Hannah

So as you all know I’ve been back to uni for about two weeks now and I was NOT feeling it (to say the very least). So here is what I did to get out of that crappy omg I can’t believe school’s back mood:

Clean your room: Back to school shopping is a huge deal for me but personally I like to start by cleaning my room, that includes closet, desk .. etc. Not only does this give you kind of a fresh start but also you end up figuring out exactly what you have and don’t have so you buy way less stuff (and save more money)

And while you’re at it stop hoarding: I’ve had books just sitting there for nearly four years that I haven’t touched (hello histology), same goes for clothes. Get rid of the things you know you don’t use. If you haven’t used them in a year chances are you won’t magically change your mind and start using them. You can sell them or give them away.

Don’t throw away half used notebooks: This annoys me soooo much. Cut out the pages you’ve written in and RECYCLE them. Less is more people. You don’t have to use them for school, I use those for writing down workouts or tracking what I eat, making shopping lists, goals or whatever I feel like writing (so people won’t see you with the same notebook from last year, they probably won’t notice anyway but if that’s your excuse here you go) ALSO: For clothes that you like but are too long, too big or whatever get them tailored! Don’t throw those away too.

Now that we’ve decluttered, make a list of what you need: Tailor this to your schedule as much as possible. If you have long days at uni with a significant amount of walking maybe invest in comfy shoes, if you feel like a certain notebook would work really well for a certain class get it, if you know you’ll be carrying a lot of stuff around and don’t have a proper backpack get one. Write down everything you need before you go to the store.

Figure out what you’ll do regarding your meals: Do you have enough good quality tupperware? Do you have all the groceries? Watch a few videos on meal prepping and have a set list of quick and healthy meals that suit you and your schedule and your diet.

Optimize your study space: I’m not saying make it all white and aesthetically pleasing (unless that’s your thing), just make sure it’s a good environment for you to be productive. Figure out if you need to make any changes to it before school starts.

If you can rearrange the furniture in your room: You’d be surprised at how much this affects your mood, you don’t have to buy new stuff to feel renovated for back to school.

Take a look at all of your classes and try to work out a daily (& study) routine: SUPER IMPORTANT, before school starts try to plan out what your weeks will look like, what you’ll do for certain gaps (for example do you have enough time to go study off campus or get a workout in), which resources you’ll use for every class, how are you going to commute, what kind of notes you’ll take for every class ..etc. Distribute your workload evenly throughout the week (so days when you go home early, allocate more study time and vice versa)

Lurk at studyblrs and studygrams: or even start one, this community is super motivating (pretty sure you already know that)

If you are in a new city with no friends, go out alone. It might seem weird but you will get to spend quality time with yourself + possibly meet some people

Carry your college ID everywhere and don’t be afraid to ask if a store has college discounts!

Take. Notes. Of. Everything. You might think “eh I’ll remember this”. You won’t. Write it down.

Replace your morning coffee for green tea, it is less likely to give you an energy crash later in the day, and take coffee as a pick me up later in the afternoon

Take a break from studying every hour or so, but don’t use your phone/computer. Go out for a walk, stretch, drink some water, shower. It will help you focus better

SKINCARE TIP: steam your face by boiling some water and putting some sage in it, then putting your face above the pot with a towel covering your head and the pot. It will help open up your pores and clean them

Things to always have around: coconut oil (for hair care, removing makeup, dry skin, cooking..) and baking soda (removing stains, face peeling, good for your gums..)

MEAL PREP!! Or at least shop for the following week so you are less likely to eat out, and eat crap!

Try new things, you might not be great at them, but you also might find something you are passionate about.

MEDITATE. If you don’t know how, download a guided meditation app (like Headspace). Meditation is great for reducing stress and boosting productivity. Also a great thing to do on your study break.

Don’t stare at any screens before bed, it WILL make you fall asleep harder and fuck up the quality of your sleep. Instead try reading, meditating, doing skincare, journaling.

Hey! so i just created my very first studygram (shameless self promo @decafstudy follow me) and one of my irl friends saw my stories and posts and asked “How many hours does your day have? ´cause mine only has 24″ and that got me thinking abt how i take the most advantage of my days to make them feel (or look) 48 hours long! Here are a few of the things I incorporate on my daily student life to be more productive!

• IF YOUR FIRST CLASS STARTS LATE IN THE MORNING WAKE UP 2 HOURS EARLIER THAN NEEDED i know, am i crazy? ok so here´s the deal. If your first class starts, let´s say, at 11:00 A.M you might be tempted to wake up at 10:00 A.M, get dressed, and head to school. Not only does this create bad habits for when you get assigned a 7:00 A.M class (which will happen) but you lose MANY HOURS OF PRECIOUS TIME. Get your 8-9 hours of sleep and do not let yourself wake up later than needed. My class sometimes starts at 11:30 A.M so i wake up at 8:00 have a nice morning, relax, work out a bit, light up a candle and get ahead on reading and work for school! Your day will start and feel more productive!

• NEVER LEAVE CLASS WITH A DOUBT ON YOUR MIND I know this might create anxiety for people who are shy and do not like asking questions during class (i am one of those people) If you feel just too scared to ask during class APPROACH THE TEACHER AFTER CLASS ENDS. as soon as he dismisses class, approach him and ask the question. If you are not able to do so DO NOT STRESS, BUT WRITE THAT QUESTION DOWN ASAP ON A POST IT AND STICK IT YOUR NOTEBOOK. that way you will have the question at hand and you can seek tutoring later and ask, or even ask a friend BUT NEVER LET A QUESTION GO, NEVER think “i will ask it later” BECAUSE YOU WON´T and IT WILL DOOM YOU. This will save so much time when you study, because all your questions will be at hand and you will know what you have to focus on studying.

• WHENEVER YOU HAVE FREE TIME, USE IT TO WORK WHILE DOING SOMETHING FUN instead of just diving head first into watching a movie, ask yourself if there is something more productive that you could be doing rn (reading ahead, reviewing, doing extra math exercises) if the answer is yes, then put that movie on mute and work while taking a peek at the movie ever once in a while. This will not only help you with discipline and learning to keep yourself from distractions, but it will occupy your free time in something that your future self will thank you for later on.

• NEVER ASSUME THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT LATER again, think in terms of your FUTURE SELF how much would your future self love it if instead of studying 3 days before the exam, you studied a week before it? How much would your future self love it of instead of reading until 12:00 PM tomorrow, you divided the reading between today and tomorrow? never assume that you will have spare time ahead because chances are that you won´t and you will end up with A BUNCH of work that you didn´t do and that you can´t do at the moment. FUTURE SELF THINKING has saved my life.

• LEAVE TIME OPEN FOR MENTAL HEALTH/PHYSICAL/RECREATIVE CARE as much as i always put work first, I KEEP MY THERAPIST VISIT AND MY GYM ROUTINE STABLE no matter how much work i have. This helps me feel more balanced and like i am on top of everything, not just school, feeling good=more productivity.

• POMODORO TECHNIQUE i know many people know about this but if you don´t, this is basically a studying technique in which you work or study for 25-30 minutes straight NO DISTRACTIONS and then have a 5-6 minute break, and then repeat the process as many hours as you need. This really helps me not get burnt out when I have a heavy load of work. Watching study with me videos on yt is a good way of keeping the pomodoro system going. Some good apps that I use for POMODORO are Forest and Tide.

• HAVE AN APP CARPET ON YOUR PHONE THAT IS CALLED “PRODUCTIVITY” ie. download a BUNCH of cute as hell apps that help you get motivated and organised when you look at them. This will make you more prone to look at your phone as an INSTRUMENT rather than a DISTRACTION. (my fave apps are Taskade, Forest, Tide, Brainscape and Pocket)

• Lastly, GET MOTIVATED i know this sounds cliché, but the reason why i love keeping my day busy is because i surround myself with a romanticised idea of studying. Doing these kinds of posts, following a bunch of accounts with pretty notes, having a clean room and desk, going to the library and appreciating the color scheme or sounds around you, listening to relaxing sounds or music while working, downloading many pretty apps to keep myself on track while having a cute aesthetic… all of these things might seem small, but they make you feel cleaner, more balanced and more prone to LIKING the work you do.

- Do freshers even if alcohol isn’t your thing, there is a lot more to it than just nights out

- Don’t stress over making that perfect first impression

- You can’t please everyone, you can bend over backwards for some people and they will never return it

- Join more sports and societies, yoga may be amazing but it would also be nice to be part of something where people can talk

- Get to know your personal tutor as soon as possible!

- You aren’t the only one who is home sick

- Aldi is amazing 😍

- There is so much more to university than getting amazing grades, a social life can make such a difference

- Don’t skip lectures, it is really hard to catch up and you may miss important stuff that isn’t on the PowerPoints

- Living on the same campus where you studying is fantastic when it comes to 9am lectures but the cabin fever is real!

- Also living in halls is brilliant as you meet so many people but the fire alarm going off at 3am because someone burnt toast really isn’t!

- It’s okay for halls not to feel like ‘home’ no matter how many photos you stick up

so, it’s almost the beginning of freshman year! what to do? here are a few things to get you started:

have you ordered your books/class materials yet? (if you haven’t- consider signing up for Amazon Prime Student! it’s free for the first six months, and obviously, everything is way cheaper there.)

what about basic supplies? (you’re going to need some basic school supplies, like always. think: backpack, binders, pens, pencils, a calculator, folders, & notebooks!)

some stationery recs by yours truly: 

five-star notebooks, esp. in graph ruled for all you science nerds out there. for anyone not majoring in science/math, the college ruled ones are perfect! 

pilot gel pens, yes, you’ve already heard of these (i’m sorry for bringing them up again) 

post-it notes, a classic! how else will you remember everything?!

your average 49-cent index cards, from literally anywhere. write that shit down! flip through them whenever you have free time! (yes, free time will, in fact, be a thing at uni, contrary to popular belief). 

have you contacted your academic advisor? (um, what are you waiting for? ask them any and all questions you have about your schedule, your program/major, or, if you’re undecided, what you should do to figure things out as quickly as possible!)

do you have your schedule printed & in your phone & pasted up on the walls everywhere to be memorised? (because you should. you need to know it inside and out. believe me, you don’t want to get confused about it)

have you tried to make friends? (whether they’re your roommate, your roommate’s friend, or another commuter you’ve met, or just some random kids from orientation, you need to start networking immediately. build your connections. no one can work alone.)

you’re all amazing & you’re all going to crush it! uni is going to be lovely.

this is just some advice for upcoming freshmen written by an upcoming freshman!

Alternatively titled: How to Use Your Planner or How Organization and Discipline Will Get You Better Grades

This is my full guide on how to use your planner effectively and make sure that you are never missing deadlines or falling behind in classwork and homework. This is definitely more about the university level and works best with a dated planner, rather than a bullet journal. Let’s get started! 

Get all of your syllabi together and write down dates. Go through one class at a time and mark down all of your major tests and assignment due dates. I recommend putting these dates into the monthly and weekly views, and perhaps coming up with a symbol or other indicator that tells you they are of utmost importance. 

Make a weekly schedule of when to complete readings and do a weekly review of notes. Instead of trying to randomly decide when to do these things, assign a date for each task for each class. If you have a tutorial on Tuesday, do the assigned readings for it every Wednesday. I recommend scheduling one to two weekly tasks per day, and to leave a few days open, whether it be weekends or days when you have a lot of classes.

Make a master list of assignments. I find that sometimes, even having due dates in the calendar view isn’t enough, and they can still sneak up on you. The master list will be a good place to double check if you have any deadlines approaching easily. 

In the week or so before a due date, create a checklist of smaller tasks needed to complete the assignment. Set individual due dates for each smaller task by working backwards from the due date. Smaller tasks may include finding sources, making an outline, writing a rough draft, and editing and adding references to create a final copy. Write the smaller tasks into your daily to-do list. 

You can also do this with studying for tests, but the checklist would look slightly different. You could either sort by study method (first do flashcards, then do essay outlines, etc.) or sort by the topics you need to study. 

Stick to the schedule you have made. Obviously, if something comes up and you need to move your to-do list around, do so! But if you aren’t doing anything and you see readings on your list of daily tasks.. do them. Having the plan set out like this makes it easier for you to remain disciplined. 

Why use this method? 

By creating a schedule for repeated weekly tasks like completing readings, you make sure that you can’t repeatedly push off smaller tasks until you are weeks behind. I don’t think it is very reliable to just will yourself to do readings, or to keep up with them without tracking it. 

By writing down all of your due dates, you will never be shocked to find out something is due the night before. You will know and you will be prepared. 

By creating smaller checklists of tasks to complete before a major test or assignment, you will never find yourself in a situation where you have an essay due in a few days and haven’t even started. You will be following a timeline and making sure you don’t have to rush.

I’ve seen so much evidence for the power of habit making over decision wherever possible.

You and your roommate might not get along.

Just because you woke up early every day in high school doesn’t mean you will be able to in college.

Conversely, you might just realize you are a morning person in college. 

You should learn to examine your personal biases. Ask yourself why you have a certain opinion.

There are plenty of students who have taken 17, 18, 19 hour course loads and they have been successful; however, it may not be financially feasible. 

Searching for scholarships doesn’t stop when you get to college. Keep looking for them and applying for them. Create a separate email account to receive and correspond to scholarship emails. 

Don’t put off visiting your academic advisor. Mine absolutely saved me when I was going through the lowest point in my life.

Let your mom/dad/parental guardian (if applicable) make your bed on move-in day. 

Get involved, but only if you want to. Student organizations in college are much more time-consuming, so be certain that it is something you really want to do. 

Have fun. You don’t have to go out every single weekend. But go get coffee or study with a friend. Have some sort of interaction with others. 

Getting a job really eased my financial burdens and I made friends, and established references. Having money just feels good. 

Wash your face. Keep make up wipes close to your bed for nights when you are just too tired to go through an elaborate skin care routine. 

Communal showers suck, but we all have to endure them. I promise you will get used to it. But you gotta bathe, friend. 

Be honest with your support system. Many times, those closest to us would help us in a heartbeat, but they never knew we needed help in the first place.

Utilize services your tuition covers. These include, but are not limited to, tutoring, legal services, medical services, etc. 

Sit in the front row. Just do it. Seriously. You will be less inclined to get on your phone/not pay attention to lecture/discussion material if the material is two feet away from you. You can also see better on those days when you forget glasses, or run out of contacts. 

Your MWF life does not know your T/TR life. You can totally hit those clothes with some febreeze and wear them on heavy rotation.

Speaking of clothes, everyone washes clothes on Sundays. It’s a fact.

You really don’t need to bring all of your clothes, expensive jewelry, trophies from that time you did soccer in 2nd grade, etc. to your dorm. Just enough clothes to fit in your drawers/closet for all seasons, and a couple sentimental items to remind you of home.

Save the boxes you use to move into your dorm/apartment. You will need them come move out.

Live and die by the syllabi, but know that professors will change things up randomly. They will also announce things in class that are not on the syllabus at random. 

Do invest in some good plates and Tupperware.

Drink water. 

The freshman 15 is real and it is coming for you. But it’s okay. You’re still awesome. 

Parking in college is universally limited and unforgiving. Be mindful of this. 

Many retailers will have sales on microwaves and mini fridges when fall comes around. Invest in them. 

Storage containers are a must. 

Respect quiet hours. 

If you will be living on campus, and your campus is dry - RESPECT THAT. Seriously, it’s such a dumb mistake to make. I have friends who started out on probation because they decided to drink in their dorms their freshman year. 

Get a power strip. Or three.

There’s no dress code in college. So you can totally wear that crop top. But be mindful that those surrounding you are potential professional connections. A lot of college is networking. 

But, in all honesty, no one really cares what you are wearing. 

You are an adult now, so setting boundaries is necessary.

Don’t stay in that toxic relationship.

Keep in touch with your friends/family from back home. 

Do ask your professors questions in office hours, during class (if able to), or via email. 

Use protection.

Stand up for yourself, what you believe in, and others.

Get the number of at least one person in each class during syllabus week.

Expect to stay the entire 2-4 hours of your lab. 

Be respectful of your roommate’s space. 

Be respectful of other’s differing opinions in Blackboard discussions. 

Be a point whore. Do the extra credit. Do it. 

Remember that college is a new beginning. 

Realize that grades do not define your intelligence.

Realize that sometimes we fail classes, but it does not mean that we are not “smart enough.”

Know that college is not for everyone. 

It’s okay to take a couple semesters off to better yourself. I did, and I am so thankful that I made that decision.

Buy your textbooks and access codes and lab manuals as early as you can. 

Use a planner!!!!!! 

Mental health is just as important as physical health.

In Belgium we have this thing called ‘blok’. It’s the name for the two to three weeks of marathon studying between the end of classes and the start of exams, related to the verb ‘blokken’, which basically means ‘hardcore studying’. It’s obviously not a very pleasant time, so here are some tips to survive those study marathons!

1. Hydrate. Of course has been said again and again, but that’s because it’s so important! I usually get myself either a half-liter pint and a (reusable!) straw. Straws really help me to drink more, but they’re not very good for the environment, so if you can get your hands on a reusable one, go for it! You can also try adding fruit to your water for some extra flavour.

2. Breathe ouside air at least once a day. I don’t care how you do it. Take a walk at noon, go on a morning run, breathe really deep when you’re in line for the library, stick your head out of a window, I don’t care. Just do it. You need the oxygen and it’s not good to sit inside all day.

3. Don’t wear stuff you sleep in. Now, I’m not saying you can’t wear pjs. What I’m saying is, don’t wear the pjs you wore to bed. Not even if you study at home. Don’t do it. Make sure your brain knows that studying and sleeping are two very different things.

4. Get off your butt during breaks. Sometimes when I’m on a roll at the library, I can study a whole afternoon, with breaks only to go to the bathroom and to refill my waterbottle/make new tea. It works, because I walk around. Point being, have a dance break! Go for a walk! Move!

5. Sleep is useful. I get that if you have an exam the next day and you really need to finish this last chapter, you stay up until 3am. But otherwise, don’t do that to yourself. You can do that tomorrow morning. Your brain needs sleep, you’re not wasting time. Promise. Take care of yourself.

1. Organization and discipline are two totally different things. Being organized, in whatever aspect of your life, takes discipline and drive. Organization is a daily routine, and developing the discipline to keep yourself in that routine and thrive in it will carry you well in the coming year. Get a journal/notebook/calendar. Decorate it as you wish or not at all–it IS for you after all, so do what you think works best. Set a reminder in your phone or something within view that reminds you to check your planner if need be, and set aside 5+ minutes to do so. This will help you get in the swing of things :)

2. Eat as healthy as you possibly can, but let’s be real, chocolate, candy, chips, etc. gets the best of ANYONE. I say this because I feel it’s best to stress, especially in the coming year, that we’re not perfect. Feed your brain fruit, healthy grains, vegetables, calcium and iron-rich foods, etc., but it’s more than okay to go for that chocolate bar every now and then.

3. Sleep. Netflix will save where you last left off on Stranger Things. Hulu will remember where you were at on your movie. Sleep will not. You will NEVER be able to make up for lost sleep, no matter how hard you try. So set yourself a set bedtime that will get you the best amount of sleep that you’ll need to function optimally the next day. Shoot for 7+ hours. Your body needs rest. Put the laptop and phone away, meditate, count sheep, or whatever it is that will help you sleep…and do so. I can’t stress how much sleep affects mental and physical health, and overall function. Don’t take it for granted.

4. There’s a difference between challenging yourself and overwhelming yourself. I am throwing this phrase at you guys in the form of glitter and positive energy as we speak. This is SOOOOOO!!!! IMPORTANT!!!! Challenging yourself is great, but it has its limits. If you want to take an AP class, by all means do so. If you’re planning on taking 4 at one time, check yourself and ask yourself, “Combined with my other commitments, will this overwhelm me?” It’s a simple question, but it’s a very important one. In college, keep in mind the classes you need to take and how many credit hours you think you can feasibly take on. Your mental health is so important, please don’t wear your pretty selves down ✨🌸

5. Give yourself something to look forward to everyday. It can be big, or small. But I’ve found that finding something to look forward to the next day, whether it’d be cracking open a new book, watching a new video your favorite youtuber put out, making a nice breakfast, etc. can really go a long way. We all need a little motivation to get through the day. It’s in the little things, trust me.

6. Find a hobby. Hobbies are so important. They’re great coping mechanisms and ease the stress of work, school, etc. Take some time to find what you’re interested in and start small. Try scrapbooking, or maybe join a fun club on campus. If you’re into cooking, look up some recipes you wouldn’t normally try and try it! Get funky! Take a dance class or go to they gym. Find what suits you. It will help you in the long run.

7. Love yourself. This is easier said and done, obviously, but promoting a positive mental image of yourself is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Cut yourself some slack. It sounds so cheesy, but go look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself one thing you love about yourself. Do it every morning. Or, write it down in a journal or something. Say it to yourself on the bus. Hang with people that make you feel good about yourself and add value to your life. Do things that make you happy. Listen to new music, reward yourself with a new outfit. You guys are all gorgeous ass human beings and I want nothing but the greatest of self-love for you guys ❤️❤️

8. ...and love others, too. Remember your family, and your friends. They can be your greatest support system. Spend as much time with them as possible. Check in with your friends, hang out with them, be there for them. Be attentive at the dinner table with your family, engage in discussion. Take time to check in on your siblings. If you find yourself liking someone and it turns into a budding relationship, assess if the person will add to your happiness and that it is healthy. Also determine if you’ll be able to provide the time, energy, and care that goes into a relationship among the other commitments in your life. If check, check, and check, by all means go ahead. Have a blast 😎😇

have 3 achievable goals a day: having a laundry list of things to do everyday is super unrealistic, and you just end up feeling bad about yourself because you didn’t accomplish your goals for the day.

leave your sundays open: i love sundays because they’re my day to chill out and catch up on school work that i wasn’t able to finish during the week.

recognize when you’re at your emotional limits: forcing yourself to get work done when you are unable to comprehend your study material does not benefit anyone.

learn how to say no: people will ask you for your time and it will stretch you to the limit, whether it be at your job, in your extracurriculars, or in your personal life. know when to step back and say no.

take care of yourself physically: take breaks, go for walks, shower regularly, get enough sleep, eat healthy, see your friends

celebrate your accomplishments: go out to eat with friends after a big exam, indulge in a night off after a busy week with some netflix and wine

make a study plan beforehand: it can be daunting to see how much work you need to put in to a class or task beforehand, but this allows you to spread your work evenly so you don’t become overwhelmed.

learn how to ask for help: it is very rare that people make it through school, whether it be high school or university or any graduate program, without needing the advice of others or just a kind soul to vent to. find that person.

never forget your hobbies: you will need things that keep you sane. if you love to play music, write, play volleyball, or cook, make you sure you don’t lose these things. they will become your escape when times get tough.

The “Things I Did Well Today” Challenge

Hey everyone! My mentor started doing this awesome challenge on Instagram. Every day she posts about anything productive she does, from getting out of bed to submitting an important paper. 

My goal is to bring this challenge here to studyblr (if it isn’t here already). This challenge is similar to the 100 days of productivity, but you can choose our own times to post - for 30 days, 100, every other day, or even forever, if you’re up for it. Make it your own unique challenge!

With this challenge, there’s no pressure to be perfect or look like the perfect studyblr account. The focus is less on productivity, and more on what makes you proud of yourself If getting dressed is something you did well, make a post about it! If you finished a project, post about it! If you did anything that makes you proud, include it! 

While you’re at it, tag your post with #things i did well today or #tidwt

Just completed and submitted the final version of my Extended Essay !!! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖° 

So I compiled lists of words that I found super super useful in making it easier for me to finish any essay !! Here is a masterpost of some sort with transition words + key vocabs grouped together for easy access as well as an IB IOC ‘cheat sheet’ I used for my english LAL orals last year (though most commentaries follow a similar structure so its generalisable) ~

Good luck with your essays !!!

first of all, and probably most importantly, make that paper about something you actually give a shit about. if you can write an essay on how long shakespeare’s dick is when you’re talking to your friends, that’s a good topic. don’t choose something u don’t care about, you will Want To Die

“okay but the only topics are ones i don’t care about” talk 2 ur teacher 99% of the time if you’re like “here’s a well-thought-out thesis can i talk about this instead” they’re like “sure lmao i just couldn’t think of other paper topics to suggest”

“they said no” cool find the one u hate the least and try to tie it into something u like. for example i really hated this stupid paper i had to write about a stupid book so i ended up writing about the food inside the book and whether or not it was a historically accurate depiction of food. turns out i fucking love talking about food. i also remade some of the old recipes and brought them in as part of the presentation of my project and people went fuckken nuts bc BREAD. basically i thought about “what motivates me? uh food” and followed that. it was a 45-page book about bread and i looked like a really good student when really i just love bread (somewhere, oprah smiles over me)

the 20-pagers are the ones you Actually Cannot Do the night before. i know we all got real fuckken cocky back in hs when we learned how to do 5 pages in one night w/out trying too hard but 1. as a teacher now i can tell u for sure that teachers do know you rushed it, we just Don’t Care bc We’re Not Paid Enough and 2. twenty pages is not the same thing. you need to actually take the time to do it. this is the actual version of “you’re not in hs anymore” DONT lie to yourself and think “it’s fine i’ll do it in one day” you will !! Regret it!!!! 

“raquel. raquel. listen to me. do you actually believe i’m capable of time management. raquel i have depression i barely manage to exist.” same. but the truth is that when i started like?? actually following the rules of timelines and taking my time etc it actually really helps mental illness. you don’t feel pressured all the time by a deadline, so your anxiety chills a little bit. small progress being acceptable means that on depression days, you don’t have to worry you’re fucking it all up. when it’s 15 minutes every day (even if it’s only 1 word a day) it feels a lot better.

ask the teacher what timeline they’d recommend. they actually Know.

always ask if it’s informal or formal (if you can use “I” statements or not). informal essays can rely on personal feelings and are so much easier and trust me if you find out on the day it’s due that you could have written 12 pages about your feelings instead of 12 pages of research, you will Be Very Upset

i lie to myself all the time and move the deadline up. i write it in my agenda as at least 2 days before it’s due. surprise!!! i tricked u, self!!! you can’t procrastinate!! 

agendas/planners need to be what actually works for you. i liked to prioritize w/colors + keep lists. i really love crossing things off lists. it’s like… a balm. for me, i usually say i have to finish the first 2 things, start the 3rd thing, and “touch” at least half the list. if i finish the whole list i get a prize. also i get to cross off everything which is so satisfying i’m sure it’s someone’s idea of a rush. there’s so many “how to” documents on these that i won’t get into it but frankly?? if you don’t write it down you will not remember it. “yes i will” no you won’t greg. just do it. write it down. write it where u can see it. not there, greg. greg, somewhere good. my friend is smart af and uses a post-it on her laptop. that doesn’t work for me bc i can just? use my hand to cover the anxiety? so choose somewhere good greg.

nervous system, skeleton, meat, skin. nervous system is the thesis. skeleton is quotes/data. meat is the analysis of that data. skin is the fancy transitions + beautification.  meat goes on both sides of bone, and skin goes all around. nervous system has to touch everything. do what your teachers have been begging u to do since 3rd grade and start w/an outline. do this while you read/research. i usually have a starter thesis like “lady macbeth is a feminist ICON” then take the quotes i think fit. but if while you’re reading u realize u wanna talk about the use of feminine language and how shakespeare parallels daintiness w/sharpness, u still have a bunch of quotes you can use or not use. this works also w/research papers. just pull what u think is something u wanna talk about. copy-paste it but leave a link to where u got it. then put a bullet point under that says roughly why u mention it

if you just write the outline like you’re keeping notes to yourself you’d be amazed how quickly you write the essay bc we get stuck in academic language but it’s easier to translate “this is why bees are the #bomb” into a paragraph. i mean you just rewrite your notes to yourself in academic speech. “The above passage illustrates the growing necessity of pollinators such as bees in an agricultural environment.”

keep track of your sources + label them. don’t just write “(SOURCE)” instead if you’re using multiple sources use the lazygirl way which is (SA1) or whatever shorthand u have for each source. then when you need to finish your sources you go to your little source document, find the one labelled SA1 and then “Find+replace” w/the actual source.

integrate quotes so it reads w/clarity which means don’t do this but if you’re running late on it and don’t have time to look up the quote u want to fit this situation, technically you can “use any” word you want (56). so yeah “there is” a moral question about it but you “can” make up quotes (79, 90). don’t “actually” do this unless you’re seriously in a crunch. which u shouldn’t be, bc u managed ur time, right?

running late part 2 (which again would never happen bc you followed my advice and made a little time table for yourself but anyway if it does somehow magically happen) i really recommend using school computers to do your work. ur surrounded by people who will hold u accountable + u will focus

running late pt3 on the day of it being due, around 5 PM, be honest w/yourself and see where you are. if you’re like “it needs 2 more hours” okay. but if you’re like “this is……… not started” email the teacher. they’ll be so much more receptive the earlier you do this in the process. it looks like “i’m genuinely struggling and i hope to finish this on time but i’m worried i won’t” instead of “i started this at 11:58PM and am asking for an extension”. please also just… be honest? 

“my teacher won’t accept late work!” they all say that, he probably will, particularly if you have a note from the school therapist being like “lmao she’s got so many mental illnesses idek how to help her”

“no he really doesn’t, he doesn’t care” you can file for disability if you have mental illness, and, in fact, you should if it’s something that often stops you from completing work on time. i didn’t bc i found that it just let me procrastinate for a longer time, but having that on file means you can go to the dean.

“no!!! raquel you’re not listening i have 2 pages and he doesn’t take late work!!!!!!!!!”  okay. yeah that’s bad. but nerves, skeleton, meat, skin. what is it that you’re struggling with? is it that your can’t find any quotes to back up your thesis? impossible, tbh, you need to be more willing to purposefully misuse quotes (don’t do that). but the better option is to just change the thesis. 

“i don’t even have that!!” did you. do the reading? if you even just watched the movie, you probably have an opinion on something even if it’s “this is bad.” you can use that. use why you didn’t like it to write a hate-fueled examination on how whiny the main character is and why u think the author is trying to point out how miserable cis white boys are to deal with. 

“i don’t have enough sources!!!” go to wikipedia’s page about it and look @ the sources. try to like actually read some if you have time but frankly in a hurry a student (me) might be compelled to just slap the source in there. 

“how the fuck do i analyze this”. u know how ppl agonize over why an actor breathed in a scene. melt into that kind of thinking. you can literally force the words to mean whatever you want. i’ve talked about word choice so specific that i based a 12-page essay on three separate uses of the words “my dear”. i talked about the possessive “my” and how it developed for like 5 of those pages. and always repeat the thesis like a million times. after every analysis you should talk about how it links to the thesis. that is like a free 3 sentences every paragraph.

“i did all that and it’s still 3 pages too short” quick ways to Beef Him Up: definitions are great in research papers + essays bc you can talk about either word choice or like the definition of every process used in getting the data. also make the conclusion hella informative (it should answer “what does this mean moving forwards” most of the time, tie it into modern life or into the past). thicken ur intro with “here’s a quote from this guy about it and what he personally felt about acid-base titrations”, use a paragraph to talk about the history of the data/book, use a paragraph to talk about the modern reception of the data/book. also look for where you can use two words instead of one even tho like grammatically don’t do that.

worst comes to worst, brevity is the soul of wit. most teachers prefer concise over rambling and all over the place. if you choose to scoot under the page limit, tho, your writing etc needs to be exceptionally clean. frankly i’ve only done this once and it was terrifying

make computer read it aloud 2 u before u submit. “raquel….. i can’t look at it anymore”. you’re not looking @ it, you’re discovering you wrote “breath” not “breathe” and u need to change it

tutoring centers exist, i worked in one, and this is how i know they actually Help and have Good Ideas

ask about extra credit and do it tbh