mnemonix

Everyone has their own unique way of studying, try out these different techniques and see how effective they are to you :)

Find out which type of learner you are e.g a visual, kinaesthetic, or auditory. These are ideal when it comes to which revision is most beneficial.

Use the listing technique where you memorise a part of your notes, list them down on a piece of paper then go back and review all the ones you missed. This makes sure whether all your knowledge is refreshed and learnt properly :)

Play teachers with yourself. Do this by speaking out loud and explain the content in your own words as if you were teaching. You sound mad, but honestly it works very well.

Use a mirror, memorise your notes, put them away and then say as much as you can while looking at yourself in the mirror. This helps you go through what you already know so you can look back and refresh for later.

Have a Question book, test your knowledge by answering exam style questions and all the ones you get wrong note them down in a little notebook. This helped me a lot as it prepared me for any questions i found hard while going through as much practice as possible.

Hi everyone! I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression a while back, and these are my tips on how to manage to be a student while also having mental health problems. If you’re struggling too much, however, please please please see if you can take a break from school- your health is so much more important than anything else!!!!! However, if you can and want to keep going, I hope these tips are useful.

1. Be realistic about what you can do

When I’m in a really bad anxious/depressive spell, things take me so much longer than usual. It’s important to take that into account when planning out your tasks, so you don’t end up with an enormous unfinished to-do-list and a mental breakdown. For example, last week, I had an essay to finish, and I spent a full day proofreading it one final time, since I could only do one paragraph at a time. Make sure to give yourself enough time and only do the tasks that are absolutely essential!

2. Know your own signs

In my case, my mental health goes up and down- I might be having a great time for a few weeks but then it’ll all go downhill again (like right now, I’m in a particularly difficult bit currently). By now, I know what signs to look out for so I know when my mental health will go downhill again, so I can prepare myself. Learn these signs (if you can) and when you notice them, either try to prevent yourself from going bad (which obvs isn’t always possible- I tried real hard this time but here we are again), or plan for when you do!

3. Make lists

For me, I can’t do anything without a list. My brain is already so off the rails that, if I don’t make lists, I will forget to do things, or maybe I just can’t be bothered. If I’m in a really bad time mental health-wise, I’ll put even the small things on there (like showering or cooking), to make sure I do them and to make me feel like I got a lot of stuff done in a day even when I’m not able to be productive uni-wise.

4. Talk to your teachers!

You all probably know this, but your teachers are there to help you, and 99.9% of the time, they will be more than happy to. If you’re going through a bad time, tell them this so they know why you’re not as prepared as usual/ they may be able to give you some extra guidance. For example, I have to write my thesis over the summer, but want to do this at home rather than in my uni town bc it’s better for me to be at home rn. I told my supervisor (insert a bunch of anxious crying from my side here), and he was incredibly nice and understanding. If (like me) you have anxiety, this sort of stuff will be scary, but I promise, it’ll be worth it!

5. Be kind to yourself

This is important in general, but if you have mental health problems, you have to accept that you’re not going to be able to be as productive as you want to be (the perfectionist inside of me died a little as I was writing it). There will be days when it feels like you’ve been hit by a bus and you just can’t do anything, and that’s fine. Just wake up every day, determined to make the best of whatever the universe has decided to throw at you. Good luck!

What’s in my pencil case + essay planning

06.06.19 | 10:30am

Who can resist reading another little post full of tips to help you get more work done? Here is a few things that I find useful when trying to get myself motivated.

Clear desk, clear mind - I like to organise things before I start working. If things are messy, I get a little preoccupied and procrastinate even more. My suggestion is clear your desk, sort everything you’ll need to study and get on!

The two minute rule - If a task that needs to be done takes less than two minutes, just do it. My dad has often suggested that this is a great way to sort out your priorities and so far it has worked for me. Things like check my emails, cross off events from my planner, file something away don’t take long but get you in the mood for productivity. As they say “object in motion, stay in motion”.

Break your time up - Schedule your study time and any breaks you need to take. This helps structure your day and acts as a motivation to get things done. Especially if you can reward yourself at the end!

Leave your phone alone - Like most people I use my phone constantly but when I’m trying to work, it is best to leave it alone. Out of sight, out of mind. Try leaving it on silent and behind you so you aren’t tempted to pick it up after every beep. Use your break times to check it.

Find your top three to five priorities - Seeing a long list of things to do is usually, for some people, kind of counterproductive. Figure out the main things that need to be done and work on those. If you’re able to complete those main things, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished the days necessities and may even want to complete some more.

Try using a mindmap instead of a to do list - Apparently using a mindmap layout instead of a traditional list can help boost productivity. It is a little more funky way to see all your outstanding tasks and might not look as overwhelming as a super long list.

Wear headphones - You don’t have to always listen to things but it can help block out any noise that can distract you. If you’re someone that likes some music, try songs with little or no words. This is a great playlist by Spotify.

Don’t multitask - As much as you think you can do it, trying to multitask usually ends up in a confused mess and takes twice the time. Stick to one task at a time. If you think of something you need to do, write it down and do it later.

Change things up - Doing the same things in the same place can get boring. Make the effort every now and then to change where you’re studying or how you’re studying. This can include moving your studying from the desk to the kitchen table for a change of scenery, or making flash cards instead of annotating your notes. Studying with a family member or friends is a fun way to get some work done!

Be positive - Most people have times when they just don’t want to study or anything, it is natural. However it is not worth sitting staring at your books in an unmotivated mood just waiting to feel inspired. If you’re not feeling it, do something else for a while. Come back to it a bit later and have another go. Usually walking away and coming back is all you need to feel more productive.

If you’re a stationery lover there is no doubt that you’re always looking for new places to shop because you can never have enough notebooks or pens! Buying stationery gives us all an illusion of productivity and who isn’t willing to pay for that? I’ve compiled a list of stores I’ve come across and think deserve sharing! Just to note some of these do have physical stores or only ship to certain places. I’ve tried to find out their shipping policy but be sure to double check. Anyways, here is a list of all the stores (I’ve * my faves). 

Stationery stores 

Appointed (worldwide shipping)

Amazon (international websites)

Bando (worldwide shipping)

Bloom Daily Planners (US only)

Blue Sky Planner (US only)

Bricksxcastle (worldwide shipping) (get 10% off using ‘emma10′)

Cobbery (worldwide shipping)

Daiso (US only)

Day Designer (US and Canada only)

Ella Iconic (worldwide shipping)

Emily Ley* (worldwide shipping)

Erin Condren (worldwide shipping)

Fox and Star (worldwide shipping)

Frank Stationery (worldwide shipping)

Glam and Paper (worldwide shipping)

The Happiness Planner (worldwide shipping)

Inky Co (Australian and New Zealand only)

Jet Pens* (worldwide shipping)

Jo & Jody (ships to most countries)

Jot It Down* (worldwide shipping)

Kate Spade (ships to some countries)

Kawaii Pen Shop (worldwide shipping)

Kikki K* (worldwide shipping)

Knock Knock (worldwide shipping)

Leuchtturm 1917 (ships to most countries)

Little Paper Lane (Australia only)

Makadai (worldwide shipping)

Meggies (UK only)

Mi Goals (worldwide shipping)

Mochi Things (worldwide shipping)

Moleskine (international websites)

Mossery* (worldwide shipping)

Muji* (international websites)

Notemaker (ships to most countries)

Officeworks* (Australia only)

Orenda (Australia only)

Paperchase (ships to some countries + US website)

Papier D’amour (Australia + New Zealand only)

Paperdorable (worldwide shipping)

Passion Planner (worldwide shipping)

Pepperpot (worldwide shipping)

Personal Planner (worldwide shipping)

Plum Paper (ships to most countries)

Poketo (worldwide shipping)

Public Supply (worldwide shipping)

Quill London (worldwide shipping)

Raven Press Co (worldwide shipping ex. Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, or Carribbean states)

Rifle Paper Co (worldwide shipping)

Ryman (UK only)

Scratch & Jotter (Australia only)

SalteaWashi* (worldwide shipping) (get 5% off with ‘emma5′)

Sessa Vee (worldwide shipping)

StationeryStoreCo* (worldwide shipping)

Staples* (international websites)

Studio Stationery (worldwide shipping)

Smiggle (worldwide shipping)

Sugar Paper (worldwide shipping)

Tabiyo Shop (international shipping)

Target (international websites)

The Paper Stone (worldwide shipping)

Tokyo Pen Shop (ships to some countries)

Typo (worldwide shipping)

Up & Atem (worldwide shipping)

Urban Outfitters (ships to most countries)

WHSmith (UK only)

Etsy stores

EmmaStudies***** obviously my favourite?!? (all instant downloads so goes anywhere!)

Fox and Fallow (worldwide shipping)

Karma Paper Co (ships to US and Canada - international on request)

Letter Love Designs (worldwide shipping)

Little Papeterie (worldwide shipping)

Made to Plan (worldwide shipping)

Moon Lume* (worldwide shipping)

Plan Bright Planners (worldwide shipping)

SHP Planners (worldwide shipping)

She Plans (worldwide shipping)

Simply Notebooks (worldwide shipping)

Sugar and Type (worldwide shipping)

Posy Paper (worldwide shipping)

Purple Trail (ships to some countries)

42/100 days of productivity

happy july! here’s my july spread.