pearl studies

An Overview of Note-Taking Styles

{ 30-7-17 } 84/100 days of productivity

For all the fellow studybloggers who have asked whether I have a study playlist- now I do!! ♡´･ᴗ･`♡

CLICK HERE to be redirected to my spotify ‘study & chill’ playlist which features upbeat chill songs to prevent you from falling asleep ~ 

It’s going to be constantly updated with every good song-find so please do give it a follow if you like it ~~! ꒰˘̩̩̩⌣˘̩̩̩๑꒱♡ (I tried to pick less mainstream ones so you won’t get distracted by singing along to all of it!)

+ send me an ask if you want me to make a mellow café/rainy playlist? ??

Notetaking

Sound Note - take notes while you record audio

Evernote - notetaking that syncs across platforms

Paper 53 - minimal notetaking that syncs

Microsoft OneNote - collaboration and syncing, best for Office users

Google Keep - jot things down, best for Google suite users

Notability - take notes and annotate PDFs

Mindly - create mind maps

Day One - a digital journal

Flash Cards

Quizlet - the quintessential flash card app

StudyBlue - another commonly used app

Cram - best for its “cram mode”

Eidetic - uses spaced repetition for effective memorization

Planner 

My Study Life - schedules, tasks, reminders, and more

StudyCal - keeps track of tasks, exams, and grades

24me - automated reminders and event planning

iStudiez - schedule and prioritized task list

Google Calendar - a calendar, best for Google users

Glass Planner - a calendar and to do list with incredible functionality

To Do List

Clear - organized to-do and reminders

MinimaList - simple to-do and focus timer

Trello - collaborative project organizer

Todoist - clean and functional task manager

Default notes app on your phone

Time Management

Forest - plant trees by staying focused

Pomotodo - pomodoro timer with to-do list

Timeglass - custom timers

Tide - pomodoro with white noise

Alarmy - forces you out of bed 

Pillow - smart alarm that tracks sleep cycles

Productivity

Workflow - automate tasks

Habitica - turn your habits into an RPG

Continuo - simple, colorful activity tracking

Freedom - block distracting apps

Free Learning

Coursera - free MOOCs

TED - listen to Ted Talks

Duolingo - language learning

Memrise - spaced repetition language vocabulary

Khan Academy - free video lessons

Ambient Noise

8tracks - curated playlists

Spotify - online music streaming

Coffitivity - cafe ambience

Noisli - background sound generator

Rain Rain - rain sounds

Binaural - binaural beats

Health

Rockin Ramen - recipes based on ramen

MealBoard - meal planning

Lifesum - healthy eating

Stop Breath And Think - mindfulness meditation

Pacifica - mental health management

Sworkit - personalized video workouts

Waterlogged - hydration tracker

Reference

WolframAlpha - Google on steroids

Oxford Dictionary - all of English at your fingertips

RefMe - citation generator

PhotoMath - solve math problems by taking a photo

Mathway - step by step math help

Desmos - free graphing calculator

Wikipedia - not the best source, but it’s handy

Miscellaneous 

Companion - stay safe when walking alone

Mint - money management

Toshl - finance manager

If it feels wrong, don’t do it

Say exactly what you mean

Don’t be a people pleaser

Trust your instincts 

Never speak bad about yourself

Never give up on your dreams

Don’t be afraid to say “no”

Don’t be afraid to say “yes”

Be KIND to yourself

Let go of what you can’t control

Stay away from drama & negativity

First reblog post that actually saves a life.

This is a life-saving post.

the more you know

yeah don’t think that this can’t happen to you or someone you know if they’re young. my cousin’s wife is 33 and she had a stroke last year

F- Face: is their face fallen on one side?

A- Arms: can they raise both their arms up and hold them there?

S- Speech: is their speech slurred? Can they speak a full sentence?

T- Time: if all the signs show a stroke, call 999.

faire de l’effet | to make an impression

l’haltérophilie [f] | weightlifting

méconnaissable (adj.) | irrecognisable

c’est galère | it’s difficult, it’s a hassle

y aller mollo | to take it easy

ça me fait une belle jambe | i don’t care, it’s meaningless to me

trébucher sur | to stumble upon

imbuvable (adj.) | undrinkable; unbearable

ange – angel (masc.)

baleine – whale (fem.)

bisou – kiss (masc.)

brindille – twig (fem.)

brûler – to burn

brume – mist (fem.)

câlin – hug (masc.)

chaleur – heat (fem.)

chatoyer – to shimmer

chaussettes – socks (fem.)

chouchou – my little cabbage, said as a term of endearment (masc.)

citronnade – lemonade (fem.)

citrouille – pumpkin (fem.)

coquillage – seashell (masc.)

croquis – sketch (masc.)

dépaysement – the feeling of being in another country, the weird feeling you get from things being different from what you’re used to.  (masc.)

doux – soft

écarlate – scarlet

éclatant – brilliant, dazzling, gleaming

effleurer – to touch or brush against

empêchement – something that keeps you from doing something (masc.)

épanoui – blooming, joyful, radiant

éphémère – ephemeral

étoile – star (fem.)

feuilles – leaves (fem.)

flâner – to stroll aimlessly

floraison – bloom (fem.)

grelotter – to shiver

hirondelle – swallow (bird) (fem.)

libellule – dragonfly (fem.)

loufoque – wild, crazy, far-fetched

luciole – firefly (fem.)

myrtille – blueberry (fem.)

noix de coco – coconut (fem.)

nuage – cloud (masc.)

orage – thunderstorm (masc.)

pamplemousse – grapefruit (masc.)

papillon – butterfly (masc.)

parapluie – umbrella (fem.)

pastèque – watermelon (fem.)

piscine – swimming pool (fem.)

plaisir – pleasure (masc.)

pleuvoir – to rain

plonger – to dive

retrouvailles – the feelings of seeing someone again after a long time (fem.)

sirène – mermaid (fem.)

soleil – sun (masc.)

sortable – someone you can take anywhere without being embarrassed

With the start of 2018 well underway, I wanted to make a masterpost full of links on how to adjust your perspective with studying. Perhaps you want to become a better student overall, improve your focus or get into your dream college, there is always something we want to do better! Hopefully these tips will make 2018 your best academic year yet!

Organisation

2018 student planner

planner brand recommendations

planner vs bullet journal: pros and cons

how to set up a bullet journal

setting up a digital bullet journal

bullet journal spread ideas

bullet journal decoration hacks

bullet journal brand recommendations

whats in my bag

my favourite stationery

back to school basic supplies

how to improve your handwriting

handwriting font suggestions

balancing study and work

desk/workspace essentials

student finance tips

2018 monthly planner printables

Productivity

productivity and time management applications

how to remove distractions

types of procrastination and how to deal with them

google chrome new tab options for improved productivity

10 small ways to improve your productivity

applications to block websites

no distraction writing applications

100 days of productivity challenge

how to focus in class

how to stick to a schedule

how to stay alert

how to build self-discipline

how to organise for exams

my after school routine

how to reduce perfectionist ideas 

Motivation

what to do when you’ve tried everything

how to gain back motivation

motivational monday printables

how to stop avoiding studying

what to do when you feel exhausted before studying

how I stay motivated

tips on maintaining motivation

how to start a studyblr

how to utilise your studyblr for motivation

how to set up a studygram

dealing with competitive people

how to bounce back from ‘failure’

how to learn from a lower than expected grade

how to structure a weekly review

how to deal with a difficult class

things to do during holidays/study vacations

Studying

applications for students

how to take effective class or lecture notes

how to take notes from a textbook

how to prepare for exams

my note-taking method

my notebook system

how to write faster

how to study more effectively

how to summarise information

how I organise my binders

good habits to implement

how to study (my method)

how to revise from notes

how to organise a colour code

how to memorise information effectively

how to memorise quotes

how to use flashcards

how I reduce waffle and narration in essays

tips for essay writing

how to find out where you’re going wrong

how I prepare to study

different ways to study

how to study during the semester

how to annotate a book/novel/etc

how to get ahead in school

how to break up a large textbook

studying as a visual learner

how to practice and present a speech

mindmapping apps and extensions

how to deal with online classes

how to study a language

how to study maths

how to improve group assessments/projects

Self Care

how to improve your sleep schedule

how to wake up earlier

how to study when sick

over-coming self doubt

dealing with stress

how to balance studying and anxiety

how to balance studying and depression

apps that help with depression

ways to reward your productivity

my favourite tv shows

my favourite podcasts

ways to use empty notebooks

how to be more sociable

tips for getting a job

advice for the first day

things (personal, academic, etc) to do every week

Printables

2018 monthly planner printables

2018 student printables (includes 2018 overview + calendar, daily + weekly + monthly planner, 30 habit tracker, class overview and timed worklog)

weekly study schedule

weekly planner

weekend planner

daily planner

assessment planner

subject to do list planner

study session planner

exam revision printable pack (includes revision checklist, formulas + definitions sheet, essay + project planner, weekly schedule)

note-taking printables (includes dotted, grid, lined, cornell method)

organic chemistry printable

literary techniques and devices sheet

100 days of productivity tracker printable 

ultimate student organiser pack

study and revision pack

2018 student planner

2018 weekly planner

pomodoro tracker

grade and assessment planner pack

essay guide and planner pack

productivity planner

student reading journal printable

student finance planner

goal and habit planner

customisable weekly study planner

Say it with me 

We are privileged to study.

I see people cribbing and crying about not wanting to study but all those of you who say that do you realise how special and privileged we are?

We all must make complete use of our resources and the gift our parents have given to us which is education. Millions around the world would rather want to study than do anything else. We can be tired of studying but we must never not want to study. Don’t study for your parents or for your teachers study for yourself and those who aren’t able to.

Study and give back the opportunity you received to others.

Study to absorb knowledge 

Study to change the world 

Let’s talk about the pressure of college, grades, success, stress and one’s performance. If this sentence did not give you anxiety, you are doing well my friend. 

I did relatively well in high school. I had the pleasure pressure of attending a high school of fine arts, so besides taking core curriculum classes, I also had to worry about art school classes. It was stressful but I somehow survived and moved on to attend college. 

Only the pressure increased in college because suddenly I was surrounded by smart students who cared about academics and grades as much as I did. All of my previously tried and tested studying techniques failed me and I started receiving bad grades. Mostly B’s and C’s but I felt like I was failing. Like my world was ending. Dramatic much? Well, I’m a perfectionist and attending university was my dream and here I was  - failing. I felt pressure to do well and what made everything worse was that my closest friends were receiving better grades than me and I started to compare myself to others. 

I felt bad for not doing well. I felt like my professors were judging my intelligence based on my grades. It took me four years to learn that my grades did not define me. I learned that grades are only an external motivator, highly celebrated in our dysfunctional society. However, success is relative and doesn’t need to encompass grades. We all measure it differently, as for some success is a 4.0 GPA and for others it is finding balance between academics and social life. 

I started working on improving my grades. I organised, set goals, focused on improving my GPA semester by semester and I was able to achieve that. My GPA improved as I started receiving mostly A’s. Then I studied abroad and threw out a semester on socialising, travelling and experience. I wanted to enjoy myself and focused more on socialising rather than on academics. Although this affected my GPA, I re-gained my focus upon my return. I was determined to finish my 3rd year strong because I knew what I wanted. I had clear goals of graduating and applying to graduate school. I started planning my semesters not only including academics but also considering internship and volunteering opportunities. This helped improve  my grades and GPA. 

By senior year I was organised, had clear goals and my study techniques down. I needed good grades for graduate school and I achieved them. I ended up on the Dean’s Honors List for both fall and spring semesters, as I received straight A’s. Additionally, my GPA became competitive enough for grad school. 

However, my attitude towards grades changed. Good grades were a means for me to get into grad school. Instead of them being an external motivator I made them my tool because they weren’t perfect and I didn’t need that to ruin my life.  I focused on intrinsic motivation instead. I thought about why I was studying psychology, what I wanted to achieve with my undergraduate degree and what I could do in the future. My grades started to improve, as I was learning and growing myself. My undergraduate experience was a fun ride on a roller-coaster and I’m extremely grateful to have been able to graduate with a degree in psychology. However, it was also a mean for me to reach a bigger goal - graduate school. 

I want to start sharing my thoughts on topics that are more personal, since everyone’s education experience is different. I hope you know that grades do not define you! I want to continue to see you all learn and grow with me!