Study Advice From A Former/still Procrastinator

Study advice from a former/still procrastinator🧠🔍

So I’ve always stuggled with procrastination. I would stress myself out over doing no work and my solution was to continue doing no work. I got okay GCSE grades but if I would’ve revised/studied harder I could’ve done a lot better. These tips aren’t going to motivate you by themselves, unfortunately nobody can motivate you but yourself. I hope these help someone :)

Visual learners👀

Mindmaps help so much. Use as many or as little coloured pens and highlighters as you like. They really help you visualise the basic content of each topic.

Diagrams! But I don’t study a subject that uses diagrams? It doesn’t matter! Draw little diagrams and doodles to help you picture the content in a more fun way!

Colour code everything! Colour coding really helps you create cues. Cues are essential in recalling information so if you write your notes for one topic in purple and there is something purple in your exam you will activate that cue!

Sticky notes! You can put these everywhere. For my GCSEs, I had sticky notes: on the hallway mirror, in my sock draw, on the fridge, stuck to the TV remote. Literally everywhere you go on a regular basis or everything you use. Use digital sticky notes on MacBooks or set alarms with the info as the title of the alarm.

Use kahoot! Everyone knows what kahoot is so I’m not going to explain it. However, it is very fun and competitive and if you struggle to enjoy the content using a kahoot makes it a lot more fun.

Audio learners🎶

Record lectures or online lessons. You can use these to look back and listen to what your teacher is saying, listen to what they emphasise.

Watch YouTube videos on the topic. Honestly, ASAPScience’s songs helped me so much in GCSE science. It’s easier to understand and it gets stuck in your head if you want it to or not. (Just don’t listen to songs before opposing subject exams: I once had the periodic table song stuck in my head during an Literature exam- not helpful.)

Create mnemonics!! Just liked in primary school when we learnt the colours of the rainbow by remembering “Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain”, it’s so helpful. And, the stupider and funnier the more you will remember it.

Written learners📝

Rewrite them notes!! Rewrite them in different colours, type them up. Write them and see how much you can remember after 10 minutes.

Revision/note cards are amazing. You can lay out revision cards however you like. You can have them as questions with the answers on the other side, you can use it for the basic information or to just rewrite your notes in a form you can easily carry around with you.

Exam questions. This isn’t only for written learners, it’s for everyone. Anyone who ever has a test or exam for something. Use past exam papers or practise questions. Answer them and then use mark schemes to grade them. You’ll learn how to structure answers for different types of questions and you’ll also learn timing. It’s the best way to revise!

Overall tips🪄

You need to find something to motivate you. For you it can be getting into university, to show off to someone or even to just reward yourself. In all honesty, I use spite to motivate me. To prove people wrong and show that I’m more capable than they thought is an easy way to get myself to study.

You have to force yourself sometimes. There is never going to be a time where you want to study that extremely difficult topic that you haven’t been able to grasp. So you have to push yourself- this is harder for some than it is for others. But once you get into the swing of pushing yourself a little, it does become easier.

To counteract the point above, you have to take breaks. And I’m now taking, an hour break for 10 minutes of work. I mean, study for 25 minutes and have a five minute break and continue that. Get up, stretch, walk around, listen to song, get a snack and some water. Shake your body because sitting at a desk for hours on end is only going to hurt you.

Find a study buddy. Some people work better alone, I know I do. But some people need others to keep them on track and that’s perfectly okay! In my opinion, you shouldn’t choose your best friend as your study partner unless they are going to be strict with you. If you know that the person you plan to study with is only going to distract you, then pick somebody else.

Use a study group! Similar to a study buddy but in this case you can discuss the material you are going over and ask for other’s help. Peer mark fake questions for each other or again, do a quiz. Pick the right people and a study group will work perfectly!

Find a way to shut your brain off. Easier said than done, I know. But if you’re brain is pumping out thoughts about what you’re having for dinner or the show you watched last night, then you aren’t going to get anywhere. Some people use rain sounds (like me!!) but I wouldn’t recommend listening to music. You may think you’re new Playlist is going to get you excited to work but it’s only going to distract you. If you want to listen to music I would recommend purely instrumental music of songs that you don’t know- they’re plenty on YouTube!

Use reminders on your phone or study apps to keep you on track. I’ve heard so many people talk about the app, Forest. I have given it ago and I’d fully recommend it too. It has built-in reminders, sounds to listen to (and we know I love rain sounds) and small achievements to keep you motivated. You get rewarded with a tree or a few trees after your study session and if you get enough coins you can plant an actual real tree!! If you don’t want to pay £1.99, I completely understand so I would recommend Flora. It’s free and has almost all the same features as Forest. Give them a go!! (I will make another post about the differences:))

Speaking of phones, turn yours off!! Unless you’re using it for studying, in which case disable all notifications for a select period of time. You can set screen time limits on IPhones and if you really need it, get someone else to set the password so you can’t simply override it.

random things I do to fool my brain into staying interested during online study

changing my chrome cursor into something cute like a strawberry

changing my chrome theme to a wacky colour

adding stickers onto my laptop

listening to new music in a language I don’t know

or hyped video game music for energy

buying a fidget toy. like deadass I had my doubts but they’re so good

using the web paint extension while in meetings or lectures

changing the appearance of whatever note taking app you use

for epic gamers with light-up keyboards, changing the light’s colour settings

having a very hot or very cold drink 

putting said drink directly under my face when working and using a straw, so I don’t forget it’s there and don’t have to move my head much to sip

hav u eaten or drank anything today hey hello it’s already midday

sparkling water perchance?? it’s water but it’s fun and interesting

ambient fireplace 10 hours loop

alternatively, death metal hardcore bass boosted.mp3

putting on a ridiculous outfit and pretending you’re a wizard doing important work. I have given up on being “put together” at this stage

getting up and having scheduled dance breaks to move around

don’t like your chair? are u gay and can’t sit normal? try arranging pillows and boxes to make a diy cross-legged chair or sit on the floor

u kno when you get a million ideas during studying but u don’t want to break focus: hey siri okay google alexa remind me in a sec about this very specific thing that just couldn’t wait 10 more minutes to force itself into brain

giving up. lmao sometimes you genuinely need a break and nothing you do will make your brain focus so don’t feel guilty for needing rest! it’s technically more productive to spend the time resting and recharging than forcing yourself to half assedly focus and get nothing done

tl;dr- changing appearances of devices often for Spice, having small snacks and various drinks, hype music for energy, any and all fidget toys, knowing when to give up

Academic writing advice inspired by Umberto Eco’s ‘How to Write a Thesis’:

Planning

Determine primary sources/bibliography.

Determine secondary sources/bibliography. 

Find title.

Brainstorm a table of contents with as much detail as possible (with chapters, sections and even paragraphs and sub-paragraphs - see How to Write a Thesis’ own table of contents as an example at the end of this document) (if the first drafted table of contents is good enough, it will not be necessary to start the writing from the beginning).

Do a first draft of the introduction.

Note-taking and research

Use Google Scholar to make sure you do not miss important sources.

Keep the table of contents in mind when researching and take notes of which sources could go where.

While note-taking, differentiate which parts could be used as quotations from the ones that are simply important for the argument.

Eco underlines the importance of what he calls reading sheets, which can be understood as your notes on your readings. According to him, these should contain:

information about the author if he is not a well-known figure;

a brief (or long) summary;

they should mostly consist of quotations (accompanied by all the corresponding page numbers)

any commentaries you might want to add;

an indication of which part (or parts) of your table of contents the information mentioned belongs to.

Keep reading sheets on primary sources (which should be the longest) separate from those on secondary sources (which should only be 1-2 pages long).

In the end, re-read the notes and color-code all the different parts according to where they would fit in your table of contents.

Writing and editing

A good place to start would be by redrafting the introduction.

Define every key/technical term used/mentioned unless indisputably obvious.

General writing tips:

keep sentences short;

do not be afraid to repeat the subject twice (ex: Roberta went to the shop (…) Roberta bought carrots and tomatoes);

avoid excessive details;

avoid subordinate clauses (orações subordinadas);

avoid vague language;

avoid unnecessary adjectives;

avoid the passive voice.

While drafting, write everything that comes to mind. Leave the editing for the end.

Use your tutor as a Guinea pig. Make them read your first chapters (and, progressively, all the rest) well before delivery is due. 

Ask for as much feedback as possible. Ask colleagues, friends and/or family to read your work. They will provide you with more diversified feedback, as well as allowing you to know if your writing is clear to anyone.

Stop playing ‘solitary genius’.

Don’t insist on starting with the first chapter. Start with what you know best and feel more comfortable writing about, then fill in the gaps.

Leave time for editing and try to take at least a one or two days long break in between writing and editing. 

Do not forget to fill in the gaps. When you revisit your writing, go through it with all these writing tips in mind as well as a conscience of what your most common mistakes are.

Use Hemingway in the final editing phase.

Quotations and footnotes

Since there are two kinds of sources (primary and secondary), there are also two kinds of quotations: either we quote a text which we will interpret, or we quote a text which supports your interpretation.

Some quotation rules to know:

“Quote the object of your interpretive analysis with reasonable abundance.”

 “Quote the critical literature only when its authority corroborates or confirms your statements. (…)  when quoting or citing critical [aka secondary] literature, be sure that it says something new, or that it confirms authoritatively what you have said.”

“If you don’t want readers to presume that you share the opinion of the quoted author, you must include your own critical remarks before or after the passage.”

“Make sure that the author and the source of your quote are clearly identifiable.”

“When a quote does not exceed two or three lines, you can insert it into the body of the text enclosed in quotation marks. (…) When the quote is longer, it is better to set it off as a block quotation. In this case the quotation marks are not necessary, because it is clear that all set-off passages are quotes, and we must commit to a different system for our observations. (Any secondary developments [like the quote’s reference] should appear in a note.) (…) This method is quite convenient because it immediately reveals the quoted texts; it allows the reader to skip them if he is skimming, to linger if he is more interested in the quoted texts than in our commentary, and finally, to find them immediately when need be.”

Some footnote rules to know:

“Use notes to add additional supporting bibliographical references on a topic you discuss in the text. For example, ‘on this topic see also so-and-so.’”

“Use notes to introduce a supporting quote that would have interrupted the text. If you make a statement in the text and then continue directly to the next statement for fluidity, a superscript note reference after the first statement can refer the reader to a note in which a well-known authority backs up your assertion.”

“Use notes to expand on statements you have made in the text. Use notes to free your text from observations that, however important, are peripheral to your argument or do nothing more than repeat from a different point of view what you have essentially already said.”

“Use notes to correct statements in the text. You may be sure of your statements, but you should also be conscious that someone may disagree, or you may believe that, from a certain point of view, it would be possible to object to your statement. Inserting a partially restrictive note will then prove not only your academic honesty but also your critical spirit.”

“Use notes to provide a translation of a quote, or to provide the quote in the original language.”

Can you explain more about your hypergamy journey?

the best way to sum it up is like this:

for starters, I never really went on a hypergamy journey since I've only ever dated this way. these are the values my mother instilled in my sisters and I from a young age. "Only date people who are on your level or above it", she says, bc as a woman, we have so much to lose by not following that advice.

figure out what you want from life. figure out what you want in a partner. figure out what type of partner would compliment the lifestyle you want for yourself and only, and I mean only, date people who meet those requirements.

if I know that I want a simple, traditional life with family at the forefront and the financial security to always have the best of the best, I simply cannot date someone who would not lead me to that path. someone who doesn't want marriage or children or a stable family home or who doesn't earn a high income or who throws traditional values to the wayside quite literally is not what I'm seeking. hypergamy works best if you can envision your finish line. what does yours look like? you must find out as soon as possible.

I will date people casually if I like them and they seem to be good contenders and try to figure out if our futures are compatible. while I sus them out, I'll reap all of the benefits of dating well like gifts, trips, money, dinners, etc but if I reach the conclusion that he isn't the right fit for me in the long run, then I will end our dating period. there's no point of me wasting my precious time and youth on someone when I know good and well that they aren't what I'm looking for. this is not a bf gf relationship. just casual dating. I'm too pretty to let them claim me like that so fast 😚

I personally like to keep my pants on (if you know what I mean) bc its risky business. disease and pregnancy can really change the trajectory of your dating life if you aren't being careful. y'all can do whatever you want as it's completely your choice, but for me, going on an expensive date with a guy with a loaded bank account isn't enough to make me take the risk of giving it up. it's simply not for me. my private parts are very, very, private. no access allowed.

Let's talk Books !

If you're on a level up journey or a journey to improve yourself, books are your best friend.

Books are a wonderful way to learn as well as see things from different perspectives

This is a post to write a list of the books I recommend the most

The Unicorn Delusion - G L Lambert

Ho Tactics - G L Lambert

Skinny Bit*h - Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Rich & Thin - Ginie Sayles

Modern Mistress - Hannah Jay

Date like a Spartan - G L Lambert

The Nice Girl Syndrome - Beverly Engel

The Social Climbers Bible

Win friends and gain influence

These should be a good start for anyone who's interested in levelling up and social life 💗

The Alchemist (my all time favourite)

1984

Harry Potter

Milk and honey (I know it's really basic but it's a fun read 😂)

Art of War

To kill a mockingbird

Anything my Robert Greene

The Bible, Torah, Thelema and Qur'an (I'm not religious but I still make an effort to read books like this just to see the way people think as well as get a background of knowledge of certain cultures)

Books by Candace Owens, Dambisa Moyo, Jordan Peterson etc (Very fun and thought provoking 😂)

Books on art history, poetry, mythology

These are general books which are good to read and that most people have read. They make you think differently and see different point of views.

One thing I've learnt from being a literature student is that when reading a book, don't just read, analyse, feel, take a moment to engage yourself in the book, read one line and see how you feel about what was said. This immerses you into the book, it's like you enter a new world and you become one with the book you are reading. One thing which I always say is that I can never feel lonely or bored when I have a good book. Let reading be a relaxing and intimate journey between you and the writer. I promise you if you do that you will begin to love books and love reading.

What kind of things do you have spreadsheets for ? I have one for my networking too

Oh god, you guys are going to think I’m crazy but I swear I’m not, I just really love excel. I have spreadsheets for:

Networking

Job applications

Scheduling (back when I needed to plan out my classes)

Casing Journal (back when I was still interviewing for consulting)

Habit tracking

Keeping track of my cousins and their bdays (my dad had 5 other siblings and my mom has 3 other brothers, so there’s a lot of them)

Budget/spending tracker (I use an app now for budgeting/spending, so I use this more for like wish listing things I want to set aside money for)

Possible investments (usually update this once a quarter, which is a LOT less than you should update but I don’t have the time anymore lol)

Reading lists

My friends (basically my networking sheet, but for friends I don’t talk to everyday so I can keep track of the last date of contact and check in on them semi-regularly)

Packing lists for travel or moving (pre-pandemic ofc)

I know I’ll find more if I look, but these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.