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[harvarddreamer]

how-to-give-yourself-a-pep-talk-101

[harvarddreamer]

herdrafts I’ve reached my reading goal already, I wouldn’t ever imagined I could read 40 books before December. Maybe because I’ve read many interesting books and read-along some others, anyway I still have more good ones for this autumn/winter so my reading challenge isn’t actually completed. I’ll post a complete list of titles later !

[harvarddreamer]

A brand new study corner full of sun lights✨

[harvarddreamer]

home where you stack your books on the floor because you ran out of space on your bookshelf

[harvarddreamer]

My planner is full of due dates. This coming week consists of essays to write, books to read within a day, research papers, project deadlines and finals. Yes, the season is upon us. Gear up and start the ride! Vroom vroom 🚘

[harvarddreamer]

Motivations.

I’ve always had it in my head that my sole purpose in life is to help other people and I was never sure how I could possibly make a career out of that. How is someone supposed to profit out of helping other people? For people who don’t know me very well or don’t spend enough time with me, it probably sounds like I’m exaggerating when I say that my sole purpose in life is to help people but I can’t see myself doing anything else.

My parents, being retired, want me to get a college education so I can get a decent job and have a nice life. So, in short, they want exactly what I’m assuming every parent wants for their child – to be financially stable. That being said, when I told them I wanted to major in political science, they immediately scoffed at the idea because they believe that there’s no scope for it in Sri Lanka because to become president here doesn’t necessarily require a college education. But what they fail to understand is that, my intention to pursue political science isn’t because I want to be in power one day but it’s because of the people who are in power today.

In school we are taught to be kind to one another, to share, to clean up our mess, and not to hurt others. I find it ironic how that’s what we are conditioned to do from a very young age yet our governments tend to go out and do exactly the opposite of what we’ve been told do. Developed countries bomb smaller countries and refuse asylum to refugees that are displaced because of the actions of these governments. According to Oxfam, the richest one percent of the world own as much wealth as the bottom ninety-nine percent combined. Even when we have more than enough, we are afraid to share. We are afraid to let go of some of our wealth. I’m not a communist but I’m not a capitalist either. I believe that we should work hard for our wealth but it should not be at the cost of someone else’s life. I don’t see the morality in having more money than one needs when twenty-two thousand children die each day due to poverty, and they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world.

Income inequality, poverty, and climate change are not heaven sent. They are man-made problems often, if not always, created by the politicians we elect to represent us: the people. Unfortunately, politics has become a competitive sport for some and the minute they come into office, they forget who they are representing and instead, focus more on re-election. Funnily enough, if they were to do what was best for the majority rather than their wealthy donors, then they wouldn’t need to worry so much on whether they would be re-elected or not.

Pursuing political science, I’m hoping, would allow me to gain the experience and understanding I need to be able to change the world one day. I understand how unrealistic or may be even overly idealistic that may sound, but I’m not afraid to risk my life or my well-being fighting for what I believe in. People can laugh at my “naivety” if they wish but someone has to do something, so why not me? What if Martin Luther King decided that racism would be too difficult of an obstacle to overcome? What if Nelson Mandela believed overcoming institutionalized racism and apartheid was unrealistic? What if Eleanor Roosevelt and Susan B. Anthony decided that fighting for women’s rights was overly idealistic? Where would we be today if they didn’t do what was once considered impossible? Just like them, I intend to pursue my goal despite constantly being told that it’s “silly” and “naive” of me to actually consider doing so.

- Rukshana Abdeen

[harvarddreamer]

Exam day ritual ☕️📚

[harvarddreamer]

06.12.2016 // Waking up early to work on Plato and Augustine… 

[harvarddreamer]

b&w edit

[harvarddreamer]

your #inspiration for this weekend’s hard work before exams! 

[harvarddreamer]

My everything Ig: ghostly_t

[harvarddreamer]

keeping myself busy 🐝

[harvarddreamer]

Saturday Study Tips

1.) Sleep in!  I often make the mistake of thinking I need to pop up at the crack of dawn to get things done on Saturday, when in reality I need to recharge my batteries from grinding all week.  Be good to yourself, and you’ll be more productive in the long run.

2.) Set a time to start studying and stick to it.  If you set your alarm to sleep in until 10:30, give yourself a couple of hours to wake up, get dressed, eat, and drink coffee.  Whenever your set study time rolls around, be ready to rock and roll!

3.) Pack all of the essentials.  The #1 killer of a good study session is not having everything that you need–and I don’t just mean academic materials!  Here’s a little list of what I like to pack:

— Coffee — Water bottle — Enough healthy food to last me the length of time I plan to study (this is hugely important!) — Earbuds — A sweatshirt or jacket (another important one!) — Phone charger + laptop charger — Gum or mints — Ponytail holder + bobby pins — Phone, laptop, textbooks, notebooks, pens, highlighters — Agenda

4.) Choose a study location that is best suited for you.  Everyone is different–for me, I sometimes have a hard time focusing in the library because it’s too quiet/can feel isolating!  For casual studying, I love places like Barnes & Noble or Starbucks because the buzz and bustle is energizing but also white noise I can tune out in the background.  When I need to get serious, the library/a study room is the better option.

5.) Find a good playlist to help you get in the zone.  I personally cannot listen to anything with lyrics, because I find myself focusing more on the words of the song and less on what I’m studying!  There are great playlists on Youtube that are designed to facilitate studying and focus; search for ‘alpha wave studying music.’  I also enjoy listening to seasonal instrumental Pandora stations, like bluegrass in the fall and classical Christmas in the winter.

6.) Turn. Off. Your. Internet.  Sign. Out. Of. All. Apps.  This is the hardest part of studying for me and a terrible habit I am striving to kick.  The impulse to check Facebook or Instagram or Tumblr is almost a reflex for most of us, so I find that turning off my internet on my laptop and signing out of my apps on my phone helps tremendously.  Set small goals for yourself that will exercise and strengthen your self-control like a muscle.  For example, “I will complete two reading assignments and then have 5-10 minutes to check social media before starting my next assignment.”  It sounds pathetic, but compulsively checking social media is a learned behavior that you have to force yourself to unlearn in order to be truly productive.  There’s an app for MacBooks called “SelfControl” that allows you to block certain websites for a set amount of time.  I strongly recommend it!

7.) Set realistic goals and take breaks.  The clock is your friend, not your enemy!  I work best in about 50-minute increments before I need a tiny 5-10 minute break.  During a regular study session, I usually can’t work for more than 3 hours before needing a larger break.  Exercising is always my go-to.  Get outside, breathe some fresh air, and let your body move.  It also helps to set a cap on your studying; I often pick a time I want to be totally finished for the day and focus my energy toward meeting that goal.

8.) Remember that constant studying is not healthy and perfect/imperfect grades do not define you.  You are more than your perceived academic abilities.  Working hard to achieve success is important but not everything.  There is a beautiful world out there beyond your desk.  Don’t be afraid to take time off to explore it :)

[harvarddreamer]

october. 🌿  found an old typewriter, which i am now trying to restore. found white flowers, which i have now pressed between pages of books. found newfound strength, found that it’s okay to cry. found new shadows in the changing light. only two months left in year and still: “i keep trying to be delicate. i’m not telling everything.” 🌿  insta 🌿 

[harvarddreamer]

Doing some research about Donohue Syndrome for my bio paper. This is definitely one of my favourite topics to research about!

06.18.2016

[harvarddreamer]

University Tips (non-conventional)

If these help anyone, great!

Wear sports bras/bralettes to lectures instead of the ones with a buckle at the back. They tend to poke and prod your back after a while if you’re leaning back. Sports bras don’t.

Set your timetable as your phone background for the first few weeks. Use this method for no. 6 too if you can be bothered. 

Lay a towel on your bed a few days before your period is due. If you leak on a towel you can just wash it or throw it away. Easier than washing and changing the sheets.

When you’re in a lecture taking notes on a laptop remember to turn down the brightness on your screen, especially if the lecturer has dimmed the lights. Otherwise you’ll annoy others and drain your battery. 

Save your recordings at every given break instead of making one continuous one through pausing. Sometimes files are too large to save and you don’t want to risk losing the entire lecture recording. Save as you go along.

If you need to remember something (e.g. a library book, USB, locker key..) write it on a post-it note and stick it on your shoes before you sleep. Make sure they’re the shoes you intend to wear the next day!

Don’t shoot me: if you have left an assignment really late, stay up as long as you can completing it (yes, that means an all-nighter may be needed). Sleep as soon as you’ve handed it in. 

If you use tech in a lecture e.g. phone for recording or electronic notetaking on your laptop, then mess around with it before uni begins. Know what buttons to press and when, otherwise you’ll mess up your notes and annoy others, with your excessive clicking. 

Always, always, ALWAYS carry a plastic bag/carrier bag. You might need to make a trip to the library, drink may spill in your bag so you’ll need an alternative or you may not be able to dispose of a pad/tampon until you get back home. Seriously, just carry one.  

Find out where coursework/assignment are submitted within your first week on campus. Ask admin how the procedure works and make sure you know it inside out. 

I’ll update this list as things come to me. I hope it helps, this is all my opinion, sorry. 

[harvarddreamer]

I love the look of old books, such beauties. 🌿 Happy Monday guys and gals, time for another week. I’ll be spending my Monday morning with coffee and editing some new blog posts that will be going up this week! ✍🏻️ » Nevernight update: probably going to finish by tomorrow or early Wednesday morning. 🌙