serene.

spent the day rearranging my desk 🍃

how i use google drive for university - pt 1: digital notetaking  by kkaitstudies

idk about you but i’ve tested a bunch of note taking methods. in my last few years of university, i was indeed lazy and rarely referred back to the professor’s slides in the course shell. i opted to read off the slides in lecture and take notes. while MS OneNote is great, i found myself enjoying Google Drive much more. so here is a quick overview of how i take notes using Google Docs. 

folders are your friends

make separate folders for each of your courses. google drive even gives you the option to change the colours of the folders. in these folders, add any relevant coursework such as the syllabi, readings, and your notes document.

use one doc for notes per course

once you receive the syllabi, take some time to take note of required readings, and assignment deadlines. i have created a free template you can save to your own google drive that you can access here. fill out:

- course code & name - prof’s name, office hours, and email - date(s) for each week of class - weekly readings (tip: if you have online readings, you can link them in the doc!) - & open the document outline (view > show document outline)

you also don’t have to use all these features. T B H, i didn’t do weekly readings. a lot. oops. BUT i did always pay attention in lecture. i simply deleted the “reading notes” header every week i didn’t bother to read.

make use of early access to lecture slides, headers, etc. 

some profs (bless their souls) post the slides sometime before the lecture. if you have the time, copy the lecture slides into your notes. and if they don’t…type real quick to get all the info as it’s happening (or go back to slides online after lecture to see what you missed out on). i separate lecture topics with headers, with the bullet points underneath (see above). if there is anything that the prof says during class that isn’t in the lecture slides, i will change the colour of the text to a different colour. any important concepts or testable material are highlighted.

…and that’s how i take notes! everyone is different. not all note-taking methods work for everyone. this is what worked for me in my last 2 years of uni. hopefully a similar structure works for some of y’all! also, let me know what you think and @ me if you end up using my template. have a great semester!

hello, i’m journaling again ☁️

i’ve been collecting old movie tickets and other mementos for a long time. i’ve always been intrested in compiling them in a scrapbook, but i never got to do that. i just kept them in a box all these years. however, i’ve recently started keeping them in a journal! i’ve just been jotting down whatever i can remember about them. it’s been really fun to go through a few per day — remembering all these happy high school memories. it kind of makes me miss high school (wow, never thought i would say that asdhjdks).

physiology and coffee //

since my summer volunteering program was cancelled, I decided to take a summer course and study for the MCAT instead

insta: goblinstudies

The Classics

Browse works by Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad and other famous authors here.

Classic Bookshelf: This site has put classic novels online, from Charles Dickens to Charlotte Bronte.

The Online Books Page: The University of Pennsylvania hosts this book search and database.

Project Gutenberg: This famous site has over 27,000 free books online.

Page by Page Books: Find books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.G. Wells, as well as speeches from George W. Bush on this site.

Classic Book Library: Genres here include historical fiction, history, science fiction, mystery, romance and children’s literature, but they’re all classics.

Classic Reader: Here you can read Shakespeare, young adult fiction and more.

Read Print: From George Orwell to Alexandre Dumas to George Eliot to Charles Darwin, this online library is stocked with the best classics.

Planet eBook: Download free classic literature titles here, from Dostoevsky to D.H. Lawrence to Joseph Conrad.

The Spectator Project: Montclair State University’s project features full-text, online versions of The Spectator and The Tatler.

Bibliomania: This site has more than 2,000 classic texts, plus study guides and reference books.

Online Library of Literature: Find full and unabridged texts of classic literature, including the Bronte sisters, Mark Twain and more.

Bartleby: Bartleby has much more than just the classics, but its collection of anthologies and other important novels made it famous.

Fiction.us: Fiction.us has a huge selection of novels, including works by Lewis Carroll, Willa Cather, Sherwood Anderson, Flaubert, George Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald and others.

Free Classic Literature: Find British authors like Shakespeare and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, plus other authors like Jules Verne, Mark Twain, and more.

Textbooks

If you don’t absolutely need to pay for your textbooks, save yourself a few hundred dollars by reviewing these sites.

Textbook Revolution: Find biology, business, engineering, mathematics and world history textbooks here.

Wikibooks: From cookbooks to the computing department, find instructional and educational materials here.

KnowThis Free Online Textbooks: Get directed to stats textbooks and more.

Online Medical Textbooks: Find books about plastic surgery, anatomy and more here.

Online Science and Math Textbooks: Access biochemistry, chemistry, aeronautics, medical manuals and other textbooks here.

MIT Open Courseware Supplemental Resources: Find free videos, textbooks and more on the subjects of mechanical engineering, mathematics, chemistry and more.

Flat World Knowledge: This innovative site has created an open college textbooks platform that will launch in January 2009.

Free Business Textbooks: Find free books to go along with accounting, economics and other business classes.

Light and Matter: Here you can access open source physics textbooks.

eMedicine: This project from WebMD is continuously updated and has articles and references on surgery, pediatrics and more.

hey, guys! i’m back again, with another masterpost (!!!) it’s my fifth one this month bc its one of my new year’s resolutions to make a masterpost for each week of the month! hopefully this helps u guys!!!

some tips //

using an extension/app/website to block distracting sites is a lifesaver

i use the blocksite extension on chrome

u can also use forest to block ur sites + time ur studying

pomodoro is one of my personal favorites bc it’s 25 minutes of work (which is a pretty short time, so u can concentrate better) + 5 minutes of a break (to refresh urself!!!)

remember not to get too caught up in these, bc too many sites + apps are just a waste of time, and u’ll end up studying even less

everything in moderation!!!

resources //

apps to help you destress by @gracelearns

apps and extensions for google chrome by @visualyze

app for recording the time you spent studying by @shin0n0me

back to school apps and websites by @engorgio-study

a “master list of apps” that are essential to student life by @sundayscholar

popular apps perfect for students by @emmastudies

language exchange apps and websites by @intellectus

ten chrome extensions for lovely new tabs by @studyquill

an app that organizes your time for you by @ramen-addict

masterpost of language apps by @hanamione

study apps + websites by @revisicns

apps 101 by @dualstudy

a list of calming + fun websites by @highschoolering

language website to improve your vocabulary by @spanishsecondlanguage

30 useful websites by @educatier

top ten websites for studying by @pencyls

websites every student should know about by @s-tudyhacks

best apps for students by @run-rhianna-run

google chrome extensions by @to-work-or-not-to-work

apps to help you survive school by @sturdystudy

apps for the college student budget by @ecampustours

study apps masterpost by @junniestudies

resource for procrastination by @studytothe97

productivity app rec by @we-get-shit-done

pomodoro app by @studiyng

chrome extension for highlighting by @schoblr

google does math for you by @all1sees

app masterpost by @studiyng

epic language learning resource by @ycleptkyara

favorite free apps by @idiotcactus

app masterpost by @katsdesk

free online courses masterpost by @studyllaire

slides carnival (google slides templates) website by @howtohighschool

free minimalistic apps by @busymarina

hemingway editor app rec by @namaste-shay

what’s on my phone as a student by @studyquill

meal log app for people with eating disorders by @agent-hardass

app to help you find a book to read by @chaoticallyprecise

free online study resources by @studyquill

ten apps and extensions that are helpful by @histudy

taking advantage of free online courses by @dentistrysucks

podcasts for students by @studyquill

websites and apps to learn languages by @mickybyrd

app masterpost by @coffeeandchemegstry

app masterpost by @ingeniouslywitty

career app rec by @ashleys

study apps masterpost by @coffeestudying

google chrome extensions by @isoscelus

computer apps by @little-red-studies

60 awesome search engines for serious writers by @writingadvice1

tips for studying with a computer by @vanesastudies

use your electronics for productivity by @genericstudyblr

minimalist stuff that’ll help you study by @denistudies

app masterpost by @captainheyturnitup

writing apps, extensions, and websites by @uglystudies

apps for disorganized/adhd students by @studiix

chrome extensions for disabilities by @cayennepeper

apps for students by @astraenauts

apps for students by @studyquill

top eight productivity apps by @highlighteurs

~ 2020 financial budgeting template ~

hey guys! with 2020 being in full force, I thought it would be good to start ‘adulting’ (ew im 20 this year) by tracking my finances and budgeting. I made up a spreadsheet for myself and thought I would share the template with yous in case anyone finds it helpful.

whats in the tracker?

the tracker is organized in monthly sections that contain each day of the month, an area to track your accounts, an area to track your expenses and a pie chart. a 2020 overview of your monthly accounts and expenses is also included

the expenses are broken down into 7 categories (the max amount that fits on the pie chart). you can add more (may need to switch to another chart) or less; whatever works the best for you and your lifestyle

the expenses are calculated so you can see how much you spend each day, each weak and each month (in total and per category). the total for each expense category is displayed on a pie chart

an example sheet is included so you can see how you can use it

how i recommend using it

i would recommend adding in your data for January (or whatever your past month is). by doing this you can see how you spent your money which is very eyeopening and helps you to budget and save for the next month

for entering your current data, do whatever suits your lifestyle. whether that’s updating it daily, weekly or monthly. the goal is to not be obsessed with tracking your money but be aware of where you’re spending it and how much you’re saving.

as you use the spreadsheet you will see what areas of your life you spend more money on and you can start setting goals and limitations for yourself if you desire.

some things I added to my own spreadsheet is highlighting the days I get paid and also adding comments to each expense so I know what I spent the money on. this is shown in the example sheet

this is completely customizable to you and your life! add whatever categories you want, make the sheet colourful, only use the expense area, save reminders on your phone,, anything that will motivate and help you :))

link

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ObGdmNpDbw7rCmeV_AGB0w5jJJtr72eFsoWFZUiK_gg/copy

this link will make a copy of the spreadsheet for you that you can edit and no one else can access

—

Back in high school, I was not the straight A type of student. I was more of the average type who opted to focus more on extra curricular activities. When CETs came and I was not qualified to enter my dream school, I did regret how I performed academically because I knew that I could do more. When college came, I started stepping up my study habits. Here are some tips on how to get those A’s and be a part of the Dean’s List, receive awards, and whatnot!

1. Be organized to prevent cramming!

Being organized really helped me keep track of what I have to accomplish, the upcoming quizzes and exams, homework and essay submissions. To beat the deadline, it pays to plan and to do it ahead of time. 

I keep a planner with me and what I do is to write the deadline of the project or the date of the exam. Aside from that, I set a specific date where I will work on those papers, when I will make reviewers and when I will study. It sounds easier said than done, but what I did is to create a schedule and STICK TO IT. This helped me create essays and projects of quality and it lessened my bad habit of cramming and procrastinating. It is better to just scan and review your notes the night before an exam than to actually push yourself to have an all-nighter just so you could squeeze in all the information in one night. 

It is harder to remember everything you studied if you just read all the handouts and chapters the night before. It is harder to answer an exam when you just had a few hours of sleep or none at all. Study ahead of time. It will pay off!

2. Sit in front

I used to be the kind of girl who sat on the last row just so I can use my phone or talk to my friends just in case the class starts to get boring. But due to my bad eyesight, I started sitting in front. Since then, I became more focused. I understood the lessons more. I became more engaged in class discussions and recitations. Sitting in front made me more involved.

3. Take down notes

Yes, write notes. Stop taking pictures of the powerpoint slides or your classmate’s notes. This is research based and it was proven that taking down notes helps the brain in storing information. It’s one thing to see the slide. It’s another thing to actually remember it. Listening to the professor read it and explain it further is a good way to understand the lesson. But taking down notes helps in recalling them. Trust me! 

4. Read the syllabus 

The syllabus is given on the first day of each class not to be stored away for the rest of the semester. It is a good guide on the grading system and on what you should focus on, what can lift your grades up, and whatnot. It is also an effective study guide considering that there is an outline of everything you will discuss. You can read in advance for so you can be ready for class. There are also a list of references in the syllabus which can aid you throughout the sem. The syllabus prevents students in going to class unprepared!

5. Make time for ALL your subjects.

They are not just “minor” subjects. These subjects can actually make or break you. Those subjects that you hate putting your time to just because they are minor are the subjects that can pull up or pull down your GWA. 

Instead of merely focusing on your major subject, it pays to also spend time studying for your minors. You can “alay” your way through them all the time. 

6. No gadgets on the study table

I find myself easily distracted when I study and my phone is on my desk. I realized that sometimes my study breaks are even longer than they should have, just because I can’t keep track of time when I’m on my phone. Aside from keeping my phone out of sight, I also downloaded the Forest app to keep me focused. 

7. Spotify’s Deep Focus playlist

I like listening to music when I study. This playlist helped me get in the zone and to focus more. Check it out.

- get dressed and style your hair as if you’re going to school/work - even use the same perfume/ cologne as you normally do  (trick your mind into being motivated)

- plan things out - everything (plan out your week, day, meal, etc. you can make these as specific as you’d like. this will help you stay on top of your work as well as stay healthy, especially if you live alone.)

- make studying/ working the first thing you do each day - best if you can start in the morning (minimize the tendency to procrastinate)

- just start - don’t worry too much about perfecting or finishing anything yet (if you don’t start then there’s nothing for you to perfect or get done. and it will never get done)

- listen to old and simple (aka non-distracting) podcasts, Youtube videos, or café/ chattering white-noise, etc. simply leave them as background noise to create an illusion of being outside your room (bring the presence of people to you. my favorites lately have been slam poems from 2016, Mae Martin’s stages, and Awsten Knight’s crackhead podcasts)

- set timers, for both study sessions and breaks (so that you don’t overwork, burn out, or procrastinate. the Pomodoro technique works great here)

- take advantage of the comfort of your own home (light a candle, have crunchy snacks, play loud music, review notes out loud while pacing around, wrap yourself in a blanket burrito, study on your bed if you can focus there like me, etc. basically anything you can’t do in a classroom, office, or the library)

- if you miss your friends, call/ text/ facetime them, make a study group chat with them, etc. (that is what technology is for)

- choose recreational activities/ self-care for your breaks instead of going on social media (go on walks, make small art, play an instrument, stretch, take a nap, etc. I usually reach for my guitar, brainstorm writing ideas, or sketch very simple line art.)

- if you want to go on social media, do it during meal times - or the 15 minutes after your meals that you can’t work just yet (it also doesn’t make you feel like you’re wasting time)

- study in different rooms for a change of scenery (dining room, living room, the patio, etc. I have an armchair next to the window that I study in whenever I need some sunlight and don’t have to write anything down. however, if you need a designated place to focus on your work, you can also use these alternative spaces as designated “relax” or “creative” place for your breaks)

- use this as an opportunity to take care of yourself (get enough sleep, drink water, exercise, talk to your family, take your meds, be mindful of your mental health, etc.)

Feel free to add your tips. The current situation sure is unpleasant but it is unavoidable. All we can really do now is take care of ourselves, others, and try to make the best out of this.