ad astra • excelsior

Wow, thank you for 20k! I haven’t been posting much on tumblr, but I hope to be more regular like my instagram (@studyrella)

hoping your dreams are fulfilled, your grades are awesome and your skin is glowing in 2018!

my tips for bullet journalling

Year in Review

highlights / reflection

achievements this year

lessons learnt / growth as a person

things you want to improve on

advice you’ve received / given

best music/movies/tv shows/etc of the past year

friends made during this past year

commonplace journal pages

things you’ve discovered during the past year

useful tips during the past year

odd facts and trivia during the past year

topics to explore during the past year

questions to ask during the past year

New Year, New You

calendar / future log / yearly or monthly logs

things to look forward to this year

upcoming books/music/movies/tv shows being released this year

maslow’s hierarchy of needs self-reflection spread

goals / new year’s resolutions + steps to put it into action

skills you want to learn this year e.g. coding

habits you want to break / habits you want to pick up

diary: day-to-day happenings

budgets: monthly/yearly budgets

inspiration spread for new projects

level 10 life: rate areas (academic, personal, mental, physical, spiritual, social, financial) of your life out of 10, and write down goals to improve that rating!

monthly overviews (e.g. progress on goals)

assignment due dates calendar

18 things to do by the end of 2018

Special Pages for Special Friends

business cards from networking events

gift ideas for your friends/family/significant other

birthday / anniversary calendar

emergency contacts / phone numbers of important people

friendship journal:

memories / moments they were there for you

how you met

moments you want to share in the future

their mbti/hogwarts house

their best qualities

Trackers/Logs/______ of the Day

gratitude journal - # things you’re grateful for every day

habit trackers

motivational quotes

news headlines / this day in history

daily affirmations

currently reading / watching / listening to / feeling / eating / wanting etc.

time usage (read: wastage) tracker

k-drama or tv show episode tracker (always forget what ep I’m up to :S)

expenses tracker / tax deductibles

dream diary (tracker, plot(?), lucid or not, dream meanings)

new album or song releases

photo diary / sketch diary

weather

follower milestones

social media post tracker

household duties/chores tracker

grades tracker

year in pixels

TIL (today I learned)

civics

appointments: dentist, optometrist, doctor, therapist, etc.

bills: car / internet / rent etc

tax: income statements and work expenses receipts

membership/licence renewals

health

weight tracker

resting heart rate tracker (gives general idea of cardio fitness)

water intake tracker sleep log / time to bed / time awake / total hours slept

exercise log: number of reps / steps / minutes

mood trackers

period tracker

Various Creative Spread Ideas

day-to-day / life planning spreads

skincare routines

perfect/ideal morning routine 

self-care reminders

exercise routines

wishlist

bucket list

firsts: kiss, date, house, vacation, car, concert, etc.

DIYs to attempt

savings jar (doodle it!)

yearly / monthly recurring tasks

usernames/passwords (hints only for security!) 

5 or 10 year plans

dream job

dream house

planning for moving houses

dream wedding / planning

date ideas

make a worse case scenarios primer

summary tutorials for your reference e.g. step-by-step tax returns

academic

studyblr ideas

topics I need to revise

finals study timetable/plan

aspirations: what you want to be and why / how to get there

class timetable

assignment ideas

project schedules / team meeting dates

professors’ emails/office hours

assessment results

anti-procrastination page

motivations to study

skills you want to learn or are useful e.g. coding

formulas page

courses you want to take and their pre-reqs

college comparisons

back to school shopping list

textbook list with prices

language learning

vocabulary lists

grammar structures

media (books/tv shows/movies) to consume in that language

self-reflection / personality traits

best and worst characteristics

what to be mindful of / what you need to work on

mbti types you’re most compatible with 

fears and how you want to overcome them

letters to your future self (include hopes and dreams)

letters to your past self (include achievements and things to be proud of!)

inspirational people

stress management tips

charities to donate to and why you support them

volunteering activities

fun, cute, and aesthetic spread ideas

things worth staying alive for / getting out of bed for

a spread with all the things you were worried about which turned out fine

message page from your friends to you

“i can’t live without ______”

creative crafts spread: tips / equipment / tutorials

aesthetic colour moodboards

happy / comforting / relaxing / funny things spread 

seasons (summer/autumn/winter/spring) spread

rainy day spread

holidays spreads: christmas / easter / halloween / thanksgiving

idioms and proverbs from all different cultures

flowers spread: fav flowers, meanings, bouquet/arrangements, press ‘em!

crystals spread: fav gemstones (doodle ‘em), meanings

succulents spread: fav succulents, terrarium layout ideas

coffee/tea spread: paint with coffee / fav blends / best cafes

what’s in my bag (doodle it!)

outfit ideas / polyvore style collections

magazine clippings

shower thoughts / hypothetical ideas spread

draw my life spread / personal timeline

favourite characters e.g. gudetama, kumamon, etc. (doodle ‘em!)

interesting words list (ephemeral, mellifluous, serendipity, scintillating etc)

ideal date ideas

wedding anniversary ideas (like 1st is paper, 25th silver, 30th pearl, 40th ruby, 50th gold, 60th diamond)

baby animals spread (duckies, puppies, bunnies!!)

#just bullet journal things

bujo spread layouts and devices to try out (e.g. chronodex, parallel time ladder) 

key/legend (keep it simple!)

colour palettes/swatches

washi tape / pens / markers swatches

banners / fonts

doodles

ticket stubs / receipts

stickers / stamps

cutouts of info brochures

pressed flowers

calligraphy / brush lettering / handwriting practice

favourite stationery

activities

_______ that you want to do* / have done* (kind of bucket list) *watch, read, listen to, try, taste, cook, play etc. 

books

movies

tv shows

music

hobbies

arts/crafts e.g. paper quilling

sports e.g. archery

how to play / equipment / etc.

video games

foods

activities

board games

books / movies / tv shows

summary / review

favourite characters

meaningful moments / moments that made you laugh / cry

(for the media critic) artful moments:

best descriptive passages

best cinematography

best action scenes

best use of soundtracks

(basically moments that make it deserving of awards)

music

album reviews

favourite songs

playlists for every mood and all seasons

meaningful lyrics

songs you shazamed

favourite genres and exemplar songs

kpop

reasons why i love my bias / bias wrecker / group

letter to your bias

comeback concepts / favourite outfits

visual/picture tutorials for makeup styles

calendar of your favs’ schedules during comeback season

in-jokes/memes

awards / achievements / records broken / milestones

translated lyrics

kpop songs vocab lists

upcoming releases

on this day

art

pics of your favourite artworks/artists + write about it

art styles you want to emulate

explain techniques for different media e.g. watercolour wet-on-wet

doodle ideas

astrology

natal chart readings/aspects/placements

solar return reading for the incoming year / transits

synastry / compatibility chart readings

constellation/star charts

symbol reference page for planets, zodiac signs, aspects

food

recipes

meal plans

shopping lists

interesting foods: (doodle ‘em!) taste / texture / smell (e.g. truffles, caviar)

cafes/restaurants you want to go to + their specialty dish (photo)

cocktails you want to mix/taste (doodle ‘em!)

media

interesting articles + moral/ethical issues it prompted you to think about

controversial topics on the news and for/against arguments/your thoughts

on this day in history

fav websites / blogs

jokes / puns / pickup lines

favourite poems / quotes / short stories

kinaesthetic

burn book - write things that make you angry/sad and rip the page out

wreck it journal - e.g. colour, scribble, stickers all over this page

travel

places to visit

travel itinerary

cultural parables

useful phrases in the language and their meaning

travel memories spread: things you did / places you went / selfies

postcard collection

packing list

friendly and not-so-friendly people that you met in foreign lands

writing

short story ideas

plot brainstorming spreads

journal prompts

drabbles

character designs

foreign words which can’t be directly translated into english

inspired by these amazing posts @genericstudyblr x @studbylr x @eintsein​x x @studyblr x @aeqo x @emmastudies x x @allystudiesx x @aryson x

writing an essay in college is very different from writing an essay in high school. personally, i write more research/history papers than literary essays (the liberal arts life and curse), so this is going to be a post on how a general research-y essay that has a thesis and arguments. 

intro

don’t open with a quote and don’t be overly broad. 

avoid generalizations 

your intro should address the topic of your essay (ex. the significance of gardens in renaissance society), and then narrow down to what you want to talk about in regards to your topic (ex. the political influence of the Medici gardens during the renaissance)

thesis! it should include the argument you want to make about the narrowed down topic, and three (or however many your class requires) reasons to support it. I like to think of it as W = X + Y + Z. 

your thesis explains who, what and why in a concise manner. 

body

topic sentences should not be a word for word copy of your thesis.

the order of arguments in your thesis is the order of your paragraphs 

depending on the length of your essay, there should be at least two justifications to your argument. 

so, just as the intro has a formula, X = A + B, and so forth. 

A and B should be backed up with some sources/quotes. don’t forget that if you are quoting from class notes to put either the prof’s last name, or (class notes)

be sure to have clear and concise arguments, don’t be flowery

USE WORDS THAT ARE ACCURATE. thesaurus is great but if you use a word that sounds cool but doesn’t capture the meaning you want to convey then don’t use it, because it may just change the meaning of your argument

quote whatever isn’t yours. it is completely fine if 90% of your sentences are quotes. its weird to get used to, but don’t worry about it. 

conclusion

the worst part in my opinion. 

synthesize don’t summarize. show how your arguments relate back to the thesis.

try not to copy paste your thesis into the conclusion, word it so that the readers understands that through XYZ, you were able to conclude and support argument W (referring back to the thesis formula)

do not add any new information, do not add quotes. 

your final sentence should tie up the essay in a pretty bow, but try to avoid clichés 

protips

when writing the body paragraphs, your ‘weakest’ paragraph should be in the middle, strongest as your last, and the second best as your first.

if you’re stumped on the intro, skip it. write out the body first, then the intro and you’ll be able to concisely word your thesis

think of your essay as an infomercial. your intro is the loud and clear HERES MY PRODUCT, the body is blasting information on why the product is so cool, and the conclusion is the final push for the viewer to buy that product. make your teacher want to agree with your thesis! 

use a mix of paraphrase and quotes!

don’t forget your works cited lmao (the MLA Handbook is a gr8 tool, also OWL Purdue)

prime time for essay writing is in the morning or at night, but make sure you edit it meticulously 

EDIT ON PAPER NOT ON YOUR SCREEN

How I Format and Use Flashcards

1.  Less is More: no need for a paragraph to define a term, choose the simplest and most efficient one. Also, don’t include common sense things or things you know by heart, you’ll waste time and space by writing them down.

2. Sketch it Out: Sketches can be helpful in allowing you to visualize the term/concept. 

3. Say it Out Loud: When reviewing through the cards, try and say the definition out loud. It will require you to think about it more, and it also helps with memorization. If I try and define a term in my head I usually speed through it and leave something out. 

4. Write them as you go: Don’t sit down right before finals and try and write down every term/definition from the course. It takes forever and you will kill your hand. As you finish a chapter in the course finish that set of flashcards. You will thank yourself later. 

5. Repetition: I go through my flashcards before a test maybe a thousand times (exaggeration but very close). Remember to focus on the harder ones, you’ll most likely remember the easier ones during the test. 

Here is my method:

Round 1: Go through every single card. Don’t set any aside. I usually don’t know a majority of the terms at this point, I most likely just finished writing them down.

Round 2: Go through every card again, this time setting aside ones I didn’t know or had trouble with.

Round 3: Go through the harder ones I missed.

Round 4: Add the harder ones back in with the original and shuffle.

august 6, 2017

spread for next week ! I don’t really like this flatlay but whatever lol?? i ran out of things to use so I used some paint swatch things LMAO why am I like this??? also can we talk about how beautiful paperkumaco stickers are bc,,, im obsessed?? also I cannot believe I’m turning 16 tmrw i want to cry ;-;

Hey babes! August is here, which means that the first day of class isn’t far for a lot of us! The first day is exciting, but it can also be pretty scary. Here’s your guide to tackling the first day with grace, and setting yourself up for your best year yet!

be prepared

Having the best first day means putting in some work beforehand! This way you can wake up the day-of and have a relaxing morning, instead of rushing around trying to find your textbooks. 

Save your class schedule to your phone

I like to add each class (including details like the room #) as an individual reminder in my iPhone. That way all you have to do is swipe right on the lock screen and everything you need to know is there! If you have another type of phone, setting a picture of your schedule as your home screen works as well. 

Prepare your supplies

Make sure you have everything you’ll need for the first day, and pack your backpack completely the night before. 

Think of some ice breaker answers

I don’t know about you, but for me the worst part of the first day is sharing “a fun fact about yourself” or “one word that describes you” in every class. Save yourself some stress and think of those now!

Pick out your outfit

First impressions are important, so show up on your first day feeling confident about how you look! Make sure everything is ironed and laid out the night before so all you have to do is put it on!

Pack a lunch and prep breakfast

Make sure you have a healthy lunch packed and ready to go before you go to bed the night before, and go ahead and get a head start on breakfast too. Lay out the ingredients on the counter so all you have to do is fire the waffle iron up and go. 

Get a good night’s sleep

Go to bed a little earlier than you normally would. Nerves about the first day mean that you may not get to sleep as fast, and you’ll probably be waking up earlier than you’re used to anyway. 

the first day!

Wake up early

If you wake up a little earlier than you need to you can start your day relaxed, and that sets the tone for the whole day! Take your time getting ready & eating breakfast, and avoid using your phone (or you’ll totally find yourself on Twitter instead of getting dressed)

Get to school early

It usually takes me a little while to get my bearings on the first day of class, especially if my first class is in a new building. Show up early so you have time to scope out the halls and find your way.

Bring a planner

You’ll be getting a lot of dates thrown at you the first day, so be sure to bring your planner to write it all down!

Introduce yourself

Before class, say hello to the person you’re sitting next to and get to know them a little! After class be sure to introduce yourself to your teacher (or say hello if you’ve had them before). It’ll leave a good impression and may help you out with your participation grade!

Relax!

Literary Techniques

[click for higher resolution!] Whilst organising my hard drive, I found a document from English which covered lots of literary techniques. I always struggled remembering them so made this table and put it in my subject folder. I thought it might be nice to share this for those who also struggle with the specific meanings :-)

I also made a version which you can print, you can download it here.

Hope this helps! 

Hey guys! I’ve compiled a list of resources that are helpful when studying science in general, & also when studying specific branches of science. I hope you find it useful!

General:

Crash Course [Youtube]

Khan Academy [videos, practice worksheets, etc]

Bozeman Science [Youtube]

Veritasium [Youtube]

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell  [Youtube]

Memrise [practice, app & web]

Thought Co. [articles]

iTunes U [app]

Sparknotes [notes on specific topics]

Wikiversity [articles]

Brightstorm [videos]

Cliffsnotes [study guides]

CK-12 [free online textbook]

Brilliant [problem-solving]

Alison [online courses]

Coursera [online courses]

Cosmo Learning [resources]

Biology

Amoeba Sisters [Youtube]

The Biology Corner

Learning Centre [animations]

Schmoop [study guides]

Beverly Biology [Youtube]

Chemistry

Periodic Videos [Youtube]

Tyler DeWitt [Youtube]

Chem Collective

Learn Chemistry

Chemistry Study Skills

Physics

Physics Central

Step-by-Step Science [Youtube]

Physics.org [revision & exam help]

Physics Galaxy [Video Lectures]

Open Yale Courses

the Physics Classroom

Earth Sciences

Geology.com 

NASA

National Geographic [study resources]

Sporcle [study guide]

ig: studylustre