peng studies

This post is for those times when you feel completely overwhelmed & incapacitated by all of the school work and life responsibilities you have to do but just don’t know where to start! This might happen after procrastinating and avoiding studying for a week or maybe after you’ve been sick and unable to do anything except cough and sleep. This is what works for me, and I hope it can help you!

1. Clean Up Your Study Space

Take 30 minutes to an hour tidying up your work area. My desk is in my office, so I not only clean up my desk, but also tidy my room and put away anything out of place.

Set an alarm so you don’t get distracted or carried away. The goal is to take care of a lot in one day, which can’t happen if you start to reorganize your closet ;)

2. List Assignments by Due Date

Make a list of any assignments which are overdue. 

If you have a medical reason for missing these assignments, print off or get the paperwork needed for late submissions (or contact professors/ teachers via email) so you won’t receive late marks.

Now, make a list of all assignments coming up in the next two weeks in order of due date. 

3. Create Assignment Folders

Count the number of assignments you have, and take out that number of folders. If you don’t have folders, that’s okay- you can use binder or paper clips.

For each folder, label it and then put the assignment instructions, research, notes, and anything else you have that is relevant to the assignment. 

If you think it will take 15 minutes or less, do a bit of research for the assignments, print the research off, and 

Store or stack these assignment folders by due date.

CHECK IN: If you have any overdue assignments which you don’t have a medical note for, stop here and complete them now. Start with the shortest ones and continue to the more time consuming assignments. You might be staying up very late today, but you can do it!

4. List Tests and Exams by Date

Make a list of all midterms, quizzes, and exams coming up in the next two weeks.

On this list, include all you know about the content of the quiz. For example, write down the lectures and textbook chapters you will be studied on, as well as any key concepts or questions you think will be covered.

5. Create Course Priorities for Studying

Start with the tests & assignments that are coming up first!

Then, look at how you are doing in each course. For example, in two of my courses I have grades back that are above 90s and one in which I have an 85. My other two classes I have an 80 and in my fifth class I have no marks yet. 

After I finish my assignments due this week, I will start working on my Anatomy & Physiology course work and studying first because I haven’t handed anything in yet so it is the most important right now! Then I’ll study for the midterm coming up in the class where I have an 80, and so on.

Finish CAS in year 1. Do most of it in the early months when the work load is less

Complete the first draft of your EE by September of Year 2. Obviously the earlier done, the better. Just don’t let it drag on to the second year because you’ll be busy with uni applications, IAs and studying.

Don’t take TOK too seriously. Have fun, debate ideas, question your teacher.

Don’t neglect what you’ve learned in TOK. Keep your notes because they’ll come in handy when you have to write your essay.

Do lots of past papers. Get used to the exam style. Even if you know your stuff, the mark schemes are really specific and you only get points if you answer the question properly. Don’t just regurgitate.

If you really need to pull an all-nighter for your IAs, do it. Your IA grades count a lot. Do whatever you can to get the highest mark, because if you screw up on exam day, your IA grade will save you. Sure, you’ll be tired the next day. Just drink coffee to make it less stressful. Warning: I really do not recommend doing this too often, because it interferes with your learning the next day. Only do this when absolutely necessary. 

Don’t pull all-nighters if you’re trying to cram. You’ll think slower, make bad decisions and probably fall asleep during the test.

Start thinking about your math IA topic ASAP.  You need to investigate something that you’re ~passionate~ about, is specific and is beyond your current level. Do it early because you will have to adjust it a lot.

Bullshit some childhood story in your math IA. I did mine on ‘The 4 Bug Problem’ and said I was “fascinated with the behaviour of insects ever since I started collecting beetles as a child.” I made all of that up, but I got full marks for personal engagement. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to sprinkle in an exclamation mark or two! 

Speak your foreign language as much as possible. Even if you know all your vocabulary and grammar rules, they won’t be as useful to you if you can’t speak naturally.

Give your friends questions to ask you for presentations. For the IOP, TOK presentation, etc. Give them questions that you already know the answer to so it’ll make you seem like you really know your shit. Also, if you get enough people to do this, it’s most likely that your teacher won’t have time to ask you his/her questions, so you won’t have to be put on the spot.

If you’re studying for your IOC, study key quotes. With the exception of poems, because you should study the whole thing. Your teacher will probably pick out famous quotes from your text for the IOC, since a lot more analysis can be done. Search these up on Google and study what other people have to say about them. 

For English, never tell the reader what the text is about. That’s not what the examiners are looking for. They want to see how well you can use your knowledge of literary terms and apply it to the text. A fool-proof structure you can use is:

Point - Your main idea 

Example - Give minimum 2 examples from the text that illustrates your point 

Explain - State the literary technique used for each example, as well as the effect it creates

Mini-conclusion - Briefly tie your explanation up with your main idea, then relate it back to the question

You don’t have to read all the texts for English. It’s probably best to read the ones for Paper 2 and the IOC. However, for your IOP and written assignment, read the synopsis of your selected texts, pick the one that interests you the most, read that, then study the hell out of it. Don’t neglect the other texts entirely, but just read through their Schmoop page, or something.

Don’t rely on the revision guide for everything. They cover the bare minimum. Only use it once you’ve understood the topic.

Don’t slack off in Year 1. If you’re applying anywhere outside the US, universities will look at your predicted grade, which is affected by your performance in Year 1. Work consistently hard from beginning to end.

             Okay repeat after me. SLEEP. IS. IMPORTANT. Alright I understand how procrastinating until you have to pull an all nighter to finish an essay or to revise for an exam could be compelling but honestly we all know that it’s a bloody awful for you. Lack of sleep can lead to you forgetting up to 40% of what you were trying to learn. So here are some tips (some that are useful for me and some that I know help people) that will help you go to sleep, fall asleep, wake up and carry on feeling awake all day.

             But first the three Golden Rules of good sleep and feeling refreshed. (Live by these rules)

1. SET A SLEEP SCHEDULE. Find out how many hours of sleep you need to feel the best (http://sleepyti.me - can help you). I usually aim for 12- 1 fall asleep and 6:30 wake up. (Obviously this changes a little around exam time usually 2am-7am as I prefer night time revising)

2. STICK TO YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE. Of course going to sleep earlier doesn’t really count but TWELVE O'CLOCK MEANS TWELVE O'CLOCK.

3. Plan your work around your sleep and not your sleep around your work.

•Making yourself go to sleep•

             I know this sounds weird, but I find that sometimes I force myself to study till 3-4am even when I don’t have anything urgent on tomorrow and these are some things I do to motivate me into keeping a tighter sleep schedule.

• Start working within half an hour of returning home. (I usually use this time to get a drink and a snack) The earlier you get your work done the better. I’m a massive procrastinator but this is so crucial. Getting all nessecary work done early means you have time to do some extra studying (on whatever interests you!) so that you’re ally good when you go to bed. But most importantly it allows you free time.

• Make a task list. Personally I use a bullet journal to write down everything I have to get done before I start working as well as a couple extra things I could do (choices are important!). This way you feel a sense of accomplishment every time you cross a task off and won’t get that awful guilty feeling when you go to sleep.

• T A K E. B R E A K S. Ten minutes for every 45 minutes of work is what I do but whatever rocks your boat yah know.

• *refer to Golden Rule number two

• Falling asleep •

              Ahhhh the bane of my existence. I suffer from insomnia and since pills just don’t do it for me (skin reactions and migraines etc) over the years I’ve found ways that help me get better sleep. (Also I suggest getting school bags and what your going to wear all sorted out before you fall asleep)

• Get comfortable. Buy more pillows (aka steal family members). Swap your itchy blanket. Whatever will make you feel better (whether it be lavender oil or incense) go for it.

• Try background music or nature sounds or something like that. Personally I can’t sleep with music playing in the background but whatever works for you.

• Put your work in a different room (or at least in a place you can’t see). Especially during revision time because you ain’t gonna fall asleep if all your thinking about is atomic sub shells or which history flash cards you can’t seem to memorised.

• Keep a book or a magazine next to your bed. If you can’t fall asleep or wake up during the night and know it’s going to be another hour or so before you’ll be able to get out of bed, don’t get your phone (in fact put your phone out of reach) grab a light book or magazine to read.

• Waking up •

          As Shia Labeouf would say JUST DO IT.

• Put your phone out of reach. And I mean so out of reach you have to actually get out of bed to turn of the alarm. AND YOU DO NOT GO BACK TO BED ONCE THE ALARM IS OFF HELL NAH.

• You pick up the glass of cold water next to your phone (which was cleverly placed there last night) and down it. Perks? You feel refreshed and your hydrated. Cons? There are none. And no you can’t go back in to bed.

• NOW STRETCH! Touch your toes jump up and down a little whatever wakes you up. Get your body moving!

• Get dressed. Do it quickly. Yes you have to. No you can’t skive. Your tired? Refer to Golden Rule 1, 2 and 3. Haha now you can’t go back to bed because after you get dressed your going to make your bed.

• Wash your face with cold water (it’s worth it trust me), moisturise, brush those dents, and have a shower if your that kinda person.

• Now get your ALREADY PREPARED bag/ work/ whatever else you carry to school and get the hell into your kitchen. And hey look at that your basically awake (barely).

• Next! Coffee! Or tea or hot coco or milk or juice. I’m a strong advocate for coffee in the morning but drink what make you happiest. And don’t forget breakfast.

• N E V E R. M I S S. B R E A K F A S T. Love your breakfast like you love your stationary. It’s the most important meal of the day for a reason. Eat it. If your running late PLEASE REFER TO GOLDEN RULE #2. Breakfast for me is the beginning of the day. It’s when I actually start feeling really really awake.

• Feeling and Staying Awake •

• Stay hydrated! Two litres a day. Keep a mini water log in your bullet journal where you can also record when you wake up and fall asleep. Actively think about staying hydrated!

• Take classes you enjoy! That happier I am the more refreshed I feel and it works the other way around to! Your not going to feel awake if what your learning is boring to you.

• Surround yourself with company that makes you feel good about yourself and people that make you laugh.

• Don’t skip lunch. Just don’t do it. I don’t care if you’ve got an exam next class and you forgot to revise. Eat.

• Try your best in every class. Even the one you struggle in. You’ll feel more accomplished and much happier with yourself!

             And finally, it doesn’t matter if you take a days rest from working hard, or even a weeks and you definitely don’t have to use any of my tips but if you do i really hope they help. I know this post makes it seem like i really have my shit together, but I don’t. If you really are having trouble with your sleep seek professional assistance. Don’t feel bad about taking a sleep pill or two, sometimes school can be too much for one person to handle and that’s totally fine. Live by Golden Rule #3 and please feel free to ask me any questions :D

Hello! I explained this briefly in a masterpost I just did, but I wanted to expand on it a little more! If you’re struggling to find a study method that works for you, or you want to find a way to study for exams, give this a try! Thanks to this method I earned a 95.5% on my biology final/98.8 in the class (and science is a difficult subject for me) but once I discovered this method, the class became so much easier!

First, create a study guide. Do this by writing out the main points and sub-points from your notes/textbook in a few sentences.

So for example, the main point might be “Shakespeare is influential” and then subpoints might be “bc of his use of language” “bc of his play’s societal reflections”, etc!

I recommend doing subpoints in bullet points under the main point!

When you study, this will be a reference, don’t just read the study guide! The guide she be very brief, only a sentence or a cluster of words for each point!

Now you should have a comprehensive list of what you need to know for your exam. If you do this a week at a time, it will be way less daunting than if you have 30 chapters to map out, I promise!

Now, read through your notes, textbook, watch videos, etc! Spend a decent amount of time doing this to refresh it in your mind. This is the point where you should get any questions answered/make sure you understand the material.

Next, return to the study guide you made. Use what you remember (and your notes and other resources, if necessary) to write a paragraph or two expanding on each concept/topic. Explain why you’re correct, and rephrase what you know in different ways. Literally just write as much as you remember! If you’re stumbled, use your class notes or book to help you (is use video lectures to better understand topics). 

If you explain something thoroughly in your own words, you can answer questions about it!

When you finish, go back and compare your guide to your class notes to make sure you didn’t leave out anything important.

Put your knowledge to the test! Practice tests are proven to be the MOST effective way to study, so tackle the end-of-chapter questions in your textbook, again, not only giving the answer, but explaining why you’re correct.

Once you get confident, go back to your guide that has just the topics on it, and this time speak the answers. Just like a teacher would teach it, explain it to yourself!

This method takes a decent amount of time, but it’s been really, really effective for me, and it can help prevent you from wasting hours simply rewriting the same notes over and over. Of course, do what works best for you and your class! But if you are looking for something new to try, I believe this method is a good option. Feel free to send me an ask if you have any questions!

My other masterposts: How to Earn Higher Grades Setting Study Goals Top 10 Study Tips Math Help (part one) Tips for Finals Tips for Presentations Biology Advice Improving Your Study Habits

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22.11.15