan and try to stick to a routine.. It’s easy to lose track of time when you spend all of your days at home! This is why keeping a healthy routine and set hours for meals and breaks is really important!

Since it’s easier to get distracted at home, make sure to take more breaks than the usual (for example a 45min study session and a 10 min break).

If you have online lectures and a #studybuddy that you trust, why not split the work (for example you follow half of the lectures and your colleague the other half) and then sharing your notes? Also, why not creating a Google Drive with your colleagues so everyone shares their notes? The quarantine will be long so a little support from each other is more than welcomed!!

You can also have skype sessions with your colleagues to debate about a subject, or quiz each other so you don’t feel too alone and you keep track of your progress :)

You can also take the time to go deeper into the subjects you have to study and not only scratching the surface like you may be used to do ! This is also a great way to discover if you’re more interested in some subjects than others and who knows, maybe you’ll find a new passion !

If you feel like you can’t focus anymore then.. stop. It’s totally fine to not being able to study all day, especially when you have nothing else to do and when the deadlines are still far and unsure. So Take this time to enjoy your family, work on yourself, read a book, or start a new hobby.

The Met Opera is releasing a full recording per day.

Feature film archive

Open library

MS-DOS Games

 The Live Music Archive

 Ephemeral VHS collection

Berlin philarmonic

Museums

Peaches the Mouse by @my-darling-boy

450 Ivy League courses

Natasha and Pierre, King Lear with Anthony Hopkins and Much Ado About Nothing with Tennant

hello!! as an online college student, i’ve been lucky enough to already have some experience with online schooling, so i’m here to offer all my advice for the students of quarantined schools! due to the covid-19 outbreak, it’s been very difficult for many who’ve had to switch to online school. however, there are many way to make it simpler and faster, and i’m here to give my best tips!!

firstly, make a list. whether you’re more comfortable with a physical to-do list or a virtual calendar to schedule things out (i’ve used google calendar almost my whole life but i just got the app elisi and it’s beautiful, minimalist, and easy to use! available on pretty much every device). planning out your work is the most efficient way to get it done.

don’t try to do everything at once. while it’s best to get things done soon, space out your work efficiently so you don’t feel overwhelmed!

create a simple, comfortable study space. it doesn’t have to be a perfectly organized desk or gorgeous setup at the kitchen table; i do all of my college work from my bed with a comfy throw blanket and fairy lights up. the most important thing is that you are in the right position to do work, you are comfortable, and that you are able to keep everything you need close to you.

work in chunks. to best knock out your work, take it an hour at a time with 10 to 15 minute breaks in between. make some tea, get a snack, stay energized.

drink lots of water. you are not immune to the coronavirus. it’s also easier to stay energized and focused when you’re hydrated.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR INSTRUCTORS. at first i was very timid to communicate back and forth with my professors when something was wrong but i have learned that it is the most important thing to have good communication. if you don’t understand a concept, have trouble with the online system, or just need general help in your academics, sending them an email is the best way to solve the problem.

reward yourself!! once you’ve finished an assignment, give yourself a little treat (maybe a half hour of minecraft or your favorite snack to munch on!!)–it’s the best way to encourage your mind to work harder.

don’t work too late. you’re off from school. unless it’s the night of the due date, don’t push yourself until it’s done. the morning is just a sleep away.

these are some good playlists for background music.

another important tip! communicate with your classmates in case you don’t understand something. everybody learns differently and some pick up info different than others. 

make fancy notes!! get fancy with your stationery!! you have plenty of time now and can go bonkers with your beautiful notes.

continue to check your temperature and monitor symptoms. your school has closed for a reason. your safety and health are important.

retain a relatively normal sleep schedule, similar to the one you have when you normally go to school. slipping out of your regular sleep cycle can and will kick your ass when it’s time to go back.

lastly, eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. take a nap when you’re tired. remember to go to the bathroom and keep your water filled. take care of yourself.

hello! so after surviving cooking for myself in my first year at uni, I thought I’d share some wisdom with people who are about to start themselves! here are a few of my top tips - I hope they help! 

buy a steamer basket!!! you can get them for £3 from ikea and are an absolute dream for steaming vegetables/potatoes easily. just put an inch or so of boiling water at the bottom of a pan, pop in your basket filled with veggies (carrots, baby corn, broccoli, etc.), pop the lid on and wait a few minutes to get perfectly cooked (and not mushy) veg! 

freeze your bread! I love to buy pre-sliced seeded loaves of bread but I typically wouldn’t manage to eat a whole loaf before it turns mouldy. chuck your loaf in the freezer then simply defrost in the toaster (press the snowflake button)! 

go to your local supermarket in the evening!! if you’ve not got much in for tea, go to the shops on your way back from uni in the evening and have a look at the reduced stock! you can find some really great things that can last you a while (especially if you then freeze them); pre-prepared stir-fry kits, sliced bread, pittas, crumpets, salads, pre prepared fruit and ready meals are some of the stuff I see regularly for half the normal price!

don’t underestimate potatoes!! sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are such a good staple; jacket/baked potatoes and chips/wedges can be the base for practically any meal so make sure you always have a few lying around.

cook in large batches!! this is a lifesaver, especially in winter! I love to cook large batches (10+ portions) of bolognese, quorn chilli, and soups on a sunday afternoon, then I let it cool and portion it out into freezer bags. having a constant source of healthy and home-cooked meals ready and waiting in your freezer is amazing when you can’t be bothered to cook or don’t have much in!!

bulk buy!! if you see a really great offer in the supermarket for things like pasta, rice, toilet roll, hand soap, canned food, alcohol, etc. then take advantage! this can save you a lot of money and means you have stuff stored up for when you’re in your overdraft!

shop at a local greengrocers!!! seriously, this can save you SO much money (and reduce plastic packaging)! I love to buy potatoes, broccoli and apples from my local greengrocers as they’re way cheaper and nicer than the supermarket. they sometimes have really cheap berries too (depending on if they’re in season)! they often have cheap biscuits and nuts too so be sure to check your local one out!

do an online shop with your flatmates! this is a great way of getting cheaper supermarket prices and deals without the faff of actually getting out the house. if there’s a few of you doing it together the delivery charge is barely noticeable and the pure joy when the shopping arrives (especially when you forgot you ordered chocolate!!!) is honestly worth the tiny ordeal of waiting around for it. 

pre-prepare your meals!! for example, one evening I will cut up a tonne of veggies (courgette, sweet potato, onion, pepper, aubergine, broccoli, etc.), add some oil and seasoning, then put half in a zip lock bag (and put in the fridge) and then oven roast the other half. this supply lasts me several days and means I use the veggies before they go off! you can eat them hot or cold (after cooking) with cous cous, pasta, chicken, etc. 

make packed lunches!! I know this requires planning and effort but in the long run it’ll save you a lot of money and potentially be a lot healthier than buying a chicken + stuffing sandwich every day at uni!

buy frozen fruit! I love to buy frozen raspberries - they’re great on cereal, with yoghurt, and by themselves! they often work out to be a lot cheaper than fresh ones too!

make your own takeaway! takeaways are a necessary part of uni life but your waistline and bank account won’t thank you for them!! so instead, you could try to make your own with your flatmates! you can buy really nice frozen spring rolls from places like aldi and also some great curry and stir-fry kits too - give it a go!

eat vegetarian!! I’m not a veggie but I hardly ever buy meat at uni because I cannot afford good quality meat and I don’t like being pressured by use-by dates. instead, I love to buy vegetarian alternatives; quorn ‘chicken’ pieces, quorn mince, and sainsbury’s frozen veggie meatballs/burgers are some of my favourite staples!! give them a try - they can last forever in your freezer and don’t need to be defrosted beforehand!

We all go through cycles of struggle and growth! Even if you are having a hard time, your season to bloom will soon be back.🌸🌱

[Jacqueline still on vacation, will return in June!]

monday is back to school (or at least for students in england, it is) so guess what that means? time for more back to school related posts! i’m starting it off with some basic tips that have helped me, and that will help me when i finally start taking my own advice… 

anyway… 

1. quizlet. just… quizlet. flashcards are brilliant inventions, right? but surely always-accessible, no-space-taking-up, environment-saving flashcards sound SO much better? well, my friends, let me introduce you to quizlet. i’ve had it on my phone since the start of year nine (just over a year ago) and let me tell you, it saved my grades. i’d never been a big flashcard user before then, but what i love about the app is that it’s on your phone so you can access it wherever you are, without anybody seeing you and thinking “oh shit she’s cramming, she is NOT prepared”… also, bonus point for looking extra prepared BECAUSE you have a revision app! 

2. group study sessions. i recently found a new friend group, and these people are smart and somewhat motivated, unlike my old friends, which means that during lunch breaks before an exam we’re all in, we can have a group study session. these are so super helpful because you get to see other people’s notes and how they define things (when defining things i tend to leave out words, but then when i see how others have written it, i realise i probably need those words, for example), and hear an explanation from somebody other than your teacher, because no matter how much you say “sir/miss, i don’t understand”, they’re limited in how they can explain it, so if somebody entirely different does it, it offers a whole lot more help. 

3. ask for help. this is one i’m going to have to start following because i am a very anxious human and i HATE putting my hand up, so quit rolling your eyes and saying “you don’t understand, carrie! i CAN’T do it!” i know it’s fucking hard, but i’ve built good relationships with some of my teachers which means i’m actually brave enough to ask for help… if you just can’t put up your hand, talk to the person next to you and be friendly, so if you need help, they’re willing to give it instead of looking at you like you’re a crazy person for daring to talk to them (i’ve been there… it doesn’t help my social anxiety :/)

4. vary your revision. by this i mean write your notes out in detail, then write more condensed versions and aim to take up ¾ or ½ of the space you took up with the first set of notes, make mindmaps, make flashcards (refer back to point 1), come up with cutesy diagrams (in gcse geography last year, i came up with two drawings of volcanoes called “angry bobby” and “happy bobby” to remember composite and shield volcanoes, and my friends ended up remembering bobby as well and it may or may not have saved their grades…. sorry, i’ll stop boasting now…) 

5. get more sleep. this was a goal of mine last year and i sort of failed. it depends on each person because everybody’s bodies need different things (don’t read this and think, “i get four hours sleep and i’m coping” because no, you’re not, you’re a zombie and you yawn all the time and your skin is probably not doing so great and you’re more sensitive, you need more sleep. seriously. not optional. get your ass in bed.)but i personally need 8-10 hours to function at my best. i’ve also figured out that setting an alarm half an hour before my other alarms helps wake me up, and i’ll be out of bed after hitting snooze once or twice instead of my usual fifteen… my sleep routine is as follows: 9:30-10pm - get in bed and read/check social media (this is a bad habit) then sleep. then at 5.30am, a single alarm will go off. i turn it off and go back into a light sleep that is still effective and restful without sending me straight back to dreamland. then at 6am, my alarm will go off, and a backup alarm at 6.05am and 6.10am, though i don’t usually need that last one. 

it’s important you find out what sleeping pattern suits you best and leaves you most energised, because not only will this stop you from being a zombie all the time, it will help you to be healthier, fight off illnesses a little better, retain information better and be more motivated to get stuff done. 

6. have termly goals. i am a massive journal-hoarder, and towards the end of last term i started a “wellness journal”, which i’ll get into more in the next tip. anyway, i’ve been writing end-of-term reviews and new-term-goals for all of this year, and now i’m doing them in this journal. it’s really bloody helpful and keeps you motivated, and whenever you feel like poop, dig out your term goals and read it. feel the energy and enthusiasm and hope you had when writing that, and realise that you, sir (or ma’am, or whatever you want to be called - it’s 2018, come on), have goals to complete and you best get doing them. 

7. keep a wellness journal. this is something i came up with, but people have definitely done it before… so, i sort of came up with it. i thought of it, then found out it was already probably a thing… anyway. this journal is your safe space. any and all entries in this journal are positive and a place of solace for you when you need that comfort and guidance. in this journal you can include: self-care routines, entries about topics such as productivity, mental health, wellbeing, studying, friendships, self love, eating,coping with mental illness… the list goes on. you may also include reminders and plans for what to do when you feel like poop, because when i’m in that situation i feel absolutely helpless and need somebody to tell me what i need to do, so write a plan. for example.

“hey, you don’t feel so good. that’s okay, that happens. before i tell you what to do, take a deep breath. you’re okay. you’re gonna be fine. you always wind up fine. 

okay. chin up. ready?

- if you’re flopped on your bed right now, get up. if you’re slumped on the floor in your room, get up. wherever you are in the house, get up and head to your room. make your bed as comfy as possible - fluff the pillows, grab extra cushions from the living room (and that super nice fluffy blanket) and make your bed as lovely and squishy as possible. don’t get into it, just prepare it. 

- head to the kitchen and make yourself a cup of tea. take your time. there’s no rush. this is your time. 

- grab a good book and wrap up in bed with your tea. or, if you need to cry, put the tea down a second and have a good, long cry.” 

and so on, and so on. what you just read is exactly the kind of thing i would write. i need to be as gentle as i can, because that’s what i need when i’m laying in bed or slumped on the floor in a pool of my own snotty tears. 

8. remember to take breaks, kid! jesus, you can’t expect yourself to work 24/7, can you? you’re not a machine, you’re a human and you HAVE A LIMIT. don’t push it, it’s not healthy. 

9. get yourself a little plant such as a cactus or succulent to keep on your desk as a study buddy. it’s odd how comforting a tiny plant can be, but i have three cacti on my desk (leonard, miguel and humphrey) and there they are, cheering me on, looking all happy and perky and healthy… how could anybody be sad when there are cacti as happy as that right beside you??? (i sound completely insane… there’s no way to even come back from that….) 

10. spend time with friends or family. the family one is a big one for me, because i spend so much time holed away in my room, annoyed at everybody and getting mad if i get asked to do the simplest thing, which is dumb. so now every evening i make sure to go downstairs, even just for a bit. usually, since my parents sit in the living room and come in and out of the kitchen while they make dinner late and my mum makes her lunch for the next day, i make a cup of tea and sit on the windowsill in the kitchen and chat to them as they come and go, which means i get to see and spend some time with them while still getting to be in my own company. also, talk to your friends. i have a groupchat with mine and although everybody’s slowly left it, it was good for a while… heh… anyway, make sure you text your damn friends and check up on them and like their posts and send them stuff that made you think of them… just be nice and remind them that you have insane amounts of love for them :)

that’s all for the first part of my back to school series (which will flop… future carrie, don’t abandon this, you have now tied yourself to this “series”… you have to finish it) which i will be continuing into the new term as much as i can in an attempt to restore my account which is slowly dying… 

have a great term!

- carrie