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The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.
Alan Watts (via briqou)
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There is a very dark and painful side to life, but that is natural. People in our culture think they should never be unhappy. They think that being unhappy is unnatural. They try to make it go away. They take pills or they go to therapy to “fix” themselves. They blame themselves or others for their suffering. We need to understand that sadness is as much a part of life as joy. It would be easy just to get bitter and cold while focusing on the dark side, but there is also an amazing, wonderful side of life. If you look for it, there is true magic all around us. Maybe that sounds trite to the hardened, self-protective modern ego, but there is magic in this miraculous life. If you open yourself up, you do make yourself vulnerable to pain but the deeper the pain you experience, the deeper joy you have.
Mark Ryden (via wnq-art)
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30/05/2016
I might’ve been a tad too optimistic when I set myself to do 6 past papers today, lol. I managed 3 which is okay, I suppose. S2 is going well, but I seem to be struggling with De Moivre’s in FP2 and lost 9 marks because of it in the Jun06 paper 🙃
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to-do list (feat. @studeying’s amaaaazing list template<3) + agenda [3.13.16]
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First day back at school and already have massive amounts of home work. Spent the afternoon doing some Chem hw to revise content learnt in grade 10 + 9, and plan on trying to unravel the mystery of balancing complex equations later tonight (Oh Chem, how I have not missed you).
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How I Learn Languages
As an aspiring polyglot, it’s important that I have a bunch of resources at my disposal for language learning. I use a variety of resources for my learning, such as books, websites, apps, T.V. shows, movies, etc. These are some of my resources!
-Websites-
1. Omniglot
This website is more for finding information about languages and finding languages to learn. It has a very comprehensive list of languages and you can find plenty of secondary resources for learning the language. You can find tutors for that language, and even songs in your target language. I can just about guarantee you that no matter what language you’re looking for, it will be documented here. It is absolutely amazing, and it is a FANTASTIC resource for the dedicated linguist.
http://www.omniglot.com/
2. Duolingo
This is both a website AND an app, however, I tend to use the website more frequently, mainly because I’m always on my laptop anyway. The learning system that this website uses makes out very easy to stay motivated, and the lessons are organized amazingly. Currently, the website offers about 27 different language courses for English speakers, and various language courses for speakers of languages other than English. You can set goals for yourself, take multiple courses, be involved in discussions, and even do translating activities. Beware though, it gets VERY addicting.
https://www.duolingo.com
3. Memrise
Also a website AND an app, this is my all time favorite resource for learning languages. It has SO many languages to choose from, and it even offers subjects other than languages, although foreign language learning is its primary appeal factor.
http://www.memrise.com/home/
4. BBC Languages
Although this sector of BBC has been archived and is no longer updated, it still contains some valuable information. It includes some useful phrases, alphabet guides, and jokes in many languages. You’re bound to learn something new there, so check it out!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/
5. Foreign Service Institute (FSI)
This website offers language courses constructed by the U.S. government, and relies heavily on audio-based learning. However, many of the language courses include lessons in the form of pdf. There is a very large selection of languages to choose from, so this resource is very good for getting an excellent introduction to your target language.
https://fsi-languages.yojik.eu/
6. Live Lingua Project
Claiming to be the internet’s largest collection of free public domain language learning materials, this website is a MUST for language learners. It contains the FSI courses, Peace Corps language learning materials, and the DLI (military) language courses. It also offers Skype sessions for language learners in several different languages! The main appeal of this website, however, is the Peace Corps language material archive. There are SO many different languages to choose from, and there are many ebooks and audio files to take advantage of here.
https://www.livelingua.com/#project
7. Languages On the Web
This website offers texts that translate English texts into 55 other languages. It is not a translator, it merely provides reading material in foreign languages to learners. It is a very useful website, especially for analyzing how sentences are formed in other languages.
http://www.lonweb.org/
8. Learn 101
This website is really helpful for explaining grammatical concepts and for learning general stuff about languages, such as verbs, vocabulary, nouns, adjectives, basic phrases, foods, etc. There are quite alot of languages offered on this website, so it’s a great resource!
http://learn101.org/
9. Clozemaster
This website is great for learning languages through a sentence based, contextual experience. It’s a bit like Duolingo in that sense, and it requires you to fill in missing words from sentences. In my opinion, it’s better for people with a background in their target language, and they offer many different options for languages. It’s also good for speakers of a native language other than English!
https://www.clozemaster.com/
10. Lexicity
This is a great website for ancient language learners, and it provides resources for Egyptian, Mayan, Hittite, Latin, Old English, Etruscan, Gaulish, and several others. I have found the majority of resources that I have looked through helpful to my learning efforts. They have dictionaries, grammars, charts, and texts, and it is a very comprehensive resource.
http://lexicity.com/
11. Book2
This is a good resource for learners looking for audio files to help them practice their listening. I haven’t used it all too much, but there are many language options, so you’re bound to find a language that you find interesting on here.
http://www.goethe-verlag.com/book2/
12. Lang-8
This is a great resource for getting feedback on your writing in your target language. You can post things in your target language, and native speakers of that language will correct it, and you can do the same for other people! It’s very helpful, and is a great resource if you have to write in your target language often.
http://lang-8.com/
13. Bilinguis
This website offers a few books to read in different languages and is good for comparing different languages of the same book. This makes for good practice for reading in your target language.
http://bilinguis.com/
14. Udemy
There are quite a few languages courses on this website, although several of them cost money. However, there are quite a few courses that are free, and are good for introducing you to your language of choice.
https://www.udemy.com/courses/
-Apps-
1. Memrise
As mentioned above in the websites section, this app is so amazing for on-the-go language learning, as well as for subjects other than languages! It helps users memorize concepts with “meme” which are pictures that will remind you of what the word or concept means, and it’s such a unique and fun learning experience! It has the feel of using flashcards, but I just love using this app so much.
2. Duolingo
Also mentioned in the websites section, this app is great for both learning new words and reviewing words that you have either memorized or have just been exposed to. There are grammar lessons available, translation activities, groups that you can join, and Duolingo makes it fun to learn a language with it’s reward system.
3. HelloTalk
This is my absolute FAVORITE app to talk to native speakers of my target language(s). You can become language partners with people, help others with translations, video/voice call, send voice messages, and have as many partners as you want! It’s an absolutely amazing app, and I highly recommend it to everyone! Warning- If you’re a native English speaker looking for a native Chinese speaker, you will get HUNDREDS of requests. It might overwhelm you for a second.
4. TuneIn Radio
This is really great for finding stations in your target language, and it helps with practicing both comprehension of spoken language as well as introduces you to awesome music in your target language!
5. Tigercards
This app presents words in the form of lists, and gives you vocab so that you can review it. Not the best presentation of words and it doesn’t really offer a memorization technique like Memrise, but it’s still helpful!
6. Busuu
This app is a bit like Duolingo, and it offers German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, Italian, Russian, Polish, Turkish, Japanese, and Chinese!
7. uTalk
This app offers so many different languages, it’s pretty incredible. There are games that you can play, phrasebooks, and several other features. The interface is also really awesome and simple, so it makes learning easier than usual. Definitely a must have.
8. Innovative Language
I haven’t used this app much, but I have heard that the lessons on this app are very good, and you can download the lessons so that you can view them offline.
9. FlashSticks
This has been super helpful to me, in addition to the games and flashcards that it offers, it also provides an object scanner, which uses your camera to scan objects and then tells you what it’s called in your target language!
10. Mondly
This has been an awesome resource for me since it’s a bit like Duolingo, only with more unique language options. I’m currently using it to learn Hindi, however, there are tons of other language options. The interface is awesome, and I love using it.
11. MindSnacks
This company makes several different language apps, and currently I’m using the Mandarin, Japanese, and French ones. So far, I’ve really enjoyed these apps!
12. Spotify
Through Spotify’s “Word” category, there are many different playlists dedicated to language learning, such as for Arabic, Mandarin, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, and Swedish!
13. Quizlet
This is more of a diy language learning resource. It is not an inherent language learning resource, however, if you learn best through lists and/or flashcards, then this app allows you to make cards and review vocab that way! I use it all the time for exams!
14. FluentU
This is an awesome app for watching videos in your target language, and is really good for learning new words.
-Books-
1. Teach Yourself
This series offers an astounding number of languages, and I have found them to be pretty effective in helping me learn languages. I have used the Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, and Irish ones.
2. Barron’s Grammar and Verb books
I really like the way Barron’s does language books, so far I have used their Japanese grammar book and their Russian verbs book, and I really like the layout of them, especially the grammar book!
3. Dk Visual Bilingual Dictionaries
These are so helpful for me, I’ve been using the Mandarin and Japanese dictionaries for a long time, and they are so comprehensive and awesome!
4. Ethnologue
These aren’t language “learning” materials, but rather they help me find new languages to learn. These are more for the linguistic lovers, since they catalog almost every living language in the world in every country, and provide language maps and statistics. There’s really fascinating stuff in those books, so I highly recommend purchasing them.
5. The “Dirty” books
So far, I have only used the Japanese version, however, I really like what the book includes, and it’s great for learning slang in your target language, and things that traditional textbooks wouldn’t teach you.
6. Living Language
I LOVE these books so much, I’ve used the Russian, Mandarin, and French ones and I’ve found them very helpful! The layout of these are very nice, and they’re pretty comprehensive.
7. Tuttle books
Tuttle offers several different language books, and they all are very good in my opinion. I have used their books for Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, and Hindi.
That’s all that I have right now, but if you all would like more resources than I will definitely make a second one!
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101 Study Tips
Take advantage of that lower workload in between exam periods to make good notes, clean your house, get work experience and do the things then rather than when you’re busier
Use Highlighters instead of pens to save time. Or vice versa depending on you
Change the timing in the pomodoro technique to suit you rather than the other way round
Use a planner to organise your day
Work out what time of day you study best. You could get up and study in the morning if you’re that sort of person
Attend your tutor or form sessions. Even if you don’t do much in them, you can
Keep your planner small and carry it everywhere
Even better, put your planner on your phone
Don’t sulk if you fail, look back at why you failed and try to improve
If you get distracted by wanting to do something when you should be focusing, write it down. It gives you a checklist of things to do later
Do these things on the checklist in your study breaks
Answer questions without your teaching asking you to
Read about your subjects outside of your classes, especially in high school
Sit at the front of the class room
Don’t sit by yourself in class
Get an early nights sleep
Or at least use sleepytime to get a good time frame
On school days when you wake up, get up straight away, it stops you lazing about
Work hard from the start of the year. There isn’t a time to slack off
Try spaced repititon for learning key facts or a revision schedule
Have snacks and a drink during study sessions. Preferably water.
Summarise and make all your notes onto smaller bits of paper for revision, it helps you recognise what the important facts are
To avoid study stress, take breaks and avoid studying for more than two hours a day
It’s also good to have a day where you don’t study at all once a week
Don’t schedule too far in advance, you’ll just get busy in the meantime or change your methods
When you’re feeling too stressed to work properly but not studying stresses you out, do easier tasks like reviewing flashcards or watching videos on your course
Do as much of your work in school as possible
Prioritise your classes. Especially if you have loads
Make any big habit changes you’ve been thinking of at the start of a term or new year
Study a little before bed, you’ve probably seen that study that says you remember more just before bed
Only make flashcards of the things that you don’t get or are important, not everything
Use online sites like Brainscape, Memrise, Anki or Quizlet for flashcards between devices
Print off your powerpoint slides before a lesson
If you can’t do that, read ahead in the textbook
The syllabus is your guide, so use that as a framework for your revision notes
Your stress and nerves are normal, don’t worry
Aim to finish your revision a week before your exams, it makes you start earlier and finish earlier, you also can rest before your exam
When you pick your subjects, choose the subjects you love
Don’t drink alcohol when you’re studying or any type of drug while studying
Don’t listen to how much everyone is studying. A lot of people big it up or say they do none, usually both aren’t being truthful
Take messy notes in class and neaten them up later
Or take your notes online or on a computer
Have a folder to put your loose sheets and handouts in
Keep your to do list and schedule all in one place, whether that’s a book, app or phone
If you fall behind or are ill a lot, your classmates are your friends for a realistic description of what you’ve missed
When at school, know all the places you’d like to study in case one of them is busy
Don’t work in your bed if it makes you tired
Or work in your bed if all your seats are uncomfortable and it’s distracting
Don’t have too much coffee! And energy drinks are just terrible for you so maybe not have those either
You don’t have to be truthful to your actual opinion in essays, just go for what option has the most points
Listen to your teacher
Have your window open, the fresh air helps
Use practice papers and questions, they really help
Try to teach others as well or if you can’t, explain it in your own words to yourself
Combine more than one technique, so that the weaknesses of each method gets covered by another
Seriously just listen to your teachers
Check your emails every day
Set realistic goals and try not to be too harsh and unrealistic about the time you’ll spend achieving these as well
Use loud and annoying alarms to get you to do things
If you have to read, read out loud rather than in your head
Use a hair tie if you have long hair to keep it out of your face
Keep clean and get dressed for studying
Don’t waste your term making your notes pretty, if it helps, make sure the benefits outweigh the time it takes
Study when you can. Don’t study if you’re too exhausted to do so.
Keep your desk as clean as you can
Know your sources of motivation. Possibly find a way to put that in your study space.
Attend as many classes as possible and don’t skip
Keep yourself busy with stuff that isn’t studying
Reward yourself for your hard work
Before you go back to school, start to wake up earlier so you’re ready
Wear comfortable clothes to school
Or wear whatever makes you feel good, feeling bad can be pretty distracting
Always think about the next step early, whether thats getting work experience, choosing subjects, finding a job or picking a thesis
Always eat breakfast
And always eat lunch too! Especially at school
Do whatever is best for you. Don’t follow a studyblr trend, do what’s best for you.
Make your studying a habit. Do it nearly every day for a long time and it’ll begin to feel more like second nature
Get to know your teachers if you can
And don’t be afraid to ask them for help outside of a lesson, either by email or afterwards, it helps a lot
Look at the types of questions you often get wrong as well as the topics you keep missing out on
Keep a spare bit of food in your bag, I usually have some sesame snaps in my bag as a small snack so I don’t have to get up to get food
Make productive friends and people with similar goals to you
When revising, revise everything and then focus on your weak points
Don’t spend too long on tumblr, and if you are right now, then this is your reminder to log off!
Don’t panic when you don’t know all the answers in a test, do you really need 100%?
Break your studying into smaller bits and spread it out over time to avoid headaches, burnout and all the problems that come with it
Eat better. Get enough fruit and vegetables
Don’t forget about Protein, from meats, nuts, etc. it helps a lot
If you’re falling asleep in class, I usually drink water, pinch myself, take lots of notes and fidget to keep myself up
Regularly clear out your bag, because a lot of stuff builds up
If you’re a more artistic person, use drawings like visual notes, mindmaps, timelines and literal drawings to help you study
If you study with a friend, quiz each other
Study on public transport if you can, notes and flashcards on phones are good for this
Don’t neglect any of your subjects, make sure they all get some time spent on them
Also focus beyond your first exam, it’s easy to overprepare for the first test and then not be ready for the rest
When taking a test look through it quickly before hand
Remember you don’t have to take the test in order
Review your notes all the time, review helps the memory
If you want to pull an all-nighter see if you can do it in the morning or day instead, and don’t do it the night before anything important
Always look at the details, especially if you get a mark-scheme or guide for your assignments
Constantly be taking on new improvements and trying to improve your methods
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Don’t look away. Look straight at everything. Look it all in the eye, good and bad.
Henry Miller, from Dear, Dear Brenda: The Love Letters Of Henry Miller to Brenda Venus
(via violentwavesofemotion)
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Day 1 of 30 days of encouragement!
There are times we bound to meet problems and troubles, and there are times we ask or tell ourselves: “Is it worth it?”, “This is not working.” , “Why am I so hopeless?” , “Maybe I should just give up,”
But honestly, we might just be that close to our goals before we decide to give up for once and for all. Hard work never lies or cheat you, and they will definitely pay off.
The only way to reach your goal is to stop telling yourself that you can’t do it. Only you have the control to do what you want and tell yourself what you want to hear.
Like the post said, your only limit is you.
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29/03/2016 - i’m finally back!
Currently rewriting my Economics class notes! Still have a lot to go - trying to finish it as early as possible so that I can move on to my other tasks. And also, I made a to-do list earlier today: I have a hell lot of tasks to accomplish by this weekend.
Oh well.
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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!!
Happy studying!
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#5daysofstudying | first week of may
HELLO I feel like I’m forever apologizing about my lack of original posts (probably because I am HAH), but I had really just been super busy preparing for my last AP exams/finals (bless that they are all over now), and also just trying to enjoy my senior year ^-^ hope everyone has been doing well and pls take some basic pics of my super simple bullet journal spreads as my apology for not being v active
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