selfstudent

[selfstudent]

Wohoo! I’m joining a Dutch give away for a gaming PC :D 

[selfstudent]

How I got my 4.0 GPA in university

- by someone who has to really work for her grades

BUY AN OLD SCHOOL PAPER PLANNER! So many people I know forget to do things because they either didn’t write it down anywhere or because they just didn’t check the syllabus. Write down all your homework so you can check off the things you have done. Use a highlighter to mark important assignments or tests, and plan in reminders for assignments that are due weeks from now.

WORK AHEAD. What I tend to do, is starting on the homework the last week of vacation. If you keep that up, you’ll always be one work ahead on the schedule. You will understand lectures and seminars better as you’ve got more context, and if for whatever reason you cannot make your homework one week, you’re still completely fine.

GO TO EVERY. SINGLE. LECTURE. Every post says this, but it is so important. Even for the courses where barely anyone shows up as they seem to not be valuable. Last semester, one of my lecturers started spilling exam questions as he was so fed up with people not coming.

GET OVER YOUR WISH TO KEEP YOU BOOKS CLEAN. As a student of English Literature, I read and buy a lot of books. Sure, you can write your notes on a separate paper, but it will be so time-consuming to have to look everything back up. Write in your books; highlight important passages, underline and give the definition of hard words, and write down concise notes on why something is relevant.

CREATE A GOOD STUDY ENVIRONMENT. This can be done by something really small, like lighting a candle everytime you sit down to study. I always buy the big chunky ones from IKEA as they are cheap but do smell really nice (especially the vanilla and the coconut). If you like to listen to music whilst you study, put on instrumental music. This has been proven to increase concentration.

PHONES ARE A NO GO. Either download an app like Forest or - what I usually do - put your phone on the other side of the room.

MAKE HARDWORKING FRIENDS. If you want to get a high GPA, it is so motivating to have friends who want the same thing! You can proofread each others’ assignments and discuss the homework. It will really boost your confidence as well as your grades.

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. Whenever you do not understand something it can be really tempting to just give up, especially when you do understand the rest of the course. Believe me, professors smell fear. What you don’t understand will end up on the exam. First, try to find the answer online. If you cannot find it, ask the professor. My professors seem to hate nothing more than uneducated questions. What they love is “I tried to look it up myself and found X, but I’m not sure about it.”

TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR REFLECTION. Due to the new privacy laws, we now have to schedule a meeting with our professor to get assignments back and receive feedback, rather than just pick the paper up from a pigeon hole. So many of my classmates do not do this. Schedule the appointment and ask every single question you have.

NOT EVERYTHING SHOULD BE LEARNT BY USING FLASHCARDS. Flashcards can be SUPER useful! However, use them for what they are: FLASH cards. They are supposed to be a super fast way of learning, and IMO a good flashcard never has more than either one sentence of text or three bullet points on it. The trick is to use them fast and often, rather than having to read half an essay. For those facts, just try to either make a good summary or maybe an example test question. THEN AGAIN, if it does work for you, then go ahead, but if it does not work for you, this is why.

DO NOT FORGET THE THINGS YOU LOVE. Sure, especially when you love your degree, you’ll tend to invest a lot of time in it. However, it is just as important to wind down. If you have trouble with this, actually go ahead and PLAN in the time to do absolutely nothing school related. Even if you think you do not need it, you will find you are doing so much better after.

NEVER SACRIFICE SLEEP MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK. And when I’m saying this I actually mean it. Actually, once a week is already a lot. Make that once a month. If you have to sacrifice your sleep, something has gone wrong in your planning and you should take a look at your planning rather than sacrificing more sleep. Figure out what the amount of sleep is that you need and, even if it is a lot (for me 8 hours really is the minimum, I tend to gravitate towards 9), make sure you sleep those hours every night. Though it takes away a lot of time, you’ll find everything goes so much better when you are well-rested that it makes up for the things you did not do.

FUCK THAT “ASK QUESTIONS EVERY LECTURE” BS. I don’t think I’ve ever asked a question during a lecture. I simply do not feel confident doing so. Asking questions during lectures is not a necessity to get good grades. I always ask my questions after tutorials (sometimes during the tutorial, but only if they are relevant to others as well). I just walk to the front of the room and ask my questions more private. Not only does it make me feel a lot less awkward, but the professor also takes a lot more time to thoroughly explain, as you are the only one listening.

These things all really work for me, however, academia is a very personal experience and everyone has to develop their own routine. Find out what works for you, rather than just follow some nerd’s advice ;)

[selfstudent]

Hey everyone, I want to talk about something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.

As members of the online writing community, we’re surrounded daily and constantly by the accomplishments of other writers. This is for the most part fantastic. We get to support each other, and I love seeing that a writer I follow has finished their book, published a story, that their funny writing meme is going viral, or even small things like that they wrote a chapter, or paragraph, or even sentence they love. I love seeing the fanart, the words of support, the friendships, the memes. Oh, the memes. I really do love this community and all it has done and has the possibility to do for aspiring writers.

However, when you’re in a community, there’s an inherent pressure that comes along with that, and that is the pressure to be productive. I feel this is especially strong in the writing community because so much of what we talk about is productivity. How to improve it, the importance of it, the importance of self-discipline, and ambition, and pushing yourself to reach your goals. 

It’s lovely to see your friends and people you follow having success, but it also plants that worry in your mind: Am I dropping the ball? Am I not working hard enough? Am I a total fraud and failure because I binged a show on netflix instead of writing for the past week? Do I ever deserve success?

In this community, we talk about productivity a lot. We talk about how you should push yourself through a bout of writers block rather than letting it hold you back, how you shouldn’t let self doubt grab hold of your ankle and keep you from stepping towards your goals, how with a well planned outline and set of goals you can power through that draft in no time. 

And that’s great. I love being productive. I love helping other people be productive. I love it that we’re a community of people who loves to create, and it makes me feel great to be creating.

However, I want to introduce a new mantra to this community, one that I feel needs to co-exist with all the mantras about productivity, and that is be kind to yourself.

So yes, you’re not feeling too motivated right now and you didn’t write for a week. It’s okay. 

So yes, you’re experiencing writers block, and no, you didn’t make an outline, but that’s okay. That’s just your process. It’s okay to work how you like to work even if most writers say it’s a bad idea.

So yes, you don’t like what you wrote, and even though you know you can fix it while you’re editing, it’s okay to feel discouraged right now. Allow yourself to have emotional reactions to your work. 

So yes, you fell behind on your goals, didn’t finish that book, fell out of love with the idea and abandoned it, didn’t win NaNoWriMo, and haven’t written in two weeks. It’s okay. You’re not a machine. 

So yes, you’re discouraged. That’s normal. You’re not a failure because you can’t meet the standard of productivity we’ve created in this community because here’s the thing, few can. I can’t consistently or for long periods of time, I burn out. That’s normal.

This whole productivity-obsessed, if-you’re-not-pushing-yourself-to-reach-your-goals-in-every-way-possible-you’re-not-doing-your-dreams-justice, step-up-your-game mindset is not healthy for a lot of people. 

The standard this community is setting is ridiculously high for most people within it to reach–many of who are young, new writers, just trying to explore the craft and learn, and yet are being met with this immense pressure in order to be taken seriously, and many of who are students, have jobs, have other reasons why they can’t be writing machines, or are simply new writers who aren’t ready to produce at that output yet. We shouldn’t be creating this communal pressure to create create create or you’re not good enough. 

Allow yourself to take breaks.

Allow yourself to pants a project if you want.

Allow yourself to have emotional ups and downs in relation to your art because that is normal.

Be kind to yourself. You’re not a failure. 

[selfstudent]

Writing Advice Masterlist

CRAFT

How to write subtext

When to use summary and when to use scene

What is purple prose vs descriptive style

What to consider when writing for teens and children

The different types of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person

When to show and when to tell

Showing vs. Telling in plot, character, setting, dialogue, etc. 

Psychic distance (what it is + comparing 3rd omniscient, 3rd limited, and 1st person)

How to write strong dialogue

How to avoid melodrama

How to create powerful similes and metaphors

How to lengthen or shorten a novel

How to use 2nd person

YA vs NA vs Adult

The push and pull of hope and despair

How to introduce a flashback

Is it okay to use a POV shift for one scene?

Writing conflict and antagonist forces in a contemporary work/a piece with no villain

Describing setting in a way that’s in character

Using Symbolism

How to describe music

How to write a sex scene

How to be subtle with theme

How to plan a story’s conflict

How to write a 1st person witness narrator

Where to add a character description

First sentences

Avoiding repetitive sentence structure

PLOT, STRUCTURE, AND CONCEPT

How to know if a plot is satisfying

How to develop plot material

How to develop a novel idea from nothing

How to write the beginning of a novel

How to write a story that is mostly internal

Finding the balance between plot driven and character driven

Common pitfalls of a meet cute

Plotting a contemporary novel

Plotting the 2nd half of a novel

Plot beats in the 2nd half of a novel

Pacing tips

CHARACTER

How does a character arc work?

Character development questions + exercises

How to use MBTI as a character development tool

Respectfully writing a character of a different identity than yourself

How to find a character’s unique diction and vocabulary

How to write a problematic/morally grey/morally bankrupt character + with recommended readings

Is it okay to write a problematic main character? Where is the line?

Writing from the POV of a psychopath

Writing an anti-hero

Balancing out an unlikeable character

Writing a romance with a mentally ill character without romanticizing their mental illness

More thoughts on respectfully writing mental illness

How to do research to write a character with mental illness

What do I do if I feel like I write the same character over and over?

How to add character depth

As a male writer, can I write 1st person from a woman’s perspective?

Should a book have a comic relief character?

How to write a character mistake

Character motives

WRITING PRACTICE AND PROCESS

How to get back into writing after a long break

How to deal with criticism

The pressure to create in the writing community

Advice for teen and new writers

PLATFORM & PUBLISHING

Starting a platform

More on starting a platform

Why I chose to traditionally publish

SHORT STORIES

How to write a short story collection

Is the concept right for a novel or short story? + How to write a character arc in a short story

How much planning do I do for a short story?

How to outline a short story

More on outlining a short story

How to title a short story

My short story writing process + how to get started with short stories + how to edit a short story + short story tips

More tips on how to write a short story

OTHER STUFF

How to get started with screenwriting

How to format a screenplay

Best pieces of writing advice I’ve ever gotten

My top 10 writing tips

Should you change your work for judgemental family members?

How to share your work with your family if you write about dark or mature content

How to slay an English exam composition

What is literary fiction?

[selfstudent]

Everything Is Awful and I’m Not Okay: questions to ask before giving up

Are you hydrated?  If not, have a glass of water.

Have you eaten in the past three hours?  If not, get some food — something with protein, not just simple carbs.  Perhaps some nuts or hummus?

Have you showered in the past day?  If not, take a shower right now.

If daytime: are you dressed?  If not, put on clean clothes that aren’t pajamas.  Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress.

If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep?  Put on pajamas, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes — no electronic screens allowed.  If you’re still awake after that, you can get up again; no pressure.

Have you stretched your legs in the past day?  If not, do so right now.  If you don’t have the spoons for a run or trip to the gym, just walk around the block, then keep walking as long as you please.  If the weather’s crap, drive to a big box store (e.g. Target) and go on a brisk walk through the aisles you normally skip.

Have you said something nice to someone in the past day?  Do so, whether online or in person.  Make it genuine; wait until you see something really wonderful about someone, and tell them about it.

Have you moved your body to music in the past day?  If not, do so — jog for the length of an EDM song at your favorite BPM, or just dance around the room for the length of an upbeat song.

Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days?  If not, do so.  Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends or friends’ pets.  Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing on them.

Do you feel ineffective?  Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an e-mail, loading up the dishwasher, or packing your gym bag for your next trip.  Good job!

Do you feel unattractive?  Take a goddamn selfie.  Your friends will remind you how great you look, and you’ll fight society’s restrictions on what beauty can look like.

Do you feel paralyzed by indecision?  Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day.  If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable.  Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial.

Have you seen a therapist in the past few days?  If not, hang on until your next therapy visit and talk through things then.

Have you been over-exerting yourself lately — physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually?  That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment.

Have you changed any of your medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand?  That may be screwing with your head.  Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down.

Have you waited a week?  Sometimes our perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause.  It happens.  Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then.

You’ve made it this far, and you will make it through.  You are stronger than you think.

[selfstudent]

Well, hi kiddos. It’s been a while. Again, I know. I have something to tell you. School has started, I’m back in college, I’ve survived week one. And this week is ending with my homework finished, and getting back to writing. Like holy hell!!! I haven’t been able to start a new project in forever because my creative well has been empty, because I was so caught up in my gap year and wanting to start something new so much I was almost forcing it down my own throat. Wow, that’s to unhealthy though. And now my mind is somewhere else with incredible people in my class who are so different than me. I feel like my creative well is open to new things. Like it wants to be full again, and is letting water flow back in. It’s feels magical. It truly does.

#going back to school #back to school #studyblr #study motivation #studyspiration #life study #studyspo #new studyblr #new study blog #writeblr #inspiration #study update #life update

[selfstudent]

This was my Friday in Bagels & Beans, Rotterdam. I had already filled up my journal for this year so I had to get another one, and decided to write a few lists from one journal into the other. I couldn’t resist a coffee, a bagel and a orange juice and I even ended up rewriting three chapters from my manuscript. Happy kid over here! But that’s not all because I didn’t stop there. Back home, after a good shower and an episode of the Originals, I rewrote five more! That made me a bit dizzy, but it was so worth it. I only need to rewrite about fifty more haha. So many chapters! ☕️

#bagels and beans #study habits #study hard #study tips #sleep study #studying #studyblr #studyspo #studygram #study notes #journal #journaling #moleskine #writerslife #writeblr #writer #writeaway #excerpt from a book i'll never write #excerpt from a story i'll never write #rewrite #write up #coffee

[selfstudent]

And once again, it’s been a while. Today counts the beginning of the last three weeks at work. It will be exactly one year of working experience in my gap year, but it’s time for it to be over. I also got accepted to the school I really wanted to go to - it’s an associate degree so only two years, which is better for me. These photo’s are from Saturday. My cousin and I have started a writing project together: a memoir of our grandmother and we finally got the first one hundred words onto paper. That definitely was a nice achievement-moment, with of of course, the a pump in the air! Getting back into writing has been hard. There have been times where I don’t have any ideas in my head and the other week I’m dizzied with possibilities and dreams. I’m thankful , that I am 🌙

#gap year #study habits #study hard #study tips #sleep study #studying #studyblr #studyspo #study motivation #studygram #study spot #study day #study desk #freelance #writing day #writing desk #writing #writerslife #writeblr #writer #writeaway

[selfstudent]

RULES: bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, then tag others.

AIR

I have small hands • I love the night sky • I watch small animals and birds when I pass them by • I drink herbal tea • I wake to see dawn• The smell of dust is comforting• I’m valued for being wise • I prefer books to music • I meditate • I find joy in learning new truths from the world around me.

FIRE

I don’t have straight hair • I like to wear ripped jeans and overalls • I play an organized sport • I love dogs • I am not afraid of adventure • I love to talk to strangers • I always try new foods • I enjoy road trips • Summer is my favorite season • My radio is always playing.

WATER

I wear bracelets on my wrists • I love the bustle of the city • I have more than one set of piercings • I read poetry • I love the sound of a thunderstorm• I want to travel the world • I sleep past midday most days • I love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs • I rewatch kids’ shows out of nostalgia• I see emotions in colors not words.

EARTH

I wear glasses/contacts• I enjoy doing the laundry • I am a vegetarian or vegan • Ihave an excellent sense of time • My humor is very cheerful • I am a valued advisor to my friends • I believe in true love • I love the chill of mountain air• I’m always listening to music • I am highly trusted by the people in my life.

AETHER

I go without makeup in my daily life • I make my own artwork • I keep track of my tasks and time • I always know true north • I see beauty in everything • I can always smell flowers • I smile at everyone I pass by • I always fear history repeating itself • I have recovered from a mental disorder • I can love unconditionally

And I’d like to tag everyone J

#about me #self student

[selfstudent]

How to Be a Happy Writer

Every writer is different, but there’s a few basic, well proven, tactics to keep the person who creates world happy in their own. 

Write for yourself.  Write the story you want to write, the way you want to write it, because in the end, you’re the one doing all the work! If you can’t enjoy the process, then it’s work. Not the fun work, the kind of work you have to go visit a bar afterwards to get rid of the dread. Believe it or not, your story will have little remnants of your psyche when you’re done; and if you didn’t like the story or enjoy the writing of it, it will show. So in the end, if you’re not writing the story you want to write and enjoying it as you go, then readers won’t either! Then what’s the point?

Don’t be afraid to write as freely as you please.While you’re writing that story you know will never sell, just because you like it, make sure not to restrict yourself to certain subjects or certain scenes. Would your friend gasp if they saw you writing Vampires? Or Romance? Or Vampire Romance? If it’s something you want to write, then write it freely and without guilt, to the full capacity of your desire and then sit back and decide if you want others to see it.

Keep your Mind Palace (mental writing place) sacred. Don’t go letting everyone in! It’s tempting, especially if you’re surrounded by supportive writers and readers who are always excited to see more of your stuff. But when everyone is in your headspace, there’s no room for you. You’ll end up trampling the advice to ‘Write for yourself’, because it’s hard not to be influenced by people who have a hand on your agenda.

You need to write with the door closed, so it’s only you who gets to see the writing process and make the calls. Then, once you’re finished, fling open the door and let all the enthusiastic others in to enjoy the profit. You’ll want to share, you’ll want to include others, but it’s desperately important to value the privacy of your own writing headspace. When they’re others inside, it changes how you look at things. You end up looking through their eyes and through your own.

Write often: If this is something you love, if this is something you thrive on, then you need to keep in contact with it. Those first few words may be hard, but it’s like reworking the muscles after a break. It’s only the first few moments, and then it will open up and you’ll feel that connection that you came for to begin with; that fulfillment of words on a page or a world suddenly tangible. The longer breaks you take or the more you avoid it, the harder it will be to start again. Keep in constant practice with it – for an hour a day or ten minutes – and the craft will come easily to you, and you’ll have the strongest connection. It’ll eliminate those sudden declines in quality and you’ll feel more centered with the world.

Read often. Just as important as writing often is to read often. You’re looking at the finished products of your craft and it both gives you field tips on how to write your own but encouragement that it can be done. Read broadly over all genres and all writing styles, to see what new things could inspire you and what horrible mistakes to avoid yourself. Read deeply; take the time to study the words or slip yourself into the character’s voice and absorb it in. Absorb what was good about it and add it to your own; while taking note of what was done bad and improve upon it. Let yourself get whisked away by the story, the voice, the character and then find out how they did it so you can do it yourself; even better.

Keep musing even when you’re not writing. Let the stories and the characters stay in your head. Some of the best plotting is done when you’re away from the story, so don’t push away the talking of the characters or the forming of new plots just because you’re not close to a pen. It’s better to have had the idea and lost it, than to have not had it at all. Whatever you focus on will grow, so let the story continue to churn and boil in your head all the time; and in the process, it will develop into something much richer. You’re a writer, this is what you do. And often times you’ll never feel as centered in the world as when you have a story in your head.

Take time to draw from inspiration. Go ahead and spare that extra time looking through pictures that inspire you or certain lines that spark a story in your mind. Collect things around you that encourage writing and cultivate your Mind Palace; such as certain music that reminds you of a character, a picture so powerful that it tells the story all at once, or a line of dialogue that you want to follow. Have inspiration at hand, and then muse on it when you’re not writing, so it can grow.

In the end, just put your hands to the keys and let it lead you.

Happy writing!

[selfstudent]

Hey kiddo’s, it’s been a while. Remember me? After graduating last year and not knowing what to do, I decided to take a gap year. Remember when I made a ‘promise’ to myself to learn something a month and how I made a list of things I wanted to do in that year? I surprised myself. I’ve changed too. I’ve written more, I’ve read more, I’ve spend more time with my grandmother, and since then I captured most of my time in my vlogs. There are still two things on my to do list, one of which I will do in four weeks, the other I hope to do before the new school year starts. Yes, I’m going back to school. It’s exciting yet a little daunting. After working for a year, I’m curious on how I’ll react to being in a classroom again. I’ve loved my freedom. Going where I want to be. Spending my days watching movies, whenever I wanted to. But I also look forward to learning more. Being more creative. I can’t wait.

#self student #studyblr #study motivation #studygram #study update #studying #studyspiration #going back to school #back to school #vlogger #creative #new study blog #study blog #study break #gap year #gap year travels #curious #learning #study desk #writing desk #writing update #my desk

[selfstudent]

Just a friendly reminder that writing is not always a linear process.

That is, it rarely works out that you have an idea, then do a first draft, then edit that draft, then celebrate. The writing process itself is often an act of discovery, and can be messy and “inefficient.”

You may write your first draft and realize it has major holes, causing you to need to return to your outline, correct the issue, and re-approach your draft.

You may discover that the character you thought was your main character is not your main character. It’s actually her sister, and now you need to rewrite your story.

You may change your point of view character several times before landing on the right one.

You may write 9 drafts of your story only to realize the fundamental concept is flawed, bringing you back to the drawing board.

You might throw away hundreds of pages.

If you’re writing a novel, you might outline, then draft, then re-outline, then re-draft several times before you even get a solid handle on where you’re going with your story.

You might write four different endings before you decide which one works best for your story.

You might remove characters, combine characters, add characters.

…all of this is normal. If this is happening to you, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re a writer, and this is what writing is like sometimes. Sure, some writers seem to be able (or claim to be able) to write more quickly and efficiently. But there’s no sense in comparing yourself to them, and most of them are lying anyway. Instead of criticizing yourself, try to become curious about and embrace your process. There’s something awesome about how mysterious and unpredictable writing can be!

[selfstudent]

interesting english words

i. capricious - being unstable, unpredictable in changes of mood and/or behavior

ii. luminescent - the giving and presence of light not from a heat source

iii. incandescent - passionate, radiant, brilliant; may also mean light given from a heat source

iv. equestrian - of or relating to horse riding

v. repartee - banter or conversation, usually characterized by wit or snark

vi. altruistic - unselfish, concerned and invested in others

vii. ensconce - to place in a comfortable space

viii. avarice - essentially greed, usually a very strong want

ix. myriad - many, countless

x. predilection - a bias, or simply a preference for one thing over another

xi. ameliorate - to improve uponsomething, to make something originally bad, better

xii. eclectic - wide ranging, diverse, from all around

xiii. misanthropy - a disdain for humanity

[selfstudent]

eleven little self care tips for students

Get enough sleep. Your brain needs it. Set yourself a ‘bed time’ and fall into the routine of going to bed and waking up at the same times each day.

Drink water and lots of it. Aim for 2 litres a day. This one’s easy, you can do it. Ditch the juices and carbonated beverages, just add a slice of lemon to your water if you feel like something fancy.

Allow yourself to switch off. Don’t be afraid to read books that have nothing to do with your studies. Go to the cinema. Work out. Take your mind away from your workload.

Take care of your skin. Wash your face every morning and night. Moisturise after every shower and bath. Don’t go to bed with your make-up on, no matter how tired you are.

Talk to your friends and family about something other than school. Don’t let your studies detach you from the things going on around you.

Work out. Even just once a week, or whenever you can. Go for a walk or a run, maybe just for 15 minutes. Follow along with a YouTube exercise video from the comfort of your own home or try out some yoga moves.

Make time for your hobbies. Studying is your full time job, but there’s plenty of hours left in the day. Don’t neglect the things you love.

Cook. Sometimes all we have time for is microwave noodles, but don’t fall into the habit of relying on the basics. You’ll feel the difference.

Don’t forget to laugh. Watch a hilarious film. See a comedian at a local venue. Watch funny videos on YouTube. Reminisce with friends. It’ll do you good.

Ditch the caffeine. Don’t rely on Starbucks. It’s delicious but you don’t need it. Save up all the money you’d usually spend on coffee and treat yourself to something instead.

Make your bed every morning. You’ll be grateful at the end of a long day when you can get into a cosy bed that doesn’t look like you just rolled out of it.

[selfstudent]

105 most common french verbs

*=irregular verb

memrise course with these verbs

être* - to be  

avoir* - to have to

faire* - to do 

pouvoir* - to be able to 

aller* - to go 

voir* - to see 

vouloir* - to want 

venir* - to come 

devoir* - to have to 

prendre* - to take 

trouver - to find 

donner - to give 

falloir - to have to 

falloir can only be used in 3rd person singular and with the pronoun il 

ex) il faut que je bois = i have to drink = it musts that i drink, it’s necessary that i drink

parler - to speak 

mettre* - to put, place

savoir* - to know (a fact)

passer - to pass

regarder - to look

aimer - to like

croire* - to believe

demander - to ask

rester - to stay

répondre - to answer

entendre - to hear

penser - to think

arriver - to arrive

connaître* - to know (a person)

devenir* - to become

sentir* - to feel

sembler - to seem

tenir* - to hold, to grasp, to restrain

comprendre* - to understand

rendre - to return (to give back)

attendre - to wait

sortir* - to go out

vivre* - to live

entrer - to enter

reprendre* - to resume, to retake

porter - to wear

chercher - to look for

revenir* - to come back

appeler* - to call

mourir* - to die

partir* - to leave

jeter* - to throw

suivre* - to follow

écrire* - to write

montrer - to show

tomber - to fall

ouvrir* - to open

arrêter- to stop

perdre - to lose

commencer - to begin

paraître* - to appear (ex: he appears to be sick)

marcher - to walk

lever* - to raise

permettre* - to allow

s’asseoir* - to sit

écouter - to listen to

monter - to go up

apercevoir* - to catch sight of, to notice

recevoir* - to receive

servir* - to serve

finir - to finish

rire* - to laugh

crier - to shout

jouer - to play

tourner - to turn

garder - to keep

reconnaître* - to recognize

dire* - to say

quitter - to leave

manger* - to eat

courir - to run

continuer - to continue

oublier - to forget

descendre - to go down

cacher - to hide

poser - to put

tirer - to pull

présenter - to present

ajouter - to add

agir* - to act

retrouver - to find (again)

offrir - to offer

apprendre* - to learn

tuer - to kill

retourner - to return (for a limited time)

rencontrer - to meet

envoyer* - to send

dormir* - to sleep

pousser - to push

rappeler* - to call back

lire* - to read

changer - to change

essayer* - to try

compter - to count

occuper - to occupy

expliquer - to explain

frapper - to hit

travailler - to work

obtenir* - to get

pleurer - to mourn, to cry, to weep

répépeter* - to repeat 

payer* - to pay

correct me if I’ve made any mistakes

[selfstudent]

bad study habits to leave in 2017

cramming the night before. do a little every day and get a good night sleep before the test

procrastinating. promise yourself you’ll do 5 minutes of a task you’ve been putting off for a while. you’ll be surprised how quickly that 5 minutes turns into 10 and 10 into an hour and before you know it you’ll be done and able to enjoy guilt-free leisure time

not asking for help. make the most of your teachers and classmates who want you to succeed. don’t suffer in silence

saying yes to everything. it’s important to try new things but it’s also important to have enough spare time to see your friends and get enough sleep

being distracted. turn off the tv. turn off your phone. focus on studying so you can get your assignments done as efficiently as possible so you can enjoy your free time

not having a planner. this doesn’t have to be a beautiful bullet journal. just make sure you have a way of keeping on top of everything you have to do so you don’t get overwhelmed whether that’s in a store-bought diary or in you phone’s calendar

eating (too much) junk. fuel your body and your mind with fruit and veg. if you’re at university try cooking in bulk to keep costs down. you’ll be able to concentrate better if you’re eating well

not taking breaks. your brain needs to take breaks, even if you have a big test coming up. for every hour you spend studying take a 10 minute break and stretch/make a snack/take a shower/call a friend 

not rewarding yourself. take time to be proud of everything you’ve achieved so far. enjoy the success you’ve worked so hard for

[selfstudent]

getting ready for the new year

• review your year. make a 2017 highlights journal page or something. jot down everything important that happened to you within the year, good and bad preferably, so you have a clear, summarized view of all aspects of your life.

• make a life map. it could be a chart or several lists or a spider map or an actual map with drawings and shite. what’s important is that you get a visual of all the parts of your life. mark which ones are most important to you, which ones need to be improved, where you want to focus on the most.. and make feasible plans.

• clean your room. and i’m talking, a makeover. rearrange your furniture. reorganize your things. give at least 35% of your stuff away. calibrate it to your needs and focuses of 2018. place the tools you’ll be using for those where they’ll be highly accessible.

• clean your virtual space. organize the files in your phone, tablet, and laptop into clearly labeled folders. weed out the stuff you have no use for anymore, and upload all the sentimental stuff to a cloud storage. delete your browser history, caches, apps that do nothing but distract you and take up memory.

• tie up your loose ends. all the things you’ve been postponing? kidding yourself by saying ‘i’ll do it tomorrow’ or now, ‘i’ll start next year’? finish them before the year ends. whether that’s going to your doctor for that check-up scheduled three months ago or getting your hair cut or quitting a vice. just.. do it/start now.

remember that your life won’t magically reset on January first. 2018 won’t adjust for you; life’s too much of a jerk for that, so you have to make it yours. good luck!

- 🍂