queen chemistry

Reading POTO in the law quad on this Sunday :D

[96/194] days of productivity

Press Ctrl+F or ⌘F to do a quick search!

bookboon // for accounting, business, economics & finance, engineering, IT & programming, languages, marketing & law, natural sciences, statistics & mathematics (+ career & study advice, strategy & management)

booksee // for arts & photography, biographies & memoirs, business & investing, computers & internet, cooking, entertainment, health, history, home, law, literature & fiction, medicine, references, religion, science, sports, travel, and other categories

bookstacks // for popular classics

boundless // for accounting, algebra, art history, biology, business, calculus, chemistry, communications, computer science, economics, education, finance, management, marketing, microbiology, music, physics, physiology, political science, psychology, sociology, statistics, U.S. history, world history, writing

california learning resource network // for mathematics, science, history

ck-12 // for elementary math, arithmetic, measurement, algebra, geometry, probability, statistics, trigonometry, analysis, calculus, earth science, life science, physical science, biology, chemistry, physics, sat exam prep, engineering, technology, astronomy, english, history

college open textbook // for anthropology & archeology, art, biology & genetics, business, chemistry, computer science, economics, engineering & electronics, english & composition, health & nursing, history, languages & communication, law, literature, math, music, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, science, sociology, statistics & probability

Hey guys! So I’ve had depression since around middle school and now i’m a sophomore in college. I thought I would try to write some tips since I’ve been able to still do pretty well in school despite having depression. Now disclaimer, everyone’s depression is different and this is just what works for me. 

1. Do as much work at once as possible

You might think is a weird tip but for me, my motivation and mood fluctuate A LOT! I have times where I am super motivated and can stay focused and get several assignments done. Then there are other times when I don’t do any work all day. This makes it all kind of even out. When I get really focused, I just keep doing work for as long as that feeling lasts. 

2. Try different environments

The library is a really good one. The quiet can help some people focus and can be good. Also if you have a desk, that can be a good place. Play around with different elements: lighting, music, time of day. It may take some time but finding the ideal time and place for you to work can really help in productivity.

3. Plan and do work in advance

At the beginning of the semester, I went through all my syllabi and wrote a to-do list for each week. This was super helpful to be able to look ahead and see when everything was due/which weeks had more work than others. For me, all of my syllabi had the due dates for the entire semester included which made this easy to compile. I created a note on my phone with a checklist for each week. I also color coded each class so I could easily distinguish these (I’ll show this in a future post once the new semester starts!) I also made daily to-do list that broke down bigger tasks into smaller ones. Honestly, to-do lists are your best friend!

4. Give yourself a break

It’s important to not be too hard on yourself. You’re human! Everyone can’t be at their best all the time. There are good days and bad days. If you can’t focus on your work, try doing something else for a while like watching netflix, listening to music, whatever you like to do. Anything to distract your mind from bad thoughts can help improve your mood. Writing and coloring help for me sometimes too. It’s okay if you don’t get any work done all day as long as you’re taking care of yourself. This is something I’ve learned over the years and lately has been helpful. Find coping mechanisms that work for you. Just don’t be too hard on yourself.

5. Reward yourself

Similar to #4, recognize when you’re doing good. Did you get your homework done? Get that reading done? Start that essay? Reward yourself! That can be anything from a cookie, a face mask, an episode of that show you’ve been watching, anything! Celebrating the small victories is important when even the most menial tasks can be difficult. 

6. You come first

Your mental health should come first above all. I don’t want to get too personal but I left the first college I went to after the first semester in order to take time to get better since I was in a bad place. I decided not to go back and that’s totally fine. Every college is different and if you realize the place you’re at is not the right fit, you can transfer. It’s not the end of the world! (btw if anyone wants to talk about transferring/taking time off i’m here) Leaving definitely made my mental health improve, some schools are honestly just toxic. 

hello guys!

There some things that I’ve noticed that a lot of successful students have in common and I thought i’d share what these students do to help them achieve not only academic but personal success. If you’ve ever wondered how that one person does it, chances are they use a combination, if not all of these habits. Some of them are:

They learn at their own pace: everyone learns at their own pace so successful students know when they can move ahead of the class and when to take their time on a particular topic. Following the syllabus as it goes can not only waste time, but also slow you down when you get to a topic that is difficult for you.

They work under time restraints: You’ll always have those students who get straight A’s but also get a full nights rest and that’s because those students know that working aimlessly for hours just to feel “productive” is actually counterproductive. The motto is work smarter not harder.

They keep past exams and quizzes: this goes without saying but instead of throwing away old test papers at the end of the semester or school year, get a big filing system where you can keep your work so you can practice and review when you need them.

They have good relationships with their teachers: teachers are literally there to help you, so take time to get to know your teacher and form bonds with them as they have all the knowledge you need to pass a course. There’s also the added benefit of your teacher being little more sympathetic to you when you don’t do your best.

They take ORGANIZED notes: there’s a difference between aesthetic note and organized note. Successful students know that you can take both but not just one. Having a simple system organize your notes will transform your school life, you don’t need all the frills; all you need is a couple colored pens and a notebook to take decent notes. If you’re stuck, there’s literally thousands of template online that you can apply to your own notes

They collaborate with other students: this is important. No man is an island and while competition can be healthy, the best relationships you’ll have with your classmates are the ones where you help each other out; let face it, you’re all going through that shit together whether you help each other or not.

They ask a lot of questions: Swallowing your pride is one of the most useful habit a student can attain. Asking questions can be a bit embarrassing but you never fully understand a topic until you ask the questions that need to be asked. 

They practice active reading: DROP THE HIGHLIGHTER and instead of highlighting every other word: write summaries and make annotation, this will help you to be engaged while you’re reading and make it 100 times easier to review.  

They focus on their weaknesses: I know we all wish that subject we suck at would disappear but the sad news is, it won’t, and if you ignore it, it will only eat at your GPA. So bite the bullet and spend some time working on that subject you’ll start to notice that your grades will ultimately be better as you have a healthy balance in grades.

thermodynamics notes from last year! 

have 3 achievable goals a day: having a laundry list of things to do everyday is super unrealistic, and you just end up feeling bad about yourself because you didn’t accomplish your goals for the day.

leave your sundays open: i love sundays because they’re my day to chill out and catch up on school work that i wasn’t able to finish during the week.

recognize when you’re at your emotional limits: forcing yourself to get work done when you are unable to comprehend your study material does not benefit anyone.

learn how to say no: people will ask you for your time and it will stretch you to the limit, whether it be at your job, in your extracurriculars, or in your personal life. know when to step back and say no.

take care of yourself physically: take breaks, go for walks, shower regularly, get enough sleep, eat healthy, see your friends

celebrate your accomplishments: go out to eat with friends after a big exam, indulge in a night off after a busy week with some netflix and wine

make a study plan beforehand: it can be daunting to see how much work you need to put in to a class or task beforehand, but this allows you to spread your work evenly so you don’t become overwhelmed.

learn how to ask for help: it is very rare that people make it through school, whether it be high school or university or any graduate program, without needing the advice of others or just a kind soul to vent to. find that person.

never forget your hobbies: you will need things that keep you sane. if you love to play music, write, play volleyball, or cook, make you sure you don’t lose these things. they will become your escape when times get tough.

REBLOG TO SAVE A BLOG (DO IT FOR YOUR OWN BLOG!)

You’re missing out on heaps of original study tips posts and heaps of great stuff by creators, not just me! My study tips are really detailed but can be specific at times, I don’t want to have to resort to poorer quality posts or clickbait titles to bring in the activity :’( 

Studyblrs are one of the biggest communities on tumblr, we can make a difference!

@staff please remove this feature! I’m an original study tips maker and this killed my activity! Tumblr is about original creators as much as reblogging, and having this option on will mean only the popular bloggers get featured more and more. It’ll be so much harder for new studyblrs to get a foot in!

Reblog to protect your own original content from being filtered! 

have you eaten in the last six hours?? if not, please be sure to get yourself some sort of healthy snack or meal to keep you running!! food is super important, you need it to keep doing your best. make time for it!!

are you hydrated?? if you’re anything like me, probably not. get yourself something nice and cool to drink, preferably water. you’ll feel better almost immediately. keep a cup of something near you to sip on every now and then!

how long have you been sitting still for?? i have a blood clotting disorder, so i have to be especially mindful of this too. get up and get moving! stretch a little, take a walk, dance, whatever- just wake your body up and get some energy flowing

do you have any medication you need to take?? if so, please make sure to do so!

have you slept in the last 24 hours?? i get it, you could get so much more done if you didn’t sleep butttttt chances are you’ll be so sleepy and miserable that it won’t happen. even if you just take a nap for an hour or so, you gotta rest up and recharge!

when was the last time you had a shower?? on my worst days, it can be super difficult for me to drag myself out of bed to do anything, and this includes something as simple as showering. but i promise you, it will make you feel so much nicer! give yourself a whole spa treatment or whatever if you’re feeling it- treat your body with love! you’ll feel so much fresher and nicer once you’re done