Money Matters

… But then I realized that alcohol existed.

Blaise Zabini, after hearing Draco “complain” about Hermione for hours (via its-hp-bitch)

Yessss

THE GARDEN

hey everyone! with the start of the new school year right around the corner, i thought i’d make my first ~studyblr masterpost~ in an attempt to consolidate some tips & goals that i’ve found helpful or that i plan to use for online classes. honestly, these might be useful even for in-person classes!

1. DEVELOP YOUR STUDY SYSTEM

it’s very easy for me to download files into multiple different folders, take notes in whatever notebook’s closest to me, or jot down dates on the back of envelopes. then, when i need to study or double check a syllabus or instructions, i have no idea where to look.  

instead: choose one or two methods of storing information. you can go all-online (notion, google drive, microsoft word, etc), all physical (notebooks, printing out worksheets and assignment info, etc), or a blend (storing readings online, but handwriting notes, for example). consider making a list of your classes and noting where to find your work for each class, so if you store your work for architecture class online but your history class in 2 separate notebooks, you don’t waste time looking in the wrong place. 

2. PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE

no, you don’t have to make a timetable for every minute of every day. but creating a general study schedule will allow you to mentally prepare for busy days and quickly see when you’re free. 

use an online calendar or planner to block off class and study time. then, add other categories, such as: sleep, mealtimes, pet care, exercise, naps, writing, reading, clubs, or other regular obligations. i’m guilty of making mine too detailed and usually up completely blowing off my minute-by-minute schedule, so making a vague timetable and then adding categories as time goes on is probably your best bet. life happens, and you can’t account for everything. i also like to use post-its on my door or mirror to remind me what i absolutely need to get done at certain times!

3. DON’T IGNORE ‘OPTIONAL’ WORK

your professor records weekly lectures and assigns reading to go along with it. you’re tempted to do just one or the other - maybe you’re tempted to watch the lecture and skip the reading or take notes from the reading and skip the lecture. don’t do it!!! make it a goal to do both!!!

find ways to make undesirable work more bearable. can you listen to lectures while making dinner or going for a walk? how about taking notes while listening to your favorite movie soundtrack? for me, even getting cozy with some blankets, comfy clothes, and tea helps. anything that makes you dread schoolwork is a win!!

4. GET OFF THE INTERNET

i am SO guilty of spending most my time on either tumblr, instagram, or tiktok (endless fyp? no clock? yeahhh my screen time isn’t great). going on instagram when i wake up somehow turns into an hour of…doing what? i have no idea. 

set reminders to do something without your phone. by this i mean: do not bring your phone with you. leave it at home when you go for a walk, don’t multitask watching a movie and answering emails, don’t browse social media while you eat. pick one or more ways to practice completely disconnecting for a while every day!. whether all of your classes are online or just a few (or none!), your brain really does need a break from screens. at the very least, try to avoid blue light before bed (yeah, i know you’ve heard this one before). for me, the tide app is a lifesaver, and i know a lot of you love forest. otherwise, set reminders using a calendar app or your alarm clock!

5. MONITOR AND CARE FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

obviously miss rona has thrown a wrench in many of our plans for school, work, and life in general. if not, there’s no way it hasn’t impacted you in some way or another. pay attention to your thoughts, energy levels, and how you’re coping with recent changes. now’s a really good time to reach out for help if you’re able to; if not, there are various online resources and communities that might help you until you can. mental health support is for everyone. 

some masterposts and resources that may be helpful:

 mental health masterpost by @adelinestudiess

self-help masterpost by @self-care-club

being a student with mental illness by @celeztialstudies

and these mental health resources and hotlines

6. STAY CONNECTED ONLINE IF YOU CAN’T IN PERSON

the first month of my freshman year of college will be online, the rest of the semester will likely be online (though i will be on-campus), and i’m not allowed to see most of my friends. i’m guessing i’m not the only one! regardless of your personal situation, it can be really hard but so helpful to stay in touch with friends, family, and faculty. the first few months were full of zoom calls and virtual hangouts, but they might be dying down by now. 

send letters, set up virtual calls with far-away friends, go to office hours, or video call family members. this might be the hardest one on this list, seeing as most of us are suffering from zoom burnout already. to avoid the potential stress of spontaneous socializing, try scheduling a call once a week at a regular time, asking your friends to facetime later, creating a weekly study group for your classes, watching netflix with someone using an extension like netflix party, texting acquaintances to check in, sending letters/emails to older family members, getting involved in an online community (this is studyblr promo :D) or making a goal to go to office hours once a week/twice a month, etc. 

hopefully these gave you a few ideas on how you might get organized and tackle online classes this year! 

some other studyblr masterposts to get inspired: 

school cheat sheet by @jwstudying 

school tips masterpost by @crimstudies

With this spellbinding project, insanely talented artist @littlechmura​ wanted to create a self-contained moment for each of these beloved Harry Potter characters—a single scene that gives a glimpse into their own magical worlds. She’s calling the series “One Breath Each”, and we’re calling it GORGEOUS AF.

Tips for studying with ADD

I have been dealing with ADD since forever. Through all those years in school I’ve learnt a few things that help me study and keep my grades good.

🌼 Have 2 things to focus on

This might sound a bit odd but you have to distract yourself a little bit. Sitting down to a book, in a complete silence won’t help at all. You’ll find something else no matter how empty the room may be. Give yourself two things to focus on instead. The first thing is studying and the second should be something that doesn’t cost you too much thinking. Here are a few ideas for your second focus:

Have something simple in your hand to roll it around (e.g. a stone)

Music with no lyrics

A piece of paper to fold

A pencil or pen to play with

A ball to throw around

A calm pet (the calm part is important, no cat chasing!)

🌼 Try to study alone

Other poeple will not only distract you but you will aslso distract them too.

🌼 Turn off your phone

🌼 Switch between the subjects often

Study one thing for some time, then other thing and then come back to the first thing. Change things up as often as your memory can take it to keep your brain intrigued.

🌼 Change study spaces

🌼 Give yourself time to stare into space blankly

🌼 Ask someone to snap you back

Ask someone to check on you and snap you back to reality in case you lose attention

🌼 Learn in as many forms as you can

Try things out (if it’s safe to do so), hear them, look at pictures.

🌼 Give yourself enough time

Don’t wait until the last minute. Give yourself as much time as you can.

I hope I helped and have a nice day!

Tommy Shelby running around asking people where Charlie is when he forgot where he left Charlie

reblog if you:

- flinch away when someone touches you.

- panic when you accidentally break an object.

- get scared when someone walks behind you.

- feel your heart rate increase at every sudden noise.

- are easily panicked by slightly-louder-than-normal sounds.

- stare apprehensively at your bedroom doorway for hours at night.

- have trouble making eye contact with people.

- always feel either too mature or too immature for your age.

- simultaneously crave and be terrified of physical contact.

because i do all of these

Energy Management

A human-based organization method

click on images for better resolution; images also available here (link to google drive)

Other posts that may be of interest:

Getting stuff done: How to deal with a lack of motivation

Flexible time-blocking: A more breathable way to get things done

The ABCDE Method

Yesssss

Let’s just casually spread it until it becomes an actual thing.

An Overview of Note-Taking Styles

Note-taking is one of the most essential skills a student should master. It allows you to record and review information to be used in the future. But what’s the best way to do so? Here’s an overview of note-taking styles that can help you maximize your learning!