#studycation school tips

productivity can mean different things

summer productivity does not mean or have to mean that you are grinding everyday to get work done. being productive could simply mean self-care. productivity comes in all forms, from painting your nails to doing the dishes to reading a book. it could even be something along the lines of creating a new playlist or folding the laundry. it’s up to you.

first off, plan a little

write your lists down somewhere that you’ll check again (i’m using a google doc.) make three lists: daily checklist, short-term goals, & long-term goals. leave room for revision.

daily checklist

don’t pile on tasks on this. it is unrealistic to put like ten things on your list to do everyday, and it’s exhausting and can even be anti-productive trying to attempt to complete such a list everyday. pick two to three things to do everyday. for example, mine says, “1. do khan academy (for SAT prep) 2. check the DMV for available appointments (to renew my permit oops) 3. read a book or three articles.” the second one is subject to change because eventually i will get an appointment, so always leave room for revisions.

short-term goals list

this is the list where you put stuff that you want to accomplish by the end of the week, month, etc. for example, mine says, “finish ap government chapter one by friday.” these can be specific or general. like my short-term goals list also has my goal of reading three books every week.

long-term goals list

what do you hope to accomplish by the end of summer? do you want to re-invent yourself? be proficient in a language? have finished all your college apps? you define your goals here.

studyblr ways to be productive

read a book get ahead and look at your AP curriculums; make a study schedule watch TED talks watch documentaries listen to podcasts make study playlists visit museums

self care ways to be productive (these are nothing new, but just serves as a reminder that taking care of yourself is good and productive. it is in no way a waste of time, so don’t let anyone convince you otherwise)

take a bath or shower the simple hygiene stuff (brush your teeth, etc.) clean your living space delete apps you don’t use or need drink water journal, draw, make music do whatever makes you feel happy (if you don’t have anything, go a try a bunch of activities! do something that scares you, you might be surprised) exercise (it doesn’t have to be a whole lot, just walk around and stretch every once in a while) sleep, rest, take time for yourself

other ways to be productive

sources used: my history teacher & “Tips for Writing Analytic Research Papers.” (1998): n. pag. Harvard Kennedy School Shorenstein Center, 19 May 2009. Web. 29 May 2015.

• report

- organized regurgitation of facts gathered from research

- thesis statement is a general statement summarizing what your whole report is about

- thesis statement is NOT opinion or argument to be proven

- topic sentences of body paragraphs summarize what facts you’ll describe in that paragraph

- research + writing facts = report

• research paper

- organized analysis of facts gathered from research

- thesis statement identifies the overall argument or academic opinion that you will prove in your paper

- thesis statement must be (academic) opinion and argumentation

- research + writing facts + analysis = research paper

• so what is analysis? how do i do it?

analysis is basically breaking apart the facts you have found in your research and demonstrating critical thinking about those facts. make your analysis explicit - your reader should not have to infer or guess what your analysis is. it looks like:

• dissecting or breaking down larger events or concepts to explore the smaller parts [“dr. king’s plan comprised of three specific political and social actions” - then the author explains the parts]

• cause/effect [author describes situation that outrages dr. king - “this outrage motivated dr. king to deliver his speech”]

• identification or explanation of significance [“this speech is iconic in american history because...”]

• comparison of ideas from different sources, or differing opinions; examination of counterarguments [“critics of dr. king said...” “historians disagree...” “others have said...”]

• connection to broader ideas and themes in the relevant discipline [“king’s actions exemplify the overall trend in social activism towards nonviolent action to achieve change”]

thank you for your ask !! i’ll try my best to answer.

college interview tips, advice, & questions asked

here are the questions that were explicitly asked of me:

what attracts you to ___ university?

what are some of your extracurriculars?

will you be okay being across the country for this school?

did you have the chance to visit ____ university yet?

do you have any questions for me [the interviewer]?

do you cook? (he was just curious lol)

here were the questions that i answered through conversation, meaning these were questions my interviewer probably was going to ask but i explained them while answering the questions above:

why do you want to be ____ major? or like why do you want to study __?

where do you see yourself going, in life, job, etc.? why do you want to pursue this?

what is important to you and why? what are your values and how were those values shaped?

what are your circumstances that were not reflected in your application?

what do you do in your free time?

what is your favorite class?

why is going to college important for you?

always have questions prepared for your interviewer. have them prepared for during your conversation and for when they ask you if you have any more questions. here were mine:

what did you major in? did you know your major before coming or did you change it from your original major?

what were some of the activities that you participated in at ____?

what is dorm-life like? were you able to bond with your roommate?

why did you choose ___ university?

the alumni network must be insane if they can interview almost every applicant; what’s the alumni network beyond applications and interviews? do you still keep in touch with your college friends and classmates?

what is the atmosphere like? are the students super competitive or do they collaborate?

what were some of the defining moments of your experience?

i met with my interviewer at starbucks and he said he lives in the area, so i asked him if he was from here. he said no, so i asked how he ended up here/why he chose here to live. ya know–gotta have some small talk and normal conversation.

before the interview

dress nicely but not like ‘prom’ fancy. polo shirts are fine and sweaters are fine. i felt that i was kinda overdressed (i wore black slacks, white button-up under a sweater, and a thick coat, pointy flats). don’t wear super dirty sneakers, sweats, or leggings.

prepare, but don’t over-prepare. this is a conversation, not an essay that you’re reading aloud to each question. 

research the school. what makes them unique. why you’re a good fit. your major at the school. what does it offer that you want and would utilize? what clubs can you join? 

eat. brush your teeth. take a mint.

be like 5 minutes early. if you’re too early, that’s fine, just sit in the car or wait somewhere. bUT DO NOT BE LATE. for some, first impressions can really matter. being on time/a little early let’s them know that this is a priority for you and that you really care about having this opportunity.

relax. it’s not make or break. you will end up where you belong in the end. college admissions nowadays is really hard. don’t beat yourself up over it.

during the interview

pretend it is a friend asking you these questions. don’t ever say, ‘i’m glad you asked that, here’s why ....”–it’s kind of cringey and you will come off robotic.

you don’t need to discuss grades. the people reading your application see that. the interview is to see how you are as a person. the interview serves as a way to fill in the gaps in your written application to give your admissions officers as full of a perspective as possible.

try not to come off as self-absorbed. always let your interviewers talk about themselves. my interviewer joked that he was talking too much about himself, but i really enjoyed hearing him talk about his life and i wish i could’ve heard more. people really have interesting lives that are worth listening to.

after the interview

relax. it’S OVER !! you did it !!

treat yourself to some ice cream or a popsicle or like a bucket of chocolate.

don’t dwell on it. you’ll be thinking about what you could’ve said, what you should’ve said, etc. it’s over, and it’s okay.

SEND A THANK YOU NOTE OR EMAIL. you should probably touch on things you discussed, and if you really want to, you can squeeze in a little of what you did not talk about. this email should ideally be sent within 24 hours.

there’s a huGE difference between “recognizing” and “understanding” study material

color coding notes: yes

don’t study in bed (i fall asleep every single time) & don’t study in a consistent spot. change it up every once in a while. i sat at the kitchen table instead of my desk for the first time in a year and i was so much more productive and focused.

reading the text again isn’t enough to study. writing out a few review notes makes all the difference, even if it’s just a few key words or a mind map.

sitting in the front/second row: life changing. it makes a huge difference because you’re forced to pay attention, remain engaged, and you’re less likely to get distracted.

also! try to pay attention in class! i know it can be hard sometimes, but there will be times where your teachers will recite information that will be on your test that isn’t on their slides, outlines, or handouts.

get a planner or some app to write things down. i used to be like ‘oh. i’ll remember this.’ new flash: never remembered. having a planner and being able to check off the tasks you completed is kinda fulfilling–not gonna lie. also writing on your hand is fine too! but anyway, moral of the story: write. it. down.

getting stuff done early feels SO good. as a procrastinator, this felt hard to believe. however, finishing early and studying ahead of time pays off—not just academically but mentally. when i finish early, my future self thanks my past self.

don’t make looking at social media before bed a habit. it’s not something worth staying up late doing, and you’ll regret it later. what ever you’re looking at, you can look at it tomorrow before school, during break, or after school—don’t lose sleep over something that you can do later and that isn’t necessary.

be realistic with yourself when you’re setting goals. when making your to-do lists, it shouldn’t be a laundry list. if you know you have a hard time getting up in the morning but you plan on waking up early to do work, plan for the time you’re going to lose to hitting the snooze button two times.

ways to save time in the morning: plan your outfit the night before or while you’re in the shower. brush your teeth while showering. pack your bag the night before.

having an ‘i get to’ rather than an ‘i have to’ mindset makes you so much more excited for and appreciative of life.

surround yourself with diverse perspectives. learn to empathize with people that do not look like you or think like you. let people challenge you! but also listen to what these people have to say…like r e a l l y listen. watch this video (it’s a little long (15min) but it’s definitely a w o w video)

you don’t always have to be right! i used to hate when people poked holes in my logic or proved me wrong, but now i openly welcome it. i took a step back and was like ‘i disklike coceited people’ and i’m acting totally conceited so this needs to change. embrace mistakes because they help you learn.

the way you perceive people to be is, more often than not, not the way they actually are. learn to drop first impressions and to upgrade your opinions as new information comes in.

once you accept your flaws and quirks, no one can use them against you.

on the other hand, if you have flaws that aren’t good for others or yourself that are fixable, you know they’re fixable, but you openly choose not to do anything about them—change that. be better than ignorant. you really owe it to yourself to be the best version that you can be.

bE KIND. see my post on ways you can do this! we need more kind people in this world. be one of them.

never feel guilty for doing the right thing.

i used to beat myself up over answering something incorrectly in class. my heart used to race when my teacher did roll call and i had to say ‘here.’ when we read aloud in class, i used to count the seats ahead of me so i could prepare for what i was going to read. USED TO. i’ve learned that the majority of people don’t notice the trivial things i do. i don’t even remember when other kids answer questions incorrectly so why would they remember when i did? being able to put myself in the shoes of how others think, has made me less afraid to live life and has allowed me to definitely participate more.

you don’t have to be who people expect you to be. you don’t have to follow stereotypes. be as authentically you as possible because you’re not living your life for others, you’re living life for you.

i cannot stress this enough: live in the moment. don’t wish your life away hoping for something better; life is too short for that. don’t treat this as a transitional phase. spend time with your friends and family. learn for the sake of learning. if you were to die today, could you say you’d die happy? volunteer more. sing in the shower as loud as you can. dance like nobody’s watching. do more of what makes you happy even if it might sometimes feel like a waste of time.

you aren’t necessarily accountable for your emotions, but you are accountable for your actions. you have the right to feel upset, but there’s no reason to take it out on others who want to help or had no part in making you upset.

school-related items (to have extra of):

- binder paper

- pens/pencils

- small pack of colored pencils

- a folder/binder for all the school work you don’t need at the moment

- one extra notebook

hygiene stuff (maybe keep in a pouch):

- deodorant 

- comb/brush

- mints

- floss

- compact mirror (you can also just use your phone)

- nail clipper (you’d be surprised)

- hair ties/scrunchies

- couple of band-aids

- spare makeup things if you’d like

for menstruating beings:

- pads/tampons

- one pair of emergency underwear for accidents

- advil (or your choice of pain/cramp meds)

misc:

- spare set of headphones 

- snacks (preferably that can’t get old/bad super fast; granola bars, candy)

- spare t-shirt/sweatshirt (for days that were unpredictably hot or cold)

- umbrella

for the new semester :) by studycation | 03 jan