Motivation Studyblr (Chemistry)

18.1.18 // 6/? Third Year

How to make stress your friend by Katie McGonial (14.5 minutes) 

“Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others.”

8 secrets of success by Richard St.John (3.5 minutes)

Why do people succeed? Is it because they’re smart? Or are they just lucky? Neither. Analyst Richard St. John condenses years of interviews into an unmissable 3-minute slideshow on the real secrets of success.

A simple way to break a bad habit by Judson Brewer (9.5 minutes)

Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction — from smoking to overeating to all those other things we do even though we know they’re bad for us. Learn more about the mechanism of habit development and discover a simple but profound tactic that might help you beat your next urge to smoke, snack or check a text while driving.

Don’t regret regret by Kathryn Schulz (17 minutes)

We’re taught to try to live life without regret. But why? Using her own tattoo as an example, Kathryn Schulz makes a powerful and moving case for embracing our regrets.

How to make hard choices by Ruth Chang (14.5 minutes)

Here’s a talk that could literally change your life. Which career should I pursue? Should I break up — or get married?! Where should I live? Big decisions like these can be agonizingly difficult. But that’s because we think about them the wrong way, says philosopher Ruth Chang. She offers a powerful new framework for shaping who we truly are.

The danger of silence by Clint Smith (4 minutes) 

We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don’t,“ says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

How to speak so that people want to listen by Julian Treasure (10 minutes)

Have you ever felt like you’re talking, but nobody is listening? Here’s Julian Treasure to help. In this useful talk, the sound expert demonstrates the how-to’s of powerful speaking — from some handy vocal exercises to tips on how to speak with empathy. A talk that might help the world sound more beautiful.

Your body language shapes who you are by Amy Cuddy (21 minutes)

Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.

The happy secret to better work by Shawn Achor (12 minutes) 

We believe we should work hard in order to be happy, but could we be thinking about things backwards? In this fast-moving and very funny talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that, actually, happiness inspires us to be more productive.

A call to men by Tony Porter (11 minutes) [TW: graphic desc. of rape] 

I believe in free education, one that’s available to everyone; no matter their race, gender, age, wealth, etc… This masterpost was created for every knowledge hungry individual out there. I hope it will serve you well. Enjoy!

FREE ONLINE COURSES (here are listed websites that provide huge variety of courses)

Alison 

Coursera

FutureLearn

open2study

Khan Academy

edX

P2P U

Academic Earth

iversity

Stanford Online

MIT Open Courseware

Open Yale Courses

BBC Learning

OpenLearn

Carnegie Mellon University OLI

University of Reddit

Saylor

IDEAS, INSPIRATION & NEWS (websites which deliver educational content meant to entertain you and stimulate your brain)

TED

FORA

Big Think 

99u

BBC Future

Seriously Amazing

How Stuff Works

Discovery News

National Geographic

Science News

Popular Science

IFLScience

YouTube Edu

NewScientist

DIY & HOW-TO’S (Don’t know how to do that? Want to learn how to do it yourself? Here are some great websites.)

wikiHow

Wonder How To

instructables

eHow

Howcast

MAKE

Do it yourself

FREE TEXTBOOKS & E-BOOKS

OpenStax CNX

Open Textbooks

Bookboon

Textbook Revolution

E-books Directory

FullBooks

Books Should Be Free

Classic Reader

Read Print

Project Gutenberg

AudioBooks For Free

LibriVox

Poem Hunter

Bartleby

MIT Classics

Many Books

Open Textbooks BCcampus

Open Textbook Library

WikiBooks

SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES & JOURNALS

Directory of Open Access Journals

Scitable

PLOS

Wiley Open Access

Springer Open

Oxford Open

Elsevier Open Access

ArXiv

Open Access Library

LEARN:

1. LANGUAGES

Duolingo

BBC Languages

Learn A Language

101languages

Memrise

Livemocha

Foreign Services Institute

My Languages

Surface Languages

Lingualia

OmniGlot

OpenCulture’s Language links

2. COMPUTER SCIENCE & PROGRAMMING

Codecademy

Programmr

GA Dash

CodeHS

w3schools

Code Avengers

Codelearn

The Code Player

Code School

Code.org

Programming Motherf*?$%#

Bento

Bucky’s room

WiBit

Learn Code the Hard Way

Mozilla Developer Network

Microsoft Virtual Academy

3. YOGA & MEDITATION

Learning Yoga

Learn Meditation

Yome

Free Meditation

Online Meditation

Do Yoga With Me

Yoga Learning Center

4. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMMAKING

Exposure Guide

The Bastards Book of Photography

Cambridge in Color

Best Photo Lessons

Photography Course

Production Now

nyvs

Learn About Film

Film School Online

5. DRAWING & PAINTING

Enliighten

Ctrl+Paint

ArtGraphica

Google Cultural Institute

Drawspace

DragoArt

WetCanvas

6. INSTRUMENTS & MUSIC THEORY

Music Theory

Teoria

Music Theory Videos

Furmanczyk Academy of Music

Dave Conservatoire

Petrucci Music Library

Justin Guitar

Guitar Lessons

Piano Lessons

Zebra Keys

Play Bass Now

7. OTHER UNCATEGORIZED SKILLS

Investopedia

The Chess Website

Chesscademy

Chess.com

Spreeder

ReadSpeeder

First Aid for Free

First Aid Web

NHS Choices

Wolfram Demonstrations Project

Please feel free to add more learning focused websites. 

Resonance Circuits: LC Inductor-Capacitor Resonating Circuits 

How current & voltage oscillate at resonant frequency for both parallel and series inductor-capacitor combinations.

Sometimes things are great! Sometimes… they’re really, really not. This is my personal plan for fixing everything when I don’t know what to do, and I thought other people might find it helpful. If you identify with this sentiment, but don’t think this is the right way for you to work on the problems you’re facing, that’s totally fine, and sometimes these aren’t things to work through by yourself.

This is what works for me, but really consider what your goals are and consider this as less of a how-to and more of possible framework to figure out where you want to go. A lot of this also refers to managing things within my apartment that aren’t super applicable if you aren’t the one responsible for your own groceries say. Use what’s useful and skip what’s not. You’ve got this.

Step One: Breathe, baby. This probably feels awful, whatever’s going on. Icky maybe. And that’s something that should change, but before the visible problems can shift, take a look at how you’re taking care of yourself right now. This step is the reset button - just a beginner’s step in areas that are central and maybe stressing you out. Stop the cycle of whatever was throwing you off.

I like to start with the executive function stuff. There might be a lot you feel like you have a lot to do - it’s been a while since things have been good about notes on all those readings, right? But unless there’s something absolutely 100% immediate and pressing, this first:

Drink some water. Wash your water bottle or a cup you like to drink from. Just one dish. The rest of them can wait just a little bit longer. Keep remembering to drink water. You’ll feel better.

How’s your room? Can you do some laundry? Get some things in the trash? Make your bed? Start with a single task that will get some things off the floor, but doesn’t feel scary. Leave the rest of it. You can fix it later.

When was the last time you ate something? Has it been a while? If there’s something at home, good. Eat that. If there isn’t, go pick something up from somewhere you feel safe. Worry about vegetables later. Eat anything right now.

Find somewhere you feel comfortable. Pick something acheivable. Do that thing. Whatever you’re ready for. Nothing scary. Nothing heavy. Spend some doing enough work that you feel like you’re being productive again; like you’ve finished something because you have! Then come back. Do you feel better?

In the interest of space, the rest is under the cut. :)

Hi friends! first of all I want to thank you for +900 followers! you’re all awesome and feel free to shot me a message if you ever need anything!

Ok, now… I’ve been waiting to share this for a while because I think these printables are the best and I use them all the time. So I’ll upload more in the next few days and I’m taking requests too (send me an ask and I’ll make whatever you want/need)

CHECK MY GOOGLE DRIVE FOLDER TO SEE ALL THE PRINTABLES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE!! ENJOY THEM AND TAG ME IF YOU EVER UPLOAD A PHOTO USING THEM!

How to Schedule Your Study Time

I’ve been asked multiple times to make a post about how to schedule your study time, so here it is! This is a little bit different of a schedule because it’s over mid-semester break (Easter break for most), but it still works.

Step 1: Write down everything you need to do.

Get out a piece of notebook paper or open a new document on your computer and unleash your brain’s to-do list. Write everything down from classes, work, events, and extracurriculars to your work outs, meals, showers, and sleep. Nothing is too small to be written on the list, so if you need to remember to shave your legs, write that down!!

Step 2: Assign each task an estimated amount of time it’ll take to complete.

This part is really crucial for me because it takes my organization a step further to help me achieve my studying and planning goals. It also gives me a reality check – sometimes I’m so ambitious I try to bite off more than I can chew. If I know from the beginning that I most likely won’t achieve everything I need to do, I won’t be as disappointed come the end of my planning and studying. It also tells me I probably need to pick it up during the week and stop procrastinating…

Step 3: Open up Excel, create a table on another computer program, or grab a piece of paper.

Next we’ll make the calendar with a readout of our obligations. I generally use Excel or a piece of paper, but I find that excel works best because I can edit future events easier if I didn’t quite complete a task I planned for.

Have the first column for times, then a column following for each day you want to plan. It helps to have the time column skinnier with the days’ columns wider so text can fit in easily. I leave two rows per hour (therefore one line is equal to one half hour) so I can plan for events or tasks that won’t be taking up whole hours.

Step 4: Designate a color for each of your scheduled categories.

These colors are the same as in my planner:

Purple: Anatomy & Physiology

Pink: Genetics

Blue: Beverage Management

Orange: Economics

Red: Work

Green: Extracurriculars

Black: Personal (showers, meals, sleep, relaxation, etc.)

Yellow: Travel

I enter in all of my class, work, event, and extracurricular times first – things I can’t miss. These are important to put into your schedule first because you can easily schedule studying around them. 

Step 5: Once all of your obligations are plugged into your schedule, it’s time to fill in your studying.

This is where the required times for your tasks help a great deal! It’s easy to spot an hour block here or there and plug in a 45 minute or hour task… something that may be a little hard for some when they’re just going through their day and have a block. I know whenever I get an hour block I try to nap or rest as much as possible, but this frequently puts me behind. :(

Also, it may help you to pull out your planner and see what exams, quizzes, or assignments are coming up soon. You should rank these at a higher priority and complete these sooner rather than later to ensure you complete them.

I also group lesser tasks; for example, on Thursday night at 11:00 PM I grouped two homework assignments because they really shouldn’t take that long and they’re on the computer at the same time, etc. It’s just easier for me to get them done at the same time. Just like if you need to go to a few different stores, try to go to them all in one trip. It’ll save you time, money, and gas!

Step 6: As you’re adding tasks to your schedule, make sure you’re crossing them off your list you made. You don’t want to miss anything or add something twice!

This is pretty self-explanatory but also important! Make sure you’re adding everything and not missing anything. 

Step 7: Make sure to schedule enough sleep during your night as well as time to eat/relax.

This is the most important step of them all! Without recharging your smart little brain and body, how are you going to have the fuel to move on? Also, try snacking on fruits and veggies and drinking water when you’re studying. I’m one to love candy when I’m studying and it’s hard to say “no” to my precious chocolate and skittles, but I know they’ll just bring my metabolism and energy down. Drinking a lot of water helps too because that means more bathroom breaks – which means more study breaks! ;)

Hey, guys. I’ve decided to make my first study masterpost. This contains great free online courses to improve your coding skills and broaden your knowledge or a guide for a newbie who wants to start learning cs. Many of this recommendations were sent to me by some big tech-companies to help me to prepare for the interviews. Generally, it would be a great addition to classes taken at college. 

Introduction

Udacity - Introduction to Computer Science

Harvard - CS-50 Introduction to Computer Science

MIT - introduction to Computer Science (python)

Coursera - Computer Science 101            

Object-oriented Programming Languages

MIT Intro to Programming in Java

Google’s Python Class

JAVA for beginners

C++ tutorials

Discrete math

MIT Mathematics for Computer Science

Youtube’s math playlist

Algorithms and data structures

MIT Introduction to Algorithms

Introduction to Algorithms Part 1 & Part 2

Algorithms tutorials

Operating systems 

UC Berkeley course

Virginia Tech course 

Parallel programming

Heterogeneous Parallel Programming

Intro to Parallel Programming

Computer Science sub-fields 

Computer Graphics

Artificial Intelligence

Cryptography

UX-design

Mobile applications

Things Top Students Do

1. They don’t always do all of their homework.

In college, homework assignments generally make up 5-20% of your grade, but can be the biggest time-suck for most students. Yes, working problems is one of the best ways to turn new concepts into working knowledge, but a large majority of those problems that take you hours and hours to work through, you’ll never see on an exam.

2. They never “read through” the textbook.

Per time spent, reading the textbook is one of the least effective methods for learning new material. Top students use the examples and practice problems, but otherwise use Google, lecture notes, and old exams for study materials.

3. They Google EVERYTHING.

It’s like an automatic reaction. New concept = go to Google for a quick explanation. Don’t think just because your professor gives you a textbook and some examples on the blackboard that you’re limited to that information. You have a massive free search engine at your fingertips, so make use of it.

4. They test themselves frequently.

Testing yourself strengthens your brain’s connections to new material, and gives you immediate and clear feedback on whether you know something or not. Bottom line, repeated self-testing significantly improves long-term retention of new material. 

5. They study in short bursts, not long marathons.

Studying in short bursts tends to help you focus intensely because you know there is at least a short break coming.

This also fits in nicely with our Ultradian Rhythm, the natural activity/rest cycle of our bodies, which makes studying continuously for multiple hours on end counterproductive.

6. They reverse-engineer solved problems.

It’s one thing to follow and memorize a set of steps to solve a calculus problem. It’s an entirely different thing to understand what a derivative is, be able to take derivates of complex functions, know when to use the chain rule vs. the product rule, etc. The problem with simply following the steps the professor provided, or the textbook outlines, is that you’re only achieving a surface-level knowledge of the problem. Top students, instead,take solved problems and work backwards, from solution to question, asking “why.”

Why did this get this value? Why did they simplify this expression? Why did they use that type of derivative rule?

By following this process, you begin to understand the interconnections of the concept, and how to directly apply that to a problem. This “working knowledge” of a concept is key to performing well on exams, especially on problems that you haven’t seen before.

7. They don’t own a highlighter.

Highlighting anything = unengaged reading. If you want to note something that stands out, underline and write a corresponding note to go along with it. Or better yet, write yourself a note summarizing the item in your own words.

8. They sleep–a lot.

The daily routines of top performers, in any field, are characterized by periods of intense work (4-6 hours per day) followed by significant quantities of high-quality sleep (9 hours per night). You see this trend in top violin prodigies and chess champions, as well as elite athletes. The idea is to alternate periods of intense work with rest, so that you create tons of new connections in your nervous system, and then allow adequate time to assimilate those gains.

9. They engage themselves by asking questions.

What happens if I tell you, “Thomas Jefferson almost single-handedly drafted the Delcaration of Independence in 1776.”?

You might say “Hmm.. that’s interesting”, try to remember it for later, maybe even write down a note or two.

But what if I ask you, “Who was Thomas Jefferson?” What changes?

You start searching your memory, sifting through images of old guys, founding fathers, thinking about the Declaration of Independence. You come up with your own narrative, and then realize that you have gaps.

When was he around again? And why was he so important?

You’ll probably find yourself going to Google to fill in the gaps. Through that process your learning will be much more deeply seated in your brain than anything your history teacher ever told you about him. That’s the power of asking questions.

10. They make the best out of lecture.

Yes, your professor sucks. Yes, lectures are boring. Yes, it’s either too fast so you can’t keep up and miss all the important stuff, or it’s way too slow and you start zoning out because you already understand everything.

The best students look at this this way: I’m going to be there no matter what, so what’s the best use of my time while I’m in the classroom? Ask questions, bring the textbook and look stuff up, focus on the important practice problems to copy down in your notes, try to anticipate what the professor is going to say, make note of anything they put emphasis on as a potential exam topic. All of these things make the time you have to spend in lecture more productive and engaging. And that’s less time you have to spend studying later on.

11. They over-learn.

School is hard enough, with the amount of studying and homework you have to do. And on top of all of that Facebooking you have to get done? It might seem ridiculous to suggest learning more than you have to.

What!? Are you insane!?

But this is precisely what top students do. And paradoxically, they end up spending less time trying to understand how to do homework problems, andless time studying for exams because of it. Because when you “over-learn” past what’s presented in class, you build a better framework for the subject.

Think of trying to remember some details about Abraham Lincoln’s life. You try to remember the dates of the Civil War, or what he said in the Emancipation Proclamation. You study the same facts over and over and over again… but it’s just boring, and you quickly forget. But what if you knew his whole life’s story? About how Lincoln suffered from bouts of depression, and his relationship with his wife suffered? You start to learn that the dude was human, and you start to relate to the things he did and the struggles he went through. Now you’ve constructed a story in your head. And studies show that humans learn best through stories. So yes, it’s more information, but your brain knows what to do with it now that all those random facts are linked together. More learning, but less rote memorization and struggling to remember random facts.

12. They immediately study their exam mistakes.

Most students get their exam grade back, flip through to see if the professor made any mistakes they can argue about, and then promptly shove it into their notebook, never to be seen again until the mad scramble at the end of the semester to study for the final.

Instead, top students ignore what they got right, and use their mistakes as an indicator of what to improve on.

13. They’re busy with work and side projects.

Yes, to do well in a course, you need to focus and put in the hours. But like many geniuses throughout history have shown, involvement in a diverse set of subjects, activities, and skill sets keeps you active, and provides you with a rich and diverse set of mental models to pull from.

Also, as they say, “If you need to get something done, give it to the busy person.” If you stay active in multiple areas, you don’t have time to procrastinate, and are forced to be efficient with your study time. This generally translates into quicker learning and better performance throughout the semester.

14. They use lecture as a detective mission.

Though completely unaware of this fact, your professor has tells. Yes, like in poker. Tells during lecture will hint at particular types of concepts and problems that will be emphasized on the midterm or final exam. The best students pay attention to topics professors spend a seemingly inordinate amount of time on and make note. Chances are you’ll see something related on the final.

15. They don’t wait for motivation to strike.

Motivation comes and goes, but studying for a degree requires persistence and consistency. Just like Olympic athletes train even on their worst days, the best students figure out how to get their coursework done when it’s the last thing they want to do.

16. They practice under test conditions. The old adage “practice makes perfect” isn’t totally true. Deliberate practice under the right conditions, with the correct mindset, is more like it. Instead of reading through all of the lecture notes and redoing old homework problems, top students make themselves practice exams, and rehearse their exam performance, under time pressure and in similar conditions (no notes, uncomfortable chair, quiet room, etc.) to what they’ll see on test day.

17. They use old exams.

Professors aren’t the most inventive folk. Along with coming up with lecture material and departmental responsibilities, they’re also primarily concerned with research. So typically midterms and final exams more or less look alike for similar courses year-to-year and even across universities. Because of this, old exams are a gold mine of opportunity for figuring out what problems you should be able to solve and study from.

18. They make their own study guides.

The best students don’t simply use the study guide the teacher provides, they create their own.

Creating the study guide is half the battle, requiring you to go through your notes, consolidate them, and organize them in a way that you understand–all valuable study activities. You’ll also be able to use your equations sheet much more effectively on the exam itself (if allowed) because you know exactly where everything is.

19. They actually write on paper.

Writing out notes on a laptop is efficient. Too efficient. Because it’s so easy to quickly type out exactly what the professor is saying, you don’t have to do the work of trying to figure out how to consolidate the information into your own shorthand. Some also believe that the act of writing helps retain more information.

20. They use the 80/20 rule.

Yes, some students who get good grades do every reading assignment, finish every practice problem, and attend every study session they can get their hands on. But these students are missing the point. There will always be an endless amount of information you could learn given the time and effort, but having the ability to discern what is worth learning will truly set you apart.

Top students identify the 20% of concepts they need to learn deeply, in order to determine 80% of their final grade. They focus intently on those few things, and simply ignore the rest. This is a formula for high performance, without hours and hours of busywork. And it translates seamlessly into the real world too.

21. They don’t complain.

Complaining simply has no place in the smart student’s repertoire. If something sucks, change it or ignore it, but don’t waste your time, energy, and mental state talking about it. Got a crappy professor? Either switch class sections or focus on teaching yourself. Horrible textbook? Find alternate resources (Google is free in case you hadn’t heard).

22. They learn by doing.

Any technical subject can only truly be internalized through use. Just like learning a new language, learning to be fluent in algebra or calculus requires active application of rules and formulas. Top students know there is a big difference between knowledge, and applied knowledge.

23. They take personal responsibility for learning the material.

The best students understand that they, and only they are truly responsible for their own education. So waiting to be spoon-fed by your professor and doing the homework assignments will never be enough. Despite your school’s best intentions, they’ll never be as committed to your academic success as you can be.

24. Following what they love

Those students you admire are passionate about what they are learning. They have the drive to develop their learning further based on their love of what they are discovering. This may not always be the case and is often unavoidable but if you follow what interests you and cultivate a curiosity of this area, your motivation to learn will thrive.

Not every student is the same and many top students don’t follow the status quo. The best way to create good habits for students is to try a variety of techniques and figure out what works for you.

25. Question your teachers Thinking outside the box is a cliche but certainly a reality for students.  They question everything–especially test questions they get wrong.  This attitude is important because it shows a general inquisitiveness that is essential in learning.  As any parent of small children knows, questions are a way to gain knowledge.  Teachers can’t be offended when a student asks a difficult question and parents should encourage this behavior.  

26. They know the best way to study.

It is important to know the best way to study for yourself. Do you need pictures? Sounds? Study better in quiet or noisy environments? Figure out what works best for you so that you can make the most out of your study time.

27. They play hard.

We all know that a balanced lifestyle is the best way to stay mentally and physically healthy! Top students don’t spend all day in the library grafting (contrary to what you might think!) Rather, they take the time to put their studies aside and do something which is fun and exciting!

Study when sleepy.

Bedtime stories are for wimps. Instead of reading The Berenstein Bears, try studying for a few minutes right before hitting the hay. During sleep, the brain strengthens new memories, so there’s a good chance we’ll remember whatever we review right before dozing off . (Just try not to bring work into the actual bed, since it can make it harder to get a good night’s sleep.) And though bedtime is primo study time, it might also help to crack open the books after cracking open those eyes in the A.M.—in the morning, the brain still has lots of room to absorb new information.

Space it out.

A relatively new learning technique called “spaced repetition” involves breaking up information into small chunks and reviewing them consistently over a long period of time. So don’t try to memorize the entire periodic table in one sitting—instead, learn a few rows every day and review each lesson before starting anything new.

Tell a tale.

Turning the details you need to remember into a crazy story helps make the information more meaningful. For example, remember the order of mathematic operations PEMDAS this way: Philip (P) wanted to eat (E) his friend Mary (M) but he died (D) from arsenic (AS) poisoning.

Move your butt.

Research suggests studying the same stuff in a different place every day makes us less likely to forget that information. That’s because, every time we move around (from the library to the coffee shop, or the coffee shop to the toilet seat), we force the brain to form new associations with the same material so it becomes a stronger memory.

Switch it up.

Don’t stick to one topic; instead, study a bunch of different material in one sitting. This technique helps prepare us to use the right strategy for finding the solution to a problem. For example, doing a bunch of division problems in a row means every time we approach a problem, we know it’ll require some division. But doing a series of problems that require multiplication, division, or addition means we have to stop and think about which strategy is best.

Put yourself to the test.

Quizzing ourselves may be one of the best ways to prepare for the real deal. And don’t worry about breaking a sweat while trying to remember the name of the 37th U.S. president (fyi, it’s Nixon): The harder it is to remember a piece of information in practice mode, the more likely we are to remember it in the future.

Write it out.

Put those third-grade penmanship lessons to good use. Research suggests we store information more securely when we write it out by hand than when we type it. Start by recopying the most important notes from the semester onto a new sheet of paper.

Make me wanna shout.

Reading information out loud means mentally storing it in two ways: seeing it and hearing it  . We just can’t guarantee you won’t get thrown out of the library.

Come together (right now).

Group work doesn’t fly with everyone, but for those who benefit from a little team effort, a study group’s the way to go. Pick a few studious pals and get together every few days to review the material. Put one person in charge of delegating tasks (snack duty, music selection) and keeping the group on target with its goals.

Treat yo’ self!

A healthy holiday cookie, a walk around the block, five minutes of tweet-time: whatever floats your boat. Knowing there’s a little reward waiting for us at the end of just a few pages makes it easier to beat procrastination while slogging through a semester’s worth of notes.

Drink up.

Sorry, not that kind of drink. Instead, hit the local coffee shop for something caffeine-filled; there’s lots of research suggesting coffee (and tea) keeps us alert, especially when nothing seems more exciting than the shiny gum wrapper on the library floor.

Take a time out.

Taking time to plan is one of the most important skills a student can have. Don’t just start the week with the vague goal of studying for a history exam—instead, break up that goal into smaller tasks. Pencil it in on the calendar like a regular class: For example, allot every day from 1 to 3 p.m. to review 50 years’ worth of info.

Gimme a break.

The KitKat guys said it, and so does science: Taking regular breaks can boost productivity and improve our ability to focus on a single task  . For a real productivity boost, step away from the screen and break a sweat during a midday gym sesh.

Work it out.

Get stronger and brainier at the same time. Research has found just half an hour of aerobic exercise can improve our brain-processing speed and other important cognitive abilities. Jog a few laps around the block and see if you don’t come back with a few more IQ points.

Daaaance to the music.

As anyone who’s ever relied on Rihanna to make it through an all-night study session knows, music can help beat stress. And while everyone’s got a different tune preference, classical music in particular has been shown to reduce anxiety and tension. So give those biology notes a soundtrack and feel at least some of the stress slide away.

Nix the ’net.

We’ve all been there, facing the siren call of a friend’s Facebook wall on the eve of a giant exam. If a computer’s necessary for studying, try an app (such as this one) that blocks the Internet for a short period of time and see how much more you get done.

Say om.

Just before staring at a piece of paper for three hours, stare at a wall for three minutes. Research suggests meditation can reduce anxiety and boost attention span. While those studies focus mostly on regular meditation, there’s no harm in trying it out for a few minutes to calm pre-test jitters.

Doze off.

When there’s a textbook full of equations to memorize, it can be tempting to stay up all night committing them to memory (or trying to). But all-nighters rarely lead to an automatic A—in fact, they’ve been linked to impaired cognitive performance and greater sensitivity to stress  . In the days leading up to a big exam, aim to get those seven to nine hours a night so sleep deprivation doesn’t undo all the hard work you’ve put in.

Own the Omegas.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in certain fish, nuts, and olive oil, are known for their brain-boosting potential. One study found that eating a combination of Omega-3-and Omega-6 fatty acids before an exam actually reduced test anxiety.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in certain fish, nuts, and olive oil, are known for their brain-boosting potential. One study found that eating a combination of Omega-3-and Omega-6 fatty acids before an exam actually reduced test anxiety  .

Feel free to inhale.

Dusty old library again… or spa day? Research has found that catching a whiff of essential oils (like rosemary or lavender) can help calm students down before a big exam  . Skip the frantic last-minute review and try a few minutes of aromatherapy instead.

Practice your brain pose.

Hardcore yogis tend to have better cognitive abilities—especially attention span—than folks less familiar with Down Dog  . A few daily sun salutations may be all it takes to keep centered during finals period.

Learn what works.

Some people are early birds; some are night owls; some prefer to study with a pal; others need complete and total silence. Experiment to find what’s most effective for you, and then stick with it!

Compilation of several master posts, resources, tips, and outside resources; will be updated regularly (or as often as a new master post hits my dashboard) - Tulip

Study Tips

Effective Study Routines for Intensive Classes by @study-strive

50 things to do between your study breaks by @junniestudies

Feynman’s Technique by @varsitystudent

How to create a study guide that actually helps by @strive-for-da-best

Different ways to study by @joolshallie

Study Methods by @kimmstudies​

Study like a boss by @wannabesurgicalgod​

How to earn more a’s: tips from an honors student by @abs-studies​

A complete guide to studying (well) by @scholarlysquad

Study Tips Tag Master-Post by @study-early​

Guide to last minute studying by @med-school-musings​

Things NOT to do while studying by @hexaneandheels​

Scientifically proven study tips by @swankiegrades​

Memory Tips by @brain-exercise​

Steps to get straight A’s by @strive-for-da-best​

Things top students do by @study-studymore-studyhard​

Achieving your full academic potential: Things to Avoid Doing by @portiastudies

No bull shit study guide by @studying-queen​

Revision tips by @stationery-enthusiast​

Some study tips by @quilavastudy​

Learning how to study by @study-well​

How to learn by @studygene​

Revising by @simply-study

Do’s and don’ts of a good study environment  by @etudias

10 best study habits by @moleskinestudies

 Exams

“Oh god, it’s the night before the exam and I didn’t study” guide by @renaistudying​

How to mentally prepare yourself for a test by @eruditicn​

Exam tips by @kimmstudies​

MCAT study schedules by @premedtomd​

Tips to help you study for exams by @examgradebooster​

How to study for a test by @tbhstudying​

5 Tips for during an exam by @collegerefs​

Overcoming Testing Anxiety by @staedtlers-and-stabilos​

How to study for an exam by @chemistrynerd2020​

10 Study tips Exams/Finals by @asianstudent​

A complete exam study guide by @strive-for-da-best​

How to remember everything for a test: 3 day plan by @getstudyblr​

Exam Prep Tips by @brbimstudying​

Note Taking

Lecture Notes by @caesarstudies​

How to take lecture notes by @studyquirk​

Useful symbols @ abbreviations for faster lecture note taking by @studyquirk​

When to use flashcards, mind maps, tables, etc. by @academicsandthearts​

The art of highlighting by @studygene​

Tips for Taking Efficient Notes in Class by @hexaneandheels​

A visual learner’s guide to textbook note taking by @studybug​

How I take notes by @darlingrachel​

5 Tips for Mindmapping by @howtostudyquick​

10 Tips for good note taking in lecture by @study-well​

Getting the most of lectures by @strive-for-da-best​

How to mind map by @study-nsp​

Guide to mind maps by @study-well​

Advice on note taking and studying by @studygene​

Note taking by @collegetothestars

Procrastination, Time Management, Motivation, Goals

The Procastinator’s Guide to Procrastination by @pythgaoras​

How to not fall behind in class by @studying-forever​

How to get motivated to study by @premedtomd​

Focusing on long term goals by @studybuzz​

Unconventional methods to beat procrastination by @hcmoeconomicus​

3 ways to set study goals + goal setting tips by @abs-studies

How to manage time effectively by @studygene​

Productivity: A masterpost by @effortanderudition​

Get motivated to study by @studyforyourself​

How to defeat procrastination by @hexaneandheels​

Developing self-discipline by @algorhythmn​

Focus & Motivation by @katsdesk

How to: motivation by @izzystudies​

21 tips on becoming the most productive person you know by @studying-towards-success​

How to stop procrastination and get more done by @abstractedcollective

Apps, Websites, etc.

27 flashcard apps & websites by @sarahedwardssheffieldthings​

Helpful Apps by @studypeaks

Helpful Apps by @gracelearns

App Masterpost by @studiyng

…another “masterpost” of apps by @studygene

There’s an app for that by @studygene

Apps for disorganized and/or ADHD students by @studiix

Education by Years

General

Tips that will make your school year easier by @warmvanillabookworm​

Study Tips for the lazy student: back to school / part 2 by @collegetothestars​

Staying calm at school by @gryhffindors

Back to school advice by @jessastudy

IGCSE Resources by @areistotle

School supplies by @areistotle

Middle & High School (includes AP resources)

The high school series by @studygene

How to survive high school by @anicetum​

AP Testing by @katsdesk​

AP Chemistry by @etudiance

AP Environmental Science Vocabulary by @prince-peter-pan

AP Psychology Study Stuff by @thisplacethatiknow

College Interviews Masterpost by @brain-exercise​

Higher Education (College, Grad School, etc.)

How to write emails to your professor by @studygene

The no bull shit guide to college by @studypops​

15 things I wish I knew before college

How to survive in college by @lilypotterr

How to write an abstract by @hayley-studies​

Essentials of doing well in college by @a-level-study-spo

College Survival Masterpost by  @college-campuses

Scholarships: A beginner’s guide by @collegerefs​

The Ultimate College Masterpost by @tisaybitch​

Applying to Grad School - Application Tips by @caffeinatedcraziness​

No to low stress college study strategy by @plannerdy​

Free MCAT resources by  @thecraftypremed​

Uni study tips by @lawbabe

College masterpost by @notquitenightingale​

Studying in college by @studygene​

Massive College Masterpost by @heyiwantyoutostay

Student Loans by @studysthesia

Financial Aid by @studysthesia

College Packing by @studysthesia

Subjects

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)

How I study for science by @hideandstudy

How to study for biology by @premedtomd

How to study biology

Study tips for biology

Survival 101 in: Organic Chemistry by @chemistrynerd2020​

How to study calculus by @studygene

How to study general chemistry by @studygene

Guide to general lab write up by @studygene​

Surviving lab classes by @caffeinatedcraziness​

How to read (science) journal articles by @caffeinatedcraziness​

How to succeed in hard science classes by @caffeinatedcraziness​

Tips for success in math class by @abs-studies

Precalculus by @etudiance

Geometry by @etudiance

Astrology masterpost by @witchbxbe

Coding Online by @perksofengineering

Geography by @learnal

7+1 tips for coding by @catsandcode

Ultimate science masterpost by @annie-tomy

Physics by @areistotle

Humanities: Literature, Psychology, History, Sociology, Art, etc.

Art Masterpost by @mindpalacestudy

How to analyze historical sources by @rewritign​

English Literature Masterpost by @englishlit-chic​

English Literature by @areistotle​

Proofreading tips by  @civilisedstudies​

How to write an essay by @sciencescribbles​

Helpful Resources for Writers by @redeadpool​

A guide to vocabulary by @acdemic​

How to expand your vocabulary by @study-star​

Philosophy Masterpost by @getstudyblr

Philosophy by @areistotle

Amazing Literature Masterpost by @fairystudent

History masterpost by @iamerudite

Annotating effectively by @hideandstudy

How to annotate by @fabulous-and-flawed

Teach yourself psychology and neuroscience by @tobeagenius

The Ultimate English Masterpost by @areistotle

Literary devices by @studie-s

Public Presentations and Speaking

How to public speaking by @studyari

5 tips for public speaking by @lizzylearns

How to rock public speaking by @liaragoals

Public speaking and presentations master post + advice by @studygoalsaf

How to give a good presentation by @strive-for-da-best

Languages

Helpful websites to learn languages by @les-langues-sont-ma-vie

How to study/learn any language by @collegemania

How to self-study languages by @e-tudiante

French Resource List by @openstudynotes

Self-studying Korean by @somestudy​

Studying Japanese: Resources by @fuckstudy​

Italian Masterpost  by @studybowie

Learning Foreign Languages by @a-pprendre

Arabic Language Masterpost by @rockinspired 

French Resource Masterlist by @nathalliastudies

Spanish Resources by @notquitenightingale

Korean Learning Language Masterpost by @study-mochi

Health & Self-Care

Mental Health & Self-Care

Avoiding burnouts by @acdemic

15 facts about people with concealed anxiety by @caughtthefox​

Tips on how to feel better and look better by @contourkits​

Tips on Self Care & Motivation by @collegetothestars​

Panic/Anxiety Attack Breathing Technique

Sleep? Sleep. by @studygene

A self-care master post to help you get through school by @effortanderudition​

Stress Reduction by @mindpalacestudy​

Self care cheat sheet by @jwstudying

Study and mental health by @getstudyblr

Keeping a balanced life by @hideandstudy​

Dealing with stress & anxiety by @studygene​

Coping with mental health by @overstudies

Self Help Masterpost by @recovery-saved-me

Soothe yourself by @areistotle

Keep calm by @studyiung

Food

Good for u 5 min study snacks by @universityandme

Healthy eating for students by @raineydaystudies​

Feed your brain by @studybowie​

Broke College Kid Masterpost to Food by @actuallypronounced-yee-ro​

Feed yo’ brain by @studylou

Growing Up

How to Get a Job Fast As Hell by @thechronicleofshe​

The education system won’t really be teaching you important shit like this…

Dealing with Worst Case Scenario by @lilypotterr​

How to become an adult cheat sheet by @lilypotterr​

Job hunting advice by @harryjamcs​

Strong words to use on a resume by @ladyhinata​

Preparing for the future by @studysthesia​

Music

Classical pieces you’ve probably heard but might not remember the name by @preciousnugget

Diving into classical music by @violaboss

Study Music Masterpost by @cutestudystuff​

8Tracks Playlists masterpost by @studyli​

Harry Potter ambient noise master list by @ambient-mixer​

Study sounds. by @acdemic

White Noise/Ambient Sounds for study by @amelialearns​

Press play and let’s study! by @getstudyblr​

Studying ft. soundtracks by @studygene​

Music master post by @studyaim

Hogwarts study playlist by @cozycoffees

Other Masterposts

Printable masterpost by @studiyng

Favorite masterposts by @studybudyblr

Printables Masterpost by @studie-s

A master post of master posts by @iridescentstudy

Massive masterpost by @annie-tomy​

How to studyblr on a budget by @studygene​

Studying is something we all have to do, but sadly we all don’t know what makes for an effective study session. I’ve decided to inform you all on something new that I’m doing, that’s been helping me. Enjoy! xoxo - Domi

You are going to need a studyguide. If your professor/teacher doesn’t provide you with one, refer to my post here on how I create mine.

I study 1-2 weeks before a period exam, which is less information than a Midterm or Final where I will make a post about later. Using this method the day before may/may not work, I highly recommend you stop procrastinating.

001; - Gather all of your class notes, powerpoints, and studyguides. In order to start studying you will need to have everything organized down to a “T” which means your notes should already be re-written, power-points should be in order, and you should have a study guide on-hand. If you still need to do any of these steps..then you’re not ready for the actual studying. When studying you shouldn’t be spending your time re-writing. Instead, you should  be focusing on allowing your brain to start reading + recognizing + retaining information that you’ve been taught. This means you should have already condensed information from your text books, and you no longer need to refer to it.

002; - Get rid of all distractions. If you need to travel away from home to study,then do so. I don’t study in the library because I don’t like overly quiet places. Maybe a coffee shop with soothing music in the background? Or a nook around Campus with great scenery? But anyways, turn off your cellphone, shut down your laptop, and your tablet. It’s proven that majority of the people learn more with the usual pen, and paper. Trying to read off a screen is not only straining to the eyes, but also has shown to not be helpful when trying to remember everything you’ve read. Keeping a small music player is okay, but if possible hide the device that the music is playing on, so that you aren’t tempted to get distracted.

003; - Read out loud. Now do you see why I can’t go to a library? Especially when I’m studying maths, I talk aloud to myself physically and mentally going through each step of a problem to figure out the answer. No matter what class you’re studying for. You will recall information better when you hear it several times. You need to get use to your own voice, and read aloud.

004; - Create a reward system. Have a favorite candy? Place ONE piece at the end of a section, paragraph, vocab word, or etc that you’re studying. Using #3 if you can read it out loud 5-10x correctly without looking at the paper, give yourself a snack. What happens if I get it wrong? You haven’t learned it, you don’t get a snack…;((( move the candy to a different section, paragraph, vocab word etc and now you have to memorize 2 things 5-10x instead of one. If you’re doing math, after every 5 problems you get right without cheating, you earn a candy. This is a disciplinary method not meant to stress you out, but  meant to teach you how to study the importance of what you need to learn, recognize word phrasing, and retain the information.

005; - Take a break. After you finish a chapter/section, chillax. You’re studying 1-2weeks ahead of time, so this gives you a window to breathe, but don’t allow that breathing room fill up with procrastination. I usually do 15-30min breaks depending on how rigorous the work is. If you follow schedule correctly, you can even chose to have a day to yourself, where you don’t study. I tend to use Sunday as my chill day.

006; - Break up your work. Don’t sit there and go over every chapter in 1 day. That’s way too much. You need to learn how to revisit your information appropriately. Split up the work evenly, and make a schedule (with the free printables so many people offer on here) and write which days you’re going to study which chapters/sections. Here’s the trick: If on Day 1 You study Chapter 1, then Day 2 you should study all of Chapter 2, and THEN spend about 30 mins revisiting what you’ve learned from Chapter 1. You shouldn’t have to necessarily look back through your Chapter 1 notes, but don’t stress yourself out if you forgot something, that’ll help you realize what you need to focus on.

007; - Form a study group. For the love of everything, get you a study partner. Study partners make the work seem so much easier, you have another human being who can actually interact with you, and help you come up with fun ways to remember information. I NEVER study for a test alone, I promise you…it’s so much harder just trying to drill information in your head alone. Having a friend with you makes you feel more relaxed knowing you’re not the only one. If you have social anxiety, or anything keeping you from making a friend in person. Find someone in the Studyblr community with that class, and try skyping or something so you speak/see them in the comfort of your own room. There’s a cool Studyblr Skype post going around, but I can’t find it, so if you do..please add it to this post as well.

008; - Don’t procrastinate. You are only doing yourself a huge favor. Procrastination is one of the worst things you can do to yourself in college (also plagiarizing), two things you just shouldn’t do. Now, I’m sure a handful of you have/will procrastinate (because I used to), but you have to learn how to discipline yourself. If you have no drive/motivation…find some from somewhere.

009; - Find practice problems. Go online, ask the teacher for some during class, find worksheets from a different school, get some from your textbook. Wherever you get them, do them. Practice problems can help be the difference from you getting an A instead of a B on a test. It shows that the more you take time to really practice, and understand the material…the better you’ll do. If you can’t find any, make one yourself. Go to Quizlet* or download the app, create your account, and plug in your problems. They offer very fun ways for you to study all of your information.

010; - Ask for help. Don’t feel ashamed. If you’re paying all that money for school, you’re damn right you better speak up and ask questions if you have any. Not asking questions that confuse you can haunt you on the test..and you’ll wish you asked them. Are you just way too shy? Email your professor/teacher formally and be as specific as possible.

011; - Reteach/help others. This is also where your friends who don’t have your class come into play. Hang out without and ask them if you can teach them somethings you’ve learned in class. ( I promise you, me and my best friend do this, I swear on everything I love I am not telling you to do something I, myself don’t do.) Talk to them and teach them what you know. Ask them if they understood what you said, and have them say it back to you. If they can say it without a slight bit of confusion, and if you can tell they understood it 99.9% then you’re good. This is the MOST important part. Reteaching material you learn helps gain your confidence that you understand the information. Having someone be able to recall what you say is self-satisfying.

Okay my little studybuddies (my new catchphrase name for you peeps)! Go out and conquer your exams :* Message me if you need me.

* I am in no way sponsored to have you all click on the “Quizlet” link.I am honestly giving you all a website that I use for studying

I’ve said this to my non-techie friends countless times. It’s no secret that being able to code makes you a better job applicant, and a better entrepreneur. Hell, one techie taught a homeless man to code and now that man is making his first mobile application.

Learning to code elevates your professional life, and makes you more knowledgeable about the massive changes taking place in the technology sector that are poised to have an immense influence on human life.

(note: yes I realize that 3/5 of those links were Google projects)

But most folks are intimidated by coding. And it does seem intimidating at first. But peel away the obscurity and the difficulty, and you start to learn that coding, at least at its basic level, is a very manageable, learnable skill.

There are a lot of resources out there to teach you. I’ve found a couple to be particularly successful. Here’s my list of resources for learning to code, sorted by difficulty:

Novice

Never written a line of code before? No worries. Just visit one of these fine resources and follow their high-level tutorials. You won’t get into the nitty-gritty, but don’t worry about it for now:

Dash - by General Assembly

CodeAcademy

w3 Tutorials (start at HTML on the left sidebar and work your way down)

Intermediate

Now that you’ve gone through a handful of basic tutorials, it’s time to learn the fundamentals of actual, real-life coding problems. I’ve found these resources to be solid:

Khan Academy

CodeAcademy - Ruby, Python, PHP

Difficult

If you’re here, you’re capable of building things. You know the primitives. You know the logic control statements. You’re ready to start making real stuff take shape. Here are some different types of resources to turn you from someone who knows how to code, into a full-fledged programmer.

Programming problems

Sometimes, the challenges in programming aren’t how to make a language do a task, but just how to do the task in general. Like how to find an item in a very large, sorted list, without checking each element. Here are some resources for those types of problems

Talentbuddy

TopCoder

Web Applications

If you learned Python, Django is an amazing platform for creating quick-and-easy web applications. I’d highly suggest the tutorial - it’s one of the best I’ve ever used, and you have a web app up and running in less than an hour.

Django Tutorial

I’ve never used Rails, but it’s a very popular and powerful framework for creating web applications using Ruby. I’d suggest going through their guide to start getting down-and-dirty with Rails development.

Rails Guide

If you know PHP, there’s an ocean of good stuff out there for you to learn how to make a full-fledged web application. Frameworks do a lot of work for you, and provide quick and easy guides to get up and running. I’d suggest the following:

Cake PHP Book

Symfony 2 - Get Started

Yii PHP - The Comprehensive Guide

Conclusion

If there’s one point I wanted to get across, it’s that it is easier than ever to learn to code. There are resources on every corner of the internet for potential programmers, and the benefits of learning even just the basics are monumental.

If you know of any additional, great resources that aren’t listed here, please feel free to tweet them to me @boomeyer.

Video games:

Easy game engines (virtually no coding): 

Game Maker Studio (2D; free and paid versions)

GameSalad (2D)

RPG Maker (2D; numerous versions ranging from free to $69.99)

Stencyl (2D; free and paid subscription versions)

Scratch (good for kids and is more general; 2D; free)

More difficult game engines: 

Unity (lots and lots of platforms; C# and JavaScript script; 2D, 3D, VR; free and paid versions)

Unreal (specializes in graphics; C++ and visual script; 2D, 3D, VR; free with a royalty on successful products)

CryEngine (Lua script; 3D; paid subscription and full license versions)

Mobile game development: 

Corona (free and paid subscription versions)

SpriteKit (2D) and SceneKit (3D) which are built into the official compiler to create iOS apps (see iOS apps for more resources)

also all of the above game engines (cross-platform)

Game console development: 

Game Maker Studio (with a paid subscription)

Unity

Unreal

CryEngine

Note that games can also be created on more general platforms like iOS and Android apps, but the resources listed above are specialized for game development.

iOS apps:

In order to develop iOS apps, you’ll need to purchase an iOS developer program membership for $99 a year, which requires an Apple account. Here are some general resources:

Xcode (the official IDE for iOS apps; can be installed on OS X)

Start Developing iOS Apps Today (Objective-C)

Ray Wenderlich iOS tutorials (Objective-C and Swift)

Code School: Try iOS (Objective-C)

Developing iOS 8 Apps (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Swift)

TutorialsPoint: iOS Tutorial (Objective-C)

How to Make iPhone Apps With No Programming Experience (Swift)

Swift Tutorial: Building an iOS Application (2, 3)

iOS apps are developed in the 2 official languages of Apple: Objective-C and Swift, the latter of which is newer and generally much easier to learn.

Objective-C resources:

the official documentation

TutorialsPoint: Objective-C Tutorial

Ry’s Objective-C Tutorial

Swift resources:

the official documentation

The Swift Programming Language (free official e-book)

Swift: A Quick Reference Guide

Xcode also has SpriteKit, SceneKit, and Metal built in, all of which are incredibly useful for creating apps that require elaborate graphics, particularly games.

SpriteKit resources:

How to Make a Game Like Candy Crush With Swift (2)

Sprite Kit Swift Tutorial

Create Space Invaders with Swift and Sprite Kit

iOS SpriteKit Physics Tutorial in Swift

Build the Game of Life (Swift)

SceneKit resources:

Scene Kit Tutorial: Getting Started (Swift)

An Introduction to SceneKit (2; Swift)

Metal resources:

the official documentation + other resources (Obj-C)

iOS 8 Metal Tutorial with Swift (2, 3)

Getting Started With Metal (Obj-C)

An introduction to 3D graphics with Metal in Swift

Also, in order to publish iOS apps, you’ll have to juggle certificates, app ids, and provisioning profiles. This process can be convoluted at times so here are some resources:

How to Submit Your App to Apple: From No Account to App Store (2)

Beginner Tutorial: iOS Certificates & Provisioning Profiles

Android apps:

In order to develop Android apps, you’ll need to register as a developer for a one-time fee of $25. Here are some general resources:

Android Studio (the official IDE for Android app development; free; can be installed on Windows, OS X, and Linux)

the official documentation

Getting Started

Android Tutorial For Beginners (2, 3)

Learn Android SDK From Scratch

Introduction to Android Development With Android Studio

Android apps are developed in Java and the layout is coded with XML.

Java resources:

W3schools: Java Tutorial series

TutorialsPoint: Java Tutorial

Core Java Tutorial

XML resources:

W3schools: XML Tutorial series

TutorialsPoint: XML Tutorial

For publishing (which is somewhat easier than publishing iOS apps):

How to Publish to the Android Market

3D modeling/animation:

Blender (can also be used to create games; Python script; free and open-source; can be installed on Windows, OS X, and Linux)

Maya (specialized script; free trial, free 3-year student subscription, and paid subscription versions; can be installed on Windows, OS X, and Linux to an extent)

3ds Max (Python script; free trial, free 3-year student subscription, and paid subscription versions; can be installed on Windows and OS X)

RenderMan (specialized script; free for non-commercial/educational use and pay-per-license for commercial use; can be installed on Windows, OS X, and Linux)

Misc. resources:

Stack Overflow is an ask-and-answer community for programmers. It’s amazing and will save your life. Sign up and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Github offers a student pack (here) if you create an account and prove you’re a student. This gives you free access to a bunch of great programming resources for free for a certain period of time, such as Unreal Engine. Also, Github in general is a site that you can host your code on. Other users can see it, and “fork” it to make a copy of your code and modify it.

Parse is a backend service that allows you to store data in databases it hosts on its own servers. It lets you use push notifications, create users, store and retrieve data, etc. It’s compatible with iOS apps, Android apps, Windows apps, Xamarin, React, Unity, OS X, Windows, JavaScript, PHP, .net, Arduino, and Embedded C. It’s free up to a certain limit that depends on the services you use.

Cloud9, Codebox, and Squad are online IDEs that allow for real-time collaboration and support a variety of languages, so they’re useful for team projects.

And some general advice:

Your program will not work right away, 99% of the time. That’s okay. Do your best to figure out where the error is. Here is some advice on debugging (written for PHP but the methods can be generalized).

If you’re stuck, Google. Google like there’s no tomorrow.

Ask questions on a community like Stack Overflow.

For that matter, browse relevant Stack Overflow questions. You can probably find some solutions there.

Don’t be afraid to copy and paste.

Take breaks sometimes if you’re getting burned out. But don’t stay away from your projects for too long or you’ll lose track of its status.

Backup your code. On the cloud, on a USB drive, wherever. If your IDE has a backing up feature like snapshots, use it whenever you hit a milestone.

If your project is big, split it up into milestones and set goals. Don’t tackle everything at once.

Like the OP said, coding isn’t just for professionals and “geeks” anymore. Anyone can learn it if you really try, and with the rapidly expanding tech industry, learning coding can really broaden your opportunities.

If any of the links are broken, or you have a question or some information/resources to add, you can contact me through the askbox or the OP through his Twitter (as mentioned in his post).