narrativestudies

[narrativestudies]

how to survive bad school days, from morning till night

my last year of high school starts rather soon, and i’ve had more than my fair share of days when i wake up wanting to cry. there aren’t many things you can do when obligations like school force you to get over it as soon as it starts, so here are some tips to make your day better.

1. dress opposite the way you feel. even though sweats might be super tempting, dress up. wear your favorite pair of jeans, or a dress, or your cutest sneakers, even. wear bright colors at least. sweatpants and such will just make you feel even more blah and unfocused throughout the day. 

2. moisturize! this might seem like an odd idea, but moisturizing and going into school glowy and soft definitely helps me feel more comfortable and less ugh during the school day. it helps keep me in my home-y comfort zone, if that makes sense. 

3. carry something from home. this can be a book (even if you don’t read it), a tube of chapstick, a big waterbottle, etc… i have even gone as far as wrapping myself in a small blanket and walking around like that for the day. if you like this option and don’t feel comfortable wearing it, fold it up and place it in your backpack, just so you know it’s there.

4. plan out your day. even if it’s just making a mental note, tell and remind yourself of the things your going to do and when. this will get rid of any unnecessary stress and pressure. if something unexpected comes up, this will also help you manage your time a little better.

5. eat and drink happy things! pick today to pack a lunch, no matter what your usual routine is. drink plenty of water throughout this day, and eat as many fruits and veggies as you can. fill a reusable water bottle with water, fruit (like lemon or strawberries), and chia seeds! it’s perfect to sip throughout the day for a reboot or just to boost your mood. 

6. when you get home, bathe immediately! wash off the day’s dirt. drop everything as soon as you get home, and either jump in the shower or relax in a bath with your favorite soaps and scents and a book. give yourself a break before you have to get back to work.

7. don’t ignore your work. by work, i mean school work. if you’re having a bad day, don’t hesitate to take a break from talking to people or running (low-priority) errands. you don’t want to ignore schoolwork, though, because teachers aren’t the most lenient people in the world, and getting it done will take a lot off of your shoulders. pushing it away will only gain you more bad days. 

8. go to bed. get sleep! you want to be refreshed and happy for the next day, even if it’s a weekend. there’s a good chance your bad day began because you didn’t get enough sleep, or because you were ripped out of bed. reward yourself with rest after a long day. 

[narrativestudies]

15 / 8 / 17 - Sunday

Day 1 of 100 days of productivity:

Going to be starting my second semester next week. I have to pick all my classes tomorrow and I am super nervous that I’m going to get shitty teachers like last semester. I also have to do stats this sem, which makes me wanna cry more :((( 

Does anyone have any tips on how to love stats??? bc they literally make me wanna fling my self off a cliff :)))

I also decided to join in on the @emmastudies productivity challenge but bc I am lazy af, I about 10 days late lol. 

ig: here

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some of my notes from 11 physics 🔅

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tumblr gets to see it first 😉

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Christmas time in streets of Bremen, Germany by Nico (ig: eskimo)

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My favorite ever pronoun story has to be one of my German professor’s. He fondly remembers being mugged by a gang of teenagers in Dresden, who used Sie (formal you) the entire time.  

[narrativestudies]

🎶blackpink - square two

1 paper down!! studying for friday’s paper rn because i realised i hadn’t really started studying much of the great gatsby aaaaa

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I want a life filled with flowers. Flowers everywhere. Flowers growing inside me.

[narrativestudies]

7℃🌬🌥

90/100 days of productivity

Perfectly imperfect. 👀

🎧 Sign of the times- Harry Styles

[narrativestudies]

Can we PLEASE remove the stigma for blue collar work in America?

“You don’t wanna be a garbage collector when you grow up, do you?”

$34,000 a year, no college needed?

God forbid you take an honest job $7,000 above Michigan’s average cost of living line.

“You don’t wanna be a ditch digger.”

Bitch, I was making $15 an hour, post tax, doing exactly that, the fuck is wrong with it? (Other than it was physically exhausting.)

We need to help America, as a whole, understand that college is not, and should not be he only option, and that there is NO SHAME in trade school or even getting a career right out of high school.

I, personally, know plumbers making $80,000+ a year. Better than most 4 year degree workers.

We need plumbers, janitors, truck-drivers, garbage collectors, machinists, to keep this nation running smoothly. And they deserve respect for what they do.

Miss me with your classist bullshit.

[narrativestudies]

how to survive bad school days, from morning till night

my last year of high school starts rather soon, and i’ve had more than my fair share of days when i wake up wanting to cry. there aren’t many things you can do when obligations like school force you to get over it as soon as it starts, so here are some tips to make your day better.

1. dress opposite the way you feel. even though sweats might be super tempting, dress up. wear your favorite pair of jeans, or a dress, or your cutest sneakers, even. wear bright colors at least. sweatpants and such will just make you feel even more blah and unfocused throughout the day. 

2. moisturize! this might seem like an odd idea, but moisturizing and going into school glowy and soft definitely helps me feel more comfortable and less ugh during the school day. it helps keep me in my home-y comfort zone, if that makes sense. 

3. carry something from home. this can be a book (even if you don’t read it), a tube of chapstick, a big waterbottle, etc… i have even gone as far as wrapping myself in a small blanket and walking around like that for the day. if you like this option and don’t feel comfortable wearing it, fold it up and place it in your backpack, just so you know it’s there.

4. plan out your day. even if it’s just making a mental note, tell and remind yourself of the things your going to do and when. this will get rid of any unnecessary stress and pressure. if something unexpected comes up, this will also help you manage your time a little better.

5. eat and drink happy things! pick today to pack a lunch, no matter what your usual routine is. drink plenty of water throughout this day, and eat as many fruits and veggies as you can. fill a reusable water bottle with water, fruit (like lemon or strawberries), and chia seeds! it’s perfect to sip throughout the day for a reboot or just to boost your mood. 

6. when you get home, bathe immediately! wash off the day’s dirt. drop everything as soon as you get home, and either jump in the shower or relax in a bath with your favorite soaps and scents and a book. give yourself a break before you have to get back to work.

7. don’t ignore your work. by work, i mean school work. if you’re having a bad day, don’t hesitate to take a break from talking to people or running (low-priority) errands. you don’t want to ignore schoolwork, though, because teachers aren’t the most lenient people in the world, and getting it done will take a lot off of your shoulders. pushing it away will only gain you more bad days. 

8. go to bed. get sleep! you want to be refreshed and happy for the next day, even if it’s a weekend. there’s a good chance your bad day began because you didn’t get enough sleep, or because you were ripped out of bed. reward yourself with rest after a long day. 

[narrativestudies]

TOP TIPS FOR YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT

Hello! I’m about to start uni in a few weeks so I thought now would be a good time to share my top tips for writing a good personal statement. There is no ‘special formula’ for writing a good one but these are some tips I picked up from family, friends, online articles, teachers and universities themselves:

WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT?

you need to say why you want to study that course - how your interest developed, how you’ve pursued it (e.g. extracurricular activities), how you’ve drawn inspiration - basically demonstrate a lot of enthusiasm but be specific

give evidence that you’re right for the course - demonstrate with examples that you have researched it, understand what it entails and have the correct skills

say what you’ve done outside of the classroom - further reading and opinions (but try to be original - don’t talk about books that are really well-known in your subject)

explain why your experiences are relevant to the course and to a future career - reflect on experiences, don’t describe them!

give examples of transferable skills - teamwork, time management, problem solving, etc. and then expand on the most relevant skills - success in projects, how you grew from particular experiences, biggest challenges you’ve faced, etc.

also show you’re a critical thinker and mention long term plans

AN EXAMPLE:

as an example, here’s what I wrote about in my personal statement:

a public lecture I’d been to at a local university and how this inspired me (you could watch a TED talk online and discuss it)

how I was interested by the lab equipment and research I’d seen at a university when I went on a taster day

hobbies I have and how I was interested in my subject outside of school (books, magazines, podcasts I like and why)

a line about my EPQ and how this follows on from a podcast I listened to

how I’m finding my A level subjects (e.g. I enjoy science practicals)

how my AS levels helped me (e.g. AS history really helped me with essay writing)

what I learned from tutoring some GCSE students and volunteering at a charity shop

how I found shadowing a PhD student at a local university - how this inspired me and motivated me in my chosen subject

TRY TO INCLUDE:

paragraphs and GOOD GRAMMAR!!!!!

balance of academic and extra-curricular 

evidence you’ve done research

show genuine engagement 

lateral thinking - link to a more obscure theme that you find interesting 

honesty and a desire to study 

what you want from course 

positivity

CURIOSITY! 

make it interesting, thoughtful and personal - say what inspires you

DON’T INCLUDE:

academic achievements - unis know what qualifications you have and which grades you’re predicted so don’t waste your characters! 

quotes - this is YOUR personal statement, not Winston Churchill’s!! 

lists - you need detail and explanations 

clichés - you have not wanted to be a doctor for as long as you can remember! 

sweeping statements 

‘passion’ and other commonly-used words 

stilted vocabulary - use language that you actually use (but not slang)

exaggeration 

humour - it’s a dangerous move to use humour 

negativity 

irrelevant facts - it’s not a school essay!

OVERALL:

show not tell - “I’ve been able to develop my communication skills by tutoring three GCSE science students” is better than saying “I’m a good communicator” 

DRAFT!!!! you will not be able to write a good personal statement in one go - it took me months of regular drafting and re-writing to get mine even close to being finished! 

get help! ask friends, family, teachers, etc. to read it and give feedback

don’t be too precious about it - you will have to cut bits out, shorten sentences, lengthen sentences, delete words, re-arrange the structure, etc. so try to stay open minded!

one uni I visited on an open day suggested using the ABC formula: A is for Activity (say what you did), B is for Benefit (say the skills you gained from the activity) and then C is for Course (relate it to the course and say how it prepares you) - I didn’t use this myself but I have friends who found it useful!

be specific! don’t say “I love French” - say “I love how learning new languages helps me to understand the world around me….”

I hope this is helpful and good luck! Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have! :)

[narrativestudies]

Work, work, work

Recent feed from my instagram HERE

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sleep makes me so mad tbfh do you know how much shit i could get done if this flesh prison didn’t require literal hours of laying there in a state of unconsciousness

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shout out to all the kids who aren’t good at what they’re passionate about, and who aren’t passionate about what they’re good at

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Here’s some weapons for your essay writing arsenal!

Hemingway Editor Calmly Writer  The Most Dangerous Writing App Purdue O.W.L. One Look Thesaurus JSTOR Google Scholar

Reply with your favourite or other great websites I didn’t include!

[narrativestudies]

Day 11: A photoset detailing your routine for the day

{30 day studyblr challenge by @hayley-studies}

if i’m being honest, i don’t follow this routine exactly as it is every single day, but i do try to stick to it as much as possible! 📝