printstudies

[printstudies]

you belong somewhere. one day, in some place (probably unknown to you now), you will feel at home. you will feel loved. you will feel like you belong, which is what you have been waiting for. it is coming please don’t worry about it too hard right now. when you are there you will know. i love you, you will feel at home soon.

[printstudies]

~08/10/18~ Day 20/100 of my 100 Days of Productivity… #2! ✨

Finally back to posting after a very stressful few days (sorry ahhh!)… I’ve been working still… but just haven’t taken any photos and haven’t got round to posting at all… I feel like such a let down and am so so sorry for disappearing… (I’m going to try to post an update post soon…) hope you’re all doing well and please look after yourselves, you’re all amazing 💛✨

Today hasn’t been the most productive… but it’s been fairly decent/okay I guess all the same…

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6th October 2018

I'm so sorry I disappeared! Recently I have been posting frequently on my instagram (printstudies) or my blog of the same name on wordpress!

Some,,, things occurred during the summer holidays after my last post. It's all fine and I'm getting a lot more support now, but it did restrict the amount I trusted the internet and everything in general.

Anyway,, I've begun an EPQ on "How did Sylvia Plath present mental illness in her litersture?" as she is a particular poetic inspiration for me, as well as English Literature coursework. Yesterday I was lucky enough to go to a poetry recital with Simon Armitage, as well as discuss the poem for my coursework with him. He was absolutely lovely and really funny!!

Oh also, I'm hoppefully going to be a published poet!!

I hope everyone is well; my inbox is Always open xxx

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“It is okay if you don’t complete things and goals as fast as other people do; we are all different people with different levels of skills and it’s okay to go at your own pace.”

— Unknown (via thoughtkick)

[printstudies]

Poetry and positivity blog ✨ @teenagepolice-dream

[printstudies]

Thank you @subitoscience I'll make a playlist up of those definitely!!

When studying I do really enjoy anything by Agnes Obel, but especially Philharmonics. Also, Two Dots by Lusine has been my bop recently to get myself motivated to work!!

Heyyy! Do you have any classical/orchestral/piano music that's good for studying? I'm currently on a circuit of Camille Saint-Saëns- Danse Macabre (a fav!!!) and Le Carnaval Des Animaux.

Oooohhhhh yes!! I love things like this 🎶💗 (also, if anyone would be interested in sort of playlists of classical music for different situations/moods/weekly favourites please let me know!! 💗)

Okay, some of my favourites:• Debussy’s ‘Images’ (piano)• Chopin’s Nocturnes (piano)• Brahms’s Symphony no.2• Ravel’s String Quartet • Elgar’s Enigma Variations• Beethoven’s Symphony no.3 • Beethoven’s Cello Sonata no.3• Franck’s Violin Sonata no.1 (also beautiful on cello but I am biased!)• Rachmaninoff Trio Élégiaque no.1 • Dvorak’s Symphony no.8

I hope that this provides you with a good starting point, and if anyone else wants to add favourites for studying/more relaxed music (etc.) please go ahead!! 🎶💗🌷

[printstudies]

24th August 2018

Yes, I've begun my September spreads!! I've decided to begin a bullet journal and so the start of the academic year seemed perfect. I've also treated myself to crayola super tips so hopefully I'm going to practise my calligraphy!

That was a treat for myself today since I got back my btec art and design grades...

Unit 1= pass

Unit 7= DISTINCTION

I'm beyond relieved. This means I have one less exam in year 13 (as I will retake Unit 1, it was during my nan's death so we knew it wasn't very good but pass is still awesome). That means the steam is off a little and I won't ve as anxious alongside my a level too. Phew.

Hope everyone's gcse/a level/btec results went well- I'm here anytime to celebrate or to be a vent.

[printstudies]

22nd August 2018

Went to Brighton for the day with mum and 2 people she supports. It was great fun and further proved how right that town is for me.

Managed to go through an extended essay reading on the train as well as a few more chapters of "The Secret Scripture" by Sebastian Barry ready for coursework.

It's been nice to be alone for a while and take life at my pace; although I need to significantly slow down again since my parents are noticing the mental health issues are physically showing now. I'll manage though.

[printstudies]

On A Level Results

I haven’t physically written a post on here for quite some time now (mainly due to being insanely busy this year with medicine), but I thought that right now would be the perfect time to hop right back in, because today is A-Level results day. 

Let me speak personally for a bit, before I get onto the big stuff. 

5 years ago (2013), I was freshly 18, with no university offers for medicine in the bag, just my insurance (UCL Biomedical Science) standing proud on UCAS Track- an offer that I would decline anyway. I was battling an eating disorder that was taking every ounce of my energy, and everyone I knew had offers to go study somewhere and something that they were excited about. Not getting an offer for medicine the first time round was the first time in my life that I had felt like I failed at something.  On results day, I just knew that something would happen, that something would go wrong, because it hadn’t really gone right this half of the year. I knew that what I needed was AAA minimum, with no retakes possible (as I wanted to apply to Nottingham, who didn’t allow any retakes of AS or A-Level exams). My perfectionist mind wouldn’t really have been content with anything less than A*A*A*, 100% across the board, but to be quite honest my perfectionist mind really needs to learn to shut the fuck up.  I waited until later on in the day to collect my results, because I was terrified of the disappointment and shame that I felt I would feel if they were anything less than what I needed. I watched others wake up to ‘confirmed offer’ on UCAS Track, not even really needing to know their results, because whatever they were, the key fit into the right door. The shape of that key wasn’t important anymore.  When I finally went to collect them, my personal tutor was there, beaming as always, with my brown envelope. She was hoping that I’d open it in front of her, but I insisted on opening them in a darkened alcove seating area, alone, with trembling hands. I kept thinking about the exams that I’d done on 0 calories, or the one where I’d forced down the first 200 calorie flapjack that I’d eaten in 2 years because my hands wouldn’t stop shaking, or the one where I’d tried to shake my legs for the whole 2.5hrs just to ‘burn extra calories’. Could the outcome have been different if I’d fuelled my brain and body? Would I still be feeling this way? (Probably) It was fine. Better than fine. A*AA. No retakes, high As, my A* grade was 100%. A little bite of contentment for my perfectionist mind? It was what I needed, and indeed, it was the right shaped key that would later let me into Medicine, but had it changed anything? To be honest, not really.  The grade wasn’t anything besides a key for a lock. That’s all it was. And I could have gone back and re-sat exams to get the right shaped key, if I needed to. Or I could have changed the lock around a bit. I could have tried a different combination of locks. Sure that anticipation and tension melted away as soon as I saw those results, but it was just a tick in the box. 

I am privileged in many ways, one of which is that I get to tell that story and the outcome is A*AA. Some people opening results today may not get they outcome they want or need, and some may get what they need but still be disappointed. I feel that a lot of us in this generation, particularly those who use tumblr as a study aide/studyblr/whatever you want to call it, are primed for productivity and perfectionism. We have been taught from a young age to be busy, to pass exams; that doing well will open doors, and that not doing well won’t open the right doors. There has always been that pressure on our heads. There are secrets that nobody tells you. I’ll tell you what they are: 

1. There are second chances: resit exams, years out to take another subject up, re-marks of exam papers, calls to universities to negotiate, clearing, re-application, alternative pathways, gap years. There are plenty of ways to get to where you want to go, and you may have to take a different path to where you want to be, but you’ll end up there eventually.  2. It’s okay to take those second chances. It doesn’t make the end result worth less or less satisfying when it does come. Most of the time it makes it more satisfying. I know that when I finally got my offer for my dream med school the following March that it was about 10000x more satisfying than it would have been the year before, because I felt that I’d worked so much harder to get there.  3. There is no shame in failing. This is something I personally still find it very, very difficult to grasp. There is no shame in it whatsoever. None. Everyone fails at some point. Some of the best things come after failures. When I didn’t get an offer in my first year, I was absolutely ashamed of myself, and I didn’t want to share that news with anyone. I felt that ‘people’ would look down on me, that my family would be angry, that I’d never be able to climb back up and do well.  4. Sometimes failing can help. Getting back up and trying again is hard, and it takes a little bit of courage. But it can help to fire you up in a way you won’t have been fired up before, especially if this is the first time something hasn’t gone the way you wanted it to. It can motivate and push you to look for what went wrong, for what happened to produce a result that you didn’t want, and it can help you isolate those problems and work on them.  5. You are so young, and there is so much time to get to where you want to be. Fuck having an age limit on things. I know this may be the first time that this has been said to you if you, like me at the time, are 18 years old (or even still 17) and school up until now has been an inevitable year on year progression forwards. This concept was also new to me. Let me explain. It is a lie that we are told in this society, in many areas, that we have to accomplish anything by a certain age. Academically, this lie is pushed and pushed and pushed. But it’s simple. Who gives a fuck the age you are when you get to where you want to be? That’s your life, and your goals, and your plan. You do you. 6. You have so many options. Honestly, you really do. This is another one that took a while to get into my head. You may need to take a day to feel sorry for yourself (and that’s okay too) and cry and mope about and binge Netflix and eat your feelings, but tomorrow, you need to get up, and you need to re-design those blueprints for how you’re going to get to where you want to be. Do your research. Call around, look online, speak to teachers (that last one is so important). Sites like The Student Room can really help, and have a wealth of posts from others in similar situations. Ask friends or parents or teachers for help. Create your own path. It may take some time and it may not be a straightforward process, but eventually you’ll get to where you need to be.  7. At the end of the day, you’re still 18 years old. When you are ready, go and join the parties. Be with friends or family, and celebrate that today you did achieve something. Even if the results weren’t what you hoped for, and even if they were, you passed through one of the most difficult exam seasons that you may ever experience. You sat those exams. You revised like hell. You finished another year of school. You learned things, you grew. 

I really hope today brings you everything you hoped for. It feels like there is a lot riding on today, and I think sometimes other adults like to perhaps minimise it a little by saying things like ‘it’s okay, it’s not that big a deal!’. And I get it, it really is a big deal. It feels like a big deal. But what it isn’t, if it goes wrong, is the end of the world. Even if at the time it feels like it is. 

Feel free to message me on here if you’d like some help/advice/congratulations after you’ve opened that envelope. 

Good luck. 

[printstudies]

reminder:

it’s okay to have days where you don’t study at all if you need a mental and/or physical break.

it’s okay to prioritize other things in your life over school, if they’re more important to you and benefit you moreso.

it’s okay to fail a test or get a bad grade or get on the bad side of a teacher; your academic career will never go perfectly, but that doesn’t mean it’s spoiled forever, and that you will go nowhere.

it’s okay to not be accepted into programs, classes, clubs, or anything of the sort. just keep going forward, and new & better things will come along.

failure! is! okay!

breaks! are! okay!

you! are! okay! 

[printstudies]

Changes

I may be disappearing from the internet fir a while. Idk if I'll stay on tumblr or leave here too but I'll be a lot more inactive. It's nothing anyone on here has done but I don't trust *anyone* at the minute after a succession of let downs so i dont see how i can broadcast even the best parts of my life to people who then progress to talk to others about my life. Haven't they got their own lives to discuss?!

[printstudies]

10th July 2018

*record scratch* yep, that's me. I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing but I have silicon glue everywhere and no where near where it's suppose to be.

Lesson learnt today was do not push the glue gun too quickly as it Will. Go. Everywhere.

I've disappeared for a while on here for this summer but I've started a MOOC today as well as doing my homework. Really missing college -(but not many of the people to be honest)- (although I do miss a few people immensely and I feel bad for leaving them)

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3rd August 2018 Part one of three to my latest water colour set. It's about "man manipulated landscapes" and will be three postcards showing (1)natural woodland (2)deforestation (3)rejuvination of a landscape. Really looking forward to complete the second, and maybe third, one tomorrow! I also had my first driving lesson after six months today and it was great. I've had very bad anxiety around driving since a panic attack behind the wheel but this new instructor is a lot more patient and mental-health aware which is awesome. Maybe I am capable of passing!!

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1st August 2018 Had a productive 'adulting' day yesterday which consisted of dragging my friends around town to organise my banking, work shoe shopping and to get a library card. It's much less intimidating when friends are around and we had a delicious lunch too (sharing the monster shake between us). In other news, I am now the owner of a pottery wheel!!! My dad works at his friend's skip yard fixing up a 1970s lorry, so he is given a lot of random stuff from the skips. Well now he has been given a pottery wheel since the other employees know I'm (hopefully) going to be doing a lot of ceramics at university.

[printstudies]

2018 Student Guide

With the start of 2018 well underway, I wanted to make a masterpost full of links on how to adjust your perspective with studying. Perhaps you want to become a better student overall, improve your focus or get into your dream college, there is always something we want to do better! Hopefully these tips will make 2018 your best academic year yet!

Organisation

2018 student planner

planner brand recommendations

planner vs bullet journal: pros and cons

how to set up a bullet journal

setting up a digital bullet journal

bullet journal spread ideas

bullet journal decoration hacks

bullet journal brand recommendations

whats in my bag

my favourite stationery

back to school basic supplies

how to improve your handwriting

handwriting font suggestions

balancing study and work

desk/workspace essentials

student finance tips

2018 monthly planner printables

Productivity

productivity and time management applications

how to remove distractions

types of procrastination and how to deal with them

google chrome new tab options for improved productivity

10 small ways to improve your productivity

applications to block websites

no distraction writing applications

100 days of productivity challenge

how to focus in class

how to stick to a schedule

how to stay alert

how to build self-discipline

how to organise for exams

my after school routine

how to reduce perfectionist ideas 

Motivation

what to do when you’ve tried everything

how to gain back motivation

motivational monday printables

how to stop avoiding studying

what to do when you feel exhausted before studying

how I stay motivated

tips on maintaining motivation

10 tips to increase your motivation for study

how to start a studyblr

how to utilise your studyblr for motivation

how to set up a studygram

dealing with competitive people

how to bounce back from ‘failure’

how to learn from a lower than expected grade

how to structure a weekly review

how to deal with a difficult class

things to do during holidays/study vacations

Studying

applications for students

how to take effective class or lecture notes

how to take notes from a textbook

how to prepare for exams

my note-taking method

my notebook system

how to write faster

how to study more effectively

how to summarise information

how I organise my binders

good habits to implement

how to study (my method)

how to revise from notes

how to organise a colour code

how to memorise information effectively

how to memorise quotes

how to use flashcards

how I reduce waffle and narration in essays

tips for essay writing

how to find out where you’re going wrong

how I prepare to study

different ways to study

how to study during the semester

how to annotate a book/novel/etc

how to get ahead in school

how to break up a large textbook

studying as a visual learner

how to practice and present a speech

mindmapping apps and extensions

how to deal with online classes

how to study a language

how to study maths

how to improve group assessments/projects

ipad study inspiration

Self Care

how to improve your sleep schedule

how to wake up earlier

how to study when sick

over-coming self doubt

dealing with stress

how to balance studying and anxiety

how to balance studying and depression

apps that help with depression

ways to reward your productivity

my favourite tv shows

my favourite podcasts

ways to use empty notebooks

how to be more sociable

tips for getting a job

advice for the first day

things (personal, academic, etc) to do every week

Printables

2018 monthly planner printables

2018 student printables (includes 2018 overview + calendar, daily + weekly + monthly planner, 30 habit tracker, class overview and timed worklog)

2018 GoodNotes monthly and weekly planner

weekly study schedule

weekly planner

weekend planner

daily planner

assessment planner

subject to do list planner

study session planner

exam revision printable pack (includes revision checklist, formulas + definitions sheet, essay + project planner, weekly schedule)

note-taking printables (includes dotted, grid, lined, cornell method)

organic chemistry printable

literary techniques and devices sheet

100 days of productivity tracker printable 

ultimate student organiser pack

study and revision pack

2018 student planner

2018 weekly planner

pomodoro tracker

grade and assessment planner pack

essay guide and planner pack

productivity planner

student reading journal printable

student finance planner

goal and habit planner

customisable weekly study planner

Other posts | Printables | Instagram | Youtube | Pinterest | Etsy Shop

[printstudies]

a list of things every studyblr experiences

failure

stress

disappointing results

procrastination

problems finding a work, life and study balance

nervousness

not always great or consistent grades

varying degrees of mental health issues

situations out of our control

that ‘i’m not good enough’ feeling

anxiousness

lazy days

regret

tiredness

burning out 

low confidence

sickness

and many more

having a study blog does not mean that person is a perfect human with everything in life on track, in balance and with complete happiness. as a community, we need to remember not everything goes to plan and no-one should be expected or seen as perfect x

[printstudies]

How to Deal with Study Burnout

As students in this day and age, it’s quite common for us to juggle rigorous academic responsibilities and overwhelming extracurricular activities. As a result, we might feel burnt out. But what exactly is burnout? 

Burnout is when you feel physically and mentally exhausted as a result of constantly lacking the energy required to fulfill the demands of your studying.

Burnout can be broken down into three parts:

Exhaustion is what causes you to feel tired all the time and unable to concentrate. You could also get sick or have trouble sleeping.

Cynicism or depersonalization is when you feel disconnected from those around you, e.g. your friends and family.

Inefficacy is a decrease in productivity, efficiency, or quality of your work.

How do you know if you have burnout?

Symptoms may vary, but they include:

Being unable to absorb new information

Intellectual exhaustion

Decreasing academic performance and productivity

Feeling like you need to prove yourself

Making yourself work even more, even though you’re exhausted or being unwilling to study further

Neglecting your needs

Long term fatigue

Showing disinterest in things you normally enjoy, e.g. hobbies or friends

Denying that something’s wrong with you (may manifest in the form of aggression)

Avoiding social interaction

Feeling empty and depressed

What can I do to fix it?

Here are some short term solutions for dealing with burnout.

1. Take a power nap Power naps are life changing. They help you recharge your energy and get you ready to start working again. They also improve learning, memory, creativity, alertness, and mood. I would recommend napping for 30 minutes at most, because anything more will lead to a longer sleep session.

Optional: drink coffee before your nap - something that takes a short while to consume like a shot of espresso - so that you’ll feel alert and revitalized afterwards!

2. Take a shower A cold one will wake you up, but a warm one will calm you down. I suggest starting with warm water, then ending with cold water.

3. Exercise Whether it’s playing soccer or doing yoga, the important thing is to get moving! Exercise releases endorphins or happy hormones that help you combat stress.

4. Run a quick errand This will help take your mind off things while also getting something done! You’ll also end up walking, which is technically a form of exercise.

5. Call or visit a friend Sometimes what we’re lacking is social interaction, and hanging out with a friend definitely helps. Whether it’s providing you with a distraction or giving emotional support, your friends are always there to help you. Plus, science has shown that being with friends reduces your cortisol (stress hormone) levels.

6. Eat a snack Preferably a healthy one. Eat something with proteins, vitamins, and fibers to boost your mood. Here’s a list of mood boosting foods.

7. Surf the web This requires A TON of discipline, but it’s definitely a game changer. Surfing the web is one of the most relaxing things you could do. I personally look for a good laugh during my study breaks, so I’d watch a comedy or scroll through memes to get those happy hormones up and running.

8. Do an activity you find interesting, e.g. a hobby We all need happiness in our lives, and our hobbies are perhaps the best way to find that joy. You could sit down with a page turning adventure, or go outside and shoot hoops, or listen to a podcast, or even bullet journal, as long as you’re having a good time.

9. Listen to music Music is one of the ways we gain energy, so I always make time for it during the day. However, you should choose the right music, because not all the music you love is going to make you feel energized. For me, it’s pop punk with hard hitting beats, thundering guitars, and really upbeat, enthusiastic vocals. Some of you might be energized by mellow music with dreamy vocals that make you feel like you’re floating in the clouds. If you choose the wrong music, you might just end up feeling sluggish and drained.

10. Get some fresh air Your brain needs 20% of the oxygen in your body. Fresh air brings more oxygen to your brain so that you can think more clearly, feel less tired, and concentrate more easily.

How do I make sure I don’t get it in the future?

Avoiding study burnout in the long term has a lot to do with our study habits - as well as our daily habits. We need to make sure that our bodies and minds receive the things they need, and that we aren’t overworking them.

1. Study a little at a time Break up your notes into smaller, more easily digestible pieces and learn a little at a time. This way, you’re not overwhelming your brain, and you have time to let that new knowledge settle in.

2. Time management Having a good study schedule is crucial in preventing burnout. You don’t want to force yourself to work at your slow hours. Aside from that, you definitely shouldn’t leave things until the last minute, and sticking to a schdule will help you pace yourself. Here’s a post I wrote on How to Make an Efficient Revision Schedule and How to Beat Procrastination.

3. Get enough rest I cannot stress enough that sleep is so important for you. It improves your cognitive functioning and also enhances your mood, making it less likely that you’ll get burnt out. Make sure to take power naps, too, if you feel like you need them. 

You also really shouldn’t pull all-nighters. Sleep is also involved in cementing memories in your brain, so if you study a little before you sleep, you’re bound to remember more than if you studied a chapter during an all nighter.

Having trouble sleeping? Here’s a post I made about my night routine and how to get better sleep.

4. Cycle your study environments Your body and mind are bound to get tired from being in the same location for prolonged periods of time. The best way to fix that is to study in different places: at your desk, your backyard, the dining table, a cafe, a friend’s house, the library, etc.You should find a frequency that works for you. I like to switch it up every 2-3 days; some people change locations every week.

5. Eat well As I’ve mentioned before, healthy foods with protein, vitamins, and fiber greatly improve your mood and your physical health. Proper nutrition will give your brain the power it needs to push through. Also make sure not to skip meals; honestly you’ll just end up feeling terrible afterwards.

6. Take frequent breaks Let’s face it, we’re human, we’re bound to get tired from studying for a long time. Taking breaks enables our brains to digest the information we just learned in a pace that works for it. Breaks also help us focus on something other than studying, so that when we do get back to it, we’ll be ready to digest even more information.

7. Set realistic study goals You’re gonna memorize all 500 pages of your biology textbook in one day? Good luck with that. Some of you might be compulsive studiers, but this kind of habit isn’t very good for your brain or your physical health. Studies have shown that excess studying can lead to lower productivity, fatigue, and - you guessed it - burnout. In the end, this will result in lower academic performance, perhaps even in the long run. So instead of trying to study so much in one sitting or one day, break up your material into chunks.

8. Maintain your social life Wherever you lie on the introvert-extrovert spectrum, everyone needs social interaction once in a while. It keeps you sane and healthy. Go out with your friends, have a sleepover, or maybe even a study date.

9. Start the day right What we do in the morning can significantly affect our mood for the rest of the day. Sometimes we don’t even feel like getting up in the morning, or doing anything that day. One thing you should do is create a morning routine you enjoy to jumpstart your day. Here are 8 Morning Habits for Productivity.

10. Think positive When we’re feeling burnt out, it’s hard to not think negatively about everything. In reality, that just makes our condition worse. So think positively! Start small, like congratulating yourself for getting out of bed today, and then work your way up to bigger accomplishments, like finishing 2 chapters of your textbook.

11. Keep a stress diary This is kind of a new concept for me, but it’s really great. How it works is that each day, you would write down all the things that made you stressed and how they made you stressed. This will help you identify the things you’re doing that’s causing your burnout, e.g.

Too long study hours? take regular breaks

Too much time in the same place? cycle your study environment

Not eating properly? set aside time to eat healthy meals at least 2 times a day

Not doing the things you love? schedule in time for that, e.g. during your long breaks

Not getting enough human interaction? make a study group

Too much negative thinking? adopt a positive mindset (you can always start small)

Not getting enough sleep? fix your sleep schedule

And that’s all I have for you guys this time. Hope these tips will help you manage your stress and study burnout whenever you have them. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop an ask!

P.S. if any of you want to see the images in this post in better quality, click here (link to google drive)