#paperless semester

[ramshackledtrickster]

And now for a fully composited and colored piece of animation! My final for my 2D paperless class, and I’m so happy I could animate this little hidden gem from AC unity!! Figuring out the rain particles and droplets hitting the surfaces I need was really tough initially but it’s a good start, and I wanna get more into complex compositing eventually beyond the work I’ve done for my thesis, as well as actually animate more acting or action scenes that aren’t waist up. Started this semester’s class with Arno, figured it’d be nice to end it with Arno!

Again, thank you so much to my lovely patrons for supporting me !!

Patreon || Fundraisers and aid drives|| Daily Click

[beatrice-otter]

As for the cursive thing, I'm pretty sure that's a bunch of BS, because my brother and I went through school as they were stopping to teach cursive, and my sister-in-law teaches elementary school as they're starting to bring it back into the curriculum. And it had nothing to do with anybody wanting to gatekeep.

I was in elementary school in the late 80s, and by that point most things were getting typewritten, computers were the Hot New Thing, and the whole idea of The Paperless Office was on the horizon (where everything would be on computer and nobody would ever need to write anything by hand). So we learned to write in print, and then in third grade we got one (1) semester of cursive, and teachers and parents were arguing about whether cursive was going to continue to be useful, or if they should drop it to focus on other subjects.

The 80s, by the way, was also the period in which the Republicans started trying to cut public services drastically, which included cutting school funding; and the justification they used was that schools were preparing children to work, so anything that wasn't going to be a Useful Skill That Employers Would Want should be stripped out of the curriculum. In that mindset, if it's not a skill that you will use in paid employment, it's a waste of taxpayer money to teach it. And offices were doing things by computer, instead of by hand, and even in the 80s everyone knew that was only going to get more common. Therefore, cursive could get jettisoned just like Home Ec and Art and a lot of other stuff.

My brother is four years younger than I am, and by the time he got to elementary school in the early 90s, there was no cursive on the curriculum.

(The other factor, which I didn't learn about until I was an adult, is that the type of pen you use has a great influence on whether it's easier to write in cursive or print. Old-fashioned pens like fountain pens have a fairly liquid ink that flows through the nib and onto the paper by gravity. You do not press down onto the paper, just glide the tip of the pen over it. It's messier, but easier on the hands, and cursive is really simple to do, much easier than lifting the pen off the paper between each letter. Modern pens such as ball-point pens have a thicker ink. It's got less chance of getting ink places you don't want it, but that's because the ink doesn't just flow out of the pen. You have to press down on the pen in order to get it to write. This is harder on your hands, and incentivizes you to lift the pen up between letters because it's easier not to press down than it is to press down. Everybody uses ballpoint pens these days, so for a lot of people, even if they know cursive very well and write a lot by hand, it's easier not to use cursive.)

These days, we've realized that people are going to need to write by hand for the forseeable future, and also, there are a lot of people who still use cursive, and a lot of old documents that use it that haven't been digitized, and even if you rarely write by hand you're still going to need to be able to at least sign your name, and also, Reagan was full of bullshit and we need a lot of things in schools that have nothing to do with employment and everything to do with life skills. So a lot of schools have started teaching cursive again.

I'm watching a lecture about restorative justice and repair in academia and it's interesting and important but someone just claimed cursive is no longer taught in schools so those in power can manipulate historical documents and I think I would like to see a source on that??

[wooly-bird]

I have no classes today, so I’m at home working on some homework I got for one seminar. I also have to go to work today and go to the city center to buy a case for my new phone (my old one finally broke and died).

[miracledemyaa]

How to Prepare for Fall Semester : Academics

Hi angels! Welcome back to my blog. Now that we have entered the month of August, I’ve decided to give some tips on preparing for the new school year. I decided to break this post into two parts: academics and lifestyle! I hope this will be helpful to you all! With that being said, let’s jump right in!

♡ reflect ♡

- I highly recommend reflecting on the last semester before the start of classes. Not only does it help with goal setting, but it could aid in earning higher marks, thus boosting your gpa if done the right way. For this exercise, you’ll need something to take notes on. Here’s a general idea of questions you can ask yourself:

☆ What was the outcome of the previous school year/semester? Am I satisfied?

☆ What study habits/resources were most effective/helpful?

☆ What were my eating/sleeping habits like during the semester?

☆ How often did I miss deadlines?

☆ What could I have done differently?

You get the idea, right? Try to answer these questions in as much detail as possible. Don’t be afraid to hurt your feelings a bit as well. It’s better to realize you weren’t living up to your full potential and grow from it, rather than being unaware of what you could be doing better.

♡ set goals ♡

- Now that you have a general idea of what you could improve, you can start setting small, realistic goals. For example, if you know you didn’t study as much as you should have, don’t pressure yourself to study for like, five hours straight everyday. That will lead to feelings of defeat and frustration. Instead, set a goal to review your notes after class for at at least 5 minutes, or study a subject in 30 minute intervals with breaks in between.

♡ get organized ♡

One of the mottos I live by is “stay ready so you won’t have to get ready”. I like to get organized before the semester starts, so I’m not struggling during syllabus week. You can get organized by:

☆ Buying a planner/setting up your notion page.

- About a month before the new semester, I like to go planner shopping and customize my new notion page. I like to do this in advance, so all I have to do when school starts is plug in my exam days and assignment due dates during syllabus week. The notion template I use is linked here.

☆ Color coding your notebooks

- Okay, okay. This may be a bit intense, but hear me out. Although I’m a paperless student, I can’t stand having the same notebook covers for all five of my classes. If you’re anything like me, I highly recommend buying (or downloading) different colored/patterned notebooks for your classes and strictly using one notebook for each class (i.e have five separate notebooks if you are taking five classes.) That way, your math notes won’t be mixed in with your biology notes and vice versa.

☆ Deep cleaning

- Delete any old files, PowerPoints, or assignment pdfs you don’t need anymore to clear up space on your computer——especially if you took summer classes. Also, deep clean your room, your desk, your backpack, and toss out any old papers and notebooks you don’t need anymore. Clean space = clear mind = better focus.

♡ school supply shopping ♡

- Last but not least, go school supply shopping! It’s best to go early in my opinion, because all the cute supplies are still available hehe. Go crazy! Buy your cute highlighters, notebooks, pens, and even treat yourself to a cute new bag for the year! Your local Ross or TjMaxx will have cute brand names at an affordable price! You could also find cute pens and notebooks here as well.

I hope you all enjoyed this post and found these tips helpful! I’m praying that each and every one of you will accomplish your academic goals and have a successful semester! Stay tuned for my next post. Ily!

[perregrinstudiessometimes]

School Supplies as a Paperless Student

I would like to start off by saying that you should always do what's best for you and that my methods or supplies may not be right for you. Feel free to experiment and find the best tool and tricks for you.

That being said my main tools are my Ipad and my Macbook.

I use sites and apps like good notes (apple only, paid app) and notion (free website and app) to keep my notes and papers (PDFs) synced across my devices.

I also use apps such as kindle (free with paid content) and Libby (free with a library card, in the united states) for most of my required readings. Though one of my books this semester will be physical.

And still even tho I am paperless doesn’t mean my classes are so In my bookbag, for the inevitable times when I will have to use paper for class activities and tests, I keep some notebook paper in a folder (where I will also keep necessary handouts from class, of which I never have many). I also keep an assortment of pens and pencils for this reason.

Other supplies you will need:

-extra chargers! You will lose them or they will break don’t go without a backup

-battery packs (if you have long days at school without reliable access to outlets)

-a good cases to protect ur devices

Once again you do you when it comes to paperless. Whatever devices, apps, sites, or techniques work for you are what’s best.

[lifewithlala]

Minimalist student toolkit

the apps that helped me go through all sorts of shit in college

GOOGLE CALENDAR

God bless all the people on the Google Calendar team. User interface is friendly, easy, notifications arrive just when I need them. Without Google Calendar, I would be lost. You can read more about how I use Google Calendar for my studies and overall life here.

EVERNOTE

Evernote's web clipper has saved my ass many times. I love how advanced the web clipper of Evernote is. I get to save all the links in their respective notebooks. Or if I'm in a hurry, I just use tags. If I didn't do any of that, Evernote's search engine is so crazy good, I just have to type some keywords in the search bar and J am guaranteed to find the webpage I save. The web clipper is a just, especially when researching. I just login to Evernote to find my sources and all I have to do is put them in the literature. 

SCRIBBR

Talking about literature, Scribbr is also another website that has saved my life. Citing your sources is just so incredibly easy on Scribbr. All I have to do is copy-paste the link and Scribbr will automatically cite your source in APA or MBA. And it is also available in several languages. Saved me from all those last minute details so fast. Honestly, Scribbr should be more hyped among college students. It has seriously added so much value to my academic life.

GOOGLE DRIVE

Le Holy Grail of productivity: cloud storage. I love Google Drive because you get 15GB storage free, which let's be honest that's more than enough for most people. Everything goes into Google Drive. Literally everything. From the syllabus, to slides, handouts, class notes, essays. Everything. All categorized by year-semester-subject. I can easily search for whatever I'm looking for in a matter of seconds. And I can scan documents right from the app, allowing me to go paperless. Google Drive has helped me be so organized, I have become the reference point for both students and professor alike when something is needed.

[addierose444]

Paperless Student

This semester, my school system is almost entirely paperless. I occasionally jot things down on a Post-It note or scrap piece of paper, but in terms of my day-to-day operations, everything is digital. The one other exception is that I took a paper circuits exam a few weeks ago. In past semesters, I have had a hybrid system consisting of digital notes and problem sets completed on paper. Even during the fully remote fall 2020 semester, I did my work on paper and then used a scanning app to convert it to a pdf. To read some of my other posts about organizational systems, click here. 

Being a paperless student isn't for everyone, but has been great for me. The main drawback of a digital system is the increased cost and screen time. To be a paperless student you ideally have a laptop, tablet, and stylus. To read about my specific devices, click here. You may be able to get away with a 2-in-1 device, but it’s suboptimal for remote classes. Specifically, having to split your screen between the Zoom class and a note-taking application would be annoying. In the case of handwritten digital notes, it would be even more difficult as the camera angle would be terrible and you would have no space to write. 

Course Materials:

All of my classes have course materials and assignment submissions on Moodle. (Moodle is an open-source learning management system). In addition to resources posted to Moodle, many courses require textbooks. I primarily read textbooks on my iPad. Some are official ebooks with designated apps whereas others are just pdfs. Additionally, one of my classes uses a free online textbook that is read from the browser. You can read about saving money on textbooks here. 

Notes:

I take all of my notes in Microsoft OneNote. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you are probably are tired of hearing about OneNote, but you’re not getting an apology from me! One thing I love about digital notetaking is the ease of editing. For instance, I can move things around, erase mistakes, and change ink colors. The other key advantage is that if you keep things organized it’s really easy to look back on old notes from past semesters. Even if you are not super organized the search tool can be a lifesaver. That said, flipping through current notes in a notebook is a slightly smoother process than hunting around for the correct page of a digital notebook. I typically handwrite lecture notes on my iPad and type textbook and other reading notes on my laptop. I also type my lecture notes for my UMass computer science course. (You can read more about Five College registration here). Typed notes make sense for that class because there is a lot of information with important details that are necessary to know for the quizzes. One nice thing about remote classes is the ability to take screenshots of key figures and other diagrams. Actually writing things downplays a key role in remembering what you are learning. Thus it’s important to not become dependent on screenshots. On the other hand, if you are spending all of your time trying to write/draw you are probably not actively engaging with the material in real-time. 

Assignments:

In this section, I will be referencing the specific classes I am taking this semester, which you can read about here. For COMPSCI 230, we have online tests and quizzes as well as programming assignments. In other words, it's all digital by default. For CSC 250, I typeset my homework in Overleaf which is a cloud-based LaTeX editor. For EGR 220 and PHY 210, I handwrite assignments in the default notes app on my iPad. I also occasional sketch diagrams for my CSC 250 assignments. Notes is a very bare-bones application but have served me well this semester. You can have lined or graph paper while you write, but once it's exported to a pdf the lines disappear. This hasn’t proved to be a problem but also isn’t ideal. A missing feature is the ability to resize hand-drawn diagrams (and other writing). It also doesn’t clearly mark the end of a page so you do have to play around a bit to export your work into a nice pdf. If you don't mind spending money on apps, I have heard good things about GoodNotes and Notability. For other assignments, I also make use of Google applications such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Speaking of Google, Google Drive continues to be my file management system of choice. I use Google Drive to store all of my school work (aside from the notes in OneNote). Furthermore, I designed a whole programming contest using Google Drive which you can read about here. 

Tests:

I learned the hard way that tests should not be completed in the default Files app! The pdfs get really large and which can result in syncing and saving issues. Having now transitioned to using the PDF Expert app, I haven’t had any issues. I still prefer the experience of annotating in the Files app, but I no longer trust it for exams. One nice thing with PDF Expert is that it still syncs cleanly with the Files app and thus iCloud. 

Time and Task Management:

To round out my digital system, I use Google Calendar, Tascal, and Toggl Track. I use Google Calendar to keep track of all of my events, the associated Zoom links, and deadlines. Tascal is the task management app I built last summer. Finally, Toggl Track is a time tracking application that I have been using since senior year. The data can be useful in helping predict how long an assignment will take, but the main benefit is that it helps me stay focused on the intended task at hand. 

[itstechforschool]

How to take digital notes.→ Handwritten notes on GoodNotes

One of the most important parts about becoming a paperless student is starting to take notes digitally. For this, I personally use two main apps: Notion for typed notes and GoodNotes for handwritten notes. In this post, I will focus on how it is to take handwritten notes using GoodNotes (or Notability, OneNote, or any other note-taking app). Here, I will tell you some of my main tips on digital note-taking.

First of all, I want to quickly remind you of some of the pros of digital note-taking, just to motivate you a bit! As you know, taking notes digitally means that everything you write is going to be stored on the cloud or your device, which allows you to have access to your notes from literally anywhere (as long as you have an internet connection). Digital note-taking is also highly customizable and lets you create notes however you want, using endless styles and color pallets, which is something I find quite fun.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I use GoodNotes to take my handwritten notes on my iPad with my apple pencil. I really enjoy using this app, and some of the features are:

Take notes on notebooks that you create.

Import documents into your notebooks (pdfs, PowerPoints, etc)

Annotate those imported documents, right in your class notebook.

These are some of the steps I follow in order to prepare my GoodNotes app for a new school semester:

Create a notebook for each class.

Choose the type of paper (It could be blank, squared, lined, or dotted.) My personal favorite: Dotted paper.

Choose a nice cover for each notebook (In the future, this will allow you to get to the notebook you need just by looking at the cover).

After I created my notebooks, I like to play around with writing styles in order to choose a single one that I will use in all my notebooks.

Create a template for heading, subheadings, and body.

I choose a color and writing style for my headings, which will be different from the subheadings and the body (Just as you see in my picture, you can identify easily every element on the page)

Choose a couple of colors for the fonts and highlighters (I get some inspiration from color pallets on Pinterest!)

I think that finding a "note style" that is visually pleasing for you and sticking to it is very important when it comes to digital note-taking. As I mentioned before, it is highly customizable and we need to take advantage of it! It also makes it so much easier to know exactly how to put the information down on the page, which will make things much easier.

I hope this quick overview of how I use GoodNotes to take handwritten notes helps you and inspires you a bit!

[studygramcommunity]

Creator: @thestudycollection • 🆀🅾︎🆃🅳: When do your exams take place usually? • [🙇🏽‍♀️] Completed my first exam yesterday so my motivation was a little low today! My next exam (syntax) is going to be on Tuesday, I need to go over the theory again and practice more, but overall I’m feeling pretty confident for that one. That being said, I feel rather nervous about my pedagogy exam on the 29th because we have still not received any concrete information on the contents! I do have some notes I put together but I’m unsure whether those will be enough, and this feeling keeps distracting me from studying for Tuesday’s exam. • So, here’s some advice if you find yourself in the same situation: if you have the time, dedicate at least half a day to doing SOMETHING for that test you feel unsure about. I worked through about 1/4 of my pedagogy notes today, and this gave me some peace of mind about having started and not being totally lost! Maybe that helps some of you!🤞🏽😌 • When do your exams take place? At the end of or during the semester? LMK! 💛 - - - [🙇🏽‍♀️] #studyhacks #studytips #studyday #studyharder #studygrammer #studygrind #studyinghard #studyaccount #instastudy #studystudy #studyblogger #studycommunity #studyblrcommunity #studyblrsquad #study_time #zebramildliner #momentumdash #paperless #paperlessstudent #study📚 #studying📚 #premedlife #studynotes #digitalnotes #studyingermany #studyenglish #psychologyfacts #universität #lehramt #instalehrerzimmer (at Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/CC4Kpn4nEnN/?igshid=b8avqsm93ah4

[bukobeestudies]

hi, i’ve been lurking for a bit and decided exploring a studyblr of my own might facilitate some good habits and serotonin in me !

a lil about me:

i go by bee and my pronouns are she/they !

i turned 20 in june and still forget skjfkdldsj

i’m a junior in university pursuing a triple major in theatre&new media, film production, and digital journalism

formerly a stationary hoarder but recently lost most of what i own, i’ve since switched to paperless (besides my planner and letter writing material)

i speak english and am studying bisaya, tagalog, spanish, and greek 

on that note, i come from a multilingual household of six languages

i’m filipino-american and am based on the east coast of the states

world’s worst film major, just made a letterboxd account

idk if i should track a tag but it’ll prolly be #buko-bee

interests and hobbies:

animal crossing new horizons !

i’ve started reading again, prolly won’t until after sem ends but i’m compiling a list of books i’d like to read in 2021

waking up my dog every hour into my study hours, she sleeps under my desk and is the World’s Worst Roommate and Study Partner but i love her anyways

exploring aesthetics like the academia aesthetic

interpersonal connection and making art in a digital age (hence theatre and new media) please talk to me !!

goals & academic info:

to use this as a place to facilitate motivation to study

to keep myself accountable with my goals

pass this semester ( i have three and a half weeks left and am v behind )

post weekly updates

also post five good things that happened to me in a week

create passion in my studies to replace what i lost since moving to fully-online format

taking 15 credits this and next semester along w a n/c class for interest or work

outside of three jobs and my majors, i’m heavily active in student leadership which will be the death of me tbh

okay, i think that’s it, thank you for reading !

[theneonacademic]

What is Neon Academia?

Neon Academia is characterized by a joy for modern literature and learning, bright colors, and comfortable clutter.

Contemporary novels and e-book subscriptions

Having three different e-library apps on your phone and laptop

Buying highlighters at the start of every semester even though you don't need them

Your laptop being a sticker history of what you were obsessed with

Watching netflix while doing homework

Buying classics and then never finishing them because they're racist/sexist/homophobic

Trying to go paperless

Unable to focus without your spotify playing

Painting over old nail polish with a different color because you're too busy

Going through an audiobook phase

Getting books because their fancy covers intruiged you

Clipping pics from magazines you like and hanging it up as a poster

Having more keychains than keys

Pop Funko figurines on every surface in your room

Choosing stationary on how fun it looks

People watching at the library

Refusing to admit your desk is cluttered

Insisting that some fanfiction is better than actual published novels

[my-studyblr]

Preparing for a New Semester

Hello friends! My summer semester begins today (but I don’t have class on Mondays). This is my first semester completely online and I will also be attempting to be a paperless student. Here are the simple ways I get myself ready and organized for a new semester:

ORGANIZING/PLANNING

Make folders for each class in my laptop - each subfolder can be for lecture slides, notes, assignments

Make folders for each class in my school email - this helps me organize all of my emails and keeps my inbox clean! (I’m an avid supporter of zero inboxes!!)

Go over syllabus for each class and put all important dates in my calendar/planner - Put due dates the day before they are actually due helps me finish my assignments/projects early and gives me time to review my work before submitting

CLEANING

Remove any unnecessary/distracting stuff on my desk to keep it as clean and minimal as possible - Clean space = Clean Mind

Disinfect all my devices (I generally prefer my things to be clean so I do a weekly cleaning of my devices) 

[miss-shirley]

18/04/20.

Online Uni prep! I've switched to paperless studying for my impeding first Master semester which is gonna be unique in more than one aspect. I'm hoping my Uni is gonna do well with the online teaching 🤞🏻

[piristudies]

hi! i’m piri -- welcome to my blog! i’m an undergrad freshman studying computer science and biology.

i love all things science, engineering, technology, and art, and more beyond that! i hope this blog can be a place where i can share my passions, inspire others, and keep myself accountable. that being said, here’s some stuff about me! i’m super friendly and always willing to chat, so feel free to send a message my way!

quick intro&

call me piri! i’m 18 and a college undergrad freshman in the usa. i’m majoring in computer science and biology, and am super interested in computational biology. i want to be a researcher and/or work in drug/therapeutics development someday.

fields of interest: biotech, genetics, statistics/data science, programming, machine learning, architecture, philosophy, graphic design hobbies: art, dance, music (violin/piano)

i’m a huge fan of k-pop and anime, and a huge multi, so hmu about pretty much anything!

why did i start this blog?&

i’ve always been super passionate about things i love, and now that i’m in college, i’m surrounded by it! i oftentimes get distracted by my interests, so i’ve created a studyblr so i can focus my energy towards doing something productive, and also so i can keep track of my progress throughout my academic career! i’m also hoping to make friends with others with similar interests!

what content will i post?&

lots of aesthetics and ~o r g a n i z i n g~, bc i love them! you guys will be seeing my notes, to-do lists, course plans, and so much more. i am attempting to go paperless this semester since i just got an ipad. also expect lots of study tips and mini rants/lessons/lectures about stuff i love (most likely biology). in general, just a whole lot of chaotic but wholesome content that will hopefully help you out in your own study journeys!

goals for 2020&

since i’m conveniently starting this studyblr just in time for the turn of the decade, i figured i would share some goals of mine!

⋆ read more, especially classics and books that make me think! ⋆ along the same train of thought, read more philosophical texts. ⋆ stop stressing about the far-off future, but plan better for the immediate one. ⋆ focus better! ⋆ self-study a language -- both a language language and a programming one! ⋆ make friends here!

studyblr inspo&

there’s not many, but there’s a few studyblr’s that i’ve seen around that were pretty pivotal in my decision to start my own studyblr! i hope to meet more of you guys soon uwu

@geekstudying @emmastudies​ @studyquill​ @warmhealer​ 

please please please don’t hesitate to hit me up if we have shared interests or just if you want to get to know each other better!

[amelia-fletcher]

Good morning everyone. I had a nice new year's 🍾 day with my family. I received this beautiful set of the notebook from the family as a new year gift. They are so pretty, but I have no idea what should I do with them because I am trying to be a paperless student. Eventually, I used the smallest notes for my shopping list notebook. Still haven't got any of the syllabi from my professor for the 2021 winter term. So, have to wait to set up my planner. Only one day left for vacation, then I have to go back to school. I can’t wait to start the new semester! #morningmotivation #morningroutine #goodmorning #morningcoffee #ipadpro105 #desksetup #plannercommunity #planner #planning #newyear #newyaergift #notebook #notebookset #notebooktherapy https://www.instagram.com/p/CJjYvqQsfem/?igshid=1fx737w5dgkw2

[mandy-hanae]

25-02-19 (Wednesday) //

Got a Biology quiz tomorrow, wish me luck! Btw, I’ve finally gone paperless in this semester! I’m so loving it right now, it’s so much convenient + the best part is that I don’t really need to copy / write down every lengthy informations / senetences from the textbooks onto my notes like I did last semester (i.e. before I went paperless). I can just copy these lengthy texts (from pdf textbooks that’s been downloaded onto my iPad), paste them onto my lecture notes + highlight them! Hurray for the lazy me hehehe!

PS: I haven’t finish studying for the quiz yet. GG. :)

Edit: YAS I GOT A 4.0 GPA FOR MY BIOLOGY SUBJECT✨✨ Omg I’m so happy.