Can We Romanticize Humble Academia?? Be In Love With Sharing Your Knowledge With Others. Having A Sheepish

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Physicists: the words we are using to define terms have specific mathematical definitions, so it’s important to use the correct words to talk about the correct quantity

Also physicists: Hahaha, luminous intensity isn’t an intensity, luminous flux isn’t a flux, and optical power isn’t a power!

Coffee ☕

Coffee ☕

"Don't even try to talk to me right now. I need my coffee first."

"This is literally the perfect cup of coffee!"

"I really like you. Would you want to grab a coffee with me?"

"You don't have to marry them. Just grab a coffee together and see where it leads you to."

"Do you actually know my usual order? I'm impressed!"

"I'm not sure I'm ready for a full dinner yet. But how about a coffee?"

It was a very slow day in the coffee shop, so the employees decided to launch a competition, to see who could come up with the weirdest coffee orders that were still safe to consume.

He started his day like he always did - with a coffee in hand and no ambition to be more social today.

The latte art was so spot on that she was left speechless.

It was so cliché to crash into someone and spill your drinks on each other, but that doesn't make it less annoying, when you have a job interview in a few minutes and are drenched in coffee.

Coffee Shop AUs + How to create a coffee shop atmosphere + Coffee Shop Prompts

One Word Prompt Lists

I would like to add a category to the academia aesthetics called Realistic Acedamia and it's where you show up to class everyday in jeans+hoodie with dirt cheap coffee and reduce Serious Conversations About the Nature of the Universe to memes.

Also includes messy handwriting, a collection of ugly free pens you got from library events, and complaining incessantly about your chosen area of study

Introducing Scientist Maker 1.0, a mini dress-up game promoting visibility of science in visual media! You can customize your scientist’s eyes, facial expressions, hairstyles, and give them science-y accessories!

Here we have a chemist, an astrophysics student, a environmental science student, a math student, a programmer, and a microbiologist!

The website is here: https://picrew.me/image_maker/634561

Picrew

Scientist Maker

'Are you made of copper and tellurium? Because you are cute.' Smart is the new cute! Unleash your inner geek and make your scientist person

Any non-commercial uses are welcome! Please credit @alchemysciviz if you are using it!

Stay Energized in the Winter!

I live in Ithaca now, and at this time of year, the sun’s up for like 8-9 hours a day, and it’s cold and dark, and you often find yourself not wanting to do anything. However, I still need to keep up with my studies, and I’m sure some of you are faced with a similar problem. So, I’ve gathered some of the things I do to help me stay energized throughout a winter day.

Understand your energy levels and work with them

I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect yourself to be able to do as much work or be as energized in the colder months as you do in warmer months.

For example, maybe in the summer/fall, you could survive with 5 hours of sleep and more intense work sessions, but in the winter, you might need more breaks and more sleep, and trying to resist that might result in the further deterioration of your energy levels. If you don’t already, try taking a midday break.

You shouldn’t feel guilty for having to recharge. You’ll be more productive afterwards.

Get enough sunlight

Exposure to sunlight boosts your mood by increasing your body’s serotonin levels - one of the happy hormones. It makes you more alert, energized, and prevents you from getting Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

My advice is to spend as much daylight time doing things so you can do them the most productively. Even if you’re more inclined to do things later in the day, at least push forward some of the things on your daily routine, or rearrange them in such a way that you get as much sunlight possible.

This semester - unfittingly called the ‘spring’ semester - I tried to schedule my classes as early as possible, even though I generally get sluggish in the afternoon and then work better in the evening. This is because I want to have time to do my work - or at least be out - while the sun’s still up.

Exercise where you can

It’s so hard to exercise outdoors in this weather, but I still see people going for jogs around campus, or hitting the gym. Personally, I just do some stretching and light exercise in my room.

Alternatively, if you take the bus, get off a stop early then walk the rest of the way (unless there’s terrible weather like a snowstorm or something where being outside is harmful). The key thing is that you get yourself moving, especially in the morning - you’ll be more productive and happier throughout the day.

Shower

I know the winter’s cold and you don’t feel like you have to take a shower, especially since it can make your skin dry. However, it’s a great energy booster, especially in the morning. Showering in the morning improves your blood flow and alertness, and reduces your stress levels throughout the day. If you don’t have time in the morning, shower in the evening, so you’ll have more energy after the sun goes down..

Make plans or have something to look forward to

Nothing is more draining than knowing that you have nothing to do, nothing to look forward to. You’ll probably just end up in your bed watching Netflix all day, which, let’s face it, might be fun at first but turns out to be a hell of an energy drainer. Go out to eat, study with someone, or at least watch something together.

Indulge yourself

Curl up with a good book. Watch your favorite show. Play some tunes while you sketch your favorite characters or OCs. It’s the winter, you deserve a little break to recover. If you don’t relax every now and then, you won’t be able to work as intensely and focus as hard as you want or need to.

Also, although it’s great to eat healthy, but a cup of hot cocoa or a muffin once in a while is fine and makes you happier in that moment.

Work on an indoor hobby

You’re going to spend a lot of time indoors, might as well use that time usefully (aside from schoolwork or other obligations). I like doing creative things like digital art, journaling, or bullet journaling while listening to a podcast, or reading - these types of activities are the most energizing for me.

You don’t need to do the things I listed - the point is, you should use your time indoors wisely, since during other parts of the year, you’ll probably be out a lot more.

Listen to the right music

I don’t know what y’all listen to but music is an awesome energy booster if you can align it with how you’re feeling. You know how sometimes you listen to a certain type of music and your mind just feels like it’s hovering there, like it’s slightly repelled by the music but you also don’t really hate it, and you just end up feeling unfulfilled afterwards? (That was a trash explanation but I hope you understand what I mean.) Yeah don’t do that.

During the day, listen to music that keeps you awake and energized - it could be hard hitting rock or dance-y pop or maybe even something mellow. Whatever it is, don’t try to counter it. I like to listen to roaring guitars in the morning, and slow jazz in the evening, and that works for me.

Get enough sleep (‘enough’ might be more than you usually get)

During the winter, you can take advantage of the cold and cozy weather to get more sleep. I know it’s tempting to keep working until you finish all your tasks, but if it means sacrificing your sleep, you’ll only end up depriving yourself of your already low levels of energy. Also, make sure you get good quality sleep so that you’ll be as energized as possible the next morning.

However, don’t get too much sleep. This morning, I came into math class, and my friend was like ‘you look really tired today, is something wrong?’ and no, there was nothing wrong. It’s just that this morning, I chose to sleep in until 8 when I usually wake up at 7, meaning I slept more than I should have. Too much sleep just makes you feel groggy once you wake up.

During the day, take a power nap if you have to, but don’t extend it for too long that your sleep inertia kicks in and you can’t get up anymore.

Focus on your food

I think the food we eat - and how we eat it - is a huge factor in maintaining our energy levels during these cold, dark months. So here’s an entire section about food-related strategies to combat the winter blues.

1. Eat well

Winter might tempt you to eat bulky food and sweets, but they’re not that beneficial to your productivity and energy levels. Sugary foods actually cause you to be sleepy during the day and reduce the quality of your sleep at night. Instead, opt to eat foods that contain

Vitamin C - like in fruits and vegetables - to boost your energy levels; and

Vitamin B12 - like fish, milk, and eggs - to reduce fatigue

2. Have good eating habits (don’t skip breakfast!)

In college especially, a lot of people skip breakfast - and sometimes even lunch - only to overeat during dinnertime. However, having a good breakfast - especially one with protein, fiber, and whole grains - will increase your ability to focus and boost your productivity throughout the day. Maybe you’re the type of person who tends to skip breakfast - the winter’s a great time to pick up the habit of having a morning meal. Recently, I’ve been having peanut butter and acai overnight oats - nutritious and convenient.

3. Have caffeine at the right time (if you consume any)

Studies show that the most effective time to have caffeine is between 9:30 to 11:30 am. Even if you have breakfast before that, I recommend waiting a little while before you sip your cup of coffee or whatever source of caffeine you take. You can always bring a cup to class or wherever you’re headed to at that time.

In the evening, I recommend having a cup of tea. Some teas contain enough caffeine to keep you alert but not prevent you from sleeping at night. My favorite is green tea, but other teas like oolong or black tea work just as well.

4. Snack (a little)

But not too much. A single square of chocolate or a couple crackers are great mood boosters, and it even improves cognitive functioning. You could even have a cup of tea along with your snack, which is doubly energizing.

That’s all I have for you now. Feel free to drop an ask or message me if you have any questions, and I hope the rest of the winter goes great for you!

p.s. wml bc I heard the winters here last till April

Advice for studying in lockdown

Get yourself a thermos or insulated pitcher. Fill it with hot water. Bring a mug and a few tea bags back to your room. Now you have a day’s worth of hot tea at your fingertips.

Get away from the computer and take some pen-and-paper notes. I know it may be tempting to just stare at your screen all day, but any chance to rest your eyes is a good one.

On that note, invest in some computer glasses, or a blue light filter program for your computer. We’re all in the digital realm these days, and protecting our vision is important.

If you need to, set yourself a weird sleeping schedule. All of my classes are in the afternoon or evening, due to classmates in other time zones. I stay up til 2:00 am and sleep in until 10:00 am or later most days.

Have different clothes set aside for class. I understand the temptation to show up to that Zoom call in your pajamas, really I do. But your mind connects certain physical objects with certain activities, and it can be difficult to truly wake up when you’re giving your brain signals that it’s time to sleep.

For the same reasons, do not study in your bed. If you get sick of your desk or table, try spreading out on the floor instead.

Do not check the news before studying or class time. You will be distracted, anxious, and unable to focus. Get your own day in order first, then worry about what’s going on outside.

If you are struggling to feel productive even while you’re getting your schoolwork done, take breaks to do chores. It means you’re still getting things done, but you’re switching from mental progress to physical, tangible progress.

Go sit outside for a while. Leave your phone in the house and just sit on the front porch, or in the back garden. Being shut inside is not good for creatures like us, so we need all the sunshine and fresh air we can get.

Please, for goodness’ sake, do not compare yourself to other people. For every blogger out there proudly posting 3 pictures a day of their immaculate, artistic, detailed notes, there’s two dozen who have gotten absolutely nothing done and feel like shit because of it. Other people’s success is not your failure. We are all struggling right now, even those of us who are good at hiding it.

How to Defeat Procrastination

How to Defeat Procrastination | A Mini Guide

Use your intrapersonal intelligence. Ask yourself when and why you procrastinate. Use your insights to identify the appropriate strategy to deal with those issues. 

Identify a purpose or meaning. Sometimes, it simply isn’t enough to do something for the sake of doing it. Know why you want to do it, it’ll be easier then. List down your goals, and beside it, identify the benefits. So that, when you feel your spirits drooping, you can look at the list be reminded of why you have to do it. 

Take charge of the situation. Gather up all the supplies and materials you need to get started. Choose a work environment where you can really really focus on what you are doing. Take responsibility!

Prioritize and stick to the order. When you feel overwhelmed, make a list of tasks that needs to be done. Tackle the high-priority tasks first. 

Relax your personal standards. If you’re a serial perfectionist (like me), lower your unrealistically high standards and expectations. You can still continue to produce quality work without it always having to be the BEST. 

Face your fear of failure. Focus on your positive traits. I’m hella sure you’ve got plenty of those! Focus on your accomplishments, and the skills you’ve acquired! Go in front of your mirror and tell yourself affirmations and positive pep talks! 

Visualize success. Visualize yourself working through the task, feeling positive about your work, and complete the task on time. Believe you can do it and you will! 

So I keep seeing posts on studyblr about how to take notes, some of them “official” methods like the Cornwell method or whatever it’s called, others more based on personal experience/ideas, but basically all of those don’t work well with math and physics.

So I made examples of how I take notes in physics and math, which based on what I’ve seen from professors and other students is pretty standard. (Blue text is commentary on the notes)

In math always start by defining the variables, because you will forget and you need to know all the assumptions you’ve made (like “did I define the function f as continuous, differentiable, bijective or just continuous and bijective?”). Drawings are good since they help visualise the abstract stuff (and look pretty), but not necessary. Always write down definitions, theorems, and lemmas, and ESPECIALLY their proofs. Exercises (both proof exercises and application exercises should be written down too, with varying detail based on how easy it is for you.

In math, and a bit less so in physics, you should always try to use mathematical symbols to shorten text. For the theorem I wrote what I would actually write in white, and below in blue I wrote the full, no symbol version of that. It’s pretty obvious which will be written down faster in class.

And never forget to write that sweet little quod erat demonstratum square at the end of a proof.

In physics the only thing you ALWAYS have to write down is a work through of an exercise or proof (this, of course, includes defining the variables, unless you’re the same variables as last time and can refer back to those). Since physics is about THE REAL WORLD you should strive to draw diagrams constantly, since sometimes you won’t be able to find a solution until you draw the diagram and examine the system (some proofs, especially those in optics, rely heavily on diagrams to explain what the fuck is even going on).

Unlike in math, in physics everything has a unit, which you should ALWAYS mark SOMEWHERE, because you might figure an exercise out solely based on your knowledge of units.