study, study, study

DUNKIRK // a film review

/ Y3S1, WEEK 3 back from my hiatus & ready to tackle uni 🗒

“ Hi darling! I was just wondering if you’d ever share your process of making your tv show/movie spreads? Like what types of things do you include? Sorry for asking but I can’t really read it from the pictures. Tysm <33 ”

“ hi! I’m the same anon that asked about the film/tv spreads and I noticed you deleted your insta post about posting the spreads? I was just wondering if you’re planning on posting them at all? No pressure ”

i’m sorry this took a very long time! i haven’t been checking my tumblr that much. but here you go anon, a spread version of the format i use for my reviews. click on the picture to see full res! i’ll be putting a typed version with additional questions below. [here’s a link to my review spreads]

[ tv show ]

basics:

title of show / title of episode

episode #

creators

genre

language

country / year

cast / characters

when, where, who did you watch it with?

if first episode: (doesn’t have to be)

do you plan to continue?

are you hooked?

what did you think it was about?

any characters standing out?

any predictions?

did you like the first episode? why?

certain episodes / seasons

do you have any favorite lines?

characters you hate or like?

any character development?

are you getting more interested or getting bored?

did it meet your expectations

is the show hard to understand?

are you hearing any new concepts, words, or ideas?

does it have a title sequence? do you like it?

would you recommend this show?

any questions that need answers?

rate the show: ★★★☆☆

[ films ]

basics:

title of the film

director

cast / characters

genre

country / year

language

when, where, who did you watch it with?

answer these questions!

any favorite characters? why?

do you have favorite lines?

what were your expectations?

what were the best scenes?

did you instantly get hooked?

anything you learned?

describe the characters!

the film in three words?

anything about the film you didn’t like?

did the soundtrack stand out?

anything you didn’t understand?

would you watch the film again?

any questions you have in mind?

why did you watch the film?

heard the film where? from who?

any new concepts, words, or ideas?

did you like the movie?

rate the film: ★★★☆☆

if you realize you’ve been studying for hours: grab a snack to refuel your body and watch a sitcom to refuel your brain. then back to the books.

if you’re feeling stressed out: take some deep breaths, text your friends, maybe stare at a wall for a few minutes. gather yourself.

if you can’t seem to focus: get moving and get outside. take out the garbage, check your mail box, maybe walk your dog. just get moving and get fresh air. it’ll help bring you back.

if there’s something else going on in your life and you can’t get it off your mind: write down what’s going through your head, sort of like a diary entry. it’ll help you work things out.

if you’re just mentally and physically exhausted: set a timer for 25-30 minutes and take a nap. any longer and you’ll hit REM and you’ll wake up feeling just as tired. once you wake up, get some caffeine in you.

if the material is boring as hell: find another way to study. see if there’s a crash course video online about it or draw out what you’re trying to learn in diagrams and pictures to make it fun.

if people around you won’t shut up: listen to some music. soundtrack and classical music is always good because they won’t absorb you as much as music with lyrics. white noise (like ocean waves, rain sounds, etc.) also works.

I decided to share my notes taken from this amazing 1 hour Youtube lecture by Marty Lobdell. i really liked him and his tips, i think they are super effective and cover a lot of situations! i highly recommend it!!!!! wow

but here are the tips and examples Marty mentions, so if you don’t have the time to go through the full hour, you can just scroll down. hope this helps somebody!

Break your study time in chunks with breaks

most students lose focus at 25 minutes

it’s a mistake to keep going once you do, since you won’t actually learn anything and you’ll hate every minute of it

so when you start losing focus take a 5 minute break

do something nice like talking to someone or listening to music

it’s something you practice so with time you’ll be able to work for more time without losing focus

in the end of the study session have a big reward you look forward to

Create a study area

environment highly affects the way you act. Bedrooms are for sleeping, kitchens for eating: you’ll feel sleepy in your bedroom and hungry in the kitchen. So if you have a study area, it’ll be easier to start studying and staying focused.

study in a specific room like an office or school library if you can

if you have to study in your bedroom use a specific object you only use for studying: a lamp/desk. Make it a no-distraction, away from your bed, blank walls area.

 The more active the learning, the better

80% active learning 20% passive

ask yourself: is it a concept or a fact?

learning a concept: understand/grasp/know it

put it into your own words

really think about the meaning of it

relate it with something you already know

teach somebody else. Recapitulate what you’ve learned. Talk out loud even if you don’t have anyone to teach - talk alone. Or at anyone that listens.

learning a fact: memorize it

use mnemonics

Acronyms (e.g. colours of the rainbow RoyGBiv – red orange yellow green blue indigo violet)

 Coined sayings - anything popular or sayings you’ve heard since you were a child.

Interacting images – work even better if they’re weird. Creative associations make you never forget specific details. (e.g. 1 gram of fat has 9 calories: picture a fat cat – each cat has 9 lives)

any time 2 things are highly similar but not the same you will get maximal interference!! USE mnemonics!! (e.g. afferent vs efferent neurons: SAME - Sensory Afferent Motor Efferent)

Be a part of  study groups

others can help you in ways you never thought before

Recognizing VS remembering

never confuse the two

while reviewing a chapter you may recognize concepts but not actually know them

and when you get to the test you won’t be able to remember any of it

so quiz yourself without looking at it

or stop in a page of your notes/textbook and ask yourself what is the concept immediately after and before it

Get your REM Sleep 

get ~8 hours so you don’t undo your studying

this is how your brain stores permanent memories

without it you’re ability to remember seriously decreases

most people don’t even begin to take the advice but it’s simple: sleep better. Do better.

There’s 162 hours in a week. There is time.

reflect on what you are doing with your time and what activities you have to prioritize to succed as a student

Taking notes is vital.

right after the class take 5 minutes to expand everything you’ve jotted down, give it depth.

NOT hours later. You won’t remember half the things you wrote down.

Ask your questions to class mates and teachers.

teachers want you to succeed and it’s more than ok to ask your question in the teacher’s office or in the next class

How to use a textbook: SQ3R technique

Survey Question Read Recite Review

Survey: skim through the entire chapter in a couple of minutes.

Raise questions: e.g. what is osmosis? What is this graphic about? What is a prototype?

it causes you to look for answers and you’ll find the information better once you actually study it after. If you intend to find something you learn it better.

Start studying for tests early.

don’t undo yourself. You should only be reviewing the days before the test. don’t leave it till the last minute!

Hi, guys! Whilst planning my next few months to do well on my final exams, I started researching and found a few great study techniques that are a bit underrated. Thus, I compiled a post with information about each one and all the materials you need to put them to use. These are most useful if you’ve already studied the material and are now starting to revise.

A. Feynman Technique

This method was coined by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman. This system works by writing down everything you remember about the topic you’re currently revising in a blank piece of paper. When you get stuck, go back to your study materials. The gaps in your knowledge should be blatant after you finish. Review and simplify. Keep repeating until you know for certain that there’s nothing left out and you’ve successfully learned the topic. :-)

For this method you will need:

Blank piece of paper

Pen/Pencil

B. Spaced Repetition

This method has been gaining traction for the past few years but it still doesn’t get the recognition it should. It’s fairly simple. It consists of time intervals between study sessions, which allows you store information better in your long-term memory. While there aren’t set times for when to do your next revision session, I’d recommend the one by Piotr Wozniak:

First repetition: 1 day

Second repetition: 7 days

Third repetition: 16 days

Fourth repetition: 35 days

This method can be used both through an analog system and a digital one. 

One of the simplest techniques to implement spaced repetition while using paper flashcards is the Leitner system. First, you decide how many boxes you need for your system. Each of your boxes represents a different study time interval:

Every flashcard starts out in Box 1. When you get a flashcard right, it passes to the next box. If you get a card wrong, it goes back to Box 1 – even if it was on Box 4. This makes sure you are constantly reviewing the materials. Remember to devise a calendar with the dates and boxes you need to revise each day. 

For this method you will need:

Boxes or simply different colored rubbers to differentiate the piles

Flashcards

Pen/Pencil

If however, you prefer a digital method, Anki is the best option for you. It is available online, on both Windows & Mac and there’s also an incredible practical app. It uses the spaced repetition method while taking the trouble of having to hand write hundreds of flashcards and remembering when to study each one.

Simply create an account, then a deck in which you’ll add your flashcards. The app and website allow you to add images and/or sounds to the flashcards. Customize them all you want. Once you’ve finished, save them and check the app every day to revise the flashcards of the day.

For this method you will need:

Anki app (iOS, Android) and/or website

C. Past Papers

I’ve been guilty in the past for not using this method. I got so caught up in my perfectionism that I didn’t even want to try. I learned, though, that getting things wrong is not a sign of failure and that persisting until you get it right is the real strength (and discipline) you ought to have. Do not let your procrastination and/or perfectionism prevent you from learning your weaknesses on a topic and not reach the grade you were hoping for.

Time yourself while taking the test and then correct your answers with a different colored pencil/pen so you can differentiate between correct and wrong answers.

For this method you will need:

Past papers

Pen/Pencil

D. Teach someone

This method is really helpful if you have oral assessments and/or your professor uses the Socratic method in class. You can practice your speech and knowledge all at the same time. Find someone who’s willing to listen to you talk about the topic you’re studying. Even if no one’s willing, you can still explain the matter to an object in the house. Don’t get embarrassed by this! While speaking, you’re organising your thoughts and only when explaining to someone else can you really assess your knowledge.

For this method you will need:

Your voice

Someone/Something who loves you very much

E. Proper sleep & exercise

Yes, I know, these aren’t revisions methods. But as helpful as the previous systems were, they won’t work if you aren’t sane in body and spirit. It’s incredibly important that you rest. Teenagers (13 to 17 years old) ought to sleep from 8 to 10 hours every day, while young adults (18 to 25) only need 7 to 9. You should also get fresh air and exercise. This helps with mental alertness, concentration, an efficient memory and a positive mood. Stay hydrated throughout the day. & please, don’t skip meals! 

For this method you will need:

Proper sleep (x, x, x, x, x)

Exercise (x, x, x)

Hi everyone, I wanted to share the Spotify playlists that I use when studying, and for those of you who don’t have Spotify I also included some Youtube channels that I find helpful and constantly listen to. I tried to say which playlists I think would suit learners with different focus issues. I hope this is helpful to you all :)

how to start studying after school

clean up your desk: it’s hard to concentrate when there’s a pile of rubbish on your desk. the chance of you fiddling with things is also higher! you’ll get more done by cleaning your desk! if you’re looking for an easy way to organise your desk, check out these handy organisers!

get your books: get out all the books you need to study that particular subject. if it’s geography, an atlas might be handy.

get a notebook: if you’re in uni or college it’s a good idea to re-write all your notes for your classes that day. make them look clean and tidy. if you’re in secondary school and you’re studying for a test, summarize everything you have learned. in any case, it’s best to have a few notebooks on your desk too. here’s a 4 pack of spiral notebooks for $7.04!

grab some pens: seems self explanatory! i recommend you having an ordinary pen, a highlighter and a pencil on hand. (a.k.a. the basics!) here are some super cute gel pens!

turn off your phone: by turning off your phone, you will get less distracted by social media. sure, people won’t be able to reach you but you’ll get some peace and quiet. obviously leave it on if you’re expecting an important call!

look for a study playlist: if you easily get distracted by your laptop too, skip this step. i personally find it harder to get distracted by my laptop than my phone, so i leave it on and look for some music to study to. here’s a masterpost of some good playlists to listen to!

get a glass of water: you really need your h2o, everyone. grab a large glass or fill up a water bottle. some super cute ones: i ii iii

get a healthy snack: if you’re like me and you love snacking on things while your studying, the best thing to do is to grab something healthy. cut up some apples and sprinkle some cinnamon on them (try it. it’s amazing.), grab some hummus and some celery or carrots or cucumber to dip in it, fill a little bowl with nuts, treat yourself to a square of dark chocolate! if you’re studying during dinner time or lunch time, make yourself a nourishment bowl to nibble on. for more study snack ideas, go to pinterest and snoop around the study snack tag for a while. try out my favourite smoothie bowl too!

take a deep breath: i know from personal experience that sometimes the workload can be really scary and freak you out. the most important thing to do is to take a deep breath and to tell yourself you can get through all your work. you can do anything if you try hard enough!

You know what’s awesome?  Research.  You know what’s not awesome?  Not being able to get access to research because it’s stuck behind a paywall and you don’t belong to an institution/your institution doesn’t subscribe to that particular journal.

FEAR NOT.

Here is a list of free, open access materials on a variety of subjects.  Feel free to add if you like!

GO FORTH AND LEARN SHIT, MY FRIENDS.

Directory of Open Access Journals- A compendium of over 9000 journals from 133 countries, multilingual and multidisciplinary.

Directory of Open Access Books- Like the above, but for ebooks.  Also multidisciplinary.

Ubiquity Press- Journals covering archaeology, comics scholarship, museum studies, psychology, history, international development, and more.  Also publishes open access ebooks on a wide variety of subjects.

Europeana-  Digital library about the history and culture of Europe.

Digital Public Library of America- American history, culture, economics, SO MUCH AMERICA.

Internet Archive- In addition to books, they have music and videos, too.  Free!  And legal!  They also have the Wayback Machine, which lets you see webpages as they looked at a particular time.

College and Research Libraries- Library science and information studies.  Because that’s what I do.

Library of Congress Digital Collections- American history and culture, historic newspapers, sound recordings, photographs, and a ton of other neat stuff.

LSE Digital Library- London history, women’s history.

Wiley Open Access- Science things!  Neurology, medicine, chemistry, ecology, engineering, food science, biology, psychology, veterinary medicine.

SpringerOpen-  Mainly STEM journals, looooong list.

COLLEGE PREP MASTERLIST

How to Prepare in the Summer Before College

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started College

5 Must-Read Posts for the Summer Before College

The Summer Before College Bucket List

Which Clothes You Need to Bring to College

I need to rant about this:

Also known as the best writing program ever! It’s a full-screen writing program!

So you open it up, and it looks like this:

You’re thinking, “Ok, so what? It’s a screen with a picture. Whoopdie do.” But it get’s better! It’s customizable!

See that “appearance”? Click it.

You can also use custom fonts that you have installed!

See that “music”? Click it.

If you drag your own music into the folder, like so:

You get this!:

But wait! It gets better!

See “typing sounds”? You can change those too!

Perhaps the best is - YOU CAN USE ANY PICTURE FOR THE BACKGROUND. It will automatically fade it for you!

Seriously, guys, this tool is wonderful. You can use it for:

Research papers

Novel writing

Play writing

Short stories

Homework assignments

Ranting about your friends when they piss you off

Writing your shopping list

It auto-saves. It exports to .rtf. Hotkeys from Word for italicize, underlining, and bold work. You can print RIGHT FROM THERE.

And the seriously best thing ever?

It fits on a flash drive. The entire thing with added music is maybe 131MBs.

The bestest thing ever.

hey guys! i just hit 1k and i thought that i could do something nice for you guys! i’m really fond of printables because they’re helpful and free!! (who doesn’t like free stuff right?) so that’s why i decided to make this masterpost, enjoy!! ❤️ 🐥

daily printables

to do list

20 to do lists

even more to do lists!!

to do list by @hexaneandheels

daily planner

cute cute cute

even cuter by @hellorestless

pastel printables by @studyblrbunny

pomodoro planner by @thestudiousstudent

daily planner 1.0 by @theorganisedstudent

daily planner 2.0 by @theorganisedstudent

task list by @theorganisedstudent

weekly printables

weekly productivity tracker by @hexaneandheels

weekend planner by @hexaneandheels

weekly summaries worksheet by @hexaneandheels

v cute planner by @study-well

the greatest weekly planner by @tchnologic

pastel printables by @studyblrbunny

colorful planner!! by @nikkijp

pastel planner by @studypal

weekly planner by @theorganisedstudent

24/7 weekly planner by @theorganisedstudent​

colourful timetable

semester printables

semester planner by @hexaneandheels

semester planner by @theorganisedstudent

month at glance by @theorganisedstudent

exam printables

exam study pack

notes

cornell notes method by @hexaneandheels

note outline printable by @studygene

reading notes by @study-well

cornell notes grid by @study-well

definition of terms by @marialearns

definitions by @theorganisedstudent

cornell notes by @studygene

assingment printables

college and highschool assignment planner

grade tracker

assignment tracker by @theorganisedstudent

topics to study by @theorganisedstudent

readings by @theorganisedstudent

essay plan by @theorganisedstudent

calendars

create your own calendar!

2016 calendars!! by @gracelearns

VERY BEAUTIFUL CALENDAR!!

iheartorganizing calendars

february calendar by @marialearns

so pretty!! by @polishladyisstudying

calendars by @theorganisedstudent

february calendar by @studygene

planners

custom planners!

free planner by @hexaneandheels

make your own planner 2016 by @plantstudies

passion planner printables

stickers

print on post it notes! by @study-well

stickers masterpost by @study-well

post-it notes printables by @mcthematics

sticker printables! by @hitthebookss

budget

7 free printables for budgeting

college budget template

misc

mood tracker by @hexaneandheels

don’t break the chain by @karenkavett

medication planner!

habit planner by @burymewithmyplanner

student planner by @burymewithmyplanner

periodic tables ! by @ennui-for-me

how to make a printable by @kimberlystudies

verb conjugation sheets! by @apamexico

goal getter by @theorganisedstudent

other printables masterposts!

cute printables! by @geekvitamin

more free printables than you’ll ever need by @haes-and-studying

planner masterpost 

printables masterpost by @studyign

CUTE AF printables by @cmpsbls

CUTE AF february printables!!! by @cmpsbls​

Free ‘Week at a Glance’ Planner Printables

I made myself some simple little weekly planners but I thought you guys might enjoy them too. They’re cute but still simplistic and feature sections for each day of the week, weekly goals, habit tracking, a quote of the week, deadlines, and any extra notes you may need to jot down. They’re available in 8 beautiful colours to suit your personal taste!

Download

View the pdf files by colour: 

Rose / Pink / Orange / Lemon / Lime / Mint / Icy Blue / Lilac

Or, view the whole folder here. 

Quick disclaimer: These printables are for personal use only, but may be edited for your own personal use. Please do not redistribute them without permission. 

Monthly Calendar (Ver.2) 

Pack Includes Calendars from June to August

Following my newest printable aesthetic, I have returned with a new version of my monthly calendar :3 It comes in 7 colors and is, for the most part, in the same format as my original calendar design. Anyway I hope you lovelies love and enjoy this calendar x.