How To Write A Bomb Ass Personal Statement

And kid, you’ve got to love yourself. You’ve got wake up at four in the morning, brew black coffee, and stare at the birds drowning in the darkness of the dawn. You’ve got to sit next to the man at the train station who’s reading your favorite book and start a conversation. You’ve got to come home after a bad day and burn your skin from a shower. Then you’ve got to wash all your sheets until they smell of lemon detergent you bought for four dollars at the local grocery store. You’ve got to stop taking everything so goddam personally. You are not the moon kissing the black sky. You’ve got to compliment someones crooked brows at an art fair and tell them that their eyes remind you of green swimming pools in mid July. You’ve got to stop letting yourself get upset about things that won’t matter in two years. Sleep in on Saturday mornings and wake yourself up early on Sunday. You’ve got to stop worrying about what you’re going to tell her when she finds out. You’ve got to stop over thinking why he stopped caring about you over six months ago. You’ve got to stop asking everyone for their opinions. Fuck it. Love yourself, kiddo. You’ve got to love yourself.

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Some TED talks that will change your life.

How to make stress your friend by Katie McGonial (14.5 minutes) 

“Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others.”

8 secrets of success by Richard St.John (3.5 minutes)

Why do people succeed? Is it because they’re smart? Or are they just lucky? Neither. Analyst Richard St. John condenses years of interviews into an unmissable 3-minute slideshow on the real secrets of success.

A simple way to break a bad habit by Judson Brewer (9.5 minutes)

Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction — from smoking to overeating to all those other things we do even though we know they’re bad for us. Learn more about the mechanism of habit development and discover a simple but profound tactic that might help you beat your next urge to smoke, snack or check a text while driving.

Don’t regret regret by Kathryn Schulz (17 minutes)

We’re taught to try to live life without regret. But why? Using her own tattoo as an example, Kathryn Schulz makes a powerful and moving case for embracing our regrets.

How to make hard choices by Ruth Chang (14.5 minutes)

Here’s a talk that could literally change your life. Which career should I pursue? Should I break up — or get married?! Where should I live? Big decisions like these can be agonizingly difficult. But that’s because we think about them the wrong way, says philosopher Ruth Chang. She offers a powerful new framework for shaping who we truly are.

The danger of silence by Clint Smith (4 minutes) 

We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don’t,“ says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

How to speak so that people want to listen by Julian Treasure (10 minutes)

Have you ever felt like you’re talking, but nobody is listening? Here’s Julian Treasure to help. In this useful talk, the sound expert demonstrates the how-to’s of powerful speaking — from some handy vocal exercises to tips on how to speak with empathy. A talk that might help the world sound more beautiful.

Your body language shapes who you are by Amy Cuddy (21 minutes)

Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.

The happy secret to better work by Shawn Achor (12 minutes) 

We believe we should work hard in order to be happy, but could we be thinking about things backwards? In this fast-moving and very funny talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that, actually, happiness inspires us to be more productive.

A call to men by Tony Porter (11 minutes) [TW: graphic desc. of rape] 

At TEDWomen, Tony Porter makes a call to men everywhere: Don’t “act like a man.” Telling powerful stories from his own life, he shows how this mentality, drummed into so many men and boys, can lead men to disrespect, mistreat and abuse women and each other. His solution: Break free of the “man box.”

160718 it was weird Sunday and now is Monday already, is it me or recently time flies way too fast? and thank you so much for 2k, so many wonderful people following here make me feel proud and happy, I love this community cause I can talk with amazing people over my enormous shyness!

Just a regular afternoon coffee with some reading. The upcoming weeks will be busy, so for now I just try to read and calmly think as much as I can

This gave me a reason to smile when I didn’t think I had one

Been going through a bit of a lull this past month but I’m starting to get out of it! Time to get my shit together🍂🌾

i think one of the biggest problems i have with getting stuff done is i assume it’s easy for other people. like “she gets up at six every morning because she’s a morning person” or “yeah, he can run five miles every day but he likes running” or “she knows five languages, her brains just wired differently than mine” when in reality it’s all about discipline for everyone. like yeah, some people have natural aptitudes for some things but anyone that’s accomplishing anything is putting in the work. achievements don’t come easy, and i think if i start acknowledging that it’s like that for everyone i can stop making excuses

🌸10 study tips that have helped me a lot 🌸

1. Give teachers a chance. Maybe two or three chances. Even if their subject or the way they talk etc. is boring. Most times, it’s worth it - it will make you more interested in their class and you’ll learn things better. 

2. If I’m ever stressed and need to chill, usually the things that work for me are: 

taking a nap

talking to a friend about it 

taking a hot shower 

watching a funny/silly/cute tv show (my favorites are friends, brooklyn 99, steven universe or some slice of life/shoujo anime/k-drama). 

3. always make sure you’re comfortable while you’re studying! I can never get through a long study session without having showered and changed into comfy clothes before starting it. Some people also like lighting candles and having nice snacks around, which are also always a plus! Just don’t put a lot of stuff into your ‘pre-study session’ routine; you’ll end up taking a lot of time to get ready and that can simply turn into procrastination and distraction. Just make sure you feel good enough to start and don’t forget to drink water! 

4. I’m even gonna make this a single topic cause!! water is so important and useful!! Not only it helps keeping you fresh (specially if you add some cucumber or strawberries in it!) and focused, it’s also great to keep you awake if you’re feeling a bit sleepy. The effect doesn’t hit you as fast as coffee, for example, but it lasts much longer. Also caffeine is bad for you!! Make sure to not over drink it. 

5. Always study keeping in mind how things are gonna fall on your test/exam. Make sure to write down the questions that your teacher asks while giving a test (and their answers, obviously) - these are quite often the things that will fall on your test and the teacher rarely ever writes it down on the board, so it might seem like it isn’t relevant, but it really helps you understand the thought process of the subject better. 

6. Speaking of writing down questions, the Cornell Method has always worked really well to me, specially in History classes. It’s also great for memorization and revising! 

7. This is something I’m still learning to do, but make sure to revise as much as you can! Doesn’t have to be a big revision; just looking through your notes at the end of the day/week (or even just after taking them!) helps a lot!

8. Please, please, always prioritize your mental health and sleep. You need energy and mental stability to study things properly. If you don’t, your brain won’t be able to select and properly learn all the things you’ve studied that day, you’ll feel super tired and dead inside and you will crash. It’s just not healthy. Don’t listen to the whole ‘you can go out/rest after you’ve passed your exams, it will be worth it’ or ‘my dreams are worth more than my sleep’ trend. Don’t do it!! It’s a trap. I know school usually makes you think you need to give your best always 110%, but a) you really don’t; give yourself some slack once in a while, you need it, and b) your best doesn’t have to be working your as* off ‘til 3am everyday. It might just be studying for 4-6 hours everyday. Or eating ice cream and watching tv shows all day at least for one day. Your body decides. Let it be. 

9. Use actual flashcards when it’s a very difficult/new subject, not just online ones like quizlet!! (this is a tip I learned from this post)

10. eat well! also maybe try taking vitamins - especially if you’re a useless blob like me and you don’t play any sports! I’ve been taking goji berry capsules and they help me a whole lot, specially if I’m feeling sleepy. Actually any type of berry is great for boosting up your energy! 

🍒some rly good posts I recommend:

‘study smarter’ by @sleeptalkz

‘how I increased my productivity by 3x’ by @brbimstudying​ 

‘conquering math’ by @thestudyfeels​

‘bujo trackers for getting your sh*t together’ by @etudiaire​

‘types of breaks for every situation’ by @samsstudygram

🍒productivity/study life youtubers I like:

rowena tsai (love her, rly good tips on organization and just nice overall aesthetic)

ana mascara (I always watch her videos when I feel like I’m lacking motivation. Her videos talk a lot about that and discipline, and how you should always ‘be comfortable with the uncomfortable’; just 10/10 rly good motivational and actually useful videos overall).

That’s it! sorry if this was too long. I still have some tips left that I didn’t include in this post so let me know if you want me to do another one of these!

// 09.20.18 // annotations for a study in scarlet which we are reading in my adv. comp class! 

School is officially back in full swing for most of us, and with it comes lots of deadlines, pressure, and competition. So I thought I’d make a list of simple techniques, websites, and diys to help you relax and enjoy some “me time” in the midst of all of the stress!

write a letter to someone. you don’t have to send it.

listen to your favorite songs

live puppy cam//live kitten cam

make a list of everything that’s stressing you out and the action steps you can take to handle them

knit/crochet

let your thoughts float away

read some soothing suggestions

go for a walk

make a face mask

make a hair mask

meditate

take a long shower

do some yoga

do a seven-minute workout

watch paint-mixing videos

open a window and let some fresh air in

have a cup of tea

indulge in a snack

take a hot bath

listen to the rain

read a good book

practice aromatherapy

journal

vent anonymously

play with a stress ball (a real one or a virtual one)

talk to a stranger

play a game of cards

watch a movie

analyze your stress

skip rocks

cry, scream, punch your pillow. you’ll feel better.

call or text your friends

take control of your time

defeat perfectionism

create a virtual zen garden

take a nap

color in some mandalas

collect some virtual cats {iOS//Android}

paint your nails

practice guided imagery

make a music playlist that conveys how you feel

do a breathing exercise

create a nebula

look through photos of your favorite people/memories

make a glitter jar

find one good thing that happened today

find some quiet

play with your pet

receive some hugs

light a scented candle

practice progressive muscle relaxation

do an Epsom salt foot soak

turn the lights off, lay down, and daydream

laugh!!

take care of your plants

organize your school supplies

clean your room/closet

make a compress for stiff muscles

hang out at the pool

repeat positive affirmations

fold some lucky stars

give yourself a scalp massage

create sand art

list 50 things that make you happy

make stress your friend

Thanks for reading! If you have questions, feedback, or post requests, feel free to drop me an ask.

+Click here for the rest of my original reference posts!

—Sophia :)