#if you are simply scrolling for enjoyment and not procrastination

[muncherofcontent]

Fun fact! You are scrolling rn because you don't want to do That Thing TM because it is Boring or Hard. Another fun fact! You don't have to go do That Thing after you're done scrolling. Go watch an episode of whatever tv show you like instead of scrolling. Boom you have an automatic timer of when your going to go do That Thing instead of 'euweughhh I have to go do the thing NOW' Go over that timer? Accidentally click 'next episode'?? Cool, timer has now reset! STOP SCROLLING AND DO SOMETHING GODDAMNIT

[groenendaelfic]

A year and a bit ago, I was procrastinating on Reddit as one does, scrolling through r/television's weekly What are you watching and what do you recommend? post, when one of the comments caught my eye.

Young Royals. It's gay and no one has aids.

It said.

That was it, nothing else.

Somehow at that moment that was enough for me to check it out, in a right time, right place kind of way, or maybe it was simply fate. It's certainly not how I've been recommending the show, and yet it worked.

I proceeded to binge Young Royals that night and the following day, giggling and crying and clutching my pillow telling my so that this this is the show I've been wanting all my life, and then I watched it again and again and wondered how I'd ever survive waiting over ten days for season 2 to come out. (cute, right?)

The solution was of course writing fic. And so over the next two days Their Own Medicine was born.

362,194 posted words later, and many more waiting in assorted wip documents and my dtf fic ideas notebook, we've reached the one year anniversary of me posting my first Young Royals fic.

And what a year it's been! Thank you so much everyone for this wonderful journey. I know I'm not always the best at answering comments or reblogging stuff (mostly because I'm shy and want to do it properly and plan out novel length replies in my head which then weirdly enough don't write themselves down), but words cannot express how much I appreciate all of you and how much the Young Royals famdom has come to mean to me.

I've met so many wonderful people and had so many thought provoking discussions, mused over a lot of fic ideas and chatted over what-ifs, it's truly enriched my life (and turned my procrastination time into fic writing time, which has certainly been much more enjoyable, sorry not sorry Reddit).

You all rock and I hope we have many more happy years full of fics and gifs and polls ahead of us. I for one can't wait for what's to come.

Cheers and I hope you have a nice Christmas!

[pr0blematic-h0unds]

I am just again glad that I didn’t accidentally offend you— I’m like fairly certain I accidentally either offended/overshared on anon not once but TWICE to my favorite author in a previous fandom when I was TRYING to be complimentary/silly and I will just never be the same—

Are these long asks okay though?? I don’t mind if the responses take a while ya’know take ur time no pressure, but do I need to stop replying period after this?? Or am I fine??

I found FTFO a couple of months or so before I joined Tumblr, so I just found it through scrolling Ao3 filters, and I was SO CLOSE to passing it up bc the previous fic I tried to read that was Ink-centric was not appealing to me at all— But I clicked on it anyway AND I WAS SO GLAD I DID LIKE— OBSESSED— like yeah seriously it WAS intense that hold it had on me was crazy

I don’t know if this would match up with the ways you like to see Ink portrayed or not but like— if I personally was writing a ‘villain’ Ink, one of the ways I’d wanna do it is make him attached to something/someone that he’s ‘not supposed’ to favor above all else since he’s ‘meant’ to love/protect everything in the multiverse equally. And I’d wanna see this attachment come at the expense of these au’s he’s starting to see as lesser instead of equal—more expendable than HIS thing—due to this attachment. He’s becoming more and more willing to ignore other aus as they burn as to divert the fire from this ONE thing. Like a ‘selfish’ fall from his once ‘benevolent and shielding’ grace. So yes, he’s the ‘villain’ now, in the public’s eyes. He’s hated. He used to protect everything, whereas now he only defends this one, but is Ink really that bad now? He wouldn’t think so. He’s aware of the harm he’s letting befall the multiverse, but how could that possibly cancel out the centuries of protection he’s provided them with up until this point? They’ll survive, always have, always will. The multiverse is resilient. He deserves to be selfish, to take a break, to enjoy the things he never properly is ‘allowed’ to, he thinks. If that enjoyment is at the expense of others’, well, they’ve come to owe him a lot over the centuries, haven’t they? If they repay his labor in death, so be it.

Idk lmao, there’s a million ways to do villain Ink, and that’d be moreso him kinda abandoning the whole creator/protector thing than using it as his reasoning behind being a ‘villain,’ but that’s my personal take no clue if you’ll like that interpretation tho—

I still don’t have EVERYTHING figured out but— I can ramble about some half fleshed-out lore sections if it’s cool that I keep responding? I personally thought I had really cool ideas for what I’m doing with the whole parasite lore/designs things— But idk ┐(´ー｀)┌

Canon is simply a bucket in the sandbox to shape the foundation of the castle. The bucket has done its job. Very pretty nice good foundation you have made there bucket. MY TURN TO BE THE BUCKET AND MESS THIS CASTLE UP. /silly

What does /nn mean— I’m sorry but google won’t tell me—

—Icebreaker Anon

Its okay I get it! Trust me I've done the same thing so many times and it has absolutely crushed me 💔💔💔

Also yeah these ling asks are okay! Perfectly fine actually, I like answering them. It just takes me awhile bc I have a procrastination addiction and am usually too tired to type a lot and think abt what I say 💔💔 (aka what I'm saying is you're 100% okay to continue with the long asks idm!)

I found FTFO by tumblr fanart and stuff and It seemed so cool from the fanart and how people would excitedly talk abt it in a way that fascinated me. When I latched onto FTFO I BINGE read that stuff, like in just a two in a half weeks I sped through it and died when it was over.

ALSO OH MY GOD?? Dude, I fucking love how you wrote that, holy shit. If that was an actual fanfic or smth of the lines I would absolutely be invested bc that seems so cool and honestly I'd love to see smth like it.

Also also, I'd love to hear you ramble!!! I love listening / watching ppl ramble, it brings me so much joy to see people get excited over smth. So please by all means ramble!!! I love the bucket thingy :3 very lovely mold indeed bucket but unfortunately you must shoo shoo a bit for my sillies to interact properly in the way my brain demands 💔💔

/nn means not negative!!! (It took me so long to find what it ment out too dw)

[clementines-writing-corner]

i'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

Hello friends!

As I said in my last post, I’m back!! Many apologies for disappearing into thin air after the last full length post in January, things just got crazy with the Spring semester. I was taking my big Writing Seminar class for my History Major, and researching and writing my big final paper (which was required to be 22-25 pages long and which I turned in at 49 pages long of course). I simply did not have the time, space, or mental capacity to devote the level of effort required for developing my original story and for the upkeep of this blog. 

And even after the semester ended, I got sidetracked by starting an internship for my major as well as starting a new part time job over the summer and the pet project of creating a website for my Aunt’s small business. Unfortunately, writing for personal enjoyment fell to the wayside for me for over half a year. But now, with a new semester kicking off, I’m back! ᕱ__ᕱ

Some of you may be thinking, but Clementine! It’s the start of a new semester, aren’t you going to still be too busy with college for this blog? Well…yes, I will be busy with college (and all the stuff I have to do to prep for my graduation in December)! But also no, I won’t be too busy for this blog. There are a multitude of reasons for this. For example, the fact that I’ve been cracking down on my procrastination habits over the past year and have been seeing some improvement, or the fact that I am only taking four classes this semester. But the main reason I will for sure have the time to devote to this blog and my personal creative writing again is thus: it’s become an assignment for one of my classes again! 

(Hello again, Professor M! You’ll be sick of me and my rambles by the end of the semester I promise. ᕱ__<)

I won’t bore y’all with the details but basically I’ll be picking up right where I left off with this blog, except this time I’m going to: 

#1 -  Try to be more active on this account that just my weekly posts for class. (I finally downloaded tumblr onto my phone so I should be able to partake in some doom scrolling on here as well as instagram lol.)

And #2 - For my posts that are for class, I’m going to try to have a little more focus that I did previously. As I’ve discussed here before, worldbuilding is extremely important to me, but it is also one of the parts I dread the most about developing my original story. So, I’m using my class assignment as an excuse to force myself to do at least a little something with world building and/or the development of my original story’s magic system every week.

But, as many of you know, the best laid plans often go awry, so strap in folks. It’s gonna get interesting. (But that’s the fun part after all! ᕱ__ᕱ) Hopefully, I’ll see y’all soon!

Dot your j’s and cross your t’s!

~Clementine J. Quincey 🪷

Also PS. I have a writing playlist that I've made (which I will share at some point) and the song that inspired it was this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AUn3kNda0k

It's so beautiful and awesome and epic that I just had to share! That's all. ᕱ__ᕱ

[mesaydumbshitwithfunnyvoice]

did you know this is what it means

This joke was also a  personality profile test...

  It was the subject of a recent Educational Psychology Master's Thesis, soon to be published, which investigated the way that someone responds to a webpage such as this  correlates to certain personality tendencies.

The research confirmed a statistically significant correlation which strongly suggests a dependably predictive positive relationship between how a person responds to this page and certain aspects of his or her psychological profile. Thus, it is called the Personality Profile Assessment Test Hypothesis.

While the actual results looked at several complex factors, and depended heavily on questionnaires filled out by volunteers upon completion of their experience, I will simplify the results by discussing three main groups and their profiles. While these profiles may not be exactly fitting of each person within each group, they do strongly suggest a statistically significant likelihood of profile similarity.

11% of those who see this page take their time, enjoying the joke as they read it, enjoying the build up to the punch line, and even if the punch line itself wasn’t particularly humorous, they tended to enjoy the process.

56% begin scroll down to the punch line either before starting to read the joke or within a short period of time- usually 20 seconds or less. The vast majority of this group choose not to read the joke.

33% read at least 1/3 of the joke, with the intention of reading it all, but then begin to question their decision and the investment of time they are making. They go back and forth between deciding to continuing or to skip to the end (this vacillating may be unconscious at the time, and happen in a matter of moments). The vast majority in this group give up before finishing ½ of the joke, and scroll to the end.

People in the first group, who read the entire joke, tend to enjoy the journey of life, and take their time as they move towards a goal. When traveling, they tend to thoroughly enjoy the process, and are not uptight or stressed about single-mindedly getting to their destination.  They also tend to be very attentive, patient and long lasting lovers, and enjoy intimacy and physical connectivity whether or not it is carried to completion.

Those in the second group, who scroll to the end before reading more than a few sentences of the joke, tend to avoid surprises and the unknown. They prefer to have a regular schedule and not to step out of their routine. They tend to be efficient, but are often lacking in enjoyment, spontaneity and passion. They tend to be less patient and more interested in the destination than the journey. When on a trip, they tend to focus on getting where they are going, rather than enjoying the process. During intimacy, they tend to not be able to enjoy it unless they are certain it will be taken to completion.  The idea of just “playing around” a while, engaging in physical intimacy without the promise of full completion is, rather than simply enjoyable and connective, considered to be “cruel” and a “teasing” and is met with resentment. This group’s ability to enjoy depends largely on their need to know what is going to happen. They tend to be more self-focused lovers, and tend not to last very long in satisfying the other partner if their own satisfaction has happened or is within easy reach.  

The third group, who decided not to read the entire joke after reading a third or more of it, tend to be commitment-phobic and lack the ability to move forward to completion when things become challenging. They are often procrastinators and frequently give up on tasks when they become more difficult. They tend to prefer to have big dreams than act on them in the real, challenging world. A significantly higher percentage of this group had Cesarean birth, and may not have had the benefit of that early experience of struggle and effort being rewarded with accomplishment. This group tends to not take big vacations which would take more effort to plan and implement, and tends to stay close to home or even stay home during time off. Promotions and career moves which are within reach but still require some effort and focus are frequently not fully tried for, although the perception will be they were passed up.  In intimate relationships, this group tends to start out romantic and passionate, but it quickly fades and is replaced by lackadaisicalness and indifference, characterized in part by a sense of feeling it is not worth the effort to continue having a passionate, energized and complete experience during intimacy. There is a tendency to “peter out” both in intimacy and in other aspects of life, and to take the easier road, even if it leads to a less fulfilling life.

@decontextifier

.

[ganymedesclock]

I don’t want to say fictional robots “belong” to autistic people because any given fantastical allegory can have manifold and meaningful resonance to all manner of diversities, but something I do think is very interesting about fictional robots as an autistic person is this:

Robots as a plot element or character arc often center on this question of emotions. Do you feel emotions? Now, this is an imperfect argument about humanity/authenticity in the first place since there are plenty of Real Human Beings who experience anhedonia or alexithymia- but I think also, in my experience, a lot of these stories- sometimes in-universe, sometimes only in fandom responses- betray that maybe a lot more people than they think, are not very good at identifying emotions.

Many fictional robots- to be blunt- pour with emotion. They will often have a blunted affect (that is to say, speaking in a monotone, or limited facial expressions), they may use overly technical terminology, but they will make arbitrary decisions based on personal preference, it will be nakedly obvious they have a preference and their preference is determined at least in part by what pleases them. Data from Star Trek adores his cat and cares deeply about art and poetry.

And I won’t say any of these characters are bad people. I don’t want to suggest the goal is to create a character who’s “really” emotionless. If there is a quibble I have with this, it’s that I think we could all afford to be a little more careful and a little bit more imaginative, when considering how other people’s minds work, and how they present details. Not just as a joyless finger-wag of “you should be more responsible!” (though I will say there is some joylessness to it- I don’t really enjoy being shown a character who emotes close to how I naturally do, being fretted over by people asking if that character has a soul, is a real person, or simply an effective mimic; that hurts a little too personally to be fun!)

I was thinking of this because I was reflecting on one of my favorite little videos, My Job Is To Open And Close Doors. It’s a simple little uninterrupted 3-minute monologue about an AI who, well, see title, but has a bit of a crisis of purpose and asks themselves a bunch of critical questions about their role and purpose.

At its core, to me, the AI in My Job clearly experiences an emotion; they see something in the course of doing their job that they have no protocol or instruction to halt before, but feel an incredible misgiving about following through on. In response to this misgiving, in a very human manner, they begin to procrastinate- all the while, they point out to their own mounting confusion that this is a meaningless activity, but it buys them more time.

The voice acting given to the AI is very good, and, to me, cinches the whole piece- the actor very specifically does not leave a neutral-pleasant tonal range, and at several points, rather than asking an obviously “emotional” question, the AI simply hangs up in their own thinking talking to themselves- “because- because- because-” a very mechanical sort of stutter.

And using this flat affect and mechanical quirks, the actor establishes and fits to an emotional vernacular. The thrust of the plot- that the AI isn’t sure why they’re hesitating when their job is straightforwards and clear, that they even take note that this is being recorded as an error by another party- repeats in the sense of the stuttering- just as they procrastinate opening the doors without being sure why, they too “procrastinate” the completion of their statements when they’re unsure of them. The AI believes that the delivery of a solution, an answer, a “point”, is inevitable, so when they do not feel they have an answer they are incapable of saying “I don’t know”; instead, they stall. They procrastinate in the hope of achieving enough time to deliver an answer that meets their standards, that satisfies the parameters either set by their programming, or their own feelings.

My Job also adds in a sense of why emotions are important- in a sense that is not about enjoyment or satisfaction, although the AI ultimately does feel tremendously satisfied at the successful conclusion of their quandary- because without the ability to experience “baseless misgivings”, they would have simply responded to the initial command to open the door and been unbothered by whatever happened. In that sense, you could argue, it’s an ‘emotion’ born from ‘logic’ (that there is something amiss, though it takes the AI time to tease this out of their own thinking) but at that point we’re barking up a fool’s tree of semantics because our “logic” and our sentiments are both chemicals clattering around the same undifferentiated apparatus at the same time and thus inextricably attached to one another.

The thing that kills me about this is- with no hostility to the commenter in question- I scrolled down into the comments of My Job and immediately saw someone talking about how clearly, the AI has no emotions.

To me, this entire plot is about an AI having an emotion. Unmistakable and clear. This is about a door mechanism experiencing a profoundly human response to distress- procrastinating on the completion on a task they have every resource and in fact an active imperative to complete, based on a misgiving they are unable to articulate. This revelation is so profound to them that at the end of the video, they actually reframe their entire objective- “My job is to protect the human. My job is a great purpose.”

So I guess if there’s a tl;dr or conclusion to this sentiment, it’s that I think that while we can and should absolutely tell stories about fictional robots- because they are cool, and because they are also tremendously useful to ask certain existential questions about personhood- I think that it is actually very important to temper both our creation and consumption on these narratives on a more robust theory of neurodivergence, and, “I don’t recognize the way this emotion plays out in this particular person” does not equal “there is no emotion there at all”

[mayonakano-archive]

aye my brother across the country i am procrastinating right now

super radtastic song 4 u 2day, i have to assume that if you didnt recognize it from the module reel in systematic love then you havent heard the song yet so ive been going off of that, utata-p's (this is the) happiness and peace of mind committee (cult content warning)! ive only seen a map for this in project diva, but the charting is soooo insane im madly in love with it... in the case that you haven't actually heard this song before, no spoilers so STOP reading the ask right now until youve finished the song!!!!!!

alright so, to start. while i think the simplicity of the original pv is chilling in its own way and love it for that, the 3d pv for future tone is sooooo so good and amazing seriously they did not fail to live up to the song it makes me go crazy and sends shivers up my spine throughout the whole thing... the dance she does while she's rapping about execution methods....ugh it's perfect

and i love it when a song can hit a tone shift transition that feels Abrupt without feeling Wrong, it's so impressive and they hit it twice i just mmHmhgNggh this soooong maaaaaaaan

xoxo hugs and kissies Monday cant hurt you if you learn the Macarena or however that goes

ooh this one! i have not heard it in full! i have heard bits of it while scrolling thru the MegaMix menu. I think. It's a good song tho <3 Very interesting.

The PV is very chill and I do enjoy that. I like the way that it has those kind of softer bits between the more like, intense stuff, yanno? It's interesting. i like it. gives off two very distinct feelings without feeling off. i am an enjoyer.

Monday can't hurt me if I simply pretend I do not exist the entire day <3 peace and love. good luck ems, i am cheering you on!!!!

[lovinkiri]

Self-Care: Motivation With Kirishima, Bakugou, Iida, And Izuku

Description: I know a lot of us aren't very motivated to do anything, so here's the first addition to the Self-Care Series 🥰

Katsuki Bakugou

Katsuki watched as you sat on the couch, on your phone. He knew you weren't purposely trying to procrastinate. You just.. Couldn't find the will to do much right now. He understood, being on your grind and having stuff come down around you was draining. Hell, sometimes just not doing much for so long was draining. But that didn't excuse anything for too long.

Walking over, he snatched your phone out of your hand. Your eyes widened and you looked at him in shock. "Wha- Katsuki!"

Tossing it aside on the couch, he kneltbin front of you. "Look, dumbass. I don't know why you're unmotivated. You need to snap out of it though."

You looked away from him and crossed your arms, something Katsuki recognized as a defensive mechanism. Before you could speak, he beat you to it.

"I know, its not that easy. I get it, alright? It's just.. If you don't start now, then when are you gonna start? No matter how much time you spend scrolling on Tumblr, Instagram, or Tik Tok.. It'll still be waiting. Why not just knock it out now?" He took your hands into his and gave them a light squeeze.

"I'm here to support you. It's the New Year. You got to celebrate. You got to relax. Now its time to get back to your grind. And I know you can do it. Now come on. Let's get shit done, yeah?"

Eijirou Kirishima

Eijirou flopped next to you on the bed, giving you a once over. You looked so cute as you scooched over and cuddled into him, looking up at him with soft eyes.

Sadly, he didn't come over here to take a nap with you. He knew you wanted to get up but.. You were just do unmotivated. And Eijirou understands! He used to feel the same way in middle school, when he thought he couldn't help anyone.

Pulling you closer, he kissed the top of your head. "What'cha up to, Pebble?" He murmured softly into your hair. You simply shook your head. "Not much."

He gave a small hum. "Didn't you have something you planned to do?" He gently pressed. You gave a small sigh. ".. Yeaaaah.. But I can just-"

"Oh no. This is like the third time." He reminded you, sitting up and pulling you on his lap. You looked away, knowing he was right.

Noticing your small reaction, he sighed. "Hey.. I know things are tough. 2020 was.. A lot. And 2021 might not be better, honestly. But now that we've been doing this for a year, we got this. We can't control what happens around us. But we can control our response. And we can't let bad vibes and bad things stop us from doing what we've gotta do, right?

Chuckling at the smile on your face, he helped you up. "So, c'mon! It'd only be manly to get up and do what you gotta do. And I'll be there every step of the way! I believe in you, Pebble!"

Tenya Iida

Tenya sat on the edge of the bed, watching you as you watched TV. He wanted to talk to you about your lack of motivation. Nothing bad or anything, he wanted to try and help you feel better. He just didn't know how to bring it up.

So, with hesitation, he cleared his throat softly. "Y/n, my dear?" He said gently. You hummed and looked at him curiously. He took your hand in his and kissed the knuckle. "Don't you have something to do today?"

You thought for a moment before sighing. "Yeah.. But it's fine, I can do it later." You shrugged.

Tenya chuckled softly and rubbed his them against your palm. "You said that last night. And yesterday morning. And the night before that."

Sighing, you leaned against his shoulders. "I know.. I just.."

Tenya kissed the top of your head. "I know. I get it. You aren't feeling it much, are you?" He mumbled. You gently shook your head.

"I figured. I know everything has been a lot to deal with. This year took a toll on everyone in some way. But it's time to get back on track, okay? And you don't have to do it alone. You have people who are cheering you on, whether it bevto shower or brush your teeth. And you have me."

You smiled softly at Tenya and slowly sat up. Giving you a small grin, he nodded. "What do you say? Let's get back to it, yes?"

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku gently played in your hair as you sat, flipping absent-mindedly through the oages of some magazine Mina let you borrow.

He knew you had something to do. But he also knew you weren't feeling up to it. It worried him honestly. Did you burn yourself out? Were you okay? Was your mental health alright?

Nonetheless, you'd been like this for quite a bit. And he knew that if he said nothing, it'd stay like this.

So he leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to your cheek. "Um, Doll..? I don't mean to push you, but.. Don't you have something to do?"

You bit your lip in thought on how you'd respond before slowly nodding. "Yeah.. It can wait though."

Gathering courage, he shook his head. "Actually.. I do mean to push you."

You looked at him with surprise. But he simply smiled softly. "Not because I want to stress you out. It's just that I know that sometimes, that's what you need. So, c'mon. I know things are kinda hectic as it it. But it's nothing we can't do together. Reading, YouTube, the TV. It'll still be there when you finish. Hey, it'll probably be more enjoyable once you know you know you have nothing to worry about."

He gave you a wide, contagious grin. "So, c'mon, Doll! Let's do it."

[uzair12blog]

13 Ways to Focus When Studying

No matter how old you are, studying may be a daunting undertaking. From middle school children to adults in college, all confront points when they need to sit down for some power-learning.

But learning wouldn't be learning if it wasn't challenging. People experience a variety of difficulties while studying for exams, presentations, and projects. It can be difficult to concentrate when studying at times.

Fortunately, many people's study problems may be diagnosed and remedied, making study time more enjoyable rather than dreaded. The key is recognising those issues and actively striving to resolve them so that you can study properly.

Common Study Problems:-

Studying successfully entails so many variables that there are numerous ways in which it can go wrong. These are some of the most typical issues people experience when attempting to study:

1. Concentration problems

2. Distractions

3. Insufficient motivation

4. Procrastination

5. Dislike for the topic

6. Problems with time management

7. Boredom

8. Stress and pressure

Each study's offender can be dealt with in a variety of ways. Finding methods that are tailored to an individual's specific challenges and learning style is sometimes all that is required.

13 Tips for Focusing When Studying:-

You can start exploring for remedies once you've discovered the reasons you're having problems learning. It's possible that you'll have to attempt a few different approaches before you're able to study more effectively. You'll be acing tests in no time if you're persistent and use the appropriate combination of study tactics.

To get you started, here are 13 study tips:

1. Find the right environment:-

Everything in your environment has an impact on how you study. Background noise, lighting, temperature, phone alerts, and other factors can cause you to lose attention while studying.

You should study in a place where you feel at ease, relaxed, and concentrated. Depending on your own tastes, this could entail locking yourself in a room or heading to the library.

2. Plan your study session:-

Don't jump right in if there's a lot to learn. Calculate how much study time you have available and how you can fit everything into that time frame. Set time restrictions for each study topic so you know you'll be able to see them all.

3. Eliminate technology distractions:-

Nowadays, a lot of studying is done on a computer. That puts social media within easy reach, and it's a great way to pass the time when you're bored or trapped. Now you're wasting valuable study time by scrolling through your friend's wedding photos instead of studying.

Make a rule for yourself that you will not use social media during study time, and stick to it.

4. Take regular breaks:-

Rather than exhausting yourself by studying for long periods of time, take breaks at regular intervals. Maybe every 45 minutes, you do a few laps around the hallway or finish a tiny cleaning project you've been putting off.

Taking regular breaks from studying can allow your brain to rest and digest other thoughts that may be pressing on your mind. It will be easier to study at a steady pace and properly absorb knowledge.

5. Exercise regularly to improve concentration:-

Regular exercise increases your memory and learning abilities. People who exercised for at least 30 minutes most days of the week, or 150 minutes per week, had better memory capacities than those who did not, according to the Harvard Health Blog in 2018.

Aerobic exercise expands the hippocampus, the area of the brain that handles memory and learning.

6. Choose one thing:-

When you've got a lot of study creatures to tame, focus on one at a time. Allow yourself to focus solely on this one study goal until it is completed and you are satisfied. After that, you should move on to another issue.

Multitasking or moving between topics may appear to be the quickest method to get through your studies, but focusing on just one item at a time will allow you to absorb and recall the material more effectively.

7. Get enough sleep:-

Sleep, like exercise, is essential for proper brain function. People who don't get enough sleep have trouble controlling their focus, attention, and memory while studying.

Lack of sleep can also alter your mood, which might have an impact on how well you study. Get at least eight hours of sleep each night, and avoid any distractions that can wake you up, so your brain can get the deep slumber it

need.

8. Create a routine:-

Humans are creatures of habit, and studying is no exception. If you're having problems getting started, construct a ritual in which you study after completing a specific task, such as eating dinner.

Alternatively, if you have a favourite study spot, going there will immediately activate study mode in your brain.

Perhaps there are some snacks that you prefer while studying and can be saved solely for that purpose. Routines make you look forward to learning and make it easier to complete the tasks.

9. Figure out what motivates you:-

Assume you're studying the most uninteresting subject in the planet. What motive does your brain have to recall the worthless details if you don't care about the information? Find a source of inspiration. There has to be a connection between this topic and your life.

Does it have an impact on you? Those you care about? Is there a little sub-topic that interests you?

You can reframe your thinking about the rest of the material if you can find a method to be interested in at least part of the topic. You'll be more driven to learn about a topic if you can see how it connects to you.

10. Find the right learning style:-

It's possible that the issue is that you've never been taught a learning and study approach that fits your personality. Your study method should reflect whether you're a visual, aural, or kinesthetic learner.

In an inappropriate learning style, you will never acquire information in the same way that you will in one that is tailored to your needs. Seek for a tutor or a friend who can assist you in experimenting with various study methods.

11. Be patient and believe in yourself:-

Expect to not be able to master all of the content in a single study session. In the learning process, be patient and remember that haste does not equal expertise. Simultaneously, have faith in your ability to absorb the knowledge.

Don't give up if your studies are taking too long. Get the aid you need, but have faith in your ability to learn what you need to know.

12. If it’s a distraction, don’t listen to music:-

Listening to music while studying is a popular practise. It creates a relaxing atmosphere and keeps your mind busy while you work. However, music can keep some people's brains overly occupied. It could actually be a study distraction, especially if you're listening to lyrics or guitar riffs.

Perhaps a simple change in music style will assist your distraction, or you may need to get rid of it entirely. Some folks simply require silence in order to concentrate. If you usually study with music, try it without it. That could be what's keeping you from concentrating fully.

13. Perform physical activity if you’re a kinesthetic learner:-

Some folks are wired to be on the move all of the time. These folks are frequently kinesthetic learners, which means they must move in order to absorb information properly.

You can come up with inventive ways to "fidget" while learning. Perhaps learning would be easier if you sat on a yoga ball and gently bounced. Some people find that moving their hands, such as with a fidget spinner or a stress ball, helps them to feel more grounded.

Could It Be a Deeper Issue?

If you're having trouble studying, it's most likely because of how you're going about it.

If you're still having problems studying after trying the above techniques, you should consult a professional who can examine you for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or another learning disability.

Adults can develop certain learning disorders, even if they have never had difficulty learning or studying before.

If you have a learning or attention issue, you can get more individualised treatment to match your requirements and help you succeed in school.

[angelubasco]

10 Tips for Finals

Finals is waving, are you ready to wave back?Exams are not easy as you wanted it to be especially in college it will really squeeze your brain, test your knowledge and understanding. Exams also can cause stress and you are worried about it. So to avoid this kind of difficulties and procrastination in finals if you don't want to fail you need to be prepared so here are the things you need to do:

Get Plenty of Sleep

At first glance, sleep might not seem like the most important of the many study tips for finals. In reality, however, all that prep work will do little good if it’s not accompanied by plenty of shut-eye. Extensive research reveals that sleep not only improves our ability to focus, but also plays an active role in consolidating memories and making it easier to retrieve information. Slow-wave non-REM sleep, in particular, is important for memories involving facts that need to be actively recalled.

The need for sleep underscores the importance of avoiding procrastination. If you wait until the last minute to begin studying, you may panic and choose to ditch sleep in favor of cramming. The sooner you get started, the less likely you’ll have to endure all-nighters later on.

If you’re currently struggling to get quality sleep, you’re far from alone. Still, college doesn’t need to be a time of minimal shut-eye. Make an active effort to improve sleep hygiene by removing TVs and mobile devices from your room, getting on as consistent of a schedule as possible, and avoiding caffeine in the evening.

Create a Study-Oriented Space

Is your workspace conducive to studying? Or do you simply hang out with your laptop and textbook wherever you can find a comfy spot?

Environment matters. You might find it difficult to focus if your space is cluttered or chock full of distracting devices.

If possible, set up a nook exclusively dedicated to studying. This area should include a desk, an ergonomic chair, quality lighting, and any materials you might require during your study session. Let your roommates, family members, or other fellow residents know that, when you sit down at your desk, you are not to be disturbed.

Level Up Your Playlist

The right music can make your study session both more enjoyable and more effective. Several studies highlight the value of classical music, in particular. For example, in a study published in Learning and Individual Differences, researchers discovered that lectures involving classical background music prompted higher quiz scores than similar lectures that lacked such music.

The main theory underscoring these results: Music places students in a heightened emotional state that makes them far more receptive to information than they would be under ordinary circumstances. Experts at the Duke Cancer Institute also believe that music boosts retention because it reduces anxiety.

Ditch Distracting Devices

In today’s digital world, it’s tough to go even a few minutes without glancing at our smartphones. Unfortunately, this dependence can cause big problems when it’s time to buckle down and study. Research suggests that the mere presence of a smartphone is enough to prevent most people from learning effectively—even when showing restraint and managing to avoid scrolling through notifications.

While apps and alarms might seem helpful, they may not make up for the inherent distraction that comes with keeping your phone in your study space. For best results, commit to turning your phone off for at least an hour and placing it in a safe space as far from your desk as possible.

Experiment With a Variety of Study Tactics

No one study method works equally well for everyone. Some people learn best from reading notes out loud, while others benefit from flashcards or highlighters. Experiment with several approaches until you find a strategy that best addresses your unique needs. Don’t be surprised, however, if a single method fails to deliver results for every subject. A specific strategy may prove more effective for one course than for others, so don’t be afraid to switch things up as soon as your approach appears to deliver diminishing returns.

Create Sample Test Questions

As you try different approaches to studying, consider this effective option: Develop and answer questions that might realistically be found on your exams.

This method provides a variety of benefits. First, it forces you to boil down weeks of learning into a few basic takeaways. Details matter, of course, but it’s equally important to understand the big picture.

Writing sample questions also allows you to think like an instructor. This thought process may benefit you when the actual exam arrives. Finally, self-created tests help you determine where your main gaps in knowledge lie for a clear indication of the topics that warrant closer review.

Get Involved with a Study Group

It’s never too late to start a study group. While these gatherings are most beneficial if they take place throughout the entire course of the semester, they can provide plenty of value in the last few days before finals. If nothing else, commiserating over test prep may ease your stress.

Many of the tactics highlighted above can be integrated into group efforts. For example, everybody in your group can be tasked with creating flashcards from a specific lecture or chapter in your textbook. These can then be mixed and used for the ultimate flashcard review session. Likewise, participants could develop sample questions to be compiled and used in a practice exam.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Exam prep may feel lonely at times, but you can take solace in knowing that you’re never truly alone. Numerous resources are available to help you conquer difficult material and deal with pre-exam stress.

Begin by turning to your fellow classmates or study group members for assistance. Even a brief chat could trigger valuable insights or provide the motivation needed to push through when the going gets tough.

Don’t hesitate to seek help from your instructors. Office hours exist for a reason, and yet, far too many students are too intimidated to chat up those in the best position to help.

The sooner you get over this discomfort, the better. Not only will increased interaction with your instructor prove helpful for short-term test prep, you could build a strong relationship to form the basis of your college networking efforts.

Keep the Big Picture in Mind

Final exams aren’t designed to torture stressed-out students. There’s more to this college essential than grades alone. It’s the perfect example of the cliché about the journey being more important than the destination. The act of studying for your finals ensures that you fully engage with the extensive material covered throughout the duration of each course.

If you take exam prep seriously, you’ll come away with a richer understanding of key concepts. This, in turn, will ensure that you retain the knowledge you’ve worked so hard to gain. As you move forward with upper-level courses, graduate school, or your eventual career, you’ll thank yourself for putting in the effort.

_____________________________________________

Reference:

Post University, 2020. Study Tips for Finals: 10 Ways to Ace Your Exams. https://post.edu/blog/10-steps-to-acing-your-finals/

[dailynewswebsite]

The 5 best Amazon deals you can get this Tuesday

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Story continues

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from Growth News https://growthnews.in/the-5-best-amazon-deals-you-can-get-this-tuesday/ via https://growthnews.in

[rephil]

The One Where Phil Dates Dan

TW: Mentions of self loathing, cursing?? I guess Word Count: 7712 Genre: Fluff Prompt: dontforgettosmile (AO3)

Summary: It's been a long time since Dan last dated someone. Eight years, to be exact. Phil offers that they go on a date, to save each other from the dreadful feeling of being alone. But no homo though.

READ ON AO3

I may or may not be accepting prompts it depends do u want a fic next year let me know

Author’s Note: This promt was sent an entire year ago! Yikes! I've been struggling to write this because of school, but since its summer again, I finally got to finish it! Ey! 

Also listen, this was meant to be a sad ending™ fic but I love yall!! Didn’t say it’s a good ending tho it’s pretty rushed and shitty so yea enjoy

Dan knew it was a bad idea to lurk around his old friends’ profiles right before he deleted his Facebook. It made him feel insecure of himself since they had all these accomplishments and great things going on for them, while he was stuck in the same thing for about seven years now. Sure, Dan enjoyed making Youtube videos, and his (and Phil’s) fanbase was really strong, but he still had that tinge of fear that one day, all of it will be lost and he will have nowhere else to fall back on. Phil kept reassuring him that nothing bad will happen to them in the near future, but the thought still left Dan sleepless at night.

But other than that, in a less existential tone, Dan felt pretty salty about people's relationships. Every time he scrolled through Facebook, he found people bragging their love and security right before his very eyes; it is what made him want to quit Facebook in the first place (his personal Facebook, at least). People would freak out if his “danisnotonfire” account vanished in thin air. But in his private account, Dan hated scrolling through pictures of flowers one of his uni friends received from their dates, or pictures of weddings of high school acquaintances he never bothered unfriending, or videos of his friends from his old job showing their baby’s first few steps. They made Dan realize how lonely he was, and how long it had been since he was ever serious with someone.

Upon scrolling further down his timeline, Dan saw a picture of the last person he wanted to see right now; the first and only serious relationship he had in his entire life, Sarah Wickham. She got married last Saturday and just posted an album with 100 HD pictures of the entire wedding thirty minutes ago.

People thought she and Dan were cute together after playing Romeo and Juliet at uni, so they just decided to give their relationship a chance. They actually hit it off for the most part. They were both very much into acting, hence being in the school play, and they had a lot of interests in common. He was actually surprised about how extensive her knowledge was in Muse discography.

The only downfall to their relationship was the choices Dan made, which was watching YouTube videos. Not that she minded, of course; she enjoyed watching Smosh as much as he did. But by falling into the pit of YouTube, Dan met the first person to ever make him question his sexuality: Phil Lester.

Funny enough, Dan and Sarah had so much in common that they both found Phil attractive (although Dan was less vocal about it). They would tune in to his new uploads and watch them together, even following him on all his other social media. However, the only difference was that Sarah was a casual fan while Dan literally dove right up Phil’s ass, if that was possible.

Dan would comment as soon as he uploads a video to guarantee that Phil noticed him, doing the same for the rest of his social media, while Sarah simply liked a tweet she found funny. Dan basically devoted more time impressing Phil than impressing his girlfriend, and Sarah noticed that way before Dan did. They broke up the second Dan brought up that he was meeting Phil in Manchester the following week.

Dan found it funny that technically, he's still in the same position he was seven years ago. Still the same fanboy obsessing over Amazingphil and still stuck in the abyss that is Youtube. Only this time, he's actually living with his idol and gets paid for being on Youtube. Others would think that Dan was living the dream, but he just felt like he wasn't doing anything serious in his life. But that wasn't exactly the most pressing issue he had at the moment. That was a crisis for next time.

Did he still like Phil? Dan didn’t have a concrete answer at the moment. Sure, his cringey obsessed fanboy phase died down somewhere around 2012 when people won’t shut up about it, but the admiration was still there. He’d still anticipate Phil’s posts, despite the fact that he’d talk about it to Dan beforehand.

Did he still like Sarah? Obviously not. But when he realized that she was the last person that Dan had ever gotten into a relationship with speaks volumes on how terrible his social life was. Seeing her live a stable life felt like being smacked with a brick. It’s like telling him that he didn’t do anything with his life at all. And did that stop Dan from viewing every single picture in her album? Definitely not.

Phil must’ve noticed Dan’s sour expression and asked, “Are you okay, Dan?”

Dan snapped out of his stupor and looked over to Phil, whose eyebrows were pulling closer by the second. Phil’s stern expression looked almost like how Dan’s mother looked, and it made him grow conscious of his current position, what he’d call his ‘browsing position’, so he sat up. His mother constantly scolded him about his posture, that he would have osteoporosis by the time he's thirty. She was right.

“I’m fine,” Dan chuckled, “just can’t read the small text in this thing, that’s all.” He gestured to the hypothetical text he couldn’t read to look convincing, but they lived with each other for so long, Phil obviously knew Dan was fibbing.

“If it helps, press command and the plus sign to make the text bigger,” Phil mumbled, returning his attention back to his own laptop. It was filled with dozens of stickers he picked up from random places, probably adding a whole gram to its weight. As a stark contrast, Dan’s laptop was super clean; he'd use some cleaning agent to get rid of the sweat and dust it accumulated the whole week.

“Thanks,” he said half-heartedly, but didn’t do it. He decided to give lurking a rest, and decided to go to Tumblr for his daily dose of memes. He's seriously going to procrastinate deleting his Facebook.

Dan leaped a foot up his seat when his laptop produced a loud notification sound that pierced through the quiet room. He looked for the source of the sound from the immense number of tabs opened in his window and found it in his Facebook tab. It was a message from Phil.

can you read your text now, grandpa??

Dan glared at him, but Phil was too busy with whatever he’s doing to even notice him. He typed up a response and slammed the enter key.

stfu... which one of us has a receding hairline?

“Rude,” Phil replied audibly, earning a chuckle from Dan. It was an unspoken fact that Facebook was for old people. No one probably used it as their main source of enjoyment anymore since their parents might be lurking around to see what they were up to, just like what Phil was doing, essentially. Having both Dan and Phil online on their personal Facebooks may prove they are approaching old age.

Thanks to Phil, Dan lingered back to Sarah’s wedding album and decided to click on her profile to see more of what she was up to. He scrolled through all her achievements, from job promotions to weight loss to pet adoption, and he actually felt proud of her. What ticked him off were all the posts of her and her fiance- now husband- and all the cute things they were doing together. Dan wanted to experience them too.

A notification disturbed his grumbling again, which led him to mute his laptop once and for all, and looked over to see that Phil sent him another message.

you’re obvs not trying to read small text… wats up?

Dan clicked on the message box and typed,

Facebook is making me hate people

A few moments later, Phil responded,

same... why tho?

Dan realized Phil was literally sitting a few feet away from him, so Dan decided to just talk out loud. He was too lazy to type. “Its making me realize that I’m not doing anything with my life.”

Phil sighed, giving Dan an apologetic look. He knew that look; Phil usually gave it to him when he was about to give Dan a really long preppy speech.

“Dan, it’s perfectly fine to fe—”

Dan chuckled, cutting him off and saying, “I meant my social life, Phil.” He corrected himself, “Or dating life, I guess. The last time I had a proper date with someone was when I was at uni.”

Phil raised his eyebrows condescendingly, and Dan wanted to chuck a pillow at him. It was pathetic enough that Dan’s last relationship was literally just forced by people from drama club. He obviously had himself to blame for cowering at the thought of leaving the house, but he also wanted to blame Phil for that too. He was the apparent downfall of Dan’s heterosexuality and the chance he had of meeting someone else.

“We can always set up a Tinder profile for you,” Phil suggested, as if it was that simple.

“Are you crazy, Phil?” Dan whispered, almost as if someone was listening to them right now. “What if a fan sees it?”

“Then you can go date a fan,” Phil mused, giggling to himself. When Dan shot Phil a glare, he pouted and said, “Well, guess not. I would suggest going outside and meeting people like it’s the dark ages, but you won’t be too keen on that.”

It was as if Phil was reading his thoughts. Dan sunk into his sofa crease and accepted his fate. Unless his parents married him off to some royalty from another kingdom, Dan would be left rotting in a flat making videos about all the rest of his other misfortunes.

“I have an idea!” Phil said suddenly, making Dan yelp. “Why don’t I take you out?”

Figuratively, Dan would’ve spat his drink.

“Erm,” Dan started slowly. He didn’t want to look at Phil in the eye yet. This might be one of Phil’s disturbing jokes where he’s trying not to laugh. “What?” When he looked at Phil, he was dead serious.

“Ya know,” Phil said as he shrugged, “I’m gonna take you to eat someplace nice.”

Dan rolled his eyes and said “Yeah, sure.” He wasn't having it with Phil's jokes.

But it made Dan wonder if Phil was seeing someone. He probably wasn’t, being that the only times he ever went out of the house was with Dan, running some errands, or making a lame attempt at jogging to stay healthy. It would be a far stretch to assume that Phil went on a date at some point and telling Dan that he did the latter two instead, after all, there weren’t any secrets between them.

Because between the two of them, Phil was more sociable and friendly. People would love to date him. It wouldn’t be a surprise to find out that Phil has actually been dating someone for three years under Dan’s nose.

They sat in silence for the remainder of the night, mumbling occasionally about something funny they saw on their Tumblrs. Phil was supposed to be editing a video right now, but Dan wasn’t one to scold him to do it; he procrastinates editing all the time too.

Dan retreated to bed a few hours later. It was already 2 AM and his eyes are difficult to keep open. He mumbled an incoherent ‘goodnight’ at Phil, who grunted softly in reply, and trudged to his room with his laptop tucked underneath his arm.

Dan would be a terrible boyfriend. He’d forget saying goodnight to his partner, probably even forget to text them for an entire week. He should include it in the hundred number of reasons why he didn’t have a lovelife.

Phil was usually the first person to wake up in the morning, despite the fact that they hated getting up early. Phil had to sacrifice his sleep in order to pee, then he couldn’t will himself to sleep after that. Usually Phil would prepare his breakfast and make some for Dan too, but the flat was dead quiet. There wasn't bustling sounds of spatulas scraping frying pans. Either Dan woke up too late or too early this morning.

When Dan unplugged his phone to check the time, it was nine AM. Too late then. He decided to just check his social media before starting the day, which meant checking his social media on his laptop instead of his phone. Just as he watched a vine in a low volume, the doorbell unexpectedly rang, and Dan’s heart pounded rather violently in his chest.

“Phil! Get the door!” Dan yelled, not wanting to separate himself from his toasty bed just yet, but the doorbell kept ringing. He kept calling Phil, but no avail. Was he out jogging? Dan assumed whoever was at the door was just delivery guy, but he usually gave up after buzzing three times. This one seemed persistent.  

Begrudgingly, Dan stood up and put on the shirt he wore last night, heading to the front door.

“I’m coming!” he mumbled, ruffling his hair to make it a bit decent.

When Dan opened the door, it was just Phil. “Good morning!” he chirped, with a big smile on his face. He was all dressed up and had his left hand behind his back. Dan felt drained as he watched Phil being so energetic after he just woke up.

“Phil?” he sighed, “You locked yourself out again?” He walked back inside, considering getting cereal for breakfast. That is, if Phil didn’t finish it yet.

“No, actually. I'm here to pick you up on our date, remember?” Dan turned his back and Phil showed what he was holding from behind his back, which was a single red rose, and held it out for Dan.

He took a step back. “Wait, you were serious?” He thought he made it pretty clear he was being sarcastic when he said “yeah, sure”. Dan took the rose anyway and tossed it on their coffee table, as if it was radioactive.

“You weren't?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Dan tried to point out the obvious. “Phil, our fans. What if they see?”

He shrugged. “We can just say we're going as friends. We don't exactly have have to do all the lovey dovey stuff,” Phil replied, like it was no big deal. Dan thought he knew better than to underestimate their audience.

It was nice of Phil to try making him feel better about the whole dating thing, but Dan was completely over it. “Phil, you don’t have to push this. I’m fine”

Phil laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “But, I kind of made plans for today already.”

Dan pinched his brow and sighed. “How long did you stay up last night exactly?”

“Long enough to find the best place to have brunch in Central London.”

And to pick out a nice outfit, apparently. Phil picked a green plaid shirt, black jeans, and brown combat boots, all of which Dan never saw before in his life. Phil didn’t wear new clothes unless its for a meet and greet or a new video, but then again, did Phil ever do anything else besides that?

“We can just eat brunch here. Honestly, Phil, I don't care about the dating thing anymore,” Dan said, crossing his arms.

“But the place I found looked so cool, ” Phil whined, slumping his shoulders. “Besides, we aren’t doing anything else right now so we might as well go.” Phil did puppy eyes, just because he perfectly knew that Dan can never resist them.

“Fine,” Dan grumbled. “But let me take a shower first.”

“Okay,” Phil said meekly, placing his hands in his pockets and bouncing on the balls of his feet. It creeped Dan out.

“Phil, what the hell are you doing?”

Tilting his head to the side, he answered, “Waiting.” He reminded Dan of those creepy girls wearing vintage dresses and pigtails in horror movies. The ones that made him keep every single light on for the sake of keeping his sanity.

“Why aren’t you sitting down?” he sputtered.

Phil shifted his gaze between Dan and the sofa. “Well, I have manners. I won’t sit unless you let me.”

Dan glared at him and said, “Phil, you fucking live here.”

Phil leaned his head, looked to the left and to the right as if someone was listening to them, and whispered, “Pretend we just met today.”

Dan scoffed. He thought Phil was supposed to take him out… as Phil? Phil was always one to make up a bunch of personas whenever he had the opportunity. Dan found it so endearing,  which is why he always went along with all of them anyway. “Okay, person I just met ,” he said, as if reading from a paper, “You may sit.”

His roommate scowled. “That’s the worst acting ever, Dan.”

Dan smiled coyly, and before turning to leave, he says, “I’m getting ready first, and I’ll be there in a minute. Do you want anything?”

Phil sat back on the couch and said, “A date with you would be amazing.”

Dan was taken back. Was Phil seriously this smooth? He laughed nervously and tried to counter him with the same tone, but failed. “Yeah, that… can be arranged.” Then he did the worst thing he could possibly do: finger guns.

He mentally slapped himself in the face. If this wasn’t Phil, then his date would make their way straight to the door and leave.

Dan took a quick shower that probably lasted two minutes. He went to dry his hair, not even bothering to straighten it like he used to. What took him so long was the time he spent to decide what clothes to wear. He was conscious about picking his clothes since Phil looked great.

Dan immediately scolded himself. This is just Phil, dammit. This wasn’t even a real date. This was just a “hey you’re lonely and I’m bored let’s go out” type of thing and nothing more. Phil is probably just taking him to a McDonalds and buy breakfast platters and go home. This is probably even nothing to him.

And yet, it took Dan about ten minutes to decide if he should use the moth shirt or one of the several black jumpers he owned. He checked the weather app for the billionth time to check that it was, in fact, sunny outside. Because if that’s the case, he will wear a thinner jacket.

He settled for a gray jumper, his usual black jeans, and the shoes he owns with lots of zippers on them. He checked himself on the mirror, fixing his curls to make sure they were all in the right place. He took his cologne, aggressively sprayed in front of him and stepped into its mist.

He quickly jogged back to the lounge, where Phil sat playing Crossy Roads. Dan didn’t blame him, Dan did take a long time to get ready: forty minutes to be exact. Dan cleared his throat and crossed his arms.

“Hey! You’re done,” Phil exclaimed as he turned to look at Dan, shoving his phone back in his pocket. He stood up and gestured to Dan. “Looking good, as always.”

Dan felt a tingle of heat spread on his cheeks, and he mentally pinched himself for it. He kept repeating “ It’s just Phil. It’s just Phil ” over and over in his head, but Phil's words continued to have an effect on him. Dammit. Dan tried to play it off by saying, “Let’s go. The city of London awaits.”

The weather app lied. It felt like there was a tornado outside.

Dan was relieved he didn’t waste his time straightening his hair at all, it would’ve been ruined anyway. The wind propelled everything that was lighter than a bottle of water off the ground, even Dan’s phone almost got carried away. He looked over at Phil, who was just as concerned for his hair as Dan, and giggled. Phil's fringe swooped up, revealing his massive forehead, and Dan was too conscious of his own hair to make fun of Phil’s.

They managed to make it to the tube station all in one piece. Phil led the way, brisk-walking to the train that just arrived by the platform with Dan running closely behind him. Although Dan was taller and had longer legs than Phil, Dan couldn’t walk just as fast as him. Probably because of all that jogging Phil was doing.

When they finally situated themselves on the seats closest to the doors, Dan let out a huge sigh of relief. He felt like he just ran in a marathon.

“Where are we even going?” Dan wheezed, still trying to catch his breath while surveying the scene. The trolley wasn’t very crowded anymore since people usually get off at the station before theirs, and looking all around, there didn’t seem to be people that would’ve been one of their followers.

Phil must’ve arrived to the same conclusion since he didn’t have to whisper when he said, “It’s a surprise! This would be really boring if you knew exactly what we’re doing.”

“Is that what you think?” he quipped, “You want dates to be a surprise for you?” Dan lowered his voice a bit just in case.

“Yeah,” Phil responded, smiling in thought. “I don’t really want to know where I’m going because I’m gonna make a bunch of scenarios and get my standards up, you know?”

He did have a point, especially since Dan usually over thought anything that may or may not happen to him. His scenarios were usually for the worst, however, to avoid exactly what Phil said. Dan envisioned everything that could possibly go wrong given a situation, so maybe he didn’t have to worry about raising his standards up. In fact, Dan would be surprised if things went well for him.

But regardless, he wanted to know exactly what will happen in a date. Dan told Phil that he wanted to be mentally prepared for whatever was coming for him. Phil laughed silently and shook his head, just as the train slowed to a stop and the doors opened.

“I promise I won’t take you anywhere you won’t like,” Phil reassured him over the sound of people hopping off and hopping on the train. They didn’t bother talking while people transitioned in and out of the car, too lazy to try to talk over the noise. They waited until the doors closed and the train slowly marched ahead.

“If it makes you feel any better, I can give you some hints.”

“Fire away.”

He held a finger up and pointed on it with his other hand. “Well, you already know, but as a refresher: we’re getting brunch, since I’m assuming that you’d probably still be asleep for the next five hours if I didn’t ring the doorbell.”

Dan scoffed. “Correction: I’d probably still be in bed for the next five hours if you didn’t ring the doorbell.”

Phil gave him a look and continued, counting a second finger, “ And then,” he paused for a moment, watching Dan’s face for any sort of speculation. Phil finally said,”We’re going home.”

Dan snickered and pushed Phil with his shoulder. He expected a long, well thought out plan. The good thing was, Phil wasn't taking Dan to McDonalds. He hoped.

They passed three other stops before Phil declared that the next one was going to be theirs. Phil patted Dan on the knee and stood up, leading the way out of the station. The wind wasn’t as bad as it was a while ago, but Dan still had to place his hands on his hair to avoid it turning into a huge bushy mess.

Phil looked back at Dan and smiled at him. “Just take a left here,” and mimicking the voice of their GPS, he added, “and in fifty meters, your destination will be on the left.”

Dan snorted, following Phil’s directions. Phil walked a little bit ahead of Dan to go by the door and to open it, gesturing for Dan to go inside. Dan softly thanked him and stepped into the restaurant, with Phil following suit.

“Wow, Phil, you did a really good job finding this place,” Dan said as they situated themselves in a booth by the wall, but not too far back in the restaurant in case someone saw them and drew speculations.

A waiter wearing a crisp black uniform appeared before them and handed them menus, asking if they wanted something to drink. Phil opted for lemonade while Dan chose hot coffee.

Dan was fairly impressed with the selection of food; he would try them all if he was able to. Some dishes were a bit unfamiliar to him, but it wasn’t something Google can’t help him with.

“Find anything you wanna order?“ Phil asked, peeking over from his menu.

“Still browsing,” he replied.

“I'm just having what you're having.”

Dan smirked. “That’s so lazy. So if i buy an entire cheese platter, would you eat it with me?”

“Maybe don't be a piece of shit,” Phil said, rolling his eyes.

Dan faked a gasp and placed his hands on his chest. “Phil! Language .” It earned him a laugh.

Their waiter arrived with their drinks and a set of cream and sugar. As he settled them on the table, he decided to take their orders. Dan ended up ordering white pasta instead of a cheese platter, so Phil did the same. Phil also decided to get potato bombs since they looked great in the picture. When the waiter left, Dan put half the cup of cream and two sugar cubes into his coffee, stirring it slowly.

“So, when was the first date you've ever had?” Phil asked, twirling his straw in the glass.

Dan thought about it and sighed at the memory, explaining, “The first and only date I ever had was forced by my friends at uni, so I won't really hold it to any standards.”

“I see,” Phil responded solemnly.

In attempt to lighten the mood, Dan said, “Which is why I need some protips from you.”

Phil smirked. “Don't you mean editing tips?”

“Don't say that thing ever again,” he deadpanned.

“Well, the last time I ever dated someone was 2009.” Dan, being Phil trash number one, remembered that. “So my most popular pickup line is that I have a youtube channel.”

“Really? And they're impressed with that?”

“Well 70,000 subscribers was probably bigger than the population of Manchester, so I guess they were! They'd even ask for a shout out from me, but there's just too many of them. I can’t fit them all in one video.”

“Oh, you poor famous man,” Dan cooed mockingly. “But that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid though, my dates knowing that I have a youtube account.”

“Your channel isn't exactly hush hush right now. Even if they aren't fans of you, they might’ve recognized you from somewhere.”

Dan sighed. “Exactly.”

“Oh, you poor famous man,” he imitated Dan.

“Shut up.” He kicked Phil’s legs from under the table. “What else do you have?”

Phil rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb, as if he was thinking of something scholarly. But really, he was just thinking of dating tips. They were both pretty much rusty in that department since it has been so long after all. All of the good moves in 2009 were probably corny and bad in 2017.

Phil finally leaned forward, placing both elbows on the table, and said, “I would go and ask them about themselves.” He gestured towards Dan before placing his hands under his chin. “Then I would look at them like this.” Phil tilted his head to the side, hooded his eyes, and smiled.

Dan furrowed his eyebrows and cringed. “Yeah, did they all run away?”

It was Phil’s turn to kick Dan from under the table. He slumped back on his seat and said, “Shut up. They loved it.”

Dan snorted. “See how well that went for you.”

Before Phil could retort, the waiter came with a basket of bread and a bowl with about six servings of butter. It was both their favorite part of eating. Dan took the napkin on his plate and placed it on his lap, with Phil following suit. They each took a slice of bread and Phil jokingly stole the bowl of butter. Dan tried to steal it from his hands, but Phil placed it on his seat and stuck his tongue out at Dan.

As they ate, Dan had the urge to take his phone out, but he knew that was being rude. From all the countless articles he read about dating, despite the fact that never got to use any of them in real life, he knew that he should focus on his date and his date only. The most prominent dating tips those articles had to offer was that he shouldn’t take his phone out and that he shouldn’t talk about himself too much, which Dan honestly thought was common sense. But turns out not everyone thought it was.

“Have you posted your evil piano teacher video?” Phil asked as he grabbed a second slice of bread and returned the bowl of butter on the table. “I need to post the pastel video. People can’t wait.”

Dan shrugged. “I’m still debating about whether or not should I put a clip of me actually playing the piano somewhere.” He took two more slices of bread because he was sure that Phil would finish the entire basket without Dan realizing it.

Phil smiled, taking a huge bite off his bread. “You should! People will love it. I always hear you play, and you’re quite lovely.”

As usual, Dan tried to hide that he was flustered with humor as he said, “But I haven’t met you before! How did you know that I play the piano.” Phil bit his lip and smiled, which didn’t exactly help Dan’s case at all. “But thanks. I’ll try.”

As Phil finished the bread on his hands, he raised his eyebrows in realization. “Oh! You can put it in like a split screen, while you’re talking or something.”

Dan nodded his head slowly. “Sure, probably at the beginning or the end.” He dropped another sugar cube into his coffee and stirred it again.  “I might need some help with it though. It’s been a long time since I last did split screen.”

Phil winked. “Don’t worry, I can give you those editing tips tonight if you want.”

“What did I tell you, Phil?” Dan said with an exasperated tone.

“Okay, Danny boy.”

They continued to talk about failed previous dates, not as if there was much to add anyway, and their appetizer came about five minutes later. Dan thought they looked, well, appetizing. Ten perfectly symmetrical balls were stacked on a plate with a little bowl of white sauce on the side. The balls had a dark brown color and they had red and green seasoning and a little bit of cheese sprinkled on top of them. Dan took his phone out to take a snapshot of it — he’s sure Phil wouldn’t mind.

Dan even handed his phone to Phil and requested, “Hey, can you take a picture of the potato balls? I wanna take a picture of it in all angles.”

Phil rolled his eyes and turned the plate 180 degrees around. “There’s your different angle.”

Dan scowled. “But it still looks different in your end! With all the lighting and shit.”

“Fine,” he huffed, holding out his hand to get the phone. He turned the plate back to its original position and took a few pictures at each side of the plate, before handing Dan’s phone back to him.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, skimming through the gallery to check if either one of them were visible in the photos.

If he or Phil decided to post the pictures, he didn’t want the other to be visible in them. He knew that their fans had really keen eyes. Dan remembered the time when he posted a picture of the sundae he bought with Phil for national ice cream day. The corner of Phil’s sleeve was visible on the edge of the picture, and people kept speculating about it. The comments were filled with people asking if it was a date.

Not that Dan minded this, of course. He was perfectly fine with people shipping him with his best friend, mostly because he agreed with them, but he wasn’t completely sure if Phil did as well. Dan could always answer those questions with sarcasm or a witty joke, but he was afraid that he would be see through, and not even Phil would be convinced.

Dan had to scroll through several comments to find a safe one to answer like “Was the ice cream good?” or “Happy national ice cream day!” From then on, he decided to just avoid possible hints that they are together, even if it won’t completely get rid of the speculation.

Dan realized he was holding on his phone for too long. Despite the number of notifications he had from his social media, he fought his urge by turning it off and shoving it back in his pocket. He felt the Cosmopolitan article called Top 10 Biggest First Date Turn-offs haunting him and reminding him how to be a good date, even if this wasn’t really a real one.

Phil apparently ate two potato balls already, so Dan popped two consecutive ones into his mouth, so they were even. He felt bad for using his phone for longer than he should’ve, so he asked:

“Hey, Phil? Was that… a turn off?” Dan had no idea what to call it, so he said the first thing that came to his mind. The confused look on Phil’s face made Dan realize how stupid his question was. He elaborated, “I mean like, using my phone on our… date?”

Phil shook his head and took another potato ball and dipped it into the white sauce. Dan completely forgot about it. “No, I don’t mind. I know you were just checking the pictures.”

“Well, what if I was someone else? Like, I don’t know, Sarah Michelle Gellar?”

Phil scoffed. “You know I wouldn’t mind anything if I’m dating either you or Sarah Michelle Gellar . ”

Dan scrunched his nose in frustration and said, “Well what if you were dating someone you don’t know?”

Phil thought for a moment before replying, “I mean, I guess I’d be a little irked if they used their phone too long.” Dan took a potato ball, this time with the dip, as Phil added, “But you know, I can’t imagine myself dating anyone else besides you or Sarah Michelle Gellar,” which prompted Dan to choke.

He kept coughing, and he couldn’t seem to stop. Phil was starting to get worried, so he pushed Dan’s glass of water towards him. Dan attempted to take a sip of water, which helped him a bit. Sarah Michelle Gellar has always been a “given” answer when people asked Phil “who would you take out on a date?” but it has never been Dan. He cleared his throat and gritted, “What is that supposed to mean?”

Phil opened his mouth to reply, but the waiter came with their food. He shrugged as the waiter dropped two identical dishes on their table. He asked if everything was in order before dashing off to the the table next to them to take their orders.

Phil cleared his throat before saying, “I don’t know, I guess it’s just because it’s Sarah Michelle Gellar . I’ve been thinking about dating her since I was seventeen.” He took his fork and twirled it into his pasta. Was that it?

“Also we’re here, right now, and it’s perfectly fine because, you know...” His voice trailed off and he took the pasta to his mouth, chewing slowly. He laughed and shook his head. “You’re my friend! It just feels kinda weird thinking about dating someone else when I haven’t been doing it for a long time.”

Dan felt his heart sink. With the steadiest voice he could muster, he said, “Oh. Well, that’s true.” He took his own fork and started digging into his pasta, only remembering that he had to take a picture when it was too late. He decided that he just won’t post anything anymore.

Dan wanted to slide lower into his seat and rot under the table for the next ten years. He kept telling himself stupid stupid stupid for thinking that Phil meant something else — that he actually liked dating Dan, and wanted to keep going. He can’t believe himself for even assuming.

But Dan still made the effort to act as if nothing happened. He suppressed his feelings for Phil since they first met because he hasn’t fully come to terms with his sexuality, but despite coming to terms with it now, didn’t make any difference. He was still the same old Dan inside out. Still the same weak piece of shit.

Dan dropped his fork onto the dish and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “I’m full,” he declared, taking a sip of his already cold coffee. Phil was a fast eater, so he was just about to take his final bite of pasta.

“Should I ask for the check?” Phil tried to say through his mouthful, but Dan understood, and he nodded. Phil tried to make eye contact with their waiter, waving his arms around whenever he looked at their general direction. It took Phil a few minutes to succeed.

The waiter dropped the bill on their table and took their plates, asking them if they enjoyed their meal. Both of them gave unenthusiastic responses, but the waiter didn’t seem to mind. As he left, Phil reached for his wallet, and took out his credit card. Dan followed suit.

“So, how are we gonna split this bill?” Dan asked as he fumbled for his credit card within his wallet full of random receipts and cards. He should really consider sorting it out.

Phil pushed Dan’s hands away and placed his own credit card on top of the bill. “No, I’m paying for the whole thing.” In a softer voice, he added, “This is a date, remember?” Dan decided it was best not to argue.

They took a taxi home since neither of them had the energy to do all the leg work, plus it was raining this time. They didn’t have an umbrella with them, which got them drenched as they hopped in and out of the taxi. Fuck London weather.

When they trudged through the second flight of stairs towards their flat, Phil said, “So, what did you think of our date? What was your favorite part? Would you recommend it to a friend?”

Dan said, through deep breaths, “The date was nice, I guess. Great location. Great food,” he added, in a lower voice, “Great you.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, because I did too.”

Dan was running out of breath, but it didn’t stop him from making a sarcastic comment. “I’m glad you did, Dora. My favorite part was when we went to the huge ass piñata.” Phil just giggled.

When they finally approached the door to their flat, Dan leaned on the wall as he fumbled for the keys in his pockets. He lazily unlocked the door, tossing the keys onto the coffee table as soon as he went in. He looked back, realizing that Phil remained outside the door. Dan knew better than to ask why wasn’t he coming in.

“What? No goodbye kiss?” Phil asked, leaning against the doorframe and pouting.

Dan rolled his eyes. He wasn’t exactly in the mood for pretending again. “If you don’t come in, I’m literally slamming the door at your face.” He walked back and held onto the doorknob, taunting Phil that he was gonna do it any second now. There was no way Phil was serious about kissing him.

“Come on, Dan. You gotta experience all the first date basics.”

Furrowing his eyebrows, Dan asked, “Is it completely necessary to kiss on the first date?”

Phil shrugged. “It’s how you know if a second date is on the table.”

“You’ll know it if the date went well,” Dan argued.

“Well, if Sarah Michelle Gellar was terrible snogger, which is highly unlikely, I won't go for a second date.”

Dan thought about it for a few seconds before he released a forced sigh. “Fine. You’re the expert, after all,” Dan said casually, even if in reality, his blood was running cold inside him. He willed his feet to take a step closer towards Phil, and stared at him straight in the eye.

Phil was the first to lean in. He didn’t have to crane his neck upwards; Dan’s posture was so bad that they had the same height. As their lips met, Dan’s heart pounded against his chest — he was afraid that Phil could feel it too. His brain short circuited that he was basically just as useful as a pile of mush. The only thoughts that ran in his head was how soft Phil’s lips were, and how fantastic he was at snogging. If this was the real thing, Dan would be begging for a second date.

Dan broke away first, gasping for air and keeping his eyes shut while he tried to regain his bearings. When he did open his eyes, he saw Phil watching him with a dark look in his eyes. The silence was unbearable; the only sound heard was of the radiator humming softly in the background. Dan could hear his own blood roaring in his ears.

“Phil,” Dan croaked, losing his voice as his eyes lingered down to Phil’s faintly pink lips.

Phil huffed and pushed Dan further into the flat to let himself in, slamming the door behind him. He grabbed Dan by the back of his neck and pulled him in for a bruising kiss, and it felt so much more mind-blowing than the previous one . Dan felt himself being pushed backwards until his back hit the wall, which benefitted Dan a lot because his legs were probably about to give out as Phil nibbled roughly at Dan’s lower lip. Dan laid his palms flat on the wall as he tried to fight the urge to thrust his hips upward, but Phil’s ministrations were playing with his hormones. He felt like a teenage boy again.

Dan whined embarrassingly as Phil broke away. He took a full step back and smiled cockily at Dan, running his thumb over Dan’s lip. “That’s how you kiss on a first date.”

Dan groaned, slumping on the wall and covered his face with his hands. He babbled incoherently, “ Wha ? First date? That?”

“The first one was,” Phil answered nonchalantly.

Dan dropped his hands to his sides and lowered his gaze to Phil’s feet, licking his lips slowly. “And?”

“The second was just to, you know, get your attention.” It was barely a whisper, but Dan heard it perfectly clear. Shit.

Dan raised his eyebrows, keeping his eyes glued to the ground, and said, “Well, you succeeded there, buddy.” He was surprised that he managed to say a full sentence.

He heard Phil sigh. “I love you, Dan. I just don’t really know how to say it to you straight.”

Dan laughed nervously, thinking that he’s just hallucinating or Phil was probably joking. “T-tell it to me… gay then,” he spluttered, earning a laugh from Phil.

Dan regretted saying that, so naturally, he decided to cover his mistake up by talking more nonsense. “You I know what? All this talk and shit is making me hungry. Are you hungry? We’re hungry. Leggo.” He headed for the lounge, feeling Phil trail silently behind him, and paced back and forth. He scolded himself for suggesting this. They literally just ate twenty minutes ago. “D’you want anything to eat in particular?”

Phil looked at him from head to toe and answered, “You?”

Dan groaned as he blushed. If Phil was trying to fluster him, he was doing an exceptional job. He wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it.

“Pizza!” Dan exclaimed, grabbing his laptop and sitting on his sofa crease. “Let’s do Pizza Hut.” He fumbled as he typed the website. “Any toppings you want in particular?”

Phil sat on the other end of the sofa and patted his legs. “I want you on top of me. Is that available?”

“Stop that!” Dan yelped.

“Stop what?” Phil asked with a giggle.

“Stop flirting with me.”

“If you stop being adorable, I might.” Phil slowly scooted closer towards Dan and closed his laptop, taking it from his lap and placing it on the table. He moved a bit more until their legs touched. Dan tried his best not to look at him, but he could feel Phil stare at him.

“Phil,” he whined, covering his face once more. He can’t believe this was happening. Phil Lester. Flirting with him. The thought felt even more surreal when Phil started trailing kisses down Dan’s neck.

Phil leaned back a bit and met Dan’s eyes, asking worriedly, “Do you like me, Dan?”

He couldn’t conjure the voice to answer so he just nodded his head. It was a good thing Phil was more confident to do all the talking, otherwise they’d just be staring at each other the whole time. Phil’s features softened and he gave Dan an earnest smile, one that could make anyone melt. Dan was glad he’s the only person that could see this right now. He gravitated closer towards Phil and met his lips for a passionate kiss. At this point, Dan became obsessed with kissing him that he just kept wanting more.

When they pulled away, Phil said, “Did you know that you burn two calories for kissing per minute?

“Okay?” Dan responded slowly.

“Well, you can burn a hundred calories from sex. I just want to be more productive.”

“ Phil. ”

[arcanecaster]

Chasing Souls - Chapter 1

Genre: Supernatural

Rating: T

Warnings: Abuse (Just one really hard slap); death mention

Words: 1859

Notes:  The real story picks up, and we meet our main characters!! also, this is only my second draft of my story, so please be gentle, but if you have suggestions, please pm or inbox me!      Carston High School had to be the lowest scoring school in the entirety of the state of Michigan. So it wasn't hard to get in the top 25 of the senior class for Satin Coller. She quietly chewed the rock hard toast that the school handed out as "breakfast" and looked at the number 15 out of 134 kids in her class on her report card.  She could've easily been number one if she tried her best, but she was going to get the scholarships her parents wanted her to get, so who cared?

     Satin put down the toast and picked up her phone, scrolling through the news. All she saw was the usual depressing statistics about the homeless and constant coverage of the war in the Middle East, so she sighed and put her phone back down next to the inedible toast, rubbing the red ribbon she wore around her neck. 

     “Need me to throw that away?" someone asked. 

      Satin jerked her head up to see a familiar smirk. A wiry teen boy, with black hair that was cut a decent length except for the bangs, which swooped and covered half his face. The ends were dyed green. Allan Walker, Satin's boyfriend.       Allan Walker was a slacker, and most people, including Satin's parents, thought he wasn't good enough for her. He pulled about a C average in school, and made no effort to participate in any extracurricular activities. However, Satin found that he had a certain bad boy charm about him. Even though they had started dating in the fall of their junior year, she had never been to his house. When she had asked about why he never invited her over, he had mumbled something about "parent problems" and left it at that.

      "You changed your hair," Satin said with a bit of a surprise. He had the bangs dyed red their whole relationship. 

      "Well duh," he said, tossing the toast and sliding into the seat next to her. "We're going on a date tomorrow. It's our one year anniversary. Remember?" 

      "I remember," Satin replied, and she grinned, "But how do you know I don't have plans?"

     The comment stung a bit, but Satin had gotten used to Allan's… straightforward nature. And it wasn't like he was wrong. She spent most weekends alone reading, studying, or with Allan.

     The bell rang and Allan got up. He pointed fingerguns at her as he walked away. 

      “7 o' clock sharp tomorrow, girly, I'm gonna pick you up."

     Satin smiled. Something in his eyes told her he was planning something special.

     Satin hated Calculus with a passion, but she was unfortunately blessed with a high enough test score test score to get stuck in second period Calculus for the whole senior year. It was only November, but she already had the dreaded senior-itis. Most nights she spent talking to Allan on the phone or just plain procrastinating, which dragged her grade down to a borderline C. Satin shrugged off the fact and assumed that if she picked up the slack in the second semester, she would get her scholarships and her parents wouldn't be too angry.

     She was more focused on tomorrow right now anyways. Even now, she was glancing up at the clock between problems. This day couldn’t get longer…. 

     When Satin finally stepped out to the parking lot, feeling free as a bird, she was surprised to see Allan pulled up in his rusty old Dodge Charger. She blushed a bit as she slipped in the front seat. It was rare for him to wait for her. 

     “I thought the date was tomorrow,” she said, shifting in the cracked leather seat.

     Allan grinned at her. 

     “Can’t I be a gentleman sometimes?” 

     “I’d prefer you’d be a gentleman all the time.” 

      He shrugged as he shifted the stick into first gear. 

      “You know I’m not that kind of guy.” 

      Satin sighed and leaned into the leather, letting it cradle her as she watched their school disappear into the distance as Allan pressed his foot to the gas. An enjoyable sight to start off the weekend. As they drove, her eyes rested on Allan’s hand on the stick shift. As he pushed the stick into third, Satin saw sunlight reflect off his bracelet. For as long as she’d known him, he always had that bracelet on. It was made of silver and in the shape of a rattle snake wrapped around his wrist. The scales were so intricately carved if it had moved Satin would’ve believed it was real. Satin’s mind wandered to the first time she had asked about it, when they were getting ready for junior prom last year.

      “Oh come on, Allan, you’re in a tuxedo. You can’t wear that thing to prom! Why do you always wear that thing anyway?” she had asked.

     “Why do you wear that stupid bow on your neck all the time?” he had shot back. 

     Satin had simply rubbed the ribbon nervously and replied, “I have my reasons…”

     “Exactly. So don’t ask again and I won’t either.” 

     And that had been the end of it. 

     “We’re here,” Allan said, snapping Satin out of the uncomfortable memory. 

     She opened the door and Allan smiled at her. “See you tomorrow, sweet cheeks.”

     Satin smiled back. “See you,” she said happily, and she got out of the car. Allan had gotten better lately… she couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

      Satin only regretted procrastinating in class a little as she did her Calculus work at her personal desk. She had to push aside all her checked out novels that littered the desk to make room for her Calculus book. At least she had something to do to pass the time until tomorrow, terrible as it was. There was a knock on the door. 

      “Come in,” Satin called out. 

      The door cracked open and Satin’s mother poked in. She was a woman in her late thirties with short, tawny brown hair, the same color as Satin’s but cut in a pixie cut, caramel colored eyes, and a plump frame.

       “Hey, sweetie! How are you doing?” She asked, staying hidden behind the door. She had that excited little tone in her voice that told Satin that she was about to spring something on her that she thought was going to be amazing. 

     “Good….” Satin answered cautiously, bracing herself.

      Without hesitation, her mother cooed, “Good, good, my day was great, whatever- I got something for you today!” 

      Her mother stepped out from behind the door, holding an black, short, strapless dress with short sleeves and a pair of black boots that had red straps. Satin could already see the dress was going to be form fitting and pulled her sweater around her uncomfortably. Her mother’s face fell. 

      “You don’t like it, do you?” She sighed. 

      “N-no! It just… s-seems a little short.” 

     “Well I thought you could wear it to your date tomorrow since it’s the big anniversary!”

      The thought of wearing that dress in front of Allan made Satin’s face flourish into a crimson color. 

      “Oh come on! You’d look good in something that’s black and not a sweater… you’re always bundled up all the time.” 

      “Most parents would want that for their little girls.”

      Her mother rolled her eyes. She looked at Satin and her face softened. 

      Satin looked down. She only had vague memories of her father. He had died was she was five. Her mother had told her that he had been involved with a bad crowd when he was alive, but neither of them knew if that was related to his death. He just disappeared one night, and a few days later the police called to tell them they found his body in a ditch. The night before he left, though, he had given Satin the ribbon and told her to never go anywhere without it. 

          “Yeah…” Satin mumbled, rubbing the ribbon between her fingers like she always did. She was surprised that she hadn’t worn a hole through the fabric. 

       “You wearing that tomorrow? I bought the boots with the red to go with it,” Her mother asked. 

      “Of course!” 

      She came over and brushed Satin’s bangs out of her face and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

      “Good. I’m gonna put this on your bed, wear it tomorrow if you want. Be safe. Don’t forget that ribbon,” She smiled at her from the doorway. “And don’t work too late, okay?”

      Satin nodded.

      “I won’t. I love you.” 

      “Love you too. Goodnight.”

     She closed the door, leaving Satin to her math homework.

     Allan pulled into the driveway of an old, rundown house. Weeds lined the sidewalk as he walked up to his home. The bronze "3" of his address marker had fallen off the door and sat at his feet on the concrete slab that he called a porch in front of the door. He sighed and kicked it away, then opened the door very slowly. He slipped in quietly, hoping she wouldn't be home. He closed the door with a little click, then her voice broke the silence.

      "Hello, Allan." 

      Allan had to keep himself from flinching. He turned and faced the tall, hourglass figure of a blonde with piercing green eyes that matched her short dress.  She looked to be in her late thirties, but she kept up with the fashion sense of women in their twenties, except for the snake bracelet on her wrist that matched Allan's in everything but color. Hers was gold. Allan looked at her, slightly afraid despite the fact that she had raised him from a child.

       She put a hand on her curvaceous hip. 

      "You haven't done it yet, have you?" she questioned. 

      Allan's eyes fell to his feet. 

     "No, Mom, but-" Allan attempted to say, but he was interrupted by a slap so hard that he saw white. 

     "I told you, Allan, to stop calling me that. You're eighteen now. You're about to join the business," She held up the bracelet on her wrist and nearly shoved it in Allan's face. "My business. The thing that's kept you alive all these years. If you're going to survive in it, you cannot show weakness by calling me 'Mommy'! You will call me Medusa, understand?" 

     "Y-yes, Medusa," Allan whimpered.

     "And you will get the assignment done. Got it?"

      Allan nodded silently, avoiding her gaze as his stomach twisted at the thought of his assignment. 

     Medusa sensed his uncertainty.

      "You know why you have to do this. She's your biggest tie, Allan. If they find her, they'll find us, and they're already on our trail! Unless you want me to lose everything, throw out everything I've done to keep you safe and alive, you're going to have to cut any ties you have and make sure they stay quiet." 

     Allan lifted his eyes to the heartless woman, but kept silent. 

      "You know your task. Get it done, or we'll both get killed by those damn reapers."

[youdecode]

59 Signs That You’re An Expert Procrastinator

Wondering the benefits of waking up early?

There are many but some are listed down below:

There can be two cases that you landed up in this article.

Case 1: You secretly know you procrastinate and just want confirmation. 

Case 2: You are an expert procrastinator!

Signs You Are a Procrastinator! 

1 -You find yourself vacuuming when a deadline is due next.

2 -You find yourself baking cookies because it has been ages. You trap yourself into the other “productive things” for avoiding the major work beast!

3 -When nothing is left, cat video is your resort. This is the best time you find to appreciate the cat videos.

4 -Your search for happiness in which the work can not give this to resort to these cute videos.

5 -You trap yourself into thinking that I will work with positive energy thus you find happiness from these mediums . . .

as after all you think happy people are more likely to get the work done.

6 -Memes are better than work . . . of course.

You reiterate to yourself that memes are far better than the work you are procrastinating.

7  -You do finish the task but eventually

8 -You love to pat yourself on the back when you submit the work 1 minute before the deadline.

9 -Exhausting yourself hours before anything is due, you try to squish those stress-tears with a dose of caffeine.

10 -You overestimate the power of your future self.

You deliberately self talk and explain your conscious mind that your future version will be in a better position of tackling the job.

Do not worry about it now. As everything will get tackled later.

The future is always bright.

11 -You do not respond to the text messages instantly when they need to be responded.

You are too lazy to reply to them or respond to the missed calls.

And the best part is that you will easily forget about it.

You will recall it a litter later but then after a while forget it again. For how long this cycle continues? You tell!

12 -The exercise bike in your living room is collecting dust Yes, there is that exercise bike in your living room which has only one purpose in this world . . . to collect dust.

13 -You despise those always-ahead-of-time folks.

When you see other folks who are ahead of time, you begin to despise their efficient attitude. 

Gradually that hatred turns into envy.

14 -You will not only procrastinate alone but encourage other people to join your line!

Be it for group study, teamwork, or other collective projects.

15 -You will keep scrolling through motivational videos instead of doing work until you fall asleep.

16 -Mornings are your enemy. You hate to get up on time because every time is your bedtime.

17 -You often give up the hard task instead of trying three times before failing.

18 -Trusting yourself is a hard nut to crack.

19 -The last time when you met the sigh of a gym was ages ago

20 -You are the person who is always in a hurry . . .

Because you have a lot on your plate to procrastinate about thus you need time for procrastination.

21 -Your life is a loop that you are predicting.

22 -If there was an award for the best messy room then you would be the winner

23 -You are not mindful of your thoughts as every small news or thing is capable of stressing you out.

24 -Resorting to meditation is what you love.

You will not mediate the entire year but when something important is due . . . You can not miss it.

25 -Either you do not plan at all or you plan excessively.

Mostly planning excessively is what you love because it traps in you into thinking that you are working closely towards the goal.

That plan never gets implemented because your next day also starts with a plan.

26 -You love collecting quotes that lubricate your procrastination habits.

Like that of the Bill gate,

“I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job, because, he will find an easy way to do it” – Bill Gates

27 -When you dream about the future it makes you joyous. Sometimes dreams are not enough for your enjoyment thus you begin to daydream.

28 -You trap yourself into the idea that task is extremely easy which is certainly not the case.

29 -All excuses, boring tasks, and social media become your best friend.

30 -You seek motivation in your kitchen. Food keeps you away from work which scares you.

31  -You lose the count of days as your nights and days are all the same.

You do not get your weekends because you tend to work in them and rest on the remaining days of the week.

32 -Instead of resorting to coffee, tea, or energy drinks, you consider coke as your savior.

33 -You tend to live the full hours. You love when the needle strikes full 9:00.

This gives you an excuse to delay the work further. Instead of starting work at 8:41 you will set an alarm for 9:00!

34 -Do you still play desktop games like spiders? They are your procrastination buddies.

35 -The biggest part of your life which you go around telling is self-discipline though you plan nothing for making it true.

36 -You are that person who is great at giving advice.

Especially the ones which you don’t listen to.

So are guiding people every time despite being lost.

37 -You fail to recognize the main vision of the work thus you procrastinate.

You never find the “why” strong enough.

38 -Lack of Time: You complain that you do not have time.

Despite the fact, you know that busiest doesn’t necessarily mean efficiency.

39 -Always fatigued? Even without doing much, you feel tired.

You delay stuff because you feel you are tired and this tiredness strikes quite early in the day!

40 -You possess a fear of outcome thus you delay. Yes there is the fear of failure.

The task seems to overwhelm you. You get confused about where to start.

And a confused mind never takes action.

41  -Your alarm clock is just there to get snoozed over every time.

42 -Rescheduling is your best friend.

Because everything tends to fall on the next day and then the next day.

And you know the repetition.

43 -“Did someone mention naps? Oh I love em?”

Yes naps are the answer to all your problems.

You strongly believe in power naps and because you procrastinate, your power nap is not shorter than 2 hours!

Guess the maximum . . .

44 -The working time becomes the best time of showing gratitude as you are like, “What a beautiful day, the sky is so gorgeous . . . and the sound of these birds.”

You have to hop out now as you cannot afford to waste a beautiful day.

45 -Your aim for every other day is to wake up super early

46 -You owe no passion for the work you procrastinate

47 -Infliction of the Perfectionism Syndrome.

You simply can not bear imperfection.

So instead of completing the stuff you will invest endless time-wasting on smaller tasks.

48 -You wonder how it is even possible to remain organized when you see your friends

49 -For your stress is normal, after all it is not your fault.

Stress becomes the only motivation for getting things done.

50 -You would not do your work but run errands instead.

51 -The attention span you possess is of less than a toddler.

Spend half an hour straight onto something?

A great accomplishment! Now you will go out to treat yourself.

52 -Your thinking pattern is like, “what worst can go wrong if I do not do this”

53 -When something important is due, you will find yourself using an app that you will never commonly use.

54 -You have to have your Facebook open. After watching anyone video, you have to watch similar videos like that one.

55 -You waste your time in finding out who else is procrastinating! Hahaha.

56 -Checking your phone every five minutes is a must even if there are no notifications

57 -Your twitter tweet is about you procrastinating!

58 -How many tabs open at the same time? No less than 20? right!

59 -If you are a coffee person then you will have several coffee breaks.

The last is a bonus sign :

You’re probably procrastinating right now!

I love connecting with the community. Which one of the signs do you meet? Or more?

The post 59 Signs That You’re An Expert Procrastinator appeared first on You Decode.

[sprucebodylab1]

10 Best Meditation Books for Beginners

Let´s face it. Most of us know how beneficial it is to meditate. Most of us know that meditation is scientifically proven to make your body and mind healthier. That is why most of us want to begin meditating.

However, most of us also keep procrastinating.

For beginners, meditation can seem like it comes so easy to those who do it regularly and impossible to master.

Thankfully for us, meditating is actually very simple and just requires regular practice.

In order to help those of you that want to begin meditating but don't know how to begin, we have scoured the web and looked to our own experience in order to compile this list of the 10 best meditation books for beginners.

This list comes in no particular order of preference.

All you need to know is that if you read any of the books on this list you will have a very solid foundation and will be able to enjoy the benefits of meditation in no time!

Top Meditation Books for Beginners

Source: Bookriot

​THE MIRACLE OF MINDFULNESS: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION BY THICH NHAT HANH

The Miracle of Mindfulness shows up on a lot of lists for meditation books, and for good reason. In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh offers practical suggestions and accessible anecdotes to help anyone learn to practice mindfulness. With a healthy mixture of spirituality and practicality, this book offers practices for every part of your life, from eating a tangerine to washing the dishes.

Source: Choosemuse

10% HAPPIER BY DAN HARRIS

2004, award-winning journalist Dan Harris suffered from a panic attack during a live broadcast of Good Morning America. This book takes us through his personal journey of learning how to tame the voice in his head, along with discoveries and striking facts about mindfulness meditation along the way.

If you’re not convinced of the benefits of meditation or mindfulness, this is the book for you. Don’t expect how-tos and guides, but rather an introduction to the world of mindfulness meditation through an entertaining, first-person narrative.

Source: Nerdy Creator

MINDFULNES IN PLAIN ENGLISH BY BHANTE HENEPOLA GUNARATANA

The most effective way to express something that people understand is to use the simplest language possible. This book is a great introduction to meditation especially if you are new to it or find it confusing.

The focus of this book is in Vipassana meditation (also known as insight meditation). In Vipassana meditation, you cultivate two mental qualities in a balanced ratio — awareness and concentration. Both are needed for meditation.

This book teaches you how to deal with distractions when meditating, what to do with your body and mind, where to sit, and more. If you are someone who needs a detailed yet simple guide on how to meditate, this is the book for you.

Source: Very Well Mind

REAL HAPPINESS: THE POWER OF MEDITATION BY SHARON SALZBERG

The Power of Meditation delivers a 28-day program that covers almost every element of the practice, from the basics (like learning how to properly breathe and understanding posture) to the more advanced (calming the mind and dealing with distraction). The book, written by leading meditation teacher and spiritual author Sharon Salzberg, features 12 meditation practices, including mindfulness meditation and walking meditation.

People who have read the book say that Salzberg does a great job of explaining the benefits and the science behind meditation. They also agree that she offers practical advice that eliminates the frustration many people can experience when learning to meditate for the first time.

Source: Book Meditation Retreats

WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE YOU ARE BY JOHN KABAT-ZINN

This classic book is ideal for meditation newbies, as it covers everything from an easy-to-understand explanation of meditation, free from trendy buzzwords, to simple techniques that you can practice in everyday life. Although it was first published in 1994, the message and practices in this book are, perhaps, even more relevant today. Escapism is everywhere and everyone is, at some point, guilty of it. Whether it’s through classic rituals of binge-watching your favorite Netflix series or endlessly scrolling through filtered lives on Instagram, the message in this book is clear and simple; Wherever you go, there you are. It challenges you to be in the present moment and wholly accepting of where you are, right here and right now.

Source: The Monk Life

THE UNTETHERED SOUL: THE JOURNEY BEYOND YOURSELF BY MICHAEL A. SINGER

We all have an inner monologue that rambles non-stop, all day, every day, like clockwork. This voice is always talking, changing how we pilot our lives, and almost never shutting off. The first step towards a life of freedom and peace is realizing that this is going on, because then you can pause, step back, and view your thoughts from a totally new perspective.

The Untethered Soul is my most recommended book for anyone looking to get out of their own head, transcend their ego, and get a handle on their anxiety in the process. This was the book that helped launch my own journey of self-exploration and mindfulness.

My favorite lesson from this book (that becomes clear quite early) is that your thoughts do not define you, they’re simply outputs of an always active mind.

Source: Men's Journal

ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND BY SUZUKI ROSHI

This classic text is largely responsible for the explosion of Zen practice in the Western world. Suzuki Roshi sharply communicates the foundational philosophy of the Soto School, elucidating the meditation practice of shikantaza, or “just sitting.”

He transmits the teachings of his authentic lineage through a rhetoric that is simultaneously sparse and elegant, definitive and spacious. “To stop your mind does not mean to stop the activities of mind. It means your mind pervades your whole body,” says Roshi. If you’ve ever wanted to begin practicing Zen, this is the place to start.

Source: Mind Works

HOW TO MEDITATE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MAKING FRIENDS WITH YOUR MIND BY PEMA CHODRON

Beloved teacher of meditation, Buddhist philosophy and practice, Ani Pema Chödrön offers a “practical guide” to meditation.

The explanations are highly accessible to anyone interested in sitting, even while having their roots in the traditional Buddhist canon. Ani Pema explains how to use mindfulness of the body, thoughts, emotions and sense perceptions to connect with well-being and “live wholeheartedly.”

The author invites us to “Consider that what needs your attention and consideration is your own mind, and how you view […] outer circumstances. You can befriend your circumstances; you can have compassion for your circumstances and for yourself. What happens when you do that?”

Source: Huffpost

A PATH WITH HEART BY JACK KORNFIELD

Jack Kornfield has been teaching meditation internationally since 1974 and trained as a monk in Thailand, India and Myanmar.

​This book is rife with the wisdom and meditation methods that he accrued throughout his years as a monk and teacher. He systematically walks the reader through some of the various challenges that arise in meditation. The teachings he presents have the flavor of Buddhism, but are more or less non-denominational. 

At the end of each chapter, Kornfield offers a technique that can be employed to experientially recognize what he has conceptually outlined. He presents several methods of attention training and offers exercises for cultivating sensitivity and kindness.

Source: Losing Stress

PEACE IS EVERY: THE PATH OF MINDFULNESS IN EVERYDAY LIFE BY THICH NHAT HANH

If you are after a beginner introduction to meditation, you are not going to find a more accessible book than Peace is Every Step. You can easily read it in less than a day.

The writer, Thich Nyat Hanh is a Vietnamese monk, who is a famous teacher and writer of more than ten books.

His writing style flows effortlessly and truly reflects his nature: It’s peaceful and elegant. With some fantastically, simple ways to develop mindfulness in our busy lives.

I only read this four months ago and the main thing I gained is the perspective that meditation can be enjoyable. And through the example of Thich Nyat Hanh, it is possible to become a better person.

Wrapping it up

This list of books will help you a lot if you want to start meditating. I can say I wish I had read any of these years ago.

Having said that, books are great to begin with, but the best way to maximize results is to combine reading with audio.

If you want a quality guided audio meditation practice, you should try the amazing Zen12 meditation program.

It is an amazing program that we vouch for. Plus, they have a free trial, so you have nothing to lose!

source https://sprucebodylab.com/best-meditation-books-for-beginners/

[easilymakermoney]

12 Work from House Tricks to BEAT the Bugaboo of Procrastination

Do you are likely to put issues off? You’re not alone. Twenty p.c of individuals take into account themselves to be procrastinators.

And when you make money working from home, you might discover it’s actually laborious to get work achieved. Ignoring the urge to verify Fb, watch a cat video, or head to the shop could be actually difficult, particularly with out a boss round.

Beating procrastination isn’t unattainable, nevertheless it does take some effort in your half to ensure work will get achieved.

Listed here are 12 do business from home ideas that will help you kick procrastination to the curb.

1. Work When You’re Most Energetic

A few of us are early risers, and love getting work achieved round 5 AM earlier than the children are awake.

Others are night time owls, entering into their groove round eight PM.

Fortunately, many people who do business from home have the liberty to work each time we would like. It’s additionally very laborious for us to vary our pure physique clock.

As an alternative of combating it, attempt getting work achieved when your power and focus is at its highest. It’s possible you’ll discover it’s simpler to focus and get extra achieved.

2. Reward Your self

You actually need to watch a music efficiency of your favourite singer or scroll Instagram to see what your folks are as much as, however you additionally want to satisfy your weekly quota. Attempt getting one thing achieved first after which reward your self by watching a video or going for a stroll.

This one does take willpower, however figuring out there’s one thing enjoyable to do after your work process can inspire you to get ‘er achieved.

three. Change Up the Surroundings

Is your private home workplace simply getting too boring to take a seat in for hours at a time? Perhaps it’s time to tote the laptop computer to the closest espresso store, exterior, and even only a totally different a part of the house.

Altering your work atmosphere up a bit could also be simply what that you must give your motivation a lift.

four. Set up Your Work Area

Workplace staff aren’t as productive when their workspace is disorganized. It is smart that you just received’t get as a lot achieved if your private home workplace space is messy and soiled.

Take the time to take away muddle, clear your desk, put the soiled espresso mugs within the dishwasher, and do no matter else must be achieved to make the realm presentable. Making your workspace productive and provoking makes settling all the way down to do work extra pleasing.

5. Construction Your Work Day

If you’re most efficient throughout common 9 to five hours, then planning your day as you’ll at an workplace helps you get extra achieved.

For instance, you possibly can plan on working from 9 AM to 10:30 AM, then taking a 15-minute break to seize a cup of espresso and stretch your legs. Run any errands throughout your lunch hour, then purpose to be working once more by 1 PM.

It additionally helps to have an ending time, similar to you’ll at an workplace. Powering down the pc at 5 PM can encourage you to remain centered by way of the afternoon.

6. Make Certain Others Respect Your Work Time

One of many largest challenges about working from house is coping with distractions from any family members who’re current. It’s possible you’ll want to speak with others that you just’re to not be disturbed throughout a sure time-frame until it’s an emergency.

You might also must maintain the door shut for intervals so your kitty or canine can’t hassle you till it’s time to feed and stroll them.

Nothing could be extra distracting than a cat who likes to stroll throughout your keyboard or a canine who desires to play.

7. Shut Off Social Media and Your Cellphone

Make it tougher to hop on social media to see what others are as much as by logging your self out. The additional step of getting to enter your password might discourage you from checking it till your break or the top of the day.

This goes in your cellphone as properly. Actually, logging your self out of all apps in your cellphone could also be needed to remain on schedule and improve your productiveness.

Whilst you’re at it, don’t really feel responsible about shutting off your cellphone fully or not less than setting the ringtone to vibrate. You possibly can verify for messages and return calls throughout your break or lunch interval.

eight. Have a Good Morning Routine

Begin your time without work proper by having a wholesome breakfast, consuming some water, and stretching. Then ensure you get showered, washed, and are settled at your private home workstation by a delegated time.

Whereas it’s OK to work in your pajamas if you wish to (it’s the identify of this weblog, in spite of everything) typically feeling pulled collectively is what that you must do to get into the work groove.

9. Spend money on Noise Canceling Headphones

In case you’re making an attempt to get work achieved when children are current, you might need to put money into some noise canceling headphones. That is solely really useful, in fact, in case your children are sufficiently old that they not require nonstop supervision.

10. Study How you can Make Your Work From House Enterprise Extra Environment friendly

All of us can study ideas and methods on the best way to make a house enterprise extra environment friendly, subsequently releasing up time.

For instance, there are lots of tricks to be realized for individuals who checklist objects on the market on Amazon that may improve gross sales.

No matter it’s that you just do from house to become profitable, attempt to discover out what pc shortcuts you need to use to get extra achieved throughout the day. Even facet hustles could be achieved extra effectively.

11. Set Objectives

Write down a couple of achievable objectives every day that you recognize you possibly can accomplish by the point your work day is thru. Having a bodily checklist of belongings you want to get achieved in entrance of you possibly can enable you see them by way of.

12. Take Breaks

Maybe an important tip to keep away from procrastination when working from house is to take breaks. Take a lunch break and smaller breaks throughout the day to refresh your thoughts.

Working eight hours straight, even from house, could be tense and trigger you to make errors. Taking breaks offers you somewhat reprieve to sit up for and boosts your productiveness.

Observe These Work From House Tricks to Beat Procrastination

Following these 12 do business from home ideas ought to enable you defeat procrastination and attain extra.

Whether or not you may have your personal house primarily based enterprise otherwise you’re a contract worker, you’ll discover you get extra achieved throughout the day while you keep on with a schedule and have a quiet, clear workspace.

Right here at Work In My Pajamas, we love displaying individuals the advantages of incomes an revenue from the consolation of their house. Are you prepared to surrender the every day grind of commuting to work?

Take a look at our 5 secret ideas for beginning a house enterprise.

Please observe and like us:

from Easily Maker Money https://easilymakermoney.com/2019/04/09/12-work-from-house-tricks-to-beat-the-bugaboo-of-procrastination/