welcome

how to be productive after school

how to have a productive year

how to be as productive as Hermione Granger

how to study for longer

how to increase productivity and get stuff done

how to stay focused, motivated and on track

planning apps

what to do when you’re super distracted

top 10 productivity tips

productivity hack ft google cal

Packing lists

Sam’s ultimate failproof guide to packing by @staticsandstationery

Things people don’t realise they need at college by @lazuli-studies

Campus stuff 101 by @polcry

Before college

How to prepare for school year during your senior year of high school by @kimtented

Back to school tips by @hufflepuffwannabe

College tours: what to expect & what to ask by @howtogrowthefuckup

What I wish I’d learned known before university by @optomstudies

Actual good first-time college student advice by @lampurple

General

5 things I’ve learned since I started college by @studyburst

First day of class by @honeststudying

University orientation by @psytudying

Things I’d wish I’d known in my first year of university by @succulentstudy

Uni tips-first year by @holleberrystudies

Why I nearly failed my first year of college/university-and what to do instead by @fromquantumfluctuations

What I wish someone told me going into my freshmen year of college by @tiny-personal-university-thing

Things I learned my freshman year of college by @yourtenderlight

Psa for college freshman by @dynamic-study

What I learned from university by @biopsychs

Uni hacks by @b-uwu-ng

How to win at college by @doinbetter

How to prepare for college by @httpsstudy

Community college by @universi-tea

How to make the most of your college campus visit by @studywithanu

Guides

An honest guide to college

The overachiever’s guide to college by @idlestudy

The honest guide on preparing for college by @myberkeleyadventure

Tips

More tips for incoming college freshmen by @naomireads

Useful college tips by @b0nie-studies

College tips that don’t suck by @legallychic

Tips for success in college by @studyelement

Tips for surviving college by @annafreuds

Random college tips by @determinationandcaffeine

University tips by @studyingbrains

University tips by @creative-studying

Essays

How to write college essays by @caesarstudies

Genericappblrurl college essay masterpost by @genericappblrurl

Lectures

How to take notes in college

Surviving university pt 3: lectures by @orangeblossomstudies

Adapting to uni studying

College advice part 1 what to do when you miss class by @evergrace

Exams

6 things I learned from studying for exams in college by @letsget-downtobusiness

The new SAT everything you need to know by @isabel-studies

Interviews/Applications

How to be good at interviews by @marias-studyblr

15 questions to know for college interviews by @solustudies

College interviews by @cyberstudies

College advice part 2 how to approach a competitive university

Financial aid process for students in need by @jennysjournals

College comparison and application checklists by @science-is-golden

Smol college apps tips by @365text

Eintsein’s guide to college application by @eintsein

Textbooks

College advice part 5 buying textbooks

College textbook lifehacks by @ohcamada

Sites where you can get free textbooks by @thearialligraphyproject

Save money on textbooks by @academla

How I only spent $34 to purchase $1000+ worth of school supplies for college by @drinktea-studymore

Safety

Personal safety on campus

Selfcare

Morning habits worth starting by @night-studying

Maximise your sleeping time

Credits to flaticon for the graduation hat icon!

To see my other masterposts

there’s a new mental health app called aloe - it’s very cute and extremely useful especially if you want to take better care of yourself :’)

I see lots of people asking how to be successful in college. I thought I’d make a post to throw everyone my 2 cents–though no one asked for it. It’s free money though. Who doesn’t want it?

1) Figure out your learning style. If you google VARK learning profile, there’s a great quiz you can take with study techniques based on your results. We actually use this quiz at the tutoring center at my college. You’d be surprised how many students come specifically for help figuring out how to study.

2) Keep a planner. Or a bullet journal. Or use google calendar. I even know someone who carries around a full size 18 month calendar folded up in her backpack (and she’s a professor). Just find something and WRITE EVERY SINGLE ASSIGNMENT DOWN IN IT. EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU’LL REMEMBER IT, THERE’S A CHANCE YOU WON’T. DON’T TAKE THAT CHANCE.

3) Try to make a personal timetable and stick to it! This kind of goes along with the planner point, but it is different. It takes lots of discipline to block off and actually study during study times, but you’ll be thanking yourself later when you’ve finished your homework and can actually get to bed at a reasonable hour. In addition to studying, homework, and classes; also block off time for eating, possible times for napping (if you take them), and extracurriculars. If you can’t find adequate time for things, maybe you should consider dropping a class or an activity for the semester.

4) Make a to-do list every day. I personally use sticky notes and stick them to the page of my planner. This helps me remember things that are school related, but also other things, like appointments, social gatherings, research stuff, and family events (since I live at home and commute to school). Yeah, it’s important to remember school stuff, but the other stuff you’ve gotta get done, like laundry and social time, is JUST AS IMPORTANT.

5) Don’t neglect your health! I cannot stress this point enough!! If you aren’t eating enough, sleeping enough, or spending enough time relaxing, you will burn out very very quickly. You think it won’t happen to you, but it will. I thought I was immune to burnout, but after a month of intermittent and inadequate sleep and nutrition–I really figured out that I was SO wrong. I ended up missing an entire day of class towards the end of the semester (plus missed a lab the next day because my professor sent me home) because I just couldn’t make myself do any more stuff. It could have been much worse, but I was lucky. I used those days to rest up and returned to my classes ready to finish out the semester strong. College is hard enough to do with no mental health conditions. If you have one, and even if you don’t, be extra sure that you are taking care of yourself. YOU come before EVERYTHING ELSE. Nothing is more important than you. If you have to, ask people to check up on you. Ask a friend to check in with you, or your RA, or even your parents. They won’t mind. Your RA really does want to help you.

6) Study smart, not hard. Sometimes, studying just isn’t worth it. If it’s been half an hour and you just CANNOT FOCUS and feel like you’ve learned nothing: go outside, do some homework, do some laundry, or even just switch the topic you’re studying. If you’re trying to study the right way and you can’t make yourself do it, just find something else productive to do. Come back in another 15 minutes and try again. It happens to all of us. Also, if you’re studying for hours at a time with no breaks, it leads to burnout super quick. I have friends who do that and I don’t understand why. They’re so miserable about studying. It doesn’t have to be terrible! If you take the 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off approach, studying becomes less terrible, because you know there’s an end in sight. Plus, the 5 minutes off gives your brain a little time to process what you’re learning. That said, try to study what you learned in class that day a few hours after class. Material is so much easier to learn this way! Don’t save it for the night before your exam. Cramming rarely helps. Don’t let other people fool you–studying doesn’t have to be something out of your worst nightmare.

7) Find professors who inspire you. I always love a subject more when the professor makes it exciting. Luckily in college, it’s a lot easier to find those kinds of teachers–those who genuinely love what they do. I never would have gotten interested in math without my stats professor (who actually taught me how to integrate, bless her heart), and my proofs professor, who basically let me live in her office last semester (i.e. I like doing my homework with help 5 feet away because I always have so many questions). Find the professors who want to help you. They exist.  

8) Make connections with them! Show up to office hours. Ask them questions you had from lecture. If it’s not a rushed, busy time for them, ask how they got interested in their subject; ask them about what they study–they’ll totally explain it to you like you’re a 5 year old, so don’t worry. In my experience, I have found that professors really like to connect with students. Maybe I’ve just been really lucky. Making connections is easier to do at a smaller school, or within a smaller major–but you never know what will come out of a few questions! Maybe you’ll find a research advisor, or someone you could TA for. I am friendly (and even friends) with so many of my professors just because I’m a curious person. I ask them questions about their experiences in academia, and just general stuff (believe it or not, the decorations they have in their office often lead to some cool conversations). In turn, they’re usually curious about me too. They ask me about what I’m interested in, if I need a reference letter for anything, and even just about my life in general. I know I can ask them for advice on applying to grad school, any problems I’m having with lecture material, and sometimes even general advice. For me, it’s just comforting to know that I have some people on my side who have been through college (especially if you’re like me and 17 or 18, fresh out of high school). Also, they know what you should do if you accidentally miss a final exam (like I did my first semester).

9) This is for all my math, science, tech, and engineering people out there–and people taking those classes! It also applies to other majors to maybe not as great an extent. Don’t get frustrated if you come across a problem you can’t solve.  If you can’t figure it out and have spent a chunk of time on it, move on and go back to it at the end. If you still can’t quite get it, try to go to office hours for help! You are not stupid for not being able to arrive at an answer. When you can’t figure something out, you might just be missing the most crucial piece of the puzzle you need to solve it! Don’t think “Wow I’m such an idiot” (don’t be like me basically), think “what am I missing here?” Think about it. See if you arrive at any conclusions. If not, go find someone to help you. If you find that you’re struggling with a majority of the questions, consider getting a tutor. Tutoring should be offered by your school for either very little or no charge at all. Take advantage! Tutors don’t know everything, but they sure can get your thought process on the right track! I’m a tutor and believe me–it really does help.

10) Find study buddies! My study buddies have become my best friends. We all share a love of biology, and it really brings us together. We love hiking together, and commiserating when it feels necessary. Plus, we make studying fun! If you have trouble making friends (I know I really struggle), start a study group. It’s really a great way to make connections with other people in your major, or even people outside your major.

ok kids, sleep is v important and we hardly ever get enough of it these days so listen up and jot down some notes.

don’t study while you’re sleepy.

go get some shut-eye. a 30 minute nap at most, you’re gonna feel really refreshed, trust me. 

if you’re studying late at night. just stop. go sleep. set your alarm at 4am and do your work in the morning. it’s way better to feel energized while you’re studying than feel like a zombie.

worst case scenario, you’re desperate for time, go get some coffee, and down it right before you take a 20 minutes nap. once the 20-minute is up, the caffeine will officially enter your system and you’ll be good to go for at least 2 hours.

pay your sleep debt.

make up for lost time and hibernate in your bed once you get the chance, especially during the weekends. you’ll be so thankful is2g and you’ll be recharged and rebooted for the next week or so.

take every chance and nap whenever you have time on your hands. life is extremely fast-paced and you will be thankful you spent that 1 hour getting some zzz’s instead of scrolling through social media when you get a new assignmemt, trust me.

hit your hours every night

whatever you do to make up for the nights you burned the midnight oil, the best way is still to get your much-needed hours of sleep every night. just put down the phone and burrow into your blanket, you won’t be complaining about not getting the chance to stalk taylor swift when you try to hit snooze next morning. [yes i know what y’all are up to every night]

sprinkle a bit of lavender essential oil, set the room to the right temperature, wear your most comfortable pj’s, convince yourself that you’ll have the needed energy to face your history assignment when you wake up. stop the nerves and calm yourself so you won’t waste time counting sheep for hours trying to fall asleep.

work before the sun comes out

it’s so much better to just go to bed early at night and wake up early in the morning to do work. ditch your 12 - 7 sleep schedule for a new 9 - 4 one. working in the early morning is so much more beneficial and you should at least try it out once or twice to really experience how much better it is.

i know this isn’t really a lot but here’s my mini stash of tips anyway! i hope i’m able to help some of you out! y’all can drop ur requests here and see more of my tips here.

forgive yourself : it’s okay if you didn’t wake up early, go for a run, or finish that assignment. you’re only human

start slow : don’t set your expectations too high when you’re just starting off

keep learning : getting to where you want to be is a process. don’t expect perfection overnight

repress negative thoughts/feelings 

feel guilty for having negative thoughts/feelings

feel that you can’t express negative thoughts/feelings 

Debuting my positive puppers! ✨🐶I’m so proud of these little doggos, and I hope their positivity helps you shine today! Featuring a shiba inu, german shepherd, and pomeranian. 💛