i got this

On the following picture, you’ve got a complete textbook before your eyes. On 13 pages. Yes.

The thing that saved me everytime was this: “Know the structure of the textbook and know the textbook”. It can also be about lessons, but I know a lot of people work with textbooks.

(I did it from 5:30am to 19pm with only 2 hours of sleep because my second finals are in one week, so please don’t be mad about my handwriting)

“A new method? I already have one.” I know we all have our methods. If you like yours and have the results your want, that’s good, keep doing it! But if you’re searching for a new one or like to improve your learning skills, and if you’re a visual learner, I suggest you take a look at mine!

Best thing that can happen to you: you’ll see a different way of doing things and it can be what you were looking for!

Worst thing that can happen to you: this method is not for you but it made you see things differently, or you still learned something different, or it had the motivation you needed today. It’s not wated time if it didn’t work for you! Note besides: I bet you understood that I don’t like regretting something. Regret is just a weight that I don’t need. Instead, I try to take the best of everything that I could be regretting and turn it into a positive thing (I won’t do this again, I’ll do things differently, I discovered something).

The structure of my post:

First, I’ll be talking about this method that I recommand for visual learners,

Then, I’ll be showing you why this method works for me.

Finally, I’ll be talking about how I discovered this method (before I was so done with millions of flashcards, I got inspired by my teachers).

Open the following line to see my post.

November 25, 2017

READING TIME: 6.4 minutes 

Triumphant music playing. A wild Nandini jumps in front of the green-screen, donning a red cape, and strikes a Superman pose but is blinded by about a hundred ring lights being switched on.

“Andrew, MUST you ruin my cameos?”

The redhead cameraman rolls his eyes and defends himself, “Lighting is everything.” Nandini clicks her tongue, shields her eyes with the cape (yes, she’s now Red Riding Hood) and puts on an equally blinding smile towards the camera.

“Welcome to the Conquerors’ Causerie Podcast Station! Today, I’m SET to solve every student’s mystery: productivity after school. So, if you’ll please, conquerors, put on that pirate hat (because she’s indecisive and now wants to be Captain Hook), and tune that rusty radio to our channel. Let’s SAIL!”

*The wild Nandini hops onto a chair and brandishes the cape like a sword* AHOY MATEY! ALL FORWARD!

NOTE!

This is a complete system. Though it has worked tremendously well for me, it may not for you. I suggest trying this for a week, noting difficulties, and tuning the system accordingly for the future.

Since each step has been patiently explained, some of y'all might get lost in admiring the quality. For better educational retainment, I’ve included a summary of the system at the end.

Feel free to reply with ideas on improving this structure! Passengers of the Conqeranic (this ship ain’t sinking though) are always looking to better themselves!

➡ ✨ Lastly, about my taglist: I tag readers at the end of every article now, so they get notified when I upload (because Tumblr killed links). Details—if you wanna be included—are in the End Card.

Step ONE: Make a ONE TASK To-do at School.

Before getting home, decide on ONE task to work on. No, DON’T plan your entire schedule out. That’ll become a consuming task, and our mission here is to make this system as easy as possible for it to stick.

Get yourself one starting point— whether it’s a high-priority task (upcoming deadlines, assignments due tomorrow) OR a low-priority one (homework from your favourite subject, skimming couple pages of a novel). For me, it’s the commitment to write 2 paras for the latest article I’m planning. It ain’t school related, I admit, but it’s high-priority work for me, so it counts. For you, perhaps it’ll be to knock 5 problems off the weekly statistics problem set or finish 7 pages of reading for an upcoming lecture– everything works!

Whatever is it is, here are the two criterias:

Make it SPECIFIC (2 paragraphs, 5 problems, etc.)

Something that lasts 20-30 mins, because y'all will kill me if this torture goes on any longer.

Step TWO: Start When You Get Home.

THIS is where everyone goes wrong. You CANNOT let yourself slack when you get home. For the system to be a success, this is key! The star on the X-Mas tree! The daddy cherry on the daddy pie! (Edit: we need therapy. I know, sex therapy?? … yes I’m leaving)

If you need to, mentally prepare yourself for 30 mins of work as you’re coming back home. Just ½ an hour! You won’t die if you don’t eat or shower immediately, but your productivity sure will.

Soldier, understand. Here’s why: When you’re back home from school, you’re at your weakest. Temptation levels are at an all-time high and your brain’s like “Um HELLO CHILD? We already did 8 hours of shit school, time for vacation.” If you can overcome this, everything else will be smooth. Just do half an hour of work!

DON’T let yourself slack. Am I being a parental disaster here? Maybe. But just trust me, kiddos, and buckle up for one pomodoro session.

Step THREE: Bare Necessities

(I made a pun!) 30 mins of work done—the foundation for today’s success now laid—you’re allowed a nice 45 min chunk to indulge in the following 3 necessities, GO:

Shower!

Eat food!

Make a full to-do!

Fair warning: This ain’t fun time, so stop reading that smut in the bathroom. The aim of this quarter is to refresh & prime yourself for the marathon of hustle coming up (‘course it’s coming, why you surprised honey, this is team conquer) and not slack and fall into a rut. So dare I say it: WiFi isn’t allowed.

I sympathize with the entire population of Gen-Z wailing and unsubscribing, so here’s an alternative to protect your productivity— Switch off the WiFi. But keep a 20 min YouTube video and your favourite playlists downloaded. Use that instead.

Now quick, the clock’s ticking!

#1 Shower, repeat affirmations and twerk your booty while you’re at it.

#2 Eat food (and watch the downloaded video), preferably something healthy, and get right back to your Slay Station (sorry, ‘desk’ made me yawn).

#3 Lastly, schedule your day. Take 15 mins and plan out the next few work hours with exactly what you’ve gotta do.

That’s the student’s version of Eat, Pray, Love. (… when you plug self-help books for free, WHERE ARE MY SPONSORS)

Step FOUR: Soldier, Begin the March!

Now, warrior! You’ve must sit down at your desk, and face your biggest fears. Invest the next 2 hours in getting high quality, high priority work crossed off. For me, this usually turns out to be readings, prepping for upcoming exams and doing maths (I’m trying to turn math into a habit this year, and this turns out to be the perfect time to work without distractions).

Couple restrictions: (I know y'all wanna suffocate me with a smelly sock)

No WiFi. There’s no way you’re gonna get deep work done with you changing playlists every 5 mins, answering texts and fighting the urge to watch Netflix.

Work in chunks of 30-45 mins. In your breaks, move, read a physical book, draft a bit of an article on an offline notepad or watch a downloaded video.

Perhaps keep a mug of coffee nearby. Personally, I become a sloth during the afternoons (science, mom, it’s called an afternoon slump) and it’s an actual struggle to not fall asleep for the next 84 hours.

Step FIVE: Take A Mid-evening Break.

You’ve earned a major break! And so have I, because I’m writing this during mine! (Nobody cares but I’mma brag anyway.) Most folks prefer a lunch break, but please allow me to introduce— the Mid-Evening Break.

Here are the guidelines for a mid-evening break:

+ Allocate an entire hour (or 1½ hour, depending on how accomplished you feel).

+ Couple productive things to do, which might’ve slipped off your schedule due to an accumulation of work:

Drink a cup of tea and listen to a podcast. (I recommend Harry Potter and the Sacred texts, for it’s easy to digest and very entertaining)

Exercise! If you’re new to it, just throw in a couple squats, push-ups, mountain climbers etc, or just some stretching. Move that bod, amigo.

Read! When was the last time you read for fun? This is also a prime time to read valuable nonfiction, if you enjoy reading it.

+ Some fun things to do, to rejuvenate:

Watch videos from your Watch Later. If you let yourself scroll through cat video recommendations, you’re 10x more likely to start bingeing on meaningless crap. Your Watch Later hopefully has better videos, and that ish has been in the dust for ages anyway.

Plan out your next meal, and get yourself a snack!

Reply to messages/asks or talk to a friend.

Watch ONE Netflix episode. Harness that non-existent self-control, frendo.

Personal Example: Most days, I start off by writing a bit of a post, throw in a quick workout, and watch a few videos. I’ll end with checking socials and maybe replying to some messages.

Step SIX: Rinse and Repeat.

Round two! Obviously, don’t overworking yourself, but working on lighter projects for 1-2 hours after the break sounds cool. These include getting started on upcoming projects, working on a hobby, learning a skill, getting future readings for lectures done. Again, work in chunks, and take breaks as and when required.

Remember to stop working at a decent time, then go enjoy your entertainment without guilt! Also get to bed reasonably soon! Be kind, do good!

ALTERNATIVE:

If you’re not used to working in a strict schedule like this, which follows work work work (Riri be thriving), begin by following this for just one day per week (follow your current routine for the rest of it) and continue building on it.

This one helps me get enormous amounts of shit done, but it can get a bit extreme. Listen to yourself, and tune this accordingly. (For instance, when I’m exhausted, I’ll take my mid-evening break a bit earlier than usual to not die. Listen. To. Yourself.)

For Those Keeping Minutes, Here’s The Recap:

As you’re going back home, pick one task to start work on.

When you get back home, start work on it immediately. Spend just 20-30 mins on the task– creating your foundation for success.

Take 45 mins to do the three necessities next: shower, eat, and plan.

Hustle time! Focus, get deep work done. Knock down an essay, prep for an exam— work without distractions, and keep coffee near to fight the afternoon slump.

2 hrs later, take a mid-evening break! You’re finally allowed to use the WiFi! For the next hour, do whatever rejuvenates you. We stan healthy living.

Round two! Work for 2-3 hours again, this time on comparatively lighter projects (or that dreaded homework you’ve been procrastinating on, yikes)

Once you’re done, live your life! Party! Watch a movie! Dance, shake your booty! Brush yo teeth and get to bed on time.

:) Thanks for joining the Conquerors’ Causerie Podcast! Try this out— and lemme know how it goes, #team conquer, ayo. Productivity is a routine, it doesn’t magically happen one sunny day. So give this shit a try!

🌿 The End Card For Love & Plugging

✨ JOIN MY TAGLIST? Here’s how! REPLY to this post (a must!) so that I keep track. Maybe also reblog the post to boost it (though that’s 100% optional), I’ll really appreciate!

Want to request a post? Drop your request in my ask box!

Have something to say? I treasure all feedback! If this post inspired you to do something, or you wanna throw some love/constructive criticism at me, hop into my ask box, or reply to this post itself!

Thanks for dropping by! New posts come out every Thursday, and so do my wins, journal entries, philo rants & photos of my plant babies throughout the week, so follow me if you’re into conquering life. I promise to be your loudest cheer woman. ✧

Sending you love and good energy, talk soon.

— Nandini 💌 (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

✨ TAGLIST:

Thank you to these folks for supporting my content! I love you, hope y'all are doing well. ⬇

Hello! So y'all know that Tumblr killed links a while ago. This change has been WILDLY frustrating for me, because as much as I’ve tried, I simply can’t cut out my links, for credit, plugging & other reasons.

I’ve now decided to directly tag my readers at the bottom of an article, so that they get notified when I upload a new post. (Don’t know how many of y'all have notifs for my blog, but turn them off lmao, I shitpost a lot)

So YOU! HELLO! If you wanna get included in my taglist:

Reply to this post. Say hi, whine about how annoying Tumblr is, insert a hundred heart emojis, anything! I’ll include you on my taglist.

And you get:

A follow from me! (but only if you post shit, I won’t follow empty blogs)

A new article about lifestyle design and productivity every Thursday! (my regulars are wheezing lmao, but I promise I’m going to follow a regular schedule now)

A companion to help support you while you’re slaying life!

🌿 Listen, pal. I craft my articles with a lot of love, so I promise you’ll only get notified about stuff worth reading about. Thank you for supporting me, I appreciate and love you tremendously.

Tagging some of my mutuals & friends so that they can boost this if possible:

@moonshinestudies, @athenastudying, @coffeeandpies, @lunetudes, @bujo-onthebeat, @gloomstudy, @studyblr, @studylustre, @eintsein, @einstetic, @the-diary-of-a-failure, @adelinestudiess, @studahliless, @stuhde, @hannistudies, @scienceandsarcasticdroids, @tonystarkstudies, @redvelvetstu-dies, @vivinotes, @inspostudying, @fluencylevelfrench, @jynsdesk, @studign-stars, @londonotes, @elkstudies, @etudiaire, @moonstarbujo, @indiaisstudying, @literery, @vocative + anyone who wants to help out! 

Remember, even you mutuals need to say something to be included. I’ve already personally msged a couple of y'all about it, because I really don’t want to annoy people unnecessarily if they’re not interested. Say HI (we’re all about greetings here) if you wanna be included! Thank you!

wait until after syllabus week to buy your textbooks. they might not be required. it’ll save you money 

prioritize your classes by number of credit hours. more credit hours = bigger impact on your GPA. sometimes there’s not enough study time to go around  

if you wanna dress up for class, dress up for class. if you wanna pull up in the sweatshirt you wore yesterday, that’s okay too 

locate your classes before they start, so you don’t get lost on the first day. check and see if your college has an app of some sort with a campus map! 

old exams are more valuable than life itself  

set your class schedule as your home screen until you’ve got it down 

Chegg.com. you’re welcome 

carry a sweatshirt. it may be 100 degrees outside but chances are it’s 30 degrees in your lecture hall  

keep your syllabi  

write things down!! planner, phone, laptop, etc.  

sit in the front. go up and introduce yourself to your professor after the first day, say you’re looking forward to the class. build a relationship! Professors do not round grades for students they don’t at least recognize 

bring your chargers with you everywhere 

sometimes it’s easier to wake up early and study for an exam than stay up late the night before  

shower shoes. have you ever heard of toe fungus 

the dorms are bad BUT you will get through it (and make friends while doing it) 

there’s no such thing as a condom that doesn’t fit    

every time you skip class it costs you money. go to class. (unless you are dying or have no other time to finish something for another class)

your mental health is important. college can be overwhelming. know your limits. seek help if you need it. 

sometimes if you go to your professor’s office hours and ask questions a day or two before an exam they will steer you towards information that will be covered 

find your study space. the library is your friend  

parking is a bitch and a half 

it’s okay to miss your parents. call them. (they miss you too) 

talk to your advisor!!! let them advise you!!!

don’t study yourself into the ground. after college you’re a real life adult - enjoy college while it lasts. go out, make friends, if you drink, do so responsibly. uber exists for this very reason 

keep an eye on your drink at all times 

don’t feel pressured to go out and drink because college. it’s not for everybody  

on a related note: pedialyte is your friend  

don’t be afraid to drop a class that doesn’t fit you, but talk to your advisor first 

chances are you’re paying a lot of money to be where you are. party if you wanna, but do not let it interfere with your grades.  

you’re gonna get a lot of free stuff. take advantage 

if you can handle it with your class load, get a job. it’s a good way to make friends. 

it’s okay to change your major. really! 

first semester is easier if you get involved with something!!   

there will be weeks when you have nothing due, and then there will be weeks when you have 5 exams 14 assignments and 2 papers due all at once. take advantage of down time. work ahead!! make life easier for your future self  

carry a water bottle  

exercise will not only help avoid the freshman 15 but also make you feel better  

it’s okay if you’re not best friends with your roommate 

communicate if they are doing something that annoys you  

keep your dorm clean. the only thing worse than a tiny space is a messy one 

Keep any contracts you sign, even if they’re no big deal.

Sleep. Please. A real amount.

Dry shampoo will be your friend

Keep a shower cap. They come in handy

Set a day to clean. School is stressful, and sometimes your room will suffer. A clean space will not only keep things organized, but it’ll actually help your mental health.

Eat mostly real and healthy food. Pizza and junk food is great and all, but it’ll eventually start making you sick. You don’t have time to be sick, and being sick sucks.

Set a day aside to relax. You’ll thank me.

Do something outside your major. It’ll help with burn out. There will be times that you’ll be annoyed with everyone in department. It helps to have a second home.

Start early. If you need to, set the due date in your calendar like a day or two early to avoid doing it last second.

Network network network!!!

Be kind to people.

Be kind to yourself.

Try to get out of your comfort zone! Try new things (as long as they are safe)! That’s what college is about.

Try not to be arrogant. We’re all in the same boat.

It’s ok to graduate late. Do what’s best for you!

Drink water!!!!

01.14.19✨

Yeah this is from yesterday. But here’s my spread 😅 I love to watercolor but really need to get me watercolor paper

14.01.2019

Wow, these days my positivity is surprising me. I’m super energetic and always working on some initiative. I’m incredibly motivated…

The thing that is existing me mostly in these days is my new YouTube channel: and my first 2 uploaded Vlogs! I’m working so hard on it and all the process is taking me so much time and energy, but I really hope that it’s gonna worth it!

Anyway, in the pics you can see my 2019 Overview pages and the watercolour paint on which I worked yesterday… I love how it’s coming, what do you think?

This is the last entry of my 2018 journal.

december 20, 2018 - the living room sessions, 18/?

hello friends! i’m back with more improv since you guys seem to really like it. i tried my best to be as smooth as possible with minimal awkward pauses and hesitations, and i think this turned out alright! i don’t really have anything else to say other than that there’s a lot of quarter-note triplets, syncopation, and jazzy chords in here lol. i hope you all enjoy listening!

as always, shout-out to my lovely and amazing supporters, under the cut!

much love, katrina

p. s. want to be included in the shout-out for my next living room session? support my music by reblogging this track, and DO NOT DELETE THE CAPTION! it’s that simple. :)