mochas-studies-blog

[mochas-studies-blog]

Bullet Journaling: A Guide

I’ve decided to make a little guide for anyone who might be thinking about starting a bujo but doesn’t know where to begin. 

What is a bullet journal and why should you have one?

It can work as a mix of a to-do-list, planner, diary, art journal, notebook, tracker etc.

you can use it as a planner for your work/school life, personal life or a mix of both

Tbh it can be anything you want, that’s what so nice about a bujo, some things may work for you and some things might not!

Use it to have some quality time with yourself, relaxing, being creative, getting your shit together. I think everyone has different reasons for having one. I do it because it helps me relax, makes me remember all I have to do and then it’s also a way for me to stay a little creative when I don’t normally have time to paint and draw so much.

What do you need to start a bullet journal?

You might have seen a lot of extremely beautiful pictures floating around the internet with expensive notebooks and fancy pens, but you don’t need anything like that at all. This is what I think you need:

Some kind of notebook. It doesn’t really matter which one, some people like Lechtturm or Moleskine, but any notebook you have lying around will work just fine. (Maybe just don’t get one with 300 pages as it will seem overwhelming to have to finish it)

Pay attention to if it has blank, lined, gritted or dotted pages tho! For a journal focusing mostly on art, I would recommend blank pages, and for writing a lined. If you want your journal to have perfectly straight lines, a gritted journal will probably work the best. If you want something in between or don’t really know exactly what you want, I think you should choose the dotted one (that’s also what I use).

Some kind of pens and pencils. Just pay attention to if they will bleed through your pages!

Optional: Scraps of paper, colored tape (washi tape), (polaroid) pictures, old tickets, stickers, watercolors, pressed flowers, cute wrapping paper or literally anything you have lying around or anything you think look cute! 

Practical things like glue, a ruler, a scissor

What should/could you put in your bullet journal?

I will give you a lot of ideas to spreads etc but don’t make them just because. Some things will work for you and a lot of things probably won’t. It can be tiring to make a lot of pages with things that don’t help you at all. Your bujo shouldn’t feel like a burden, so if you find a spread not working for you, then simply drop it :) 

*Start off with an intro page, maybe write your name, phone number and email in case it gets lost. Your bujo can quickly become one of your most beloved things so be careful!

*Make a key page with what symbols will you be using for tasks, completed tasks, events, birthdays, appointments etc.

*Maybe make an index. Some people like using it, but I abandoned mine pretty quickly, so again, that’s up to you.

*Yearly overview

*Monthly overview

*Weekly spreads. Most people include these pages and they might be the ones you will use the most with daily to-do-lists and the like.

*You can let your spreads be inspired by lots of different things as colors, seasons, holidays, the movie you just watched, an album, a place, a smell, a feeling, outer space, a person etc. Also don’t be afraid to play with different shapes and textures.

Page over your contacts, and important birthdays

*Habit tracker page (you can track sleep, water, exercise, spendings, medication, yoga etc) This can also easily be incorporated in your weekly spreads.

*Since we are close to the new year, you can do resolutions for the year.

Monthly/weekly/daily goals

*Memory pages. These could include a spread from new years, Christmas or a café trip with a good friend.

*Travel logs. You can write it like a diary or just glue in tickets and draw something.

*Gratitude log. Write 1-3 things every day that you are grateful for.

*Movies/series to watch

Books to read

*Book reviews

Music to listen to

*Favourite songs

Bucket list

*Paint test pages

*Brain dump pages

School assignments overview

*Grade tracker

*Exam planner

Class schedule

Favourite lyrics

*Favourite quotes

Gift ideas

*Christmas gifts planner

Wishlist. Update it whenever something pops into your mind so you will have some wishes when people ask you.

Dream log

Passwords for different websites

Countdown page

*Mood tracker

*Random doodle page

Highlights of 2018

Un-do list (bad habits)

Handwriting practice

*Different writing challenges like 6-word stories or a sentence a day.

Playlists for different moods

List of your favourite things

Savings tracker

Your budget

+ literally a thousand more!

*The ones I’ve tried

General tips

When you start your journal it can be very hard to be satisfied with it right away and you might be tempted to rip out pages. If you think this will happen, I suggest numbering your pages from the start. I would recommend not ripping anything out anyway because when you’re 50 pages in, it’s fun to see how much it has changed over time.

if you want your bujo to be a little artsy, I would recommend always outlining with a pencil before you start using your pens.

If you don’t feel like an index will work but you still want it to be organized, you can color code it with tape on the side of the paper. Ex. you can use your red flower tape every time you start a new month.

Check tags like #bujo #bulletjournal #weeklyspread and #journal on social media to get tons of inspiration. 

Check some of my favourite bujoblrs out like: @bujo-rd @bujo-ie @howlsmovingdesk @peachdanik-journal @studylustre @studygramjess @studyblr @problematicprocrastinator @kaylareads @heyrosiebee @academi @ohghiblies @hannybstudies @therobotstudies @studyquill @vanillastudies  @stillstudies + many many more. You can also check out my blog for inspiration.

I think that’s about it, I hope I covered it okay. Happy bullet journaling!

- Bujowsofie

[mochas-studies-blog]

things to do on sundays to recharge and make the upcoming week awesome

• clean ya room (just do it). also, check those pinterest boards you save for “one day” and actually go through them and draw some inspiration, even if you just end up rearranging the books on your bookshelf or putting some flowers from your garden in a mason jar on your desk. this is your home, make it feel like it is.

• do your laundry (also, don’t forget your bed sheets). if you’re in the mood, look at next week’s weather forecast and think about what you’re going to wear. go through your drawers, check the back of your closet. that hat you bought some time ago and forgot about because you didn’t dare to wear it? well… new week, new you, right? 

• call a friend/family member you haven’t talked to in a while, tell them you miss them. tell them you love them. remember and appreciate that they are a part of your life even if it doesn’t feel like it all the time.

• draw, paint, journal, write or make some music. something you know you love doing but “never find the time”. sunday is “finding-the-time day”. if you’re not feeling creative, read a book or watch your favorite show. or watch a new show. a scary show. a funny show. laugh as loud as you want. listen to music. listen to your favorite songs, or listen to new songs. even a new genre if you dare. turn the volume all the way up. take a second to consciously feel the music. you can always get up and dance. or sing. or both.

• the great, but still really effective classic: take a bath or a really long shower. if you have this special face or hair mask you’re saving up for a special occasion: congrats, you’re the special occasion today. use it. also, body lotion. we all know you’re going to be running late during the week and skip it one too many times. make yourself feel like the goddess you are. 

• sit in silence for a few moments. listen to your breath. listen to your heartbeat. for the love of god PLEASE listen to your thoughts for once in your life. don’t make them feel like they are wrong. or bothersome. they too just want to be heard once in a while. what are they trying to tell you? what could be soothing for them? be compassionate to yourself. it’s okay. you are okay. you are okay.

• think about things you can be grateful for next week. even if you feel like your life sucks atm, think about the small things you take for granted in a different way. for example: “next week, i will have access to clean water. CLEAN. WATER. 844 million people don’t have that.” or “next week, my legs will take me wherever i want to go. not everybody has two fully functioning legs, so i’m lucky in that way.” you’re allowed to feel bad about your life, but you’re also allowed to feel good about things. 

• if you’ve stayed home most of the week, go out. go for a walk. go swimming. go to a party or dinner with friends. even if you feel like you don’t need to see the outside world, chances are you’ll feel great after you do. if you feel like you’ve been running around all week, maybe you’d like to stay home today. put on your ugliest sweater, comfiest leggings, and fluffiest socks and curl up under a thousand blankets. you a sloth today and it’s okay. 

• eat. i mean honestly: eat THE THING. i don’t care if you’re on a diet. if there’s something you’ve been craving all week that has turned you into the veiny-neck-dude meme just trying to resist it: EAT IT. you deserve it. not because you worked out or ate salads or did well in school, but just because you’re a human and you love to eat and life is short and you should be allowed to eat yummy things. it’s okay. you won’t gain 5 pounds or lose your brain cells no matter how unhealthy it is, i promise.

• plan plan plan yo week. it doesn’t matter if you use a planner, bullet journal, the calendar on your phone or the notes app: write everything down you have going on next week. appointments. events. coffee-dates. when are you going to the gym? what are you going to eat? (meal prep if necessary) also, create reminders on your phone for everything. “i won’t forget it!” is a sweet thought, but oh honey you will. schedule reminders for every event. let your phone remind you that you need to buy toilet paper when the store is nearby. schedule daily reminders for your medications. (once you’ve done this it honestly feels like you just cleaned out 38GB of your brain, you simply don’t have to worry about that anymore, space for more important info, like your new favorite pun to annoy everyone with)

• most importantly: listen to what your mind and your body need today and next week. daily life is so full of “should-do”s that it’s important to find a healthy balance between the “should”s and the “need”s. you will be much more productive, healthy and happy that way. nobody knows you better than you do, take advantage of that and plan accordingly.

[mochas-studies-blog]

uni is literally just like *receives an email* * receives an email* *receives an email* * receives an email* *receives an email* * receives an email* *receives an email* * re

[mochas-studies-blog]

Hey so, I decided to do another masterpost. This time on exams. Some tips for studying at the very last minute if you are like me, disclaimer: I am not in any way supporting cramming but this is just to help you through if you are left with no choice other than cramming.

Cramming

Cramming tips that actually work by @optomstudies

The night before the exam

What to do the night before an exam by @beautifullearning

The night before your exam by @tiny-personal-university-thing

The night before exam and I didn’t study guide by @renaistudying

The night before test and I haven’t started studying by @getstudyblr

Revision methods

Revision methods that actually work by @alimastudies

The 5 Best Revision Methods by @bstudies

Study tips

More unconventional study tips by @minimaliststudy

A stash of tiny study tips by @justestjarchives

College study tips that actually help by @samsstudygram

Five tips for study marathons by @booksavolonte

General study tips by @plantednotes

More study tips

My study tips by @anatomyandcappuccini

My study tips

Personal study tips

Quickfire study tips by @annabaestudying

Quick study tip by @studyspiratiom-coffee

Rare study tips by @studybllog

Scientifically proven study tips by @swankiegrades

Secret study tips I wish someone would have told me by @fearlessroadtomd

Some rare study tips by @organisedorgana

Top 5 study tips by @studyign

Weird study tip by @artemissstudies

101 study tips by @study-early

Study tips by @howtohighschool

Study tips from someone who has already been there by @haylstudies

Study tips straight from my professor by @just-refuse-to-be-stopped

Study tips that helped me get back on my feet by @sillydaisies

Study tips that aren’t bullshit by @thebitchwhomadeit

Tips for effective study by @kimtented

How I write revision summaries by @athenastudying

Ways to study for exams that are actually productive

10 mistakes when studying by @howtostudyquick

Memorising information

How to memorise information by @monetstudy

How to memorise information faster by @qxzu

Memorization tips by @aescademic

Memorization tips by @determinationandcaffeine

Memorization tips by @studyquill

Exam tips

How to cope with exams by @uk-studying

How to revise for exams by @a-pro-s-studyblr

Studying for exams by @orangeblossomstudies

Tips for doing well on your exams by @aboysstudyblr

Tips for doing well on your exams by @thepeachystudies

Exam tips by @studywithmaggie

Exam guides

Finals: study guide for the brave by @educatier

Pennyfynotes guide to exam season by @pennyfynotes

Quick guide to doing the finals by @inkskinned

Test taking tips

How I revise for exams + tests

How to study for a test by @tbhstudying

My test taking tips by @55studies

Test taking tips

Exam preparation

How to make a stress free exam plan by @marias-studyblr

How to mentally prep yourself for a test by @eruditicn

Procrastination

How to beat procrastination by @eintsein

Types of procrastination and how to deal with them by @emmastudies

Time management

Time management by @academiceve

Time management tips for busy students

Motivation

My motivation tag

Other masterposts by me

Notetaking masterpost

College advice masterpost

Apps for students masterpost

Icon credits to @rhubarbstudies

[mochas-studies-blog]

read this out loud:

• I am allowed to take a break today

• It’s not selfish to put my feelings and health first

• I need to remember to care for myself

• I should be allowed to express myself, I am lovely as I am

[mochas-studies-blog]

Night. Moon. A Coruña.

A Coruña. A noite. A lua.

[mochas-studies-blog]

Hi Maria. Something that's been really bothering me lately is that none of my teachers take me seriously. I'm a great student, and even in classes where I get straight 100s my teachers seem to exclude me from this "clique". 1/2

I’ll be sitting next to my friend (who’s also a great student) and finish solving a problem, and the minute he’s also finished my teacher would tell him something like “already done! How do you do that?”. And I have far worse examples. I honestly don’t know if it’s because I’m a girl or if it’s because of the way I dress and look (also “girly”). It’s throwing me off balance and makes me forget what’s important. Do you any tips as for how not to care? 2/2

Hi love! 

Unfortunately, with discrimination and biases, there’s no way to feel fine about it. Injustice is injustice. There’s no way to look it in the face and not feel anything. You are being done wrong, and it’s not your fault - at all - it’s not who you are! Don’t try to find reasons on why some people are disrespecting you - doesn’t matter if your appearance is “girly” or not, it’s nothing to do with you. It’s all on the person who is disrespecting you. They are the one who isn’t in the right head space.

Don’t be hard on yourself. I know you are blaming yourself for this, thinking it’s the way you dress or act, and let me assure once again: it is not. Don’t blame yourself. A teacher should respect a student for their worth, understand how wonderful it is that ALL their students are different, come in a million different shapes and forms, and every single one has the potential to do brilliant things. A teacher should reward high achievements like yours. If the teachers are biased, unfortunately, this has most likely happened to many other students. It sucks. Is there anything you can do to change their mind? Probably not.

There’s nothing you can do about it, except continue being the excellent student you are, showing them you can stand up for yourself and having a proud voice.

If I can help with anything, I want it to be this: be confident. Be proud of who you are. Take yourself seriously.

It’s what makes them the most confused. To see you being 100% confident in yourself. Despite any grade, despite how they treat you. Keep your head held high. 

As long as you know in your heart you have your work ethic, live in your own world. You don’t need anyone’s approval to succeed and get those high grades. You will have such a bright future!! this will just be a story to remember how you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, despite obstacles, despite injustice. Remember this is temporary. And you will get out of this shitty situation eventually.

No one can dispute the fact you are an amazing student. besides, the grades prove it. Don’t let anyone’s stupid mindset discourage you from loving school and feeling proud of your achievements.

I wish you didn’t have to go through this, I wish all teachers recognized the value in each student. But you can’t let that get in your head, and I know it’s easier said than done. It’s always nice to get it out of your chest with family and friends, let them support you.

And if you need someone to take yourself seriously, start with yourself, always. Take what you do and who you are seriously, no matter who you are. Take dressing girly seriously. Take dressing ~however you feel like~ seriously. Take your interventions in class, your grades seriously. Help other students, answer questions, raise your hand. Talk loud and seriously. Doesn’t matter other people’s reaction: some people will always be bucket heads, no matter what you do.

It’s your academic life after all, not anyone else’s. I believe in you so much and I feel so mad at the teachers for treating you like that. Please continue striving and believing in yourself.

So to conclude, I hope you can see how you are such an amazing human being who will succeed and be so happy. 💓💓💓 Like you said, don’t forget what’s important. Your well being is the most important thing. Don’t forget YOU are the sun.

And as a final note: please don’t lose faith in teachers… I’ve had teachers who treated me like trash and teachers who were a-ma-zing.

it really varies.

alright, I hope this helped. take care my love! 😊 you are doing AMAZING

KEEP FIGHTING n rock your day. happy holidays 💕⭐ (thank you for sending this message, because I believe it may apply to many other people)

[mochas-studies-blog]

don’t study because you need or have to.

study because knowledge is power.

study because they can never take it away from you.

study because you want to know more.

study because it enhances you.

study because it grows you.

[mochas-studies-blog]

What do u feel when ur final test in first semester not good enough?:" i'm struggling:"""""

It’s completely reasonable to feel sad about getting a lower grade than you expected, especially when you work hard for it! 😐 It really sucks, I definitely feel sad about it. but it’s not the end of the world!!! 

There are a few things I do, but not many, because one of the most important things is recognizing it’s done, it’s over and now it’s time to let go and move on with your life.

The first thing I do is I try to find out how that grade is going to impact my gpa. What grades should I aim for in the future to compensate? can I retake the exam later and try to do better?

Keeping track of the final grades and how they influence your gpa is important so you’re not surprised by it and can set goals and work accordingly.

I also always tell my parents. I like to be open about my grades. Even when I’m really embarrassed about a grade and feel that gut awful feeling, after I tell them, I feel like it’s easier to move along with my life. Like it’s not such a big deal anymore.

 A “bad” grade is not a secret, I don’t have to keep it in. talking about it with family, even if they don’t know what to say to make me feel better, helps me understand that.

Next, I try to understand how to study better for the next one. What should I have done that I didn’t do? how did the people who got better grades studied? What did they do differently? It’s hard and it may feel like rubbing salt on the wound. However, if you don’t understand why you weren’t successful, it will be more difficult to improve.

I used to not to be able to prioritize certain pieces of information and treated every chapter the same way and that ended up being prejudicial for me. I learned that the hard way, but if I got offended by a bad grade and didn’t look further into it, I would have never understood that. I would still be doing that today!

I always think about how can I improve my study methods, and that I’m probably doing something right now that in the future I will say it was a mistake or stupid.

So take a few minutes to quietly ponder the situation, maybe ask your peers how they are studying, and see what you’re missing. It’s okay to miss things, we all do! Even freaking Albert Einstein - name a person, they’ll tell you a thousand stories on how they missed something important. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, no one will judge you. 

It takes being open-minded to try something different and new, to realize maybe it’s time to change some habit or get a new perspective. Asking others for help shouldn’t make you feel bad! Don’t compare your journey with someone else’s. Comparing yourself to others is a buzz killer! it kills all the fun in studying and learning together! I wrote in this ask about comparing yourself to others if you wanna read.

And then, I take care of myself. I try to not crucify myself over a grade. From experience: I’ve had many many many many bad grades. and that has never stopped me from moving forward, achieving academic success and being happy.

Maybe this is the first time you were more disappointed about a grade. I see it now that it always turns out alright, and you will see it too, maybe not now, but later.

Like I said at the beginning of the post, recognize it’s done, it’s over and now it’s time to let go and move on with your life. There’s so much you can do to improve, to be successful in the future, and it all starts with not being tied to the past. Breathing new air and believing you’ll be able to do better.

so I hope this helped. good luck with everything! You are AMAZING 💕💕 please continue rocking your studies and your classes. we all do the best we can, with what we’ve got. that’s what matters for our own peace of mind. :- )

You will have such a bright future.

[mochas-studies-blog]

Hi! Do you know any library science studyblrs? I've found a few but I'd like to follow more. Thanks!

Hello! this one was super tough.. aaah please come out *active* library science studyblrs!! let me know of any other blog you know 😊

@studyinq-bird - library and information science student

@theitsybitsylibrarian - Jane, library and information science grad student

@allmatterofthings - Emily, wants to get master’s degree in library science/ information studies and be a school librarian 

@libscikat -  library science grad student  

i wanted to leave this in:

@libraryresources - collection of resources for library collection development and program planning, made as part of a class assignment by a library school student

@librarology - not a LS student but a pretty darn cool blog about findings of a student worker at their university’s library! :)

[mochas-studies-blog]

How to make a stress free exam study plan

Step 1: be present, be mindful.

Understand what you want, what is worth the fight.

And what I mean by that is finding your true motive (whether it is passion for what you’re learning or passing a class), because often we strive towards this perception of success that doesn’t feel like success. It feels like you are constantly under a spotlight and constantly having to prove yourself to others.

High grades make you feel good but that’s nothing compared to being happy with yourself and with what you’re doing. So make that distinguishment.

Step 2: be very practical and realistic.

What do you have to do and in how much time? Divide tasks by the period of time, without letting stress blur out that mindfulness, through method and simplicity.

Step 3: Be disciplined the following days until the exam without getting too strict with yourself.

“What is soft is strong.” (Lao Tzu)

Strive to create softness and ease throughout the days, get your tasks done but find time for play, rest, presence of mind.

Avoid overworking by starting early or as soon as you can and by working smartly and doing the most important things first, even if you’ve been dreading them.

Bonus Step:

honestly as I’m advancing through my academic years the more I understand you owe nothing to anyone. Good grades come from hard work and perseverance. If we found mindfulness and softness in our academic journeys the less sadness and depression symptoms we would see in our colleagues and in ourselves. Not everything is about the numbers. ❤

[mochas-studies-blog]

8 Things To Quit in 2019

1. Trying to please everyone.

2. Fearing change.

3. Living in the past.

4. Overthinking.

5. Being afraid to be different.

6. Beating yourself up over mistakes.

7. Thinking you’re not good enough.

8. Thinking you have no purpose.

[mochas-studies-blog]

Weird productivity tip

This mostly works for smaller tasks I’ve been putting off for a while but it can be adapted to work however you want: cross it off of your to do list. Now you have to do it or you lied to your to do list. Shame on you.

[mochas-studies-blog]

Hey! How are you? You doing okay? I don't know if your exams started already but good luck! You can do this!! Also I wanted to ask, did you make any goals for 2019? If so, what are they? (if you're ok saying them) For me I want to get my erasmus placement, raise my level of spanish and manage my time better so I can do more of the stuff I like outside of college! Silly one: what Hogwarts house are you? anyway, I hope you're well! Good luck and take care 💛

hello!!

before I give you my update, this is really interesting: I used pottermore to sort myself in a hogwarts house in my 8th-9th grade, so 5-6 years ago, and I got sorted into gryffindor. and since then, i considered myself a gryffindor. and I hadn’t taken the test again.. until today. I was interested in how the website had changed (was pleasantly surprised) and overall curious if I would be sorted into the same house, so i created a new account and retook the test.

and I got sorted into 💛 hufflepuff!💛

i was so surprised because I was expecting to see gryffindor, and as i was taking it in, it made 100% sense to me. I completely see myself as a hufflepuff, and have been for a while buried in my subconscious.

in these 5-6 years I changed to the core of my being. i am not recognizable inside out. I am NOT the same person I was. it is only natural my house would change. upon reflection, I feel like I do have strong traits from both houses, but from people who know me and from looking at my own habits, tastes and personality traits, I think dear dear hufflepuff profoundly suits me best.

I am very fond and proud of my house. 💛🌱

just imagining the sweet common room with the tones of yellow and brown, wood chairs and tables, filled with plants and tangling warm sunlight coming thru the window, with the sound of the singing birds and the fireplace in the background, makes me feel extremely warm and safe.

somewhere i’d be very happy! in the future, it will be fun to see how i will decorate my apartment and what environment i will create for myself and call home.

I continued the sorting and did my patronus, which wasn’t around when I last did the test (the quiz was really really cool) and my patronus is a Borzoi! i love it. so. much. :’’’) 💓 (you can read more about what it means here)  i wasn’t expecting a dog, but once again, it matches perfectly with my personality. i definitely am a dog person, i find safety with dogs. and a true story: i have a stuffed dog ever since i can remember that was given to me when i was a child and that has been guarding my bed still to this day.

I don’t remember what my wand was, I retook it and my wand is a cherry wood with a phoenix feather core, 10 ¾" and quite bendy flexibility. this is the info about the wand (: in case u also obsess over this like i do :)

🌱 ~ cherry: this very rare wand wood creates a wand of strange power, most highly prized by the wizarding students of the school of Mahoutokoro in Japan, where those who own cherry wands have special prestige. The Western wand-purchaser should dispel from their minds any notion that the pink blossom of the living tree makes for a frivolous or merely ornamental wand, for cherry wood often makes a wand that possesses truly lethal power, whatever the core, but if teamed with dragon heartstring, the wand ought never to be teamed with a wizard without exceptional self-control and strength of mind.

🍂 ~ phoenix: this is the rarest core type. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn or dragon cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike. Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.

🍵 ~ quite bendy flexibility: wand flexibility or rigidity denotes the degree of adaptability and willingness to change possessed by the wand-and-owner pair - although, again, this factor ought not to be considered separately from the wand wood, core and length, nor of the owner’s life experience and style of magic, all of which will combine to make the wand in question unique.

i would love to know what yours are too :3 feel free to lmk! ~~  

update:

today was my first exam and ⭐ I PASSED my pharmacology class!! ⭐

¼ done! I didn’t get an A, which was my goal, I got a B, but still am very proud of myself. I learned a lot from this class, I love knowing more and more about medicine.

one of my academic goals for 2019 is to raise my gpa so that’s why i want to have more A’s.

I wrote my goals for 2019 in my planner, divided them into sections “finances”, “habits”, “physical health”, “mental health”, “academic” and “social media”. each one has more specific goals like

save enough money for a trip with my mom in 2020

read 30 books

start using downtime more mindfully (more educational videos, documentaries, books, editing)

maintain normal fitness (blood pressure, blood sugar, weight)

maintain a healthy lifestyle - specifically eating habits and exercise regimen

sleep. SLEEP like a normal human for the love of god maria, please sleep your deserved 8 hours and don’t settle for 4-6 

improve my gpa

continue enjoying my university journey, with disciplined and organized studying

go eat with friends more

as always, keep improving the quality of my posts on social media and post as frequently as I can

overall I am striving to feel accomplished, organized, disciplined, happy. I want to be able to trust myself completely. leave behind, let go of anxiety, sadness that has happened. be able to handle challenges that will come for sure.

one year can change so much. can’t even begin to imagine what this 2019 will bring.~ 🌱💕

everyday we grow more and more.

as always thank u sooo much for writing to me, i really really appreciate it you angel ❤❤ it’s always amazing to hear from you. 🐇 have a great day/night!

[mochas-studies-blog]

hi maria! so, i've been studying english for years now but it's been a while since i stopped speaking bc i have no one to talk to. the thing is that i'm going to be traveling soon and since i'll have to do all the talking i'm afraid i might forget certain words or not fully understand what they're saying, besides not pronouncing things correctly. so, do u have any tips for practicing when you are already at an advanced level? i feel like anything could help a lot rn :') ♡

hello! 🌱

I encourage you to watch english movies/ tv shows with a more complicated language (compared to the mainstream rom-coms, action films) with english subtitles on. Such as The Hobbit, Mad Man, Fringe, Sherlock, House of Cards, Downton Abbey, Silicon Valley, The Theory of Everything, etc. if you don’t know a word, you can stop the movie and look it up. it’s a great technique. 

you can also watch Ted Talks which are normally in english and always have english subs.

this is what has really exposed me to new english expressions and vocabulary that I can later replicate/recognize in day to day life!

 🐤 but listen to this: i am 100% sure you will do really great.

most natives when talking use the most common expressions of the advanced english level and no one will judge you if you mispronounce something because… you’re not a native!! it’s OKAY.

just the fact you learned english and know how to speak something other than your own language is a-ma-zing. 

so reassure yourself by watching more english spoken videos, that’s my tip. as well as not stressing too much about it. Travelling abroad is an amazing experience to cherish and treasure so ENJOY your time!! have fun interacting/talking with the people there because don’t forget: it’s part of the fun not understanding certain words / expressions, being kind of lost, asking for help, and learning new things.

you don’t have to know everything and especially don’t have to dominate a foreign language completely. so have fun!! you’ll be fine 🌹💛

hope this helps even a little, have a great day/night! :))

PS: someone in the comments added something that completely slipped my mind but is REALLY useful and that I also do: podcasts. “Try listening to some podcasts (preferably by native speakers) while you’re doing chores just to get used to the sound of the language.”

the only downfall is that it doesn’t have subtitles. but it’s so fun.

there are a ton of podcasts free on youtube out there and I bet you can find something for you. I recommend The Ricky Gervais Show. every single episode also has animations added to the podcast (the animations make everything 10x funnier) so it’s not really a podcast… but it’s the BEST thing ever. and they use a ton of new expressions I’ve never heard before.

i also listen to interviews like Impact Theory and Health Theory by Tom Bilyeu, any life lessions by Oprah like this Stanford interview or this speech when I’m making my bed, cooking, printing stuff, commuting, etc. ✨🐤

//thanks to @abundanceofwow 😊

[mochas-studies-blog]

Hello maria how are you? Im doing physical therapy and i just feel really embarrassed of what i do. I originally wanted medicine but my grades were too low and now i do physical therapy. Im always looked down upon and viewed as inferior. My family always compare me to my cousins who are doing medicine or my siblings and i just feel really sad lately. How do i get over this feeling of shame? People tell me what i study js pointless. Any advice? Thanks! 💕💕

physical therapy? pointless???1?

oKAY let me take a deep breath before i get ANGRY

Hi! 💕✨ i’m good thank you for asking! a lil stressed amongst the middle of exam season but i’m whole and remaining sane.

what you’re describing is the thing that pisses me off the most about medicine. the mentality a lot of my family members, peers and teachers have that somehow we have ascended to the clouds by being accepted into a particular university science course. why?.. why this one when so many other professions demand the same exact integrity and responsibility?

(and not to mention the comparison to any arts and humanities courses but that isn’t the topic of this ask.)

being a doctor is no more worthy than being a physiotherapist. BOTH professions are very much needed, BOTH professions are so noble. BOTH professions require expertize, so much hard work and passion.

if no one told you that before,,, LET ME BRING YOU UP TO SPEED.

ugh. getting heated already. T^T *sigh* okay.

the experience i have with physical therapy was when I sprained my ankle a few years back. i went to see a doctor and surgeon who told me i needed 2 weeks of physical therapy and needed surgery. i obviously took what he said very seriously and remember crying about it because it seemed the situation was bad.

as soon as i showed the physiotherapist my exams, she took a few seconds. and told me i absolutely did not need surgery. (0.0) what?

her advice and her work were so very valuable to me. the fact she took the time to look at my exams and give her opinion on my case, and not just follow the doctor’s orders, was priceless. i went to her and to her team 5 times a week for 2 months. it’s been 4 years now and my ankle has remained perfect and strong and i have not had any surgery work done to it. i’m obviously not saying all doctors are always wrong, but in this case, he was.

what i’m trying to get to is: doctors are NOT the holy grail of medicine. they do NOT hold a higher standard in the medical field. other people in it, like physiotherapists, should NOT feel “inferior” to doctors. this notion that they are so much better than nurses or physiotherapists or healthcare technicians is so foreign to me. they are not. everyone in the medical field holds a role that is 100% necessary to the patient and if that job didn’t exist, the patient would be in serious trouble.

physiotherapy is something so freaking amazing, and it really pisses me off that your family relatives would try to belittle you or tell you it’s useless… it BLOWS MY MIND.

I remember from my time at the clinic, in those two months, I saw so many cases. all ages and genders, with the widest variety of problems: athletes, accidents, elderly, strokes, chronic conditions … Every time I looked at a physiotherapist I saw a hero. who was not only able to give physical comfort to the patient but also mental comfort. they were their patient’s support in their journey to recover, to gain their strength, their mobility back (if it’s available to them, depending on their condition). they get to know the patient’s body better than the patient themselves do.

most people, like me, had to go 5 times a week or more. physiotherapists get to know their patients, so they grow to care deeply about them. and likewise.

and the situations that present - involving muscle damage, nerve damage, cardiovascular damage - are very interesting in a medical standpoint and you’ll learn, you probably already have, that physical therapy is the most helpful amazing thing ever to recover and grow stronger, it’s the only way possible in certain situations, more helpful than any prescription. it’s so important. it’s also amazing that the patient trusts their body to the hands of their physiotherapist. in their daily work of exercises, electric stimulation - at the end of the day, the patient depends on their physiotherapist for their quality of life. 

people tell you physical therapy is pointless? let them go ask the patients. ask the people at the hospital, at the clinic.

people literally learn how to walk again with physical therapy. what. are. they. talking. about.

please grow fond of this AMAZING field that is physical therapy. physical therapy has many specialties but in general it is about ways to actually improve the quality of life of another human being with constant practice and progress and that, to me, is the most beautiful thing a health care professional can do.

you will learn how electrotherapy techniques like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, manual therapies like joint manipulation and spinal mobilization, manual resistance training, and stretching, exercise programmes like muscle strengthening, posture re-training, cardiovascular stretching help someone who is sick and struggling. you will actually learn how to do these things to another human being who is in pain. you will help them with your expertize. that is beautiful. pure art.

so be proud of your course, defend it! stand up for physical therapy! there is NOTHING, nothing, NOTHING to feel embarrassed about.

people who tell you otherwise are jerks and bean heads.

people around you should fell PROUD of you. I am so freaking proud of you for following this path that many many people don’t bother to. the good service of health care professionals is extremely needed. 

physiotherapists and all other healthcare professionals are ALL part of The Big Team. we are all soldiers who fight for the health of our patients. we are all the holy grail. we each play our part, our role, we do good. we have amazing, rewarding, difficult jobs.

at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what other people say (that rhymed), you can’t control how others feel about you. what matters is you understand how important your course is, how needed you are. we need good physiotherapists. what matters is you know in your heart without you your patients would be in a great deal of pain. they need you to heal.

don’t let someone else decide for you what is a worthy profession. choose for yourself. why did you choose physical therapy and not business school or law or art school or design school? you probably had many other options apart from physical therapy. do you like working with people? do you like studying the human body? what turned your head?

don’t think about anyone else, don’t think about your siblings or your uncles or your cousins or your cousins’ cousins, think WITHIN. no one is going to have your future, not even your parents. you get to decide. you get to feel proud. why are you doing this? do you like the idea of working at a hospital or a clinic? can you imagine yourself working long hours with patients?

i truly believe in my heart that physical therapy is such an honorable profession, just like being a nurse or a doctor. i would LOVE to see you be PROUD and chest full studying in your course alongside your peers, succeeding at it and surprising everyone who told you that you should feel inferior, that you should feel embarrassed. surprising everyone with your unbreakable confidence and trust that you are equal to everyone else in the medical field.

that we are all equal, no matter what course we are studying. people who do art, people who are lawyers - they all serve others, in one way or another. they can all help others. we all have that potential to do good, through so many forms and actions. and physical therapy is an amazing form of that, alongside many many other ways to serve each other.

why feel embarrassed about that? why indeed.

i hope this helped. 🐇

don’t forget that each option in your life is up to you. don’t let your relatives choose for you. be confident in your life decisions, don’t be ashamed of what makes you happy.

i know there’s a long path of acceptance and learning in front of you, to distance who you are from what others perceive of you or tell you who you should be. i know that.

but you are strong. you are so strong, my friend, and you know best. no matter where life takes you, you will have a successful, happy future. ✨💛 doesn’t matter you didn’t get in medicine, doesn’t matter. you. yes, you will have a successful powerful future. and you don’t need anyone else’s approval for that. you only need your hard work and your passion for what you do. there will come others who will appreciate that too.

please consider giving a chance to physical therapy. i love you, you are doing AMAZING 💓 

[mochas-studies-blog]

so your last semester wasn’t great.

we’ve all been there fam. in fact my previous semester was not great either – i got kicked out of my university’s honor program. You need a 3.5 cumulative GPA to stay in, and because of a lot of different circumstances, I finished out with a 3.48 – which is, frankly, better than i deserved. But this semester I’m gonna get a 4.0 and reapply. So here’s how ya do it. 

1. have a good first day. 

a big mistake is to go balls-to-the-wall discipline on your first day. Fuckin… relax, dude. Wake up as early as you need to be ready, but don’t push yourself to be up at 5am or anything like that. Set our your stuff the night before so you can have an easy morning. Treat yourself to a good breakfast or just get that fast food you’ve been craving for lunch. It’s really important not to stress yourself out too much, especially after your last semester kinda sucked, and it’s VERY important not to let yourself automatically associate school with negative emotions like fear and stress, because that will paralyze you down the line when things get more difficult closer to exam season, etc. 

2. don’t be afraid to drop

when going to all your new classes, really seriously evaluate your ability to succeed in a class with that time slot/professor/etc. last semester I had a quantitative reasoning class that was part of our core curriculum – the professor was NOT good at their job, did not teach us the material, and frankly showing up to that class was a waste of my time. What i SHOULD have done was DROP THE DAMN CLASS the first week, and taken it the next semester with a better professor. 

3. limit other activities at first

your first couple weeks of the new semester, cut back on other activities. I’m really active in political stuff going on around my city, and i’m on a leadership team for an organization that does that kind of stuff. I’ve let the team know that I’m not going to be participating, going to meetings, or ANYTHING for the next two weeks while my semester gets started. The reasons for this are many – it helps you get used to the pace of all your classes without being stressed out by other things, it helps you reorganize your priorities and put school first, and it also helps you build credit with your professors, so down the line if you’re having problems (like ‘oh SHIT i forgot this homework’ or ‘FUCK i don’t understand this project i need an extension’) they’ll be more likely to help you out, because they know you’ve been putting the effort in. 

4. try out something new organizationally

if you’re like me, keeping track of assignments is really difficult. I lose papers all the damn time. So this semester I’ve bought one of those accordion file thingies – so I can keep all my papers in one place, while still having them separate and organized. Just remember, the strategy is only one part, but you’re responsible for sticking to it and making it work. 

so there ya have it, friends. you’re ready to start this ‘recovery semester’ off with a bang. you can do it, and so can I!