the lazy student

30/100 days of productivity · spent my birthday writing up more annotated bibliographies 😪 even though i didn’t do anything special on my bday, i still feel so content and at peace with everything in my life right now.. and that’s more than i ever wanted.

The first step is acceptance, and this is me saying that i have a problem. All I’ve done ever since school ended is sleep and watch netflix, which is definitely not what i had planned for this summer. So in order to break out of this cycle of laziness I have decided to participate in the 100 days of productivity challenge. Today is day 1, wish me luck!  

My last week of freshman year was hectic, so say the least… still can’t believe I’ve done an entire year’s worth of college. This wasn’t what my original plan was, but sometimes plans change, and your path changes, and your entire future changes, and sometimes thats okay. I don’t think everything happens for a reason, but I do think that some things just might. So looking forward to what’s to come next!

Now Playing:

Evil- (RAC mix)- James Vincent McMorrow

A case in point of this so called ‘phenomenom’ is when you keep putting of you essay for a class you are taking. You keep convincing yourself that you have lots and lots of time to write it and suddenly your deadline is tomorrow. What do you usually do in these kinds of situations? I bet you usually open a new document and just start writing something, a quick draft, because you think you just need to get something done. In other words, you are actually just taking an imperfect step towards your end goal, which in this case is a finished essay. When you’ve taken your imperfect step, you often get this flow and just keep working and working until you are satisfied with your input. It seems surprisingly simple, right?

Hello! I hope you are having a spectacular day today. The (delayed) third day of Spring Break Marathon is a third advice post on how to study difficult subjects~! We all have that one subject aspect where it is inevitably challenging, but do not fear! It’s absolutely possible to pass a tough class with an A. ^^

Some of the reasons why subjects are difficult: ✽cannot be easily understood ✽boring ✽teacher doesn’t teach well ✽despise the topic in general

My tips to study difficult subjects:

✽ Study buddies/groups: Seeking help in others is key. You should find a study buddy or form a study group with peers. Note that they do not have to be better-versed in the subject (though it is recommended); you and your classmate/s are on different levels, and you are all going to work as a team to master the material.

✽ Repetition & breaking it down: I find that the best way to engrave information into memory is to repeat (practice problems, reciting info out loud till you master it). Also, make sure that you are always breaking down the lesson into simple chunks. That’s why it’s not a good idea to copy the textbook word-for-word when taking notes. Read it, then put it in your own words.

✽ Good teacher = good friend: If your teacher happens to be skilled in teaching, then I highly suggest collaborating with your teacher because he/she is going to be YOUR BEST FRIEND. Well, not really “best” but your teacher is going to legit help you break down concepts and explain it in a way that you can understand.

✽ Seek outside resources: If your teacher doesn’t teach effectively (or doesn’t teach at all), then seeking outside resources will be your duty. There’s a 99% chance that you can find material on the internet, but you may also try to check libraries and such. Watch videos and take notes on articles, and if you didn’t comprehend a lesson, you can always search it online.

✽ Associative learning: If you’re bored during lectures and note-taking, incorporate associative learning. This is basically relating a concept to another one that you can recall easily. For instance, the double-helix structure of a DNA looks like a spiral staircase, or maybe your friend shares the same name as a historical figure. Associating harder info with basic info will allow you to pick up the material much faster.

✽ Allot more time to study for it: This should be pretty obvious; put more study time for subjects that you struggle with, and make less time for easier subjects since you already got the material down. Because concepts are difficult, it’s going to take you more time to digest them into your brain.

✽ Keep your long-term goals in mind: If you just have that subject that you absolutely hate for its agenda, focus on your long-term goals. I disliked my PE class and dread the mile, but rather than sulking over the fact, I tell myself that I just need to complete it so I can earn an A, since my long-term goal is to earn straight A’s.

Hopefully this advice post has brought you a few insights on how to study challenging subjects more efficiently. If you don’t see them to be of help, but would still want to improve, please don’t be afraid to dm me or drop an ask anonymously. Have a great day!

Previous post: Eradicating Distractions

[10.03.17] 21/100 days of productivity

Mock Trial auditions are on Thursday, so I’m preparing my tryout material. I love this study space!