This Fight Is Far From Over

no, your friend probably has not noticed they cut you off four times in this conversation. 

no, your brother didn’t realize his music was that loud while you were studying. 

no, your bff or S.O. doesn’t remember that you’re on a tight deadline right now.

no, no one else is paying attention to the four power dynamics at play in your friend group right now.  

a habit of abused kids, especially kids with unstable parents, is the tendency to notice every little detail. We magnify small nuances into major things, largely because small nuances quickly became breaking points for parents. Managing moods, reading the room, perceiving danger in the order of words, the shift of body weight….it’s all a natural outgrowth of trying to manage unstable parents from a young age. 

Here’s the thing: most people don’t do that. I’m not saying everyone else is oblivious, I’m saying the over analysis of minor nuances is a habit of abuse. 

I have a rule: I do not respond to subtext. This includes guilt tripping, silent treatments, passive aggressive behavior, etc. I see it. I notice it. I even sometimes have to analyze it and take a deep breath and CHOOSE not to respond. Because whether it’s really there or just me over-reading things that actually don’t mean anything, the habit of lending credence to the part of me that sees danger in the wrong shift of body weight…that’s toxic for me. And dangerous to my relationships. 

DIY Woodland Animals Origami Bookmarks (Print + Fold)

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Sant Andreu de Palomar - Outside

Carrer de Modest Urgell - Barcelona

j u n e — 1 8 — 2 0 1 8

Cat Nap

2017

inspired by this post

because sometimes the idea of studying is too daunting to face, and mixing up your environment to make it more fun can make all the difference

too punk to quit: shorts and a band t-shirt, homework spread out over the floor, a can of soda or a shitty energy drink, and a playlist of your favorite throwback songs on full volume

sleepover: a nest of blankets and pillows, your comfiest pajamas, popcorn  and gummy worms, everything you need within arms reach, not leaving this spot for hours (or days) until you’re done with all of your work

no distractions: sitting at a desk with nothing but a glass of water and a computer, hair pulled back, typing up notes from the school day

my life is a mess: hot tea, a comfy sweater, all of your papers sprawled out on the floor around you, finally going through and throwing out all of the stuff you don’t need anymore and hoping that you’ll be a bit less overwhelmed once you’re done (spoiler alert: you’re gonna feel so much better)

rise and shine: early morning, at a table or in the kitchen, drinking orange juice and getting a head start on some assignments

am i a scholar yet: at your favorite library, revising or taking notes on readings, classical music playing with headphones on and a bag of almonds to snack on

A Guide To Note-taking

🌱Hi lovelies! 

Today’s post is about the method I use to create efficient study notes that are not only organized, but also help you retain information. This method may not necessarily work for everyone as we all have different methods of learning, but some aspects of it may be helpful. Let’s get started!

So before I start working, I like to play soft music/ music in other languages in the background. This gives me background noise without being too distracted. Of course, it all depends on what works best for you. I also grab a snack and a cup of water to keep on my desk to keep myself energized. Next, I use an app such as Forest or Flipd to stay focused, while also logging how much time I have spent studying. Finally, I take a deep breath and get to work! 

Step 1: Read text/ information and highlight main components. This includes vocabulary, subtitles, diagrams, and other information that stands out. Be sure only to make tabs of the most important text! 

Step 2: Create a template for notes. Depending on the subject, you may want to choose a template that highlights diagrams or text. For text, I like to use the following format:

(So this format is: 1. Title of Subject // 2. Subtitle explaining the concept being explored // 3. Diagram and short intro // 4. Vocabulary words and defintions // 5. Conclusion or small paragraph)

If the subject that you are writing notes for requires that you use more diagrams/ images and less words, than a format like the one below may be more helpful:

(This format is: 1. Title of Subject // 2. Subtitle explaining concept being explored // 3. Boxes that separate main concepts // 4. Short captions about the images/diagrams being used) 

Step 3: Fill in the information you gathered into the templates you chose. Other info to include on these notes are:

Chapter Number/Section

Page Number

Date when the notes were written

Date of test/quiz on material covered in notes 

Sticky notes to add any info that may have been missing

Step 4: Once the notes are finished, I re-read them to make sure I have included all the necessary information. I will quiz myself on vocab words or memorize diagram components.

Step 5: To make sure that I have retained all the info I just learned, I challenge myself to teach the information to another person. I give them a mini “lesson” and engage in conversation about the topic. I find this helpful because I am saying the information out loud but also allowing my mind to try to remember what I just read. And sometimes the person who I am “teaching” the info to also knows a lot about the subject and can give me advice. 

And that’s my process. I hope this info has been helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to me.