Think Box Studies

She said she practiced this technique like 5 times in her office before she requested a meeting with her boss. I’m gonna share it with you guys because I really loved it.

You start off by thanking your employer for their support (whatever that means in the context of your work environment). You then say that you would like to take some time to discuss next year’s salary. You say, allow me to refresh your memory regarding some of my accomplishments or contributions from the past year, and you present a written summary of all that you’ve done. You close by saying, I hope that next year’s salary reflects this list of contributions and you thank them for their time and see yourself out.

I just loved how she made it seem so much less daunting of a task. She said not to underestimate your achievements as women have a tendency underreporting what they’ve done.

since i’m going back to school in september (my final year of high school!!!) here are some Tips™ that make my life a little easier! 

SLEEP. I know, everyone says that. BUT. There’s nothing worse than going to school after less than 7 hours of sleep for me. I’m that person who will faint if they don’t get enough sleep so I treat it very seriously. Remember to sleep! 

BE KIND. It’s easy to fall into indifference. Be kind to your classmates. Treat yourself well. Even little things will influence your mood and help the day pass quickly. 

RESPECT SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. Teachers notice when someone is polite and doesn’t disturb them. Maintaining a good relationship with a teacher might help you a lot during the school year! It helped me get a better final grade in Physics. The teacher told me that my behavior in class influenced my grade (for the better!). The same goes for other people working at school. Those who clean the halls or make your lunch are extremely important - and they’re people, too. Saying hello to them isn’t that difficult. 

ENJOY THE WEATHER. Back to school season also happens to be the nicest season of all (imo) - AUTUMN! Think of a way to enjoy the sun and all those little things autumn brings to our lives: pumpkins, colorful leaves, perfect coffee weather… Try studying outside or go on a walk, if you can. Visit a local library. Studying by a window also works well!

BE YOURSELF. Is it the most boring advice in the world? Some may say so. But, entering my final year of high school, I’m so glad I’ve listened. School is definitely the time to figure yourself out and try new things! But don’t change everything in yourself just to impress someone. You are a human being. You are not made for consumption. 

EXIST OUTSIDE OF STUDYING. It’s something I had a problem with for quite a long time. I think it’s especially relevant in the studyblr community, where we post pretty pictures, talk about our progress and generally focus on our studies. And there’s nothing wrong with that! But make sure you have a hobby not connected to studying. It can be anything you want! It will help you find joy in life. 

CREATE THINGS. You don’t have to be good at it. Do it for your own enjoyment, or for the therapeutic feeling. Journal, write poetry, doodle, arrange flowers… There are so many things you can do and the feeling of having created something is incredible. I made a weird mini flower vase shaped like a flower. Is it Art™? No, but I’m happy about it. 

EAT. Your body is using a lot of energy for studying, absorbing knowledge, growing… Food is your body’s fuel. Without it, you will start having health problems. Make sure you’re nourished and hydrated! 

and some little study tips too! 

TRY STUDYING WITH OTHERS. Especially if you haven’t before. It may not be your cup of tea… but it might as well be! 

USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. “Well, Felix, how will that help me with studying?” I know. It sounds obvious. But it works! Try finding uses of what you’ve learned in your everyday life. For example, I use my literature knowledge when I talk about movies with my friends.

FIND WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU. Colorful, aesthetic notes? Amazing. Flashcards? Great. Typing up your notes in comic sans? Cool! If a study method works for you, use it. 

IF YOU DON’T ENJOY IT, SURVIVE IT. It’s best for us to find something interesting in every class. But sometimes it just… doesn’t happen. If it’s an insufferable elective, you can drop it! No shame in that! But if it’s a class you have to take, do your best to survive it. Find a way to motivate yourself - maybe sit with a classmate who you like? Doodle things the teacher talks about? Play a game of how many times they say [chosen word]? Try not to hate the class and you’ll get through it!

USE THE REWARD SYSTEM SMARTLY. It’s really good to reward yourself for hard work. And it’s motivating! But don’t go overboard with it. Don’t say “I cannot watch this series until I get an A.” or “I won’t do a SPA day until I learn everything for the test.” You’re human. You deserve to relax. Self-care shouldn’t be conditional.

Hi Professor!

I am in the process of applying to ____ and they require letters of rec. I sincerely enjoyed your classes, and felt that they gave me a particularly good chance to display my strengths, such as ____ [class participation, writing, etc.] and would love for you to write me a letter, if you’d be willing. The due date is ____, and I can send you further instructions for submission later if you accept.

Attached to this email is ____, the piece of work I did in your class which best showcases my abilities, as well as my current CV [or resume]. If you agree to write me a letter, soon I will also send you drafts of my ____ [statement of purpose, personal statement, application essays, other relevant material] for my application to aid in your writing. I am also happy to meet in person to discuss this with you.

I want to stress that this application is quite competitive, so if you feel you will not be able to write me a strong letter then I completely understand - but please let me know. Thank you so much for your time!

Sincerely, ____

—

a few notes:

- you should have all your relevant materials (app essays, etc.) sent to them *at least* a month in advance to give them ample time to write the letter

- thus, your initial email asking them if they’d be willing to write a letter for you should be sent *over* a month in advance. professors are busy

- if you are applying for a really prestigious position/scholarship/fellowship, or grad school, it’s best to have at least a majority of your letter writers be professors (rather than adjuncts or post docs). ideally you’d want them to be full/tenured professors. in lots of cases, especially academic ones, *who* writes your letter matters - not just *what’s in* your letter

- the reason you send them the piece of work you did in their class that you are most proud of is to remind them of your abilities as a student and the quality of the work you produced for them. they have lots of students. sometimes they need a bit of help jogging their memory of exactly what you did in their class.

- the reason you send them your other application materials (personal statement, statement of purpose, CV) is so that they have information to draw from when writing your letter. they know what you’re passionate about, what you hope to do in the future, other experience you have, and can use this information when writing your letter

- on a similar note, this is also why you’d want to list the strengths you displayed in their class

- basically, you want to give them as much information as you can about your strengths, goals, and intentions - give them prompts they can use to write your letter

- the bit at the end about asking for a “strong letter” is important because some professors can only write you mediocre letters (e.g. “this student was always on time to class and gave their undivided attention during lecture” - what does this tell admission committees? well, it tells them that the professor has nothing positive to say about your *academic* abilities and so they’re resorting to other strengths. it’s a polite way of saying “this student was okay, but not spectacular in any notable way”. big red flag for admissions committees.) if all you’re going to get is a mediocre letter, you might as well not get a letter at all

- if the professor you ask accepts, then be sure to send them polite reminders as the date approaches. (i usually send a reminder at the 1-month-till-due-date mark when i send the other application materials, and then again at the 2 week and 1 week marks, and, if necessary, every day after the final 3 days leading up to the due date

—

i know this was a lot, but i remember being in your shoes and being completely lost when it came to applying for stuff so i know how daunting it can be. i figured i’d just throw all this information at you to be of as much help as possible.

for reference, i’ve applied to graduate programs, fellowships, and scholarships. i have been accepted into several of the top 10 graduate programs in my area, as well as received multiple scholarships and a fellowship, and received honorable mentions for some of the most competitive fellowships in the US. i have also worked with the admissions committee at my graduate program to organize multiple informational events for those interested in applying to graduate school and, in the process, have learned a lot about what makes a strong application.

so while you should absolutely take my advice with a grain of salt (different circumstances call for different standards), i do have quite a bit of experience with applications and what makes a strong letter of rec.

Cry over trash friends

Beg anyone

Not see our worth

Chase

Measure mental health progress on a linear scale

Hate ourselves

Put our lives on hold out of fear

make a mini-fold zine to keep with you when you need it most <3

Hej!

Swedish notes :)

and going to the cinema alone is the easiest way to challenge the social kind of anxiety in my opinion. because 1. minimum social interactions, 2. you’re completely in the dark and no one can see you for a great part of the whole thing, 3. hopefully the movie is good and you’re distracted and having a good time. you just have to go there, buy a ticket (which you can often do on a machine anyway) and then the only person you have to talk to is the person who checks your ticket, and all you have to do is smile and say hello and thank you. you might feel a bit embarrassed at first while waiting for the movie to start but idk, i just do shit on my phone and before i know it the lights are going off. & by the 3rd time i went to the cinema alone i just didn’t care anymore because i had noticed that there’s a lot more people who are also there alone than i thought and also no one had ever pointed me out and yelled “this person is here alone!” or even looked at me weirdly, so. 

now i actually feel much less anxious when i do stuff alone because nothing is expected of me. if i’m stressed and want to leave i can because there’s no one i owe an explanation to (not that this has happened, but it’s a freeing thought.)