sweetrosestudies

[sweetrosestudies]

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.

[sweetrosestudies]

HOW TO GET INTO UNIVERSITY: SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS

Writing a strong personal statement is the key to getting into a top Russell Group (or equivalent) university. Especially for courses without an interview, it is the way for the University to get to know you and why they should choose you to study there. For me, applying to university in 2014 seems like a lifetime ago, and I feel like I have a lot of top tips to share with you all!

1. Talk about why you want to study the course

It might seem obvious but students frequently make the mistake of talking about why they want to be a lawyer, doctor, engineer, etc. but forget to talk about motivations for actually studying the course. Of course, it’s important to talk about your future aspirations, but they shouldn’t be the focus of your statement. How do your current academics relate to what you want to study? If they don’t, what have you read/attended outside of school that makes you interested in it?

2. Remember that the application goes to all of your courses

Yes, you might be incredibly inspired by the professor at UCL, but remember that the Bristol admissions team are reading it too. Save the more personal compliments for open days and interviews.

3. Don’t worry if you don’t have relevant work experience

Don’t panic if you think that your Saturday job in retail doesn’t relate to your desire to study classics. Anything you do outside of school contains transferrable skills that can apply to your studying - time-management, organisation, communication, etc.

4. If you run out of space, ask your teacher

If you find that you have more accomplishments and interests than you have space for, don’t be afraid to ask the teacher who is writing your reference to include them in what they write about you.

5. Avoid quoting others

There’s only so many times admissions teams can read an Aristotle quote without wanting to weep. Instead of wasting your word count on what others have to say, use it to talk about a Ted Talk you’ve watched or an academic paper in that field that you’ve read.

6. Think about your format

Stick to the character/word count (I believe UCAS is 4000 characters or 47 lines). Use full sentences and paragraphs. Spell check. Read it aloud. Show it to others. Have them read it out to you. 

Start with your initial interest in the field, your academic studies, then work experience, and finally your interests and hobbies.

Lines to avoid:

“I’ve always wanted to study…” “For as long as I can remember, I…” “I am passionate about x because…”

If you want to read my personal statement, I have made it available for instant download HERE. Although it is for Law, the format and content can inspire those applying to all courses. My personal statement received all 5 UCAS offers, including an unconditional offer with a scholarship.

DOWNLOAD MY PERSONAL STATEMENT

DOWNLOAD MY PERSONAL STATEMENT

DOWNLOAD MY PERSONAL STATEMENT

[sweetrosestudies]

my brain: please… finish your work early… so we can get some sleep tonight… my procrastinating ass: no.

[sweetrosestudies]

hello, I’m back with another masterpost! this is for all you folks out there who are about to start your senior year of high school! all of these tips are based on my personal experiences, but I think that there is something for everybody here :) so, without further ado, enjoy part 1 of the senior tips series! 

Do your research

Choosing what colleges/universities you want to apply to is tough. There are so many factors to think about when considering a school, everything from potential majors to location, social fit to financial aid. Take your time with this, after all, you will be spending a good amount of time at the campus you ultimately go to!

also, in case the school you go to your first year isn’t your ideal place, you can always use your research as a starting point for possible schools to transfer to

Start ! applications ! over ! the ! summer !

I cannot emphasize this enough like pLEASE work on them! take it from me, someone who did not do this. I was like a lot of you are right now: “oh it’s fine, i have plenty of time to do them, I’ll dedicate all my free time to it,” etc. but no, trust me, you will not have the time or motivation to be as productive as you might think! Even if you are busy or just have a few weeks of summer left, any progress is better than no progress at all

Ask for help

You’re not in this alone, there are tons of students just like you that are going through the same process and those who have already done it. Despite what it may feel like at the time, the college process is designed to be completed by a teenager. You can do it!! But for those times when you feel like you can’t, don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially if you are a first generation student like I am. Ask your counselors as many questions as you have; they are there to help you! Also, ask other people in your life (teachers, friends, siblings, parents, employers, etc) that have been through the process if they have any tips.

Keep track of who you go to, they might be able to write your letters of recommendation as well!

Pro tip: If you have a good enough relationship with your english teacher they might be willing to read over your essays for you! All you have to do is ask

Apply for financial aid early

Coming from a lower-middle class family, money is tight, even on the good days (esp in here the silicon valley!!). I always knew that college was not gonna be easy for me to afford, so I came up with a plan: fill out FAFSA as soon as it opens (often becomes first come, first serve!), start looking for scholarships as early as possible (including summer before senior year), work during the summer and save up! I definitely recommend doing all of these things, even if your family is a little more well off

I hope this helps but if any of you have any questions/more tips make sure to add them! good luck seniors!

[sweetrosestudies]

a short guide to productivity

make a couple responsibility lists, one for school, one for work, one for day to day and any other such commitments you might have

Then mark each responsibility on a scale from one to three on importance/priority

So the next time you feel you have so much to do, you’re getting overwhelmed, look back at this list and start working on the number 3s in priority then complete the number 2s and then number 1s

bonus: When going about your day, arrange it so that for every 2-3 activities you do that will benefit you in the long run, do one activity that will benefit your short term e.g. work on 2 assignments, go for a run then you reward yourself by watching an episode on netflix

[sweetrosestudies]

Handwriting

How to improve your handwriting by @studyquill

How to improve your handwriting by @procrastinatecreate

How to improve your handwriting by @studywithinspo

How to improve my handwriting quickly by @emmastudies

Tips and tricks for handwriting by @tbhstudying

How to improve your cursive

Taking notes

Taking notes by @studybetty

How to take notes by @thatsogerman

How to take notes by @sassy-prefect

How I take notes

How I take notes by @cherstudies

How I take notes by @briellestudies

How I take notes by @academicmind

How I take notes by @parate-regis

My notetaking system

Eintsein guide to note taking by @eintsein

Effective note taking by @afternaomi

Note taking tips by @studywright

Note taking tips by @b-uwu-ng

Note taking tips by @studyfulltime

From textbook

Pretty and helpful textbook note titles by @ariistides

How to take notes from a textbook

How to take notes from a textbook by @rhubarbstudies

How I take textbook notes by @stressedestudiante

Taking notes from textbooks by @noteology

Transformed a complete 300 pages textbook into 13 pages by @study-with-batmicka

From lectures/classes

Taking notes in lectures by @joulesstudies

How to take lecture notes by @letsget-downtobusiness

How to take effective class or lecture notes

How to take notes faster

Studyquirk’s guide to useful symbols and abbreviations for faster lecture note taking by @studyquirk

Symbols and abbreviations for note taking by @mystudentid

How I take notes in-class

Some tips for lectures by @justanotherpsychmajor

Lecture notes by @studypetals

Note taking methods

Note taking systems by @kimtented

Cornell notes by @operationpsych

When to use by @studyhardest

How to use sticky notes by @etudiance

Mind maps vs text notes by @engincrd

Mind maps

A mind map about mind mapping

How to mind map by @study-nsp

For Literature

How I annotate my textbook by @studentstoolbox

How to annotate

Annotate and taking notes from Literature

Annotating effectively by @hideandstudy

For Biology

How to take Biology notes

For History

How to take History notes

For ap euro or any history note taking tips by @simply-study

Colour coding

How to create an effective colour coding system

Colour code notes tips and tricks

A guide to colour code by @oreo-studies

Aesthetic notes

How to illustrate your notes by @reviseordie

Aesthetic notes

Guide to pretty notes by @theorganisedstudent

Tips for writing prettier notes by @focusign

Banners and fonts

App

Microsoft OneNote

Printables

Note taking printables

Gradient notes by @ennui-for-me

6 page exam revision printable pack

Study pack

If you have anything more to add on the list, please feel free to send me an ask.

[sweetrosestudies]

Anatomy Coloring Book is helping me study for my upcoming Grad school Neuroscience Exam!

[sweetrosestudies]

Study Tips that Aren’t Bullshit

Ok. Listen. I just graduated college on time with two degrees, a minor, and a 3.9 GPA, and now that it’s back-to-school time for some of you folks (my grad program doesn’t start until September) I’ve been seeing some study tips that are half-useful but mostly bullshit. So I’m here to give you some tips for collegiate success as a person who was pretty successful in the collegiate realm.

1) The Three to One Rule is Useless

Here’s the truth. Some classes are going to require minimal effort. Some are going to require more than three hours of outside study time per credit. It’s not a good rule of thumb because different people have different skills and take different amounts of time to do shit. For organic chemistry, you might be spending more 9 hours per week studying (and according to the success rates of some of my peers, I recommend you spend at least that much time on o-chem). But there’s also, say, Oceanography. I took that class. I studied/put in work… maybe an hour per week, and it was a three credit class. But I also took a class that was 3 credits called 18th Century America, and I would say I probably put something like 10-15 hours per week doing the readings and assignments for that class. It just depends, you guys. Figure out what works for each class and then distribute your time accordingly (and don’t waste time studying for something you very obviously know and have already aced). 

2) Study When You Can

Sometimes you have to cram. I don’t recommend it, but it happens. If you do, use the whole day before to go over stuff and test yourself. Do not do it the morning of, don’t do it right before the test. That is useless. If you have a good memory, you can study the night before/two days before.

That said, if memorization and improvisation aren’t your strong suits, do go over your notes at the end of each day, and if you don’t get something, as your prof or your TA or your friend who definitely knows what they’re doing. Talking about it will only help you remember it more.

Overall, study when you can find the time. Sometimes that means staying off twitter for a few minutes and reviewing your notes instead, but if you’re paying good money for higher education (and I assume you are), don’t waste it by never studying or blowing off an exam. 

3) Manage Your Time, But…

Just because you manage your time to make school a priority does not mean that you should let the other things in your life fall by the wayside. People often forget basic self care when they put school before everything else. Remember to shower and brush your teeth and take a minute for yourself because life is a lot and school is just a small part of your life. You cannot let time management become a synonym for school > everything else. It just means that you need to spend all of your time wisely, whether that’s getting some socialization in there or eating dinner or doing homework or taking a shower.

4) You Are Allowed to Forget Stuff

Look. I recommend always having more than one writing utensil, but you can forget one day. You can forget a notebook or a textbook every once and a while. I did, and yet I succeeded with flying colors. Definitely try not to be rushed all the time, but don’t freak out if you grabbed the wrong notebook. Just take down notes and staple them into the right one, or however you do it. 

Also, yeah, your college profs aren’t here to attend to your personal needs, but if you have a class on one side of the campus and only ten minutes to get to the class on the other side of the campus, see if you can leave early or let the prof know that you’re going to be a few minutes late because you can only cross a mile so fast. Professors are far more understanding than they let on (some of them aren’t, but they’re just dicks, and you’ll either have to deal with that or be prepared to challenge them).

And, of course, if you’re struggling, ask for help. Profs want you to succeed, actually, and if they don’t, then it might be time for a discussion with the chair of the department.

5) Stay Organized, Whatever That Means

Some people stay organized with color-coded pens, tabs, and a designer planner. Some people have the patience for bullet journals. Some people write their assignments down on their phones, or set a google/apple calendar alert. However you remember things, just remember them. What’s organized to you won’t be organized for someone else, and what’s organized for someone else might not look organized to you. There is no objective way to stay organized. I don’t recommend trying to store everything inside your head, but you’ll figure out what works for you. 

6) You Don’t Always Need to Read/You Don’t Always Need to Take Notes

Some classes are really important, some are not; some textbooks are really useful, some are not; taking notes can be effective, or they could be useless to you by the time the exam or essay rolls around. I took very light notes for my Brit Lit class (and did 75% of the reading), my World Drama class (90% of the reading), my Monuments in History capstone (20% of the reading), and I got A’s in all of those classes. I took heavy notes for Biology and Western Mythology and read about half of what was assigned. I took no notes for my Anthropology of Sex & Reproduction class, but I read absolutely everything. 

It will probably take you about three weeks to figure out your prof’s teaching style. If it’s an English class, you’re gonna need to read most of it. If it’s a science class, maybe not. If you only have a midterm and a final, and not tests i between those, you might want to keep the textbook handy. But different classes have different requirements, just like they do with the number of hours you spend studying. So you know, act accordingly.

7) Read The Assigned Chapter Before Class, But Don’t Read Ahead

Look, most profs are gonna tell you to read the chapter before class on Monday, or maybe they’ll give you until Wednesday, so you should read in advance. But unless a prof says to read ahead, you really don’t need to read ahead, especially if you have content-based reading quizzes. It just gets really confusing and getting ahead is only necessary when you know that otherwise you’ll get behind. I mean, read ahead if you want to, but know that you probably don’t have to.

8) Show Up, For Fuck’s Sake

Look, showing up is the easiest thing in the world. And I know what having those 8am/9am classes is like. I’ll admit, I didn’t show up half the time to my 9am freshman philosophy class, but I bet I wouldn’t have failed two tests if I’d shown up (I still got an A in the class, don’t worry, there were a lot of assignments and one test didn’t count for much). I just wanted to sleep. But if you show up and pay attention, you’re more than likely going to get a lot of out of the class.

Oh, and if your prof takes attendance. Show up. Especially if it’s a small class. Trust me, they’ll notice, and it will be so embarrassing. 

But also, don’t sweat it if you’re sick one day or sleep through the alarm. It fucking happens, and like I’ve said before, profs are pretty understanding most of the time. 

9) Take Notes However Works For You

Some people use that weird method of dividing the paper in half hot-dog style, and that’s fine. Some people scribble shit down that no one else can read. Don’t feel pressured to rewrite your notes unless you can’t understand them. Do not review right after class - give your brain some fucking time to process that shit. But maybe review in the next 48 hours, it’ll help you be ready for the next class.

10) Don’t Be On Your Phone

Unless you’re literally not learning anything. I spent more time in my Geography class on my phone or computer getting useful things done or playing games than I did actually learning anything from the professor. In my Asian History class, the teacher was mediocre at best, so my friend and I sat there in the front row and played hangman (which was kind of disrespectful but we were idiots at the time so). But if your grades slip because you’re on your phone and not paying attention, or if your teacher has to tell you more than once to get off your phone, you might have phone addiction. See someone about that, k?

11) Review? Maybe

If you choose to review your notes, do so in a quiet, calm, and un-rushed manner. Don’t just look at them - actually try to absorb them. Otherwise there’s no point in reviewing them. 

12) Study When You Can

Wait, didn’t I already have this one? Yeah. But! I saw a thing that said study early and often, which is great if you can make the time, but the truth is that if you study too early you’ll forget everything, and if you study too often you likely won’t be able to focus on other things that require your attention. So study not too long nor too shortly before the exam, and don’t study so much that your brain explodes. Give yourself a break. Have a kit-kat.

13-14) Flashcards? Mnemonic Devices? 

Use them if they work for you, and maybe try color coding them. That can help with memorization. But if they don’t work for you, don’t use them.

15) Don’t Rewrite Your Notes

Unless you can’t read them. Then definitely either rewrite them or type them up, so that they’re actually usable. 

16) Consolidate

This suggestion was actually pretty okay. Making lists and/or tables or whatever can really help, especially if you’re a visual learner. But if they don’t help you, don’t use them, because then it’s just a waste of your time.

17) Teach It To Someone Else

Yeah, this one is good, too. But make sure the person you’re explaining it to doesn’t have a lot of background knowledge, because it’s being able to explain it correctly to someone who hasn’t heard it before that really counts.

18) Is There Even Such a Thing as a Good Study Environment?

Some people can’t study on their own. I sure have a hard time of it, especially because I get distracted on my own. For me, studying with others for exams has saved my grade. But there are times or assignments that are best done on your own.

What I will say, is that when you study with other people, sometimes it’s best to study with your friends who are studying something else. My friend Breea and I had completely different majors and classes, but we made the best study partners because she could explain science to me and I could explain anthropology and history to her, and that’s how we knew we were good to go. 

19) Sleeeeeeeeeep. Plan. Deal. 

Get a good night’s sleep before an exam and try not to be late. Mean profs will not let you make up a missed exam. Good profs will, even if it was just a traffic jam. But generally speaking, try to prepare for all worst case scenarios when you have an assignment due. 

20) Ask. Questions. Jesus. Christ.

Look if you get something wrong, don’t be embarrassed or ashamed. Ask why you got it wrong, and if you think you did something right but the TA or prof just graded it wrong, feel free to point out their mistakes (in private, though, not in front of the class). Go to office hours and make use of that time, or make an appointment with a prof so that you don’t have to skip class to go to office hours.

21) Midterms and Finals Are Different. Or Not.

Ask your prof at the beginning if the final will be cumulative. If it is, keep reviewing that midterm material through the end of the class. If not, feel free to forget most of the stuff from the midterm and earlier. Each prof is different and some finals aren’t even exams, they’re papers or projects. So, you know, plan accordingly. 

22) Don’t Keep Your Fucking Textbooks

Look, unless you fell in love with a text (happens to English majors), sell back your books. And after a few weeks (or once the next term starts) throw out your notes, especially if you can’t read them or if they’re for a class you had to take for university credit but didn’t actually need for your major. 

SELL. THOSE. BOOKS. I can’t say it enough, you won’t make much, but it’ll be nice to get that lunch after finals are over. But remember, don’t sell the book until you’ve taken/turned in the final. 

23) Talk to People!

I saw something that said not to discuss grades/quizzes/tests/exams with classmates. Fuck that. I mean, try not to talk about it before the exam starts or whatever, but fucking talk about that shit. In my Mediterranean Archaeology class, we all talked about the readings before class on Fridays because we had a reading quiz and no fucking idea what the reading was about (those were some of the hardest readings ever). It was really helpful to discuss and summarize to make sure we got the point of the article. Also, like, if you’re comfortable with sharing grades, do, and if you’re not, don’t. It’s your grade, you can do whatever you want with it.

Also, if you’re unsure about something, you can ask a classmate. That’s probably a better first resource than a prof, who will get annoyed, especially if you didn’t do the reading.

THAT’S IT.

Well, I hope this fucking helps. This was basically how I survived college, except add a lot of caffeine. Every major is different, some things are universal. So. You know. Go ham.

[sweetrosestudies]

i get a LOT of questions about time management and getting better grades so i decided to put a boat load of advice and links in one place :]

time management methods

start a bullet journal ( +mine / +insp )

the 5 day study plan - it works!

schedule blocks of study time

use excel to schedule study

how to schedule study

the sticky note method

an app that organizes time for u

15 ways to beat procrastination

balancing multiple AP classes

decision making and time management

use the pomodoro technique

the task box prioritizing method

how to cram a lot of information in

get organized!!!!!

make and use a syllabible

great organization advice

organize ur study space

more tips on study spaces

basic organization tips

cute infographic

printable planner sheets

simple 2 pocket folder method

study methods!!!

watch youtube crashcourses

best study tips ever tbh

tips on memorizing effectively

add color for visual interest

make cause and effect diagrams

making good flashcards

create summary foldables

margin note taking

the 2 notebook method

for when ur not motivated

reading long textbook passages

studying for a test ooh

basic note taking

+note taking tips

note taking in microsoft word

bs study guide

how to plan out an essay

more essay planning

annotating literature for english

how to make concept maps

really interesting way of studying

shit load of study methods

web resources!!!!

search engine that plants trees!

to do list web program

bedtime calculator [avoid grogginess]

the dictionaries u need omg

how to pull an all nighter

advice on how to properly use google

final grade calculator

>100 places to download literature

cute af school supply list

alternatives to overpriced textbooks

rly this is better than google

best writing checker ever its my fave

free academic journals for research

AP cramming packets

every website to make a bibliography

online used book store

mind map making software from tufts

khanacademy aka bless this site

stop procrastinating websites

free powerpoint

awesome synonym finder

apps u need to download!!!

google chrome app i love it

taking digital notes

like 14 useful school apps

attn: all writers get this

super cute time manager

>9 different studying apps

post it note app

study + give water to needy!!

relaxation n meditation help

sat help!!!!!

all kinds of essential vocab [2k+]

big collection of links

v solid page with lots of references

rly good advice imo

how to do well on the sat

general big exam advices

stress reliefs!!!!

rly good study snacks

badass instrumental playlist!

finish ur essay songs!

+all my fave study playlists!

treat urself on a low budget

read some rad articles

teach urself computer science

take the 10 day study challenge

rip some crap online

good things to do in study breaks

+100 more things in study breaks

if u tired and uninspired

avoid student burnout

watch a ton of broadway musicals

nice things for urself

anxiety relieving background sound

+masterposts!!!

back to school advice

productive summers

note taking methods

starting a study blog

time managements

succeed @ school

ap world history

study instagram

web resources

ap psychology

bullet journals

school advice

happy things

ace ur exams

study sounds

stress reliefs

annotations

essay writin

study 101

printables

sat help

+more

i hope some of this was helpful ~ i also have a youtube channel and instagram account with a whole bunch of study resources!!!!  ~ xoxo sareena

[sweetrosestudies]

after 2 weeks of intense procrastination, i’m officially back on my bullshit

[sweetrosestudies]

Adulting Posts

[sweetrosestudies]

Since the first one was such a success I thought I would make another one! Hope you find this one useful as well. (Part 1)

Self-Help

Feeling sad?

How to Avoid Breaking Down During the School Year

Sounds to Soothe Anxiety

How to Wake Up Early

SAT/Standardized Tests

How I hacked the SAT

How to Take Standardized Tests

Should You Retake the ACT/SAT?

Appblr SAT Masterpost

ACT Test Guide

College

Ten Angry Tips for Incoming College Freshman

The No Bull Shit Guide to College

College Students Can Now Get Microsoft Office for Free

Textbook Searcher

Tips for Writing College Application Essays

Back to College

No to Low Stress College Study Strategy

Welcome to College

How to Find Some Fucking Money for College

How to Find a Fucking College

Virtual College Tours

Writing

How to: Approach Poetry Analysis in an Exam

Transition Words for Your Essays

Connecting Words for Essay Writing

Tools for Referencing

This Site Grades Your Essay

Advice for Writing Papers

Creative Writing Resource

60 Awesome Search Engines for Serious Writers

Sites for When You Can’t Think of a Word

Subject Specific Help

Math Aid

AP Calculus

APUSH

Chemistry

Biology Resources

Physics Basics (2)

AP English Language and Review

AP Cram Packets Galore

AP Psychology  (2)

Motivation/Staying on Track

How to Motivate Yourself

Unconventional Methods to Beat Procrastination

Ten Websites to Visit that Will Help You Stop Procrastinating for Good

Time Management

Four Rules for a Disciplined Life

Studying

Learning how to study

How a Person Who Hates Math, Studied for Math

Studying Hacks

Red Board Study Tip

Notes

Annotations and Note-Taking

Color Coding Notes 101

Sketchnote Tips

How to Illustrate Your Notes Masterpost

How to Effectively Take Notes

Mind Map Making Software

Note Taking System by theorganizedstudent

Note System by emmastudies

Bullet Journal/Planner

How to Draw Ribbon Banners

Free Printables Masterpost

Journal and Planner Masterpost (2)

Language

Linguistic Approaches to Language Learning: Link Roundup

3 years of All Things Linguistic

Google Translate Alternative: Linguee

Language Website

Helpful Websites to Learn Languages

How to Study Spanish

Spanish Vocabulary List Masterpost

French

French Editor Resource

German Masterpost

High school

Listen up Freshman Babies

Hey Sophomore Cuties

Junior Year Advice

How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter

How To Shakespeare

Random but Useful  

Learn Things for Free

20 Apps for the New School Year

Research Websites

Healthy Study Snacks

Jobs and Careers

Guides to Life

The Education System Won’t Really be Teaching you Important Shit like this..

Masterposts

School master-post by shelbys-advice-blog

Instead of Wasting your time looking for Websites //life hacks Part I byabercrombier

You’re Gonna Ace the Shit out of Everything this year Part II byabercrombier

School Masterpost by senioryearstudies

Tips Masterpost by study-well

Computer Science/Engineering Masterpost by algorhythmm

[sweetrosestudies]

🎒Backpacks 101🌻

Essentials for Class

Your laptop/spirals/tablet/your preferred note-taking medium. For professors that speak quickly and cover a lot of information in a short amount of time before moving on to the next slide, I always like to use my laptop. Some professors prohibit the use of laptops (even for note-taking). So, I like to use a cheap spiral for class in which I will write information/graphics with the knowledge that they don’t have to be perfect. This is just to ensure that I get the information down. When I get home I transfer all of the notes into a nicer spiral to look over later. This also works to help me retain the information! 

My all-time favorite spiral notebooks are the Exceed Five Subject Notebooks. I love these because in the front they have a world map, a punctuation chart, a metric unit conversion chart, spelling rules, a ruler, and a glossary of general reference and research sites.

Loose-leaf paper. This is especially helpful for me because many of my professors will give pop-quizzes/pop-writing assignments. Also great for when a classmate needs to borrow some paper. You can whip it out and make a friend for all semester. 

Personally, I like to use Five Star Reinforced Filler Paper by Mead.

Pencil Bag. Naturally, not having to frantically dig around your backpack for a pen/pencil/highlighter makes your day go so much smoother.

I prefer the Mead Five Star Organizer Pencil Pouch.

My pencil bag comes complete with an assortment of pens, pencils, highlighters, two flash drives, a pencil sharpener, and an entire 50 pack of Crayola Super Tips. Yes, my pencil bag fits that much. 

Laptop charger & phone charger. I recommend purchasing a powerblock as well to ensure that you don’t have to compete over the use of limited outlets. Thousands of college students across the nation fail to charge their electronics nightly, don’t get caught in the crossfires of that feeding frenzy.

Headphones. Something about not having my music while I’m on the bus or walking across campus really kills my mood for the day. 

My planner! Stop writing stuff on your hand or on random pieces of paper. Get yourself a cheap planner. Even if you are not a planner user right now, just forcing yourself to use one for 30 days will forge an unbreakable and life-changing habit! Take it from me. 

To Make Your Day Easier

A small umbrella for those days when the weather goes from 75′ and sunny to raining cats and dogs in 3 seconds. 

A wallet with your IDs and change. I always kick myself when I didn’t have enough change for the vending machines on campus. I kick myself even harder when I have to ask random strangers for 50 cents to buy a scantron/blue book. Also just a good idea to always have some form of ID on you. 

Water bottle. Invest in a super cool, trendy, refillable water bottle to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. Or just keep refilling the same plastic one. 

Deodorant. This is so silly but I am always forgetting to put on deodorant before I walk out the door and I’m 22. When I get to class I realize I’ve forgotten and panic as the Texas heat encompasses me. Travel-sized deodorants are so beneficial. 

An emergency tampon/pad. Or two!!! Goes without saying. Surprises are always fun until it’s your period. I keep emergency tampons in my truck, in my apron for work, in my backpack, in my horse trailer. I do not play around. 

Ibuprofen/Aspirin 

Light snacks. We’re talking a granola bar or seven to keep your stomach from gurgling when you’re taking that exam and of course everyone showed up to class. 

A flashdrive.

Chapstick, sunscreen, or lotion can also make you more comfortable sitting in class. 

Quick Tips About Backpacks

While, yes, those little fashionable ones are cute, they don’t hold the essentials and can be damaging to your back, causing soreness and discomfort. Buying a Jansport absolutely saved my back and stopped my chronic pain from progressing! 

Obviously there are hundreds of amazing brands of backpacks out there, but I strongly urge you to purchase a bag with:

a sleeve inside for your laptop

at least three pockets - so everything has a place

those little mesh side pockets

adjustable (preferably PADDED) shoulder straps! 

Another thing! I always place my heavier items (laptop & textbooks) CLOSEST to my back. That way the weight doesn’t drag you down backwards and cause back pain (my doctor literally told me this). This is where having multiple pockets is so helpful. 

Adjust your shoulder straps so that you can also maintain good posture while walking. The weight of your backpack + where it sits on your back should not cause you to lean forward or sway backwards in order to compensate. Also fun fact - when I was in middle school I thought it was cool to have a backpack that hung really low (?) and it created a pinched nerve in my neck! Awesome! Don’t be like me! 

Remember that backpacks -while they can absolutely be super cute and trendy- are meant to possess functionality. Your backpack should carry the essentials you need to have a successful and comfortable day at class.

Lastly, 10/10 would recommend cleaning out your backpack frequently! Make sure it stays organized and free of clutter. I also like to make sure I take all of my spirals and planner out of my backpack each day after class so that after I rest for a bit - I know I have things I need to get to. 

Organizing Your Backpack - By Pockets

-Largest pocket (closest to your back): 

Heavier items such as your laptop, binders, textbooks, loose leaf paper and planner. Laptop should go inside the sleeve (if applicable). 

-Second largest pocket

Items such as your pencil bag, chargers, and umbrella.

-Smallest pocket

Items that you won’t be pulling in and out too frequently, such as headphones, deodorant, chapstick, a flashdrive, snacks, wallet, keys, painkillers, and your emergency tampons (if applicable). 

-Side pockets

Here I obviously like to keep my water bottle or coffee thermos. If you have more than one pocket this is also a great place to keep your little umbrella.

Happy studying, realistic students!

[sweetrosestudies]

FAMOUS AUTHORS

Classic Bookshelf: This site has put classic novels online, from Charles Dickens to Charlotte Bronte.

The Online Books Page: The University of Pennsylvania hosts this book search and database.

Project Gutenberg: This famous site has over 27,000 free books online.

Page by Page Books: Find books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.G. Wells, as well as speeches from George W. Bush on this site.

Classic Book Library: Genres here include historical fiction, history, science fiction, mystery, romance and children’s literature, but they’re all classics.

Classic Reader: Here you can read Shakespeare, young adult fiction and more.

Read Print: From George Orwell to Alexandre Dumas to George Eliot to Charles Darwin, this online library is stocked with the best classics.

Planet eBook: Download free classic literature titles here, from Dostoevsky to D.H. Lawrence to Joseph Conrad.

The Spectator Project: Montclair State University’s project features full-text, online versions of The Spectator and The Tatler.

Bibliomania: This site has more than 2,000 classic texts, plus study guides and reference books.

Online Library of Literature: Find full and unabridged texts of classic literature, including the Bronte sisters, Mark Twain and more.

Bartleby: Bartleby has much more than just the classics, but its collection of anthologies and other important novels made it famous.

Fiction.us: Fiction.us has a huge selection of novels, including works by Lewis Carroll, Willa Cather, Sherwood Anderson, Flaubert, George Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald and others.

Free Classic Literature: Find British authors like Shakespeare and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, plus other authors like Jules Verne, Mark Twain, and more.

TEXTBOOKS

Textbook Revolution: Find biology, business, engineering, mathematics and world history textbooks here.

Wikibooks: From cookbooks to the computing department, find instructional and educational materials here.

KnowThis Free Online Textbooks: Get directed to stats textbooks and more.

Online Medical Textbooks: Find books about plastic surgery, anatomy and more here.

Online Science and Math Textbooks: Access biochemistry, chemistry, aeronautics, medical manuals and other textbooks here.

MIT Open Courseware Supplemental Resources: Find free videos, textbooks and more on the subjects of mechanical engineering, mathematics, chemistry and more.

Flat World Knowledge: This innovative site has created an open college textbooks platform that will launch in January 2009.

Free Business Textbooks: Find free books to go along with accounting, economics and other business classes.

Light and Matter: Here you can access open source physics textbooks.

eMedicine: This project from WebMD is continuously updated and has articles and references on surgery, pediatrics and more.

MATH AND SCIENCE

FullBooks.com: This site has “thousands of full-text free books,” including a large amount of scientific essays and books.

Free online textbooks, lecture notes, tutorials and videos on mathematics: NYU links to several free resources for math students.

Online Mathematics Texts: Here you can find online textbooks likeElementary Linear Algebra and Complex Variables.

Science and Engineering Books for free download: These books range in topics from nanotechnology to compressible flow.

FreeScience.info: Find over 1800 math, engineering and science books here.

Free Tech Books: Computer programmers and computer science enthusiasts can find helpful books here.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

byGosh: Find free illustrated children’s books and stories here.

Munseys: Munseys has nearly 2,000 children’s titles, plus books about religion, biographies and more.

International Children’s Digital Library: Find award-winning books and search by categories like age group, make believe books, true books or picture books.

Lookybook: Access children’s picture books here.

PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION

Bored.com: Bored.com has music ebooks, cooking ebooks, and over 150 philosophy titles and over 1,000 religion titles.

Ideology.us: Here you’ll find works by Rene Descartes, Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, David Hume and others.

Free Books on Yoga, Religion and Philosophy: Recent uploads to this site include Practical Lessons in Yoga and Philosophy of Dreams.

The Sociology of Religion: Read this book by Max Weber, here.

Religion eBooks: Read books about the Bible, Christian books, and more.

PLAYS

ReadBookOnline.net: Here you can read plays by Chekhov, Thomas Hardy, Ben Jonson, Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe and others.

Plays: Read Pygmalion, Uncle Vanya or The Playboy of the Western World here.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: MIT has made available all of Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies, and histories.

Plays Online: This site catalogs “all the plays [they] know about that are available in full text versions online for free.”

ProPlay: This site has children’s plays, comedies, dramas and musicals.

MODERN FICTION, FANTASY AND ROMANCE

Public Bookshelf: Find romance novels, mysteries and more.

The Internet Book Database of Fiction: This forum features fantasy and graphic novels, anime, J.K. Rowling and more.

Free Online Novels: Here you can find Christian novels, fantasy and graphic novels, adventure books, horror books and more.

Foxglove: This British site has free novels, satire and short stories.

Baen Free Library: Find books by Scott Gier, Keith Laumer and others.

The Road to Romance: This website has books by Patricia Cornwell and other romance novelists.

Get Free Ebooks: This site’s largest collection includes fiction books.

John T. Cullen: Read short stories from John T. Cullen here.

SF and Fantasy Books Online: Books here include Arabian Nights,Aesop’s Fables and more.

Free Novels Online and Free Online Cyber-Books: This list contains mostly fantasy books.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Project Laurens Jz Coster: Find Dutch literature here.

ATHENA Textes Francais: Search by author’s name, French books, or books written by other authors but translated into French.

Liber Liber: Download Italian books here. Browse by author, title, or subject.

Biblioteca romaneasca: Find Romanian books on this site.

Bibliolteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes: Look up authors to find a catalog of their available works on this Spanish site.

KEIMENA: This page is entirely in Greek, but if you’re looking for modern Greek literature, this is the place to access books online.

Proyecto Cervantes: Texas A&M’s Proyecto Cervantes has cataloged Cervantes’ work online.

Corpus Scriptorum Latinorum: Access many Latin texts here.

Project Runeberg: Find Scandinavian literature online here.

Italian Women Writers: This site provides information about Italian women authors and features full-text titles too.

Biblioteca Valenciana: Register to use this database of Catalan and Valencian books.

Ketab Farsi: Access literature and publications in Farsi from this site.

Afghanistan Digital Library: Powered by NYU, the Afghanistan Digital Library has works published between 1870 and 1930.

CELT: CELT stands for “the Corpus of Electronic Texts” features important historical literature and documents.

Projekt Gutenberg-DE: This easy-to-use database of German language texts lets you search by genres and author.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

LibriVox: LibriVox has a good selection of historical fiction.

The Perseus Project: Tufts’ Perseus Digital Library features titles from Ancient Rome and Greece, published in English and original languages.

Access Genealogy: Find literature about Native American history, the Scotch-Irish immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, and more.

Free History Books: This collection features U.S. history books, including works by Paul Jennings, Sarah Morgan Dawson, Josiah Quincy and others.

Most Popular History Books: Free titles include Seven Days and Seven Nights by Alexander Szegedy and Autobiography of a Female Slave by Martha G. Browne.

RARE BOOKS

Questia: Questia has 5,000 books available for free, including rare books and classics.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Books-On-Line: This large collection includes movie scripts, newer works, cookbooks and more.

Chest of Books: This site has a wide range of free books, including gardening and cooking books, home improvement books, craft and hobby books, art books and more.

Free e-Books: Find titles related to beauty and fashion, games, health, drama and more.

2020ok: Categories here include art, graphic design, performing arts, ethnic and national, careers, business and a lot more.

Free Art Books: Find artist books and art books in PDF format here.

Free Web design books: OnlineComputerBooks.com directs you to free web design books.

Free Music Books: Find sheet music, lyrics and books about music here.

Free Fashion Books: Costume and fashion books are linked to the Google Books page.

MYSTERY

MysteryNet: Read free short mystery stories on this site.

TopMystery.com: Read books by Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, GK Chesterton and other mystery writers here.

Mystery Books: Read books by Sue Grafton and others.

POETRY

The Literature Network: This site features forums, a copy of The King James Bible, and over 3,000 short stories and poems.

Poetry: This list includes “The Raven,” “O Captain! My Captain!” and “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde.”

Poem Hunter: Find free poems, lyrics and quotations on this site.

Famous Poetry Online: Read limericks, love poetry, and poems by Robert Browning, Emily Dickinson, John Donne, Lord Byron and others.

Google Poetry: Google Books has a large selection of poetry, fromThe Canterbury Tales to Beowulf to Walt Whitman.

QuotesandPoem.com: Read poems by Maya Angelou, William Blake, Sylvia Plath and more.

CompleteClassics.com: Rudyard Kipling, Allen Ginsberg and Alfred Lord Tennyson are all featured here.

PinkPoem.com: On this site, you can download free poetry ebooks.

MISC

Banned Books: Here you can follow links of banned books to their full text online.

World eBook Library: This monstrous collection includes classics, encyclopedias, children’s books and a lot more.

DailyLit: DailyLit has everything from Moby Dick to the recent phenomenon, Skinny Bitch.

A Celebration of Women Writers: The University of Pennsylvania’s page for women writers includes Newbery winners.

Free Online Novels: These novels are fully online and range from romance to religious fiction to historical fiction.

ManyBooks.net: Download mysteries and other books for your iPhone or eBook reader here.

Authorama: Books here are pulled from Google Books and more. You’ll find history books, novels and more.

Prize-winning books online: Use this directory to connect to full-text copies of Newbery winners, Nobel Prize winners and Pulitzer winners.

[sweetrosestudies]

literally just a dumb unorganized list of school tips

source: im a grad student. i’ve had a lot of school. also i’m adhd & mentally ill and require +8 organization. this is mostly directed @ college students, but maybe high school students can use it too, fuck, idk, it’s been forever since i was stuck in that hell hole

Keep reading

[sweetrosestudies]

what I wish someone told me going into my freshman year of college

You and your roommate might not get along.

Just because you woke up early every day in high school doesn’t mean you will be able to in college.

Conversely, you might just realize you are a morning person in college. 

You should learn to examine your personal biases. Ask yourself why you have a certain opinion.

There are plenty of students who have taken 17, 18, 19 hour course loads and they have been successful; however, it may not be financially feasible. 

Searching for scholarships doesn’t stop when you get to college. Keep looking for them and applying for them. Create a separate email account to receive and correspond to scholarship emails. 

Don’t put off visiting your academic advisor. Mine absolutely saved me when I was going through the lowest point in my life.

Let your mom/dad/parental guardian (if applicable) make your bed on move-in day. 

Get involved, but only if you want to. Student organizations in college are much more time-consuming, so be certain that it is something you really want to do. 

Have fun. You don’t have to go out every single weekend. But go get coffee or study with a friend. Have some sort of interaction with others. 

Getting a job really eased my financial burdens and I made friends, and established references. Having money just feels good. 

Wash your face. Keep make up wipes close to your bed for nights when you are just too tired to go through an elaborate skin care routine. 

Communal showers suck, but we all have to endure them. I promise you will get used to it. But you gotta bathe, friend. 

Be honest with your support system. Many times, those closest to us would help us in a heartbeat, but they never knew we needed help in the first place.

Utilize services your tuition covers. These include, but are not limited to, tutoring, legal services, medical services, etc. 

Sit in the front row. Just do it. Seriously. You will be less inclined to get on your phone/not pay attention to lecture/discussion material if the material is two feet away from you. You can also see better on those days when you forget glasses, or run out of contacts. 

Your MWF life does not know your T/TR life. You can totally hit those clothes with some febreeze and wear them on heavy rotation.

Speaking of clothes, everyone washes clothes on Sundays. It’s a fact.

You really don’t need to bring all of your clothes, expensive jewelry, trophies from that time you did soccer in 2nd grade, etc. to your dorm. Just enough clothes to fit in your drawers/closet for all seasons, and a couple sentimental items to remind you of home.

Save the boxes you use to move into your dorm/apartment. You will need them come move out.

Live and die by the syllabi, but know that professors will change things up randomly. They will also announce things in class that are not on the syllabus at random. 

Do invest in some good plates and Tupperware.

Drink water. 

The freshman 15 is real and it is coming for you. But it’s okay. You’re still awesome. 

Parking in college is universally limited and unforgiving. Be mindful of this. 

Many retailers will have sales on microwaves and mini fridges when fall comes around. Invest in them. 

Storage containers are a must. 

Respect quiet hours. 

If you will be living on campus, and your campus is dry - RESPECT THAT. Seriously, it’s such a dumb mistake to make. I have friends who started out on probation because they decided to drink in their dorms their freshman year. 

Get a power strip. Or three.

There’s no dress code in college. So you can totally wear that crop top. But be mindful that those surrounding you are potential professional connections. A lot of college is networking. 

But, in all honesty, no one really cares what you are wearing. 

You are an adult now, so setting boundaries is necessary.

Don’t stay in that toxic relationship.

Keep in touch with your friends/family from back home. 

Do ask your professors questions in office hours, during class (if able to), or via email. 

Use protection.

Stand up for yourself, what you believe in, and others.

Get the number of at least one person in each class during syllabus week.

Expect to stay the entire 2-4 hours of your lab. 

Be respectful of your roommate’s space. 

Be respectful of other’s differing opinions in Blackboard discussions. 

Be a point whore. Do the extra credit. Do it. 

Remember that college is a new beginning. 

Realize that grades do not define your intelligence.

Realize that sometimes we fail classes, but it does not mean that we are not “smart enough.”

Know that college is not for everyone. 

It’s okay to take a couple semesters off to better yourself. I did, and I am so thankful that I made that decision.

Buy your textbooks and access codes and lab manuals as early as you can. 

Use a planner!!!!!! 

Mental health is just as important as physical health.

Remember that college is not supposed to be the best years of your life. College is meant to set you up for the best years of your life.

[sweetrosestudies]

This exercise is simple, but extremely effective.

STEP 1: MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS YOU WANT COLLEGES TO KNOW ABOUT YOU.

How? You can do this either:

in a bulletpoint format (organized, easy to read)

on a blank sheet of paper (with drawings, get creative)

on a timeline (see drawing below)

Note: I don’t recommend a stream-of-consciousness free-write because this tends to get a little messy. By “messy” I mean that this tends to bring forth a lot of words but not a lot of specific, bullet-pointable qualities that will help you get into college.

And that’s the point of this list: to provide your counselor (or yourself) with a solid list of qualities, values and cool stuff that will help get you into college.

Reason #1 that this list is a good idea: It generates a list of details and possible topics for your personal statement, supplements, activities list and additional info section.

Tips for creating a great list:

Have fun. This doesn’t have to be a chore. It’s you basically making a list of everything that’s awesome about who you are and what you’ve done, which can be pretty darn affirming.

Create the list with a parent or friend. Say to him/her: “Hey, I’m trying to make a list of all the reasons why any college should love me as much as you do—can you help?”

Back up general stuff with specific examples. If, for instance, you’re like, “I can motivate people!” or “I stick with things I’m passionate about!” provide a specific example that backs up your claim–or better yet, both claims! (Like the fact that you helped raise debate membership from 19 to 96 at your school over four years.)

STEP 2: ONCE YOU’VE CREATED YOUR LIST:

If it’s a bullet-pointed list, upload it to a Google doc and…

If it’s a drawing or timeline, take a photo of it, email it to yourself, upload it to Google a doc and…

SHARE the Google doc with your friend/parent/counselor (whoever is helping you with your applications and ask that person: “Can you help me make sure that all this stuff makes it into my application?”

Wait, can I do this once my application is almost finished? Absolutely. In fact, this will provide a checklist for making sure all the important parts of you are represented somewhere in the application.

STEP 3: DECIDE WITH YOUR COUNSELOR WHERE THE INFORMATION SHOULD GO IN YOUR APPLICATION.

Some options include your:

Main Statement

Activities List

Additional Info section

Extracurricular essay (required only for some schools)

Another supplemental essay (required only for some schools)

Pop Quiz: Which of the following details would you NOT include on your application? Which details would you DEFINITELY include? For those details you’d include, on which part of the application do you think each one should go?

I am half Filipino and half Egyptian

I travel a lot (have been to countless countries such as Egypt, the Philippines, Netherlands, Italy, Jamaica, Bahamas, Mexico, Guam, etc….)

I have played the violin for over 11 years and I LOVE IT

I can also play the piano

I do canoe paddling year round. We once saw dolphins swimming by us as we paddled out deep in the ocean.

I have an entrepreneurial mind. I made $300 in a week selling coffee at my dads office when I was 7. I named the booth the “Coffee Cafe” and had my own menu with various drinks as well as a bean grinder. I ended up donating all of the profits to my missionary friend Kate who was leaving for India. When I was 12 I made $70 selling online ebooks about basketball that I wrote. I painted curb address numbers for neighbors when I was 11 and made about $100 off of that.

I like weightlifting. I also sell supplements to my friends at school. I buy them in bulk online and mix some, for example, whey with creatine, and re-brand them (not FDA approved, uh-oh) and sell them for profit.

I tend to bypass the system (and get away with it a lot) such as sending money to paypal directly from VISA (even though they say it isn’t possible) or finding a way to get past the school’s online filter

I love reading (my bookshelf is stacked)

Note: there’s no “right” answer for where each of these details should go. No magic formula. Just work with your counselor (or me) to make sure your application shows you off in the most complete way possible.

For more tips, including how to develop your college list and save $3,480, go here.

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