madchessiecat

[madchessiecat]

Posting this now to come back to in 10 years when the textbooks rewrite the evil as righteous, the stupidity as smart, and the bored as necessary.

[madchessiecat]

[madchessiecat]

Just some post-Ramadan things. Started my 100-days-of-productivity challenge and that has helped avoid the crash and consequent moodiness (and overall down-ness) I get after the Holy month. Grateful for all I have, and there is nothing that I do or anywhere that I go that I don’t think of Palestine. Prayers and liking posts and crying and wearing pins and posting is not enough—we are all being tested and failing miserably. But there are people who have done none of the aforementioned things and, huh, let me tell you: we won’t forget 😉. Enjoy your peace and quiet while lasts, and that ignorance you call neutrality and that silence you call “prioritizing my mental health and wellbeing.” You’re a human with no humanity is what you can call yourself 🖕.

[madchessiecat]

Study study study said my brain never but the morning shit was due.

[madchessiecat]

None of us are free until we are all free.

Just a little reminder for myself, and maybe for you; my life as a student is a privilege: it’s a privilege to learn, to be healthy mentally and physically to make such an endeavor, to know that the things I want are in my grasp, but not in everybody else’s. It is my responsibility that my privilege—my voice that can shout and my hand that can write—will be used to raise the voices that have been diminished, ignored, demeaned, censored, and discarded. As a student of English Literature, there isn’t a day that our colonial world does not infiltrate our classrooms: it weighs heavily on those of us who are it’s victims, and lightly, almost non existent, on those who have reaped what benefits came to them in red. To ignore and to be silent is not the elusive position you think it is. Your hands will not be any less red than the hands that pull the trigger.

[madchessiecat]

How quaint that you “do not approve,” Dr. Hirsch, very generous of you. 🙄 What is legal and illegal is not a framework for our discourse on morality. If you’d like me to remind you all the things in this world that have been legal and horribly immoral and wrong, I can (much of which is in our very recent history and ongoing), but don’t try to be technical about the ‘improper’ use of the word “hostages” in order to justify that the hostage of one group/people is inequitable to another because it is done by a military government instead of a militant group. But you’re right. There is a difference. For Israel, in all their legality justifications, there is a international and National duty of care that must be taken by a ‘democratic’ government to ensure fair prosecution and imprisonment—when it comes to Palestine, much of whom are youth, there is none. That duty of care is neglected, discarded and laughably ignored repeatedly by the Israeli government, and I haven’t even mentioned the conditions under which wrongfully imprisoned Palestinians must suffer under, the extremely hostile authorities whom we have documented abuses that have gone unpunished. If we’re comparing things, we’re going to compare them in full context of the inequitable nature of a militant group and the government of a whole ass country, right Dr. Hirsch?—if we want to play the comparing game that is. Also, under the UN, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, Israel is an apartheid state, and these hostages—yes, hostages—are one of the fulfilled criterion under what classifies as apartheid. I don’t know you Ms. Hirsch, but I don’t need to to know that your definition of ‘hostage’ is misguided and hegemonic under the assumption that a colonial settler, occupier state is incapable of taking hostages because it is legal under the very institution that is classified as apartheid.

Like, she absolutely knows this action is morally wrong.

But it is “legal” which suddenly makes it okay.

Chilling.

[madchessiecat]

#freepalestine

[madchessiecat]

[madchessiecat]

Franz Kafka, The Diaries of Franz Kafka

Allie Ray, Holler

Richard Siken, Crush

[madchessiecat]

if i bring a book someplace it doesn't necessarily mean i want to read it mayb i just want to take her on a walk. Get her some fresh air and a change of scenery

[madchessiecat]

[madchessiecat]

this next cup of coffee will fix me

[madchessiecat]

[madchessiecat]

lighthousekeeping

[madchessiecat]

— Friedrich Nietzsche  

[madchessiecat]

I literally love being at home! In my own space! Comfortable! Not surrounded by people!

[madchessiecat]

1. Organize your study space

Organizing your study space is really important. Avoid starting to study before that because getting up to get things you don’t have at hand will distract you. I have my own “desk organization list”. Laptop, iPad, Apple Pencil, earphones, water, fruits, my pencil case, my folders, paper, etc.

2.     Make a plan and get control of your calendar

Make a "to do list" and plan everything out. When exactly are your exams?  How many days do you want to study for each subject? Which subject needs more time? Etc., etc.

3.     Mistakes are good

When studying we do make mistakes sometimes. I hate it. You hate it. Yes, it’s awful. But they are GOOD. You learn from them. A short anecdote of my life: If I didn’t make the mistake of dating a complete idiot, I probably would not have learned that bad boys really aren’t that great haha.

4.     Find examples

To really understand something, you should find examples. E. g. if you are learning about some kind of criminal law, look up cases. If you are studying about the business cycle, look up examples of different countries. Is the US in a boom? Or a depression? Has it been in a depression before? What was that like?

5.     Test yourself

Quizz yourself. This is the most important thing when studying something by heart or learning a language. Get your flashcards out of your pocket!  And quizz yourself every single day!

6.     Take regular breaks and sleep for 8 hours

I know, studying is important. But what is even more important is your health. Don’t drain yourself. You got this. Don’t worry! Take a short break after 25 minutes every time. Just a short one. Allow yourself to breath and close your eyes. Your brain needs sleep and breaks to function!

7.     Study before going to sleep

A numerous amount of studies have found out that the brain processes a lot of things while sleeping. This can be very beneficial to us! Study for a few minutes before going to bed or revise what you have studied that day. It will help you remember it better.

8.     Eat good foods

I know you don’t want to hear this… A pizza is quite nice. But is it good for you? Probably not. Food is fuel. But we need good fuel to function properly. Eat nutritious foods and be good to your body. It really needs a healthy diet to maintain your health and stay happy. Also: Your brain needs calories. Don’t starve yourself. Aaaand, remember to drink enough water. I recommend watching “The Game Changers” on Netflix.

9.     Exercise

Working out can be extremely beneficial to you. Not just for your physical strength but also for your mental health and productivity, studies have found. Going for a run or going to the gym can increase your overall well-being! So let’s go! I’m getting ripped tonight, RIP that… umm sorry.

10.  Be kind to yourself

Last but not least, please be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up. Everything is going to be fine. You are not alone. You are loved. You are worthy. Please remember that! I love you.

Feel free to join my #selfhelpforstudents100Days challenge (aka me doing the 100 Days of Productivity Challenge and motivating y'all haha).

Also feel free to join our study/mental health server on Discord. We’re doing self help “group therapy” calls, studying together and much more. We’re stronger together!

We are currently working on a website to help students with studying and mental health issues. My post about it.

Love, Sophia