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Hi friends! I don’t think I’ve ever done this before on this blog, so to celebrate almost 1 year of being a studyblr and back to school time, I want to do blogrates!

Rules:

✏️ Please be following me! ✏️ REBLOG this post to spread the word! ✏️ Check out my studygram maybe? It’s the same as my URL! :D ✏️ send me your studygram if you have one (I want to follow more!) and tell me about your day, some song/movie/tv show/book recs, your major, etc! Send anything you like!!

Format:

📚 URL: /10 📚 ICON: /10 📚 MOBILE THEME: /10 📚 POSTS: /10 📚 COMMENTS:

08/27/16 - finally bought a leuchtturm (impossible to pronounce) and i’m so glad i can go back to dot grid paper + a few pulls from my @pugliepug pencil case!!!

Hello incoming freshman and studyblr addicts! I finally have a “master post” of sorts for you! Hopefully this will help you all out! ~ S.R

STUDYING:

Please don’t think you can get away with not studying! It’s seriously going to hurt you! Especially if you’re taking an honors class!

Plan out what you need to get done and set a certain amount of time for each subject! An app to help you bunnies out and get stuff done is called 30/30! You can read about it here!

I find that a lot of bunnies can easily get distracted by their phones, tablets, etc. Well I have the solution for you! Its an app called Forest! You choose the amount of time you want to work without getting distracted, and hit start! It plants a seed for you and when you reach the end of the timer a little tree is grown! If you quit though, to check snapchat, or answer a text etc, it dies! I personally like it though because after the month comes to an end you get to see how big your forest has grown! Get it here!

For bunnies that are taking a language ( or any class you need to memorize stuff in ) this year, or are continuing with one I have an app for you! (If you like flashcards of course!) It is simply called Flashcards, and is one of the coolest study apps I have found! As a pre-warning though I will admit that it is a little hard to figure out at first. After a few times navigating the app it gets easier! The app of course has normal flash cards, but then there are over 24 games. These include things like Flappy Bird, Fruit Ninja, Whack-A-Mole, and the list goes on! Another thing that REALLY comes in handy is the dual station! You just connect your friends to the flashcards by giving them the link, and then they join in through their device, and then you  can compete against each other! To get the games though you must put in a email. (They never send you junk mail, and don’t worry, its free!) I used this all year long and it was a life saver! Made studying a lot more fun! Get it here! 

When you don’t have homework, remember you DO. There is always going to be something that you can improve on! Don’t brush it off!

Only study as a group if you feel like you can handle it! @studyign made a perfect video if you plan to though!

If you feel like listening to music, studies have shown to only listen to music that doesn’t have any words! This is because your subconscious won’t be focusing on the task at hand and will be thinking about the lyrics rather than being 100% concentrated! Spotify has a good list of playlists that are perfect for studying in the Focus section!

MOTIVATION:

A common thing I’ve seen in the studyblr community is the 100 Days of Production Challenge. This is a personal goal that you set for yourself, and you post a photo each day of what you did to be productive! You’ll be surprised with what you get done, even if its a small amount! Get the info from @elizastudies ’s post here! (I will be starting this when school starts in a week!)

Another common thing I’ve seen float around the community is a simple quote called, “NO ZERO DAYS.” I do not know who this originated from but props to them for creating this. Its basically where you do at least ONE thing to be productive a day, because One is greater than Zero right? See how long you can go for! ;) 

Think about where you want to go in life! Nobody had things just handed to them! They had to work for it! Step away from your laptop or computer, and get whatever IT is done! (After you finish reading this of course! Otherwise you’ll miss out on the rest!)

What are YOU going to do to get into that dream school of yours? What are YOU going to do thats different from everyone else? How are YOU going to get to that point in your life? What is it that YOU could be doing right now to push yourself closer to that dream? Think about what will happen 10 years from now, and you didn’t accomplish that dream? How happy will you be? How is the guilt of not doing all you could do to get there?

STRESS:

Don’t stress out about grades. If you study hard you’ll be perfect!

If you’re the type of person that DOES get stressed out, you have to remember to not push yourself too hard! Thats where the stress could be coming from!

Things that may help you de-stress are always helpful! Here are some ideas! 

Take a nice, soothing warm bath or shower, and listen to some calming music! (DON’T BRING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA WITH YOU!!!)

Meditation! There is always a place to meditate. Lay down or sit up on the floor, or your bed, and listen to some meditation music! After a song (meditation music is usually seven minutes long or so,) slowly wiggle you fingers and toes, and then open your eyes. When meditating make sure you release your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Try not to think of anything. Just lay there.

Stress relieving lotion always help! You can get it at Bath and Body Works here!

Make sure you’re taking enough breaks from studying and drinking plenty of water. When you’re dehydrated you’re more prone to stress.

SLEEP. Please don’t stay up studying or being on your phone until 1 am. It isn’t healthy at all! You’re going to be overtired and it is scientifically proven to decrease you’re capability to retain information.

SOME OTHER LIL RANDOM TIPS:

Eat breakfast. I do not care if you convinced yourself you don’t need it. Im here to tell you you do. You will not make it to lunch without the hunger making you unable to focus, and will no longer be concentrating on the information being thrown at you.

Set an alarm for an early wake up time. I recommend two hours so you’re not rushed, because that isn’t a good way to wake up. (Please keep in mind this is my personal preference, its not going to work for everyone.)

Not many people know this but setting your alarm with multiple times is horrible for your health, this is because it teaches your brain it doesn’t have to get up right away since there are more alarms. Get up the first time!

Dont procrastinate on any of your homework or projects! Please try to start and finish them when you get them! The work piles up quickly (Especially for those of you taking honors) and you will become overwhelmed!

Do ALL the extra credit! Even if its the stupidest thing ever! Ive noticed if you even get one bad grade on a test your grade plummets! That extra credit could mean the difference between a A- or an A. *cough* *cough* Math last year for me. *cough*

I’m having next Wednesday my first professional interview (eeeeek) so I decided to share the research I’m doing. I googled all of this and chose the information I found most important, and organized it. I truly hope it’s helpful for someone out there :)

PLAN AND PRACTICE:

always do your homework: learn about the organization, its ideas and story 

don’t necessarily memorize responses, but try to have a planned general strategy for answering common interview questions

practice in front of the mirror

be ready to briefly describe related experience

compare your qualifications to what the organization wants from you

COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

“What’s your biggest weakness?” Think of a genuine issue you have as well as ways you have managed to work with/around it.

“What’s your biggest strengths?” Stand out from the crowd and don’t be afraid to speak about your strengths in an authentic and compelling way. See if your strengths align with the company’s needs.

“ Why do you want this job?”/ “Why should we hire you?” Stay focused on why your background makes you an ideal candidate and tell them how you are going to contribute to that department and that company. 

“Tell me about yourself.” Don’t tell them your life story, instead discuss what your interests are relating to the job and why your background makes you a great candidate.

“Why did you leave your last job/position/school?” Do not go into details about your dissatisfaction, tell them that while you valued the experience and education you received, you felt that the time had come to seek outo a new opportunity, expand your skills and knowledge, and to find a company with wich you could grow. Try to put a positive spin on things. Be honest if you were fired but don’t trash your previous boss.

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”  Be honest about what your greater aspirations are.

And much much much more (from your behaviour to work experiences, education, interests and motivation or problems and challeges you’ve faced previously), I would encourage you to try to write down some topics for each questions that work for you. Being prepared is everything.

THE DAY OF THE INTERVIEW:

sleep and eat well so you look rested and healthy on the big day

give yourself time to calm down/meditate/relax

don’t noodle around on your phone or electronic device while waiting - it may communicate boredom and frivolousness, maybe stick your notebook/notes

What to wear: normally it’s best to dress neutral, professionally/formal, not overly fashionable or trendy, and brightly colored clothing is bad. Make sure your clothes are neat and wrinkle free, and make sure your image is very clean and neat.

What to bring: if revelant, extra copies of your resume on quality paper, a notepad or professional binder and pen, information you might need to complete an application.

IMPORTANT TIPS:

make eye contact

show courtesy to everyone during the interview, this means everyone from the reception staff to the interviewer herself

smile

have good posture

avoid fidgeting too much or playing with your hair/touching face

have a good handshake

don’t cross your arms over your chest

walk, act, talk with confidence

be comfortable and relaxed

choose the words you say

don’t place stuff on their desk

manage your reactions - facial and body expressions give clues on how you feel: project a positive image

show interest and enthusiasm

show warmth and personality - being personable is about getting the interviewer’s emotional side to like you and believe in you

don’t lie to make it seem like you know something you don’t. You probably won’t fool your interviewer, and admitting to not know something is much more impressive than lying

be honest

keep things simple and short, talk in 30-90 second chunks. Any less and you’re likely to seem unqualified; any more and your interviewer is likely to lose interest in what you’re saying

THINK OF QUESTIONS TO ASK: participating actively during the interview gives a good impression of your level of interest in the job. Most of times it is more adequeate to ask in the end of the interview.  But I feel like you really need to make sure your questions are adequate. Examples:

“What types of training opportunities do you offer?”

“What are the chances for professional growth in this job opportunity?”

“Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?”

ALWAYS ask the “ When can I expect to hear back from you about the position?” question if  the interviewer does not tell you. 

Good questions are open-ended, and thus cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no.” Better questions are behavioral: they ask how things are done or have happened in the past, because current and past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW:

shake hands with the interviewer - try to invest some feeling into the handshake and pleasantries, even if you think you bombed the interview

hold your head high and keep your cool

your emotions are probably teetering at the highest of highs or the lowest of lows, but try to stay measured

project a cool confidence, not cockiness, and walk out of the interview with your head held high

SOMETHING TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND:

when you know in your heart and your gut that you bring to the table something just as valuable as a paycheck and maybe much more – your tremendous experience, intellect and instinct – you’ll carry yourself differently. You won’t trip over your words in an effort to please His Majesty or Her Highness, because you’ll see yourself and the interviewer as equals on a level playing field. 

Summer Bullet Journal ✨

i always see ’ guides to the perfect morning ‘ or ‘ guides to the perfect night ‘ but never one where it encompasses the whole day and thus i decided to make one !!

note : 

i use the term ‘perfect’ very loosely and what you find a perfect day may not be the same as me but i hope you enjoy this post nonetheless :  )

also, this is more for the weekends and holidays as i didn’t include a school time period hehe

MORNING :

wake up by 0730 am 

our bodies are programmed to rise with the sun and thus this is an ideal waking up time 

besides, waking up earlier means that you have more time in the day to do the things that you want

try not to linger too much and just turn off your alarm and jump straight out of your bed

do try to make your bed as as the saying goes : messy bed, messy head

get ready between 0730 am to 0845 am

try to have a morning routine as having a routine at the start of the day will help set the tone for the rest of your day 

if you want an extra jolt of energy, try showering with cooler water

also try to go out for a run or walk ( just try to be active right in the morning )

have your breakfast between 0845 am to 0930 am

don’t skip breakfast !! it is the most important meal of the day and it gives you the boost of energy that you need to jump-start your day

try to opt for healthier and more nutritious options such as oats or cereal

work between 0930 am to 1230 pm

get into the habit of doing productive things in the morning this is as our bodies are at it’s peak performance and concentration 

during this time, i like to do the heavier tasks such as writing essays 

it is important to take short but frequent breaks !! ( try the pomodoro method )

AFTERNOON :

lunch break 1230 pm to 0200 pm

try consuming healthier food as it has been proven that our bodies are naturally inclined to be tired after lunch time thus try to avoid sweet or starchy food as they would make you even more lethargic

take this time to relax, maybe call up a friend to have lunch and do some catching up

start your day over 0200 pm to 0215 pm

as inspired by this post, re-evaluate your day at 2 pm

use this time to go through what you need to accomplish, what have you done and what you need to do

do your digital work 0215 pm - 0415 pm

as previously established, our bodies tend to be more sluggish after lunch, so i like to schedule my less taxing tasks here

take this time to go through your emails and start with your digital work ( i.e writing blog posts / coding / designing with photoshop etc )

i use cold turkey so that i can be the most productive and wouldn’t waste this time on instagram or tumblr

nap 0415 pm - 0445 pm

a nap in the middle of the day has been shown to be beneficial to our bodies

however, the length of it is very important. keep it to 20 - 30 mins as this will allow for energy boost while preventing the feeling of grogginess when you wake up

finish up any incomplete tasks 0445 pm - 0700 pm

it is nearing the end of the day so it’s time to wrap up any unfinished tasks

NIGHT :

dinner time 0700 pm to 0815 pm

try to eat a smaller portion of food as it’s the end of the day, your metabolism rate will slow down and you wouldn’t want to go to bed feeling bloated right? 

freshen up 0815 pm - 0900 pm 

after a long day of work, it is important to wash up and freshen up 

if there’s time, do take the time to pamper yourself a little ( maybe do a hair mask or face mask or both!! )

rest and relax 0900 pm - 1000 pm

take this time to completely relax

watch your favourite shows or youtubers 

no digital devices hour 0900 pm - 1000 pm

it has been shown that the blue light emitted from our screens can prevent the production of melatonin, which is a hormone that is responsible for making us feel sleepy

thus an hour before bed time, try avoiding any digital devices

instead, spend the time planning your outfits for the next day, packing your bag, meal prep or even just reading a book

lights out 1100 pm

to ensure that you have an adequate amount of sleep, try to go to sleep lastest by 11pm 

you can use a sleep tracker to tracker your sleep 

personally, i use the sleep cycle app which not only tracks my sleep but also has an alarm that wakes me up when i’m in my lightest phase of sleep

TADAH! that’s a perfect from day to night schedule that i would ideally follow

here’s a mini summary of how much time is spent doing what :

sleep : 8.5 hrs 

doing work : 7 hrs 15 mins ( 2 hrs of digital work + 5 hrs 15 mins of work )

resting : 1.5 hrs

get ready / freshening up : 2 hrs ( 1 hr 15 mins in the morning + 45 mins at night ) 

eating : 3.5 hrs ( 45 mins breakfast + 1.5 hr lunch + 1 hr 15 mins dinner )

other : 1 hr 15 mins ( 1 hr no digital time + 15 mins re-evaluating your day )

wooh ! i hope you enjoyed reading this post hehe 

I used to be the Queen of Procrastination, but there’s reason + ways I’ve overcome my problem. 

Do assignments when they’re given to you. Easy said than done, right? Wrong! It’s such a simple process, that a lot of us make such a big deal out of, just because we are lazy. When a teacher assigns work, do it that day. If it doesn’t require a lot of steps such as an essay, then you have no excuse to not finish it when it’s given to you.

- side note: I do my work as soon as I get home. I can’t study in a library because it’s too quiet for me. Honestly I’m able to get all of my work done in my room, on my bed. If you have enough discipline, you can keep yourself from trying to fall asleep. If you honestly can’t do this, then instead of heading back to your room, stay on campus and go to the library after class, or find a cafe. 

Get your priorities straight. You’re in school and there to get a better education so you can help make a difference in this world with efficient knowledge. Especially if you’re in college, why waste money when you’re not even going to do your work? These are the questions you seriously need to start asking yourself.

Your GPA only affects YOU. I know a lot of people say a GPA doesn’t define their worth, but in college…it does. We need to stop looking at everything with roses in our face. If you were so set out on not caring about your GPA, then you shouldn’t be in school in the first place. This life is very challenging and someone’s always going to outshine you. Procrastinating on work, is like procrastinating on life. You’re showing that you’re okay with someone showing you up.

Stop making excuses. You have NO excuse for not having work done. Unless you have a death in the family, seriously get injured, or having a form of disability that counteracts with your learning…you need to stop letting yourself down. I know a lot of people who suffer from serious anxiety and other situations, but still get their work done. I don’t want to hear your excuse & your teacher might not care tbh. 

- side note: breaking this habit early will definitely help you improve in the future. Procrastination can spread to your field of work also, and that’s when you’ll get fired from your job. Building discipline is very essential.

Nipping procrastination in the bud gives you more free-time. Have you had to cancel plans because you decided to do your work last minute? Well guess what, you’re stopping yourself from being able to also enjoy life. If you get your work done now, you can play later.

Write out your goals. Put your goals in your face, I have mine on a chalk board in my room. Write down what you want to achieve in life/school. When you physically see your goals, it will motivate you more. 

Work with a study group. I always stress having a study group in my posts because it honestly is what helped me the most. Have some friends, and work together. Literally, your whole perspective on work will change if the group is effective and you’ll all actually doing work.

Get off of Tumblr. Stop trying to focus your attention on social media, and other distractions. If you start allowing yourself to actually focus, you’ll enjoy doing your work more.

- side note: You’ll realize your grades will start to improve. Good grades help us strive even further in doing our work on time. I’m always ready to turn work in and find out my grade. This concept has helped me get over my severe laziness.