(in College)

(in college)

so! i have adhd but you don’t gotta have adhd to benefit from these tips. everyone struggles with lack of focus and executive dysfunction sometimes, especially in college. so without further ado,

1. go to the library every day.

your “library” doesn’t have to be a library, but it helps if it’s a place outside of your home/dorm. pack your bag and head to that place within an hour of waking up. do work, study, even and especially if there isn’t anything urgent to do. this is a huge one for me because getting to a productive space is half the battle and once i get there, i get in this mindset of “well, i walked all the way here. might as well get shit done”.

2. embrace the discomfort. discipline isn’t wanting to do something, it’s doing it regardless of your emotions. i know it’s hard but separate your feelings from the task at hand. don’t give yourself time to think, just do it. this will get easier over time as you build discipline.

3. use mechanical, low dread level tasks to get yourself in the zone. this means taking notes or working on your planner so you get into the rhythm of productivity. after you’re in the zone, start that essay without giving yourself time to dread it.

i know there’s only three tips but i didn’t want to include typical, motivation based tips. as always, these methods don’t work as well if you aren’t sleeping enough, eating right or prioritizing emotional needs. i hope u have a good productive day!!

psa for college freshman

hey, whats up, hello! so you’re gonna be a freshman and you’re probably moving in real soon, and you might be excited but also nervous, not to worry i got you! here are some tips and tricks and general advice based on my own experience. 

okay so step by step:

MOVE IN

okay so this is easily the most stressful thing about the first week of school. you gotta get all of your stuff into a tiny dorm if it’s a big room i am literally so jealous my dorm was like a prison so don’t freak out, stay cool and pack efficiently!

try not to overpack, it’s really easy to believe you’ll need everything you’re bringing but trust me you won’t even look at half of it

a good tip for this is, if you don’t use it at home, don’t bring it to school! (plus it’s really easy to just buy stuff you need on amazon so don’t forget that that’s an option too)

if you’re going to a school that deals in snow, DON’T bring that stuff (jackets/hats/boots/etc) with you when you move in. if you know you’re going to go home for a weekend before the snow sets in, definitely leave it at home and bring it with you later!

let your parents/guardians/friends/family help you move in. it might not seem like a big deal, but letting them help you will make them feel better. and if you don’t like how they arrange things, let it be! you have all semester to rearrange and settle in, they only have this one day, so just let them have it! also don’t forget to thank them when they leave!

ROOMMATES

ah yes, the wonderful concepts of roommates. i was lucky my freshman year, but some people aren’t

try and connect with them via facebook/school emails/phone, settling things like are you gonna share a mini fridge, microwave, coffeemaker and how you’re gonna decorate (if you’re into that) will help when you finally settle into your room

definitely go over ground rules once you’re all unpacked and settled in. my dorm had us go over a list of questions, come to an agreement, and sign it in case there were any future conflicts. cover things like: 

is it okay to have my friends sit at your desk or on your bed when you aren’t there?

how should we handle overnight guests?

do you want me to give you a heads up if i have friends coming over?

100% agree to give each other a heads up on parents coming to your room

sharing food?

cleaning responsibilities

definitely definitely give each other a copy of your class schedule, and if you have classes at the same time maybe you can agree to make sure you’re both awake at the right time!

you don’t have to be bff’s with your roommate, sometimes it turns out that way and sometimes it doesn’t. what you do need to be is open and honest with your roommate. your year will be miserable (especially if you can’t switch roommates) if you don’t communicate with each other. don’t be afraid to tell them if something is bothering you. if you’re to nervous to do that or don’t like confrontation, talk to your RA or RD

so now that we got all that out of the way, here are some general tips about social things:

that whole keep your door open and people will come talk to you think is a load of bs. me and my roommate did that for weeks and no one came in. everyone is just waiting for someone else to take that chance. so go into peoples rooms and ask them if they wanna grab lunch/dinner! walk around and poke your head in their room! it might be awkward as hell but at least you’re trying :)

go to all (or as many) dorm activities as you can! this allows you to meet more people too even if the event is really dumb, at least show up. you always have the option to leave!

go to club meetings! even if you aren’t sure you want to stay in the club. it’s much harder or maybe just more awkward to join when you’re an upperclassmen, so try and get those roots down as soon as you can

that being said, you can always leave a group without any hard feelings. people do it all the time, so don’t be scared that once you go to one meeting you’re stuck in the group forever

don’t let anyone tell you that as a freshman you can’t get involved. if you want to, you can. there is absolutely nothing stopping you. you might have to work a bit harder but i know you can do it!

sometimes freshman year can suck, or at least have it’s moments. don’t give up. everything gets infinitely better as time goes one, i promise. if you’re having a tough time or feel isolated or overwhelmed, reach out to someone, a parent, friends from home, an old teacher, anyone really! don’t give up, things might get tough, but you ARE strong and you WILL get through it

Things I Wish I Knew Going into College

Listen up mother fuckers. Here’s the truth about college. No sugar coating, none of that cutesy shit. Here’s what I wish I knew before I stepped foot on campus.

When people say communal bathrooms aren’t that bad what they actually mean is people will leave their dirty underwear in the showers, used tampons, clean their dishes in the bathroom sink, and leave their explosive diarrhea everywhere. If you really don’t think you need shower shoes, think again.

If you know you are not strong in a particular subject, PLEAAASE seek help. Find a tutor or really good friends that are willing to help you because when you get a D in math because you didn’t seek help even though you knew you fucking sucked at math you’ll regret it because that stupid ass shit tanked your GPA.

You will have professors and TAs (teaching assistants) that give absolutely no fucks about actually teaching. If this ends up being the case, use your resources, learn to teach yourself, Quizlet is your friend.

People might seem so nice in the first week, but I promise you, when welcome week is over and there’s no more free food, they won’t ever look your way again. The ones who stick with you after that, cherish them.

The grind is real. Don’t expect to do the minimum and pass my friend. Because you will fail. I promise you. Sometimes you gotta stay up until 3AM because you’ve got two papers due, a speech to write, and math homework that you didn’t realize was actually due at 11:59pm the previous night. So if you’re going to college just to say you went to college, leave immediately.

With that said, you might realize that college isn’t even for you. And that’s okay. Just remember the thousands of dollars you’ve spent and make your decisions accordingly. But know that college is not the only way to be successful or make money.  There are lots of sugar daddies out there.

You might change your major 2392897 times. It’s honestly whatever. You’ll figure it out and it will be fine.

I know you’ve already heard this one but I swear it’s fucking true. You will not want to drag your dead body out of bed to go to a fucking 8am class. I don’t care if you’re a morning person. Just don’t do it. Trust me. Trust anybody who says this. 

Free stuff is the best stuff.

Sometimes you just need to sit down and have a glass of wine. Or see a therapist. Whichever works for you.

You don’t have to drink or do drugs, but you might feel pressured to. Do whatever you want but make sure you are always safe, smart, and with people you can trust and know will take care of you after you’ve had that 12th drink and can’t even stand up straight.

No one really cares what you wear, how you look or what you do because we’re all too busy trying to figure out how to do 20 hours of homework, 6 hours of studying AND fit in 8 hours of sleep. 

Sometimes lectures are so pointless that you could teach yourself in 30 mins rather than sit for 2 hrs in a lecture. I’m not saying skip lectures, but I am saying that the more time you have, the more sleep you can get.

You’re funny af if you actually think you’re gonna get a full 8hrs of sleep. Try again.

College is your chance to reinvent yourself. Be very careful who you choose to become. Just don’t be that person who corrects the professor or types really fucking loud on their macbook during every fucking lecture.

Listen, you can really do whatever you want to do. You wanna be hoe? Do it. You wanna party Thursday through Saturday? Do it. Weed Wednesday? Go for it. But you sure as hell better show your ass to class and watch that GPA.

Nobody likes a snitch. Mind ya business.

Don’t let anybody make you feel like you do not deserve to be there. Because they will try you and you can still get a ticket for fighting. Except this time you’ll be charged for assault. 

Don’t wear your favorite shoes to a party. Don’t wear open toes shoes to a party. The floors of a frat house or a house party are filthy. Don’t bring a purse, always use the buddy system, watch out for creeps cause they be out there.

Nobody cares who you were in high school, no one wants to know your ACT score or whether you were valedictorian. Shut up. Y’all got into the same damn college. No one cares.

If you’re going to bullshit something, do it well.

Do the readings because when your ass gets called on during discussion because your TA wants to know what you think about Mondrian’s take on contemporary art and you don’t know, you gonna look stupid as hell.

You might have a really cool roommate, or you might have a roommate that has sex with her boyfriend on your bed. There’s no in-between.

Bring A LOT of storage for your dorm.

If you see students napping in weird places, crying in the bathroom, or smoking weed on their dorm roof-top, it be like that sometimes.

Find a really good place to study. DO NOT study in your room because you associate your room with sleep so that’s what you’ll want to do instead of study If you study in your room.

Freshman 15 ain’t real.

SAFE SEX. THESE HOES DIRTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

College sucks sometimes, but put your mental health first. Sometimes you gotta skip class to take care of yourself and that is perfectly okay. You do not have to justify yourself or your decisions to anyone.

Good luck. I hope you survive. But if you don’t, like I said, there are always sugar daddies out there. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk y’all. 

some tips from your local depressed college student

cheap paper towels + hydrogen peroxide = acne treatment (just be careful not to bleach your eyebrows unless you’re into that idk)

use the acne face soap on your chest, upper back, and shoulders instead, since it doesn’t do shit for your face (or at least not mine)

no one is stopping you from bushing your teeth in the shower except yourself (just eliminating that extra step of going to the sink makes it so much easier for me)

did you know you’re actually supposed to put on stick deodorant at night??? It has time to absorb while u sleep or stare at the ceiling in dispair whichever works best for u

carrots and/or apples dipped in peanut butter = dinner (or just plain peanut butter but it helps to get a lil something extra if you can manage it)

if you give yourself an allowance of skip days (i’m talking like 3 or 4 max) then it can be easier to go to class if you remind yourself “i only have 2 skip days left, I’m gonna save them until I REALLY need them” (think of skip days like non-essential items in a video game - you could use them now, but what if you really need them during the final boss battle later on??)

the velveeta microwave dinners aren’t great but they’re cheap and better than some other options out there. the mac n cheese w/ meat ones can smell a bit like dog food but they still taste pretty good

if you like peppermint hot chocolate - save the after dinner mints you get at places like Chik Fil A and italian restaurants and such and then drop a couple in your mug before you put it in the microwave. boom. 

if you’ve got a sore throat, just take a spoonful of honey (or squirt it directly from the bottle to your mouth if you’re a heathen like me) and go find a hot drink

for essays - highlight/number/circle/whatever you want to do to make ‘em stand out the quotes you want to use in your paper, then go take a shower or get something to eat or just watch like a 15-20 minute video on YouTube and then come back to your paper, pop those fuckin’ quotes in the right order, and write in the smart bullshit around them

okay actually the one thing that I will spend a little extra money on is cough drops bc i get a sore throat all the damn time and the only kind i will buy anymore is Halls Breezers they taste like candy instead of koala shit my personal favorite is cool berry but the orange creme ones are good too honestly these cough drops have saved my life at least six times now

coffee is gr9 but don’t forget to have some water every day too dehydration is NOT FUN (speaking from very painful personal experience)

School tips 🍒

1. Do all assigned reading - This is beneficial for many reasons but basically, it’s because it gives you a basic knowledge of what’s discussed in lecture. However, although reading alone is very helpful, I suggest taking notes or using whatever other methods you can that aid you in your learning. For example; taking notes, writing in margins, reading farther into what you don’t understand from other sources, writing down questions you have, and once you’re done summarize everything you read in your own words.

2. Prioritizing assignments based on the long-term effect it will have on your grade. For example, if you are assigned two papers to write, with one being crucial to your overall grade in the class VS one that wouldn’t have much of an effect, you need to decide which one is more important. Obviously, the first one is the best choice. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t even bother to do the second one, all it means is that it won’t be your best work. When the next essay is assigned in that class, just promise to do better. Ask yourself; Which one would have a larger effect on my grade if I were to fail it? Whichever one that is, that’s the one you should give the majority of your attention.

3. Record the lecture on your phone. Check with your professor before you do this. If they don’t want you to record, then just don’t do it. However, if they don’t mind, this can be a very useful tool. Anytime your professor says something that you believe could be helpful for you in the future, (while studying for your exam, doing homework, etc.) mark the time at which they said it on your notes. After class, go back through and take thorough notes on whatever it is they said. This is especially useful for when professors go off on tangents of important info and it’s hard for you to get it all down on your notes. 

*Also, if you have a commute to work like I do, then what I find very helpful is to listen to the lecture recording on the drive.*

3. Take sloppy notes in class, touch them up afterwards. While in class, scribble all important information down. Don’t worry about making it pretty. Afterwards, go through and organize them into clear, concise notes that give you an excellent summary of the lecture. By doing this, you’re focusing more on the professor rather than looking down at your notebook.

4. Do all practice problems. This may sound like a no-brainer, but a lot of the time there are practice problems deemed optional by your professor. Because of this, many people decide not to do them. Seriously, just do them. Practice, especially when done right after class, really helps the information soak in.

5. Proofread essays with different font and size. When you reread the same Times New Roman 12 point font paper over and over, your mind become used to it, therefore skipping over little mistakes and typos. If you change the font as well as the size, your brain will stop skipping what previously looked familiar (ie; a typo that you’ve been skipping over the whole time)

6. Think of school as your job. If you aren’t a good employee, you’ll get fired. If you aren’t a good student, you’ll fail. In order to avoid getting fired, you make a good impression on the boss, work harder, etc. Apply that same concept with school; make a good impression on your professor, turn everything in on time, etc.

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I am very excited for this upcoming school year to start. I have set many goals for myself and I hope you all do the same. Expect much more studying/educational posts for me as I’ll be using them to motivate myself and hopefully others. Good luck to all of you in your studies this year! ✨

how to deal with a roommate you hate

avoiding big mistakes when picking a major

creative ways to organize your dorm

eating healthy in a dining hall

what to do if you think you’ve been drugged

how to have a healthy college relationship

college packing…