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[conquerwithcoffee]

studying in isolation

Hey everyone! As the very constant person that I am, I’ve been absent from tumblr for some time (again 😅). However, like the rest of the world, I’ve been having difficulties in my academic life (actually in all parts of life 😋) during this corona-crisis. I have changed the way I normally do things and it seems I’ve got a grip on my life again. So, I’ve decided to share some of the strategies I’m currently using. 

Like all of you, my life has taken a 180° turn. Suddenly I have a lot of free time on my hands and somewhat less determination to get things done (even with a copious amount of coffee). So, this is what I’m doing:

Planning

a. Time: Because of this sudden increase in free time, the plan I had in the beginning of my semester needed to be re-evaluated. The time I had assigned for study groups, thesis writing, data gathering and classes didn’t work anymore. So, I sat down with my planner and reassigned my study times. Also, since I live with my partner and he’s working the entire day, I had to take his schedule into consideration. Luckily, we agreed on each other’s times and we try not to distract one another.

b. Location: It’s really important to have a place where you won’t be distracted. In my case I was fortunate enough to get the bedroom, and since we don’t have kids I really don’t get any distractions coming my way. My partner, on the other hand, got the living room, and he sadly has to put up with me going there to grab my coffee shots and snacks every now and again. He says I don’t really distract him because I try to be quiet and he has his headphones on. Still, for those of us who do not have the same self-control to not feel bothered as my partner, I would imagine these interruptions would be annoying. But then again, just try to imagine you’re studying somewhere on campus where people come and go, and how you don’t get bothered by it (I assume). If you have kids, I know this approach will be a bit problematic. What I could suggest is what my mom did when she was in grad-school and me and my baby brother were restless. She gave us “fun assignments”, which we needed to solve together to get some sort of reward. She’s a pedagogue so I imagine she was just testing some of her theories on us... However, I have to say it was very effective and it normally led us to be quiet and concentrated for long spans of time. Usually the amount of time that allowed her to get some sh*t done.

Progression

I used to pride myself on being able to sit down for long periods of time and really concentrate on the task I was working. But since the advent of the “corona induced isolation” I seemed to have lost this power. 😞 Now I find myself sitting down in front of my computer sometimes reading papers, sometimes writing, and sometimes coding; all of which at the end of the day I feel like I haven’t accomplished. What I started doing instead was just taking short steps. I set a timer for 1 hour, but before I start it I write down what I want to accomplish in this one hour. Then I go about the task as I normally would. At the end of the hour I write down what I actually accomplished. After doing this I realized that I was working much more than I initially thought, and was feeling exhausted and frustrated at the end of the day. I’ve done this for 3-4 days and in the next following days I progressively increased the time to an additional 30 minutes. Now I’m setting 2:30 to 4:00 hours depending on the task. VERY IMPORTANT: for long periods of time I have a little break to recharge, otherwise I cannot function.

Rests

Yes, we still need to rest! This whole situation has taken a toll not only on our physical health but also on our mental well-being. So, add in your routine some time to rest, and I can’t stress this enough: Don’t feel guilty about it!!!!! Take the time to do what you like, to enjoy the company of those who are around you (or those you want to call), to sleep well, to do nothing at all. It’s very important to not feel pressured to do anything that you don’t feel like doing. If it’s not your jam to have online social gatherings or participating in a study group with other colleagues, and you are not required to do it, just say no thank you.😊 It is very important to respect yourself, and the people who are organizing these events are well aware not everyone feel comfortable joining them. However, if you feel lonely or experience any weird thoughts, then I encourage you to seek the help of those you feel comfortable with. The situation we’re living right now is hard on everyone, we are all somewhat discouraged. But be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and accept help from those who are a willing to help you. We are all on in this together.

[conquerwithcoffee]

The pain of writing “academic prose”

Anyone out there struggling with academic writing? 🙋🏻‍♀️

Well, I still struggle with two things: the boringness of academic prose and the determination to actually write. So, naturally, instead of procrastinating even more and just accepting that academic writing is what it is, seriously boring (save for some really captivating writers out there), I’ve decided to do some “research” on the matter. I found a couple of interesting books I wanted to buy, but ended up getting these two: Write no Matter What by Joli Jensen (which was actually a friend’s recommendation) and Seductive Academic Writing 😏 by Danyal Freeman. I confess that I got Freeman’s book because of the title. 🤭

I strongly recommend both books because, (a) they are written very well, (b) they offer real advice you can put into practice without breaking a sweat, and (c) they (Freeman’s book) back me up in case one of my professors complain about my “creative writing style not being scientific enough" (Yes, this happened... 🙄). I mean, like anyone who writes for an audience, I want to have my public engaged with my writing and possibly prevent them from falling asleep 😪).

[conquerwithcoffee]

On planning a project

Hello community! Long time no see! It seems that when I’m the busiest I end up writing a post (hehe, procrastinating much? 😬)

Anyways, today I wanted to share something really really important that changed my academic life: smart planning. I will not go on about the benefits of planning because there are many and y’all probably know them already... Just keep in mind planning smart = working smart. 😉

This is basically what I do for literally every project (or assignment). You can use pages, evernote, word, onenote, or any software of your liking. For those of us who use BuJos it’s possible to adapt this planning strategy into your journal. Don’t worry, there’re only 3 simple steps. 🙃

Step 1: Highlight the deadline: On the top of my document I normally write the project deadline in a bigger font with a flashy color to make sure I will not miss it.

Step 2: Project timeline: Ok, this is the fun part (to me at least...). In a table add the tasks you need to do, and give it a due date (for your own peace of mind). Bellow is an example.

Sometimes I feel fancy and add different colors to active, completed and upcoming tasks. The most important thing here is to record how long you (think) you’ll need to get a task done.

TIP: Add a few more days or even an extra week than what you think you need. This will diminish your stress levels. 😋

Step 3: Write your “To do” list: jot down every-single-thing you’ll have to do. Break down the main tasks in your timeline into smaller tasks. Something like the example bellow. 👇🏼

Well, that’s it! Pretty simple, right? I hope this helps anyone who’s struggling with a big assignment. Now I have to go back to work... 👩🏻‍💻

[conquerwithcoffee]

Woohoo!!! 🙌 🎉 now it’s time to go out and enjoy that feeling of accomplishment! 😆

[conquerwithcoffee]

blub.

Three... only THREE more pages to finish my thesis, and I’ve been dragging it for weeks now........ 😵  I need some inspo to stop procrastinating....... 😶 😜

[conquerwithcoffee]

chaos. ❤️

[conquerwithcoffee]

Back to School // Tag

So, since I was tagged by the lovely @wolfieforlifey​, I’ve decided to be a lil more social over here... ;P

📚 General Questions:

What year are you (e.g. senior in high school, senior in university…)? *Almost* graduating. 

What is your major, or focus of study? My major is Linguistics with focus on Phonetics and Data Science.

Do you have a studyblr/studytube? I only have this studyblr (which is often neglected 🙊 )

What do you think about studyblrs/studytubes? Oooohhh I looooove studyblrs, the aesthetics, the nerdiness and all that jazz... *.*

Are you looking forward to going back to school? Back? O.o This is my third semester without a proper break... 😭

🏫 Campus Questions:

What’s your favorite location on a campus? “Die Wiese” it’s like a huge patch of grass in the middle of the campus. *.*

What’s your go to place to hide out on campus (to be alone)? empty computer lab (same as @wolfieforlifey​ lol)

Have you ever fell asleep on campus? Nope.

Have you ever lived in the dorms/student housing? Nee.

What’s your favorite food to buy on campus? The espresso from the lil’ Italian food truck :3

What’s your favorite food to bring from home? Fruit salad

What’s something that makes your school special? The size of the campus... Sometimes you’ll have to walk 20-30min from one class to the next.

📖 Student Experience Questions:

Do you always do the assigned readings?​​ Yes

What was your favorite book you were assigned? Intonational Phonology by Ladd. It was my bible for the last 3 semesters.

What was your favorite school project? Hmmm idk, programming a stemmer for Portuguese (?)

What was your most difficult assignment? Programming anything in C++ 😂

Do you like working on group projects? Heck yeah!

Do you study better alone or with other people? Alone

What’s a class that surprised you? Language and Society

Do you sit in the front of the class or the back? Anywhere close to a window

Do you prefer readings or lectures? Lectures! 😊

What’s your note taking style? It depends on the lecture... For some it’s better to use the mapping method, for others the outlining.

Do you prefer to take notes on paper or computer? Paper for lectures not involving programming.

Do you prefer music, or complete silence when studying? Silence

Do you raise your hand in class, or keep to yourself? I keep a balance 😌

Are you usually early for class, or late? Usually on time haha 😝

Which semester/quarter do you prefer (e.g. spring, fall…)? Summer, because Winter is freaking dark and cold. 😢 

Overall, do you like being a student? Yeah! 👩🏻‍🎓

Do you have anything you want to improve on for the new school year? Find more balance between personal and uni time...

🎒 Fashion & Backpack Questions:

Do you carry a backpack or handbag to school? Backpaaack!! Because I love to feel young! 👧🏻

What’s usually in your school bag? Planner, pencil case, books, laptop, ipad,  toiletries, foooood, water, money.

What are your favorite places to buy school supplies? I love little stationary shops that nobody know about, but I also buy a lot from Hema and Paperchase.

What are 3 essential items you take with you to school? Planner, water bottle, food

How would you dress for your first day back to school? Fancy!👗

How would you style your hair for your first day back to school? I let my curls go wild!

Do you tend to roll out of bed, or spend hours getting dressed for class? Definitely roll out, every second of sleep counts.

***Bonus***

📺 Fandom Questions:

What’s your Hogwarts house? Oh daaamn... not a HP fan... (don’t shoot me!) I will say though that I’m definitely a Martell 🤙🏽

What character would you be in Harry Potter? Again GoT ref... Nymeria (yay warrior-queen!! 💪🏼 )

What character would you be in Mean Girls? Now I feel weird... O.o I would, in my wildest dreams, be Jessica Jones though... 🙈 

🏷️ Tag someone: this is fun! @applebeesbabies @aparisianstudent @tetenaa-studies @milogi

[conquerwithcoffee]

Writing a thesis is like having a baby. You completely neglect yourself to live in function of your progeny... 😶

[conquerwithcoffee]

Long time no see. I should be writing, but I feel so bad for abandoning my studyblr already (plus the fact that I'm procrastinating.. 😝 ).

So, this is how my study place currently looks like, with a few of my essentials (aka coffee machine 😬 ).

Well that's all for now, hopefully I'll be posting again really soon! 😉

[conquerwithcoffee]

Found a great study nook at the airport! 😂😂😂

[conquerwithcoffee]

I’m visiting family this week! 😊 It was supposed to be a little holiday, but my thesis gives me no break… 😥 Just a little longer until I can finally chill!! 😬

[conquerwithcoffee]

Everything is so hectic lately but I’ve gathered some strength to post something nice! 😊

This is btw what works for me when learning a new language. The method I use is simple yet very effective:

i) getting something I really enjoy reading and writing down the words I don’t know with their translation on a separate list. For me it helps to keep the list attached to the page, so I can learn the words in a context;

ii) picking the words I’ve had the most problems understanding and writing them in a separate notebook, which I will take with me and glance at whenever I have a chance (i.e. while commuting/waiting).

I’m currently learning Dutch, and my favourite thing to read is a magazine named Flow. 😍😍😍😍

[conquerwithcoffee]

Oh my first unplanned week in a while... It looks so promising! 😊

[conquerwithcoffee]

❤❤❤ just a few of my favourite things.

[conquerwithcoffee]

Holidays are over… 😢 waiting for my flight and double bugged because this page marker ripped the page a little.. 😫

[conquerwithcoffee]

Help!

So I just made a new theme for my tumblah, but I can’t get my like button to work. 🙈  I’ve tried all the things out there, but it all failed miserably...😣 

Any help would be very much appreciated! 🙃

[conquerwithcoffee]

I've decided to do a "what's in my bag/pencil case" since I still got some free time before classes start again. 😊