Best Language Learning Tips & Masterlists From Other Bloggers I’ve Come Across

We are so accustomed to disguising ourselves to others, that in the end, we become disguised to ourselves.

François de La Rochefoucauld

INFJxENTP in literature

The Odyssey, Penelope and Odysseus, Tischbein, 1802

The canon INFJxENTP ship

how I take notes on non fiction books

I recently made a post on my study method, and decided to make a whole separate post on my note taking method. The structure of the notes I write doesn't vary too much from my lecture notes to things I might have to read. A couple of useful informations you might want to know before I start actually talking about note writing is that I am mainly focused on studying history (tho I have had other humanities exams in my degrees), and that I study for oral exams in which the material is mainly composed of non fiction books, but sometimes include articles as well as lecture notes. Somehow I have also failed to mention that I am speaking about HANDWRITTEN NOTES. I only do handwritten notes, I don't work well digitally, so keep that in mind. And with this being said brace yourselves for a very long post. The bullet points I will be making are not really in a specific order and I will be including a few pictures too.

The first step when I am working on the materials for an exam is to figure out in which order I will be reading (and writing notes) the books. This hasn't really much to do with the notes themselves, but it's important to know which of your materials is more general and what other things go more in depth, so that you don't struggle too much while studying. Another plan related thing I always do is to write down each chapter of the book I have to study on my bullet journal and how many pages it is so I can plan my studying more comfortably. If the chapters are very long, and divided in subchapters I sometimes also write those down.

The goal of the notes I write is to fully take the place of the book, so they tend to be very detailed and long. I do this because the very act of writing is part of my study method, and working on things I have written down in my own words is just much better for the type of learner I am. So basically I read the book only once, then it goes back on the shelf and I work exclusively on the notes. This means my notes need to be detailed and well organized.

My method is to read a chapter, underlining important stuff as I am reading, and then right after I am done reading I work on the notes for that chapter before moving onto the next. I do this because it makes the note writing more effortless, I am fresh with informations I just read and I basically just need to skim over what I have underlined.

On underlining, since it is so important. I underline everything I will be including in my notes, it might seem much as sometimes it consists of full paragraphs, instead of key words. But this is okay because my notes I don't just copy and paste.

To create useful notes you need to be re-elaborating the informations. You need to read, understand what you read, and be able to write it down using your own words. That way the notes will be easier to review, they will often be composed of shorter sentences, and by doing so you are also actively making writing part of your studying and not just a mindless activity.

Personally I don't work well with full pages summaries, I need the text to be visually broken into sentences/small paragraphs, and I use a lot of symbols as well as abbreviations.

Symbols and abbreviations are in a way part of your very own language when you are writing notes, you tend to develop these with time, but they are so useful. I personally use different types of arrows, all caps words, position of the text in the page, different methods of highlighting and abbreviations (usually for words that come up often like country names, for example Italy becomes ita, France becomes fr, etc.).

Your notes need to be useful for you, they don't have to necessarily be comprehensible for another person (which means you can and will fuck up sentence structure because sometimes skipping a couple of words makes the notes shorter and still understandable), and they do not have to be pretty. They should be as tidy as possible, but again that might change from person to person, I have some very messy looking notes that make total sense to me. With time you'll learn what works best for you.

I have a visual memory so as I mentioned titles, highlighters, all caps, the placement on the page and other similar things are very important in my notes. I cannot fully exapain some of these things because some definitely only make sense to me in the moment (like the words I choose to write in all caps, or the way I highlight things).

I like to have a clear chapter and subchapter break (so that in case I need to refer back to the book it's super effortless). I like to write those with a red pen, usually the chapter title is in all caps and the subchapter in coursive, but it really depends.

I use only two highlighters in each set of notes yellow for dates, and the colour I associate with the book/the subject of the book (I have synesthesia I don't make the rules when it comes to colours). This of course might change depending your preferences and on the element of your notes you want to focus on. I like to have spacific colour for dates and time periods, because of course while studying history that is a fundamental element. If you are focusing on other subjects you might want to have a specific colour for names, or other elements.

I like to leave a big side margin to add either key words (especially in lecture notes since they might be messier and jump around informations more often), or additional information in a second time (sometimes it happens, after you read another book, or attended a particular lecture you have to add a couple of sentences and I rather have a blank space that never gets used rather than no space at all for emergencies).

I honestly mentioned everything that came to mind right away, but since note writing is now basically a mindless skill I have been practicing for years I surely forgot about something. I might end up adding to this post in the future or write another one. My note-writing method has also changed a lot thought the years from high school to university, it's a skill I have been perfecting for the past decade. This to say that depending on what you are working on things might change, and by experimenting with different things you might find out things that work very well for you. If you have any questions on specific things I didn't mention or that wen't clear my inbox is always open and I am more than happy to help.

Since this post is already very very long I am adding the pictures below the cut

Example of a page of notes before and after highlighting

Example of symbols and structure of the notes and the way I highlight things (in which you'll hopefully be able to understand my handwriting, and in which there might be some spelling errors but alas that often happens in my real notes as well so if there are any it's for the sake of accuracy lmao). If I end up adding informations on the margins I always use a pen of a different color so I can tell which informations I got from what source (ex. main notes from lecture, colorful notes from additional article).

Example of messier notes in which the main text in black are the notes I took during lectures and the additional colorful text was added while writing the materials (I rarely do this, it usually happens when the lectures follow a book precisely, which happens when we have to study books or summaries written by the professor). As you can see I often use post it notes to add more writing space, and sometime I even use them to create visually separated sections. If I end up adding some drawings I also usually like to have them on post it notes so they stand out more (and if you are wondering why the hell would an history student need drawings it's usually either because I need a map or a region/state to mark things out, or when studying for archaeology exams I often needed visual references, for example to identify different types of vases or decorations).

Every day is a reason to celebrate 🥂🥳

don't study because you need to. study because knowledge is power. study because they can never take it away from you. study because you want to know more. study because it enhances you. study because it grows you.

Being Classy and Developing a Ladylike Mindset

1. Cultivate Inner Confidence

Know Your Worth: Understand your strengths and embrace your individuality. Confidence shines through when you’re comfortable with who you are.

Positive Self-Talk: Replace self-doubt with affirmations and focus on your achievements.

Stay Humble: Confidence paired with humility creates a balanced and approachable demeanor.

2. Refine Your Communication Skills

Speak Eloquently: Practice speaking clearly and thoughtfully. Avoid excessive slang or profanity.

Listen Actively: Pay attention when others speak, showing genuine interest.

Express Gratitude: Use “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” generously.

Avoid Gossip: Discuss ideas and experiences rather than people’s flaws.

3. Embrace Elegance in Appearance

Dress Tastefully: Choose clothing that flatters your body and suits the occasion. Stick to timeless pieces and neutral tones for a polished look.

Maintain Grooming: Keep your hair, nails, and skin clean and neat. A simple, natural makeup look often appears more refined.

Invest in Quality Accessories: A classic handbag, elegant jewelry, and well-maintained shoes elevate your style.

4. Develop a Graceful Demeanor

Practice Good Posture: Stand and sit up straight; it conveys poise and confidence.

Move Gracefully: Walk with intention and avoid rushing or slouching.

Control Your Emotions: Stay calm under pressure and express emotions in a balanced manner.

Be Mindful: Avoid interrupting, fidgeting, or speaking too loudly in social settings.

5. Educate Yourself Continuously

Pursue Knowledge: Stay informed about current events, culture, and areas of personal interest.

Read Widely: Literature, history, and self-development books broaden your perspective.

Learn New Skills: Cooking, etiquette, or a second language can enhance your personal refinement.

6. Uphold Strong Values

Integrity: Stay true to your values and act with honesty.

Kindness: Treat everyone with respect and compassion, regardless of status.

Accountability: Take responsibility for your actions and learn from mistakes.

Boundaries: Maintain healthy boundaries in relationships and stand up for yourself gracefully.

7. Practice Good Etiquette

Table Manners: Familiarize yourself with basic dining etiquette.

Social Etiquette: Be polite in conversation, respect personal space, and use appropriate body language.

Digital Etiquette: Avoid oversharing online and be mindful of how you communicate on social media.

8. Surround Yourself with Positivity

Choose Your Circle Wisely: Surround yourself with people who inspire and uplift you.

Seek Inspiration: Follow role models who embody elegance and class.

Avoid Drama: Distance yourself from negativity and unnecessary conflicts.

9. Give Back

Be Generous: Volunteer your time, resources, or skills to help others.

Show Appreciation: Acknowledge and thank those who contribute to your life.

10. Balance Ambition with Grace

Set Goals: Work toward personal and professional aspirations with determination.

Stay Humble: Celebrate your successes without arrogance.

Help Others Succeed: Offer encouragement and mentorship to those around you.

Being classy and having a ladylike mindset is about embodying grace, confidence, and kindness. It’s not just about appearance but also about your behavior, values, and the way you interact with the world.

One day you think: I want to die. And then you think, very quietly, actually I want a coffee. I want a nap. A sandwich. A book. And I want to die turns day by day into I want to go home, I want to walk in the woods, I want to see my friends, I want to sit in the sun. I want a cleaner room, I want a better job, I want to live somewhere else, I want to live.

Even when you're tired, remember why you started.

study with me study date 08-03-23 human resource management, part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

study techniques the feynman technique question bank method of study 45:15 pomodoro ~ study technique flashcards español resources active recall for studying how does active recall work? eat the frog (time management) dual coding spaced repetition

notetaking the mapping method the boxing method the charting method the cornell method the sentence method the outlining method sketchnotes taking effective notes in class

study schedules five hour weekend study schedule six hour weekend study schedule

study guides learning languages study guide

balance in academia the importance of balance in academia school, extracurriculars and balance working as a student

study skills optimizing your study environment improving your memory time management in the ib how to improve your listening skills in lectures how to take better notes during fast-paced lectures how to improve memory retention in lectures

study advice & tips how to effectively organise flashcards study tips take more breaks while working regular review seeking support when needed and the benefit of tutoring miscellaneous study tips connecting your daily work to your goals healthy eating as a student healthy habits for straight a's how to boost your creativity creative routines the benefits of group studying the importance of study checklist for the new semester

university/college the university masterlist how to get into a good university applying to schools (what to consider) what can you do with a biology degree?

my research/explorations don't forget to do your research (artificial intelligence) pretty privilege in academia important qualities for students

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

— Cicero, Ad Familiares