pauliesuwindiaries

[pauliesuwindiaries]

What I said I'd do vs What I Actually Did

What I said I'd do today:

Finish two readings

Start my essay

Catch up on notes

Sleep before midnight

What I actually did:

Stared at my ceiling

Read the same sentence five times

Got overwhelmed and took a nap

thought about starting my essay...didn't

Sometimes we're productive. Sometimes we're just surviving. Either way, we keep it pushing.

"Expectations is the root of all heartache." - William Shakespeare

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This book isn’t due tomorrow. My paper is. Guess who I picked 🤷🏾‍♀️

[pauliesuwindiaries]

Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting University

University isn't what the aesthetic study Tiktoks made it seem like. I didn't float into lecture halls with a latte and perfect notes, I stumbled in sleep-deprived with a half-charged laptop and emotional damage.

Here are 5 things I had to learn the hard way:

You don't need to do everything. You don't need to joining every club, attend every event, or volunteer for 10 things. Protect your energy. You are not the main character if you burn out by week 3.

Professors are just people. Most of them are actually really chill, especially if you communicate early. Don't ghost your prof. Email them. Be honest. They'll probably help more than you think.

Rereading is not studying. I used to read the same page three times and called it "revision." No. Active recall, practice questions, and teaching it to your cat works way better.

Nobody has it all figured out. That girl who looks flawless in lecture? Probably cried over a 68% last week. Everyone is struggling in their own way. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Take breaks. Real ones. You are not a robot. Rest is productive. Even God rested on the seventh day. Sit in silence, go outside, rewatch your comfort show. Burnout is not a badge of honour.

If you're just starting your university journey, I promise you, you're already going to do better than you think. Remember, it's okay to make mistakes, thats how we learn and grow from them. You got this!

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." - Julius Caesar

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Welcome to my UWin Diaries (a.k.a Chaos, Coffee, & Cramming)

Hi! I'm Paulette. A third year English major, aspiring teacher, a book lover, and proud member of the "I totally have my life together" club (even if that's a lie some days).

I started this blog as part of a class assignment, but also because I have too many thoughts during lectures and no place to put them. So here we are. This blog is basically going to be a mix of:

Academic rants

Study hacks

Reflections during university

Lessons learned the hard way (Shoutout to procrastination)

Whether you're a fellow student or just nosy, I hope you find something in here that makes you feel less alone during the chaos. We're still trying our best, and sometimes that looks like reading 200 pages in one night and pretending you understood all of it.

Stay tuned for more posts that might include emotional spirals, motivational quotes, and occasional English major rants.

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." - William Shakespeare.