t-b-a-blr-blog
195 posts
Latest Posts by t-b-a-blr-blog
20 09 18
i feel as though i haven’t been as active these past couple of days. uni and work just drained the life out of me and i haven’t done anything but lay in bed when getting home.
on the bright side, i did force myself to get up and clean my room. so here are some low-light pics of my bedroom :)
Hey guys, since my previous post on Morning Routines was very well received, I decided to make a night version. This small infographic thingy outlines the things I do at night to prep myself for rest, as well as some other things you could try to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Hope this helps, and don’t hesitate to drop me an ask if you have any questions!
P.S. the typefaces used are Bromello and Montserrat
ONE STEP AT A TIME: Free Printable
Hellooo! Yesterday I reached 15.000 followers (!!!!!!!!!!), which is so, so crazy. I would have never ever expected that when I first created this blog, so THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH <3 I love every single one of you.
To celebrate, I decided to make some printables yayyyy!! It’s a weekly planner that comes in the following options: blank, lined, graph and 2 columns (lined). Also I made portuguese versions yeahhh
Download links:
English: blank / lined / graph / 2 columns
Português: branco / pautado / quadriculado / 2 colunas
If you have any problem with it, please let me know. And also tag me if you use it! x
Hi, everyone!! I’ve had a studyblr for about a week now and have already met so many kind, supportive people. I couldn’t be more thankful. That said, I really wanted to give back to such an amazing community! So here’s my first printable for you!
It includes:
a 5AM-10PM schedule (for my early hustlers)
‘Top 3 Priorities’ + ‘Can Wait’ categories
a ‘To-Do’ list
Daily Goals, Notes, Doodles
a water tracker (stay hydrated, friends!)
10 Good Things (reflect back on your day and jot down the little things that made you happy even if your day wasn’t the greatest)
They’re available for download in PDF and PNG formats + in pink, blue, yellow, and white! I’ve also made a grid and grid-less version!
Grid
Blue: pdf / png Pink: pdf / png White: pdf / png Yellow: pdf / png
No Grid
Blue: pdf / png Pink: pdf / png White: pdf / png Yellow: pdf / png
And here’s a link to the entire folder on my DropBox!
Please tag me with #arystudies or mention me if you use these!! I’d love to see them in action. :’) I’m also really curious to see what you all think of them, so please let me know!!
Be sure to check out my monthly calendars too!
Happy studying!
Hey, I’m back with another masterpost. I decided to include some of my tips.
Use the forest app to keep you off your phone, your phone is a distractions you face when studying
Try making a to-do list to plan out how much time you take to do each task so you keep track of time
Set rewards i.e. if I finish this task at 9am instead of 9.30am, I’ll watch my favourite tv show for 1 hour instead of 30mins.
How to be disciplined
I guess this is pretty much like a habit. So try to maybe start small, i.e. study 10 mins each day and gradually increase the time limit if you feel comfortable doing so. The reason I chose 10 mins is because it seems like a very short period of time so it’s easier for you to get to work.
How to manage studies with social media
Always set a time period for your school work. For example, after 30 minutes of browsing through your social media, force yourself to do a piece of school work. That way, you will still get work done instead of browsing through your social media all day long.
If you realise on tumblr, I don’t come up with an original post every day and I tend to reblog my old post or queue others posts so don’t stress too much on coming up with a post. For instagram, you could try to take pictures all during the weekend, so you don’t have to stress taking them after school, etc. But it is important to always put studies first before your social media.
Consider switching off your phone or even deleting your social media apps or deactivating them during exams period if they are really getting in the way of your studies.
Plan
How to schedule your day when you’re unemployed by @businessinsider
How to stick your plans by @cafeinated
How to make and stick to your study plan by @sherlocks-study
Create long term study plan + how to stick to study routines by @studyforyourself
Start
How to start studying by @studylou
How to start working when you really don’t feel like it? by @studentstoolbox
What to do when you really don’t want to study by @yeon-studies
How to stop scrolling through tumblr for 3 hours when you have work by @effectivestudies
More productive
How to become more productive by @to-work-or-not-to-work
How I increased my productivity by 3 times by @brbimstudying
4 secrets to efficiency
The ivy lee method for peak productivity by @harcules
General
How to study as a busy student by @julstudies
Use studyblr to become productive by @determinationandcaffeine
Take a productive break by @thestudycoffee
5 things everyone should do on sunday night by @staedtlers-and-stabilos
Productivity 101 by @lets-study-together
The no bullshit guide to getting your shit together: for the lazy student by @knoweldge
Habits
8 morning habits for productivity by @eintsein
The 8 habits of highly productive people by @medicinasanguis
Habits of highly effective people by @onlinecounsellingcollege
6 habits for maximum productivity by @livingthatlibrarylifestyle
How to develop self discipline
How to wake up earlier by @gurl
Motivation
Focus and motivation by @katsdesk
Whenever you’re feeling unmotivated and sleepy by @evergreenstudies
How to stay awake while studying without caffeine by @getshitsdone
How to be productive + motivated on weekends by @studywithinspo
Procrastination
Types of procrastination and how to deal with them by @emmastudies
How to stop procrastination
How to stop procrastinating by @cutestudystuff
15 productivity hacks for procrastinators by @engincrd
Unconventional methods to beat procrastination by @hawkestudies
What type of procrastinator are you by @b-uwu-ng
Eliminating procrastination and distraction during a study session by @simply-study
Productive when travelling
productive commutes by @universi-tea
productivity on road trips by @intellectys
Tips
7 productivity tips by @simmonestudies
10 small tips to improve your productivity
The dutch student’s productivity tips by @thedutchstudent
My top 10 tips for productivity by @lovelybluepanda
21 tips to become the most productive person you know by @studying-towards-success
Tips and tricks for busy students by @roeum
Time management
Managing time
How to manage time by @solar-citrus
How i manage my time by @pensandmachines
Time management
Tips
Time management tips by @365text
Time management tips for busy students
Time management tips
Tips for time management by @holocrams
26 time management hacks I’d wish I’d known at 20 by @geekvitamin
How to make the best use of your time by @tbhstudying
5 ways to manage your time efficiently by @quadrtics
Printables
Daily planner by @arystudies
Weekly planner by @studyblrbunny
Productivity printables by @thearialligraphyproject
Habit tracker by @candydsgn
Schedules by @kouiro
Bullet journal
My 2016 bullet journal setup
Sounds
Study sounds by @studyquill
Other masterposts by me
Printables
College
Apps for students
Note taking
Math
Bullet journal
icon credit to @nerdastically
Some general resources:
Chemistry Glossary
Chemistry Exam Survival Guide
Toolbox – interactive graphing, tables, and calculators
Make virtual chemistry models
Interactive periodic table
Another site for making virtual chemistry models
Virtual labs – covers stoichiometry, thermochemistry, eq1uilibrium, acid base chemistry, solubility, oxidation/reduction and electrochemistry, analytical chemistry/lab techniques
Concept tests
Chemistry Science Fair Project Ideas
OChem Reaction Bank
Interactive chem simulations
Chemical calculations
The Chem Blog
Molecule of the day
Free chemistry drawing software
Laboratory Safety - Laboratory safety for the chemistry classroom
Periodic Table of Videos - Brady Haran
On this day in chemistry… - a history of chemistry
The faces of chemistry
Experimentation hub - explore and enjoy our experiments to increase engagement in scientific investigation, develop new skills and enhance your knowledge.
Understanding journals - including reading articles, referencing, and example articles.
Resources for specific topics:
Stochiometry – the mole, molarity and density, reaction stoichiometry and limiting reagents, empirical formula and mixtures, gravimetric analysis
Themochemistry – energy and enthalpy, entropy
Kinetics – phenomenological and mechanistic kinetics
Equilibrium – LeChatlier’s principle, progress of reaction, equilibrium calculations, common ion effect
Acid base chemistry – strong acid and bases, weak acids and bases, buffer solutions, acid/base titrations
Solubility – solubility product, solubility and PH, common ion effect
Oxidation/Reduction and Electrochemistry – standard reduction potentials, galvanic cells
Analytical chemistry/ Lab techniques – reaction stoichiometry and limiting reagents, acid/base titrations, redox titrations, gravimetric analysis, UC/Vis spectroscopy
Physical chemistry – quantum mechanics, spectroscopy
Properties of solutions – intermolecular forces, colligative properties
Textbooks:
Chemistry Virtual Textbooks, Stephen Lower
Organic Chemistry, Tim Soderberg
Organic Chemistry I, George Mhehe
Environmental Chemistry, Dejene Tessema
Virtual Organic Chemistry
Industrial Chemistry, Helen Njenga
Inorganic Chemistry, Chrispin Kowenje
Physical Chemistry I, Onesmus Munyaki
General Chemistry, Principles, Patterns and Applications
Chemistry Books - a variety of chemistry textbooks
Chemistry Tutorials/Guides:
Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
Chemical reactions and stoichiometry
Electronic structure of atoms
Periodic table
Chemical bonds
Gases and kinetic molecular theory
State of matter and intermolecular forces
Chemical equilibrium
Acids and bases
Acid base equilibria and solubility equilibria
Thermodynamics
Redox reactions and electrochemistry
Kinetics
Nuclear chemistry
Organic Chemistry Tutorials/Guidelines:
Structure and bonding
Dot structures
Hybridization
Bond-line structures
Electronegativity
Resonance and acid base chemistry
Counting electrons
Resonance structures
Organic acid-base chemistry
Alkanes, cycloalkanes and functional groups
Naming alkanes
Naming alkanes, cycloalkanes, and bicyclic compounds
Conformations of alkanes
Conformations of cycloalkanes
Functional groups
Stereochemistry
Chirality
Enantiomers
Stereoisomeric relationships
Subsituation and elimination reactions
Free radical reaction
Sn1 vs Sn2
Nucleophilicity and basicity
Elimination reactions
Sn1/Sn2/E1/E2
Sn1 and Sn2
Alkenes and alkynes
Naming alkenes
Alkene reactions
Alkene nomenclature
Alkene reactions
Naming and preparing alkynes
Alkyne reactions
Alcohols, ethers, epoxides, sulphides
Alcohol nomenclature and properties
Synthesis of alcohols
Reactions of alcohols
Nomenclature and properties of ethers
Synthesis and cleavage of ethers
Nomenclature and preparation of epoxides
Conjugation, Diels-Alder, and MO theory
Addition reactions of conjugated dienes
Diels-Alder reaction
Molecular orbital theory
Aromatic compounds
Naming benzene derivatives
Reactions of benzene
Aromatic stability
Electrophilic aromatic substitution
Directing effects
Other reactions and synthesis
Aldehydes and ketones
Introduction to aldehydes and ketones
Reactions of aldehydes and ketones
Carboxylic acids and derivatives
Naming carboxylic acids
Formation of carboxylic acid derivatives
Nomenclature and reactions of carboxylic acids
Nomenclature and reactions of carboxylic acid derivatives
Alpha carbon chemistry
Formation of enolate anions
Aldol condensations
Amines
Naming amines
Spectroscopy
Infrared Spectroscopy
UV/Vis Spectroscopy
proton NMR
Careers:
A future in Chemistry
What can I do with my chemistry degree?
Chemistry Careers - American Chemical Society
What to do with a degree in chemistry - The Guardian
40 Study Tips & Tricks
I thought to write down the “script” to one of my most viewed videos, with 40 study tips & tricks. It’s easier to read them and pass on the word!
Organization Tips:
1. Incorporate homework and classes in you daily planner – that will give you an overall glimpse of how your week will be about and how much time you need to spend in your studying sessions!
2. Color coordinate classes – be it notes, your planner, your textbooks or binders, pick a unique color for each class and work around the hues of that color to get more organized!
3. Make your own syllabus – if your professor doesn’t provide a syllabus for your class, try to make one before the school year working around your given textbooks or other given material.
4. Make study guides – make a study guide from your syllabus and draw before each topic two boxes: one for a midtest and one for the final test. When you have one of these tests, check the boxes when you’ve finished studying the chapter so you won’t miss anything!
5. Reference your material throughout – most of the times, we students work with in-class notes, textbooks and a syllabus. Since we get small bits of information here and there it’s important to reference every page throughout all your material so you can quickly access your information without having to flip endlessly through pages!
6. Keep a dashboard nearby – Whenever you use a notebook or a binder, make a dashboard on the first page with post it notes so you can quickly scribble any questions, homework or page numbers. When you get home, you just need to open your dashboard and attend those notes.
7. Print any tests, exercises and exams you can find – keep those in the end of your binder. These are perfect to practice before exams and tests because they really reflect what you will be tested about. Set an alarm clock for the deadline and start working on those!
8. Condense – organization disappears when you have too many of everything. Working with more than one planner in your life will make everything chaotic. If you think you need a second planner because you don’t have enough space to write in the first one, it’s because you don’t have available time as well. Don’t fool yourself and set achievable goals!
9. Customize your textbooks – most of the times, textbooks are formal books where information is hard to come by. Make your own tabs and write every chapter on them so they stick out – flag any charts, tables or graphics. Everything needs to be incredibly accessible!
10 Print a special planning sheet before finals: Organizing your studying by chapters and/or topics before finals is tremendously important since it lets you organize the amount of time you dedicate to each subject,
Study Sessions and Time Management
11. Save at least one afternoon or one morning a week for intensive studying. These is your “life-saver” – when you get so full of homework and projects that you can’t incorporate them into your daily academic routine, one free afternoon to organize your school life will really come in handy! Make an appointment with yourself!
12. Prepare in advance – although most professors may not ask you to prepare a class in advance, if you have the means to, go ahead. Grab a sheet and make a summary of the chapter your class will be about. Write the major topics and key information and take that guide to class. When your professor repeats previously studied information, you will be able to understand everything much better!
13. Never leave something behind – Even if you have a more light class, where professors don’t request homework or any side projects, don’t let that fool you! Be disciplined and be your own professors! Make your own projects and learn everything you can so you can nail those finals when they arrive.
14. Write your questions – most of the time, in a heavy study session, we come up with tons of questions and sometimes we just leave them behind. Write them down in your dashboard or a small notebook and ask your professors (personally or via e-mail). You can also ask your schoolmates in a facebook group created for that purpose!
15. Set an alarm clock and reward yourself – even if you study during an entire afternoon your studying will be pointless if you don’t take regular breaks. Set an alarm clock for one hour/one hour and a half and then take a 15 minute break. Never study for more than 2 hours straight! Even if you don’t notice, you’ll get less and less focused.
16. . Make a list – before each study session I like to grab my notepad and write down everything that I need to do before my session ends: the chapters I need to read, the pages I need to go through and the homework I need to complete. Sometimes I even write theses lists when I’m in college so I’ll have more determination to complete those tasks once I get home.
17 Work on the least interesting thing first. There are always classes or projects that we like the least – and those are the ones that we need to tackle first. You will start your studying session concentrated, which will let you go through the worst tasks faster.
18 Print, print, print. try to print everything you can and never study from your computer. Having your PDF files printed at hand will let you concentrate better, highlight and write some notes in the margins. You can take these everywhere with you and even turn them into small guides for future classes!
19. If you finish ahead, don’t quit. Perhaps the time you’ve saved for your study session has come to an end way before you have planned. That doesn’t mean you should stop right now – Take that time to review what you’ve learned so far or prepare other classes ahead of time!
20. Study in an organized space – make your own studying corner – bring everything you will need, from textbooks, binders and notebooks, to a cup of coffee and your computer. Keep them neatily organized on your desk so everything is at hand and on sight. Put on some soft background music (links down below) and adjust the lightning.
In class notes
21. If your professor provides PowerPoint slides before each class, print them (six or four per page) and bring them to class. Write in the margins and more throughout information in the back so it’s all condensed and tight. This is where you’ll take your notes. If you prefer to write on lined paper, think about copying some ruled paper to the back of your printed slides.
22. If your professor asks you to prepare your class in advance, try to make a small guide for each class. Open the comments column in MSWord and print the pages with that column. When you go to class, incorporate the in-class notes in that column, next to the relevant information so everything is nice and condensed.
23 If you are in a information-heavy class, try to adopt the Cornell method, which is the best, in my opinion, when you need to be a fast writer. There’s a video right here on how to use this method.
24. If you are in a bits-and-pieces class, which is that kind of class where the professor just gives a few key points and then gives practical examples or makes you work in group, try to adopt the box method – you can draw these boxes yourself or make them with post it notes – these are way more visual and perfect to memorize information.
25. Write in-class flashcards – if you don’t have flashcards around, make tiny flashcards on the top of your notes, where you cover the definitions you’ve written with the name of the definition. Each time you open your notes, try to remember the hidden definition. Automatic studying, every time!
26. Participate in class – nothing better than to be actively involved in your class discussion. For most of us, shy creatures, participating can be dreadful – but once you get out of your box, you’ll see how participating really makes you understand the subject!
27. If you have any questions during class, raise your hand and ask them. If your professor doesn’t like being interrupted, write them down and approach them in the end of the class. Sometimes, the little things we don’t understand are exactly the ones that come up on the final exam!
28. Ask for examples. Examples are probably the thing that makes your brain connect the information faster. If your professor isn’t keen on providing examples, suggest your own and see if your answer comes up right. Sometimes, examples are the thing that really makes us understand our material and our definitions, since they transform formal information into relatable events.
29. Sit at the front. It sounds too straightforward but sitting at the front really makes wonders. You won’t get distracted by what you classmates are doing, you will focus on the professor, who is right in front of you and you will resist the temptation of going to Facebook and Instagram during a boring presentation.
30. Write a brief summary at the end of the class. During those five minutes where everyone is dismissed and leaving the room, write a brief summary of that classes’ key points in the back of a page – this is fundamental in the Cornell method but can be used in any other method as well.
Finals Guide
31 Skim through your material two times: at first, you should start by studying your material starting from the end. The last lessons will be fresh in your memory and it’s very important to reinforce your knowledge on these while you can. In the second reading, you should start from the beginning, as usual. It’s important to make these two readings so you can go through the information in a much more flexible way.
32. Make a mindmap of each chapter. A mindmap is a chart that relates key words and important information, making it easy to understand the relationship and hierarchy between such key words. Use colors and images to memorize your material better. Oh, and don’t forget to check out my video on how to make mindmaps!
33. Read each of the titles and try to say out loud its contents, explaining each concept and the relationship between them. Imagine you are the teacher and are lecturing that subject to a crowd. If you skip any of the subjects, do it all over again. The more you repeat, the better you will memorize.
34. It’s time for some flash cards! Write the topic or the title on one side and the meaning or the explanation on the other. Try to cover as many topics or titles as you can and go through your cards while memorizing as best as you can each of the concepts. Try to do it backwards if you have time to do so!
35. On the day before the exam, skim through your mindmaps and flash cards again and always try to study while talking. Saying your content out loud will force your brain to relate information in a much more cohesive way and you’ll memorize everything much better.
36. Read the entire exam from top to bottom. Underline or circle any important words that you think will be crucial in you answer. After that, calculate how much time you should spend answering each question: this simple calculation will take only twenty seconds and will help you organize your time. Try to save five minutes at the end for revisions.
37. If you are solving a written exam and not multiple choice, try as much as possible to organize each answer in a structured way, saving two lines just to present your line of thought and writing each different argument in a different paragraph. Draft a conclusion at the end to underline the centre of your answer. Sometimes softly underlining some keywords is important to make your professor notice that you’ve correctly given importance to certain concepts.
38. Use these symbols for each question: one dot if you aren’t sure of the answer, two dots if you are sure of your answer and a circle if you are completely unaware of your answer. Start by answering any question with two dots; after those are all answered, go on through the two dots question. Leave the circle questions to the end – and ALWAYS answer them! Even if you don’t know what they’re about, who knows if you will be able to come up with something right?
39. Review your test one final time – many times, we make a lot of mistakes under stress and now is when you should spot them and amend them. This can be the difference between a B and an A!
40. Don’t take this too seriously – school is an important aspect of our lives but it isn’t everything. Failure comes many times and these failures can even drive you away from something that was simply not meant to be. Don’t stress out because everyone goes through the same!
I have decided to share how I revise for math since math has always been one of my best subjects.
Do homework. This may not seem crucial but it is important as homework helps you to revise what you have learnt in class.
Ask when you are in doubt. This is pretty self explanatory but math is essentially a subject which builds on what you have learnt in the past. Thus, your foundation for math must be strong. Ask your teacher asap when you don’t understand the concept.
Do assessment books. Books like the ten year series is important to give you a feel of what o-level math examinations questions are like. Basically, just do assessment books to prepare for whatever major examinations you are attending for.
Revise all of your worksheets, textbook and notes. Improving math, be better at solving equations, etc is all about practicing. You can try redoing all the questions in your textbook, notes and worksheets.
Alternatively, you can also come up with your own questions simply by changing the values in a sample question.
There are also lots of resources out there such as Photomath and Khan Academy (these are the ones I personally use) which helps you to better grasp the mathematical concept.
It is the most important to remember the formulas. I usually write down all the formulas I need to remember on the formulas printable designed by @emmastudies
Math problems are pretty standard so you can try to familiarise the method used to solve certain hard problemsums.
Lastly, definitely do not try to cram math. Math has a lot of topics so it is not a good idea to study the day before.
How tos
How I study math by @grangerproductivity
How I study mathematics by @aescademic
How to ace your next math test by @concentrationandtea
How to avoid carelessness in calculations by @ugly-postcards
How to do well in math by @rhubarbstudies
How to easily remember the unit of circles by @rebrobindoesmath
How to math by @studybuzz
How to study for math by @nostalgicstudyblr
How to study math by @blogisclosed
How to study math by @studyquill
How to study math by @study-well
How to study math when you hate it by @thecanadianundergradmoved
How to succeed in math by @gracefullywitty
How to take notes Math by @thestudiouspanda
Tips, techniques and tricks
Math study and exam tips by @studymelody
Tips for mathematics by @studyingnic
Top 5 math tips by @etudiance
Trick for remembering trigonometric values by @study-math
Math studying technique by @lunastudy
9 Unnecessary ways to lose points on math assessments
Don’t let calculus d(e)rive you mad by @biopsychs
“Conquering” math by @thestudyfeels
Guides
Algebra 2 by @parisgellerstudy
AP Calculus by @hollohat
Maths: a survival guide by @ashleigh-studies
Formulas and equations
Formulas by @maxwellsequations
Magic trig hexagons by @collegesavviness
Geometric formulas by @chaosophia218
Trigonometry by @visualizingmath
Reference by @badsciencejokes
Graphical equations by @littlemusicalwitch
Formulas and equations printable by @rosallindfranklin
Pythagoras theorem explained by @leetakeuchi-blog
Resources
Khan academy
Photomath by @asukastudies
Desmos graphing calculator
Life saving resources for studying math by @mathbrain
Math masterpost by @pythagaoras
Math aid by @allwriteokay
Precalculus by @etudiance
Other masterposts
Maths masterpost by @acadehmic
A maths masterpost by @organisaticns
Math by @areistotle
Maths masterpost by @highlightcrs
Calc ap study guide by @komlin
Other masterposts by me
Printables
Self care
College
Ace your exams
Apps for students
Note taking
INSTAGRAM | ETSY | PINTEREST | BLOG
Hi :) I'm considering doing optom at unsw next year and I was wondering how the job prospects are currently? I've heard that it'll be a saturated job market in the next few years so I'm not if its a worthwhile investment, as I'm from WA and although I'm genuinely interested, a really big factor is the $ ahaha. Also I was wondering what the community life at the uni, since I'm a bit worried I wont make any friends lmaoo? Also how difficult is the workload as compared to year 12? Thanks so much <3
Job Market re: Australia
Hey! Keep in mind, this is what info I’ve been hearing from colleagues as well as some optometrists who are hiring. If you’re from WA, then I would say that you don’t have to worry about saturated job markets if you’re going to return to your home state after graduating. I’ve heard you can get $100K starting salary even relatively close to the city. Melbourne and Sydney though are probably closer to hitting saturation, but they’re capping university take ins next year, so again it could be a completely different ballgame by the time you get out in Sydney and Melbourne. WA though is totally safe, I believe they’re underserviced because there are no optometry schools there. And of course, anywhere that is regional or rural, regardless of state is underserviced, so if you’re cool with moving out to learn a bit more about using your therapeutic skills and ocular disease, then there should be absolutely no problem. Job prospects are only a bit riskier staying with Syd/Melb metro.
Student Life re: UNSW
Pretty friendly on the whole, I believe that because UNSW is one of the newer universities, even the aura here is a bit more cosmopolitan. We definitely have many international students, and also there are a lot of 1st years who are super bubbly because 1) it’s a new experience and they’re excited and 2) it’s a new environment and they’re apprehensive about making friends. So literally everyone feels the same way and as long as you make a little effort to get to know someone, it’ll be more than reciprocated. Just large cliques of high school friends may be trickier to break, because it’s difficult to broach friendship with someone who’s already 6 years deep in friendship with others and still not interested in making new friends.
Also, see these posts that I’ve written about making friends because I keep getting questions about it somehow LOL
Making Conversation - a guide for introverts!
Making Friends
Part 4 Extra-Curriculars
Part 6 Social Life
High School vs. University Workload
As a precursor, no matter what the degree, studying anything at a tertiary level is going to be a challenge, not necessarily difficult. Particular degrees might be easy/hard to particular people, etc. If you’d like to know more about university I have a whole series on it.
Read this for a summary: Transitioning from High School to University
Part 0 Choosing a Degree
Part 1 Administration
Part 2 Getting to Class - pros and cons of attending class, when you should choose not to attend, laptop and notebook recommendations, advice about choosing a backpack and other essential equipment.
> Laptop Considerations and Recommendations
Part 3 Studying
Part 4 Extra-Curriculars
Part 5 Exams
Part 6 Social Life
Part 7 Part Time Work
Part 8 Four Secrets The Uni Tells You
Part 9 Best Study Spots On Campus
Part 10 Saving Money 1 - Food, Transport, Entertainment
Part 10 Saving Money 2 - Textbooks, Tax, Scholarships
Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study popular!!
Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni
Part 13 Dealing with Lazy Group Members
But granted, I’m going to say that optometry is hard. Personally I would say, and I’ve also had someone describe to me, that it’s like doing 2 HSC exams every year because of the amount of info that you have to cram into 13 weeks of a semester. I’ve had a guest lecturer who was an ophthalmologist who originally graduated as an optometrist, worked for a while and then did the GAMSAT and post-grad medicine and he told us that optometry was more difficult than the generalist medical degree. I’ve also heard from numerous other people in the field, relatives, and also heard about families with children studying both optometry and medicine saying that optom undergrad is more difficult. This is most likely because the 5 year degree is meant to give you complete training, compared with medicine where you have a 6-7 year undergrad followed by the 3 year hospital training before another 5 years of specialisation.
Be prepared for hard work and long hours. I said this in a previous ask but at the end of the day, the job that you do as an optometrist requires you to keep an eye out for sight-threatening and life-threatening conditions, as well as to deal with common eye problems day to day, so you need to learn a lot about anatomy and physiology, anatomy of the eye/head/brain and the innervation/blood supply, as well as the diseases that can arise, and how to manage and treat them. Refraction and getting an actual prescription is a skill that needs a lot of practice and refinement too.
See these asks for more details about optometry:
Optometry Prerequisites and Difficulty (yes someone’s asked before :)
Why I Chose Optometry and Comparisons to Other Health Sciences
Entry Requirements at UNSW
Format of the Degree and 1st Year Contact Hours
+ general tag for all optometry related asks
Hope that helps! ^_^
Hi optom! I'm very new to the studyblr community and it's my first term of university. I was a straight A student in high school and i am not performing well in my classes. In fact... I'm doing terribly. About a B to B- average. I know I'm probably not the first to go through so I've been trying to find posts that help students cope with this. Resources. Helpful tips. Is there a tag you can recommend? Any posts that you've encountered/wrote that I could peruse? Thank you very much for any help!
Hey there, thanks for asking. This is actually a very common problem experienced by people as they progress from high school to university.
The problem is that mediocre study techniques and a combination of natural ability may have gotten you straight As whilst in high school, but it’s just not going to cut it in university. Cracking down on yourself and sitting down for more hours isn’t going to make your grades much better; it’s just doing more of the same mediocre studying.
So you basically need to read up on good studying techniques and actually apply them to your studies.
Everything You Need to Cover To Succeed As A Student
I actually have a web directory of all my study tips which already lists all these links.
So because the problem you have at its base is most likely that you’re using high school level techniques to tackle university-level problems, you’ll need to find resources on all areas related to good studying. For some of these areas, I have a related post, but for the more generalised topics like procrastination, I haven’t yet put one out because if I do, I want to be certain that the post will be unique, useful and practical.
Without further ado, here’s a list of all the tags/areas you should work through and evaluate whether you need to change your current study habits if you want to be a 4.0/HD student at university.
Firstly, have a read of my recent answer about 20 Things You Can Do To Prepare for University, and click through to any of the parts of my 15-Part University 101 Series.
Time management
Organisation (see Part 3 Studying and Part 8 Four Secrets from University and Part 11 Adapting to Uni Studying which covers how you can manage university workloads on the whole and specific changes to your studies you should make)
Motivation
Discipline / Staying Focused
Procrastination (see post by @samsstudygram)
Study Methods (I’ve got one on the Blank Paper Method and the Cornell Method)
Exams (I’ve got a multi-part series in the works)
Study Materials (see Part 2 of my University Series for some tips)
Studying from Textbooks (see Part 12 How To Study From Textbooks in Uni which deals with this specifically)
Self Care (you can see my tag here of my own + useful curated posts)
Spaced Repetition (use Anki!)
Study Space (I have a masterpost with tips here)
Hope that helps! If you have a specific question about any areas then let me know!
I need tips on taking textbook notes please! I always get bored reading and then I end up just writing down bolded words with no context (which is really bad I know) any tips to help take more efficient textbook notes without having to spend hours (because I have 3 content heavy classes that I need to take notes for)
Hi there! I know this post may feel basic, but I feel like you’re struggling with basic skills like summarising a topic and writing things in your own words, so I tried my best to explain things in a step-by-step action-oriented list so that you can stand on your own ‘feet’ when you’re studying :)
The Basics of Studying From a Textbook
1. The textbook may be boring, but you’ve still got to read it.
Unfortunately, high school and university isn’t a walk in the park :( I know, some days it’s hard, but you’ve still got to put in at least a modicum of hard work if you want to do well.
Sometimes, the studyblr community perpetuates the idea that there’s some sort of “secret” to being a straight-As, 4.0GPA, HD WAM student, but there’s only studying techniques to make things easier. You’re still going to need a basic level of motivation, discipline, time management, organisation and study in order to do well.
So even though the textbook is boring, you’re either going to have to convince yourself that the topic is interesting, or pull up your socks, buckle down, and actually read it.
2. Reading speed is a limiting factor on how fast you can take notes.
Try reading the textbook without taking any notes and time how long it takes you. That’s going to be the minimum time it takes, so if doing all the reading for 3 content heavy courses takes at least an hour or two, then reading and taking notes is going to be much more than that (roughly more than double the time), so you can’t speed it up any faster than your base reading speed.
I recommend trying speed reading techniques, but that would take a whole separate post, so I won’t go into that here.
3. Learn how to summarise a topic.
At the moment it seems like you’re struggling and not really understanding how to summarise topics, and just relying on the textbook to tell you what’s important.
To summarise something, you’ll need to write down the key points (the most important information) from something that you read in the fewest number of words reasonable. I’m sure you already knew that, but you must not be putting it into practice because of what you’re telling me in your ask.
4. Write things in your own words.
Again, once you learn how to summarise, writing it in your own words will solidify that information in your brain. Explain the topic in layman’s terms to a family member, which forces you to use your own words. If you live alone, try a stuffed toy or rubber duck.
5. Start off by annotating your class notes.
I think initially you should start off with annotating just until you learn what information is important and what’s not. Class notes usually have 80% of the important information in brief points, and the textbook colours in the rest.
6. Use the “gummy bears” method.
I know it’s elementary, but you seemed to be having trouble with discipline and boredom, so place gummy bears on every paragraph as a crutch to get yourself to finish reading everything. Once you train yourself to do things that you don’t want to do, then you won’t have to use any cheap tricks, as you’ll be disciplined enough to read pages and pages without needing constant “carrot on a stick” rewards.
Once you’ve done those, here are my masterposts for content heavy courses:
Studying Content Heavy Courses
Use my Unique Automated Study Planner Printable which uses spaced repetition to make you remember more strategically!
Content Heavy Courses Study Guide - biology used as an example
Self Studying Advice - when you have to study a lot by yourself
Staying Productive No Matter How Much Time You Have
The Blank Paper Method - for rote learning lots of information
Part 11 Adapting to Uni Study - university basically mandates studying a large amount of info in a short period, so you’ll find this post useful for balancing 6 heavy courses!
Part 12 How to Study From Textbooks in Uni
Hope that helps!!
Follow optomstudies for daily original posts and study masterposts! Links: all originals + langblr posts + 15-part college 101 series + web directory!
13.02.18 Revision
I’ve always got my trusty reference book with me at work, but sometimes I like to read over a few topics just in case anything ever shows up :) and oml trying to write referral letter templates be like: …has been measuring … measured between 5-12 mmol/L … BGL measuring between 5-12 mmol/L OTL
🎼 The Boots - Gugudan 구구단
Follow optomstudies for daily original posts and study masterposts! Links: all originals + langblr posts + 15-part college 101 series + web directory!
Hello everyone, welcome to my latest 4-part series to help you land that job after uni! This series will cover what to do before, during, and after a job interview to ensure you leave a positive impression on the interviewers and hopefully help you cinch opportunities! Enjoy!
How To Set Your Career On The Right Path Before You Even Graduate! (Link) Part 2: During The Interview (Link) Part 3: After The Interview (Link)
Research the job position and company values.
It is critical to tackle all the requirements in your cover letter as well as your resume, and to be able to answer questions in the interview in a way that highlights you have those values the company is seeking. Even if the company doesn’t have a public ad, research similar positions at different companies and read those job descriptions. Have situations you’ve dealt with in your arsenal for answering situational questions.
Make sure your resume is updated perfectly.
It’ll save you a lot of time if you just update your resume every time you start something new! Standard stuff: Use ‘clean’ standard fonts, white A4 paper, single sided, 2 cohesive colours max. Include at least the minimum components or a combination of them: the rough order should be:
Career Objective
Education
Relevant Experience (include key responsibilities and noteworthy performance points)
Extra-Curricular Activities (if relevant)
Skills
Referees (usually just write “available on request”)
Cold call!
This is how I got my first relevant job as an optical assistant, which in a way, led to my current position today. Even whilst I was working as an optical assistant, occasionally we would get a new hire if their resume seemed good and they interviewed well.
Prepare for common interview questions.
Have scenarios ready illustrating how you dealt with a difficult situation
hey! could you do a study tips post on studying w friends who aren't doing the same subjects? like, how to make good flashcards/questions and answers etc so they can quiz you and give you hints etc even if they don't know the content?
How to Effectively Study with Friends
Using Flash Cards
Oh easy peasy! Simply write examination style questions on your flashcards - that way when your friends read the questions out to you, you’ll be testing yourself in a way that might show up on the easier exam questions. Reason being that in order to cover all the topics, your questions will tend to be somewhat simple e.g. describe the different components of x, explaining how they related to y. Obviously, flash cards aren’t the best way to study more complex interrelationships between ideas/concepts, which should be explored more in a mind map fashion. For tips on mind maps, you can check out my briefing here.
Using Your Existing Study Notes
Other than flash cards, if you intend to study in groups for most subjects, one of the best ways to do that is to use the Cornell Notetaking System (which you can read about with my personal tips here). Writing the questions out as you study saves you the trouble of writing out questions for your friends to test you on, and as well as that, means you can test yourself almost as well without them for any times when you’re studying solitary.
Using Essay or Long Response Questions
For long response essays, it’s better to use principles like the rubber duck method, i.e. explaining how concepts relate to each other as if the other person doesn’t know anything about it. So give your friends a list of essay questions and explain part by part in a logical sequential order how you would answer that question e.g. I would talk about the involvement of person A in event B, and explain their impact through examples C, D and E, etc.
Choosing the Right Study Group
Most of all, make sure you rally and encourage each other. Work with people who are like-minded, rotate between each other and have someone who will keep the others on task when you start getting too carried away when studying. Having a goal on what you intend to get finished during a group study session will make sure you always get more out of the session than studying alone!
Hope that helps! ^_^
study tip request: studying on public transport (or sth related like how to know what to record when you record yourself saying notes so that you can listen to them on public transport)
Best Way to Make Study Recordings for Yourself
Testing yourself is the most effective way to learn a topic, so this one is fairly straightforward. For recording:
Formulate an examination style question, and run through the answer in your head, organising your thoughts.
Then record the question, and mouth silently the answer fluently (reason being that just thinking in your head may result in too little or too much silence.
Leave a few extra seconds of silence for thinking time (~3-5 seconds).
Answer the question aloud in the recording (I’d suggest a brief one)
Rinse and repeat until you have enough to last you the whole commute.
Hope that helps! For more tips on how to spend time on commutes, check out my post on Staying Productive No Matter How Much Time You Have :)
Microbio lab work 📖
11.19.17
2 more days until break
Music mood: Mili - Miracle Milk
nov.21 | day 21 of @justjasminestudying‘s challenge
21. Show me some work/notes you’re most proud of
This picture was taken back when I was still in dental school and the subject was immunology. It was so complicated D: But at least I now know how to color code stuff lmao
song of the day : IU - Through the Night
-28/11/17-
Had cramps so spent the day writing up microbiology notes whilst hunched over my hot water bottle. The lecture on vaccine design is 7 pages long and now I can hand cramp to my list of ailments…
Yesterday’s notes featuring actual winter sunshine!!
12.3.17
When your teacher said they’re going to post a study guide but they don’t qq
Music mood: Rubber Human - Mili
18/1/18 - Recent virology notes! Ignore the headings, I bought some new brush pens and I’m still getting used to them..
18/1/18 - Recent virology notes! Ignore the headings, I bought some new brush pens and I’m still getting used to them..
A sample of notes from Medical Virology // I keep the margins empty so that I have space to add in relevant additional material from extra reading
Prokaryotic cell
Endospore
Gram staining
Horizontal gene transfer