#the problem is that i have no idea how to have a studygram

[vacationstudy]

studygram: vacationstudy

hi guys! i just wanted to let you know that i created a studygram (with the same name of this blog #vacationstudy). i’ll try to be more active there and [also here] from now on!

mutuals, i’d be so glad if you could reblog this to spread the word. 

thank you ✩  

[linguacoreana]

Something really bad is spreading within online language-learning communities, and it’s not intentional. In general, the positivity and motivation on langblr, language tumblr, or studygram, study Instagram, are really common. It’s good to motivate people to make positive changes to improve their language skills. However, jealousy is a powerful byproduct of the motivation-focused social media accounts. What can we do to overcome polyglot envy?

What is polyglot envy?

Polyglot envy is the jealousy that language learners experience when treating language acquisition as a leaderboard. It’s natural human psychology to compare yourself to people similar to you. In school, it’s classmates. At work, it’s coworkers that joined at a similar time to you. In our world controlled by social media, people that share a hobby will compare themselves just as much.

Generally, online language learners will experience some jealous feelings when comparing the language abilities of their (perceived) equals. This could be about someone’s speaking ability, frequency of studying, or the sheer number of posts someone makes about their target language. The triggers for envy are endless. This could be someone’s flag emojis in their profile. Speaking practice videos might trigger this feeling. At the heart of it, comparing your skills to another person’s skill create something that I call “polyglot envy.”

Why do some people experience this?

Online language learners are particularly motivated, which contributes to something that may turn into toxic competitiveness. If you are motivated enough to learn a language, which most people don’t even want to do in school, it’s almost guaranteed that you will feel seek out constant improvement. That’s on top of the fact that language learning is a hobby that is generally social. You will therefore always be encountering people that can share their skills. This dangerous concoction can create a situation where online language learners become obsessed with being better than the others.

Be wary of social media

A big reason that some polyglot envy can be so severe is because of how social media presents language learning. Because you are only seeing a portion of someone’s life, you cannot see the blood, sweat, and tears. Nobody posts the day that they don’t want to learn. It would be really strange to see someone post “didn’t feel like learning language today; did nothing” on Instagram.

Social media is a curated perspective of someone’s life. In regards to language learning, you only see people’s successes and not their failures. Videos are edited to include only the best takes of someone using a language. Instagram posts only go live when the poster actually accomplished something. It’s not intentional that people give an inaccurate view; it’s the nature of social media that people only post the interesting parts. That’s not to underestimate the performative posts that exaggerate people’s abilities for views.

Like any social media niche, language learners can get more views by using inflammatory titles that aren’t necessarily accurate. Titles like “POLYGLOT speaks OVER TEN languages” or “WHITE GUY surprises STOREOWNER with his PERFECT CHINESE” are bound to get more clicks, but they can create a false image that you should be doing everything you see. However, what people do not post is the effort that goes into learning a certain grammar point. There is nothing glamorous about posting a video about how you didn’t understand the difference between these two tenses then looked up 7 different resources on the topic, and you still don’t fully get it. The problem is that that is the reality. For everyone, even the most seemingly genius people online struggle.

Social media will never communicate this to you. A major step in overcoming polyglot envy is to recognize this inaccuracy to reality.

Stop comparing yourself!

I think the most important part to avoid polyglot envy is to attack the source of the envy: comparing yourself. We are all different people. It simply makes no sense to compare yourself to others; there are millions of factors that contribute to the reason we are at our current levels in our languages.

Imagine a person who is mother of two children, has to work 40 hours a week, goes shopping, laundry, childrearing, and only finds 10-15 minutes a day to improve her French. How can you compare her to the 19 year old part-time university student who doesn’t need to work and has all the time in the world to learn ten languages? With the given situation, 10-15 minutes a day is a huge accomplishment.

The flashiest online polyglots dedicate most of time to language learning, so assuming you need to be at their level will only hurt you. Even if you compare yourself to someone in your age group with a similar lifestyle to you, it is still really bad to assume their situation because the internet conceals the uncomfortable truths about language learning. You can see them post their aesthetic notes, but you did not see deeply they understood the material. The person with the ugly notes might have worked harder, but social media could have you thinking the most beautiful notes or most enthusiastic speaker has the best skills.

Although I love to post my language efforts of the day onto my Instagram, I always try to make an effort to show the real side of my thinking in the caption. “lol I don’t get it, and I think I never will” caption so many of my posts, and I put an effort to show my weaknesses. I don’t want to push the idea that everyone should have an easy time with language learning or that I am some perfect language learner.

Think relatively

It is important to remind yourself that any studying is good. The thought that “I am not studying enough” should never cross any language learners mind. Of course, there is room for motivation and pushing yourself, but we should be very vigilant that we are not setting unhealthy expectations. The average person spends no time learning languages, so spending 10 minutes a day is totally fine. The average American or European does not know any Chinese characters, so it makes no sense to beat yourself up over the fact that you do not know the same number as another language learner. Knowing 2000 is better than knowing 1000, but knowing 10 is better than knowing 1. The fact that you have studied a language at all is already a victory in and of itself.

[wordsnstuff]

Guide To Plot Development

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress || Studyblr || Studygram

Where To Start

Start with the zero draft. Honestly, the only thing you need to know about your story in order to complete a solid zero draft is the basic timeline of events and 2-3 main characters. Zero drafts don’t need to include any minor characters, backstory, world building, subplots, anything. They’re just a rough estimate of what your story is going to be and where it’s going to go. 

This way, you have something to work with when you do approach the task of maturing your story, which is a lot easier to do when you have already gotten the garbage ideas onto paper, seen them, realized they’re bad, clipped out the good parts, and developed a better understanding of your story’s trajectory. 

Placing The Climax

The climax is two things; the apex of built tension and the turning point of the conflict. Recognizing that as a definition makes pin-pointing the climax of your story much easier, especially if you’re the kind of person who likes to start with a solid premise and work forward from there, rather than build a sturdy skeleton and fill in the blanks as you write the first draft. If you’re still having trouble, the climax is usually one of, if not the most exciting parts of the plot, and that comes from anticipating a massive shift in the story. 

Outlining For Discovery Writers

I know a lot of people out there will read this article and question whether they can put it to use because they’re not an intense plotter who relies on outlines, character sheets, etc. A lot of writers prefer to let characters grow on their own and the conflict present itself naturally, which is less predictable but very exciting, especially when brand new ideas hit you out of nowhere. If you’re one of these people, fear not. An easy way to settle the slight nervousness that comes with diving straight into a blank page is to write down all of the basic or specific ideas you have in one spot where you can see it all and as you go along, refer to it for inspiration or answers when you hit a snag in your story’s flow. It’s not exactly an outline, but it’s a lead, and it’s worth doing. 

Balancing Planning With Pantsing

A lot of writers who decide to take their stories seriously and commit to finishing a large project make the mistake of thinking that means they have to plan like a professional (which, spoiler, most professionals don’t do). What happens in these cases is that writers plan so meticulously for so long that the story becomes... boring. We all get kind of tired of stories when they take up too much of our imagination, but getting tired of a story before even a word of it is written should be avoided. 

I have a personal rule that I never give myself more than 6 weeks to plan a story. That seems like a lot to most people, but I also zero draft all of my stories before I plan them, so I never start a first draft with a blank page. I suggest that if you frequently run into this issue, you try this method and between each serious draft, you give yourself at least a month of space from it in order to refresh your mind. 

What Comes After Drafting

Foreshadowing, symbolism, subplot integration, and micro-development. These are all examples of things that writers try to plan before their first crack at a draft and end up betraying their ability follow through with writing the story at all. When it comes to complicating the story, these elements all come into the picture much later, when the main plot, character profiles, and structure is solid and ready to be finalized in the interest of moving forward in the writing process. When you’re plotting, shove these things out of your mind. You can’t input symbolism into a story that doesn’t exist, and you can’t develop characters that haven’t been born. 

Common Struggles

– The common struggles section of my “guide to__” posts are general questions sent in by readers on the topic at hand. If you have a question that has not been addressed thus far, you’ll probably find the answer in this section. As always, you’re welcome to send other questions to my inbox if you don’t find the answer in this post. –

~ How do I correctly pace a story?... The pace should depend on the genre and point of view, as these things are the framework of every plot. Generally, anticipation should be a slow burn and the big moments should be snappy and explosive, rather than drawn out. The exposition, climax, and resolution should take up the least amount of time in your story, and the rising action should be the majority of the rest of it.

~ What needs to be in your beginning, middle and end?... The answer to this question is answered when you choose a definitive structure model to either follow or build off of. I have a whole post about it here: Plot Structures

~ How can I know if I’ve resolved my major conflict enough?... The resolution of your story should leave the reader feeling satisfied with the protagonist’s overcoming their obstacle, but still leave enough room to anticipate more to come. 

~ How should the plot close?... This is entirely up to you, but I would take into account the possibility of a sequel. If it’s 100% a standalone story, give it a clean ending and tie up the loose ends, pat yourself on the back for all of the clever foreshadowing everyone missed, and leave the protagonists and beloved secondary characters’ futures looking bright. 

~ How do you write a plot around a theme?... Most stories that have a central theme are born from answering a tough question. George Orwell’s 1984 asked “What would the world look like if totalitarianism ruled society?”. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 dealt with censorship and questioned whether bliss only belongs to the ignorant. Bottom line is, pick the theme you want to explore, and then ask yourself the tough questions. The story should be the process by which you find the answer. 

~ What is the best way to handle a large cast within a plot?... You have your main conflict and the plotline that surrounds it, and then you have various subplots, around 2-3 where you explore the world/characters further and immerse the reader in the stories. You can convince the reader to become invested in a large number of characters by making them heavily involved in the subplots. They should all touch the main plot considerably, but the bulk of their development should be in the subplot, and if you were to have 15 characters, you’d want around 3 subplots where 3-5 of them were important players. However, large casts that reader’s have trouble keeping up with is a problem that usually results from a writer’s inability to make cuts or combinations. Remember: the reader’s experience is the most important thing. It’s better to downsize your ideas than lose your readers altogether. 

Other Resources From My Blog That Help With This:

What Do You Do When You Over-Plan?

Resources For Plot Development

How To Write A Good Plot Twist

How To Foreshadow

Writing Long Stories Without Filler

Writing Stories About Your Own Experiences

Novel Planning 101

Tackling Subplots

Things A Reader Needs From A Story

How To Turn A Good Idea Into A Good Story

Planning A Scene

When To Stop Planning

How To Outline Outside Chapter Structure

Tips on Mapping Out A Series

Outlining By Chapter

How To Outline Effectively

Tips On Starting A Scene

How To Start A Novel

Character Driven vs. Plot Driven Stories

Plot Structures

Planning A Scene In A Story

Effective Ways Of Planning Chapters

Writing Meaningful Stories

Finding Your Own Writing Style

How To Write A Story Timeline

Making A Story Come Together

Tips on Planning A Series

Coming Up With Scene Ideas

General Resources For Plot Development

How To Engage The Reader

Coming Up With “Original” Ideas

Building Upon A Good Premise

Pacing Appropriately

–

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[threecheersforsuccess]

Uni Study Diary 18th Entry: How My Love for Habits/Finding Study Techniques Made Me Realize What Major I Should Pursue

For those who do not know, I recently started clinical research at my first lab of choice when applying to a competitive summer program at my university. I would like to preface by saying that I cannot give any of the details because of confidentiality, as much as I would like to track my work so far. However, looking back at my successful application and organizing the thoughts I’ve been having over the week, my investment in studyblr/studygram, the growth mindset, and the challenges I’ve personally had when experimenting productivity techniques and habit-building really all have funneled into the reason why I chose to pursue neuroscience and psychology in the first place. 

In both middle school and high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do in college. I started out thinking that I might do an engineering major or maybe something in computer science, but honestly, most of that came from the influences and pressures of friends and mutuals working jobs at big tech companies in Seattle, and my passion for that generally ran low. I absolutely loved math and science, and I loved biology and physics in particular. Towards my last two years of high school, I did HOSA (Health Occupations of Students America), and this allowed me to work on several health-based projects, from curriculum building in health education to technological innovations. These hands-on opportunities and guidance from professionals brought me a lot of fulfillment; as I read through scientific papers and connected the dots, I found myself amazed by my ability to synthesize data and put the knowledge into creating tangible solutions. I did consider bioengineering for some time because of this, but I did not feel too sure. 

Between late middle school and all throughout high school, I ran this blog and my Instagram, mainly inspired by those tip posts created by other accounts. I would collect as many tip posts I could and determine my own style of studying, whether for class, AP classes, cram school, etc. Studyblr made this process so fun to me, and combined with my interest in the growth mindset and the habit cycle, I would experiment as much as I could to figure out solutions that worked best for me. I began to look outside of Tumblr and Instagram, looking at scientific journals and learning about some pretty awesome methods, such different forms of active recall and spaced repetition. I will say that at that time, I had that innate, childish desire to figure out a clean-cut ways and write up an overall guide that would be able to tackle all scenarios to maximize grades and learning (different subjects, bad teachers, etc), but of course, I’ve matured, and I’ve realized that how you study or build habits may not necessarily apply to someone else. As a result, you can only give advice, but those methods may not work. Yes, I learned this the hard way in college because I ultimately learned that my own studying style is far too unique and does match up to what others suggest, so I have to experiment a lot to figure out what is best for me. The variability is far too much to actually understand what works for each and individual person. Long story short, I am still a habit-building nut (I have yet to show all of my beeminder trackers on my platform haha).

Therefore, I’ve settled to pursue neuro/psych as my major, and my research project right now is very much enjoyable because it does focus on habit-building techniques and curriculum construction for adolescents for certain medical/psychological conditions. I think it’s absolutely amazing to see how my passions all funneled into one nicely wrapped present at the end, and this is something I am grateful for. During my mental health hiatus, when working with my therapist, one thing I learned is to sit with your feelings and confront them, negative and positive. By highlighting the positive ones in times of darkness, this can be a habit as well that can be strengthened into something of a regular occurrence, helping to build resilience. When I feel stressed about the future or my academics, I do think about how fortunate I am to be able to pursue something I love (definitely with the side of facing those negative emotions as well and problem-solving my way through those, but you get what I mean here). I have so much more to say, especially in regards to health intersectionality and reasons why I have finally solidified my position as a premed student in general, but I’m going to do some ANKI cards for now.  

[iceblaeze]

3 studyblr tropes + my reactions

"IceBlaeze, you've had this blog for like four hours now. What could you possibly know about studyblrs? You haven't even contributed to the community."

You're right, I don't know much. But here are my thoughts on the studyblr aesthetic.

1. Notes upon notes upon notes!

There's an incredible bias towards content-heavy subjects like medicine (so many anatomy notes!) and what I can only really call "humanities" for lack of a better label. Yeah, you can tell I'm more of a science-y person. I suppose this bias is only reasonable, given that a major theme of studyblrs and studygrams are having very neat and aesthetic notes, preferably with faux-calligraphy titles in pastel colours.

In defiance of this, I'll give you guys a sneak peak into my high school subjects with basically no content and I am also starting to face the consequences of taking absolutely no notes during online school, or in the case of chemistry, at all this year. That is, I have no notes to show you guys :(

2. Pastel aesthetic

I suppose the beauty of pastel is that you have an entire spectrum of colours which are relatively easy to tell apart but still look good together. Being able to change your colour palette without changing your entire vibe and still being recognisably you seems to be a bonus for those of you with more than one subject, but it also means that all of you look the same! That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's a very common theme.

In defiance of this, I'll show you the two colours of fountain pen ink I have: dark blue and black. Oh, and my preferred ink colour on Goodnotes is navy blue.

3. The stylus + tablet + tablet stand + laptop + laptop stand combo

Jeez. How much tech do you need??

Just kidding, everyone I know who is reasonable at maths has an iPad, Apple Pencil, and at least one laptop. The idea seems to be: use the stylus on the tablet to do problems, laptop for basically anything else, and tablet for Battle Cats. The general consensus from the studyblr community here seems to be the same but with the addition "use the tablet for notes/journaling as well", which I would know if I actually talked to people who wrote notes and journaled but that's for another post.

A side note about tablet stands and laptop stands: Why would you have a keyboard for your tablet when you have a literal laptop with stand as well?? Laptop stands I get; sometimes you want the screen to be somewhere and the keyboard to be somewhere else and you want it to be portable. But adding a keyboard to your tablet effectively makes it a touchscreen laptop running a mobile OS... c'mon.

In defiance of this, I'll... uh... not use a laptop stand I guess. I'm guilty of having and using the other four things in that combination. But what can I say? It works!

[inactivegardenum]

hi everyone! i’ve been dealing with depression since may 2017. though everyone here on the studyblr community seems to be well intentioned when it comes to advise on mental health, i noticed that a lot of people feel uncomfortable, knowing that a significant part of them may not have ever experienced any kind of mental illness – note that i used the term ‘uncomfortable’, not ‘angry’. sure drinking water is important, but how is that going to help me, mentally? 

you see, i got no other knowledge about the subject than my own experiences, conversations with doctors and basic research. i can’t guarantee any of this will be helpful to you, but i can share what i’ve been passing through and try to reach a more equal level to those who are also dealing with mental illness and school. here are some things to note:

settling a time for taking medicine

this one can sound just as silly as drinking water, though it’s very important to the right functioning of the medicine you’re taking. it’s simple chemistry and you’ll find better results by doing that. your doctor will advise you to do so, then listen to all of their reccomendations

ok, so you’re taking medicine and has settled a time for doing it, great! now, you should turn it into a task. write it down on your journal, programme a phone alarm, or even find an app for this, so you won’t skip the correct time for doing it

however, you’re probably going to skip time for one day or another, and it’s absolutely ok, since it doesn’t become something frequent!

sleeping

well, sleeping is a quite complicated one: apparenty, depression can make you wether sleep too much or not sleep at all, and that’s s my case. i would wake up every night and spend 40-50 min awake. it took me 5 different pills until i found the one that made my sleep enough and regenerating again

report your sleeping problems to your doctor. sleeping medicine can lead your mind to some weird dreams, as it’s done to me, and your doctor will know how to handle this

doing stuff you like

depression is well known for making people uncapable of doing all the things they once were passionate about. i know. however, you have to keep in mind that you’re now starting a new phase, the getting better phase, now that you’ve been taking medicine and seeing the doctor. in time, maybe the day you start taking medicine or maybe not so early, you’ll return to do what gives you pleasure

make sure that your hobby doesn’t feel like an obligation and happens spontaneously 

maybe you don’t have a hobby, a hobby that feels like the stereotypical ones, like drawing, singing or playing tennis, and that’s alright: find something you do without any blame and stick to it 

studying for exams

this can be a great oportunity for you to try new studying methods. depression injuries your academic productivity, and by the end of the semester the only you wish is your school year to be over; then all you want is your notes to be efective

there are tons of study tips for your here on tumblr. don’t be afraid of trying a new note taking system or doing those vocabulary things that are so popular here

i know it doesn’t feel like the correct time for experimenting; you have to make it to the next year and shouldn’t get too excited planning what you’re gonna do, and then end up in a mess bigger than before. i have this thoughts frequently. but, during my last exams seasion, i was just so tired!!! i didn’t read every book, didn’t take revision notes that covered up everything in detail, but what i did felt effective

trust me, neither you nor these people on studyblr community can study everything to their 100%, even if they are mentally healthy. that’s impossible, so don’t push yourself too hard

receiving exams results

well, you can probably guess that this is about receiving bad results. good grades need no preparation for, in contrast to bad ones… erm, but we have to cover them up: your effort may not work. you may fail some subjects. it is a possibility, and it doesn’t mean that you should’ve done more or that it’s just a big picture that represents how you were never able to develop studying skills – sorry! i have these thoughts

you can always work on prevention. prevention from failing and prevention from feeling completely helpless if you do

letting your school know

you should consider letting your school teachers and headmaster know about your condition. this way, they’ll get to understand your lack of motivation and the occurrent classes that you’ve been skipping or simply away from

you can also get the chance to take tests at home or separately from the others, if that’s how you wish to

getting a legal absence

you can get a legal absence from school, if you understand that you’ll feel better at home. i decided it was the best for me to do and had my parents, doctors and school supporting my decision. if this is something that often cross your mind, make sure you have thought it through, then you’ll have to deal with all the bureaucracy, but hopefully it won’t take too long

final considerations

keeping a journal

the day i started taking medicine, i decided i would start a journal to monitor my feelings and simply write down moments or things i’d like to remember later on. both my psychologist and psychiatrist supported my idea. maybe you could enjoy doing so, or going for the things i did well today challenge

treating yourself

it can be a hobby. we all know how life is busy. if you just can find an hour when you can enjoy your body lotions, do some skin care or simply wash your hair, then lucky you are

though depression can depravate your want to do some of the self caring, you could find a way to reanimate these habits, when you do it only in order to take care of your well-being

starting a studyblr, studygram or a studytube

i believe that this one leads to two possibilities: wether you’ll feel motivated or pressured to study and recover your loss. if, analysing the whole situation, you understand that the former suits you, then you already know what to do

however, if you think that that studying strategy will be overwhelming, maybe you should keep yourself in touch with study tips and all of this stuff through the tags: study motivation, studyblr, studyspo, study notes

and here are my favourite studyblrs: @studyquill, @birdkostudies, @studyign, @studyrose, @ploverstudies, @determinationandcaffeine, @delthenerd, @noodledesk

hobbies during bad days

i’m so glad i’ve got my hobbies to use them in my favour! they can feel pretty productive when i can’t function to the productivity patterns. my psychiatrist recommended me not to pin them to my weekly activities, so i wouldn’t have to worry about them. maybe this strategy suits you as well

i believe this is pretty much everything for now. ahhhh please let me know if any of this sounds helpful and thank you very much for reading!!! 

wishing you the very best on earth!!!

[emmastudies]

The 100 Days of Productivity Challenge with EmmaStudies!

Productivity challenges are a fun way to help boost your motivation to get things done! ‘100 days of productivity’ is one of the most popular challenges when it comes to Tumblr and Instagram. As I am planning to start the challenge, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get more people involved! So, where do we start?

What is ‘100 days of productivity’? To put it simply, the challenge is to do something productive for 100 days. It comes from the idea that each day, we can do at least 1 thing that pushes us forward. The challenge is meant to improve your sense of accomplishment and show that with a bit of motivation, you can get things done!

What classifies as productive? This is entirely up to you and what you feel is worth recognition. Whilst the majority of study blogs do something study related each day that isn’t a set rule. Some examples could be:

studying for an accumulative time of 2 hours a day

decluttering your desk and study space

finishing all your homework

drafting an assessment you’ve been procrastinating on

organising your files

sorting through your emails and implementing a filter system

backing up computer files and phone

organising your monthly plan

going to study or read at the library

finishing a book you’ve been meaning to read

setting up a file organisation structure on your computer

creating a resume and cover letter

applying for jobs, internships, work experience

spring cleaning your bedroom and study space

organising your bookshelf

unsubscribing from spam emails

collecting account emails and passwords

sorting out your expenses and budgets

deactivating unused social media/email/etc accounts

Obviously, this list has just a few options. You can do anything which you find achieves a positive and organised result! Even if you do something small, you can count that :-)

Does it have to be consecutive days? It can be, but there isn’t a rule. Most people attempt to do consecutive days but that isn’t always possible. Doing something productive one day after another is great for building your self-discipline, however, you can skip days if need be. If you do, don’t feel bad! Remember to bounce back and continue the next day.

Who can join? Do I need to have a studyblr/studygram? It is open to anyone! There are no requirements for joining. You don’t need to have a studyblr or studygram! If you’re looking for a fun way to motivate yourself with the backing of other people, this is a great challenge to be a part of. 

When do I start? Absolutely whenever you want. Could be the start of a month, the start of your school term or for the new year. For this which I’m setting up as a collective challenge, I am planning to start on Monday 9th October. For anyone who has seen this post before then, you are more than welcome to start the same day! But if you see this afterwards, you can still join and be a part of it - but you’ll just be a few days behind, but that is not a problem! :-)

How do I track document my productivity? Most people document their journey through Tumblr or Instagram by posting a photo each day (or every few days). I will be doing this! I will be tagging my posts with #emma100dop which you should too. This way I can see your photos and reblog them too!! As a challenge which I am hoping lots of people can get involved in, having a specific hashtag is great for motivation.

Similarly, it is worth tracking your days on paper. I have created a printable set which you can download for documenting each day’s work. *Download link here!*

Do I have to share pictures? If you don’t want to, you don’t have to share. For studyblr and studygram accounts this is a good idea because you’re uploading original content but if you don’t have a study account, you don’t need to upload any. You can still document your progress with photos and make a gallery on your phone if you want. As mentioned above, I have a printable which you can download for free to track your progress. If you don’t want to take pictures, you can just cross off or write down what you did that day! 

I am really excited to start this challenge with you guys! :-) I think doing it as a collective group is a fantastic idea in terms of boosting and maintaining motivation through the whole challenge. With lots of accountability partners, we should all hopefully manage 100 days! Best of luck! Remember to tag me in your pictures on Tumblr and Instagram!! x

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[academiceve]

My Study Tips // How I Improved My Grades and Got Straight A’s

This post will consist of study tips and techniques that I have learned throughout university that allowed me to receive straight A’s both semesters my senior year. Long story short, during my final year at university I wanted to improve my GPA and receive good grades in all of my courses. I aimed for an A in all of them and managed to get straight A’s both semesters, as well as end up on the student honors list for having a high semester GPA. I hope that these tips can help improve your grades, but straight A’s are never guaranteed (please keep this in mind). Also, I will be sharing with you all of my study tips (tested for 4 years at university), as well as tips that I learned in my cognitive psychology course about memory and learning. Keep reading if you’re interested in SLAYING this semester!

1. Set GOALS. I have a post already up on how to set SMART goals at the beginning of a new a semester. Click HERE to read it. I also have a guide sharing tips how I prepare for a new semester, click HERE to read it. 

2. LECTURES. Attend all lectures, workshops, tutorials, classes, labs, etc. If you’re a full time student, you shouldn’t make excuses to skip lectures. Before lectures, I would skim assigned textbook readings or look through uploaded PowerPoint slides to have a general idea about the topic, what will be taught, what I should pay more attention to, etc. You will already be familiar with the material and this will allow you to ask questions, summarize key information, anticipate what will be featured in the exam.

3. Learn from DAY 1. My biggest tip for studying and surviving university, is that you need to start learning from day 1 and then build up your knowledge throughout the years. The first few lectures of any major are usually the core of that major, so you have to know those subjects and topics well. Then, your knowledge will build on a strong foundation, which will make learning easier. So start learning from day 1, keep up with new material and you will see that as exams approach, you will be less stressed about not knowing anything. 

4. HOMEWORK. At my university, we would be frequently assigned a lot of homework, so I always made sure I had everything done. Sure, there were times where I would skim through readings or half-ass assignments, but the key here is to know the importance of each assignment. Sometimes, while doing homework I would get carried away and research the topics to learn more about them, because it would help me understand it better. It really depends on the assignment. Another reason why doing homework is crucial is because often professors throw in homework questions in exams. By practicing trying to solve problems you’re already doing yourself a favor, because practice makes perfect. 

5. REVIEW. After lectures, I would review freshly learned materials at home. I would finish taking notes from slides, research what I didn’t understand, as well as look up answers to my questions (if the professor didn’t answer them). I would also study the material. Repetition of studying information over and over again is great for retention, as YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE MATERIALS AND BE ABLE TO APPLY IT. Don’t memorize it, know it! (this is honestly the biggest key to success!)

6. EXAMS. For exams, I would make study guides from chapter readings that cover the necessary information. I would either fill in a pre-made study guide handed out to us by our professors, or I would create one. I would include terms and definitions, key concepts, key research, theories, examples, etc. A quick tip is to make study guides from slides and then add extra information anywhere necessary from the readings. Keep in mind that your study guide’s should include only important information, don’t get carried away! Then I would only study from those study guides, which usually worked well for multiple choice exams. For essay based exams, I would ask professors for topics that we can expect on the exams and write them out at home. I would then learn from those essays. This methods helps you have coherent thoughts, arrange arguments, etc. 

7. PROJECTS. I would start working on projects (group presentations, individual presentations, etc.) at least a week in advance, just because I’m a perfectionist and a visual learner, which means that I wanted my slides to be PERFECT. Nice slides can help your earn good grades! I would choose a slide design style, 2-3 fonts (max), 2-3 colors (max) and would stick to them. I would also include funny photos (memes are really popular if they suit the topic!) or gifs. As for information, I would keep it short and summarized on the slides, and if I needed to expand on a certain point, I would be able to do that on my own. Don’t put a lot of text on your slides, nobody likes to read them (Unless it’s a very official presentation, your professor asked you to, etc.). If you have a good sense of humour, you can throw in some jokes during your presentation (in my case sarcasm wasn’t for everyone, but at least my friends found it funny!). Take the time to prepare a nice presentation, practice presenting in your room, because it is an easy way to earn good grades. 

8. PAPERS. I would also start working on papers at least a week in advance, this usually depended on the lenght of the paper and the topic. I would research articles that I could include first and make a bibliography list. Then I would read those articles, which could take up 2-3 days if I was busy and had to work on other assignments. Afterwards, I would start writing, one paragraph at a time (this approach worked on harder/longer papers or a boring topic). Sometimes I would word vomit all of my ideas and then read through it and edit the paper. However, if I could, I would always try to choose an interesting topic and I would always discuss them with my professors beforehand, because they could recommend readings or help with generating ideas for arguments, etc. 

9. STUDY GROUPS. Studying with friends or a group of students from your class can be different and fun, as well as beneficial for receiving that A. I would utilize study groups before mid-terms and finals, but always make sure to study on your own first and only then attend a study group. Once you know the material well, you can meet up with your friends/peers and teach each other concepts that you still can’t quite grasp. You know you’ve learned a topic well if you can teach it to other people and them being able to understand what you are teaching. Otherwise, study groups can be distracting and a great excuse to procrastinate. 

10.  PROFESSORS. Your professors are a wonderful resource of knowledge, so use them! Attend their office hours, ask questions, discuss any problems or issues that you’re having in their lecture after class. Don’t be afraid to approach them, because they’re a great ally for your success! They always notice students who go above and beyond to learn and do well at university! Trust me, they talk behind students backs as much as students gossip about professors! They can also offer you amazing opportunities afterwards, when doing research, working on dissertations, etc. I was recently offered a volunteer lab assistant position, to help out one of my professors, even though I already graduated. So network with your professors, they will help you out!

11. LEARNING STYLE. It would be useful for you to know what’s your learning style. Visual, auditory, read & write or kinesthetic. You can read about it more in detail HERE. I’m a visual learner, so I would include graphs, drawings, schemes, etc. in my notes, in order to retain information better. Discovering your learning style could help you improve your studying habits! 

COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND LEARNING. Below you will find the tips for studying that I learned during my cognitive psychology course. 

It’s easier to remember information you can interpret in the context of things you already know. You will remember textbook material better if you take the time to scan a chapter first, to get a sense of the major points, before reading the chapter in detail. This is also the reason why professors ask students to read chapters before class, so that the students’ minds are prepared to encode and remember the information presented in the lecture. 

The more deeply you analyze information, the more likely you are to remember it later. This is known as depth of processing. Experiments have shown that people remember words better if they’re formed to think about the meaning of words, rather than simply memorizing them. 

The best way to prepare for a test is by processing the material in a way that is similar to how you expect to be tested on it: making the study and recall format as similar as possible. 

More cues mean better recall. Free recall is when you are simply asked to generate the information from memory. Cued recall is when you are given some kind of a prompt. Recognition is when you pick out the correct answer from a list of possible options. Many students prefer to take exams with questions involving multiple choice (recognition test) rather than essays (free-recall test). Professors know this too, so they design multiple choice questions to include alternative answers that can easily be mistaken for the correct response if the student hasn’t studied the material closely. 

I hope you found the information included in this post helpful. If you would like to read more from me, click HERE to see other blog posts! You can also follow my studygram HERE for some inspiration! 

ALSO, I found this video that I thought would be useful, so check it out for more advice! Click HERE. 

[mindfulperspectives]

For anyone who exists with the innate love and passion for anything stationery, you know that this is what heaven looks like:

Or better yet, any Muji store:

In honor of this, let’s talk favorites. Every stationery addict has that one those few pens and highlighters that literally makes our hearts sing. As a medical student, one of my biggest fears is lending someone one of these dear pens on ward rounds and not getting it back. To solve this problem, meet my lending pen:

The Pilot super grip in medium, always in my white coat for the doctor/medical student who needs it. Don’t judge me.

Anyways enough small talk, here are my absolute favorite pens and highlighters!

The day I discovered Muji pens was probably one of the best days of my life. Unfortunately, nowhere in Trinidad sells them so I have to order them from online but nevertheless I am so grateful for this company’s existence.

Most used: Muji capped gel-ink pen 0.55mm in black. THIS PEN IS LITERALLY ALL I NEED IN MY LIFE. This is the pen I use in my planner and when writing most of my study notes. Price - pack of 3 - $6.41 USD (43.71 TTD)

Pen I wish was most used: Muji smooth writing gel pen 0.5mm in black. I only have one of these remaining so I’m using it sparingly but my goodness this pen is definitely #1 for me. Writing is smooth and effortless, never skips, pure beauty.

2nd most used: Pilot acroball in fine and medium - I use these for general notes and when at the hospital for histories and writing in patient notes.

Pilot G-2 07 Black - This was my go-to pen before Muji came into my life. I still use them sometimes but not as regularly as before. Still a great pen though.

Microns - I really only use these for cardmaking to write the greeting if I don’t type it.

Paper Mate Flairs - these are my go-to fine tip markers.

Blues - The pilot choose is a dream in this navy blue color but my blue pens are more last resort because I just prefer black. I sometimes use the pilot acroball as a lending pen because it doesn’t write as smooth as the black does for some reason (Again, don’t judge me. I know you have a lending pen also. I really hope that no one I lend pens to reads this post.)

Colors: These guys are really for highlighting notes.

Brush pen: I’m trying to learn how to do brush calligraphy. I’m not that good yet.

Now for the highlighters:

I know everyone knows about these by now but I actually discovered Mildliners thanks to the studyblr and studygram communities. These highlighters are orgasmic. Just look at that color range. AND OMG THEY ARE DOUBLE SIDED (I shamefully admit that i had these highlighters for a solid 2-3 weeks before I realised this. I have no idea how I didn’t know.) My favorites are the deep yellow, green, purple, pink and grey ones all.

Okay so that’s all, feel free to share your favorite pens and highlighters so we can obsess together :)

Photo credits:

Flickr: 46635911@N00

http://www.vancouversun.com/shelley+fralic+heads+hipsters+here+comes+muji/10286770/story.html

[shereadssoftly]

With the new year approaching I thought it would be a great idea to share with you guys my resolutions and goals for the new year, and my tips for setting SMART goals. I’m especially excited because it’s the year I turn 18 and graduate highschool!

Academic Resolutions

Establish and maintain a good study schedule that leads to productivity and lets me sleep a bit better!

Find a balance between making my notes pretty and aesthetic and making sure my notes are not too distracting at the same time. I have a problem with decorating my notes! I either do nothing or cover the whole page with doodles and colours and stickers. So i need balance!

Monitor my studying with practice questions. Rather than studying for 3 hours straight and calling it a day, I want to monitor how much I’m actually learning with practice questions

Maintain my work ethic throughout the term! I tend to start strong and then lose momentum as I get a bit more overwhelmed then end up in a slump.

Earn more senior merits!

Carry only essential stationery with me to school.

Graduate with Results i can be proud of.

Health Resolutions

Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day

Keep track of how much water I’m drinking throughout the day

Avoid buying food from school as it is very greasy

Pack my own lunches!

Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night

Try not to stay seated for more than an hour

Join a sports team!

Eat more fruits

Studyblr/Social Resolutions

Reach 200 followers on Tumblr by the end of the year!

Build my studygram a bit more

Set up a snapchat for my studyblr account!

Try at post a bit more often

Consider Youtube!

My Advice on Setting Your Own Goals

When you are setting your own goals for the new year, you need to consider how much dedication you can throw in_** THROUGHOUT**_ the year. Not just in January! They need to be:

Specific

Measureable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

An example or two would be

“Lose weight” vs “Exercise 3 times a week, weighing myself each month”

“Get all A’s” vs “Study consistently and effectively. Learn some different methods!”

 Also, write down your SMART goals somewhere you will always see them. On a stickynote on the fridge, your wall, bathroom mirror. Keep reminding yourself about them to motivate yourself to keep going.

2018 will be your year.

See my other posts

Mini Motivation

Taking Notes from a Textbook

Giving Up

Holiday Balancing Act

Keeping yourself Motivated

[wannawrite]

Welcome To My Highschool

who: Wanna One's Park Woojin genre: 🌸 type: bullet point blog navigator. 

ps: you guys should check out @alliwannado-w1‘s HS! AU too! Euiwoong | Hyungseob

• HS! AU • how Park Woojin would be like in high school i'm kinda bad at high school related scenarios but I'll give it a go! thanks for requesting, anon! also I love ‘Welcome to my Hollywood’ so much Daehwi is so talented God bless. Bless Donghyun, bless Youngmin, bless Woojin. - Admin L 

• woojin is that student who is kind of in between ‘naughty’ and ‘nice’ • ho ho ho get ready for some two months early Christmas scenarios • even though I haven’t really done Fall/Halloween ones • request box is open btw ;) • Woojin definitely isn’t the brightness student or the nicest person - but only because he is shy around strangers • but there’s no way he’s the ‘student/classmate from hell’ • if he is tardy, it isn’t out of ill intention you know • he genuinely overslept that day because he was studying hard for his mathematics exam • fell asleep in class only because he was coming down with the flu and felt awful   • genuinely tries his best to be an angelic student, though he can be a savage • but really, he never has bad intentions • Woojin’s grades aren’t the best and he doesn’t really have a ‘best subject’ • it’s more like no failures but Bs - Cs across the board • no worries! he’s always improving! • focuses well in class and always takes notes even if they’re somewhat messy • but it’s the aesthetic messy • probably runs a popular studygram that not even his best friends know about • that classmate you don’t really talk to but wouldn’t hesitate to help him with math problems or notes because he seems so nice and innocent • a reliable friend you can depend on for notes • the classmate who will allow you to borrow his headphones if you ask • nicely • Woojin is also the resident dance king • in fact, the dance club only exists because of him • okay so this is where he gets a tad bit more naughty • the reason is kind of because he started a dance battle with a Senior, Noh Taehyun in the cafeteria • and the principal came to break it up but he saw the talent in the two dancers and was like ‘holy shit we actually have talent here we need a dance club’ • and now Woojin is the vice-president of the dance club • Taehyun is the president but he’s graduating soon :( • remember when they had disputes at first doshakdjd • lowkey the both of them are a little competitive with each other but that’s okay because they both know their limits • no joke, woojin is really talented we all know that • is one of the head choreographers despite being a Sophomore and forms majority of the dances • leads the club really well and Taehyun is assured that the legacy will continue even after he graduates • shies away from signing up for competitions and only writes other members names • even though he knows he’s good enough, he is hesitant • but Eunki always secretly scribbles his name down before sending the list in • all the talent is in Brand New High School - College dance team tbh • they won :”) • but really, who wouldn’t expect them to • Taehyun treated all of them to barbecue after • they eat well all the time • during dance practice, he’s that crazy guy who can’t seem to sit still • he just loves dancing okay • reversal charms, no one expected him to be so loud, sarcastic - to a certain extent, or even outspoken • likes to take random videos of dance practices • ‘hey, guys! this is a dance practice in the life of Woojin, welcome back!’ • his Snapchat story and IG story is always filled with those vlog style videos • ‘ah yes, here we have Seongwoo hyung working really hard’ • ‘ohhh, Jung Jung hyung, why aren’t you sweating as much as me? Did you not put in your best effort?’ • tbh it’s like a crack video even though he’s serious about it • will voice out his ideas for choreography openly but not rudely • no one saw this Woojin coming • Woojin is that kind of guy who keeps his circle small and the space in his heart smaller • like he knows a lot of people and has mutual acquaintances but it isn’t like they’re close • like Seniors, Juniors in the dance club • only has a couple of tight-knit friends but they’re also graduating soon • someone save him, please • *drum rolls* • the Avengers are here! • he’s that guy who is in a really popular, like really popular clique • everyone calls them the ‘Avengers’ • originally, he wasn’t in that line-up but Ha Sungwoon fell for his dance charms and invited him to sit with them for lunch one day • the rest is history, all of them are like brothers now • naturally, Woojin is pretty popular himself but he never realises it ??? • that kind of popularity that lands him a ton of roses, chocolates, teddy bears and cards on Valentine’s Day • his hyungs tease him about it 24/7 • sometimes other students wonder how he got into Avengers because before that, they have never heard of him • he’s just shy and somewhat socially awkward so he didn’t really approach too many people in his class • the quiet guy who only voices out his opinions from time to time in clique meetings • then again, the guy who can beat anyone at a dance/rap battle • once, a Senior challenged him to a diss track battle during lunch • Taehyun and Youngmin were like ‘hell no do you want death?’ • ‘from Woojin’s fans or from his rap?’ • ‘....both probably but mainly his diss track’ • SOMEONE WENT TO STEAL A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR THE BATTLE I KID YOU NOT • Haknyeon nearly fainted and Jihoon’s mouth couldn’t close properly • I realise he covers his mouth in a cute manner no offence • I’m not saying Taehyun recorded Woojin’s rap and then choreographed a dance for it but that’s exactly what I’m saying • Daehwi knew he made a good decision adding Woojin to the Avengers • he’s nearly as trickass as Jinyoung • totally the type to secretly want to participate in high school Sports Day races but is too scared • whines about it to his friends absent-mindedly so Samuel pens ‘Park Woojin’ on the sign-up sheet • is nearly killed by Woojin when he found out - through an email in his school inbox • you know, his thing for flipping people over • Samuel doesn’t regret it though because Woojin is hella athletic and won that race for their team • cue celebration and lots of tears • dad smiles from a lot of the Seniors watching • Dongho’s smile makes me cry it’s beautiful • then on the other team we have Sungwoon throwing his cap to the ground out of frustration right after losing • ‘okay, I just want to know who wrote my name down for the race against Woojin. All of you know my legs are much shorter than his’ he demands, holding up the sheet of paper that had his name written next to Woojin’s • Ong just subtly slips away, ‘oh wow my water bottle is full! I need to water the grass and refill it!’ • it’s safe to say Sungwoon was chasing Ong around the track for a solid hour • the Avengers volunteer to help set-up for this year’s Fall Formal, Woojin isn’t super sure of what he should do • ‘uh, just help to add ideas and so on’ one of the main committee members tells him • gets frustrated because he feels like he isn’t helping as much as the rest of his friends are • thinks about talking Daehwi out of volunteering • what does he like? what can he show? • ding! *lightbulb* • dance • decides to propose a song and a dance that he can choreograph + involves the dance team • gets really excited and starts SMILING a lot • his smile is adorable I love his snaggletooth so much • immediately, the whole planning committee cheers up with that one smile and outburst of ideas from him • Woojin has that effect   • his ‘sexy baby, oh my lady’ during the dance was kind of uncalled for but everyone loved it • now the committee is begging him to join the planning committee full-time as they have never achieved such a positive response before • definitely contributes a significant amount of ideas and thoughts to planning even if he doesn’t know much • always gives his 110% for any class projects, other student battle to have him in their group • ‘scissors paper stone! I win! I can ask Woojin to join us now!’ • but ask nicely when it comes to him • Woojin is also that student who can yell at you for 12 hours straight but can also keep quiet for 12 hours • at first, he was that shy new kid who melted into lockers in the corridor and who no one really paid attention too • even getting bossed around by some of the Seniors • but as time goes on, he discovers his potential and abilities • such as playing pranks on his older friends, embracing his goofy side and messing around • ah yes he once got up and danced on a cafeteria table • Youngmin still has that video on his phone btw • and of course, he got to know more good-natured and trustworthy friends • with a little help, he gained confidence and is now loved and appreciated by the entire student body • his high school years are some of the best • not exactly his Hollywood but one of the more enjoyable things of teenage years

[adriana-studies]

Hi everyone! Back to school time is quicky approaching and I’ve been thinking about how I want to face this upcoming year. So I thought I’d share a few tips/topics that I really want to keep in mind! :)

embrace a fresh start - although you don’t need a specific date/time of the year to start fresh, I think that the beginning of a new school year is a perfect time to do it! Try to thing about any previous mistakes which you can learn from and use them to become a better person/student. Forgive yourself and use less positive aspects of your academic past to understand how you can improve and study in a more effective and stressfree way.

be open minded when it comes to others - try to be impartial about other people regardless of what you’ve heard about them. I sometimes tend to have a preconceived idea of certain people just because I find them intimidating so I end up assuming they won’t like them, they’ll be mean to me, they’ll make fun of me or other people, etc. Be open to get to know new people and try to give them a chance; even if you don’t feel comfortable getting to know them or trying to be friends with them, you’ll feel a lot happier if you lose the negative perspective you might have on them. Get away from the drama, the reputations, and all those things. Keep in mind that everyone has their own struggle/problems.

stay realistic - the start of a new school year is usually when we tend to feel super motivated and excited. However, most of the times that motivation fades away throughout the year and we end up feeling tired, down and missing those precious summer vacations. At least for me, this usually happens because I start school in an unrealistic way. Try to get excited but still keep in mind that the school year is going to have its ups and downs and focus on realistic goals.

clear your room - get rid of any useless items or clutter. Only keep old notes/tests/papers from previous years that you will need and make sure you organize them in a binder instead of leaving them in multiple places around your room or desk. I know this is a major cliché but the environment around has such an important power when it comes to your state of mind. 

functionality > aesthetics - this is so important. The way your room, desk, pencil case, bullet journal (or anything, really) is organized does not need to fit in any type of aesthetic, it only needs to fit you and make YOU comfortable. It’s crucial that you are content with your room and overall physical studying environment. Opt for a functional way of organizing, studying and planning. This summer I really focused on arranging my room in a way that truly fits my needs so I got rid of lots of old and useless things, read about hygge and minimalism and went for a functional and practical way of organizing my stationery. You don’t need to change yourself in a way that doesn’t please you in order to take “studygram worthy” photos or anything like that. For me, in order to “fit in” the study internet community, you don’t need mildliners, a perfect lighting or any kind of expensive eletronics. The only thing you need is the desire to succeed in your academic life and the desire to get better and improve yourself as a student. 

[wordsnstuff]

Guide To Writing Forbidden Love

This is also available on wordsnstuffblog.com!

Forbidden love is a trope that reaches far and wide, across every genre and every age group. I took what my followers told me their struggles were with writing this dynamic and did my best to explain the confusing and instruct on the often unspoken keys to getting it right. Happy writing!

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlists || Work In Progress || Studyblr || Studygram

Choosing The Right Obstacle

There’s a lot of different things you could put in the way of your characters being together. Choosing these obstacles is not just about what you like to read about most, although that is a large factor. It’s also important to think about your setting and your characters’ backgrounds because these two aspects set up the obstacles to hit them organically.

Internal vs. External Conflict 

A relationship can be prevented from blossoming for many reasons, and not all of them have to do with things outside the characters’ control. Some relationships are forbidden because one or both of the characters see the consequences of them being together as too severe to risk. A good example of this is when the characters are afraid of a longstanding friendship falling apart in the case of a breakup.

The external conflict in a forbidden love story shouldn’t ever be just external. Large cultural differences and major factors will have influenced the characters’ own mindsets, and this should be reflected. They will have doubts about their relationship as well, so show that. It adds depth to the conflict.

Depicting A Healthy Relationship

It’s important that you decide whether your story is meant to be a happily ever after or a cautionary tale. Be purposeful in how you portray your characters and their actions and how you make it come across to the reader. In the case of forbidden love, it’s very easy to romanticize impulse and obsessive behavior for the sake of melodrama and grand romantic profession. If you’re going to depict, say, two characters falling in love with the idea of each other, make sure you also get across to the reader that it’s unhealthy behavior and emphasize the conflict that this will inevitably introduce.

Nailing The Angst

There will obviously be a lot of turmoil and struggle in a forbidden love situation, and the best way to show your characters suffering is by showing how their lives are without each other. Show the reader why the characters are miserable and why they are so relieved when they’re together again. It’s hard to live a life apart from the ones you love, especially when there’s something in your way that you have no power to change. Show that, and the reader will empathize with your characters. 

Avoiding Melodrama

Drama is key with forbidden love, but going over the top can put a bad taste in your reader’s mouth. Be cautious when coming up with plot points. Ask yourself, “is this too much?”, because drama has its place and it doesn’t always have to be super believable, but the suspension of disbelief is important to any work in any genre, so toe that line carefully. 

Common Struggles

~ How do I twist this trope to be original?... Some or a lot of your plot points and story details will be similar to other works in the genre, but my best advice is to take note of the similar details and try to twist them a little to make them your own. Don’t form your story around the trope, insert the trope into the story.

~ How do I show the relationship progressing at a natural pace with a limited number of opportunities for the characters to interact privately?... This is difficult, but can be done. Sometimes forbidden love blossoms over long periods of time through small, meaningful interactions. A lot of my favorite stories with this trope begin when the characters are children, and develop as they grow older and develop more freedom to see each other. Use the time your characters have together wisely and make their interactions as meaningful as possible.

~ How do I depict forbidden love that is in a moral grey area, or straight up wrong, without romanticizing/glamorizing/idealizing it? (For example, cheating, incest, workplace relationships, large age gaps, etc.)... Again, if you’re going to depict unhealthy behavior and relationship dynamics, just avoid framing them in a way that makes them seem desirable or acceptable. Show the issues with these kinds of relationships, and show why they’re not okay. A lot of the problem with things like workplace romances, for instance, in fiction is that it doesn’t show the consequences of the downsides. With employee romances, there can be a large imbalance of power that leads to manipulation or abuse. Show that, rather than glossing over it for the sake of filling your book with steamy moments.

~ How should I approach relationships that are forbidden because of issues having to do with sexuality, class, race, alignment, etc.?... Be mindful of both characters’ perspectives and experiences, because the consequences of these relationships will have different effects on different people with very different circumstances.

~ How should I depict love that is forbidden because it’s one-sided?... This is caused by internal conflict and will mostly lead to drama between the two characters. An important thing to note here is that, even if two people are good friends, any unwanted advances after a character has stated their answer is not okay. It doesn’t matter how the other character feels. If one has made their feelings clear, the other should back off. If it goes any further, be sure to let your reader know that their behavior has become unhealthy.

~ What about lighter forms of forbidden love that is culturally taboo, rather than actually forbidden, like polyamory or generational difference?... That’s a whole different ballpark having to do with the struggle of being an outcast, rather than having major obstacles in their way. I would approach it keeping all partners’ perspectives in mind and be mindful of unhealthy behavior. As long as your characters are all legally consenting adults engaging in healthy relationships, there’s nothing wrong with depicting their relationships in a positive light. 

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[tritopusworld]

𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚛✨ Hey guys, I hope you all are doing great now. I'm still trying to adjust with online classes. Actually I'm unable to concentrate as much as I had in the physical classroom. It's really upsetting for me. Have you ever get this kind of problems? If you had, can you suggest me how to adjust with it? Doodle ideas are taken from Pinterest _________________________________________ #bujo #bulletjournal #bulletjournalcommunity #minimalistbujo #minimalbujo #bujoideas #journalideas #journalinspiration #bujoph #flatlay #bujolove #bujolover #studygram #bujoinspiration https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBEJ8OJi8C/?igshid=rj1oxjavj1us

[asydneysiderstudyer]

Hello! Once you get this you have to answer with 5 things you like about yourself, publicly, then send this on to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is super cool!)

Also got the same thing from @marikostudies, thanks for the ask guys! :) Here goes:

I’m friendly and accepting of everyone - so I find it relatively easy to make friends with new people. 

I’m a curious person so I can enjoy learning about stuff e.g. haematology or neurology - it’s so interesting!

I’m good at problem solving so I can help think of new ideas or ways to solve a problem and also really enjoy it.

I love how I can sight-read violin music so well and how I really enjoy playing it. 

How I’ve grown so much personally in the past year (it probably helped to move out of home to college for the first time, as well as meeting lots of awesome friends and also becoming more active in the studyblr/studygram community). And from this I’m striving to grow/mature even more personally. 

[tbhstudying]

every bujo in this community looks exactly alike why are you so pissed about someone being inspired by you?? i'm right you are a bitch

hello there, anon (i'm assuming you're the same anon as before?)anyhow, i'll be compiling all studyflorals drama-related asks into one post to prevent any dashboards from being inundated with posts!

now, let's get back to my main point:

like i've said many many times before, i have absolutely no problem with inspiration. i don't mind if you copy my spreads or my handwriting or whatever else. 

the issue that i had with the entire thing was this part in that first post:“if you were to look through my april and may spreads, they’re mainly copies of other people’s spreads (which is why i didn’t post most of them). most of the ones i did choose to post were completely original.”however, in her recent posts on her instagram, her spreads, headers, layouts, etc were far too similar to my own to be called "completely original." credit was given only once for one post. in response, studyflorals only said that she was "making an effort to be more original" without addressing or acknowledging the claim of originality. i did ask her about it privately, but she hasn’t gotten back to me about it yet.

inspiration is a lovely thing, and it can spur you to come up with something beautiful that's your own. you don't have to credit me with every spread you make, especially if you pulled inspiration from a multitude of sources to make something entirely new. however, when a spread is heavily inspired and clearly based off of my work, i would appreciate the credit.

furthermore, i disagree when you say that "every bujo in this community looks exactly alike." for example, @studyrose and @studyquill and @productiveflower all have distinctive styles in their journals, and they don't look exactly alike. (my apologies for tagging you in this Hot Mess, friends ;;) if you placed their spreads side by side, it would be clear to see which one belonged to which person.the wonderful people in this community have turned bullet journaling into an art form, and it's nice to have your ideas and your effort acknowledged.

an anon said:With that logic, you should probably credit shop immunity for your avatar/icon...

my apologies, a friend sent it to me. i'll add the credit in my bio right away. thank you for telling me the source!

an anon said:hello seo!! im a studygram who personally knows @ studyflorals and since i was really inspired to start a studygram because of you, im afraid people might start calling me out on copyrighting too since i really was inspired by your handwriting and calligraphy aiYa what should i do?

another anon said: idk this whole situation is why i don't start a studyblr in the first place even tho i wanted to. my handwriting is eerily similar to yours even though i have it for the majority of my life. i'm worried that there would be a witch-hunt b/c i copied ur handwriting or sth..

like i've said, i have no issue with you being inspired by my work or having similar handwriting or whatnot. go right ahead if you want! my problem is with the claim of originality part when it's clear to see that it's not.

an anon said:i think u should give studyflorals the benefit of the doubt. she could be getting her quotes from anywhere tbh. and she said that her lettering looks like urs because she learned it from you.

i’m fine with it, but i just wanted an explanation on the claim part. i never did receive a reply back about that.

an anon said:your spreads are always so original and distinctive which is one of the reasons why i love your blog so much. don't let this get you down!

another anon said:i looked thru studyflorals n i think it's obvious who copied. just keep on doing what you're doing babe 💖

thank you so much for the support!! i really appreciate it :”)

an anon asked:wait the other studyfloral blog didnt even copy u, her posts are totally different ??

oh, the username is "studyflorals," not "studyfloral"

@sia-studies said:Just wanna send some positivity your way because i know exactly how it feels like to have someone steal your idea. I studied photography for 2 years and i had a really original idea and i showed to some people- a week later one of people i showed it to did the EXACT same thing :( and its not like she couldnt do it, it just it felt like she stole a part of my originality :( i guess it hurts. But what I produced was of better quality- what you've made is of better quality trust me. You're original

thank you so much! i hope that the entire photography thing went alright though!! it’s such a shame when that happens ;;

an anon asked:Are you friends with Arohee?

do you mean studyflorals? i've never really talked to her, so i wouldn't say so.