hey lovelies! ✨

can we just acknowledge how hard it is to focus on studying when the sun is shining, everyone's posting beach pics, and your brain is basically melting from the heat? summer studying feels almost criminal sometimes (like, isn't this when we're supposed to be recharging?), but even if you're taking summer classes, prepping for fall semester, or studying for standardized tests, i've got some helpful tips to help you stay on track without missing out on summer magic.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ why summer motivation hits different ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

let's be honest about why summer studying feels so much harder:

your body literally craves sunlight and outdoor time

everyone else seems to be living their best vacation life

the heat makes focusing genuinely more difficult

your brain is trained to associate summer with freedom

seasonal rhythms are real, and summer is naturally more active and social

knowing this isn't just you being "lazy" is the first step! your brain isn't broken, it's just responding to both biological and social cues that say "put down the textbook and go outside!"

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ create a summer-friendly study schedule ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the key is working with summer energy, not against it:

𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴: use the hottest part of the day (usually 12-3pm) when you'd be inside anyway for your deepest focus work

𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤: if possible, wake up earlier and study when it's cooler and quieter, bonus points for studying outside with birds chirping!

𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: aim for 45-minute focused blocks instead of marathon 3-hour sessions (your summer brain will thank you)

𝘵𝘩𝘦 2:1 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰: for every hour of studying, give yourself 30 minutes of true summer enjoyment as a reward

𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺: designate one day each week as completely study-free to recharge

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ summer-proof your study environment ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

your environment makes all the difference:

𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘴: study near a fan or air conditioning with a cold drink nearby

𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘴: find a shaded patio, park bench, or beach setup where you can enjoy nature while studying

𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤: bring summer into your study space with fresh flowers, lemon water, and natural light

𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: try different iced coffee spots to keep your environment fresh and interesting

𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨: face away from windows showing beautiful weather when you need deep focus

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ motivation hacks that actually work ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

when your motivation is hiding under a beach umbrella:

𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴: everything's more fun with friends! find a study buddy and make it social

𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴: "tropical tuesday" or "fruity friday" with matching snacks and music

𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴: ice cream after finishing a chapter, swimming after completing practice problems

𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴: create a summer-themed progress tracker (fill in a popsicle for each completed study session)

𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰𝘴: find summer study ambience videos that make you feel less alone

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ summer-specific study methods ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

adapt your approach to match the season:

𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴: listen to recorded lectures or educational podcasts while walking outside

𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘴: 25 minutes of study, 5 minutes of dangling feet in water (or any summer treat)

𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯: apply a layer of understanding before exposing yourself to exam questions

𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘴: spread out colorful mind maps on a blanket instead of linear notes

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ be gentle with yourself ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

most importantly, release the guilt:

summer studying doesn't have to be all-or-nothing

progress > perfection (especially during summer)

your brain literally works differently in hot weather

memories matter too, make sure you're creating some

rest is productive, it's preparing you for future focus

remember that balance looks different in each season. summer might be when you study a little less but live a little more, and that's completely okay. your worth isn't tied to your productivity, especially when the sun is shining and calling your name.

xoxo, mindy 🤍

HOW TO BE BETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR ;

TAKE ADVANTAGE. take advantage of extra credit opportunities, make sure to advocate for urself and take advantage in any way that u can. by simply doing ur homework you'll have a much better grade in the overall class which gives u wiggle room to make a mistake. but if ur slacking off on ur homework, ignoring extra credit opportunities AND doing bad on tests then ur basically setting urself up for failure. and by doing the opposite then ur setting urself up for success.

something i've noticed (and im guilty of this too sometimes) is that i spend so much time making my notes aesthetically pleasing that i forget to actually go over them which defeats the whole purpose of notes. theres nothing wrong with having fun and creative adorable notes that spark joy and happiness but PLEASE actually use them, trust me you'll love them more…💬🎀

Day 60 🌩

5th november

☆ got chem marks ( passed with a 19/35 - still upset over it )

☆ bio revision class + physics class

☆ best friend got me cinnamon rolls to cheer me up

☆ studied for biology test

☆ barely drank water

How to Study Without Fully Losing Your Mind

Exam season is here again, and honestly? The vibes are chaotic. Your sleep schedule is fighting for its life, your notes look like they were written during a minor earthquake, and somehow every teacher has decided that now is the perfect time to “quickly revise the whole syllabus.” If you are currently staring at a textbook while your brain plays elevator music, this one is for you.

Why Exam Season Feels So Stressful

Exam season is not just about studying. It is about pressure, time management, expectations, revision, deadlines, and trying to remember information your brain swears it has never seen before. Whether you are preparing for school exams, board exams, GCSEs, A Levels, IB exams, AP exams, SATs, university finals, or entrance tests, the stress is real. But here is the truth: exam season does not have to destroy your mental health. You do not need to become a 5 a.m. productivity influencer overnight. You just need a smart study routine that actually works for you.

Romanticize Studying, But Make It Real

Yes, light the candle. Yes, make the iced coffee. Yes, create the “study with me” playlist. But also, open the book. Romanticizing studying can help you get started, especially when your motivation is basically at 2%. Make your desk clean, use cute highlighters, set up a cozy study space, and make revision feel less like punishment. But remember: aesthetic notes are not the same as effective studying. Pretty pages are nice, but active recall, practice questions, flashcards, past papers, and spaced repetition are what actually help you remember things.

The Best Study Method for Exam Season

The best exam revision method is simple: stop rereading and start testing yourself. Reading your notes over and over feels productive, but most of the time, it is just your brain pretending to work. Instead, try this: Read one small topic. Close your book. Write down everything you remember. Check what you missed. Repeat. This is called active recall, and it is one of the most effective study techniques for exam preparation. It forces your brain to retrieve information instead of just recognizing it. Basically, it is giving your memory a gym workout.

Past Papers Are Your Best Friend

During exam season, past papers are elite. They show you what examiners actually ask, how questions are structured, which topics repeat, and how much detail you need in your answers. Do not just “do” past papers. Study them. Look at the mark scheme. Notice the keywords. Correct your mistakes. Rewrite weak answers. Track repeated topics. Past papers are like exam spoilers, but legal.

Stop Waiting for Motivation

Motivation during exam season is unreliable. One day you feel like an academic weapon, the next day you are lying on your bed watching “one more video” for three hours. That is normal. The trick is not to wait until you feel motivated. Start small. Tell yourself you only need to study for 10 minutes. Most of the time, starting is the hardest part. A tiny study session is still better than no study session.

Create a Study Schedule That Does Not Feel Like Prison

A good exam study schedule should help you, not bully you. Do not make a timetable where every minute of your life is booked. That looks productive, but it usually fails by day two. Instead, plan your subjects by priority: What exam is first? Which topics are hardest? Which subjects need the most practice? What can you revise quickly? Build your revision timetable around reality, not fantasy. Also, add breaks. Your brain is not a laptop. You cannot just keep opening tabs forever.

How to Deal With Exam Anxiety

Exam anxiety can make even prepared students feel like they know nothing. The night before an exam, your brain might suddenly ask, “What if we forgot everything?” Very dramatic. Very unnecessary. Try this: Breathe slowly. Do one easy question to rebuild confidence. Avoid last-minute panic scrolling. Do not compare your revision with everyone else. Remind yourself that stress is not proof that you will fail. You are allowed to be nervous and still perform well.

Sleep Is Not Optional

Pulling an all-nighter before an exam might feel heroic, but it is usually a scam. Your brain needs sleep to store information, focus, and think clearly. No sleep means slower thinking, weaker memory, and more silly mistakes. During exam season, sleep is part of studying. Treat it like a revision tool. Because it is.

Food, Water, and Basic Human Maintenance

It sounds obvious, but during exam season, basic self-care disappears so fast. Drink water. Eat actual food. Move around. Take short breaks. Go outside for a few minutes. Your brain lives in your body. If your body is running on three biscuits, stress, and one iced coffee, your brain is not going to give its best performance.

The Main Character Mindset for Exams

Here is the mindset: you are not trying to become perfect. You are trying to become prepared. You do not need to know everything. You do not need to study 12 hours a day. You do not need to panic because someone else finished the syllabus before you. Focus on your own progress. One topic at a time. One past paper at a time. One study session at a time. Exam season is temporary. Your worth is not defined by one grade, one test, or one bad paper.

Final Exam Season Reminder

since my last attempt pretty much fell through in between, this is going to be another try at the challenge, starting from today. it's been hot and dusty where i am right now, and it is taking everything in my power to not go crazy from the uniquely overstimulating sensation of sweating rivers under my arms.

my tasks for today:

work on my master's dissertation

study for a bit

do my laundry

create a moodboard for motivation

here's a lovely tree in bloom i captured the previous week outside one of the departments at uni—i've been taking a lot more pictures of the place now that i am in my final semester of my master's degree.

📓✧˖°. // my current read is hot milk by deborah levy, a novel i first heard of following its shortlisting for the man booker prize in 2016. i am about 43% in and find it rather intriguing so far- it's rather atmospheric and suffused with symbolism and allegory.

✧˖°.🎧// i have also been getting into arab hip-hop these past few days, and this one is my current earworm: hazin al-waqt by djmubarak.