koschei-studies

[koschei-studies]

as a way of easing myself back into posting in the new year, i’ll be trying my best to complete this brilliant study challenge for january!

hey guys :) as promised, a january study challenge! I’m hoping this time I’ll be able to stick through the whole thing lol. don’t forget to tag it #stu-dna challenge so I can see what you guys post!

what did you achieve last year? what are you setting out to achieve this month? this year?

how are you balancing the holidays and your studies?

do you tend to make new year’s resolutions? how well has that gone for you in the past?

tv shows / movies you’re watching right now?

why did you choose your major, or if you’re still in the process of choosing (or if you haven’t even started), what’s your thought process in choosing one?

are you an early bird or a night owl?

after you’ve finished using your notes, like after the exam, what do you do with them?

opinion on snow??

how do you keep yourself awake when studying?

do you / can you study at home? how do you keep yourself focused?

~winter aesthetic~

do you listen to music when studying? show us your top 3 study songs or favourite study playlist!

how do you deal with stress?

show us how you keep cosy in the cold months!

halfway—did you make any / have you kept up with your new years resolutions?

what’s in your bag / backpack?

what does home mean to you?

food while studying?

show us your planning system!

favourite hot drink? recipe pls ;)

can you play any instruments? how long have you been playing?

do you use colour-coding? explain your system!

if you could travel anywhere, regardless of money or other limitations, where would you go? what would you do?

what’s on your desk? do you function best in a tidy or a messy space?

what’s your go-to study method? are there cases in which you wouldn’t use it?

what’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make?

study in groups or study alone?

do you like the cold? what are your favourite winter activities?

do you have any hobbies?

how do you plan for the next month? anything fun happening in february?

reflect on how it went & what could have gone better. have you improved anything about yourself this month?

have fun :) xxx

#hopefully this is going to be fun! #stu-dna challenge #stu-dna january challenge #january study challenge #kit talks! #studyblr #new studyblr #baby studyblr #uk studyblr #british studyblr #studyblr challenge #koschei-studies

[koschei-studies]

so, it’s been a while.

2020 taught me a lot of things, as i think it did all of us. one of those - and a big one, which i didn’t realise until tonight - was that i shouldn’t have abandoned this blog.

studyblr is not only a source of motivation (which is something i’ve definitely been lacking since march), it’s also a community, of bright, like-minded people, that push each other to achieve goals, learn new things, and be all-round better people. it’s a fantastic community, and one that i realise now i’ve sorely missed.

i started uni towards the end of last year, as did many other people, and with it being completely online i’ve definitely struggled - and i know i won’t be alone with that either. to try and combat the constant lack of motivation, and the crippling procrastination, and all the rest of the emotions that come as a package deal with studying in a global pandemic, i’ve decided to try and revive this blog - as a studyblr, and perhaps as something more personal too, we’ll have to wait and see.

so yes, i’m back - at least for now, anyway!

#kit talks! #study #studyblr #uni studyblr #university studyblr #coronavirus #covid-19 #coronavirus uk #uk studyblr #baby studyblr #international relations studyblr #IRblr #new studyblr #koschei-studies #happy new year

[koschei-studies]

so... yeah. all schools across the uk are closing, and all gcse/a-level exams are cancelled due to covid-19.

that's a huge bummer, especially with no news of what's going to replace them/how a level students are going to actually get into the universities we want to go to without clear-cut grades.

kinda makes me question myself now, too; what have i been working towards for the past (just under) two years if not exams? what do we do now they're cancelled? what can we do now they're cancelled? how do i continue running a studyblr if i have nothing to actually study?

these are confusing and difficult times, and this announcement has made them even more confusing - but we'll get through this.

stay strong out there, tumblr - sending good vibes your way. 💛

#kit talks! #study #a levels 2020 #coronavirus #covid-19 #coronavirus uk #uk studyblr #baby studyblr #new studyblr #koschei studies

[koschei-studies]

British Ask Game

1. Who’s been your favourite bake off contestant?

2. What are your opinions on Love Island?

3. What were your favourite CBBC shows back in the day?

4. What’s a British stereotype that you hate?

5. How about a British stereotype that’s actually very accurate for you?

6. Favourite British accent?

7. Any British landmarks you want to visit?

8. What’s the best John Lewis Christmas ad?

9. Where is the true North/South divide?

10. Explain the Freddos controversy for all your non-British followers

11. Favourite part of a roast dinner?

12. What’s the best dunking biscuit?

13. What are your thoughts on marmite?

14. Favourite British swear word?

15. Busted or McFly?

16. Complete this sentence “the DFS sale will end when…”

17. Favourite Horrible Histories song?

18. Which selection box does your family get at Christmas?

19. Which wife of Henry VIII deserved better?

20. What are your thoughts on school uniforms?

21. Is it pronounced scone or scone?

22. How do you take your tea?

23. Give us some British TV show recommendations

24. Best thing to get from Greggs?

25. Jaffa Cakes: cakes or biscuits?

26. Which is the best movie in the Cornetto trilogy?

27. Which Gavin and Stacey character are you most like?

28. Louis Theroux or David Attenborough?

29. Pick a song to be the new national anthem

30. Chips with gravy: a delicacy or an abomination? How about curry sauce?

Just a bit of fun to distract from the impending doom of Brexit (and the essay I have due on Monday)

#this would be so much fun! #kit talks! #reblog game #ask game #British asks #not study #not fandom either though #q&a #not mine #reblog #niche british asks

[koschei-studies]

The Doctor: Care to sit? I’m sure you’d like to take some weight off your cloven hooves.

The Master: Calling me the devil? How original, Doctor.

The Doctor: Actually I was calling you a goat, you goat.

#brooklyn nine nine #doctor who #not study #fandom #not mine #incorrect quotes #best enemies #the doctor #the master #captain Holt #madeline wuntch #reblog

[koschei-studies]

200304 - Wednesday, 2:32pm; 200309 - Monday, 8:47pm, 9:34pm.

i feel awful for not posting for the past few weeks, but my mental health hasn't been great, and i've not really had the motivation to be posting/reblogging for a while... tbh i still don't, but i feel bad about not posting about the 10 weeks of productivity, so here we are!

there's a mix of my research project for spanish and some american politics notes here, since i've been working away but not posting anything - i'm pretty sure i've been productive for the weeks i haven't been posting, but i don't have the energy to keep track anymore, if i work, i work, and if i don't, then i don't.

i hope everyone's coping okay with the way the world is nowadays - if you're under quarantine/lockdown, i hope your mental/physical/emotional health is okay, but if it's not, please reach out to someone, maybe have some yummy food, or even perhaps try some small exercises/dances/yoga! all of these can help pass the time.

now listening to: i wish i was sober by frightened rabbit

#my notes #koschei studies #uk studyblr #new studyblr #baby studyblr #a levels #Spanish notes #langblr #spanish langblr #politics notes #us politics #studyspo #study inspo #study motivation #study aesthetic #10 weeks of productivity #emmastudies #elkstudies #heypat #heylamp #heysprouht #lookecho #looklatte #looksierra #studyquill #studypetals #myhoneststudyblr #thekingsstudy #heysafetea

[koschei-studies]

i was thinking this!!! i genuinely thought at the "reveal" scene it was going to be the master all along, because of how many lives he's had (on- and off-screen) and how it would have made sense, but then it wasn't...

Okay but they really missed the opportunity to have the Master be The Timeless Child I mean. He literally never dies?? And it would have made sense if he was pissed because part of his life had been erased. Like imagine if his reasoning was that since he created the timelords he could do whatever the hell he liked with them.

#not study #fandom #doctor who #sacha dhawan #dhawan!master #the timeless children #not mine #reblog #kit talks!

[koschei-studies]

Can we PLEASE take a moment to appreciate Sacha Dhawan's phenomenal performance as the Master because HOLY CRAP

#doctor who #the master #sacha dhawan #dhawan!master #the timeless children #not study #fandom #not mine #reblog

[koschei-studies]

i wanted to make a lil update, since i've not posted in nearly two weeks and i feel kinda guilty about it, so i’m back! (kinda)

now i know, i said i would start the 10 Weeks of Productivity challenge 3 weeks ago - but it had to be put on hold as i went on a family vacation last week, and took the week to just chill and spend some well-needed time with my parents & grandparents in the sun. this week has been mental, and so i haven’t been able to take pictures of any of the work that’s been due over the past few days (hence the lack of content!)

work-wise, the week ahead looks like it’s gonna be another pretty mad one, but i’m going to try and post at least twice about college work and revision - in fact, i’m going to commit to that.

as for non-work-related things, well:

doctor who s12 finishes on sunday, and that’s going to be a fun one! i’m going to put out the warning now - this blog will not be spoiler-free!

since my last original post, i've started brooklyn 99 - and i'm now about halfway through season 4! i love it so much, and some b99 content may start creeping its way onto this blog soon who knows?

torchwood has been put on iplayer! please, please, if you haven't watched it yet, or you haven't heard of it - go watch it! if you haven't watched it in a while - go watch it again! seriously, torchwood is brilliant, and i'd highly recommend it.

plus, my social life is coming out of its winter hibernation, which is fun! march is going to be an enriching month, both knowledge-wise and socially, and i can't wait.

well, i think that's all! thank you all for being so patient with me with the 10 Weeks of Productivity; it's a process, but that's why i decided to do it, and call it a challenge. i hope to be active on here a little bit more over the coming weeks and months, and hopefully my grades can improve with that too :)

#kit talks! #10 weeks of productivity #kit's lil updates #studyblr #uk studyblr #baby studyblr #new studyblr #koschei studies #a levels #british studyblr #motivation #study motivation #productivity #doctor who #fandom #study #and also not study #brooklyn nine nine #b99

[koschei-studies]

#agent carter #Peggy carter #marvel #not study #fandom #mcu #agent peggy carter #not mine #reblog

[koschei-studies]

oh wow! welcome to the community, elliot! 💜

Studyblr intro

Hi, I’m starting this to keep track of my work during my alevels. Most studyblrs i’ve seen have an introduction post so this is mine.

🦥About me🦥

- My name is Elliot

- I’m non-binary

- I’m 17 and a libra

- I live in Wales

- I’m an intp and a slytherin

- I’m trying to find a hobby

My classes:

- Biology

- Chemistry

- English Literature

- Psychology

Goals

- Increase my motivation, and get me to actually study more

- Read more

- Learn Dutch and once that’s completed another language

- Have a clearer idea of what i want to study

Little extra

- I write my notes on an ipad using goodnotes 5

- I love skam, and its remakes

- I’m a great procrastinator

- I have a very eclectic music taste

- I’m addicted to caffeine

- I’m trying to find more studyblr blogs to follow but I’m inspired by:-

@septemberstudiesblog @koschei-studies @studyingatsunrise @alilystudies @hardworkign there’s probably more but i’m terrible at finding people

#welcome hun! 💜 #ellstudies #new studyblr #brand new studyblr #studyblr intro #welsh studyblr #uk studyblr #a levels #reblog

[koschei-studies]

200210 - Monday, 9:32pm.

lots and lots and lots of psychology today - and i'm not complaining! looking at debates is a really synoptic way of studying, and it really pulls the whole a level course together, which is fab. there was also had another overnight essay to do, which wasn't so fab.

despite only being properly in this community and posting "regularly" for two weeks, i've found that i'm definitely more productive, and i do feel more prepared for my exams - which i guess is kinda the point!

now listening to: I. O. U. by freeez

#my notes #koschei studies #uk studyblr #new studyblr #baby studyblr #a levels #psychology notes #studyspo #study inspo #study motivation #study aesthetic #emmastudies #elkstudies #heypat #heylamp #heysprouht #heysafetea #lookecho #looklatte #looksierra #educatier #focusign #studyquill #studypetals #thekingsstudy #myhoneststudyblr #10 weeks of productivity

[koschei-studies]

here’s a list of my favourite playlists that i listen to when studying. only one playlist has lyrics so if you find that distracting you can skip it!

1 am study session - lofi hip hop/chill beats (1 hour)

a rainy town - animal crossing ost + thunderstorm ambiance (1 hour)

breath of the wild relaxing music with rain (1 hour)

lofi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to (live radio)

relaxing life is strange music (1 hour) *has lyrics

relaxing music from uncharted series (45 mins)

skyrim music & ambiance - night (1 hour)

skyrim music & ambiance - rainy day (10 hours)

studio ghibli summer night piano collection with nature sounds (7 hours)

the last of us - relaxing music compilation (30 mins)

the legend of zelda - calming & relaxing music compilation (1 hour)

the witcher 3 - peaceful music & nature ambiance (1 hour)

the witcher 3 toussaint - relaxing music for sleep and study (1 hour)

uncharted - ambient music & ambience (1 hour)

all playlists

#these are brilliant #study music #study playlists #music for studying #studyspo #study inspo #youtube playlists #not mine #reblog

[koschei-studies]

escapes for when you feel anxious

exploring a flowery town with cute villagers

drinking a milkshake in an empty diner at 3am

real life that feels dreamlike

cute sunflower field dates

in love with the universe

softest love songs

living inside an 80s tv show

drinking tea on a cozy raining morning

you’re an angsty teen in a coming-of-age film

summer road trip in the west coast

vacation in san francisco

living in an old French film

stargazing and contemplating the meaning of life

late night drives in a 90’s movie

watching a beautiful sunset over the beach with someone you love

feeling dazed and drifting off under dreamlike sunlight

going to the beach in a camper van in 1960′s california

collecting whimsical music-boxes and taking pictures of clouds in paris

falling asleep on the moon

city lights at midnight

half dreaming,half awake in faded 60s sunlight

remembering someone else’s memories like they’re your own

being the guardian of a snowy forest who befriends wolves and takes care of baby fawns

being in a vintage fairytale

wandering the avenues of vintage New York City

living in a cinematic landscape and watching over a magnificent scenery

exploring an art museum

eating fruit in a small italian seaside town

#woah #these are so cool! #spotify playlists #study playlists #studyspo #study inspo #flowerais #study music #music for studying #not mine #reblog

[koschei-studies]

This puppy is so cute

#omg so cute!!! #dogs #puppy #cute doggo #not mine #not my puppy #although i sure wish it was! #animals #not study #reblog

[koschei-studies]

all those myths and legends you hear about uni professors being patient and understanding regarding human plight are true.

#uni tips #university tips #university help #tips for university #important #not mine #reblog

[koschei-studies]

How to e-mail your professor to ask for things, if that’s something that makes you anxious.

Midterms are approaching, and one thing that I’ve always noticed in my own students is that some of them are really anxious about e-mailing me to ask for things. This is frustrating for both of us, because I can’t help them if they don’t ask for it, and they can’t get what they need if they’re too anxious to ask for help! So, I’ve written up a bit of a guide with some advice. 

Generally, the types of e-mails students are anxious about are requests for things like extensions or excused absences. I’ve been a TA/head lecturer for six years now and have gotten literally thousands of student e-mails. The fact is, your professor isn’t going to dissect your e-mail for every little tonal shift. Don’t worry about it! I give you official permission to not over-analyze the e-mails you’re sending to your professor/TA/whomever asking for a couple extra days on that paper! Just be polite, honest, and succinct. Generally, student e-mails are read very quickly, unless there’s extenuating circumstances or the request is unusual. The format I suggest to my students and that I often use when I’m contacting someone for the first time professionally goes like this:

Greeting Introduction, if it’s a big class or you don’t know the professor well. Description of problem/Question. Steps you’ve taken so far to correct your problem. Where you’re at now. Query about further steps. Thanks, Your name (first and last)

This is just a skeleton- you don’t necessarily need every single part. But it is good to let your professor know what you’ve done to fix the problem on your own- whether that’s getting notes from a friend, taking things to the writing center, etc. Not all problems have an obvious solution, but if you’ve done something, letting them know shows your instructor that you’re taking ownership of the situation.

A formal e-mail like this also helps you judge their response to your situation. If you’re overwhelmed and having emotional distress, that’s not something that every professor is sympathetic about, unfortunately. If you don’t have a good gauge on how they react to students, keeping your e-mail very task-oriented without giving too much away about your emotional state can be healthier for you and will lead to better outcomes re: the thing you need.

A couple of good tips:

- Check your syllabus for your teacher’s absence policies. Many universities and/or departments require documentation, and if you can provide this ahead of time, it’ll be easier for you. 

- Talk to the person who has the most direct contact with you in the class. This means that if you have a TA who leads your section, ask them your questions before the professor or head lecturer. Most likely, the TA is the one who’s handling the direct permissions for excused absences or extensions. If you’ve gotten to know your TA a bit, they can advocate for you for things like permission to take a test earlier or later. 

- If you need to make arrangements for alternative test dates, always go earlier if you possibly can. 

- Don’t make up fake excuses or exaggerate; honesty is important, and professors have seen some very creative lies. By now, we’re good at detecting them. I once had a student who e-mailed about a car accident and attached a photo of a car with a smashed headlight as “evidence.” The picture was the fourth result on google for “car with broken headlight.” Had the student just asked for what they wanted, they may have gotten it; instead, all they did was infuriate their TA and give me a good example of why you shouldn’t lie about why you’re missing class. 

- If you have a disability that affects your work or your ability to attend classes, your school should have an office of disability/disability resource center. In the US, disabled students’ accommodations are protected by the ADA, and getting a letter of accommodation will ideally ensure that your needs are met. If your professor pushes back against your accommodations (unfortunately, that happens sometimes), go back to your DRC and let them know, because that’s a violation of federal law. Remember that learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and mental illness are all protected by law- you can get accommodations for any of those conditions! 

- Always end your e-mail with a question. The question mark flags the e-mail as something actionable, something the person can answer immediately. Just seeing the ? makes your e-mail something to deal with now rather than later. 

  - Boomerang is a free* tool for Gmail that can:      o Schedule your e-mails, so if you’re writing an e-mail at 3 AM and you feel         weird about your instructor seeing you’re up that late, you can set the mail         to send at 8 AM instead.      o Attach read receipts that tell you when the e-mail was opened, if you’re            worried about it not getting read.      o Score your e-mail on how likely a response is based on subject length,             word count, question count, reading level, and advanced features you can         pay to unlock including positivity, politeness, and subjectivity. *Mostly free- a lot of the basic tools are free, but some you have to pay to unlock. I’ve never used any of the paid features.

How to Use Boomerang

The screenshot below shows you how Gmail integrates with Boomerang- if you install it as a browser extension, it automatically generates the buttons. No special work required. There’s also an app for iOS and Android. I wrote this e-mail using the template that I’ve provided at the end of this post; it’s short, polite, and gets the message across clearly. For initial contact e-mails, you really can just fill in the blanks.

The little blue envelope in the bottom center-right is how you turn on the read receipt feature. Your recipient will not be notified that you got a read receipt, so don’t worry about that. The green bar in the bottom right is the respondable score, and the red button on the bottom left is how you schedule your e-mail to go out at a scheduled time. 

This is a screenshot of how the respondablity is graded. There’s sweet spots for different aspects of the e-mail. It can tell you if your e-mail is too wordy or too concise to be helpful, based largely on statistical estimates. It’s not always right! Some e-mails need to be wordier or more complicated than others! But it’s a helpful guideline.

Copy and Paste (and then edit) (unless your name really is [Your name]

Finally, a template that you can just copy and edit to your heart’s content. Don’t be afraid to talk to your professors- even if they are brusque or don’t give you the response you want, polite communication wherein you outline your problem and your solution is a really worthwhile skill to develop. And the more you communicate with your teachers, the more comfortable you’ll feel. So don’t be afraid! Reach out to your instructors whenever you need something!

Dear [Name],

My name is [Name] and I’m in your [Time] [Course title and course number] class.  [Brief explanation of problem], and was hoping that I [brief description of solution]. I currently [steps you’ve taken- pages written, are you getting notes from a classmate, etc.], but need [state exactly what you need]. Is there any way I [proposal for solution]?

Thanks, [Your name]

This isn’t the ONLY way to word an e-mail, of course, and if you’re comfortable with your style, don’t change things up! But if you’re feeling lost or unsure or just want a guide, I really hope this post helped!

#uni tips #tips for university #university help #important #not mine #reblog