#workhard-behappy

It can be hard to feel like classes in college are worth attending, especially with a boring professor reading directly off slides in a lecture hall. As this semester proceeds, it can be difficult to keep the same motivation and engagement, so I thought this post was appropriate.

-Sit closer to the front. It’s much easier to stay focused when you’re a few feet from a professor instead of twenty rows back where no one can tell how much you’re paying attention. This is a habit I picked up this semester to try to hold myself accountable to just paying attention to the lecture.

-Keep electronics to a minimum. I know a lot of people prefer to take notes on their computer, but for me, I’ve switched to paper during class simply because I tend to browse the internet if my phone and computer are right at my fingertips. If you are set on using your electronics, use them just for notes and try to stay on the document the entire time. As much as you think answering emails or doing other work is multitasking, it’s actually cutting out information from that class you’ll retain during an exam.

-Participate. I know it seems obvious but try to answer questions your professor brings up. In a large room it can be easy to not pay attention and use example problems as a break from writing, but think about the material and make sure you get it. If you do, raise your hand and offer the answer to the professor and if you don’t then refer to my next tip.

-Ask questions. Believe me, a professor would much rather have you asking questions that have a room full of students only half there. If you don’t know an answer, ask for help or a clarification even if it may seem small. You’ll never need to ask that same question again and it will definitely be to your benefit during exams. This also goes for when they explain something and it doesn’t click, ask a friend or the professor to explain it in more detail or another way, don’t be embarrassed to not understand something.

-Go to office hours. This seems like a general tip but go and go often. Even if the question seems small, going to ask will ensure the professor gets to know you and sees your dedication to the material. This means that if the end of the semester comes around and your grade is teetering between letters, they’ll be more likely to round up. Also, this is another opportunity to ask questions if you feel uncomfortable doing so in class.

Hey Y'all, I just turned in a paper today, and for that reason, I thought I would share my tips and the process I use to write the best paper possible. Be sure to check out my other posts, and give me any suggestions you have. 

General tips:

-Make sure to start at least a week to two weeks in advance. This will eliminate some stress and ensure you have enough time to research, write, and revise.

-Break up the paper into smaller, doable tasks. I’ll elaborate on that in the process I use.

-Ask your professor for help. If you’re unsure of a topic or want them to look over some work, shoot them an email or stop by office hours. Most professors would much rather help and have you do better, as long as it’s not the day before. 

The Process I Use:

-Picking a topic. When I’m able to select my own topic, I try to choose something I noticed I have a lot to talk about and something that there are adequate sources to find support. That being said, try to be creative as this will catch the professor’s eye.

-Planning. The first thing I do is make a messy list of what I want to talk about stemming from my main topic. Once I’ve done this, I organize it in a way that makes sense, so I can write easier and stay on track. 

-Gathering sources. Once I know what I want to say, I look for sources or quotes to support my claims, and I jot down their page numbers or the quote itself into my outline. It’s also wise to do any citations at this point so they’re completed and can be easily put in works cited. 

-Write the paper. For me, I like to write about one paragraph or one main section a night until the paper is done. This goes fairly quickly once the outline is done because all the research and organization is completed. Do this at your own pace, and make sure to leave enough time.

-Revision. I find it helps me to have someone else read my paper and give feedback before I’ve revised it to give my eyes a break. I recently discovered my school’s writing center where you can make an appointment for them to look at a paper, which is really helpful! If not, ask a friend or even a professor if they’d be willing to look it over.

What’s In My Backpack

Hi guys, happy Valentine’s day! Today’s post is just a simple what’s in my backpack, showing the essentials I never leave home without and that make my long days of classes much more manageable. Please leave a comment or suggestions either on this post or in the ask me second of my blog, I would love to give the content you want to see. Without further ado here are my essentials.

-Laptop. Even if I go somewhere where my class doesn’t require a laptop, I always bring it just in case. I would much rather have it and not need it than not have it at all. Plus, this allows me to spend any extra time working between classes. (Case is from Amazon and my stickers are all Redbubble).

-Umbrella. Where I live, there is a ton of rain, so this never leaves my bag. You never know when the weather's going to get gloomy, so better safe than sorry. My umbrella is a mini one from the brand Totes.

-Pencil case. Obviously, the case itself isn’t important, but I keep all my pens, pencils, and highlighters on me in case I want to study, take notes, or plan in my agenda between classes.

-Agenda. This is honestly number one for me, I cannot go anywhere without this. I have all my to-do lists, class schedules, and calendars in this, so I like to have it on me in case I’m working or trying to make plans. I use the Day Designer and I am obsessed with it.

-Water bottle. Y’all it is so important to stay hydrated! I always keep this on me and filled, and this particular bottle is from the brand Manna. It’s a knockoff version of a Swell but still keeps my water cold for a long time.

-Sunglasses. Admittedly, the sun doesn’t come out all that much around here, but when it does, I like to be prepared and keep this simple pair of black sunglasses from Forever 21 on me.

-Chapstick. It’s winter, and that means the air is dryer than ever. Between the cold and the wind, I’m always reaching for this, so I like to keep a mini Vaseline lip therapy in my bag.

-Lotion. Similarly to the chapstick, my hands are always dry, especially after washing them. To counteract this I keep a mini lotion on me, currently, I’m using one of the EOS cucumber lotions.

-Post-it notes. I use these a lot either as bookmarks or when outlining, so this mini rainbow stack comes in handy a lot for me. It’s also a nice thing to have on you in case a friend or classmate asks for them.

-Gum. A lot of my days are long, and this means I’m often on the go between eating and rushing to a new lecture hall. For this reason, I keep gum handy, my favorite is the Five Spearmint.

-Charger and Headphones. Like I said, on long days I don’t have time to go home, but my phone battery is not the best so I make sure not to leave without my charger. Also, I keep two pairs of headphones, one to fit my phone and one to fit my laptop in case I have a call to make or want to listen to music while working.

As you may know, I’m a freshman in college, but a have a lot of friends in the midst of receiving decisions from colleges and starting to decide where they want to study for the next chapter of their lives. So for that reason, I’ve decided to make a list of factors to take into account if you haven’t already.

-Location. This was a really big point for me when choosing, because I knew I wanted to be far enough away that it was a new environment and I could be more independent from my family, but also close enough so they could come up for a weekend or I could go home if needed. For me, the perfect distance was about 3-4 hours, but this really is a personal choice.

-Program. This is kind of a given, but make sure your school has a strong program for what you want to do. Look further than just having your major, because that was a mistake I almost made at first. For example, if you really want to do research make sure they allow undergraduates to do so, or look at what opportunities for jobs and internships they provide.

-Campus atmosphere. For this reason, I really highly suggest going on campus tours. At first, I thought I wanted a quaint, small school but after touring I decided I needed somewhere a little bigger. I love my school because it's larger but there are a lot of organizations that give you a small school feel. Also, take into account campus size and whether or not you’re willing to bus to classes.

-Price. College is very expensive, so this should definitely be a factor you’re taking into account, especially if the financial burden is falling on your shoulders. With that being said, there’s no harm in applying as some schools are really helpful with financial aid and there are outside scholarships you can find online and potential get more funding. If you would like a full post on finding and applying to scholarships let me know! When it comes down to it though, it may be worth paying a little more or taking out some loans if that’s where you’ll be happy, but of course within reason.

-Dining hall/living situation. This may seem small but seriously you need to at least feel comfortable where you’re living. It’s hard to get around communal bathrooms and bad food, but at least make sure it’s livable. For example, some schools have more vegan or vegetarian options than others. I recommend eating in the dining hall during the tour if possible to get a feel for the selection.