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How to Never Fall Behind in Classes

Alternatively titled: How to Use Your Planner or How Organization and Discipline Will Get You Better Grades

This is my full guide on how to use your planner effectively and make sure that you are never missing deadlines or falling behind in classwork and homework. This is definitely more about the university level and works best with a dated planner, rather than a bullet journal. Let’s get started! 

Get all of your syllabi together and write down dates. Go through one class at a time and mark down all of your major tests and assignment due dates. I recommend putting these dates into the monthly and weekly views, and perhaps coming up with a symbol or other indicator that tells you they are of utmost importance. 

Make a weekly schedule of when to complete readings and do a weekly review of notes. Instead of trying to randomly decide when to do these things, assign a date for each task for each class. If you have a tutorial on Tuesday, do the assigned readings for it every Wednesday. I recommend scheduling one to two weekly tasks per day, and to leave a few days open, whether it be weekends or days when you have a lot of classes.

Make a master list of assignments. I find that sometimes, even having due dates in the calendar view isn’t enough, and they can still sneak up on you. The master list will be a good place to double check if you have any deadlines approaching easily. 

In the week or so before a due date, create a checklist of smaller tasks needed to complete the assignment. Set individual due dates for each smaller task by working backwards from the due date. Smaller tasks may include finding sources, making an outline, writing a rough draft, and editing and adding references to create a final copy. Write the smaller tasks into your daily to-do list. 

You can also do this with studying for tests, but the checklist would look slightly different. You could either sort by study method (first do flashcards, then do essay outlines, etc.) or sort by the topics you need to study. 

Stick to the schedule you have made. Obviously, if something comes up and you need to move your to-do list around, do so! But if you aren’t doing anything and you see readings on your list of daily tasks.. do them. Having the plan set out like this makes it easier for you to remain disciplined. 

Why use this method? 

By creating a schedule for repeated weekly tasks like completing readings, you make sure that you can’t repeatedly push off smaller tasks until you are weeks behind. I don’t think it is very reliable to just will yourself to do readings, or to keep up with them without tracking it. 

By writing down all of your due dates, you will never be shocked to find out something is due the night before. You will know and you will be prepared. 

By creating smaller checklists of tasks to complete before a major test or assignment, you will never find yourself in a situation where you have an essay due in a few days and haven’t even started. You will be following a timeline and making sure you don’t have to rush.

I know this system may seem rigorous, but planning is the only way you can keep on top of your workload in university! Falling behind is a lot harder if you are organized and disciplined, and being on top of your workload will help you a lot when it comes to exam times… no cramming and all-nighters if you have been consistent all semester! 

Create happiness if you cannot find it.

7 Extremely Common Forms of Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse is touched on in the article “10 Red Flags of an Abusive Relationship.” For this article we hope to expand on that topic. One study found that 65% of the participants were victims of verbal abuse at some point in their life. Verbal abuse is one of the first forms of abuse within a relationship. It is important to understand that verbal abuse doesn’t stop at being told you are worthless or stupid. Some forms of verbal abuse can be sneaky, leaving the victim wondering if something really happened or if they are just overreacting. This list, from Psych2Go, hopes to shed some light on some of the more common forms of verbal abuse.

1. Belittling/criticizing  

This form of abuse isn’t so sneaky, but it really can sting. Belittling is a way for the abuser to make the victim feel small or stupid, without specifically saying it. Belittling can come in the form of something known as jabs. Jabs are small comments meant to have a large emotional impact.

It’s so cute when you try to talk about something you’re clueless on

It’s best if you give up

Try not to take things so personally

As much as they try to sound caring, they are sarcastic remarks…

CONTINUE READING HERE

5 Helpful Self Care Tips for Empaths

A person who is an empath is a rarity among our population: only about 25% of the human population are empaths. The difference between a person having empathy and an empath is that while it’s normal to have the ability of empathizing with others, empaths feel on a much deeper emotional and spiritual level. They are very sensitive to other people’s emotional energies, and can easily sense and take on another’s vibes, positive and negative. For example, if we see another person cry, we feel the urge to cry too. If our friend is really excited about something, we start to feel just as excited. If someone around us is spreading negativity, it can end up making us feel sick.

Science researchers have discovered what’s called “mirror neurons” which are a specialized group of brain cells that are responsible for compassion. Empaths are believed to have hyper-responsive mirror neurons, which means we can mirror others’ emotions easily and instantly.

Since empaths feel on such an intense level, sometimes this can feel like a disadvantage. The place we live, the company we keep, observations of the world around us, and life’s inevitable trials and tribulations can really take a toll on an empath. Empaths are very easily stressed and overwhelmed, so it’s especially important for us to practice self care on a regular basis. Here are some great self care techniques that can help empaths keep stability in their mental, emotional, and spiritual state. These tips are also helpful for people with anxiety disorder.

1. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is an excellent form of self-care for empathetic people. We tend to be sensitive and appreciative of pleasant  aromatic scents such as lavender, mint, hibiscus, lemongrass, florals, or exotic fruity aromas…

CONTINUE READING HERE

What is your favorite building that you helped design?

I always give the same answer: the next one!

Each project is special in some way, and you work so long on each that they are like your children, but the next one is always the one where we put our faith on!

Be happy for no reason, like a child. If you are happy for a reason, you’re in trouble, because that reason can be taken from you.

Deepak Chopra (via commoncrooked)

“When someone truly cares about you, they make an effort not an excuse.”

— Unknown

All Negative Disharmonious Conditions

All negative disharmonious conditions are sublime siddhis, since negative conditions intensify the yogin’s experience, since one understands the true state of negative conditions without avoiding them, train in them, maintain that, and practise until coming to the conclusion of experience and realisation, just as a good horse is encouraged by a quirt.

— Mahasiddha Virupa