dullacademia

[dullacademia]

If you're a Youtube creator with monetization privileges, click on the "Earn" tab right now and deal with this if you feel like its necessary. Youtube is going to start running more ads on your videos automatically without your permission, and the ability to opt out will go away in two months.

Youtube is not advertising this anywhere. Checking my "Earn" tab on my own is the first time I'm hearing about it. To me, that suggests they don't want people to know they're doing this, because they want to crank up ad frequency and make more money.

If you've ever seen what happens when you let Youtube automatically pick ad slots like this, they basically try to run an ad every 2-3 minutes. It's a nightmare.

They are going to flood their platform with ads and drive away 70% of their viewership. On the other hand, if you opt out and choose to continue showing fewer ads, you may earn the trust and respect of your viewers.

You have a strategic operative to turn this off before May 12th. If you don't do it before then, it sounds like Youtube will take away your ability to reduce your ad frequency.

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This is going to be controversial in some circles, but books are not sacred objects unless you want them to be. Dog ear them. Write notes directly in the margins. Highlight, underline, put a sticker in the front. Dip the edges in your bath water, in your beach sand, in your tea. Live with it!

There are thousands of copies of the average book, and if you ever ruined yours you could buy another for $3 off ThriftBooks or something. Unless you are specifically working with rare first edition printings, it’s fine to just treat a book like something that you own. Take it with you everywhere and if you lose or forget it just shrug because it’s really, truly, not a big deal. Love books hard, they are just bundles of paper and the story that you adore is always safe even if you treat your paperback like a doorstop. It’s fine.

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— Frank Bidart, from “Half-light: Collected Poems 1965-2016; ‘In The Ruin’", published c. 2017.

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some chaotic academia things

- wearing blazers and oxfords with jeans and funky socks

- using shot glasses to drink tea

- drawing cartoon characters on excellently written essays (my teachers love my doodles of perry the platypus)

- writing “stan mercutio” on the back of assignments about shakespeare

- watching ted-ed and crashcourse videos about literature and theatre on 2x speed

- knowing where to find the best free ebooks of literally any book

- judy poovey and/or francis abernathy being your favourite character(s) in tsh

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dark academia on a budget

(because not only rich people can be dark academics)

-thrifting with friends for old sweaters that someone’s grandfather must have worn

-getting second (or third or fourth) hand books and reading the notes that other people left in them

-making sure everything is tidy and clean, no matter what

-adopting a minimalist aesthetic

-or making your own decorations (which then makes you better at lettering and art)

-sitting in a local cafe and buying the cheapest thing so that you can study there (and making sure that you tip as much as you can)

-reading poetry online, printing your favorites, and posting them on your walls

-taking as much of your family’s clothing that they’ll let you have

-rotating the same few shirts, pants, and shoes without anyone noticing

-a lack of jewelry (because there are more important things)

-sitting outside at a park to read or write

-looking outside windows on public transport while listening to somber music

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Dark academia girl: a concept

•maroon or even dark purple lipstick, minimal makeup otherwise

•goes to her favorite coffee shop every day, and orders one black coffee and a coffee cake

•always has a book or two under her arm. often, they are in different languages

•occasionally mouths what she reads

•wears a silver watch and collared shirts most of the time—when she’s not, it’s a turtleneck sweater or light blouse

•oxford shoes

•majoring in classics, but when asked what she studies she responds simply “everything I can”

•ties her hair back with ribbons

•plays haunting melodies on the piano

•long woolen coats and scarves in the cold

•vintage umbrella for walks in the rain—which she takes often

•has a small black cat who joins her outside

•spends hours in pretty libraries, running her fingers down the spines of thousands of books

•can spend hours studying what interests her—history, music, literature, philosophy, fine art, languages...

•watches the sky and her surroundings as she walks

•keeps her hands in her pockets

•handwriting looks like that of a person from the 1700s—long, swooping letters line after line

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Cryptid academia:

Carefully cutting out and sticking newspaper clippings into scrapbooks.

Pinning up photographs and articles to a wall, connecting them with red strings.

Late-night walks in the woods with a pair of binoculars and a film camera, because you just might find something.

Piles of newspapers and magazines sprouting up in every corner, with the pages for paranormal sightings dog-eared.

Seemingly random books on aerospace engineering, radioactivity, and obscure psychological disorders open on the coffee table.

Writing articles about alien sightings for the school newspaper.

Always being the first to find out about strange local occurrences.

A phone book stuffed with loose papers, and a notepad covered in scribbles and diagrams open next to the phone book.

Impromptu camping trips to nonsensical places (like the middle of a field, then next to a lake, then by a roadside).

Pamphlets and membership badges for the Loch Ness Monster Trust or the Mothman Convention scattered everywhere.

Digging up old medieval texts about ghouls and demons to try and make connections.

Setting up wildlife cameras and watching back hours of footage of hedgehogs, trying to see if anything unusual crops up.

"Buzzfeed Unsolved is my bible."

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Do you any advice or tips to offer in terms of memory recollection, unlocking your natural abilities, etc? I feel so far behind the other angels, my brethren, and I don't feel worthy. I just want to remember more about myself and my relationships with other angels, mankind, and Father. Thank you for reading this and I appreciate any help/advice/tips/etc you have to offer!

First of all, I promise you that you are not too far behind or unworthy. All of us are at different stages in collecting memories or practising our abilities and there is no shame in that. We can help each other out. Think of your past life memory and other abilities as a muscle. You haven’t really exercised it in a long time so it’s going to take some time and practise to get it working strongly again, but you can get there. Heck, even I’m still learning things. 

Now sit down and get comfy ‘cause I’ve got a bunch of info for you, feather. You don’t have to do it all. Everyone has different methods that are comfortable/convenient for them. My advice for memory recovery and such is the following:

Start a journal: Write your dreams down in it. You’d be surprised about what kind of memories or important symbols can filter through dreams. Especially if you get repeating themes. Write any little tidbits of info that catch your attention in there. Doodle or describe your interpretation of how angels look. Write poetry. It’s like a free space to create while reflecting. Since your brains busy making things, you can stir up some old memories like that, Even if you don’t, it’s relaxing and gives you something physical to tie your divine feelings too.

Meditate: Something I should do more often as it really does help. If you aren’t sure how it’s done, there’s lots of tutorials online or guided meditations on youtube. If you want to make more of an event out of it, burn some incense and set things up like a ritual, or go to a meditation class. Buddhist centres usually offer free sessions in breath control and clearing the mind. Piece of advice, don’t try to stop thinking altogether. That just distracts you. Instead, let your mind flow and do it’s thing. Something interesting may pop into your head.

Astral project: Like meditation but it feels more like you’re doing something. Once again, tonnes of guided sessions and tutorials. I reblogged a really nice one a few days ago called “Crystal Lake”. You can fly around very easily while projecting, and it’s often a good place to practise my next point.

Talk to other angels: Not just the ones online or on earth! Research how to talk to spirits and such, and ask for angels to come to you. If you’re able to start conversation or get signs from one, they may be able to lend you a hand or give tips on what you’re doing. Also you can pray, if that’s your thing, or just strike up verbal conversation if in private. It can help.

Research: Look into the hierarchy of angels, associations with famous angels, lists of names, our true forms. Read, read, read. You don’t have to stay on boring topics, follow what interests you. Something may catch your eye. It doesn’t have to be all non-fiction and studies. There is plenty of media inspired by us that can offer different views or standpoints.

Visit holy/historical places: Churches are the obvious one, but anywhere you feel holy works beautifully. For me, my local beach feels like a holy place, but that may be due to my dominion over water. Places with history work as well. There’s something about standing somewhere that’s been there for years that stirs up feelings inside of you. I actually got one of my most vivid flashes of a memory whilst standing atop of a building in the Roman Forum next to the Colosseum.

Reminders: Anything that reminds you of home is good. Certain textures (for me it’s soft things), or foods for example. You may want to go places that remind you of home, or do things that you used to or feel like you have an association with, such as helping the sick, or travelling etc. That’s why I have the aesthetic stuff here ^^

The Craft: Witchcraft and other such things is actually super helpful. Obviously, it’s not for everyone, but since it’s a secular practise (no particular religious view needed) anyone can do it, and you can tailor it so that it honours the deity you follow if that’s what you like. Or you can keep it separate from religion. Here is where you get a lot of tips on unlocking your abilities and communicating with angels that aren’t incarnate right now. Tumblr has a pretty good community for it, and I try to filter through things that are helpful to us specifically. 

Focus on what you want to do: Naturally, you’re going to want to get as much done as possible. However, it’s not a race. Focus on areas that interest you. If you want to strengthen your empathy or prophetic skills, focus on that. If you want to study the intricacies of interactions between angels and humans, do that. If you want to try and astral project or build up a mindspace where you can invite spirits in, go for it! There’s no rules or time limit, and if you need help, we’re all here together trying to work this stuff out. Shoot someone a question and we’ll be more than happy to help you as best we can.

Finally: Don’t ignore stuff that pops up into your head and seems significant. I know from experience that something that seemed like a random intrusive thought was a part of a memory. Basically, if you seem to dwell on it, or it feels important, maybe write it down and think on the subject for awhile. It might be something note worthy.

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A list of more personal dark academia things:

Post a picture of your favourite book, annotated or otherwise.

Outfit pictures – embrace your individual style.

Any pretty locations you visit: libraries, coffee shops, campus buildings, vintage stores, etc.

What you study: confuse the literature students by posting your science work. Stun the science academics with your knowledge of your favourite authors/genres. Help the researchers with your history notes.

Where you study – your own desk, what’s on your desk, when you like to work, etc.

Other: jewellery, your favourite mug, pretty flowers, candles, personal book collection, etc.

Studying. Study notes, thoughts about your research, any text books, etc.

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types of dark academia

classic academia: beige trench coats, wool sweaters. plaid skirts. think femme fatale, but educated. sobbing in bed late at night over the secret history or dead poets society. tea with milk and sugar. subsequent tea stains.

darkest academia: running through the rain, dimly lit by streetlights. brown tweed jackets, dress shoes. cold fingers and colder gazes. french-pressed black coffee, piping hot. dark, candlelit rooms with ancient wood floors/walls. 

light academia: white cable-knit sweaters, sparkly eyes and foggy glasses. going to art museums and falling in love with every portrait, every sculpture. caressing the petals of a rose, hearing the crinkle of leaves underfoot.

witchy academia: burning candles while reading or doing homework. black turtlenecks, velvet skirts. walking through the forest in autumn. passing a graveyard and feeling a greyish presence. waiting anxiously for samhain.

romantic academia: writing flowery poetry about someone you’ll never speak to (guilty oops). a cozy alizarin sweater, pleated skirts. slow dancing around your room to the beatles. curling up with warm, pallid cups of tea and a book.

scholarly academia: impeccable notes in class. leather bound bags crammed with textbooks and pens. lots of coffee with scones, and even more late nights. a wide vocabulary (that people constantly comment on). lives in the library.

theatre academia: shakespeare, all the time - quoting, reading, praying for a school production of a midsummer nights dream. or the crucible. memorizing lines in the wings. taking on your character’s traits, even outside the theater.

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Dark Academics — Vol. I

Vol. II

The vampire who has greasy hair and breath that never ceases to smell like coffee. They are failing all their classes, but spend whole nights fixated on their true passions, which are so niche that they can hardly find classes that touch on them. The garbage is overflowing with instant ramen packaging and coffee filters. They are often too tired to interact with anyone, but as soon as their interests are brought up, something seems to awaken within this academic, propelling them into heated and animated discussions. They never seem to sleep.

The punk. They despise how inaccessible academia is. The paywalls, the overly complicated language, and the eurocentrism all piss them off. They will not hesitate to call you out and shred you in the process. Their laptop is (metaphorically) heavy with pirated books and papers. They scan and upload textbooks to the internet for anyone to use, and they routinely sneak people into dining halls and sneak food out. Their notes app is filled with chaotic poetry they write while crossfaded. Their relatives call them a commie jokingly, but, little do they know, they might be spot on.

The daydreamer dressed in tweed. They have messy hair, a sharp gaze dulled by sleeplessness and reading for many long hours, and a fascination with the cursed. They read Donna Tartt. They can recite Shakespeare. But at what cost? They speak in iambic pentameter and spend every inch of their academic life wishing their university wasn’t some 20th century brutalist hunk of cement but an ancient stone building weathered by the centuries. Their view of academia can be eurocentric, but the more they’re exposed to different perspectives, the more they seek them out. They romanticize their caffeine addiction and terrible sleep schedule even though it’s very bad for them.

The decadent. They are a wild one with a Dionysian character. They drink and indulge more often than not. They write drunk poetry and perform it to their friends. Their fashion sense is eccentric: it’s sheer shirts that look like something a vampire would wear, faux fur with a tiger print, loud makeup. They read ravenously, devouring their books. Paperbacks beware: this academic will shred you with the sheer voracity of their note taking. They will destroy the most sentimental pages with copious tears. There is a shrine to Oscar Wilde in their bookshelf, which is entirely composed of different editions of his works. This academic reads essays from the 19th century, the more horrendously decorative the prose, the better. They are always yearning on main, whether it’s for a person or for an experience.

The romantic, a classic manifestation of the dark academic. They’re a lover of Sappho, Byron, Keats. They cry at the Romantics’ depictions of nature. They seek out the Sublime in every aspect of their life. The sunset, the moon peeking through the clouds, the cacophony of birds, and the rustling of leaves in a summer breeze. Every step they take is a symphony of organic strings singing through motion. They collect pretty notebooks, filling them with flowers. They feel every emotion deeply, allowing each one to boil and simmer within them. They love the world so deeply even when it hurts them. They’re a bit of a masochist in that aspect, as they believe that bit of pain amplifies the pleasure.

The artist, the academic who reads The Picture of Dorian Gray and sees themself in Basil; the academic who reads The Worshipper of the Image and knows that they, too, would fall in a tormented and passionate love with Silencieux. The art they make displays their adoration for the subjects they portray. There is a facet of them in every stroke of their creation, and to be viewed by the eyes of this academic is to be made art by their perception. Their characters and motifs have familiar faces and voices. There is a speck of someone you know mixed in with a speck of someone else, all filtered through the lens of the artist-academic.

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Dark Academia Bullet Journal

So yes Dark Academia is a genre of fiction I realize that but it is also an aesthetic to many of us internet dwellers who love Donna Tartt and so here are some things I do with my own bullet journal to fit that Dark Academia Aesthetic, of course, a bullet journal is a very personal thing so do whatever you like this is just my personal style and ideas

Scrapbook Style

old/antique photographs

bits of brown paper

pages from old books

pressed flowers

grid paper

photo negatives

polaroids

pieces of lined paper

oddly colored post-it notes

cream cardstock

nature themed stickers

Write in the extra space

literary quotes

poems (original or from someone else)

reading lists/library lists

playlists

movie lists

drawings of plants 

drawings of books

reflections on the week or life in general

overall stylistic choices

try to stick to one color scheme per spread/month preferably earth tones, dark blues, and blacks, neutrals

minimalistic styles work very well 

if cluttered make it somewhat eclectic in texture but uniform in color

generally more simplistic spread styles

leave space for little daily entries and reflections

now go forth and enjoy some good bullet journaling if you have anything to add feel free to reblog with comments I hope this is helpful/inspirational and I will again repeat bullet journaling is super personal so don’t take this too seriously do whatever you like with your bullet journal these are just general tips for those who want to achieve a certain aesthetic

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academia type things to do during quarantine

- write letters to your long lost lover

- pretend you’ve been locked away in a castle with no company but your own and your favourite books

- gaze longingly out the window at the stars

- daydream about a pretty gal/guy/whatever rescuing you from the prison cell that is your home

- sent your friends heartfelt notes

- redecorate your room with random things around your house

- if you have a garden: pick flowers and frame them on your wall

- if you don’t: you may still be able to pick some from your local park

- write the next greatest piece of literature

- get through your to-read list

- practice a skill you’ve been wanting to learn. embroidery, perhaps?

- fake your death. murder is always a good way to go

- pretend you’re a character in a classic novel

- design your own clothes (or whatever!)

- create impeccable spotify playlists (or you could add to this one)

- eavesdrop on your neighbours and make notes…unless it’s something you shouldn’t be hearing

- people-watch from your balcony

feel free to add more! remember to take care of yourself and your family during this time. and don’t forget, looking after your mental and physical health is really important right now. i love you all. stay safe! <3

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attitudes on this site are so weird. Making Art is essential, holy, almost mandatory to earn your place in humanity, but Consuming Media is the mind killer, base and passive and numbing to the soul. storytelling is literally thee most important thing in the world but if you really like reading / watching / listening to stories as your main hobby then you are sooo fucked in the head. everyone go sit quietly and write a trunk novel in complete isolation and then burn it so no one's mind gets polluted with saccharine fictions.

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every time I find a pill on the ground I take it home with me and draw a picture of it with crayons. here's the collection so far.

^ the very first pill I found & drew. couldn't identify it (markings rubbed off) but it looked very beautiful to me.

^pill no. 2: fluoxetine. my greatest find and finest crayon drawing. sorry to whoever lost their fluoxetine. I'll save it for a special occasion. I used a sharpie pen to clean up some lines on this one I think.

^ pill no. 3: ibuprofen. accidentally closed my laptop on this one, destroying it. and getting goop on my laptop. I found another one though. People drop a lot of painkillers. The first 2 used only colors from the classic 24 pack of crayons, but I had to break out extras from my childhood crayon collection for this one.

^pill no. 4: benadryl. this pill was crumbling inside its plastic when I found it, but it was intact enough to take home and draw! Hooray.

^pill no. 5: midol. this one was real scuffed up. I actually found an entire bottle of midol on another occasion, and someone's last 2 weeks of birth control yet another time, but those are the kind of things I leave behind because someone's likely to miss their entire bottle of midol or sealed birth control and come back for it.

^pill no. 6: unfinished advil/ibuprofen. I find a lot of painkillers, as mentioned, so I guess I got bored. I also have a drawing of acetaminophen that I am not posting because I don't like it.

^pill no. 7: severe tylenol. I didn't know such a thing existed until I found it on the ground. "severe tylenol" makes it sound like the tylenol is mean. this was among the more challenging ones and it's kinda rushed, but drawing the plastic was fun. just did this one an hour ago.

in case you're wondering, I do keep the pills when possible. I like to hold onto my reference material. they live in a separate box from my vintage ibuprofen collection.

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“BAD DIRECTOR’S CHAIR” JOHN WATERS // 2006 [canvas, wood, steel, paint with— leather bound script | 46 x 24 ½ x 22″]