#ciellook

December 10, 2018

✎ september 4th, 2018 // 7:59 pm

some notes and bullet journal essentials.

1. Give teachers a chance. Maybe two or three chances. Even if their subject or the way they talk etc. is boring. Most times, it’s worth it - it will make you more interested in their class and you’ll learn things better. 

2. If I’m ever stressed and need to chill, usually the things that work for me are: 

taking a nap

talking to a friend about it 

taking a hot shower 

watching a funny/silly/cute tv show (my favorites are friends, brooklyn 99, steven universe or some slice of life/shoujo anime/k-drama). 

3. always make sure you’re comfortable while you’re studying! I can never get through a long study session without having showered and changed into comfy clothes before starting it. Some people also like lighting candles and having nice snacks around, which are also always a plus! Just don’t put a lot of stuff into your ‘pre-study session’ routine; you’ll end up taking a lot of time to get ready and that can simply turn into procrastination and distraction. Just make sure you feel good enough to start and don’t forget to drink water! 

4. I’m even gonna make this a single topic cause!! water is so important and useful!! Not only it helps keeping you fresh (specially if you add some cucumber or strawberries in it!) and focused, it’s also great to keep you awake if you’re feeling a bit sleepy. The effect doesn’t hit you as fast as coffee, for example, but it lasts much longer. Also caffeine is bad for you!! Make sure to not over drink it. 

5. Always study keeping in mind how things are gonna fall on your test/exam. Make sure to write down the questions that your teacher asks while giving a class (and their answers, obviously) - these are quite often the things that will fall on your test and the teacher rarely ever writes it down on the board, so it might seem like it isn’t relevant, but it really helps you understand the thought process of the subject better. 

6. Speaking of writing down questions, the Cornell Method has always worked really well to me, specially in History classes. It’s also great for memorization and revising! 

7. This is something I’m still learning to do, but make sure to revise as much as you can! Doesn’t have to be a big revision; just looking through your notes at the end of the day/week (or even just after taking them!) helps a lot!

8. Please, please, always prioritize your mental health and sleep. You need energy and mental stability to study things properly. If you don’t, your brain won’t be able to select and properly learn all the things you’ve studied that day, you’ll feel super tired and dead inside and you will crash. It’s just not healthy. Don’t listen to the whole ‘you can go out/rest after you’ve passed your exams, it will be worth it’ or ‘my dreams are worth more than my sleep’ trend. Don’t do it!! It’s a trap. I know school usually makes you think you need to give your best at all times, but a) you really don’t; give yourself some slack once in a while, you need it, and b) your best doesn’t have to be working your as* off ‘til 3am everyday. It might just be studying for 4-6 hours everyday. Or eating ice cream and watching tv shows all day at least for one day. Your body decides. Let it be. 

9. Use actual flashcards when it’s a very difficult/new subject, not just online ones like quizlet!! (this is a tip I learned from this post)

10. eat well! also maybe try taking vitamins - especially if you’re a useless blob like me and you don’t play any sports! I’ve been taking goji berry capsules and they help me a whole lot, specially if I’m feeling sleepy. Actually any type of berry is great for boosting up your energy! 

🍒some rly good posts I recommend:

‘study smarter’ by @sleeptalkz

‘how I increased my productivity by 3x’ by @brbimstudying​ 

‘conquering math’ by @thestudyfeels​

‘bujo trackers for getting your sh*t together’ by @etudiaire​

‘types of breaks for every situation’ by @samsstudygram

🍒productivity/study life youtubers I like:

rowena tsai (love her, rly good tips on organization and just nice overall aesthetic)

ana mascara (I always watch her videos when I feel like I’m lacking motivation. Her videos talk a lot about that and discipline, and how you should always ‘be comfortable with the uncomfortable’; just 10/10 rly good motivational and actually useful videos overall).

-October. 30 2017-

Halloween is tomorrow but my bujo spread says I’m ready for November.