💚 Green Hair, Don't Care 💚

21|08|2021

☀️ Day 52 of My 2021 Summer Studying Challenge! ☀️

21st August - Sandals or flip flops?

use actual note cards for vocab. yes, apps like quizlet are dandy when you’re on the go, but actually physically writing out each note card helps put the information into memory faster than typing them.

visual learner? make charts and diagrams. they don’t have to be pretty. the lines don’t have to be perfectly straight. it doesn’t have to be photogenic. but if it helps you learn, do it.

after you take notes (in class or at home/from your text book), write down possible quiz questions about the material on the next page while it’s still fresh in your mind. later on when you’re studying for the test, use these questions to gauge what specifics out of that chapter you need to work on the most.

start sooner rather than later. i know, you’ve heard this a million times from every teacher ever. but it’s legit. especially as you get into harder level classes and college courses because there is literally so much material that the tests cover that you simply can not accurately learn all of it over night. instead, start about 10 days in advance (but of coarse, the sooner the better).

studying doesn’t have to be a big giant study session that takes hours. if you start far enough in advance, study sessions can be around an hour, hell even 45 minutes is a good. if you go too long in one study session your brain will be fried and studying will be pointless because your brain won’t be processing any of it. that’s why it’s important to take breaks and not just cram for 5 hours the night before an exam.

actually study. hold yourself accountable and make your education a priority. if you have homework and studying to do, make it a priority over going partying or watching tv. there will be another party. you can dvr your show. you can’t take your test on a later day because you don’t feel ready. so be ready.

be careful with study groups. if you have a study group with all of your best friends, lets face it, you’re going to end up spending more time talking about harry styles and supernatural than actually studying. it’s better to have a study group with people who are your friends, but not best friends. and it’s better to keep it between 5-7 people so that everyone can be involved.

if the material is just super confusing and you can’t seem to understand it no matter how hard you study, it’s not you. it’s the way you were taught it. each teacher teaches a bit differently, and maybe their style of teaching just isn’t for you. if this happens, find a way that explains it the best for you. for example, if chemistry is just super confusing for you, try watching the Crash Course chemistry videos on youtube or have a friend explain it to you. this will give you a completely different perspective on the material and will help you understand it better.

going home  [instrumental tracks with that magical sense of finality which makes coming home feel not just like the end but also a new beginning……]

[ LISTEN ] [ download in 8tracks description]

A FOREST: music for wanderers and mythical creatures 

”Forests have secrets,” he said gently.  “It’s practically what they’re for. To hide things. To separate one world from another.”

- Catherynne M. Valente

The bullet journal is probably something you’re no stranger to. It’s been circulating around the internet for a while, and it’s one of the main subjects of studyblr posts. However, when I started college last semester, I found that I no longer relied on my bullet journal to organize my tasks and structure my responsibilities anymore. Instead, I tried out a bunch of productivity/task-organization apps: Taskade, Actions by Moleskine, Any.do, Todoist, Wunderlist. None of them seemed to have what I needed, so I decided to give the bullet journal method another try.

The first thing I reflected on was why I stopped in the first place. At first I thought it was because the method itself allowed for a lot of freedom and I’d get confused as to what things to include and how to structure everything. But then I realized that it was in fact because I had previously been bullet journaling for other people instead of myself. Since I had what one could call an ‘artsy bullet journal’, I tended to focus more on the artistic aspect so that it would get more likes and reblogs after I posted it, when I should have been focusing on how it can organize my life. I realized that the bullet journal is a tool; the focus should be on life itself, not the bullet journal, but you can use the bullet journal to add value to your life.

At the beginning of the year, I deconstructed my organizational needs and attempted to apply that to my bullet journal method. I stopped looking at other people’s bullet journals and started thinking about my own needs and preferences. I thought about how I would best organize my time so that I could accomplish all of the things I want to accomplish in the different aspects of my life.

Supplies

The fact that I only have 2 main supplies allows me to bullet journal anywhere, anytime.

The Structure

The Practice

Simply having the tool to organize your life isn’t enough - you should also have a practice, a habit, for using it.

Going Forward

One thing I’d like to work on is future logging. As of now, I think in terms of months, since the my main commitment at the moment is my education, and monthly planning has worked out for me. But I think if I’d like to tackle on larger projects - e.g. my YouTube channel that I just started - I’d need to do a lot more future logging.

Another useful thing I want to try out is to summarize my journal entries in the form of notes. Recently I’ve been audio journaling (15-20 minutes of me talking to myself), and it’s been pretty effective. However, I have no way of ‘skimming’ the entries like I would a written journal entry. Summarizing them would help me retain main ideas of each entry and remember the things I said that are or could potentially be important and useful.

Final Thoughts

Today I want to introduce you one of the best book/resource I have ever used in my life, which is the 日本語単語スピードマスター (Nihongo Tango Speed Master), I bought it on Amazon Japan for 17,64€ (shipping included) and arrived in 3 days in perfect conditions!

The book is really nice, it has the perfect format for being read everywhere, in fact I mainly use it while going to work! My version, which is the basic one with 1800 words, has 50 chapters and each has a different topic. Every word has one or two examples and the red card that you put over the page helps you with memorizing readings and sentences.

PROs:

lots of useful words and effective examples that show you the context in which the word is used

simple to use

effective study method for me

you can bring it everywhere

translations in english, korean and chinese

CONs:

too many words in one single page, it may confuse you

has no exercises

the purchase can be expensive in some countries

PERSONAL TIPS:

combine this book with a notebook in which you write your own examples

revise things every day, it doesn’t take too much time

try to associate the words you read with things you see around you (ex. family and house vocab when you’re at home while having lunch or just relaxing watching tv)

Since I finally decided to (re)start Uni in April I made a list about things I wish I would have done before I entered Uni the first time. I also made some additional research, combined everything and made a step by step guide from it.  Ideas are added in italic.

Let’s start assuming that you got accepted at a university or college (although I can’t say much about those specifically), you sorted out your future living situation but there still is some time till it really starts.

A System

For each point on this list you have digital or physical options, choose in every case what works best for you. My tip from personal experience is, while you can use both, that you shouldn’t mix it up too much - handwritten notes for one lecture and digital ones for another can get messy easily.

choose a system for dates, deadlines, to dos etc. some options are

a planner

a calendar

a Bullet Journal

prepare a structure for documents, notes and other study material, like

files / notebooks

colour code by lecture or subject

find a technique or format for your notes

don’t think about digital or handwritten here! it’s about how you want to structure and design your notes

think about what was the most useful during school or other learning experiences, for example:

colour coding and what kind

visuals, symbols

clear structure vs. variation

definition sheets

sources or additional reading

prettiness, clear handwriting

then think about if handwritten or digital is more useful for your preferred structure

get everything you need - paper, files, software, pens, …

and get used to it, you don’t want to sit in your first lecture and wonder about the features of your note taking app

Plan it

To not plan my semesters was one of my biggest mistakes in the past. Everything was a great mess and I don’t want that to happen again.

most schools / university offer model outlines from the first term to the last, according to the standard period of study - get the outline and make a loose plan for the next years

stuff those outlines typically cover:

all the courses you have to take

recommended semesters for the courses

the kind of course - lecture, tutorial, seminar, …

the covered topics

the type of test / exam - actual exam, presentation, paper, …

Credit Points / Credit Hours / ECTS

conditions - you can only go to lecture y if you passed lecture x; or have to complete an internship before this seminar

in which terms the courses take place - winter, summer, whatever

(recommended) books and other study material

stay in the standard period but know the dead-deadlines for exams (there might be some, you can only take twice; or some you have to pass till the third semester or something like that) and use that knowledge to prioritise

make a checklist of all the exams you will have to take, as loose or precise as you like, so you can keep track of what you accomplished and what you have to keep in mind for the future

remember that it isn’t a bad thing to study longer than that the standard period but a loose structure over the years can help keeping track of your journey 

plan the upcoming semester

Planning a Semester

With all the following things to plan keep in mind, add a bit more time than you think you will need. Hardly ever something works as it is planned, but that’s not a bad thing. Just add a little extra time to avoid stress and on days where everything works according to your plan, you can use that extra time for a coffee with a friend, an episode on Netflix or whatever makes you happy.

if you have to sign up for your courses, find out when you can do that sometimes they send you this information with other papers, sometimes you can find it online, sometimes they tell you during orientation week

if you don’t have to sign up - you lucky devil ♥

find all the courses you (should) take in the next term

when and where does the lecture take place?

how many hours are you supposed to work on it? (Credit Hours / ECTS)

how many points will it get you? (Credit Points / ECTS)

get the syllabus as soon as possible in addition to the general topics

get the contact detail of the lecturer as soon as possible

get the list of recommended books, readings and other material (but don’t buy yet!)

create a weekly schedule in your preferred planning system

start with the courses you have regularly

add time for the stuff that can’t be avoided: getting to uni, sleeping, eating, housework, …

add time for preparation and review, so you full fill the credit hours / ECTS points

add free time! it’s a reward and recreation and damn important 

keep if flexible enough to be spontaneous with friends

as soon as you know deadlines for papers, dates for presentations and exams add them to your planning system

Make a study or work plan for each one and try to avoid overlaps

by holding a presentation as soon as you can

by submitting a paper earlier than the deadline

you can’t always avoid overlaps, especially with exams but there are plenty of tips out there on how to work in such a situation

Orientation Week & First Week

use orientation to get orientation in the cartographic sense

find the rooms your courses will take place at a campus can be big and a mess and there are those special cases where no real campus exists cause the uni buildings are spread in a whole city or two

find important buildings like the library and the cafeteria

find friends! obviously you don’t have to be friends with everybody, but find a few people you get along with during orientation and first week and everything will be so much easier

when you have your first lectures pay attention to which books the lecturers say are really important

ask older students which books are really important / helpful

find out which books are permanently in the library and can be only read there, not borrowed

look for free PDF versions

buy what you really need second hand to save money

start of strong

go to all lectures 

prepare and review

read the texts your lecturer tells you to read, even if they are boring, even when the guy will tell you the exact same thing again in the lecture you will have to study less and you have more time understanding the matter and practising!

keep everything organised! in school you could sit down a week bevor a big test, write everything from your textbook and some worksheets and get a good mark, in uni that is not likely

use the library

as a place to study

as a resource for study material and research

bring food, snacks and water

“A fat belly, a lean brain.”, they say. But all hungry your brain won’t work either.

hydration is important, we all know that

and it saves so much money, even when you can use student discounts

learn to cook some basic stuff

So far, so good. I’ll make some follow up posts on the first three sections, with some more details and my solutions. Mainly cause that way I will force myself to put a good plan into action.

bujo highlight // January

— i used to spend too much time stressing about layouts, but i think i’ve found the best set up for my usual monthly spreads. functional, but still cute. what do you think?

🎧 City Girl - Gossamer Dress

- ̗̀ roseplans presents: A STUDY SERVER  -

Hello everyone!! I’m very excited to present this to the studyblr community, as it’s something I was really passionate about! I’ve created a studyblr discord chat for all students and learners alike to join! We’re a community focused on growing and encouraging others and ourselves! 

If you’d like to join, it’s very simple! There’s just a few things you gotta do! 

- FIRST, please make sure you’re FOLLOWING ME. This will allow me to keep track and reach out to you!

- SECONDLY, please make sure you REBLOG this post, and in the tags (or adding to the post) please state that you would like to join! Likes, unfortunately do not count, as it’s not a clear statement that you’d like to join!

- I will then be sending you a message shortly, either through tumblrs IM or askbox (so please make sure your asks are open, or else I won’t be able to contact you!) Included will be instructions and a link to join the discord server. 

- If you don’t know what discord is/don’t have one, don’t worry! I’m more than happy to talk you through it and help out. It’s easy once you get the hang of it! You can either download the app, OR use the desktop site, works either for computers or mobile!

And that’s it! It’s super simple, and easy to get involved! I’m really excited about this server and all it entails, so please spread the word and join! Also, if you’re interested in becoming a moderator of this server, please include that in your tags during your reblog OR let me know when I message you! There will be a separate application for that!

In France, we say “qui peut le plus, peut le moins” which basically means “if you can do the hardest things, you can do the easier ones as well.”. However, I have a teacher who once told me “if you can do the easiest things, you will be able to do the hardest ones” and I think that’s pretty relevant when it comes to learning languages.

Build your language skills, don’t be afraid of using short sentences, basic grammar and simple words. You can try to learn all the grammar of a language, but at the end of the day your brain is going to be overwhelmed.

as requested by quite a few people - a masterpost of educational podcasts. links go to either the site or the itunes podcast store. an excerpt of the description is included with each.

* indicates a podcast that i listen to regularly

entertainment

*welcome to night vale - twice-monthly updates for the small desert town of night vale

*muggle cast - everything harry potter

general information 

radiolab - investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea

*stuff you should know - about everything from genes to the galapagos

*stuff mom never told you - the business of being women 

tedtalks

good job, brain - part pub quiz show, part offbeat news

news

no one knows anything - the politics podcast from buzzfeed news

wait wait…don’t tell me - weekly current events quiz

college

*college info geek - the strategies and tactics the best students use

*getting in - your college admissions companion

math

math for primates - a couple of monkeys who decided that arguing about mathematics was a better use of their time than throwing poo at one another

math mutation - fun, interesting, or just plain weird corners of mathematics

science

60 second health - latest health and medical news

the naked scientists - interviews with top scientists, hands-on science experiments

60 second science - the most interesting developments in the world of science

startalk - astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe

nasa science cast - science behind discoveries on earth, the solar system, and beyond

history

*myths and legends - myths, legends, and folklore that have shaped cultures

stuff you missed in history class - the greatest and strangest stuff you missed

the podcast history of our world - from the big bang to the modern age! …eventually

witness - the story of our times told by the people who were there

the history chicks - two women. half the population. several thousands years of history.

entrepreneurship & finances

practical money matters - better managing their finances

the internet business mastery - learn how to create an internet based business

social triggers insider - the fields of psychology and human behavior

listen money matters - honest and uncensored, this is not your father’s boring finance show

writing & literature

professional book nerds - it’s our job to discuss books all day long

a way with words - words, language, and how we use them

grammar girl - short, friendly tips to improve your writing

classic poetry aloud - recordings of the greats poems of the past

language

esl (english) - improve english speaking and listening skills

language pod

coffee break

search in your podcast app for specific languages!

art

99% invisible - exploration of the process and power of design

tips and tricks photography 

the arts roundtable

hobbies & other

stash & burn (knitting)

practical defense - staying safe in our increasingly dangerous urban environments

zen and the art of triathlon - a triathlete’s view on living the multisport life

the art of charm - make you a better networker, connecter, and thinker

the indoor kids - isn’t just about video games, isn’t not about video games

rationally speaking - explore the borderlands between reason and nonsense

the dice tower - board games, card games, and the people who design and play them

motivational & inspirational

back to work - productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more

personal growth podcast - classic and contemporary self development audio

what it takes - conversations with towering figures in almost every field

here be monsters - exploring the dark corners of the human mind

oops, i’d completely forgotten to post my september spread on tumblr! here it is none the less. 

I’m changing my blog into a studyblr/langblr so I need to follow new blogs. If you post/reblog about some of the following stuff please reblog or like this post and I’ll follow you

Japanese language

Japanese history

Studyspo/study motivation

Norwegian language

Norwegian history/culture

Language learning

University

I couldn’t face uni today after so little sleep so I’m studying at home ⛅️