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How to study productively: In the Library

#slavic roots western mind

As experience taught me and many people, the library is a fantastic place to study in, especially for those living in dorms with chaotic roommates.

Don't get me wrong, chaotic can be good, but not when you're trying to finish that math set, or that literature paper.

So where do we go? The library is a pretty safe choice, but how do you actually study productively there? Even the library isn't free from distractions, especially when crammed with like-minded people trying to find a place to study.

Whether it's the obnoxiously loud laptop key tapping, grating coffee slurping, frustrated sighs and the occasional sound of someone's head slamming against their books (pretty common actually, especially in the med library), the library can be full of distractions, even more so when it's quiet.

For some reason, the quieter the place, the louder the distraction.

Here's my guide to studying effectively in the library, regardless of whether you're alone or squished together with other people like a can of sardines.

Headphones, earbuds, airpods, earplugs - if it blocks noise, it's your bff

If you prefer listening to music whilst studying, whether it's swedish rock, white noise, classical piano or acid jazz - you're no stranger to blocking out noise, so continue confidently.

If you absolutely hate any type of noise and need 100% silence to focus, then still wear some type of earbuds or headphones. It might not remove the noise completely (or it might depending on the quality), but it's much better than being subjected to an entire plethora of sound.

2. Dress comfortably - save the cute fits for actual class.

"Dress comfortably" - one of the most vague statements I have ever heard of. Pjs? Sweatpants? Leggings? Whatever comfortable means to you, wear it.

Chances are you'll be in the library from morning until the evening during exam week, so comfy and loose trousers are the way to go.

3. Don't study with your friends unless it's a verbal exam or a group project.

Sit away from each other, preferably on different tables or even floors but always get together during breaks to have a quick catch-up.

Sitting together means that you'll end up distracting each other and turn a would-be productive study session into a chill hangout. It's important to make time for friends, but not when you're trying to study!

I made the mistake of trying to study with a friend in our uni library during my 1st year, and it ended up with use sending each other cat videos and silently cracking up for 2 hours before our next class. Fun, but not entirely productive.

4. Turn off your phone's wifi when studying.

Don't turn it off completely, because emergencies can happen and you may need to be available. Instead, turning off your wifi gets rid off most notifications, and if it's really that important then they can call you instead.

5. Decide in advance what you'll be studying, and bring the relevant material.

Trying to decide if you want to get started with your history paper or go over your spanish notes and whether you have the right notebook can waste quite a lot of time.

You can easily do that by using or creating a study planner to increase your study productivity, as instead of spending 15 minutes on sorting everything out and making a note in the back of your textbook that you studied this and that, you'll know exactly what to study.

6. Bring snacks and drinks - include enough water! leave the coffee alone!

You'll definitely want to have a proper lunch or dinner or a linner, depending on personal needs, but you don't want to get distracted when you're in the zone.

Here is where snacks and water come in handy. If possible, stick to healthier snacks, but if those aren't available eat whatever works best for you.

And please don't forget ✨water✨.

That headache that you usually get around, say 6ish when you're headed home? Coffee could be the likely culprit, especially if instead of water you've been chugging coffee and energy drinks like ehem, water.

I'm no doctor, but drinking your bodyweight in caffeinated drinks doesn't seem to be too healthy. I get that it's tempting (and i'm definitely guilty of drinking way too much coffe), but your health affects you and your studies. So take care, replace some of that coffee with water, and enjoy some better sleep.

7. Check the library hours.

Some library's are open 09.00-20.00, others have more specific hours, whereas quite a good few are open 24/7. If you're planning an all-nighter, then definitely check the library's working hours. You don't want to be forced to leave just when you've finally managed to get the hang of a particularly difficult concept, so plan accordingly.

8. Switch it up with your seat.

Don't just study at the same spot, try out different locations. Not only can you find the perfect spot, but you'll be more alert as your mind gets used to the new location.

Backpack must-haves: College edition

Pens, laptop, notebooks, water, some cash and a charger with the odd mint or tictac chilling somewhere at the bottom of your bag.

Scrambling around, trying to find your ratty notebook, and then asking your impeccable, super organized neighbor for a pen 6 minutes after class has started only to be shushed by the person in front of you and having 10 heads swivel back and glare at you for interrupting their flow.

Sounds familiar? That was the state of my learning and my bag during my first week of uni, after which my itinerary was promptly overhauled and reorganized.

Question: If your backpack is messy and disorganized, how will that reflect on your studies in the long-run? Not great, so let's go through my back pack must-have's so that you have one less thing to stress about.

1. A pencil case with: 4x pens, 2x pencils, 1x sharpener, 1x eraser, 3x highlighters, 1x scissors, 1x small glue.

The amount and items vary, depending on your major and personal use, but an actual pencil case is a must have. It doesn't need to be flashy, or designer.

Even a plastic ziplock bag will do!

You just need a bag or a container to store your pens so that instead of scrambling at the bottom of your bag and hopelessly trying to find a working pen, you know exactly where everything is.

2. Electronics: 1x phone charger, 1x laptop with charger, headphones

One of the worst things that can happen is low batter, so come prepared! Bring along your phone and laptop charger (if you need your lapop that day) just in case.

3. Your beauty & health case

If you wear makeup regularly, you probably already have a small makeup bag with your products.

Other people, myself included should also have a smaller bag, but not just for makeup or makeup at all.

This case should have tampons, pads, a spare set of underwear and socks (you never know when the rain decides to go apocolyptic, and going back home in wet socks is unpleasant), gum, painkillers, any meds that you may need, deodorant, body spray, hand sanitizer, tissues, some emergency cash, lipbalm etc.

Once again, the actual contents may vary, but the point stands. Get a separate case or bag for your health products, so that instead of trying to juggle several items when going to the bathroom, you can just remove your case and go do your business quickly and easily.

When possible, streamline the process.

4. A full water bottle

Staying hydrated is a must, especially during the start of the school year. All the running around the campus, trying to remember in which buliding your classes are require enough liquids.

Early autumn tends to be quite hot in my region, and only starts to cool off in mid November, so my water bottle requires constant re-filling.

Your studies will thank you, as an over-heated, dehydrated student with a raging headache is rarely a productive student.

(Source: me and a few other uni students who chose coffee over water one time too many, and lived to tell the tale. Oh the regret. Anyway. Live and learn.)

5. Food

Who has time to wake up in the morning, cook a proper lunch, pack it neatly into your lunchbox, shower, get dressed, and make it in time for your morning class bright-eyed and energized?

Not many students, especially uni students commuting to class for 1-2hrs each day.

I should probably make a separate post about meal prep on a money and time budget (lmk if that'll be useful!), but the bottom line is this:

You need to eat, and the on campus cafe's usually charge an arm and a leg, so there are a few options available.

A. Cook overnight and bring leftovers and some snacks to tide you over with you. Snacks may include fruit, sandwiches, some chips etc. Small and light.

B. Live solely on pre-bought snacks. Works for some people, not so much for others. A good option, as long as the snacks have some substance (cheetos don't count! Think more like a fruit cup, or a chicken sandwhich).

C. Depending on your location, some campuses are located in a city, so a quick 10 min bus ride to a grocery store is likely to offer more variety and better lunch options. I

've certainly done that, and guess what? The daily bus ticket and my shawarma cost less than a fancy sandwhich so there's always that!

6. The stationary: Notebooks, textbooks, a planner

Your course may require you to use just one notebook, whereas you may go through 10 notebooks per term in a different class.

Look up the syllabus and email your lecturer in advance to know what material you will need.

Don't forget to include some extra notebooks for your own out-of-class studying. Using the same notebook can have varying results.

Personally, I don't need anyone else seeing my notebook filled with what appears to be incomprehensible scribblings and ramblings, when it's just me annotating my answers to practise questions.

You may like many people use an online planner, but nothing beats having an on paper entry. Besides, it's more convenient to use in those weak or no signal buildings, with wifi so weak that they shouldn't have bothered wiring the building.

7. The wallet

Campus ID, personal ID, card, cash, driver's license, health card, maybe a business card or two.

You never know when you might need any of these things, as things happen, especially on college campuses, so always carry around some cash and an ID of some sort.

وقنعتُ أن الله برحمتهِ يُزهر كُل عُمري

Backpack must-haves: Exam edition

My previous post covered the every day college backpack essentials, but exams usually have their own particular set of must-haves.

The last thing you need is to be frantically throwing random things inside your bag on the morning of the exam, when you could be taking the time to go over the main notes and to gather your thoughs and focus.

1. The pencil case

Depending on the uni, you can bring your bag inside the examroom and put it under your desk, or leave your bag outside and bring just a see-through pencil case into the exam room.

Regardless, bring a clear pencil case, or a plastic bag or a ziplock bag, and be sure to have enough working pens (running out of ink in all pens is a re-occurring nightmare of mine), pencils, an eraser, sharpener, calculator, highlighters.

If in doubt, just ask your tutor few weeks before, or check your uni's exam policy.

2. Wallet.

Student ID, some cash for the bus ride back and a coffee with a quick snack, driver's license.

No need to bring every single piece of documentation, you can save that for later if applying or re-applying for a student visa if you currently are or will be an international student soon e.g. exchange student, applying for grad programs, summer programs etc.

3. Water bottle

Once again, a clear or see-through water bottle is the way to go, especially for winter exams. Maybe it's just me, but the dry winter month's have me coughing like there's no tomorrow. The only way I'm making it through is with throat lozenges, my tea thermos and water.

4. A jacket, hoodie, or something warm

Exam rooms are notoriously cold, so bring some sort of jacket. The last thing you need is to catch a cold and spend the next exam's red-eyed and sniffling.

5. Health and beauty case

This is a must bring regardless of where you go.

Tampons, pads, painkillers, any meds that you may need, deodorant, hand sanitizer, tissues etc.

This may seem like a tad too much, but trust me on this. It's better to be overprepared rather than underprepared.

6. A summary of the most important concepts/theories/formulas etc.

Should you study the morning of your exam, all the way until you enter the exam room or should you just chill and focus on keeping calm? A debated question, so any insights from the poll would be greatly appreciated.

Nonetheless, most people that I know still end up going over the concepts minutes leading up to the exam, or during their commute to uni, so bring a quick guide just in case.

Even if you don't use it, it's still good practise to write your notes out to remember and understand them better.

How to study productively: In your dorm

I've covered how to study productively in general, and in the library, but what about your dorms or student accommodation?

There have definitely been times where I decided to study in my room instead of braving the rain and the occasional hail outside.

Bad weather, being ill, the library being full (all too common. When possible, try to book a library study space in advance), or simply not feeling like getting dressed up and facing the outside world - these things all happen.

Or maybe you're simply burnout and have absolutely 0 interest in facing other people, so you choose to study in your dorm.

Question is, how do you do this productively? Whether you're living alone or with loud, partying roommates, there are almost always some forms of distraction.

Noisy neighbours, outside traffic, or simply too many distractions in your study space - so here's my guide for studying productively in your dorms.

1. Wear headphones - even if you don't study with music

Any noise cancellation, albeit small, is good. They tend to block out a decent chunk of the external noise, so use them to block out the noise.

During exam week things might be much quieter, but for your weekend revision sessions headphones are essential.

2. Negotiate with your roomie

Hopefully you have an understanding roommate, who'll understand that you need some uninterrupted silence to study. Even more hopefully, they'll also be passionate about their studies and maybe even become a study buddy!

Truth is, you never know what sort of person you'll end up rooming with. Negotiate friendly, but firmly. Set boundaries. You've worked hard to get here, and you need to study to maintain and improve your grades. Your living space should not be a disruptive or chaotic environment.

3. Set up your study space

You may be doing most of your studying in the library, so now your desk is cluttered with clothes, snacks and other clutter.

De-clutter asap! Eliminate all distractions, so that the only thing on your desk is your laptop, notebook, textbook, some pens and a few highlighters.

A bottle of water or a mug of coffee are permissible, but keep them far away. Too many notes have been ruined by coffee mugs and tea cups being accidently spilled over.

4. Use said study space, don't study in bed!

Tempting as it may be, don't study in bed. Might as well watch a movie or catch up on your shows instead.

Your bed is associated with rest and relaxation, not intense studying and working. Not a very focused environment.

If you're ill and can't study at your desk, you shouldn't be studying at all then. Rest, drink fluids and focus in getting better instead.

5. Use your desk for studying - only studying

Revisiting my former point, but your desk is for working and studying. Eating, painting your toenails etc. may be convenient, but not practical.

A snack is ok, but draw the line at spaghetti carbonara or a roasted chicken. Going to the shared kitchen or dining hall also helps to refresh your mind, as sitting 24/7 at your desk is not good for your mind. It's sometimes inevitable during exam week, but a regular change of scenery is good for your health, whether it's having a quick catch-up lunch with your friends, or an evening jog around the campus.

Having spent 2-ish years doing everything online, I was extremely happy to be able to go back to on-campus learning even though the adjustment process took a while.

Sitting in bed propped up by pillows, wearing a moisturizing mask and sipping hot chocolate whilst logging into my zoom lecture 5 minutes late but actually too early as it took 15 minutes for the lecture to start, was a truly one of a kind experience.

I might make this into a series, so if you have a specific place you usually study in but find it difficult to be productive drop a suggestion!

My weekend 🤌🏻✨

27.09.2024—happy friday!!

Lazy Student (Study) Tips

The best study techniques (in general) are the SPQR method, flashcards, mind maps, split pages, teaching the content to other people, past papers and blurting

Free time tip : Carry flashcards or split pages around and test yourself with them whenever you have time to waste (during tv breaks, waiting for the bus ..)

Know your worst topics in all subjects and find resources for every single one of them. Since you know your weaknesses, you can ask for help from your teachers. If your teachers aren’t reliable (like mine lol), make a list of resources you can use to self study, and then self study whenever you can

Find your ideal study routine by testing out different environments: can you study for 1hr in a row or do you need breaks in between? Do you work best at night or during the day? 

Mentally go over 1 topic (your hardest) before bed

Best resources : Knowt (quizlet replacement), cheatography (study guides), ocean of pdf (free pdf site for literally anything), khan academy, ck12 (textbooks per grade, study guides, exercises for free)

Best study youtube channels for more study tips: Fayefilms, Cajun Koi Academy, Amy Wang, Han Zhango, Mike Dee, Study to Success, Crash Course, Tina Huang, Ali Abdaal

Good afternoon! Back with some pink notes 🩷 these are my absolute essentials for notes!!

Kokuyo campus notebook in B5, Kacogreen pens & unipin fine liner for titles :)

January 10, 2021

Already working on a paper for my anthropological theory class that’s due Friday. Classes officially start tomorrow and I’m (somewhat) looking forward to it!

June 7, 2021

(From finals week) Hello! Popping in once again to say I’ve been busy and I did some traveling last month. I’m gonna try and be consistent with posting so bear with me. {mine}

Possibly the most tiring and the most draining finals week I’ve ever had...hopefully this upcoming semester will be smoother. {mine}

December 4, 2021

Today was a day full of Christmas shopping with my eldest sister. We went to the old book shop and I found this lovely edition in which someone has written their own translation. I love finding books like these.

Day 2 and 3

What does your url mean...

I am fully aware that it’s not leviOsa  spelled with “un”. It’s not perfect in it’s imperfection and honestly, that’s what I am aiming for with that url... Sometimes my notes a beautiful mess and sometimes they are just a mess! Hell, sometimes I am a mess. University life is... Well, it's adult life. Never expected it to be easy, but it's coming together. Still looking for a job and it kind of sucks. Gotta love those entry level jobs that want like 5 years of experience, driving license and 3 references, am i rite?

I wish I could wear cute skirt and a white shirt, but how do you do that if you need to clean the house before leaving? How do you go to coffee shops and not starve later, bc... y’know... money? How do you get into "a zone" if there is a person who needs you and who needs a dinner? I wish I could be a cute distaster in a messy bun and wearing an oversized sweater, but honestly - not within my reach.

...and why did you start your studyblr?

I want people to remember that if you study and work and need to care for another person, you are still VALID. If you do this, while being an anxiety filled mess, you are still VALID. Hell, even if your grades aren't great, you are still VALID. If your notes aren’t cute, if you scribble on your papers, if you cross out words instead of using correction tape. It's alright. You are doing your best, your work is just as valuable. It took me so long to feel like I belong with community living... The Life™. I eventually realized that my notes just won’t be perfect and it’s alright. They need to be good enough. And I feel like people need to hear this.

My desk is just not big enough to fit in a notebook and a laptop at the same time. My laptop itself is dying during video-calls bc of the processor. My house is fucking cold, because we can't afford heating and i’m seating curled up under a blanket. My back hurts. I will be able to afford stationary i want in the future life (altho yellow highlighter is kind of a vibe???), maybe, but for now I am struggling to afford a bus ticket. They lost my student ID and i don’t know when will it come to me. I had to pay 5 pounds for a T-shirt I didn’t like. And then I came home and studied hard, because honestly - if shit can’t be perfect, it can at least be good enough.

PS. One of my new friends offered to give me a few of his colorful gel pens and honestly - I aspire to be this level of kind <3

Romantizando tu vida escolar

Antes de comenzar , daré una pequeña definición acerca de romantizar la vida.

Romantizar la vida se refiere a las emociones de añadir placeres a tu vida cotidiana. Esta tendencia surgió durante la pandemia de COVID-19 , la cuál consistió en la famosa frase " romantiza tu vida " convirtiéndose en el llamado para disfrutar la vida , el presente y sus placeres.

¿ Qué es romantizar la vida escolar ?

Y , ¿ Cómo puedes lograrlo ?

Romantizar la vida escolar es idealizar o exaltar de manera romántica los momentos y experiencias vividos durante el periodo escolar, resaltando los aspectos positivos y dejando de lado los aspectos más difíciles o negativos. A continuación dejaré una lista de tips que pueden ser de ayuda o útiles ;

Organiza tus tiempos de estudio.

Utiliza colores para diferenciar el orden , la importancia y materia de tus trabajos.

Busca un método de estudio favorable.

Asegúrate de dormir adecuadamente.

Realiza calendarios o agendas.

Lleva un control de tus trabajos.

Mantén en orden tu lugar de trabajo.

Asegúrate de que tu lugar de trabajo sea tranquilo , limpio y fuera de distracciones.

Escucha tu música favorita mientras realizas tus tareas.

No te presiones por obtener buenas notas.

Trata de tener una buena relación con tus estudios.

  ー tags ♡ :

wednesday . 10.10

reading O Manifesto do Partido Comunista by Tio Karl and Engels... i'm tired but its so interesting (っ﹏-)

thursday . 11.10

this morning I was memorizing anions again (´；ω；｀)

26.03

I have an organic test today, Idk, hope I do well

29.03.19

started to study for the physicochemical test, I espected to be a little more productive today but at the end I read fanfictions all day abkqhehw