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things have been feeling a lot better around here now that I’ve settled into my semester classes. happy spring!

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No Longer a Secret

Hello! I have something to tell you all--I am a DACAmented student. 

What does this mean? I am an undocumented immigrant who has temporary protection from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program created via executive order under the Obama administration. 

I was brought to the country illegally when I was a year old and have spent the past 17 years of my life trying to navigate through the uncertainty that is living without papers. For 17 years I have been in the dark, trembling in fear whenever I saw a police car and working my hardest in school even when a professional career seemed unreachable to me. 

Applying to colleges has taught me that there is a large support system out there for students like myself. The numerous people who have guided me through the college application process have helped me realize that being DACAmented is not something that I have to hide or be ashamed of. It is not my fault that I was brought to the US illegally, and I am no less American than someone who was born here. The United States is my home. 

I don’t know how long this protection will last but I will use every moment of my time here to learn, better myself, and pursue my dreams. 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me!

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Update

I haven’t been active on Tumblr in over a year so I just wanted to give y’all an update about my school life. 

1. I’ve graduated high school and earned my IB diploma! High school was a challenge and a complete nightmare now that I reflect on the last four years of my life. 

2. I applied to 17, yes, SEVENTEEN schools this year and ultimately chose an amazing university in New York! 

3. The scholarship from the university ended up covering all of my costs with some money left over so I am getting paid to go to college. This has been an absolute dream come true--especially because I was convinced until late April that I would have to take a gap year in order to work and earn enough money to pay for college. 

4. I’ll be majoring in International Relations! I might double major in political science too but I need to talk to a counselor about it first since I also have my pre-med requirements to complete.

5. I leave for NY in 12 days. Just thinking about it makes me miss my mom terribly. I don’t know how I will survive without her. 

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Hey guys! It’s back to school time, which for a lot of us also means moving back into dorm rooms. Here’s a list of everything I’m bringing with me this year, to give you an idea of what you need! 

bedding

A lightweight quilt (I can add blankets in the winter, without having to burn up in the summer)

Two sets of twin XL sheets (one nicer set, and a $5 set for laundry day)

A comfy mattress pad. Dorm beds are uncomfortable on their own!

Two blankets (one for regular bed use, the other as an extra or for studying on the quad)

Two normal pillows (the same ones I use every night at home)

Four throw pillows (It seems like a lot, but I do a lot of studying/watching TV from bed, and they make that way easy + comfier.)

A body pillow, so I’m not rolling into the wall all the time

bath

A robe 

A sturdy shower caddy (I got a cheap one the first year, and had to replace it by fall break. shampoo bottles are heavy!)

Three towels + 10 wash cloths (they do double duty as dust rags, drying cloths, you name it)

All my usual soaps/shampoos/toiletries 

clothes

Shirts: I bring mostly plain t shirts/tank tops that can work with lots of outfits, then all the nicer “cute” shirts I have (which isn’t a lot), and then a handful of graphic t shirts. You’ll end up with a lot of free shirts, so go easy on that type. 

Pants: Five pairs of jeans (three different shades of blue denim, two black); four pairs of shorts; all the athletic shorts I own, because those are the best for really hot days/lazy days/every day, really. 

Dresses: One nice “interview” dress and three casual for class/church/hanging out. You’ll need more if you plan on rushing a sorority or working in an office with a dress code. 

Pajamas: three sleep shirts (you’ll acquire more, I promise), three pairs of sleep shorts, and two pairs long pajama pants.

Jackets: a hoodie, a denim jacket, a Patagonia pullover for now. After fall break, I’ll bring a light trench coat, and a heavier cold weather coat. 

Shoes: comfort is key! I’m packing Chaco sandals and Vans for wearing to class, a pair of nicer sandals and heels for when I want to look cute.

Rain boots and a rain coat are a life saver. I rarely use them at home, but you don’t really have the option to stay out of the rain at school. 

Definitely keep in mind your lifestyle when packing clothes! Bring what you normally wear and are comfortable in.

Also, plan on leaving clothes to bring back after break. Space is tight, so you don’t want all your winter coats in August if you can help it! Although, keep a couple out of season clothes on hand in case you get an early cold snap, or a freak warm day in February. 

study

Desk lamp

Notebooks/paper/whatever you need for clas

Bulletin board/white board

Wall calendar

Cups for pens, drawer organizers, etc

Tape – scotch and duct

Sticky notes, push pins, etc – typical desk things

storage

Ikea rolling cart (you know the one)

Plastic three-drawer organizer

Tupperware bins

Two smallish trunks (from TJ Maxx)

All go under my bed!

cleaning

Clorox wipes

Lysol (for when your roommates sick and you have three tests next week and have no time to sneeze)

Dust pan and broom

Dish soap + sponge

Tide pods (so much easier than lugging a huge bottle up the stairs)

Laundry hamper (small, or else you’ll put off doing laundry until you have zero clothes left)

Laundry bag/basket

misc.

Floor lamp (dorm lighting is depressing)

Rug (cold floors!)

Pictures and posters

A futon, fridge, coffee maker, TV – if you and your roommates decide you need them. Split up who brings what!

Board games and a deck of cards

Your favorite movies

Leave the books at home! You won’t have time to read them, and they’ll just end up collecting dust. 

My school allows you to check out things like pots and pans, vacuums, and even movies. Find out if your school does this and you may be able to knock some items off your list!

Of course, everyone is different and every school is different. Definitely do some research on your specific school and building, because what works for me might not be exactly what you need.

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wow senior year is already killing me 

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Hi, I was reading your very informative post on colleges and thank u so much??? but also that leads me to another question: what am i?? i rly don't wanna ask this question and i'm hoping you can answer this in private but i'm a naturalized american citizen from the philippines who's first language is english and i also attend an ib school that's fairly above. am i still considered a minority first generation student? would it be right to get a scholarship?? thank you so much if you answer this!!

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to answer this privately due to your anonymity. 

The term “first-generation immigrant” has an ambiguous meaning. Some people use it to describe the first generation of a family to be born in the U.S. and others use it for the first in the family to be naturalized/granted permanent residence. If you need this information for a scholarship, I recommend contacting the organization to ask what their particular definition is. However, you are still considered a minority student since you’re from the Philippines. Hope this helps! :))

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These are things I learnt that seem really tedious at first, but end up saving a lot of time 😁. Calculating squares of numbers ending with 5 I can tell you almost right away that the square of 135 is 18225, and that of 285 is 81225. It is really easy!! We know that squares of all the numbers ending with 5(like 135) end with 25. You can figure out what comes in front of 25 by multiplying whatever number comes before the 5 (like 13 in 135) by it’s next largest number (14). Go ahead and try it, it’s amazing! 

The Doubling Rule 208x2 is so much easier than 26x16, right? All we have to do is 26x16 =26x2x2x2x2 =52x2x2x2 =104x2x2 =208x2 =416 We might feel like this is so much work, but it reduces our chances of making a silly mistake by a lot! 

Multiplying by 11 This is extremely useful when we use π= 22/7  Add zero to the beginning and end of the number you want to multiply by 11 (like 279 becomes 02790 ) Start adding numbers from right to left like over here:

 It follows the carry forward rule like we use for adding numbers. So 279x11=3069 

Multiplying 2 digit numbers (like 57x21) This will follow what we call the IXI technique

Here 1st I  7x1=7  X    5x1+2x7= 5+14=19 2nd I  5x2=10 We add the result after arranging numbers like we do after the long multiplication method and we have the answer in a shorter and less muddled way(easier to spot a stupid mistake!)  Multiplying 3 digit numbers (like 112x312 ) This’ll follow what we call the IX*XI technique

Here 1st I   2x2=4         1st X 1x2+1x2=4     Asterisk Starr 1x2+3x2+1x1= 9    2nd X 1x1+3x1=4        2nd I 1x3=3

We have to add the result after arranging numbers like we do after the long multiplication method (this is like the 2 digit multiplication, except this stars a star)

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Summer Vacation:

When you have so many things you want to do/need to do that you end up doing nothing in bed because you don’t know where to start. 

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Hi all! Grace here.

I am not yet studying Anatomy and probably won’t until next year, but I decided to look up sources relating to Anatomy and gather them here for future reference! I will be adding more to it as I find more. If you are currently studying Anatomy or already have, please let me know if there were sources you are using/did use that were/are helpful so I can add them! :)

Nurse Journal

Human Body Images

Gross Anatomy

E-Skeleton

Human Anatomy

Introduction to the Human Body

Digestive System: The Inside Story

Body Parts Game

The Immune System

Human Anatomy Learning Modules

The Respiratory System

Anatomy of the Eye

Digestive Disorders and Anatomy

Anatomy Flashcards

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Blood Type Lesson Plan

Introduction to Human Genetics

Anatomy of the Human Brain

Heart Anatomy

Anatomy of the Lungs

NYU Virtual Microscope

Muscle Quizzes

Parts of the Brain

Dermatology Glossary

Interactive Body Games

Anatomical Images

The Bone Box

Muscles of the Body

Anatomy and Physiology Course 

Human Body Maps

The Digestive System

Interactive Case Studies

Online Biology Book

Radiographic Anatomy 

Body Guide: Skin

Immunity Guide

Anatomy Self-Test

I hope this is helpful! x

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The MCAT is the admissions test for those applying to medical school in America and Canada (less emphasis). It is a 7.5 hour test composed of 4 sections. This masterpost is a compilation of MCAT resources I have found and pulled together to help those preparing for their MCAT exam.

Disclaimer: I do not endorse one test prep company over another; I also do not guarantee that this is a conclusive resource list; there are several other resources out there as well that may or may not have been mentioned in this guide. 

Here’s a quick break down of the exam (table provided by Princeton Review):

General Tips

Take practice exams! Practice tests are not always a huge indicator to how well you will do on the actual exam but rather a way to familiarize yourself with the exam. Take practice exams like it’s test day. Whatever you do, don’t retake a practice exam. 

Have a study schedule that you will stick to like super Gorilla glue.

Plan on spending about 3-6 months/ one semester to prepare for the MCAT. If you are planning to study for the MCAT while in classes, take a light-weight course load that semester. 

Register early for the MCAT. It’s harder to get spots later on.

Make condensed one-page outlines of what you learn for each chapter.

Practice timing yourself and take your breaks. This is a 7.5 hour exam, you need the stamina and you need the breaks before your brain goes haywire. The test does not have a designated “alarm”. 

Flashcards! *Pile all your flashcards together and shuffle frequently; all information that you learn is connected together.

Make your own mnemonics. 

Think quick; think smart. The MCAT is meant to test you on how well you can think like a doctor. 

The best (and most popular) time to take the MCAT is in late May to early July of your third year. 

Do not cram. 

Do not study one subject at a time.

Don’t leave a question unanswered. 

General Resources 

bolded are my favorite resources

AAMC: your go-to website for MCAT stuff because they write the test

KhanAcademy MCAT: AAMC and KhanAcademy have partnered up to help students with free resources to tackle the MCAT

Princeton Review MCAT study guide

Princeton Review Free Online Practice MCAT

Kaplan: What changed on the test

Kaplan Free Online Practice MCAT

109 Tips & Strategies for the MCAT

ExamCrackers MCAT

StudyGuideZone’s MCAT study guide

Free MCAT study materials

Berkley Review books for MCAT

Kaplan’s MCAT quick sheets

Reddit’s MCAT content review: scroll down and take a look at the “what are the study materials out there” and the “free study materials” sections 

Other References

simplewanderings​​‘s MCAT tag

ephie-ubc-science’s experience with the 2015 MCAT

studycyclops’s 12 week mcat study schedule

premedtomd’s MCAT study schedule

How to Prepare for the MCAT

Reddit MCAT forum

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Things to put in your bujo:

Trackers :

Weight

Exercise

Water

Moods

Habits

Bills

Savings

Expenses

Online shopping

Sleep

Dreams

Periods

Whether

prayers

Grades

Assignments

Study

productivity

reading

Things learned today

Daily reminders

Graduate log

Collections :

yearly goals

New year Resolution page

Birthdays

Contacts

Food recipes

Cleaning schedule

First aid checklist

Level 10 life

Curiosity page

Morning routine

Night routine

Movies watched/ to watch

Tv shows watched/ to watch

Books read/ to read

Poetry

Movie/book quote

Letter to your future self

Travel Journal mood board

memories log

brain dump

about the week

appointments

a month of happiness

Advices

Packing list

Ways to relax

your fears and how to overcome them

5-year plan

music log

Class schedule

Swatches

Handwriting samples

lists :

Bucket list

List of achievements

What I’m working for (motivational!)

Beautiful words to use more often

your overused words and phrases

Things that inspire you

Things that you love

Things you find funny

Words that inspire you

things that make you happy

Things to do when you’re stressed out

Things to do when you’re bored

Things you want/need

Things to try

Rainy day to do list

Favorite smells

Favorite games

Favorite food

Favorite songs/artists

Skills to learn

drinks to try

Topics to self-study

Places you have been/ want to visit

Useful websites

Mood Playlist

Line a day diary

Plants care guide

Concert list

master chore list

Color schemes 

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sis... your education, career, and money will never wake up one day and decide to leave you

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ATTENTION RISING SENIORS The college application process can be confusing and overwhelming. This ordeal is especially daunting for those of us who don’t have parents or older siblings who can guide us and answer our questions about college. Don’t worry! We can figure this out together. 

Disclaimer: This post only applies to US students who are looking to attend a US college/university. 

The first step in the college application process is to decide which schools you want to apply to. 

Types Big vs Small Schools Campus Setting

College Search Tools Big Future College Search College Greenlight - A resource for first-generation and minority students I’m First - Another tool for first-generation students College Scorecard Colleges That Change Lives Other Resources List of Colleges that Meet 100% Financial Aid Needs

Other Important Factors

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

Retention rate - percentage of students who return for their sophomore year

Graduation Rate

Public vs Private

For profit vs. nonprofit - I advise against going to a for profit college. I’ll make a more detailed post about this later.

Top areas of study - If you apply to study Pre-med at a college that is known for their Pre-med program, there will be a tremendous degree of competition. 

Financial aid - Every school has a different financial aid policy. 

Once you know what types of colleges you’re looking for, the next step is to create your college list. A balanced list includes 6-8 schools (you can add more depending on how much time you have for the applications) and has a variety of safety, target, and reach colleges. 

Safety - schools with expected test scores and GPA that are lower than yours Target - schools with expected test scores and GPA that are around yours Reach - schools with expected test scores and GPA that are higher than yours

No matter how high your test scores and GPA are, any school with an acceptance rate lower than 20% should be considered a reach school. All colleges on your list should be those that you wouldn’t mind attending so choose schools that meet your needs and preferences! Having a good and balanced list ensures that you get accepted by at least one college. 

Additional Information/Tips

Your college list is YOURS because it is specifically catered to YOUR needs. Don’t copy it from a list of good schools. 

There are hundreds of amazing schools that aren’t an Ivy League. 

 Apply to at least one school in your state.

Make note of the application requirements for each school. It’s less time-consuming to apply to schools through the common application or the coalition application but many schools have additional requirements. 

You should have a solidified list before you start your senior year.

Feel free to add to this post if you have more resources or tips!

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Words to replace said, except this actually helps

I got pretty fed up with looking for words to replace said because they weren’t sorted in a way I could easily use/find them for the right time. So I did some myself.

IN RESPONSE TO Acknowledged Answered Protested

INPUT/JOIN CONVERSATION/ASK Added Implored Inquired Insisted Proposed Queried Questioned Recommended Testified

GUILTY/RELUCTANCE/SORRY Admitted Apologized Conceded Confessed Professed

FOR SOMEONE ELSE Advised Criticized Suggested

JUST CHECKING Affirmed Agreed Alleged Confirmed

LOUD Announced Chanted Crowed

LEWD/CUTE/SECRET SPY FEEL Appealed Disclosed Moaned

ANGRY FUCK OFF MATE WANNA FIGHT Argued Barked Challenged Cursed Fumed Growled Hissed Roared Swore

SMARTASS Articulated Asserted Assured Avowed Claimed Commanded Cross-examined Demanded Digressed Directed Foretold Instructed Interrupted Predicted Proclaimed Quoted Theorized

ASSHOLE Bellowed Boasted Bragged

NERVOUS TRAINWRECK Babbled Bawled Mumbled Sputtered Stammered Stuttered

SUAVE MOTHERFUCKER Bargained Divulged Disclosed Exhorted

FIRST OFF Began

LASTLY Concluded Concurred

WEAK PUSY Begged Blurted Complained Cried Faltered Fretted

HAPPY/LOL Cajoled Exclaimed Gushed Jested Joked Laughed

WEIRDLY HAPPY/EXCITED Extolled Jabbered Raved

BRUH, CHILL Cautioned Warned

ACTUALLY, YOU’RE WRONG Chided Contended Corrected Countered Debated Elaborated Objected Ranted Retorted

CHILL SAVAGE Commented Continued Observed Surmised

LISTEN BUDDY Enunciated Explained Elaborated Hinted Implied Lectured Reiterated Recited Reminded Stressed

BRUH I NEED U AND U NEED ME Confided Offered Urged

FINE Consented Decided

TOO EMO FULL OF EMOTIONS Croaked Lamented Pledged Sobbed Sympathized Wailed Whimpered

JUST SAYING Declared Decreed Mentioned Noted Pointed out Postulated Speculated Stated Told Vouched

WASN’T ME Denied Lied

EVIL SMARTASS Dictated Equivocated Ordered Reprimanded Threatened

BORED Droned Sighed

SHHHH IT’S QUIET TIME Echoed Mumbled Murmured Muttered Uttered Whispered

DRAMA QUEEN Exaggerated Panted Pleaded Prayed Preached

OH SHIT Gasped Marveled Screamed Screeched Shouted Shrieked Yelped Yelled

ANNOYED Grumbled Grunted Jeered Quipped Scolded Snapped Snarled Sneered

ANNOYING Nagged

I DON’T REALLY CARE BUT WHATEVER Guessed Ventured

I’M DRUNK OR JUST BEING WEIRDLY EXPRESSIVE FOR A POINT/SARCASM Hooted Howled Yowled

I WONDER Pondered Voiced Wondered

OH, YEAH, WHOOPS Recalled Recited Remembered

SURPRISE BITCH Revealed

IT SEEMS FAKE BUT OKAY/HA ACTUALLY FUNNY BUT I DON’T WANT TO LAUGH OUT LOUD Scoffed Snickered Snorted

BITCHY Tattled Taunted Teased

Edit: People, I’m an English and creative writing double major in college; I understand that there’s nothing wrong with simply using “said.” This was just for fun, and it comes in handy when I need to add pizzazz. 

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Get up early. Stay focused. Watch less TV. Read more books. Avoid time wasters. Invest in your health. Take calculated risks. Write down your goals. Work smarter, not harder. Do something you believe in. Foster meaningful relationships.

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Turned in 12 virtual school assignments today.

I feel so accomplished.

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Things That Made Me Smile Today (Work Edition)

1. We found a tiny mushroom in the mushroom box so I named it Walter and made it a little paper home. Walter sat at the bar all day but almost died when one of the servers tried to cook him with a lighter.

2. At the restaurant we have an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and on the weekends I (the hostess) am not allowed to seat one person BBQs. As I was explaining this policy to a kind gentleman who came alone, the two women who were next in line offered the man a seat at their table. Every time I passed their table I got a glimpse of a developing friendship.

3. A guy eating BBQ was carefully adding salt to his meat when an entire avalanche of it fell onto his plate. He made the biggest “OH NO” face and his girlfriend laughed so hard.

4. A young couple with a small child walked in to place a takeout order. The man explained to me that he and his wife wanted to have a special date but couldn’t dine in because of their child. He asked if there are nicer plates (other than the styrofoam boxes) and later asked about the price for a bottle of wine. The wine was too expensive so they ended up getting only 3 sushi rolls but it was heartwarming to see the husband try to create a romantic atmosphere for his wife.

5. Another guy ordered a bento box for takeout and tipped me in spite of the fact that he had to come back in for the California roll that I forgot to give him.

6. I spilled coke while cleaning a table and heard the people at another table say, “Look away so she doesn’t feel embarrassed.”

I don’t enjoy being at work (especially when there are crappy customers) but the small things that make me smile improve my day.