#pfmthoughts

[pennyfynotes]

controversial opinion: it's ok not to do your "best"

rn, my mantra for the rest of the semester has been "survive and advance". i haven't turned anything in that's "well done" or that i'm proud of in at least a month. and honestly? that's all the effort i can give right now without going insane.

sometimes your best is just scraping by or 50% effort or turning in homework late. it's taking care of your body and your mind first. and that is 100% ok.

[pennyfynotes]

Would you ever do a dance masterpost? Maybe not teaching us to dance but like, a guide of basic steps to learn, or about your own experience with dancing, etc. I think it would be super interesting! 😊

hmmm... that’s a really interesting idea! what would you like to know? i’ve done a bunch of different styles of dance (ballet since childhood, swing in college, have some general knowledge of things like contemporary and jazz) so i could talk about each different style separately but like. idk what would be helpful/interesting? especially in text form lol.

thanks for the idea/ask!! xoxo, m

[pennyfynotes]

12, 36, and 44 for the students ask!! I love knowing what materials other people use 😍 ~ @stu-dna 🧬

hello hello! pretty sure i haven’t answered an ask in ages so thanks for asking! :)

12. do you prefer wide-ruled paper, college-ruled, dot-grid, or graph paper? dot grid for bullet journalling, college ruled for basically anything else

36. 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, or 1.0 pens? 0.5 always. well actually sometimes 0.4 but mostly 0.5 ;)

44. do you type or write your notes? primarily i write them (i’m an engineering student so there’s a lot of math) but sometimes type if it’s just words. usually end up writing as well bc it helps me remember better!

this was so fun! i missed these. thanks @stu-dna !

student asks?

[pennyfynotes]

For the ask game: blossom, ladybug, snuggle? :)

why hello there :)

blossom; favorite book/movie/song?

book: prob still the book thief. movie: the italian job. song: i have no idea

ladybug; what’s your favorite artist to listen to when you’re sad?

prob sara bareilles. that woman is a genius

snuggle; what is your favourite candy?

i really like butterscotch, lemon drops and mint things

thanks for the ask! xoxo, m

cute asks

[pennyfynotes]

elements (?) tag game

Thank you @hufflepuffwannabe for tagging me!

RULES: Bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, and tag nine people!

AIR: I have small hands • I love the night sky • I watch small animals and birds when I pass them by • I drink herbal tea • I wake up to dawn • The smell of dust is comforting • I’m valued for being wise • I prefer books to music • I meditate • I find joy in learning new truths from the world around me FIRE: I don’t have straight hair • I like to wear ripped jeans and overalls (no overalls for me friends) • I play an organized sport • I love dogs • I am not scared of adventure • I love to talk to strangers • I always try new foods • I enjoy road trips • Summer is my favorite season (idk i suck at favorites) • My radio is always playing (most of the time) WATER: I wear bracelets on my wrists • I love the bustle of the city • I have more than one set of piercings (working on it for my 21st) • I read poetry • I love the sound of a thunderstorm • I want to travel the world • I sleep past midnight most days • I love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs • I rewatch kids’ shows out of nostalgia • I see emotions in colors not words EARTH: I wear glasses • I enjoy doing the laundry • I am a vegetarian or vegan• I have an excellent sense of time (uh sometimes? idk) • My humor is very cheerful • I am a valued advisor to my friends • I believe in true love • I love the chill of mountain air• I’m always listening to music • I am highly trusted by the people in my life (idk i hope so) AETHER: I go without makeup in my daily life • I make my own artwork • I keep on track of my tasks and time (er sorta)• I always know true north • I see beauty in everything • I can always smell flowers • I smile at everyone I pass by • I always fear history repeating itself • I have recovered from a mental disorder • I can love unconditionally (i think so?)

this was a fun one! i tag @athenastudying @artemistudying @noodledesk @stillstudies @architstudy @gloomstudy @obsidianstudy @universi-tea @studyfeather

[pennyfynotes]

Yellow:)

hey!

yellow: if you could have any view from your bedroom window what would you choose? what’s your favorite thing to do on a sunny day? what do you consider lucky? what made you smile today? what makes you happy?

(a) wow that’s a tough question. honestly just something beautiful. i love nature (flowers, mountains, grass, the beach) but i also love cities so i have no idea.

(b) go outside and just sit in the sun. especially when there’s a nice breeze and it’s not too hot. maybe listen to some music as well.

(c) um. i don’t really believe in luck? the closest thing i have to like a “lucky charm” is a ring and a bracelet my mother bought me. they just calm me down and i fiddle with them when i’m anxious so i like them for exams and stuff

(d) i had a fun conversation over lunch with one of my best friends?

(e) lol i’ve probably answered this a million times and every time it’s mostly the same but probably still different bc i’m indecisive. the sun, music, dancing, art, being alone, being able to enjoy simple things bc i’m not being crushed under mountains of stress. the usual.

thanks for the ask natalia! this was fun :) xoxo, m

[pennyfynotes]

thanks @calsstudyblog for the tag!

Name: maria (or m. it’s a pen name)

Star Sign: sagittarius

Height: 5′ 7.5″

Middle Name: don’t have one

put your itunes on shuffle. what are the first 4 songs that popped up? i don’t have itunes and i think i’ve bought like 10 songs on google play (android for life). but i enjoy p!atd, paramore, fob, sara bareilles, musical theater and some other random shit if you’re curious about my music taste.

grab the book nearest you and turn to page 23. what’s line 17?

that’s way too fucking far away sorry i’m not getting up.

have you ever had a poem or song written about you? damnnnn i wish. the closest i got were some creepy letters from a guy who was just v confused and couldn’t quite understand that i didn’t like him as anything more than a friend. (is that mean? sorry guys, i guess i’m kinda mean then. relationships aren’t my forte)

when was the last time you played air guitar? never i’m pretty sure

Who is your celebrity crush? uh. matthew gray gubler is kinda adorable. lin manuel miranda and nph are just people i’d want to be friends with. also bob morley is damn attractive. probably forgetting some. i don’t really do celeb crushes, just guys that i think are objectively attractive (im aware that’s contradictory)

what’s a sound you hate + a sound you love? i cant deal with nails+chalkboard/metal+metal. ummm music? ocean? idfk

do you believe in ghosts?                                                                              nah.

How about aliens?                                                                                                 there might be extraterrestrial life. i wouldn’t be too surprised. are they green with like 500000 legs? probably not.

Do you drive?                                                                                                        yup

If so, have you ever crashed?                                                                              not really. closest i’ve gotten is accidentally forgetting to put my car in reverse while trying to back out of a parking spot. i “crashed” into the curb.

What was the last book you read?                                                                      ummmm. i honestly can’t remember. it was good tho. oh! it was called dragonfish i think

Do you like the smell of gasoline?                                                                      its fine

What was the last movie you saw?                                                                     uh i think it was focus. not in theaters. i don’t do that shit. it’s expensive and pointless.

What’s the worst injury you had?                                                                        got dragged down the sidewalk by a dog. long story.

Do you have any obsessions right now? i don’t think so? no clue

Do you tend to hold grudges against people who wrong you? well. it takes a lot to actually get me angry. if you’ve made me actually angry (not just annoyed), i’m prob gonna hold a bit of a grudge. otherwise, probably not.

Are you in a relationship? hahaha nope. how many times am i going to have to tell this to you guys??? (jk i’m joking it’s chill i literally don’t care)

tagging: whoever wants to. i just responded to to other tag games so i’m out of people to tag and i’m lazy af

[pennyfynotes]

Totally random numbers! 7,48,12,102

hi there! thanks for the ask :)

7. How tall am I? 5' 7.5" if your country doesn't think it's super cool and uses the metric system which makes so much more sense, that's about 1.71 m.

12. What am I listening to right now? a frank sinatra playlist on spotify

48. Do I spend money or save it? i'd say i save? though i love to shop, i'm pretty frugal about it and don't do it too often.

102. Where would you like to travel? my two fav travel destinations are nyc and spain (i've been to both). a new place? greece or ibiza or mallorca (the latter two are in spain lol)

[pennyfynotes]

11 questions tag

thanks @moonshinestudies for the tag! these games are super fun :

How did you get into the studyblr community? honestly not super sure. i think i got interested in bujo through youtube and always knew tumblr/studyblr was kinda a thing. then i was just like ok! guess i’ll try it. now i’m here :)

Would you change anything in your life if you were able to do it all over again? maybe the college admissions process. i’d make a few changes, but would also just remind myself that admissions results aren’t indicative of much other than an arbitrary process. let’s just say those were not great months of my life. i’m pretty sure after i graduate college + do things for a couple years there are things i’d change about what i’m doing rn.

What is your favorite season and why? oh god i can’t choose. i think my least fav is winter. then summer. fall and spring are tied. i like fall better in terms of general aesthetic (i love dark, moody colors and layers while it isn’t super cold), but i prefer spring bc it gets gradually warmer and warm weather/sunshine makes me happy.

What is one of your passions? dancing! honestly in an ideal world it’d probably be a top priority but with academics that’s kinda hard. i wish i could do it more often and i am 1000% worse than i was my senior year of hs.

How do you cope with stress? dance lol. well that’s the healthy way. not so healthy way would to just kinda cut myself off from everything and lose myself in books/tv shows/movies. i’m a very avid practitioner of escapism...

Favorite sort of ice cream? ok so i actually prefer sorbet most of the time unless i’m really craving ice cream. a good chocolate ice cream is great and so is coffee. as for sorbet, there’s a local ice cream place that has mango and raspberry-pomegranate sorbet and i always get those. also love lemon gelato. it’s amazing.

Happiest memory? ummm. no idea. yeah no clue.

What was the last compliment you were given? also don’t remember. sorry guys.

What makes you happy? dance. well for the most part. (you don’t want to hear me rant so i’ll refrain). good music/musicals. a sense of freedom to be myself and freedom from stress/obligation. my family for the most part. especially my brother. he’s just super easygoing and a great reminder not to take myself so seriously.

Sunflowers or roses? absolutely roses. they’re so elegant. especially the classic long stemmed roses.

Night owl or early bird? honestly neither. probably more of a night owl? getting up early is  *difficult*

rules: answer 11 questions, make up 11 questions, tag 11 people

my questions: 

1. where do you see yourself in 20 years?

2. what is your fav thing about studyblr?

3. introvert or extrovert? or both or neither?

4. one hobby and why you love it?

5. what color is your room?

6. a dream you hope to accomplish?

7. favorite quote and why?

8. what you look for in a friend?

9. describe your personal style.

10. if you could swap studyblrs with one person, who would it be?

11. your favorite self-care tip/routine/item?

i tag:@moonshinestudies ( i know you tagged me but i want to know your answers to these questions lol) @architstudy @universi-tea @athenastudying @artemistudying @studyfeather @noodledesk @gloomstudy @stillstudies @hufflepuffwannabe @studylustre

[pennyfynotes]

Primrose/ honey perfume?

hey anon! sorry it’s taken so long... vacation and things.

primrose; what book does everyone right now need to read? the book thief by markus zusak. 10000% it’s so good.

honey perfume; favorite movie ever? mmmm not a huge movie person but i love the italian job with charlize theron and mark wahlberg

thanks for the ask! xoxo, m

botanical asks?

[pennyfynotes]

back from the dead

hi! so now that i’ve emerged from the horrible time that is college finals (actually i have a final project due in 5 hours, but i’m almost done), what kind of things do you guys want to see? i’m hoping to make some graphics and masterposts, but i’m always open to suggestions!

xoxo, m

[pennyfynotes]

i'm choreographing a kids jazz dance for a dance team i work with! i want to choreograph for my college dance team for the fall semester and for that, i'm hoping to do contemporary! what style were you possibly thinking of choreographing?

that sounds awesome! jazz is such an awesome style, i wish i hadn't quit as a kid (i just had too many things on my plate but then wound up quitting one of the other things *sigh*). i was thinking contemporary as well! maybe with a touch of neo-classical ballet. not sure yet lol! but yeah dance is pretty awesome :)

[pennyfynotes]

Hi! I love your bujo spreads. I have a question though. Maybe im overthinking this, but how do you put pictures into your bujo without ruining the back of the page it's on? Like I feel like If I use glue I wont be able to write on the back of the page because it will all soggy, or tape would be bumpy. Thank you!

hey! thanks so much! that's so sweet

i've actually been meaning to try out the glue tape that a lot of other studyblrs use (a lot of scrapbookers/paper crafters too), but i'm really trying to save money this summer since my research position isn't paid so i'll probably wait. a glue stick is generally my preferred method of gluing anything honestly. super cheap and, as long as you don't put a ton of glue, it shouldn't warp the paper! hope this helps and feel free to shoot me another ask/message if you have more questions! xoxo, m

[pennyfynotes]

I absolutely love your blog! I was wondering if you had any tips for the SAT? I’m having mine tomorrow and I’m struggling 😩

hi! first of all, i’m so sorry your SAT is tomorrow, that’s quite unfortunate :( also, i’m a bit of a dinosaur so i actually took the old version of the SAT and i’m not sure how much of my advice will be applicable but i’ll try my best!

1. the essay: take at least a little bit of time to plan out what you’re going to say. there were so many times where i’d find myself wasting time because i just wrote the same point in 3 slightly rephrased ways because i hadn’t thought things through. that’s generally how i write if i’m writing an essay (i just put down whatever comes to mind and go back and edit later), but when you’re in a time crunch, you’ll just be wasting time. if you need a little bit of writing to get yourself started, go ahead and start trying to write an intro. however, once you’ve gotten a better grasp on what you’d like to say, make a brief outline.

2. the grammar/writing portion: find patterns. at least back when i took the exam, there were certain things that they always tested for. here are a couple i can still remember lol:

- subject/verb agreement. if your subject is plural, your verb should be plural. (ex: they *were* walking, not they *was* walking)

-comparisons: they like to do this thing where they’ll write “anna’s book was bigger than rachel”. the sentence should be “anna’s book was bigger than that of rachel/rachel’s book”.

*also* you might think that these things are obvious, but college board likes to hide them by adding a bunch of extra descriptors/clauses to their sentences.  cover up/take out any unnecessary words and then just look at the main parts of the sentence (subject and verb) and things become clearer.

3. the reading: there aren’t a lot of tricks to this part in my opinion. i personally read the questions first so i know what to look for. if you’re really stuck, my SAT tutor once told me that the college board doesn’t like extremes, so the answer will never be “extreme”. stay away from extreme adjectives/emotions. this actually helped me once or twice lol

4. the math: i know the math is supposed to be harder now and, just to be up front -- not to brag or anything, math has always been a strong suit of mine. i can’t offer you much help except the standard tips. do the questions you know how to do first and, now there’s no guessing penalty (not salty at all), guess on the ones you can’t get.

best of luck! make sure to breathe and stay calm. since the SAT is broken into sections, use them to reset yourself. maybe you ran out of time on a section and got frazzled. don’t let this carry into the next section. take some deep breaths and get your head back in the game. you can do it! xoxo, m

[pennyfynotes]

It’s 2:16 pm. I’m somewhere in the Midwest USA and I’m walking around my room talking to myself in Spanish because I’m bilingual but I want my accent to sound better?? Like more native??? Like I fully understand Spanish but I don’t speak it a lot in conversational or profesional settings so my accent isn’t quite there. I only use Spanish when speaking to my parents. Ah sorry this is just me rambling haha

hahaha honestly i feel that. my parents' native language is chinese and well mine kinda sucks. but i really love spanish and my goal is to be fluent. if i had the time in college i'd go for a minor but i'm crazy and want a double major instead soooo. anyway sometimes i have hypothetical spanish conversations with myself in an attempt to keep up my fluency. so when i say i feel you. i really do.

[pennyfynotes]

tagged by @cattiestudies. thanks!

1. relationship status: single lol

2. fave colors: grey, blue, green? i suck at favs

3. lipstick or chapstick: both. chapstick on a daily basis, but lipstick if i’m in the mood to kick it up a notch.

4. three fave foods: sushi, taro, spring rolls (idfk man)

5. song stuck in my head: uh idk bc i’m currently listening to music so the only song i can think of is what i hear rn but its not stuck in my head?

6. last song i listened to: currently listening to an acoustic of attention. not a huge fan of charlie puth but it’s a spotify playlist to fill the silence so whatever

7. last movie i watched: ummmm it might have been focus w will smith and margot robbie. would recommend. (can we take a sec for how fucking beautiful margot is ok i’m done now)

8. top 3 tv shows: uhhh i’m really picky and have finished 2 tv shows in my life. queen of the south is good, leverage is hilarious, andddd idk sherlock season 1+2 were pretty good.

9. books i’m currently reading: hahaha i checked out a bunch of books and didn’t read any it’s honestly so sad. where did the girl who read a book a day go?

10. last thing i googled: um. september holidays for work. social media manager shit.

11. time: 2:45 pm

12. how many blankets do you sleep in? 1. 2 if it’s cold in my dorm during winter.

13. dream trip: prob spain. maybe london. can never go wrong with nyc either.

14. anything you want: to stop worrying about shit and potentially constantly being overcommitted bc i love too many things but that’s a damn tall order.

tagging: @athenastudying @architstudy @hufflepuffwannabe @universi-tea @noodledesk @gloomstudy @studywithlexa sorry i keep tagging you i just have no friends