Life Should Really Just Be *wakes Up Refreshed* *drinks Some Coffee* *eats Some Oatmeal* *reads A Book*

[11.03.17] 52/100 days of productivity 

Reviewing some Greek third declension nouns. I promise you I do more than just study and drink coffee! 

This week was very busy, but I’m happy with the work I did. I’m going home this weekend, and I’m looking forward to taking some time off from studying! 

Art by Nada H

this morning: black coffee and lots of reading and researching.

(touch the pic for better quality)

Vocab List: Meeting your idol

To say in real life

안녕하세요- Hello/Hi

신곡 너무 너무 좋아요- I really really like your new song

좋은 하루 되세요- Have a great day

너무 잘생겨서 심장이 아파요- You’re so handsome my heart hurts

진짜 너무 이뻐요- You’re so (freakin) pretty

진짜 너무 잘생겼어요- You’re so (freakin) handsome

이번 컴백 보고 울뻔했어요- I nearly cried from this comeback

좋은 음악 만들어줘서 고마워요- Thank you for making amazing music

꿈 같아요- It’s like a dream

팬 미팅 처음이에요- It’s my first time at a fan meet

사진에서도 이쁜데/잘생겼는데 실물은 더 이뻐요/잘생겼어요- You look so pretty/handsome in photos but even more pretty/handsome in real life

너무 떨려요- I’m so nervous

못보겠어요- I can’t look at you (because you’re too shy/nervous)

To say over text (e.g. Twitter)

수고하셨습니다/수고했어요- You worked hard today

푹 쉬세요- Go rest

끼니 꼭 챙겨 드세요- Don’t miss your meals

오늘도 화이팅- hwaiting/fighting (a way to encourage someone)

맛있는 거 많이 먹어요- Eat loads of tasty food

아프지 마세요- Don’t be sick

1위 축하해요- Congratulations for 1st place

One of my majors is english, so I do a lot of reading. Having to read an entire novel each week is rough, but it really helped me refine my annotating methods. Here is how I annotate fiction and nonfiction books! 

FICTION

1. MAKE USE OF THE BLANK PAGES IN THE FRONT OF THE BOOK 

I’m someone who has a lot of trouble with keeping track of characters, especially if there are a lot of them. To remedy this, I use one of the blank pages in the front of the book to make a list of each of the characters, and sometimes I’ll write something about them so I can place a name to a character. Here’s a quick example: 

2. USE HIGHLIGHTERS AND ASSIGN MEANING TO THE COLORS

If you aren’t someone who likes to actually write in the book, you can obviously use different colored post-its for this instead. I typically use three different colors when highlighting, and this is what the colors mean for me:

Pink - Character introductions: I use pink to highlight any time a character is introduced for the first time. You will often be asked to write about characters’ personalities, so this makes it easier to find descriptions of characters later. 

Green - Important plot points: I use green to highlight any important things that happen that I think I’ll need to look back at. 

Yellow - quotes: I use yellow for important quotes, or anything that is important but doesn’t fit any other category. 

Extra - Purple: After you finish reading a book, your teacher will usually point out important passages too. When this happens, I use purple to highlight those sections to denote that my professor found them important, because this probably means they’re worth talking about in an essay. 

3. WRITE A SUMMARY AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER

To make sure you really understood what you just read, it is a good idea to write down a brief summary on the last page of the chapter. This helps with remembering what you read, and it also makes it much easier to go back and find events in the plot that you want to talk about.

4. POST-ITS FOR ESSAY IDEAS

I’ve pretty much had to write an essay on virtually every book I’ve had to read in both high school and college, so I’ve made a habit of using post it notes to bookmark pages with content that would be helpful in making arguments in an essay. Make a short note on the post it so you remember what point you were planning on making with that passage. *This is especially helpful for timed essays during which you’re allowed to use the book as a resource. That way, you can have essentially your entire argument planned out ahead of time. 

NONFICTION 

I use similar methods when annotating nonfiction, but instead of paying attention to plot points, I try to focus on main arguments and ideas. 

1. USE A BLANK PAGE FOR SUMMARIZING

Like with fiction, I like to use a blank page at the front of the book to summarize different sections of the book. This makes it easy to remember all the main ideas without having to flip back through the entire book.

2. HIGHLIGHTING AND WRITING

When I read nonfiction, I care much less about color-coding my annotations. I typically just use whatever I have around me at the time. What really matters about nonfiction is making sure you really understand the content, so I write down summaries in the margins on nearly every other page. 

As you can see, there’s a lot of different colors going on. They mean nothing. Honestly, my yellow highlighter was just going dead so I was going back and forth between that and my purple one. The red pen was the one I was using during my initial read-through, and the second time I read these pages, I just happened to have a blue pen, so don’t worry about the colors.

Anyway, what is really important about this is my short summaries in the margins. Doing this not only helps you dismantle the arguments being made, but it also forces you to become an active reader. 

3. ACTIVE READING

Like i just mentioned, engaging with the book by writing summaries frequently makes you an active reader. It is difficult to get anything out of a book if you aren’t actively engaging with the material, especially if it’s nonfiction. To fully understand the ideas being presented in the book, you need to find a way to actively engage with it. You can do this by using my ‘writing summaries in the margins’ method, or you can do whatever it is that makes you really focus on the content of the book. Anyone can zone out and look at words on a page, but if you want that A, you need to really dive into the book! 

Where was this when i needed it.. T_T

do your research before reading the book, it’s always a good idea to look up the author and when the book was written and published. by looking that up, you can learn about the historical context of the book and get a deeper understanding of the plot, characters, and the author’s purpose behind reading the book.

read the intro and summary of the book before beginning if there’s an introduction to the book, be sure to read that for any relevant information that may help you analyze the book. find a summary of the book online to prepare yourself for a good reading. i know, i know, it feels like a bit of a letdown if you know the ending beforehand, but without it, you may get caught up in the plot and lose the important thematic details of the book. it’ll allow you to read the book with an open mind.

figure out what you need to do do you have a list of vocabulary for the book? find out each definition. do you need to analyze a character? get a sheet of paper and get ready to take notes on the characters. do you need to write about the theme? get post-it notes and mark the quotes that you think are relevant to the plot. either way, just be prepared for what you have to do with the book.

don’t highlight; write oftentimes, people will simply highlight pretty much anything in the book. i’m not a huge fan of the highlighting - annotating method because you may want to sell the book later on or reread it without bombarding your eyes with bright color. the highlighter ink may even bleed to the other side of the paper. i think that it just ruins the reading experience and future potential. it also encourages passive reading. instead, use sticky notes or sticky tabs to write down notes and place them in the book. keep a piece of paper by your side to take note of every character’s name and important plot points. using a color key with sticky notes may be helpful as well. if you must, i would suggest underlining with a pencil so that you can erase it after you’re done with the whole process.

take copious notes write down the words that you don’t know in the story and look them up. write down characters and their changes over the course of the book. write down times / settings when they show up. write down important quotes and passages + page numbers. write down every single thought that you have about the book because it may become relevant later on.

make a summary of the chapter after you finish one i personally like doing the summaries on index cards and then put them in order after i finish the entire book. i can then look through them to see the plot progression and character growth over the course of the story without hunting through the book or my notes.

wait until you finish the entire paragraph / passage before writing notes if you stop halfway, you may miss important information that’s revealed at the end of the passage. besides, you may develop new thoughts after reading the entire passage / paragraph.

look for literary devices you know, your metaphors, allusions, similes, personifications, etc etc etc. it’s good to be familiar with literary devices because they will often give an insight to the story and frequently become relevant to questions on the test / writing things. here’s a good site on literary devices.

hope this helped and good luck! if you’d like to request a post, go here and if you’d like to see more helpful posts, go here !! thanks :)

SCHOOL CHEAT SHEET!!

soothe yourself | self care

stationery  

printables

helpful sites

music for studying | more music

note taking methods  | another one

studying methods

english | physics | chemistry | biology | maths | languages 

how to learn a language

ultimate guide for writing | writing resources | writing helps | tips for writers

how to write a kickass essay | write a great essay | stuff you need to write essays | essay tips | essay checklist | grade your essay

how do I study for…

bullet journals | a guide to bullet journals

the testing effect

everything you need to succeed in school

time management

organisation

how to annotate | another one

guide to aesthetically pleasing notes | improve your handwriting

create a study guide

resources | helpful websites | there’s an app for that

get more out of google 

productivity resources | 14 apps to become productive | how to stay productive

lazy night owl school survival guide

apps for a better life | useful websites for students

masterpost of studying tips

social media citation guide

college masterpost | another one | starting college on the right foot | packing for college | how to survive in college

how to ace that college interview

food to stay motivated | motivation guide

how to stay awake in class

balancing a healthy lifestyle

studying on your period

huge masterpost for the semester

a very long list to help you survive school

not enough time to finish an assignment?

100 delicious cheap recipes 

53 posts for students

high school cheat sheet

other cheat sheets

College tips

I’m in college, no surprise there. I’ve had many experiences already in my 2 years of college. Let’s just say, chaos likes to follow me. I’ve passed, failed, been to the hospital, gotten on a first name basis with the dean, almost got backer acted, all that good stuff. So I have quite a few tips between balancing school and two jobs, recovering from failing, how to pass, when to call a class quits, etc. Some of these you may think I’m crazy for and that’s ok. Some like just giving up on a class or two may sounds stupid but believe me, when you work two jobs, are almost hospitalized, have family on the verge of death, one already dead, living an hour from school, and relying on a car that likes to work most of the time, there will be times you need to just quit. These tips may not be for everyone, but I’m sure that at least one of these could help you.

Find a sleeping schedule that works for you. Once you do, fit your classes around it, and work around your school. Trust me, if you put sleep second, you will never sleep enough and you’ll half ass all your classes.

Not only try to avoid 8AM’s, try to avoid classes that end at 9-10PM. I always here people advise against 8am classes, but never heard anyone advise against these. As a female getting out that late and walking to your car or dorm can be very scary especially on a college campus and that’s for good reason. It’s just not safe. Not to mention, you’ll get back to your place of sleeping and not be tired enough to sleep and probably won’t go to bed until around midnight at the earliest. Then cue next morning hatred for signing up for that class. Trust me, these classes are just as bad as 8ams

If the police want to talk to you, be honest and polite. The more polite you are, the gentler they will be and the less likely they are to threaten to arrest you as an accomplice or something. Just be honest and polite, but never compromise your rights. Ask for a lawyer but do so politely if it comes down to it. They hate talking to you just as much as you hate talking to them

Go ahead and hook up, but make sure your roommate(s) are fine with it and make sure to use protection. Don’t rely on plan B

Never let your drink leave your sight. Always keep it in hand and close to the front of your torso. Pass on the food at parties too unless you see it get delivered, opened, and served. People love getting people high and giving them drugs without their knowledge and consent as a prank

If you know you’re going to a place with alcohol, bring at least one friend you can completely trust even if you don’t think you’re going to drink

Don’t let someone talk you up and don’t fuck someone because you feel guilty

Make time to study. Put it in your calendar and don’t make plans for those times. Believe me, you’ll be so happy you did

Take notes in whatever way works for you. Study however and wherever works for you. Don’t be fooled into thinking there’s a correct way to succeed in academia. The only correct way is the way that works for you. Music? No music? Outside? Flashcards? In your bed? Whatever works my dude

Make your bed when you first get up. It will make your room appear more put together and if you do nothing all day besides that, at least you can tell yourself that you did do something worthwhile that day

If you’re sick, go to the clinic. Most campuses have free clinics where you can go and get seen for free or really cheap if you’re a student. Don’t suffer and be miserable

If you’re sad, cry. Be dramatic. Turn on the shower and start showering and then slowly slide down the wall as you breakdown hysterical over that breakup and just let the water gently flow over your skin as your tears blend with the drops spiraling down the drain. Trust me, you’ll come out feeling so much better while also wanting to die. But you’ll have more confidence and an easier time than you would if you tried to play it off like it didn’t bother you

Do stupid, harmless things like confess to your crush or tell that girl you think her hair is gorgeous. Go for a walk in the park and go out to your favorite restaurant alone. Buy the cheapest bottle of wine and drink it while watching a Disney movie. Live. Feel the rain fall and the sunlight wrap you. Feel the wind flow around you and the snow cover you. Feel the shadows cast down from the clouds and the ground beneath your feet. Pick that dandelion and make a wish or two or twenty. You could walk around in nothing but a snuggie and flip flops while drinking a piña colada from a coffee mug that says “fuck you” on it and I can guarantee you at least one person will think you’re a genius

Actually talk to your roommate(s) because you’ll be living with them for a while. Try to be on their good side. And if you really don’t like them, befriend your RA and bitch about him/her to them

Go bake something at 2AM

If you’re drinking and begin to feel buzzed, stop. The alcohol will hit you even more as the night goes on. No one does anything they want to talk about while shit-faced. Every drunk person becomes the person everyone laughs at and talks about for days. Save yourself the embarrassment and stop with a buzz. And besides it’s much better than a hangover

If you’re failing a class and you have no hope in reviving your grade, then don’t be afraid to drop it or just stop trying. In my chem 2 lecture, all three tests I took so far I got below a 65 on. I need a 72 to pass. There’s no way I would pass the class and I can’t drop it so I stopped going and studying and worrying about it. There’s no reason I should sacrifice efforts on a lost cause when I could put that energy to another class and excell in it.

Actually talk with your teachers. They control your grade, might as well get to know them and be on their good side. And trust me, not only will your grades be better, they may come in use later on

Don’t try to fix anyone. People have their problems and their own lives. You won’t fix anyone and you’ll just hurt yourself in the process

Be kind to people. If they piss you off, be even nicer to them. Trust me, it will be great watching them fume but not be able to do anything because you’re so nice and sweet and everyone loves you

Learn to cook real meals like chicken parmesan, shrimp alfredo, good chili, etc. They’re all really pretty simple with a little bit of practice and after a while, you’ll be able to make a delicious meal out of almost anything you find in your cabinets. I learnt how to cook at a young age and now if you just threw a bunch of random ingredients and some spices at me, I could definitely make due. This has come in handy so many times when all I have to eat is some pasta, a loaf of bread, chicken strips, and maybe a vegetable at the bottom of the fridge. I can work with that and not hate what I eat

Get off your parent’s taxes and get your own insurance

Go to the gym at least once. Even if it’s just to look

Try out some new hobbies like kayaking, painting, hiking, baking, witchcraft, writing, photography, cooking, sewing, etc. Many of these things will be useful

Learn at least one survival skill. Sewing, making bread from acorns, fishing, building a flotation device, whatever. It’ll make you look cool and like you have this whole life thing figured out

Keep your gas receipts and all receipts really

Spend cash

Learn about yourself

Record lectures when you can’t focus or don’t want to take notes

Avoid the tattoo parlor between the hours of 8pm and 10am to avoid a future regret

Talk to the people who no one else does. Befriend the outcasts. But if they do things you’re uncomfortable with, you can just as easily walk away

Don’t hang out with the person who gets drunk every weekend and smokes weed to get high and acts like college is a party every day. They usually get caught at least once or do something stupid that brings you down

Go to the beach at night when no one is around and the stars are out. Be safe though

If you don’t want to do something, don’t. You owe no one an explanation. They should respect your no and if they don’t, you don’t need them around

Don’t let someone get handsy with you just because they’re drunk. Tell them no if it makes you uncomfortable. Walk away

You are in school, your grades are important, but they’re not the end all be all

Start learning how to rely on yourself and yourself only

Avoid fights. They’re not cool and can land you in jail

People almost always have a motive

Spend time with your family and friends. The older you get, the older they get and the more likely they are to die. You never want to hate yourself for not spending time with someone

You are not to blame for someone else’s actions

You are responsible only for yourself and your actions. But don’t let that be an excuse to let someone else do something stupid

Take at least one afternoon every week to just have fun and pretend work and school doesn’t exist and you live in a perfect world

No one is perfect. Everyone fucks up. A lot. But it’s ok to cut people out of your life who fuck up. Never feel guilty for it

It’s ok to be picky

Don’t trust what people tell you. Fact check. Everything

Wash a dish after you use it and put stuff away when you’re done with it. Taking an extra 5 seconds will save you hours of stress and hate later

Turn your phone on do not disturb or on silent when studying for something important that you need to focus on

Take thousands of pictures of everything

Try to laugh every day

Do your homework even if you know the teacher won’t collect it

Constantly review past sections if you know the final will be cumulative

Keep your silibus for each class

Learn people’s stories. Not just the exciting ones. Learn about how their mother would wake them in the mornings as a kid. Learn about the silly stories they have. Learn about their scars, both happy and sad

Take care of your skin, teeth, hair, and brain

Change diets for a day

Find something that really excites you in every class you take

For everything you hate about yourself, find at least something you somewhat like about yourself

Happiness is just as much a mental thing as sadness. Find things that make you happy. Like the color orange or rain drops on leaves

Wear what ever the fuck you want. No one will care

Go to your classes even if attendance is not mandatory unless you could teach that lesson to everyone else in the class with 98% accuracy

Do things that make you happy and healthy

Make friends with people in your classes

You don’t need to be involved in 5 different clubs

You’ll only have a couple good friends and maybe one real friend if you’re lucky

Get to know someone who has a pet

Learn to respect yourself and your wants

You aren’t your parents or anyone else and you won’t have the life anyone else has

It’s ok to need a break sometimes. Just don’t give up

You are loved despite what that annoying brain of yours says. You are wanted and your friends care about you. And I do too

You matter just as much as anyone else does and if you’re struggling at all, you deserve help just as much as anyone else

You have a voice and a say. Use them wisely

i haven't updated in a while buttt

HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!

also for 2022 i did a total of 91 books which was so amazing. i also spent the year doing a lot of studying.

anyways hope y'all have an amazing new year and remember to set intentions for the new year!

<3

when i open the ‘for you’ page on tumblr i feel like a raccoon rummaging through trash looking for something to eat