#like. stickie in grad school i think would have so much less fun i think the parents were right to think reynie should go to colege but sti

[genderfluid-and-confuzled]

reynie getting a phd.

reynie in grad school...... i think he would have so much fun. reynie getting a phd in some weirdo bullshit....

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

erotica, m | myg

pairing(s): yoongi x reader

summary: Your roommate, Min Yoongi, catches you masturbating. You catch him masturbating. Well then, dear reader... This should be interesting, shouldn’t it?

warnings: rated M (18+) for language, smut (fem reader, f and m-masturbation, cum eating); non-idol!AU; switches between Yoongi’s POV and your POV

--

Being in the music industry was rough. It meant long nights struggling for inspiration, fervent mania when it did hit, and crippling anxiety when it was being evaluated. But being a music producer was all Min Yoongi ever wanted.

He had given up a lot to chase his dreams, moving to the big city alone, friendless, trying to find his way, living meal by meal. He needed a roommate, but finding a trustworthy one was difficult. Friend of a friend of a friend and he finally found someone who seemed alright. A young woman in the middle of grad school, who was looking for a place to stay. At first Yoongi thought it would be weird to room with a girl, but one conversation and he realized it would be a good match. Her first question was if he was going to have guests over often. Of course not, Yoongi had music to work on. Her second question was if he was clean, because she couldn’t stand a dirty living situation.

In short, he now had a quiet, paying roommate who kept to herself, holed up in her room all day studying or rushing to class.

Yoongi worked for a small entertainment company, but he also had a home studio because he couldn’t afford to rent a space. This was enough for now. He asked if she was fine with a little noise and she responded by holding up her over-the-ear headphones.

But Min Yoongi had a secret.

Nothing that incriminating. Nothing like drugs or a gambling problem or a recurring STD or something like that. It was in innocent secret, a very small one.

Min Yoongi liked to read erotica blogs.

Now, Yoongi could watch porn. He could go through all the hoops and find some to jack off to. That wasn’t why he preferred to read smut stories online. He just liked to use his own imagination. He liked closing his eyes and painting the scene, but he wasn’t creative enough to dream up all the freaky scenarios he could read online. Some people had some… big brain energy. Some wrinkly brains. He was pretty sure all his gray matter was used on music, so why not let someone else craft the story for him? It took the work out the equation and he could get off. Win-win.

Also, it was much easier to hide it in public. All people would see is him scrolling on his phone, the same thing everyone else did.

Yoongi had his favorites he went back to. They were updated often. Every week there was something new. He checked at least once a week, since that was his usual routine his body wanted. And it was fine. No one knew. He could do it whenever he wanted and relatively quickly. So, all in all, not that bad of a secret, really.

It was six in the morning and Yoongi was scrolling on his phone, mildly horny. Oh! One of his favorite blogs had updated late in the night. Nice. He chewed on his lower lip, reading the summary.

There was a knock on his door.

He nearly dropped his phone. The door was locked, thankfully.

“Yoongi-ssi?” He heard his roommate yawn sleepily. “Did you drink the last of the milk?”

He screwed up his face to think. “Maybe? I’ll buy some the next time I’m at the store.”

He heard the sounds of teeth being brushed and a muffled, “Nah, I’ll place a delivery order right now. I need stuff.”

And that was that. He heard her wander off.

Okay, a very, very, very small part of him did kind of want to get caught. Not embarrassingly or shamefully caught. Just… maybe if it ended in something kind of sexy. Like the stories.

That was would fun.

Yoongi went back to his phone.

-

You cracked your neck in the mirror, yawning again as you brushed your teeth. You rubbed your eyes, inspecting your dark circles. Ugh. Maybe a little concealer today couldn’t hurt.

You had stayed up late again, writing.

You hadn’t meant to. It happened every once in a while, when the scene played out in your head and you needed to write it down immediately. When inspiration struck, you couldn’t let it run away from you. Sometimes the best things come in short bursts of energy.

At least you didn’t have class today. You were caught up on your classes, so you could spend today writing for your blog. What you posted last night was written several days ago. You had a slight backlog so that you could review things multiple times before posting. Even if it was something as meaningless as smut posted on the internet, you took that shit seriously. This was your outlet and you wanted to personally like everything you posted.

If what you wrote didn’t make you horny, it wasn’t going to make anyone else horny either.

You spat and rinsed out your mouth.

You stared at yourself in the mirror, your tired eyes looking back to you. Maybe you needed some socialization. Real socialization, not you eventually venturing outside because you needed to get laid for… research purposes. You chuckled. Well, you weren’t going to get that here. All your male roommate ever did was work on his music or eat. Which was alright; people were allowed to do what makes them happy. And besides, it was better that way, because you did actually need to study and eventually write your thesis. Less distraction at home was always better.

You turned off the lights in the bathroom and stepped out.

A strange noise came from Min Yoongi’s door.

You blinked, staring at the door several feet away from you. Then you shrugged. He probably just tripped. He was kind of clumsy sometimes, knocking shit over with his fat ass. Well, not really, but it was funny to think of it that way.

You went back to your room.

-

Oh fuck.

Yoongi stared at his door, clutching the toilet paper roll he hid in his nightstand. He was usually quite skilled at keeping quiet, but he accidentally moaned a little too loud. His hands were still sticky. He waited.

Her bedroom door down the hall closed and he sighed with relief.

-

When you got back to your room, you made the online grocery order. You needed pads anyway. Then you checked your blog. At this point, you had some familiar usernames you watched for. People rarely commented. Maybe their hands were busy or something. You could forgive. Besides, there were likes and that was enough. To be honest, you never expected anyone to actually do more than read. It felt kind of nice, knowing someone out there was willing to take one second to press one button to let you know.

It made you grateful, even if it was a small thing.

Your eye paused at one particular username. You only noticed it because it was gendered.

daeguboy0613.

Huh.

For the life of you, you couldn’t understand why someone would put their location and gender in their username. Maybe it was a reference to their favorite singer or something. Probably. You shrugged it off and flopped on your bed.

You fell asleep.

Big surprise since you had posted at four in the morning and only gotten up to brush your teeth because your mouth was too disgusting to exist. Ah well. Sleep was good.

-

You woke up, super groggy. You stared out the window, seeing that it was already dark. With a sigh, you looked into the tiny mirror beside your bed. Yikes. A master yikes even.  You climbed your hair with your fingers and got out of bed, your purple pajamas rumpled and crazy. Maybe a shower would do you good. Or a bath. Oh! That sounded nice.

You looked around for your slippers. You found one. Ack, so annoying. You weren’t a messy person, but when you were preoccupied with something, you forgot everything else. You straightened your room and found the other slipper. It was in your blankets, oof.

You opened your door and realized you forgot clean underwear. You stuck your head out, looking around. Faint bass was coming from Yoongi’s room. He’d be there for a while. Eh. You still had your violet pajamas, with long sleeves and long pants. Fully covered. He wasn’t going to know in the two seconds it would take you to get to your room. A good shake of the fleece fabric and the wrinkles would fall out. You’d look way less crazy after a good bath.

You hummed to yourself as you made your way to the bathroom.

-

Yoongi rubbed his neck, frowning.

It wasn’t coming out the way he wanted. The sound just wasn’t right. He leaned back in his chair, furrowing his brow. Maybe he needed to move on for now. Leave it and work on something else. He spun around in his chair, lazing about. He hadn’t heard his roommate make much noise all day. Was she dead? Yoongi heard the water running in the bathroom. Oh. She was taking a shower.

He thought about her for a moment. She was generally calm person, quiet and reserved. The only time he had ever seen her panic was when she was late to class, which wasn’t often. Other than that, she was kind of boring. It was like the only thing she thought about was school. She was pretty in a casual sort of way. Yoongi rarely saw her dressed up, but the few times she left at night, she always looked very nice in a short black dress and black heels. Probably a recurring outfit she used at every outing. He could respect that. Being strapped for cash meant a lot of repeating outfits.

Anyway, they didn’t interact much at all. They had their respective things to do, so they co-existed in a mutualistic, symbiotic relationship. It was nice not having to be distracted by a bad roommate, so for that he was grateful.

-

You pushed back the shower curtain, dripping water.

That was nice. You waited as the bathwater drained. Your hair was wet, kind of by accident, but whatever, you needed to wash your hair anyway. Your brushed water off your body absentmindedly, poking your nipples. They were hard from the cold air.

Hm.

The water gurgled as you rubbed them slowly, sighing softly. That was nice. When was the last time you masturbated? You couldn’t remember. You looked at the bathroom door. It wasn’t locked, but what was Yoongi going to do? Open the door on you? Yeah, right. You pinched and pulled your nipples, sucking in a breath. It was nice to touch yourself, to cup your breasts and press them together, grazing your nails over the hardened nubs, imagining someone else’s hands touching you, wanting you.

You slid against the wall, moaning quietly as you played with your breasts, water beading on your skin. One of your hands slid down between your legs and slid around your folds. The wetness of your pussy was different from water, thicker, more viscous. Your eyes closed as you stroked your clit, slow and gentle and pretty. Imagining a tongue there, licking you softly, giving you just the right amount of pressure to build your arousal. No rushing, letting it last.

You ended up sliding to your knees, spreading your thighs wide to give your hand space. Your other hand played with your nipples leisurely, pinching and pulling, making your heart jump. You were quiet, barely making any noise.

Drip.

Your eyes opened hazily. They shifted slowly to the faucet. It was dripping water. Slow, fat plops hitting the bathtub.

Drip.

You pressed harder on your clit, rubbing roughly.

Drip.

Your eyes shifted to the silver faucet again. It was right there, after all.

Fuck it.

You turned the water on again, setting it to a nice temperature. You waited impatiently, touching the water. It heated up quickly. You bit your lower lip, and then raised the temperature a tad. It torrented down and, for a split second, you thought you weren’t going to do it.

Then you adjusted your hips and planted your ass on bottom of the bathtub and slid down to the water.

Instant, unyielding. You shivered, the blasting water jet-streaming right into your pussy. Holy fuck. You slid down a little more and moaned, hoping the water masked your sound as the high-pressure water smacked your clit, lowering to your elbows to get a better angle. Heart beating fast, legs folded flat against the edge of the tub, leaning your head back, tits straight up. It was a difficult position to keep, but a rewarding one, because the water was getting you off fast, gentle enough that you weren’t in pain but hard enough that you could really feel it radiate all over you, the heat adding to the pleasure.

So close, so close…

You closed your eyes, thighs burning, core tightening as your entire body began to throb. A slow hiss escaped your lips as you felt your orgasm unfurl and hit you, wave after wave of delicious pleasure swimming through you, spreading to every point of your body.

“Are you drowning or wasting water, the fuck is–”

Min Yoongi’s voice was trying to cut through your reverie but it was impossible because you were too far gone now, legs collapsing inward, body falling flat against the tub. The door was open and he was staring at you, eyes so wide they looked like dinner plates. Water flowed over your hot body, blanketing you. Slowly, slowly, you came down, like an addict losing their high. His mouth was slightly open, kitten-like. His white t-shirt stuck to his chest and black track pants far too oversized for his slim legs.

You might have been ashamed if you were younger, but you were older now. If he couldn’t handle you getting off every once in a while, then he was the one who needed help.

You reached up and turned the water off, panting. You quirked an eyebrow at him.

“If you’re so worried about it, I’ll pay the whole water bill this month,” you gasped, chest heaving as you glared back at him.

Yoongi sputtered back to life.

“N-no, that’s fine.”

And then he slammed the door.

You sighed, frowning. Now things were going to get weird.

-

Holy shit.

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.

He just witnessed his roommate masturbating with the goddamn water faucet.

Yoongi scrambled into his room and onto his bed, red in the face. He hadn’t meant to. He thought something weird was going on when he heard all the water. And, oh fuck, something was, but not the something he thought. His mind replayed the image for him, her legs spread, her breasts glistening with water, nipples hard and out, head tipped back and mouth open, tongue peeking out.

He was still hard.

His heart was thumping in his ribcage. Yoongi grabbed his phone and flipped through his liked posts. He had to get off. Now. Anything else could wait.

He slid in, hard, rough, gasping at her pretty lips opened and her eyes closed in bliss, enjoying his cock, just his, enjoying the way he felt, enjoying his hips slapping into hers and his cock twitching inside her.

Impatiently, he reached down and fished his dick out of his pants, sliding to his back and pushing his track pants down. Oh fuck, sweet relief. Yoongi stroked himself, reading, imagining her wet body, her slick hair, those fucking delicious breasts right in front of his face. Had Yoongi ever fantasized about his roommate before? Hell no, he wasn’t a damn pervert. But he was doing it now, because, fuck, how could he not? How could he not want to fuck her, press himself against her, hearing that soft moan against his ear, her wet body and smooth skin on his?

Yoongi dropped his phone, pushing his head back against the pillows, closing his eyes. Yes, he’d jacked off in the morning, but it was already late and he was so fucking horny it didn’t take very long for him to bite the inside of his cheek, trying to muffle his noise, trying to silence himself as the familiar wind-up came. He cracked his eyes open. His door was slightly ajar. Had he left it like that? Whatever, she was probably too embarrassed to come over here anyway.

Yoongi shut his eyes again, a soft cry leaving his lips as he chased his orgasm.

Then he felt it. A presence to his left. But he was so close, so close, so close, he couldn’t stop. His hand moved at a feverish pace, spreading the pre-cum over his length, adding to the pleasure. He felt lips on his cheek, her soft breathy moans against his skin. Was he imagining it? Then her lips on his, softly licking his tongue, so sensual and sexy that he was losing it, moaning into her mouth. He felt her hot breath glide into his and he groaned, too loud this time, feeling his cock twitch and spurt his cum everywhere, sliding down his hand, his wrist, onto his pants and shirt.

Yoongi panted, opening his eyes.

His roommate moved away from his face. Eyes dark in the low light of his room, pupils blown wide with lust. Her hair was still damp, slicked against her purple pajama shirt. He didn’t know what to do. Hos hand was a mess, covered in his cum. She leaned forward, tongue sliding out.

“Um…”

His thought was cut off as her warm tongue ran over his knuckles, scooping up his cum and eating it off his hand. His eyes went wide as she licked all around his hand, his fingers, dipping her tongue into the crevices. Yoongi could barely process what was happening right now. Was his nerdy, school-obsessed roommate licking his cum off his hand after he just masturbated? After he just witnessed her masturbating? Her mouth enveloped the head and part of his hand and Yoongi moaned, feeling her tongue press against the tip and tease the sensitive opening, licking it all clean.

After a sufficient amount, she removed her mouth and backed off. Yoongi blinked blearily, slowly detaching his hand from his limp cock. He didn’t know what to say. Or do, really. Her eyes were on his phone, screen still lit up. Then she shifted her eyes to his raised hand. Gently, she took him by the wrist and brought his hand to her face, placing his fingers in her mouth, sucking on them.

Yoongi was speechless.

Her tongue slipped between each finger, prodding around his joints, slurping slightly. She was still looking at his phone, eyes pensive. Yoongi wished his cock would wake up, but it wasn’t meant to be.

“I…”

Her eyes went to his, his fingers still in her mouth. Shit. His brain tried to process the thought, trying not to fixate on her pink tongue moving amongst his fingers.

“I can’t fuck you…” he mumbled, swallowing. “I already came twice today.”

She nodded. Slowly, she pulled his fingers out of her mouth, joint by joint. His body jerked at the movement, aroused but unable to get hard. Strings of saliva snapped as she removed her mouth from his hand. She turned it around and licked his palm lightly, making him shiver.

“You like my blog?” she finally said.

He blinked.

“What?”

She pointed to his phone. “That’s my blog.”

Yoongi’s eyes went wide. He stared at his phone and then at her. Then back at the phone. Then back at her. What? She cocked an eyebrow, smiling at him.

“So, you’re daeguboy0613, huh?”

He blinked rapidly. “I… what… ah…?”

“Guess that makes sense when you like my posts at two in the morning and such.”

She climbed on the bed – where were her pajama pants? Her panties? – and laid down next to him.

“You don’t seem like the type to read erotica,” she said absentmindedly. “I thought only girls read erotica.”

Yoongi stared at the ceiling. “Obviously not, since I’m a guy.”

She nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t stereotype like that.”

Silence.

“We can always do more in the morning, Yoongi-ssi.”

Two things happened that day. One, Yoongi’s secret was exposed. And two, the source of Yoongi’s secret passed out in bed next to him, head on his shoulder.

-

34+35

--

masterpost

[sad-sweet-cowboah]

My Little Secret part 1

Summary: You’re a young adult attending grad school. It seems like any other normal night at your job, until someone in particular catches your eye.

Warnings: Use of alcohol and a little bit of violence, blood mention.

---

When you worked as a bartender at the local club, you certainly interact with clients from all walks of life.

You heard people’s life stories, complaints, rants and raves. You’ve been told secrets that wouldn’t be uttered from sober lips. Plots and plans spurred by an inebriated mind that never amounted to much past the initial conversation. Anyone from fresh twenty-one year olds to thirty-something’s past their prime, middle-aged people to treat their secret lovers, to senior citizens who were looking for a decent buzz to forget their fresh diagnosis.

You’ve lost track to how many people who’ve told you that you were a great listener, and all you would do is smile as you poured them a drink, pulling in the tips from their slippery fingers as the night wore on. It wasn’t the most glamorous of jobs, yet it allowed you enough to work your way through university.

Tonight was busy, as per usual on a Friday night. The club opened its doors about an hour ago, and both you and your coworkers were pacing back and forth, handing drinks and taking money. The crowd didn’t bother you, and the busier it was, the more time passed quickly. You recognized most of the faces, the usual partygoers from your school. They always flocked here knowing it was the only cool thing to do in your little town. Sure, the bigger city was under two hours away, yet somehow the charm of this place always pulled people back.

For a moment, the drinking orders had slowed down as everyone made their way to the dance floor, awkwardly moving along with the fast paced hip-hop that blared on the speakers overhead. You leaned against the shelf, taking a deep breath before pouring yourself a glass of water.

Before you took a sip, a new face appeared amongst the crowd, making his way to the bar. Even in the dim light, the pale luster that encompassed his features caught your eye. He locked his eyes to yours, and you immediately stood up straight.

“What would you like?” You asked.

“Whiskey on the rocks,” his voice gruff and toned with a deep southern accent. It wasn’t unusual as you lived in the south, though this little college town had quite a few students from other states, as you were as well. “Please.”

You nodded, moving to grab a bottle of whiskey and a glass with ice. Quickly making the drink, you handed him the glass as he placed money in your palm, telling you to keep the change. Giving him a thankful smile, your attention was quickly grabbed by other customers.

As more time passed, and people kept moving to and from the bar, you noticed the patron from earlier hadn’t moved from his spot. He seemed to be lounging in the bar stool, arms propped against the bar itself as he watched the crowd.

His face caused you to glance twice. You hadn’t paid attention before, though he had sharp, handsome features set against a pale pallor. Judging by the faint wrinkles, he couldn’t be older than his thirties. He wore a black leather jacket, though the fabric did nothing to hide the outlined muscles. His sandy blonde hair was short and slicked back neatly. His eyes had almost a predatory glare to them, which surprised you.

One of your coworkers calling your name snapped you back to reality. Taking a final glance at him, your gazes locked again, a stare so sharp that made you flinch. Looking away quickly, allowing yourself to be absorbed into making more drinks.

The night went by quickly, with you stealing glances to this peculiar man who somehow remained still as a statue. He’d move every once in a while to bring the glass up, though never to sip. He always seemed to be captivated by the crowd, those intense eyes of his focused without a moment of falter.

It seemed creepy, and you had to wonder if he was trying to scope out anyone for…other reasons. You made a mental note to let the bouncers know if he started to flirt with anyone. Hopefully it wasn’t the case.

You pushed the thought out of the way for now, focusing on other aspects of your job. Maybe he’ll move soon, and you wouldn’t have to keep sneaking looks.

Before you knew it, you were clocking out for your break. The strange man had since moved, disappearing into the crowd like a ghost. You still hoped he wasn’t after anyone tonight. Feet aching and hands sticky, you stepped out from behind the bar. From your view, the line for the bathroom wasn’t incredibly long. You made your way to the wall to avoid the crowd, easily dodging the mass of sweaty bodies.

Entering the end of the line, you leaned against the cool wall and let yourself space out. While bartending could be fun, on nights like these it was certainly exhausting. Drink after drink to demanding customers over and over with no time to let your mind settle. At least there were only a few more hours in the night, and you’d already accumulated a decent amount of tips.

“It ain’t polite to stare, ya know.” Said a familiar voice next to you.

The surprise nearly made you jump out of your skin. You turned to see that man again, leaning against the wall with his arms folded as if he were standing there the whole time. “Jesus!” you huffed, slapping your hand on your chest.

“Nah, not even close.” he chuckled without humor.

“Where did you even come from? You weren’t there a second ago!” you nearly exclaimed, off-put by his sneaky entry.

He smirked at you, a smile so bright despite the low lights. “You weren’t payin’ attention. I was just wonderin’ why you kept lookin’ at me all night.”

As the initial shock wore off, you ducked your head slightly in embarrassment. You thought you were being discreet about it. “How’d you know?” you asked quietly.

“Y’ain’t make it hard to tell,” he responded. “I know you were tryin’ not to make it obvious.”

The heat licked at your cheeks as your shame grew. “I…” you breathed in momentarily. “Sorry…”

“What’s so interestin’ about me anyway?” he asked, ignoring your apology. “Ain’t nothin’ but a simple man just tryin’ to enjoy his time out.”

The shame had dulled, a spike of suspicion beginning to rise. “Well,” you started with a cool voice. “I’ve never seen you before, most people here are regulars. And you never even actually touched your drink. You also just sat and stared at everyone dancing for a long time.”

“Didn’t realize it’s a crime not bein’ a regular,” he chuckled. “Or to just sit and watch people.”

“It’s creepy,” you said bluntly. “No one else does that. And frankly, who orders a drink and not drink it? Seems like a waste of money, and alcohol.”

“Can’t drink no more,” he answered simply. “Ain’t in a long time. I just miss the smell.”

“So, you’re a recovering alcoholic of something?”

“Or somethin’,” he mumbled, straightening himself off the wall. “Look, I won’t be creepy no more. Sorry for makin’ you think I am.”

“Well, good,” you said, unsure if you truly believed that statement. “Or else I’ll tell the bouncers to keep an eye on you.”

He snorted, shaking his head slightly. “Wouldn’t want that now.”

He left you a moment later, disappearing within the masses. You only shook your head and focused back on the bathroom line. What an odd man.

—-

By the time 2 am rolled around, the building was significantly less crowded, steadily emptying in the last hour. It was closing time, and the bouncers were slowly ushering the rest out. Your eyes scanned the remaining customers every once in a while in search of that man, though your efforts proved fruitless as he was nowhere to be seen. If he left, you hoped he kept to his word and wouldn’t try anything strange.

With the dance floor now empty and the only souls were you and another coworker, you finished up your final duties of the night. Your legs ached from standing for so long, your back tight from constantly having to bend over to grab bottom shelf drinks and other supplies. After a long day of classes and working this busy night, you were ready to collapse in your bed.

Bidding a goodbye to the other, you collected your stuff and headed out the back door. The parking lot was empty aside from your car and another. The sky was completely black, clouds completely covering the moon and stars. The humidity outside was stifling, a significant difference than what it was inside.

Aside from the crickets chirping, it was quiet. Not surprising for a small university town practically in the middle of nowhere. While you missed the atmosphere of your urban roots, you found some charm in this little one-horse town. The history of it is what attracted you in the first place.

Lost in your thoughts as you crossed the asphalt to your car, you were suddenly brought out of it when the sound of slamming metal caught your attention. You jumped and turned, expecting to see a raccoon rooting through the trash in the small alleyway next to the club.

Except it wasn’t some woodland creature looking for leftovers. The alleyway was casted in shadow, only partly illuminated by the light that hung over the back door. You squinted seeing some movement in the shadows. You heard…something…slam against the brick wall, the scuffle of shoes…

Your heart began to race, your fingers clumsily fumbling for your phone. It sounded like some asshole was taking advantage of a poor soul, and you briefly wondered if you initial suspicion of the man from earlier had turned out to be truthful after all.

You gripped your self-defense keychain in your hand, your phone up with the flashlight on in your other. You carefully approached the alleyway. The closer you got, the darkness seemed to loom out with a sinister aura. The source of the metal crash from earlier lay at your feet, a trash can that looked heavily dented.

An oddly muffled gurgle caught your attention. Your heartbeat echoed in your ears as you attempted to keep your breathing steady. Shining your light forward, catching the sight of two people in the beam.

It almost appeared as if they were kissing. One guy was pressed up against the wall, his head tilted back. Eyes wide and mouth hung open. The other guy, much taller…his head was turned away from you, his mouth pressed to the other’s neck.

Fucking drunks.

“Hey!” you called out to them. “You need to get outta here, save it for home!”

The taller man seemed to freeze, and his head turned slowly to you. Immediately recognizing him as the man from earlier, your eyes widened. He caught your gaze, that same predatory glare hot on you with even more intensity than before. It wasn’t until a second later when you noticed a dark liquid dripping from his lips, as well as it streaked against the other guy’s neck.

Blood.

You immediately spun around and sprinted back towards the parking lot. Feet hitting the ground hard, all you could think of was getting out of there.

Within a fraction of a second, a figure appeared directly in your path with such speed it was if they teleported. You tried to skirt around them, only to feel hands grip your shoulders, yanking you and spinning you around, feeling your body slam against the wall. The dizzying propulsion had knocked the wind out of you, gasping as your vision spun slightly.

A body was heavy on yours, an arm around your torso, keeping you pinned between them and the wall. You met the gaze of bright, burning eyes. The blood still stained his lips.

“I wish you ain’t have to see that.” He murmured to you, a growl that sent a shiver down your spine.

You still tried to wiggle out of his grasp, though his body proved too strong. He was a good head taller than you and seemingly made of all muscle. “Let me go,” you pleaded, your voice wavering. “Please. I-I won’t tell anyone what I saw!”

“Wish I could.” He responded, the coppery smell of blood wafting from his breath. You caught the gleam of sharp, elongated teeth. He covered your mouth with his hand, ice cold against your flushed face.

Your body shook from head to toe, pure terror pumping through your veins. You hoped your coworker would step out to see this, to call for help or somehow scare him away. Your eyes swiveled, trying to find any means of escape.

“Look at me.” He commanded.

You ignored him, not wanting to look into those inhuman eyes again. It may very well be the last thing you see.

“Look at me!” he repeated, the roar in his voice made you flinch. Reluctantly, you slowly looked at his face again. The anger still lingered, though softened slightly. “You’re a nice girl. Young and full o’ promise. I can’t let you go, but I can’t keep you either.”

The only sound you could make was a muffled cry. Would this be the last night of your life, or would he try to attempt something else? You wished someone, anyone, would turn the corner and see.

He continued to stare directly at you. His blue eyes were hypnotic in a way, steady and clear of any emotion at the moment. You began to relax despite the circumstances, a calmness washing over your body…

[academiceve]

Grad Profile #1: Interview with a Health Psychology Masters Student

I thought that it would be fun to introduce interview style blog posts on my blog! I have friends in amazing places, doing amazing things, some of which are attending graduate programs! I would also like to talk more about Psychology and what it is like to continue your studies in one of the subfields, so I hope I can hunt down more people but also include those in different disciplines too!

This first interview is with my dear friend, whom I know from undergrad, as we both studied Psychology. She is currently in her 2nd year of a Health Psychology masters program. 

The Interview

1. Why did you decide to study Psychology for undergrad and what was your experience like?

Psychology was not actually the initial undergrad choice. I got interested in the subject sometime after taking an elective Psychology class in high school. It grew on me. Then after some researching and career testing, I decided to stick to the field. It was one of the best decisions I could have made. I thoroughly enjoyed my undergrad studies.

2. Name 3 favourite/least favourite Psychology subjects that you had to take during your undergraduate studies.

The favourite courses that I had in undergrad were definitely Abnormal Psychology, Marriage and Family, and Family and Addictions. The subjects were interesting on their own, what with dealing with different psychological disorders, subtleties of family life, and a broader understanding of addiction disorders. In addition, they were taught by the most amazing professors, who were really passionate about their subjects and knew a great deal, both from an academic standpoint and from personal working experience.

Meanwhile the subjects I liked the least were Evolutionary Psychology, Organisational Psychology and, as useful and necessary as it is in the field, Statistics. The first two subjects were simply not as appealing to me (and were perhaps taught by the wrong people). Meanwhile, statistics was never, and is still not my thing. I think that it’s alright because not everyone is destined for research and not everyone has to like the same things. The important thing is to try.

3. How did you know that you would like to further your studies by obtaining a masters degree?

For me, getting a masters degree was never a question of wanting it. It is just something that has to be done in order to actually work in the field. The question I had to face was figuring out which masters to get.

4. How and why did you choose to study Health Psychology for your masters degree? Talk a little about your program, how long it is, what kind of classes you take, etc.

Choosing Health Psychology for my masters was not an easy choice. It involved a lot of research and a lot of talking. There were talks with professors, family and friends. The first offered their professional insights. Family, meanwhile, helped to figure out the financial/scholarship matters. Lastly, friends were there to listen and to offer their own insights. Honestly, sometimes, it felt less like talking and more like rambling about the same thing over and over again. But it helped. All the options were considered. It makes me all the more glad that I had someone to talk to.  

As for the program itself, the Health Psychology program takes two years to complete and consists of 120 credits. Each semester consists of classes worth 30 credits. It amounts to about 5 subjects each semester, except for the last, which has only 2 that are worth more credits: second practicum and thesis writing and defense. There are several mandatory classes, such as counselling and psychological evaluation, statistics (yay, but sarcastically), rehabilitation, etc. Then there are 3 elective classes that can be taken. For the thesis, it takes 3 semesters to write. The first semester is dedicated to literature review and introduction, the second to methods and the last one to discussion and results. 

5. What do you like/dislike about studying Health Psychology? Is it what you expected it to be? Is it different from what you expected? If so, how?

In regards to my personal liking of the program, I can say that I am rather enjoying it. Some of the subjects are particularly interesting and valuable. For instance, I do not know what I would have done without the psychological evaluations class or the mock counselling sessions in various other classes. They were the basis I used during the first practicum, where real people came with real problems and real psychological evaluation needs. My masters was my standing rock, helping me bit by bit become better at what I want to do in my life.  

Other subjects are naturally, not as interesting or valuable. Then again, it has to do with personal interests and qualifications of people teaching them. You might be surprised to hear that sometimes a person with three degrees and teaching a masters course might have no idea what they are talking about.

On an ending note, here is something I wish someone would have told me.  It might sound out of blue but I hope it helps. Health Psychology, while part of the medical psychology branch, deals a whole lot more with somatic diseases and their psychological treatment, e.g. diabetes or heart attacks, and less so with psychological disorders, e.g. depression or schizophrenia. Clinical, meanwhile, does the opposite. That said, if there is anyone out there undecided between health psychology and clinical, really consider that distinction. While I made my choice, no one made it clear enough while I was applying. To me the two fields seemed completely overlapping (I was wrong). 

6. How did you feel before beginning your masters studies? What the transition from undergrad to post grad was like?

Starting something new can be a pretty scary experience. It was for me. Especially because I had to move to another city. It was my biggest leap of independence yet. Though, scary as it was, I was still excited for my studies. As for the transition, I expected it to be more challenging. It wasn’t easy and there were certainly days when I called my family or my friends and told them that I wanted to quit, to come back home, to try again later or maybe never. I was fortunate to have them there at those times. Then, as the academic year went on, I made new friends, I got adjusted to the different system, different language, new professors and a schedule that was absolutely different than the one in undergrad. All in all, life got better.

7. What was your first year experience like of your master’s degree?

I started the year very excited, albeit a little scared. There were ups and downs, subjects I adored, professors who were amazing, then there were classes I skipped (yes, even in grad school) and the professors I dreaded hearing lecture. Then the motivation was gone. I am not entirely sure why. Health Psychology is something that I do like. Perhaps what I missed was a gap year, to take a break from academics. The summer that I took off was not enough.

So here’s another advice: if you feel like you need a break, take it. No one knows you better than you. Maybe you don’t need a break, maybe you can go into grad school right away and nail those several years. If not, rest. Grad school won’t go away.

In my personal experience, I don’t regret the decision of not taking a gap year. I had an enjoyable year. I just don’t know if I would make that decision again given a second chance.  

8. Is the workload different from undergrad? If so, how? Do you do more work now or is it about the same? Do you have days off? Any tips for adjusting to the workload in graduate school?

It’s rather difficult to compare the workload between undergrad and grad school. In undergrad, the classes were spaced out during the week, Monday to Friday, usually every day; there was a lot of homework, a lot of reading. Now, the days I need to physically go into class range from two to maximum three, as a way to benefit students who also work. The readings are still just as plenty but I guess undergrad teaches what to read, what to skim and what to pretend to have read. For homework, well... It’s all about whether you manage your time right. If I did my assignments at the rate I allowed myself in undergrad, I would have failed the year. The expectations are much higher, instructions are fewer, and getting used to writing papers in my native tongue after doing it in English for four years has been difficult. Do not even get me started on the length. Enjoy undergrad while you can.

Key to getting everything done comes down to time management, multitasking and a few other things I would like to briefly expand upon. One, it is crucial to communicate with your professors. Look at your assignment due dates (make a list of those) in advance. If you see that a semester worth of assignments is crammed into a single week, tell them. The professors can and usually adjust the dates to benefit the students. Unless they are told hours before or after the due date. Two, for the love of puppies, take time off. Go see a movie, read a book, invite a friend over for tea, whatever you like, the important part is that you don’t fry your brain trying to do everything in one sitting. Leave that for the midterms and finals. Everyone says they will study ahead but no one does. Cure? None.

9. How do you manage your time? Are there any productivity/time management apps/tools that you use?

As said above, time management is crucial. To better succeed at it, I have all of my due dates for assignments listed. It helps me decide which projects are a priority, how much time I can dedicate to each, by when I should be done.

Another tool is making a list of everything that needs to be done, say, in a day. Write it down on a sticky note, a piece of paper, whichever; it helps to keep focused. It is also very satisfying to cross things out.

Lastly, I would like to promote Zotero or Refworks when it comes to making “References”. It saves a lot of time and frustration. It stashes all the read articles in a single place and makes references for you with a few single clicks. Saved me hours!!!

10. What was the application process like for grad school for you? Did you have to do a lot more/or less in comparison to undergrad? Did you have to have an interview?

Contrary to undergrad application, which has a national-wide online system to help you out, applying to grad school is on you. Every university has different application dates and deadlines and there are always the application fees. Universities also limit to how many of their programs you can apply to. Mine had four (for both paid and government financed studies), meanwhile another university I applied to had twelve. Most require to come for an interview. Applying is rather stressful and much more independent. Though, at that point in life, it’s not something you can’t handle.

11. Since you had to do an interview, please share what kind of questions they asked you and any tips that you have preparing for an interview.

As much as I would love to share my interview experience, I am afraid it’s already mostly lost to me. I was super stressed out on the day because it was my number one choice program. What I do remember was being asked why I wanted to study in their university, why the particular program, would I still come to study there if I did not receive a scholarship (which was an option for me) and if I could read 10 English books in a year (still don’t know the point of that). I think they also asked me to tell them about my professional experience. Not that any undergrad has much. It then helps to speak of conferences, what you’ve attended, if you’ve presented somewhere.

Interviews are scary, but they shouldn’t be. Just remember that the interview is such a small tiny thing. Even if it doesn’t work out the first time, you can try again. A lot depends on our cognitions. If we tell ourselves it is frightening, then we make it so, in turn making ourselves more prone to “stress mistakes”. If we don’t, it’s not. I think I remember telling myself: “whatever happens, happens”, before going inside. That helped. Besides, the outcome depends as much on the interviewers’ moods, personalities and personal bias, as it does on your personal input. 

More specifically, to please the interviewer(s) you should look up your program. Knowing what classes you may be able to take and gushing how excited you would be to take them is really a bonus. Tell them how it aligns with your professional interests, so have at least some idea what your professional interests are.

12. What are the top 3 study tips that you use while studying for your masters degree?

Write down due dates and start completing the assignments at least several days before it has to be turned in.

Do readings on time.

Make detailed ‘to-do’ lists for the assignments at hand. Cross off completed work to feel better.

13. I know that this is the most annoying question, but after your masters studies, do you have an idea of what you would like to do? Talk about your dream career choice. What kind of further schooling you will need to achieve it?

Doing my practicum has helped me realise that I would really like to work as a health psychologist. I found that I rather enjoy doing psychological evaluations and counselling people. I am well aware that I still lack the skill and the practice. It makes me look forward to the second practicum, where I will get a chance to improve and learn more. And after I am done, I hope I can apply my knowledge and continue to improve as I work. I do wish to go into one of the psychology schools and become a psychotherapist. Perhaps, sometime later in life, once I’ve rested from the academics and actually earned the money necessary to further my studies. We’ll see. I’d like to be hopeful and encourage the same in others.

I hope you enjoyed this interview and a massive thank you to my friend for agreeing to answer questions and talk more about her experience in graduate school! If you would like to read more from me, click HERE to see other blog posts! You can also follow my studygram HERE for some inspiration! 

[all-these-larrythings]

Annual Writing Self-Evaluation

*All answers should be about works published in 2017.

Thanks @allwaswell16 for the unofficial tag!

1. List of works published this year: In the order that they were posted

The Reason Is You 

Safe and Sound (You'll Always Be)

Sticks and Stones

Falling For Me Won't Be A Mistake

When It's Late At Night

Give It A Little Time

For Reasons Unknown

Keeping You Forever and For Always

Every Story Has Its Scars, Ours Is a Brand New Start

You Might Want to Marry My Husband

KIWI KIWI KIWI

2. Work you are most proud of (and why):

I love them all and I definitely have a few favorites, but have to say either Falling For Me Won't Be A Mistake and part two of the series, Give It A Little Time. I’m most proud of them because it was my first time writing mpreg and I was super intimidated going in, but by the end I had fallen in love with that universe and now it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. Also, part two was part of the 1000 Feelings Challenge which I also loved being a part of!

3. Work you are least proud of (and why):

Probably the first one form this year, The Reason Is You, but not because I didn’t love it. It’s more because the request was to make Harry sort of unlikeable and that was super hard for me to commit to lol.

4. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

He fucking knew that was a bad idea. When Harry asked if he was okay Louis had half a mind to say no, except he doesn’t know why that was. Louis has never had an issue with meaningless sex before. Hell, he has slept with men he’s known for a lot less time, but he guesses that’s the big problem because what they shared this morning wasn’t meaningless. At least, it wasn’t for Louis.

The springs of the sofa creak when Louis flips over to bury his face in its cushions. He can’t believe he went and fell for fucking Harry Styles. It’s probably the dumbest thing he’s ever done because him leaving at the end of his commitment was the only way this was ever going to end. He honestly has no idea how this happened. One minute he was trying to ditch him in his dressing room and the next he’s letting Harry slow fuck him in his hotel while Louis counts the flecks of gold in his stupid rare green eyes.

-When It's Late At Night

5. Share or describe a favorite comment you received:

“A fucking bookmark?!” wins hands down. A comment left by several highly offended individuals who read You Might Want to Marry My Husband. XD

6. A time when writing was really, really hard:

I took a break for a few months at the end of summer to study and apply to grad school when all I wanted to do was write, so that was really hard. Thankfully, I’m all applied now so I’ve been able to get back to it :)

7. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

Mmm, I’m not sure that he really surprised me, but writing Louis’ abusive and manipulative husband in Every Story Has Its Scars, Ours Is a Brand New Start was quite interesting. I was really surprised by just how far he would go.

8. How did you grow as a writer this year:

I think I grew by writing things that I was really passionate about. Like the Kyle XY fic lol. Nobody asked for that, I just fucking wanted it and I had so much fun with it XD

9. How do you hope to grow next year:

I honestly have no idea. I didn’t really have a goal last year around this time either, but I’m excited for whatever happens!

10. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

My fav people ever of course @suddenclarityharry who is always there for me and Laura who lets me scream at her about fics at all hours of the night <3

11. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

Not really. A lot of the abusive fic hit close to home from when I was a kid, but beyond that not much of my life made it into my writing.

12. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

I think the most important thing is to make sure you’re having fun with what you’re doing. If it’s not making you happy then what’s the point, right :)

13. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

I’m currently working on a Butterfly Effect au that I’m almost finished with so that’s exciting. Other than that, I have a whole sticky note page full of things I want to write on my desktop so I’m looking forward to starting them all at some point.

14. Tag three writers/artists whose answers you’d like to read.

I’m tagging any writer who wants to share their year!  

[cosmosogler]

went to the doctor today for my surgery follow-up. i am healing normally. 

tired... depressed. not sure what’s up with eve. she is walking around normally and even ran around the backyard today. but she seems like she’s getting cold really easy. it might just be the shaved butt. i put a towel over her and she seemed to feel better.

i’ve got a lot to do tomorrow. we’re not leaving until mom gets home from work on friday but i’d like to have most of my affairs in order before that. 

i don’t really want to talk about anything tonight. i was thinking about the dreams i had... but i startled awake this morning and they were gone.

jamey and her kids came over again this afternoon. that always wipes me out. physically and emotionally. i’m glad natalie also likes portal 2. we have a lot in common. she’s not big on, like, analysis and stuff, but it’s nice to just gush about how great something is sometimes.

i spent a lot of time today packing. mom thinks i am overestimating how much space i’ll have in the apartment. i probably am. but also, i’ve only packed things that were in my room mostly. except, like, towels. maybe i can spread my stuff out across the apartment. maybe that will make it feel like i can pick up any of these pastimes anytime i want. 

mom was all, “you’d better not be reading during grad school, or playing pokemon. you won’t have time. and you never even read any of these books while you were home doing NOTHING.” 

i quickly (and perhaps clumsily) changed the subject because my first instinct was to flip her off. that “nothing” is like a hammer to the side of the head. it makes my entire body turn into one jerky clench. 

she said “i meant nothing as in like no classes or job” but i knew she meant nothing as in “nothing important.” i don’t think she understands how hard it is to function when you can get about a single meal’s worth of food in over the course of two or three meals a day. for seven months straight. 

or maybe i’m lazy. it’s a possibility. 

my head says “kill yourself, kill yourself” but it’s hard to explain why i feel that way. like, what the train of thought that leads there is. it’s mostly just vague unease and feeling REALLY SUPER sick and then “i wish i was dead” comes to visit.

i get that sick, sinking feeling every time i think about physics. every time i think about books. or pokemon. or this car trip coming up. or physics. or sometimes eve. or my siblings. or eating food. 

maybe... it’s because i haven’t been sleeping. dad ate a huge chunk out of my extra-sleep buffer last night when he decided to start cooking. but i guess it’s ok because it wouldn’t have been ok if i did it. i don’t care about anyone but myself and all that. 

it’s my choice to sleep on the couch. that makes it my fault when everyone wakes me up all the time. dad goes to bed at 3 in the morning, mom gets up at 5:30. i can’t ask them to leave the lights off, or maybe be quieter, or have their conversations upstairs, because that would be unreasonable. i live with other people now! i have to accommodate them or else i’m selfish and don’t care about anyone but myself.

that happened in the common room at villanova a lot too. my roommate wouldn’t ever let me sleep and i had insomnia when she was quiet. her alarm would go off five times in the morning. i still hate that song more than anything. 

but it’s my choice to pass out from exhaustion in the physics lounge so when everyone feels like being loud i can’t get irritable! even though it’s fine and easy to be quiet when someone ELSE is napping. because they Get It. so it would just be redundant to be loud i guess. there’s no Lesson they have to learn about Living With Other People.

sleep deprivation is weird. it’s like, “kill yourself” isn’t coming from my voice in my head. but it also is because it follows... well, not naturally, but abruptly from my own train of thought.

i wish eve was confident enough to try the stairs. i set towels out on my bed and everything. i don’t want to sleep without her. ha. she slept in dad’s room last night anyway after she checked on me at like 11:30. 

i’m having lunch with gramma tomorrow. i was gonna shop for a birthday present for my sister but when i talked about it with her at dinner she wasn’t interested in getting anything. she said her birthday presents were all expensive concert tickets and k-pop cds. 

i guess i did have things to talk about. 

my brother and i are... very different people. i guess his idea of bonding is to “troll” me during conversations. i feel like he’s treating me like i’m stupid and it grinds my gears and then i have to leave the conversation and he gets all smug like he “won.” but i’m not very competitive. 

i feel like we can’t be close if he’s going to treat me that way. like i’m always unreasonable no matter what or something. dad had been scolding him over something. my brother likes to leave an empty milk carton out on the counter when we’re out of milk to let everyone know to pick it up next time they hit the grocery store. he’s been doing that for years. i picked up on it right away when i moved back home.

but dad was like... “that doesn’t mean anything. that has NEVER meant anything.” when he was complaining to my brother about us being out of milk. then he left for work.

i turned to my brother and told him that it had been an easy way to get it across to the whole household without having the same dang conversation four times. it was effective communication and dad was choosing to be deliberately obtuse. then my brother started, like, telling me i was stupid for using “communication” incorrectly. that’s what started the whole thing. i don’t remember everywhere the conversation went. something about him seeking validation from others except when i bring up what he’s said before and then it’s all about depending on yourself and no one else. that’s when i figured out he was trying to rile me up. and for what? what reason did he have for that? i had been agreeing with him and he started arguing with me.

i feel dumb. i feel too dumb to live. and selfish. and ignorant and self-centered and egotistical.

i’m not really... fishing for compliments there. i hope. i guess i could be doing it for attention. but the primary purpose is to record how i am feeling right now. that’s what i have to tell myself. i don’t know how it works. 

i know that... just because someone tells me i am something does not make me the thing. calling the noon sky red doesn’t make it any less completely blue. but it hurts so much. i guess because it starts kicking up suspicions that really delay me. and then the delays cause other problems which seem to confirm the suspicions. 

i keep thinking other people would be better off if i didn’t talk to them. i mean, yeah, i can be fun or funny sometimes. i can take up a person-sized shape when who you’re talking to doesn’t matter. but like, the amount of attention i demand during conversations probably overwhelms any benefit of talking to me. 

umm. i get told similar things by different people sometimes. and... it’s not abusive to point out changes that need to happen in a relationship. craig just got his sticky fingers in everything and now certain words make me implode. and i’m not mad that my friends point out that i am too much, i can be too much. i’m just... upset at the memory. 

can’t cry here, ha. this is the kitchen. gotta save it for later. i’ll go to bed soon.

[tbhstudying1]

from Organize and Study https://ift.tt/2OzACzy via See More

How I am making the best of my education!

I see lots of people asking how to be successful in college. I thought I’d make a post to throw everyone my 2 cents–though no one asked for it. It’s free money though. Who doesn’t want it?

1) Figure out your learning style. If you google VARK learning profile, there’s a great quiz you can take with study techniques based on your results. We actually use this quiz at the tutoring center at my college. You’d be surprised how many students come specifically for help figuring out how to study.

2) Keep a planner. Or a bullet journal. Or use google calendar. I even know someone who carries around a full size 18 month calendar folded up in her backpack (and she’s a professor). Just find something and WRITE EVERY SINGLE ASSIGNMENT DOWN IN IT. EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU’LL REMEMBER IT, THERE’S A CHANCE YOU WON’T. DON’T TAKE THAT CHANCE.

3) Try to make a personal timetable and stick to it! This kind of goes along with the planner point, but it is different. It takes lots of discipline to block off and actually study during study times, but you’ll be thanking yourself later when you’ve finished your homework and can actually get to bed at a reasonable hour. In addition to studying, homework, and classes; also block off time for eating, possible times for napping (if you take them), and extracurriculars. If you can’t find adequate time for things, maybe you should consider dropping a class or an activity for the semester.

4) Make a to-do list every day. I personally use sticky notes and stick them to the page of my planner. This helps me remember things that are school related, but also other things, like appointments, social gatherings, research stuff, and family events (since I live at home and commute to school). Yeah, it’s important to remember school stuff, but the other stuff you’ve gotta get done, like laundry and social time, is JUST AS IMPORTANT.

5) Don’t neglect your health! I cannot stress this point enough!! If you aren’t eating enough, sleeping enough, or spending enough time relaxing, you will burn out very very quickly. You think it won’t happen to you, but it will. I thought I was immune to burnout, but after a month of intermittent and inadequate sleep and nutrition–I really figured out that I was SO wrong. I ended up missing an entire day of class towards the end of the semester (plus missed a lab the next day because my professor sent me home) because I just couldn’t make myself do any more stuff. It could have been much worse, but I was lucky. I used those days to rest up and returned to my classes ready to finish out the semester strong. College is hard enough to do with no mental health conditions. If you have one, and even if you don’t, be extra sure that you are taking care of yourself. YOU come before EVERYTHING ELSE. Nothing is more important than you. If you have to, ask people to check up on you. Ask a friend to check in with you, or your RA, or even your parents. They won’t mind. Your RA really does want to help you.

6) Study smart, not hard. Sometimes, studying just isn’t worth it. If it’s been half an hour and you just CANNOT FOCUS and feel like you’ve learned nothing: go outside, do some homework, do some laundry, or even just switch the topic you’re studying. If you’re trying to study the right way and you can’t make yourself do it, just find something else productive to do. Come back in another 15 minutes and try again. It happens to all of us. Also, if you’re studying for hours at a time with no breaks, it leads to burnout super quick. I have friends who do that and I don’t understand why. They’re so miserable about studying. It doesn’t have to be terrible! If you take the 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off approach, studying becomes less terrible, because you know there’s an end in sight. Plus, the 5 minutes off gives your brain a little time to process what you’re learning. That said, try to study what you learned in class that day a few hours after class. Material is so much easier to learn this way! Don’t save it for the night before your exam. Cramming rarely helps. Don’t let other people fool you–studying doesn’t have to be something out of your worst nightmare.

7) Find professors who inspire you. I always love a subject more when the professor makes it exciting. Luckily in college, it’s a lot easier to find those kinds of teachers–those who genuinely love what they do. I never would have gotten interested in math without my stats professor (who actually taught me how to integrate, bless her heart), and my proofs professor, who basically let me live in her office last semester (i.e. I like doing my homework with help 5 feet away because I always have so many questions). Find the professors who want to help you. They exist.  

8) Make connections with them! Show up to office hours. Ask them questions you had from lecture. If it’s not a rushed, busy time for them, ask how they got interested in their subject; ask them about what they study–they’ll totally explain it to you like you’re a 5 year old, so don’t worry. In my experience, I have found that professors really like to connect with students. Maybe I’ve just been really lucky. Making connections is easier to do at a smaller school, or within a smaller major–but you never know what will come out of a few questions! Maybe you’ll find a research advisor, or someone you could TA for. I am friendly (and even friends) with so many of my professors just because I’m a curious person. I ask them questions about their experiences in academia, and just general stuff (believe it or not, the decorations they have in their office often lead to some cool conversations). In turn, they’re usually curious about me too. They ask me about what I’m interested in, if I need a reference letter for anything, and even just about my life in general. I know I can ask them for advice on applying to grad school, any problems I’m having with lecture material, and sometimes even general advice. For me, it’s just comforting to know that I have some people on my side who have been through college (especially if you’re like me and 17 or 18, fresh out of high school). Also, they know what you should do if you accidentally miss a final exam (like I did my first semester).

9) This is for all my math, science, tech, and engineering people out there–and people taking those classes! It also applies to other majors to maybe not as great an extent. Don’t get frustrated if you come across a problem you can’t solve.  If you can’t figure it out and have spent a chunk of time on it, move on and go back to it at the end. If you still can’t quite get it, try to go to office hours for help! You are not stupid for not being able to arrive at an answer. When you can’t figure something out, you might just be missing the most crucial piece of the puzzle you need to solve it! Don’t think “Wow I’m such an idiot” (don’t be like me basically), think “what am I missing here?” Think about it. See if you arrive at any conclusions. If not, go find someone to help you. If you find that you’re struggling with a majority of the questions, consider getting a tutor. Tutoring should be offered by your school for either very little or no charge at all. Take advantage! Tutors don’t know everything, but they sure can get your thought process on the right track! I’m a tutor and believe me–it really does help.

10) Find study buddies! My study buddies have become my best friends. We all share a love of biology, and it really brings us together. We love hiking together, and commiserating when it feels necessary. Plus, we make studying fun! If you have trouble making friends (I know I really struggle), start a study group. It’s really a great way to make connections with other people in your major, or even people outside your major.

I hope this helps! Good luck in the fall to any of you kids who are just starting college–and happy studying!