resources

hi!!! i love apps, they’re so helpful, that’s why i’ve made this post with all of the apps that i use and the ones that i’ve seen on here!! 📱💻💞

Apps for focusing

Self-control (OSX) Free

Cold Turkey (Windows) Free

Self Control for Study. (Android/iOS) Free

Forest (Android/ iOS) 0.99$ on iOS

FocusNow (Android/iOS) Free

aTimeLogger (iOS/ Android) 2,99$ on iOS

Todoist (Android/iOS) Free

Lumosity (Android/OS) Free

Chrome extensions

Stay Focused

Block site

Website Blocker

Productivity owl

Strict Workflow

TimeDoser

Prioritab

Overtask

Productivity apps

30/30 (iOS) Free

Flat Tomato (iOS) Free

Post-it Plus (iOS) Free

MalMath (Android) Free

Office Lens (iOS /Android) Free

Notetodo (Android) Free

Trello (Android/iOS) Free

Pushbullet (Android/iOS) Free

Tasks: Astrid To-Do List Clone (Android) Free

Organization apps

Do it (tomorrow). (Android/ iOS) Free

My Study Life. (Android/ iOS and Windows/OSX with chrome) Free

Wunderlist. (Android/iOS, and Windows/OSX) Free

Google Drive.  (Android/ iOS and Windows/OSX) Free

Dropbox. (Android/ iOS and Windows/OSX) Free

TimeTune (Android) Free

Pocket (Android/iOS) Free

Sunrise Calendar (Android/iOS, OSX) Free

AirDroid (Android) Free

Chrome extentions

Momentum

Cofftivity

Be Limitless

Tab for a Cause

Lanes

Language learning apps

Duolingo (Android/iOS) Free

Mosalingua (Android/iOS) Free

Busuu. (Android/iOS) Free

Memrise (Android/iOS) Free

HelloTalk (Android/iOS) Free

Babbel (Android/iOS) Free

Websites

Bliubliu

Linguti

Lang-8

Note taking apps

Goodnotes (iOS) 7,99$

MyScript Smart Note (iOS/Android) Free

Microsoft Office (Windows/OSX) Free if your college offers it!!

Open Office (Windows/OSX) Free

Evernote (iOS/Android) Free

OneNote (Windows/OSX)

Blank Slate

Really long list of vocab done with Quizlet (Android/iOS) Free

Scrivner (Windos/OSX) 45$

TitanPad

Relax/Anxiety apps

Stop, Breathe & Think Android/iOS) Free

Self-Help for Anxiety Management (SAM) (Android/iOS) Free

Headspace (Android/iOS) Free

Pacifica (Android/iOS) Free

Calm (Android/iOS) Free

Pixel Thoughts

Misc apps

Flux (OSX and Windows) Free

Noizio (OSX/iOS) Free

Sleep apps

Maths Alarm Clock (Android/iOS) Free

Sleep If U Can (Android/iOS) Free/1,99 $

Sleep Better (Android/iOS) Free

To Bed (iOS) Free

Sleepyti.me

Chrome extentions

Cool Clock

Polar Clock

Black Menu for Google

Hola Better Internet

Websites

PDFescape

Small PDF

Google Keep

Coursera

EdX

10 websites that will stop you from procrastinating

Find out about careers and professions!!!

FREE AP AND SAT PREPARATION BOOKS

Other apps masterposts:

apps to help you survive school by @sturdystudy​

10 helpful apps by @studyocracy​

another app masterpost by @studygene​

app masterpost by @studydude​

apps for a better life by @areistotle​

apps for the student budget by @ecampustours​

dress up your tech by @coffeeplanner​

get the most of your ipad: student edition by @haes-and-studying​

fave studyblr apps for android by @linguisticallyunsound​

best study apps for iphone by @apprecommendations​

study habit apps by @mylittlestudyblr​

software and studyblr apps by @bleedforyourtypewriter​

my fave chrome extensions by @living-the-ib-life​

helpful apps by @studypeaks​

best free organizational apps

apps for studying by @needforcaffeine​

fave study apps by @blissfulstudies​

apps for studying and more by @jesstudies​

apps i couldn’t live without by @ktstudy​

Graphic tutorial #2 by fabphotoshop

Hello, peeps! This is a requested tutorial for begginers on what is a clipping mask and how to use it. For this tutorial, I’m using a picture that will be placed on a random shape that I’ll make with brushes (you can also use the regular ones, squares, circles etc and text) This is just one of the several ways of using a clipping mask.

If this tutorial was helpful to you, make sure to like or reblog this post. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid fo ask!

Okay so on my previous blogs, I’ve been getting asked how I do certain things in Photoshop. So This post is to help you know everything that you need to for this lovely Program. This will tell you all about the tools and the windows and what some do. This is going to be a long post, so If you cannot find what you’re looking for, try finding what you need by pressing Command + F for Mac, Control + F for Windows (I believe) on your keyboard to search for something. If you can’t find it then it may not be in this post, feel free to ask me in my ask box! Until then Keep reading!

Open your picture.

Duplicate layer (Ctrl+J)

Overlay that shit 50%

Flatten image (Ctrl+E)

Duplicate that one layer that you have now (Ctrl+J)

Desaturate (Shift+Ctrl+U)

Invert (Ctrl+I)

Gaussian Blur it to 40

Now overlay that B&W Blurred image

Duplicate and sharpen if necessary

I got some requests, so I’ll try to explain how I put someone’s face onto someone else’s body without my final result looking super weird. Some examples of this are here: 1, 2, 3. My techniques might be useful to: 

put your fancast into that dress/suit of armor/scene

make your OTP that never interacts be in the same scene together

add that Lannister lion pendant/Tyrell rose necklace/Targ dragon pin to someone’s outfit

basically merge 2, 3, 4+ images as seamlessly as possible 

How to install a font under Windows?

Somebody asked once if we could make a list of tiny HTML codes. I thought it was a great idea, and I almost forgot! So this is a small guide, or well, a set of codes you can use in your themes and also in your description and your pages. Most of the times all you have to do is copy and paste, so it’s not very complicated, I promise.

As some of you may know, I’ve been working on two research projects for this year - some astronomy undergrad research, and my physics final-year project. Although I’ve been struggling to manage these projects alongside my coursework, I decided to compile a list of things that make life easier. These tips are for big projects that typically last over a couple of months, rather than smaller assignments.

1) Get a notebook for your project. It doesn’t have to be fancy (though if that’s what you prefer, go for it by all means), it just has to be functional. Whenever you’re working on your project, write down the date and whatever you’re doing that day. It helps a LOT to be organised in this way, especially if you have to write up a report of some sort later.  

2) Set up a plan. Often, with big projects, it’s difficult to see where you’re headed with the project and what you need to do. Having an action plan or an outline of your project helps get you focused and breaks the Big, Overwhelming Project into smaller tasks and steps that can be accomplished. This plan may require adaptions and refinement as you go along, but that’s okay. 

3) Timelines. This is easier if you have a looming deadline can the universe slow down so that I have enough time to finish everything before 9 September pls but, if you don’t, try and set up some kind of long-term schedule. Maybe you want to have all your background research done by the end of the week, have your first draft written in a month’s time. Having mini-deadlines is a great way to convince yourself to make progress and stop procrastinating.

4) Google sh*t! Seriously. If you don’t know how to do something, Google it. You’ll find a lot of answers out there. And you’ll figure out how to do a LOT of things on your own. 

5) Ask for help. If you’re stuck on something and just can’t make any more progress, even after tip no. 4, ask someone for help. If you have a project supervisor, they’re your first port of call. If not, find someone doing a similar type of project and ask them. 

6) Have the right software/equipment. If you have your own laptop, and can get the software you need for your project, get it! I did this for my astro project and it’s so easy to work on it now that I have ALADIN on my own computer and don’t have to work from uni. I’m stuck using the computers at my uni for my physics project and it is very inconvenient. If your project requires equipment, try to get the equipment ASAP.

7) Schedule time to work on your project. When I set up my week in my bullet journal, I make sure to schedule in project time. I’m also trying to work in my “down time” when I have a cancelled tutorial or something similar that leads to unexpected free time.  

8) Dowload Mendeley if you’re doing a lot of research. It autocites your papers for you (you literally just drag and drop and BOOM - all the references), generates a bibliography in whatever form you prefer. It makes it so easy to organise research papers. Use it. It’s free. 

9) Accept that it’s going to be tough and that you will mess up. Maybe you procrastinate a little more than necessary. Maybe you delete an article or forget to name your files something sensible. It happens, it wastes time, but it’s okay. You’ll get everything done properly eventually. Take a break if you need to. You’ll get back on track.

I hope these help! I am in no way, an expert in this. I’m still figuring things out for myself. Projects can be overwhelming, but they are also one of my favourite things to do. There’s so much that you can learn from doing a research project - far more than what you learn in class - and I highly recommend it as something that Science undergrads in particular should do.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I also have a study instagram @ munirastudies if you’re keen on following me there. Happy studying!

here’s my first post giving some advice!! so semester one of university starts in a few weeks here in Australia, so I thought I’d make a little post on how to prepare for your first year of uni!! When I started uni I had no idea what to expect so I thought maybe this would help some of you!

Before Semester Starts:

Familiarise yourself with your subjects: Course outlines usually become available a couple weeks before semester starts, but you can usually also find previous years’ outlines (they don’t usually change much from year to year, unless the course structure changes dramatically). This is a good way to get an idea of what topics you’ll cover, what kind of assessments the course has, and how much work you’ll be expected to do.

Stationery & supplies: Try figure out how you’ll be taking notes at uni. Will you use your laptop or tablet? Or handwrite? Either way, make sure you have the necessary materials!

Find your textbooks: My university posts textbook lists online a couple of weeks before the start of semester. Find your textbook list to get an idea of how much they cost, and to also shop around to see if you can find your books any cheaper. I tend to purchase most of mine from the secondhand bookstore on campus to save myself some $$$. You don’t have to buy your textbooks straight away though - its a good idea to wait till your first class so you can confirm if the textbook is 100% necessary for the course

Familiarise yourself with your campus: Get an idea of where the main buildings are, where your faculty building and student centre are, as well as the locations of the library and places to eat. Orientation day/week is usually a good idea to do all this!

Attend orientation day/week: This is a great way to meet other new students, as well as also join some societies! And, as mentioned before, its a good opportunity to familiarise yourself with your new university

When Semester Starts:

Establish a routine: Spend the first few weeks establishing a routine and create good study habits! It’ll be up to you to have good time management!

Keep on top of your work: it is really easy to forget to do homework for a subject, or to just fall behind. To avoid this, make to do lists and have a planner to keep track of what is due when

Meet new people: Try to speak to at least one person in every class and get their number or add them on Facebook! It’ll be beneficial for when you have group projects, or just when you need a hand with an assignment

Don’t stress: University is meant to be much more fun than high school and while it can get a bit hectic, take a moment to chill out, relax and take care of yourself!!

Ok, so it’s Monday and you want to have a productive week but also spend the weekend with your friends/dog/pokemon go. Where do you start?

Make it easier to start studying. We’ve all had those times when we sit down fully intending to study but the desk is messy so we HAVE to clean it or there is no way we can focus right? Organise your workspace at the start of the week, file all your loose papers into nice folders or boxes and have your most used stationery, chargers and other study equipment in easily accessible places. “My laptop is about to die and my charger is in the other room, therefore I cannot study” is no longer a valid excuse.

What do you want to achieve? Write up a simple to-do list for the week, and break the tasks down into chunks that you can complete each day. Be disciplined and stick to the lists. Don’t do more than you’ve assigned yourself unless you finish unreasonable early. No one wants burnout.

Estimate your study time and set deadlines. So now you have a list of tasks, review each task and approximate how long they should take to complete. Set deadlines for each task, as well as a deadline to complete study at the end of the day. Stick to these! If you can’t finish a task in time, start the next one and return to it later if you have time.

When are you most productive? Work better in the morning? Wake up earlier and schedule your study accordingly. Night owl? Plan for that! There’s no point getting up to study at 6am if you are going to fall asleep at your desk and vice versa.

Eliminate distractions. Literally walk into another room right now, turn off your phone and put it in a drawer. Don’t even think about checking your notifications while you’re studying. You will have breaks, and it’s not the end of the world if you don’t reply to a text within 30 seconds. If you’re using a computer to study, install a distracting website blocker if you think you will be tempted to procrastinate.

Time to study! Now all of that is out of the way, how can I get all of this work done??

Start with the important concepts. Think you’ll be tested on X and only covered Y in class for 10 seconds? Focus on understanding X before you bother with Y.

Multitasking is evil. “I know most people perform worse when they multitask but I am not most people.” Nope. Noooope. Don’t even think about trying to work on two things at once, it doesn’t work, even if you think it does. Even looking away from your work for 30 seconds to check an email is enough to break your concentration. Train your brain to focus on one task at a time and you will be amazed at what you can achieve in a short time.

Avoid perfectionism. Your essay might be worth 20% of your final grade but that doesn’t mean you should put off all your other assignments just to make sure you leech every single mark. Do the best you can but don’t spend hours trying to create a masterpiece.

Minimize time sucks. Sometimes we do things that seem productive but don’t actually get us anywhere. For example, checking emails, organising computer files or researching productivity (my personal fave), seem like you’re being productive, but you’re taking time away from actually getting things done. Schedule 30 minutes a day maximum on these things and get on with the real work.

Schedule mini breaks. I really like the pomodoro technique because it takes your break time into account and you aren’t forced into studying for prolonged periods of time. Study for an amount of time you feel comfortable with and take a 5 minute break. After a few of these, take a longer break to recharge. Bonus points: go for a short walk between study sessions to improve your focus.

Reward progress. You might be in the mindset of feeling bad when you don’t meet all your goals or expectations, but don’t forget to celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Small progress is still progress. Reward yourself when you complete tasks and take time out to relax at the end of the day.

First off, double check yourself (or triple or quadruple or whatever makes you feel comfortable) on the basics of the assignment. Did you follow any given prompts, rubrics, requirements (such as a certain page number, a certain amount of sources, any style guides, etc)? These are the most important things to check! Even if your content and grammar is impeccable, not having the right amount of sources or your header in the right place can dock you some major points depending on the instructor. It’s also ALWAYS a good idea to read over your prompt and rubrics before you start writing, even if you’ve already gone over it, just to make sure. Why waste time and effort writing a paper if it doesn’t answer the prompt?

Double check your sources. Did you use the right writing style (MLA, Chicago, APA, etc.)?  There are thousands of sites that show examples of how to cite your sources correctly or even generate citations for you! Do you have in-text citations where they may be needed? Remember, that you don’t only cite after a quote, but after you paraphrase, as well. And are all your sources scholarly/academic? If you’re not sure if a source, especially a website, is a reputable, ask your instructor or even a librarian. Websites that end in .gov or .edu (in the States, at least) tend to be usable.

Read your paper once it complete. You’re probably saying “No, duh,” right? But hear me out. When I write, I edit as I go. So I’ll stop at every paragraph and read what I wrote and edit where need be. With each new paragraph I read everything that I wrote before. It sounds tedious, but it works for me. I know some people get un-focused or even over-focused if they try to edit as they write.

Feeling iffy about how a sentence is worded or about a transition or something? Make that whatever a different colored font and then come back to it later when you have fresher eyes and a fresher mind.

READ YOUR PAPER OUT LOUD. I swear by this!! I told each and every one of my tutoring clients to do this. I do this myself with both my academic and creative writing. Hell, I even read my client’s papers out loud. By reading out loud, you’re hearing what your writing really sounds like. That sentence that sounded perfectly fine in your head, may sound awkwardly worded when read out loud. Side tip: Reading difficult or boring texts out loud helps a lot, too. I found out that reading long scholarly articles out loud made me pay closer attention and hearing it, instead of just reading it silently, made things easier to understand. 

Read (both silently and out loud) several times, each time looking for something different. I’ll read once or twice looking for basic typos, grammar mistakes, and awkward wording, and then I’ll read again asking myself questions like “What if I didn’t know this information? Is that example clear enough? Do I need to explain more in depth? Is this technical word too technical for someone who may not know the subject?” Feel free to formulate your own questions. Mine tend to differ depending on my subject and assignment and how confident I feel about what I’ve written. Also, write and edit like the person reading your paper has no outside knowledge of the subject. This can also help you determine if you left out needed information or if your examples need more explanation. 

Have someone else read your paper! This is another tip I swear by. If you can, it’s best to have someone who has no knowledge about your subject read your paper. That way they can tell you what parts confuse them and then you can go back and see if there’s any way to better clarify. They also have fresh eyes. Even if we read our papers over and over we may miss a little typo or auto-correct blunder because our brains automatically replace the mistake with the word we intended. Someone else can easily catch these mistakes. You know those places where your had to change the font color? Ask them if they know a better way to re-word that sentence or a better way to transition to the next paragraph or point. Make sure to tell them any concerns you may have. Also, be open to criticism. At least look at their suggestions, you don’t HAVE to accept their suggestions. 

Read over your paper one last time before you turn it in! Just in case. 

Remember, you don’t have to follow all of the above tips. Editing, like writing, is all about finding what process works best for you!

**** I have an advice post about analyzing works of fiction here and a post about how to build an argument (in regards to a text) here. 

I started making my own masterpost of links for personal use back in November, and I ended up collecting enough links that had to be split into multiple posts! So, as a result, this masterpost entails everything college related, including applying, dorms, exams/finals and more (I would add a lot more, but Tumblr won’t allow me). If I repeated any links or if the links are dead, please tell me and I’ll fix it up as soon as I can! Or, if I’ve included your post and you’d like me to remove it, please tell me and I’ll do so immediately. Otherwise, hopefully this helps anyone who needs it!