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#me: spends hours helping out my classmates with study material
baezdylan · 1 year
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had a breakdown over essentially nothing [convinced myself i am incompetent & stupid & predestined to fail academically after... literally doing great on my exam... -> I Am Tired (TM)]
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markiemelon · 1 month
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hiiiii~~ can i request a scenario where nerd!mark and athlete!reader are on a study date and mark finds reader so cute when they don't understand the material? also bonus points if the reader is shy and doesn't want to ask for help cus they're embarrassed
Thank you!! ur writings make me so happy
focus
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genre fluff ﹋֪֢ ♡︩ · no warnings!
pairings nerd!mark x athlete!reader
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4:18pm — ♡
“yn,” your math teacher addressed you, “im worried that your training is interfering with your studies.”
that wasn’t the first time you’d heard that, and yet, you still couldn’t think of a good excuse to tell. “look, miss yn, i’ve made it easier for you by arranging some study sessions with a classmate of yours.”
you actually felt kinda relieved to hear that. surely, some extra studying couldn’t hurt.
“in fact,” he continued, “he’s right here.” he gestured to a familiar boy walking into the room.
it was mark. you knew mark, but you never crossed paths much, considering how different your priorities were…you were all about training, and mark was all about studying…
“so i have to spend the rest of my afternoon with this nerd?” you accidentally said aloud.
“now, yn, we still have to be professional during after-school hours.” your teacher demanded.
mark just chuckled and smiled at you. his round glasses and ruffled hair added a gentlemanly charm to him that made you swoon a little.
“i’ll be off now, but feel free to stay in the classroom.” your teacher said, shuffling together some lose papers. “mark, just lock up the door as usual, i trust you as our class president.”
you widened your eyes. “he’s class president?”
“you didn’t know?” mark raised an eyebrow.
“i—uhh”
“i’ll leave you guys to it then.” your teacher nodded before he exited the room.
you approached mark. “if it makes you feel any better, i didn’t even know our vice principal until last week… so um, don’t take it personally.”
with that pathetic attempt at explaining yourself, mark sensed you were nervous. he walked up to you, his arms crossed and head nodding ever so slightly. “alright.” he said with a grin. “i won’t.” he looked at you for a second longer before pulling a chair out from the desk. he insisted that you sit, and he sat beside you.
and so the studying began… you handed mark a crumpled up page from the deepest, darkest depths of your backpack, and he looked confused “do you… want me to throw this away for you?”
“no!” you snatched it back. “that’s my calculus homework!”
“oh shoot!” he couldn’t hold in his cackle. “I’m sorry— yn im sorry.” he said it with the biggest smile on his face, weak from the laughter.
“whatever. just tell me how to solve this. or save us both some time and just tell me the answers.” you slumped in your chair.
he scanned the page briefly. “yeah, so it’s simple, really..” mark inched the graph paper closer to your side of the table.
he pointed at some numbers and rambled, of course, you couldn’t keep up. so you did the next best thing, which was letting your mind drift off to somewhere else..
“actually, he’s kinda cute..” you admitted to yourself while observing his side profile.
focus.
“it must be the glasses. he looks good with glasses.” now you were noticing things you hadn’t payed any attention to before.
focus.
“why is he so close to me…” your heart skipped a beat at the realization.
suddenly, mark’s voice became clear at the mention of your name.
“yn… focus” he cooed, not even looking up from the paper. he must have felt you staring, but oddly, you didn’t look away from him.
mark stopped his writing, but he kept his pen to the paper, holding it still as he turned to face you.
almost immediately, your confident demeanor crumbled, and now, head lowered, you depended on mark’s answer to break the silence.
“solve this one. it’s what i just showed you.” he rolled his pen to you.
“oh. okay.” you hesitantly took hold of the pencil, and did your best to pretend like you understood, but mark obviously wasn’t buying it. after writing some gibberish, you gave up.
“um, mark?”
“yeah?”
“im a little embarrassed to ask… but.. can you explain it again?”
he didn’t look surprised. he looked at you endearingly. “as expected..” he chuckled, weighing his head side to side to stretch out his neck. his gaze shifted to the clock on the wall behind you. “you know, we should probably head out now.”
“already?” you looked back to see the time for yourself. he didn’t say anything for a second, he just nodded and flashed a gentle smile. “you get too distracted.” he nudged your shoulder. your cheeks burned a little when he did that. “well you’re too distracting.” you nudged him back.
mark grabbed his shoulder where you touched as if he were injured by your strength. “i’m so distracting yet you couldn’t focus on a single thing i said?” he teased you. you didn’t have a witty comeback, so you just stayed silent and stuffed some things wherever they could fit in your bag.
at that point, it was clear to both of you that the next few study sessions you had lined up, would be far more exciting…
a couple weeks of studying with mark went by, and the flirting made its way into your classes. he was getting bolder in his advances. it started with some subtle compliments but now he’s been giving you these corny winks from a across the room, and he makes it really obvious what he’s doing.
once mark started sitting next to you, hell broke loose. one time, the teacher asked the class to solve something, and you miraculously managed to figure it out before mark did. it still backfired tremendously…
“oh my gosh, i got it!” you whispered to mark. “it’s 29!”
he smiled at you for a second, before raising his hand, while simultaneously blurting out, “29! it’s 29!”
your teacher looked pleased. “that was quick, mark. as always, you never disappoint me with your calculating abilities.”
mark threw is head back laughing as quietly as he could, and you kicked his leg underneath the table.. as hard as you could.
later, you would find yourself sitting with mark, side by side, staring down at your math textbook.
“okay, tell me the answer to number 4.”
you didn’t even try to hide the fact that you had no idea what was going on. “i don’t know it.”
mark paused and laughed out of disbelief. “yn, it’s a good thing you wanna be an athlete and not a mathematician.”
what he said was true, but it annoyed you regardless, so you snapped back.
“and it’s a good thing you’re cute, ‘cause that’s the only reason i haven’t killed you yet.”
“psh,” he laughed in an exhale. “are you into me or something?” he kept his eyes fixed on the paper in front of him.
you giggled, “i think that’s the first time i’ve actually known the answer to a question you’ve asked me.” you smirked to yourself, feeling proud of your smooth talking.
when he didn’t respond, you continued.
“yknow.. mark, for being top of the class, i thought you’d have a bit more common sense.”
“what’s that supposed to mean?” he didn’t even bother looking at you.
“yes, mark, i’m into you.”
he still avoided looking your way, but he couldn’t hold back his smile. you stayed staring at your cute math tutor, and you could tell it was making him shy. “yn. focus.” he tapped his pencil on the table.
you tried to pout. “but the math isn’t cute...”
he tapped his pencil more aggressively.
you didn’t try to fight back. you started jotting some things down desperately trying to figure out the equation, until he tapped his pencil again. “yn. i need you to focus.”
annoyed, you jerked your head to face him. “i am focused. im literally doing the math-” your eyes traced his features.
“no, i mean on this.”
“on what?”
he smiled and tapped his pencil to his cheek.
“i need you to focus on me.”
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this ended up being longer than intended... but thank you thank you so much for requesting, im so happy to hear that you like my writingggggggggff!!!!! also sorry this took so long, im kinda backed up on requests LOL.
-🍉
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way2pretty4this · 8 months
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Study Skills
Start studying a week before every quiz and/or test. This sounds tedious, and it can be, but it will help you gradually soak in the information until it temporarily becomes part of you. (If it's just a memorization thing with 20 terms or less you can start studying a couple days before the test instead)
Watch Youtube videos about the topic you are studying. This is one of the most helpful tips I think I've ever gotten from anyone (it came from my dad in 7th grade). Your professors teach you so much, and they cover a lot of it, but when it's in a text book its hard to focus on and remember, if you watch it in a cute little animated video you are much more likely to remember it. Also they might cover stuff that isn't in your text book and that way if it shows up on a test you're not caught off guard, or worst case scenario you just get a little more knowledge that someone will find interesting someday.
Get tons of sleep. Sleeping may be one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It helps you process the day's events, the things you learned, and the memorization terms you're working on. Also, if you read through your notes right before you go to bed they will be fresh in your mind - for some reason this really helps, especially the night before an exam.
This one goes hand in hand with number 2, but don't just read what your professor gives you. Find books, journals, academic blogs, etc. that address the subject you're working on. Again, either you'll be more prepared for the test later, or you'll have extra information to impress you classmates and teachers.
Write out your notes. I'm not sure if this works for everybody, but personally I think there's something about writing out my notes versus typing them that makes it a little more personal and a memorable.
Exercise! I love this tip because I hate studying. If you spend an hour working through your text book and running memorization tactics it's so refreshing to go for even just a 20 minute walk to clear your head. During this walk you should purposely avoid thinking about your school work.
Don't always study in comfy clothes. Feeling comfortable in your clothes is important, but if all you plan on doing is studying for a day, for at least part of it you should get dressed up. Put on a nice outfit and do your hair. Something that says "I'm going to get straight - A's and I'm gonna look hot doing it". Think Elle Woods.
Test your ability to teach. Try explaining the material to your friend, or if you don't have any, talk to your pet. If you don't have one of those either, then take a video and talk to yourself. If you're able to clearly explain the unit/chapter to somebody who's never even heard of the topic thats when you know you're getting somewhere. If your explanation leaves you or your subject feeling confused, then get back to the books.
ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS. This is so hard for me but the best way to do this is to turn up the music and move the electronics. If you don't need your computer for your review work, don't have it in the room. You definitely don't need your phone, so connect your airpods and leave it next door. For me I have a lock box and I put any devices I don't need in the box. Then I take the box to a different room in my house and leave it there. Preferably with a friend or family member to stop me from taking my phone out.
Lastly you need to know that the way you ace your tests is by learning every single piece of information down the spelling of the words. You should know your notes or flashcards by heart and if someone asks you about your topic while you're away from your notes you should be able to answer them thoroughly and accurately. One way you can do this is to rewrite your notes, and not in the like print over and over way, but get a separate notebook and try rewriting your notes in new words. Almost as if you're trying to write a paper from a cite without getting copyrighted.
I'm not sure if I said it before, but these are tips that have worked for me. If they don't work for you that's okay but I would encourage you to try them out. Take a deep breathe and get to studying.
♡ You got this! ♡
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im-being-sarcastic · 6 months
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study tips to improve your grades
okay so brace yourself, i got these from all over the internet and uh it’s extremely random. here goes.
self-care. yes, i know, everyone says that. but take breaks, drink some water, get a snack, call a friend. relax a little and go back to work.
get enough sleep, i implore you. there is NOTHING worse than being sleep deprived and living off espressos and red bull during exam period. please, please sleep at least 8 hours before an exam. if you can’t, take naps—20-25 minutes work best as they energize your brain. anymore than that and you’ll wake up as tired as before.
body doubling. study with a friend, be it online or at that café down the road. you can clarify your doubts with them, and quiz one another on your notes.
organize your workspace. place all your materials where you can easily reach them. remove distractions. my usual setup is textbooks on the left, notes in front of me, ipad/laptop slightly to the right. also (optionally) add a timer. every 30 minutes, take 5 minute breaks.
do NOT bullshit your assignments. DO NOT BULLSHIT YOUR ASSIGNMENTS. spend time getting them done properly. dont use chatGPT, instead find information from reliable and verified sources.
play games to learn. you’re never too old for some fun AHAHAHAH.
read the chapter that you’re going to learn BEFORE you learn it, and as the teacher/professor speaks, note out the things you would like to clarify.
be active in class— ask questions, answer the teacher. help out classmates if you can as teaching others can help you to learn that topic yourself.
okay there you go, i’m gonna get to my next class for now. i hope these help you (because they helped me!!) all the best for your studying guys, and remember to sleep enough and hydrate!!!
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lost-neurons · 9 months
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Tips from Cal Newport's How to Win at College
Recently I finished Cal Newport's another book, How to Win at College. A fast read, the book is basically a list of tips gathered by the author to help the reader succeed easier at uni.
Some of them were quite obvious to me, some of them caught my attention more, and they are the ones you can find below. Words in italics are the exact quotations, headlines are also original from the book. The rest of it is my attempt to summarize it (although the descriptions in the book itself are very short and clear, so really, check out the book). Without further ado:
Studying
Build Study Systems
before you start to study spend few minutes so you know exactly what and how will you study, that way you will optimize your work and study more efficiently
Avoid Daily To-Do Lists
rather try time-blocking
Do Schoolwork Every Day
doesn’t matter how much you do, as long as you do something daily it will be easier staying in that zone of the smooth work flow
Find a Secret Study Space
Take the time to explore the odd corners and depths of your favorite buildings on campus, and you will certainly find a hidden jewel of a study space to call your own.
however! switch them from time to time to prevent making studying tedious and alienating
Don’t Study In Groups
you really do need to sit at your QUIET desk in the library to absorb the material
seek out someone for specific help on a specific issue, then return to your solo work
Don’t Do All of Your Reading
read chapter introductions and conclusions, skim everything else
you may miss something important, your professor won’t – listen carefully during class
pay more attention to the assignments which will be part of an exam but weren’t or won’t be covered in class 
make tick marks next to sentences that catches your attention and is faster than highlighting
Start Long Term Projects the Day They Are Assigned
finish some work the same day; 30 mins are enough, plan the whole thing, do some research, maybe write some draft
Keep a Work-Progress Journal
every nigh jot down the day’s date, the long-term work you had scheduled for the day, and the work that you actually accomplished, be brief
that will keep your mind in the game, and you will feel being hold accountable
Start Studying Two Weeks in Advance
first ~12 days– an hour or so, maybe a couple extra hours over the weekend
two days before exam  – three-hour secessions to cement that knowledge
Focus On Grades, Ignore G.P.A
bad grades happen, as long as you put in the effort nobody cares about one bad day
focus on learning for the sake of learning, not for the sake of grades !!!!
Uni life
Get Involved with Your Major Department
attend the events, guest lectures, seminars, public thesis defenses
show up once a month, become a recognized face, that will have several benefits
Learn to Listen
never be the first person to give an opinion, listen to others’ thoughts first, be sure you understand their positions, and then interject your own thoughts with careful aplomb
you don’t want to be that stuck-up person who acts like they know everything, and only they are right – listen, listen, listen!!!
Relax Before Exams
studying right up until the testing begins releases too much adrenaline, resulting in troubles with focusing
take an hour before an exam to relax so you will feel confident and calm
Ignore Your Classmates’ Grades
Worry about your performance and progress; let your classmates worry about their own.
Blow the Curve Once a Term
every semester choose one class you like, then within this class choose one interesting project, and then just absolutely kill it
Ask One Question at Every Lecture
(…) when you are doing the reading that will be covered in the lecture, jot down a quick list of questions that seem relevant. Then, once in class, follow the professor’s material carefully modifying and honing your questions as appropriate. Finally, when you feel you have a question that is meaningful, and will clarify an important point of the discussion, ask away.
Befriend a Professor
make them your mentor, they provide the letters of recommendation, informal instructions, and many other useful tools you need for academic success
visit office hours not only when you have troubles with certain topics; when working on a paper talk to them about possible topics, get feedback on the selected idea, check with them the structure of your argument, ask for clarification etc. etc. etc.
Apply to Ten Scholarships a Year
For every ten well-selected scholarships and awards you apply for, you probably have a good shot at winning at least one (…). The more scholarships you win, the better your odds on future applications.
it will accumulate and after few years your resume will be looking good when joining the job market
Lifestyle
Schedule Your Free Time
so you don’t waste it sitting and wondering what to do and turning 10-minutes jobs into 2-hours ones
either you are in one of your scheduled break periods, or are you working – no more feeling guilty or uncertain when to relax
Find an Escape
schedule an escape every single week, do it alone; can be a long hike, sitting in the coffee shop reading, anything allowing you to relax and cut off uni stuff for a few hours
Exercise Five Days a Week
keep yourself active to boost your brain, but also to take care of your muscles and joints – they were made to move!
Stay In Touch
talk to your family and friends at least once a month; literally talk, call them or meet if you can, messaging doesn’t count nor sending voice massages
Don’t Undersleep, Don’t Oversleep
find out how many hours do you need to feel rested and stick to them
avoid too few but also too many hours of sleep – The fact that you can sleep more, doesn’t mean that you should.
Laugh Every Day
Find something every single day that will make you laugh
Seek Out Fun
if you don’t actively seek out fun, it won’t actively seek out you
Reconsider reading Newport's book, or give his podcast (Deep Questions with Cal Newport) a try. He's the first person I found with such a healthy approach to productivity and work
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chocodollxren · 2 years
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Hello may I order prompt 8 with Leona, a drabble please. Thank you. Take care of yourself and enjoy your day:D
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-> 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨 ,, 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙪𝙥 ,, 𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩” ! ꒱·˚ ,, #O7.O1.22🍵 ˖˚˳⊹ 'ּ໋݊◵
prompt: 8. “could you please help me? i just don’t understand this assignment.” + leona kingscholar.
no tws, gn!reader, established relationship.
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sighing, you shoved your face into your pillow, nuzzling into it. your mind was in agony after spending hours studying, but you still understood nothing. an assignment for ancient magic was due tomorrow you’ve had a week to work on, but at this point you’d only lessen your knowledge on the subject than increased it somehow. the more you learned about ancient magic, the more it felt like you had no idea about what was happening.
tossing and turning and making a mess of your boyfriend’s bed, he eventually wakes up and stares at you, ruining his nap. “stop moving, herbivore. i’m trying to sleep,” he yawned, only for you to glare at him. “and i’m trying to study.” you retorted, playfully glaring at him.
rolling his eyes, he tried to go back to sleep, only to be women up every five minutes by your frustration as you studied. “urgh! forget it.” you groaned, aggressively slamming your book shut and getting off the bed, only to find Leona’s arm gripping and forcing you back down, your back to his chest as he now sat up, annoyed by all the fuss you were making
“where do you think you’re going, herbivore?” he questioned, arms wrapping around your waist as he rested himself against you, nearly squishing you while still looking at you, clearly still half-asleep. frustrated, you tried to wiggle free, only to find yourself being held tighter, and leona smirking as you failed to overpower him. “didn’t know you hated me that much.”
“if i hated you, we wouldn’t be dating,” you scoffed, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. as his grip loosened, you got back up and looked at your book nearly falling off the edge of the bed, glaring at it as though it were your enemy. “you’re still doing that assignment?” he yawned, looking at the cover of the book and then to you.
picking it up, you take a seat next to him. “unlike you i want to be able to graduate. though i can definitely see why you’ve failed so many times with assignments like this.” you pulled opened to the page you were working, determined to actually finish it this time before you do anything else. it only took a moment before you got distracted by snickering, though.
staring up at leona, you raised a brow at what was so funny about your frustration. “you’re really stuck on something this easy?” he asked, making you let out a surprised huh? what on earth did he just tell you? this certainly was not easy, in fact, it was extremely difficult even some of your classmates are still stuck on it!
looking over what you’d written, he laughed even harder. “the whole thing’s wrong, herbivore,” it seems your troubles were the greatest source of entertainment to your boyfriend. “then show me how!” you huff back, clicking your tongue at him. leona pondered for a moment, but decided to tease you.
“I don’t think i want to help such a rude herbivore.” sighing, you decided to suck it up. wrapping your arms around his neck, “my dear amazing boyfriend.” you smiled, making eye contact with him, “could you please help me? i just don’t understand this assignment.” leaning in, you brought your lips up to his and gave him a sweet and short kiss, pulling away.
“just one kiss?” he asked as you put your textbook between the two of you, sticking your tongue out at him. “if you want another kiss, you gotta help me first.” you’d never seen him act so professional within a matter of seconds, helping you understand the material in a way that made it easy to memorize, him getting a kiss each time you managed to understand a question as a thank you.
much to your surprise, the very next week you got your results back and scored one of the highest scores you’d ever gotten in that class. your boyfriend was lazy, and never aimed for success, but sure was smart when he wanted to be! he was now going to do your ancient magic homework whenever the opportunity came up.
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✎ ˎˊ- "chocodollxren" [choco - doll - rhen] ˖˚˳⊹ 'ּ໋݊◵ dn repost.
here you go!! thank you to everyone for their patience. <33 I ALSO LEARNED HOW TO GRADIENT TEXT AND CHANGE MY TEXT TO ANY COLOR AND WILL TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS PRIVILEGE IN THE FUTURE. already been experimenting on my personal blog with it and can’t wait to just go crazy.
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quietimtryingtostudy · 11 months
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Hi! I messed up a lot in eleventh and am really not in a good mental place rn, I'm really good with tech though and was intially preparing to head abroad but can't do so anymore cause my average in my junior yr was like rlly low. So stuck w trying to prep for JEE and have already dropped my coaching - was in sankalp @fiitjee, and just couldn't handle the obnoxiously poor teaching there anymore. I'm with like private JEE coaching directly from Delhi/Kota rn that happens online but frankly I have sm sm backlog I just don't know if I'll be able to crack it. Also, in regular schooling obvi, which is a completely different pain in the a**.
Any tips/tricks/ideas on how to get into a good uni here (DTU, IIITs, BITS, etectera like anything with decent ranking so that I could still try for outside for my masters again with?)
Tysm, have been following your blog for a while and love your daily posts, they really do motivate me to head to the study table : ))
Hey anon,
First of all, I'd like you to take a deep breath and let go of your worries and stress, just for a moment. Tell them to come back in a couple minutes ;)
You have something that I don't have now, and it's something that I wish for- you have time. Realising in 12th that you have to work hard is not too late. You still can work hard and drastically improve your performance in the real JEE Mains exam.
I don't want to give you a big lecture on being motivated and fighting for yourself by studying, though that is something that you should do- fight for yourself.
Even if your 11th went absolutely horribly, you can still turn things around. I have seen people, classmates, who completely changed their scores and performance, by practising rigorously and strengthening their concepts. They were people from whom I did not expect to see 97+ percentile, but they got it- and they deserved it too.
(also there's plenty of motivation videos on youtube and pinterest, sometimes they do help, so you can go to them- just be mindful of the time you'll spend watching them)
Some tips I'll give for working on your performance:
Give mock exams. Yes, even if they're going absolutely shittily.
Analyse your mocks question by question- if it was correct, incorrect, or unattempted. Incorrect or unattempted because you made a silly mistake, had forgotten the concept, or did not know the concept at all.
Work hard but also take breaks- getting burnt out only hurts you, your health (both mental and physical) and your efficiency
You have to have confidence, and believe in yourself- I am putting in the effort, I am working hard- this itself will help your progress (tried and tested)
NCERT is literally God for Chemistry for exams like JEE Mains. Physics and Maths require a lot of practise- you can use PYQ's for all of these, and can access plenty of practise sheets from yout own institute and the web too.
Keep practising, keep revising concepts.
Keep up with whatever they're teaching in your institute. Trying to catch up with backlog while letting the current topics go, will not be helpful. Catch up with the backlog on the weekends, or whenever you get even 20 minutes spare time.
Make a timetable. And if that doesn't work, just be consistent in your studies- tell yourself to study for at least 4 hours other than school and coaching (it's going to be tough, you can set your own goals, this was just an example)
Note- I have to say, keeping up with school studies is important too, because it gets you material to study from for the boards. There's some friends of mine who are now ineligible for appearing for JEE Advance because they did not clear the 75% Boards cutoff, even though they got 90+ percentile in JEE Mains.
See if you have Delhi domicile, still you need 96+ percentile to have a chance at getting IIITD, DTU, NSUT, IGDTUW
BITS is an exam that requires speed and efficiency and immense knowledge. It's got 130 questions, +3, 0 and -1 marking, and has to be completed in 3 hours. It's very competitive, and you need to practise pyq's and work on your speed for that, from what I've heard.
Ah. Well. I hope this post covered the questions you had! If it didn't, feel free to send another ask or even message me, whatever you want. (Sorry for answering this anon after a day heh, I wanted to think things through before posting the answer)
And thank you so much for following me :) I'm glad that my posts help you get motivated to study (PS: They help me get motivated to study too)
Keep working, happily, anon! <3
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emgoesmed · 7 months
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Thank you! ☺️ sorry because this is gonna be looooong. for reference, I go to a decently known MD school but we are broken up into cohorts and my cohort is pretty small. Idk what I want to do but I know I do NOT want to do surgery. I like stuff like rheum and ID, but I LOVE caring for people across all age ranges and I don’t like the idea of spending 3 years doing IM just to be able to APPLY to do what I actually want to do. I love derm, but ooof competitive. I love neuro and psych. And I loooove the idea of rural, like being THE only doc in a frontier county sounds so cool to me. But yeah, surg sounds miserable.
Also. I worked for years, full time, in a hospital and an independent clinic before. I felt so fulfilled with patients and helping them out even when there was nothing we could do, even when I would come home crying after seeing a pt who just got a hard diagnosis, and that is a huge reason I went into medicine- I love the science part of it and also want to do the patient side of things. I may be introverted but I REALLY value human connection too. For me, knowledge alone is exciting but it feels empty if it’s not being used to help others.
None of that has changed since starting school, not at all, but I’m honestly the most miserable I have been. I full on sob at least once more than 70% of the days. I’m not sad, I don’t feel depressed, no changes to appetite or sleep or focus or anything like that, I still enjoy doing things I enjoy, and I LOVE learning the material… but I think I’m socially burnt out. And the stress of that on my body? I’m getting sick so frequently now too. Even getting stupid skin infections more because and I think it’s because im so stressed (we haven’t seen patients yet so it’s not like, getting sick from them).
I’m introverted, and I swear I’m one of the most introverted introverts because nobody else in my class seems to have this issue. Our classes are required and usually very interactive with lots of TBLs instead of traditional lecture, and we are all in one room for hours. My classmates are good people but they are SO LOUD and chatty. Even the other introverts are participating in this. I leave feeling SO socially drained that though I WANT to be with my spouse when I’m home and talk to him about his day, I just keep drawing on nothing and end up crying more because I just have no more social to give.
Even when I spend all my spare time alone doing things I like, I still can’t recharge enough. Each day is progressively worse and I feel totally shut down by Friday. The weekend barely gives me enough time to recharge and it’s just enough to do it all over again.
I WANT to be able to do things outside of classes. I have the time- really at this point I don’t need to study a lot- but I don’t have the social energy. People know I don’t go to events and get togethers, and while I will thank them for the invite and tell them I’m a major introvert and feeling too drained, and while my classmates are good people, it’s still hard to form actual friendship when I can’t do anything. And I want to be involved in interest groups and stuff like that, but I know I couldn’t handle it since I’m barely able to handle the socializing in class.
So now I’m just confused. When I try to ask people for advice they all tell me I need to learn how to be more social and “get over it” and they tell me that medicine and clinic and being a provider is so social and if I can’t easily handle 4-8 hours of my classmates, then all I can really do medicine wise is pathology or radiology. Neither of those appeals to me.
And yeah now I’m wondering if all of this was a mistake. Even if I could make my own clinic or practice “fit” my introversion like the hospital + clinic I worked in before, I’m absolutely petrified that I’ll have to deal with all of this over-socialization and drained battery for not just the next 3.5 years but then 3+ years of residency after that. I don’t know I can SURVIVE that if this is what it’ll be like. And if I only “can” go into path or rads, I don’t think I’ll be actually fulfilled in practice either.
Hi anon!
Sounds like you've been going through a lot. I'll throw in my 2 cents, for whatever it's worth.
In my humble opinion, it's important to recognize that socializing with your classmates is not the same as talking to and caring for patients.
It sounds like you are passionate about medicine and clinical care and enjoyed your previous clinical experience. I wouldn't let this experience discourage you from exploring those interests. Is there the opportunity for you to do any shadowing or participating in a student-run clinic or something at your school?
Personally, I enjoy talking to 95% of patients more than I like socializing with a good chunk of my classmates. They're not bad people, but it's a different kind of interaction and a different type of energy requirement.
Lastly, food for thought--are you sure your feelings of exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed are all due to socializing with classmates? Definitely worth thinking about anything else that might be contributing, it really does seem like you are having trouble a significant amount of the time. Is there anyone else or other resources at your school that you can talk to?
Of course, feel free to reach out if you have any other questions, I'm always happy to listen. <3
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kelseytheballerina · 3 years
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Elle Woods is my absolute favorite female film character of all time. There has never been a single character that I have related to more or who has inspired me like she has. I post a lot about my love of school and the 8-12 hour study days I frequently partake in, which lead to @awesomefitgirlstuff asking for some study motivation. I figured, why not use the queen of beauty and brains as a perfect model for the topic? Without further ado, here are a few tips on how to study like Elle Woods 💗💓💕💘
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
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You do not know everything. No one does. One of the most honest and courageous things we as humans can do is to admit that we are lacking knowledge and seek help from others. People want to help! They want you to succeed! If you need help studying, ask for help. If you need a better explanation, ask for help. If you need to see an example or two, ask for help. You have friends, you have classmates, you have teachers, and you have the internet. Help is there. Use it. Seek help as often as you need it. Even if it takes a village, who cares? As long as you end up knowing the material confidently and independently, it doesn’t matter how many sources or methods of assistance it took for you to get there. The results are what’s important.
Keep your chin up when others look down on you and just focus on your educational goals
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Some people feel personally attacked when they see others putting in hard work to achieve their goals. Sometimes it’s jealousy, sometimes it’s a feeling that their position is being threatened, and sometimes they’re just afraid of losing you when you reach a new level. No matter what the reason is, you can’t let it stop you from pursuing your academic endeavors. Firstly, you can’t take it personally. Just let it go in one ear and out the other. Secondly, you must keep in mind that if you bend to their naysaying, you are letting your dream life slip away. That’s certainly not a good idea. Unfortunately, you may have to disappoint a few people on your way to the top. Just keep your nose in the books, forgive those who have malice towards you because of it, and study study study.
Beauty & brains
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Just because you are making studying your top priority doesn’t mean it has to be your only priority. Don’t let your personal grooming slip or use school as an excuse to forgo your beauty routine. You can still make time for nail appointments, hair treatments, a bit of shopping, and putting together cute outfits even when you are deep into your toughest semesters. Plus, it will make you feel better! When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, your performance is good. Nothing beats a nice hot bubble bath after a satisfying day of answering every single flashcard correctly. Typing up a 10 page essay is a lot more fun when you have the sound of your new manicure click clacking as a soundtrack.
Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.
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Exercise is very beneficial to our ability to use our brains so intensely for long periods of time. Make sure you stay sharp, stay fit, and stay active. You’re gonna really appreciate the extra movement when it gets to a point where you’re spending 10 hours at a desk everyday. And like the I said about beauty, you won’t want to use studying as an excuse to let your fitness goals crumble. Even a 30 minute workout will lead to big results in your studying and keep you on track. Not to mention, exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill their husbands. They just don’t!
Success is for those who believe it already belongs to them.
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Do you think I study all day and night with just the hope that I will get good grades and a mastery of my skills? No!! I already know that a perfect score is in my future. I already know that high salary job opportunities are waiting on me. I already know that success belongs to me. I just have to go take it. You must have 100% faith that excellence is in your future. You can’t doubt yourself for one second. This is no time for humility. Set your goals high and be confident that you will reach them with hard work and diligence. You can achieve it.
Don’t let anyone outwork you.
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Being known for your insane work ethic is such an honor. It means you’re putting in so much effort that no one can deny it or ignore it. You must be dedicated to your studies. You must be passionate about mastering the material. You must have a true craving for knowledge. You have to put in long hours day after day after day. You will earn the top spot in your class because you’re putting in top spot work ethic. You will receive an A+ on your exams because you’re putting in A+ work ethic. Make such a large gap that no one can even come close to you. If a survey is conducted where they ask your classmates, “who studies the hardest?”, make sure that you’re the uncontested #1 champ. Be the shining example. Be the one they aspire to emulate.
Dont study until you get it right, study until you can’t get it wrong.
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To be a master of your field, you need to study like one. You can’t “kinda” know. You can’t “mostly” know. You need to be 100% sure that you have the right answer. When you perfectly understand the material and can easily teach it to others. When there’s no chance of you getting the wrong answer. That’s when you’re done studying. Strive for excellence, not to just “pass”. Remember that a perfect score is absolutely possible.
And lastly:
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jombocostello · 3 years
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(Jotaro, Kakyoin, Josuke, Okuyasu) Valentine’s Day Confessions
Anonymous asked: Happy 2021 and hope you had a great New Year’s! It’s a little early, but could I request HCs for how pt 3 Jotaro, Kakyoin, Josuke and Okuyasu react to getting Valentine’s chocolates from the person they like? If it’s not too much, maybe a little bit about what they would do in return for White Day? I love this cheesy trope. Thanks! ❤️
Thank you, and of course!! I’m such a sucker for literally any cheesy trope haha, so I really appreciate this! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
-- Jotaro --
Jotaro is no stranger to Valentine's chocolates.
Every single Valentine's day since the age of 12, he's received dozens of presents from countless peers. Most of the time, he doesn't even know their name - he just wordlessly takes the little box out of their hands and throws it rather carelessly into his locker. The spoils of the day usually end up going to his mom; Jotaro isn't a big fan of sweets.
When Valentine's Day rolls around this year, however, there is someone he wouldn't mind receiving a gift from. Over the past few months at school, he's gotten somewhat close with you. When you were seated next to each other in chemistry at the beginning of the year, Jotaro had thought nothing of it - he wasn't at all interested in making friends. However, as the class began, he started to notice little things about you. You were kind, always taking the time to strike up a conversation with him before class, and your laughter was infectious. Despite your happy-go-lucky nature, you could also be more down to earth, which Jotaro really appreciated. It only took a month for Jotaro to realize he was in love.
The hallways are loud today, as admirers rush through the halls during class to deliver their gifts. Jotaro walks to his locker and unlocks it, reaching in and grabbing a pack of cigarettes from the little shelf. Just as he's about to take one, he feels a tug at the hem of his jacket.
"Hm?" He turns around and stares down at the perpetrator. It's a girl, with pretty hair and an anxious smile. After a moment of silent eye contact, the girl shakes herself a bit and shoves a small bag into Jotaro's chest. "H-happy Valentine's Day!" she says hastily. Jotaro just places the bag in his locker and looks back at her, his expression utterly vacant. It only takes a few more seconds for the girl to hurry away, flustered and a little embarrassed.
The bell rings to signify the official end of the school day (Jotaro had skipped his last class just for the hell of it), and suddenly there's even more commotion. Despite how much he would love to get out of this hellhole, Jotaro stays put, folding his arms over his chest. His gaze locks on a locker on the other side of the hallway - it's yours. He figures he should wait for you.
In the time it takes for you to show up, six other people have gifted Jotaro Valentine's Day gifts. None of them received so much as a word of thanks, which Jotaro doesn't really feel bad about. He just wants to see you.
Finally, you get to your locker. "Hey!" he calls, waving you over. You turn around and grin when you realize who it is, and after quickly grabbing your books you walk over to his side of the hall.
"You made out like a bandit," you mutter, peering past Jotaro and at the stack of candies in his locker. "Does that happen every year?"
"Yeah," he replies. "Still don't know why." He puts his hands in his pockets and leans against the wall. "Did you get anything?"
You laugh a little and shrug. "Nah, but I was planning on giving something." Jotaro's eyes widen and he glances at the ground, trying not to let his expression give anything away. It's a long shot, but he really hopes your gift is for him.
"Are you doing anything later?" he asks after he's recovered somewhat. You shake your head, and a rare smile appears on Jotaro's face. "We could hang out, if you want. Maybe share all this stuff." He gestures to the gifts in his locker, and you laugh.
"That would be fun." Your smile softens a bit, and Jotaro watches you closely. "I guess we could share these too!"
Jotaro's smile grows, and you quickly reach into your bag and pull out a little box of sweets. "Here you go!" You present them to him with a big grin on your face. "It's been really great spending this year with you," you say, and Jotaro can feel his heart pounding in his chest. "Would you want to be my Valentine this year?"
Gingerly, Jotaro takes the box from your hands and holds it close. "Yes," he replies almost immediately. "I'd really like that."
"Cool." Jotaro carefully puts all the Valentine's candies in his bag, being extra-sure not to damage yours. Once he's done, you reach out and take his hand in yours. "Do you mind if I hold your hand?" you ask, noting his surprised expression.
He blinks and clears his throat, suddenly horribly flustered. "N-no. I don't mind at all." With a warm smile, you turn and head to the exit, pulling Jotaro along behind you. He really can't believe how lucky he is that you returned his feelings.
Outside, you both stand together in front of the school. "We can go to my house," Jotaro says, nodding his head in the direction of the route home. "But my mom'll be there."
"Sure! And I don't mind," you tell him with a little laugh. "I know you love her a lot, so she must be nice."
"...Yeah. Yeah, she's nice." Feeling happier than he maybe ever has, Jotaro walks with you down to the road. You're his best friend - you have been for a while - and he's so happy that you've become something more as well.
For White Day:
After one month of dating, you're not actually expecting to receive a gift from Jotaro. He's not a very material person; he prefers to show his love in more subtle, sensitive ways, and you appreciate it endlessly. However, on White Day, Jotaro surprises you with a delicate piece of jewelry! It's kind of obvious that he asked his mom for help in selecting it, but that makes it even sweeter.
-- Kakyoin --
Unlike his more popular classmate, Kakyoin really isn't used to getting Valentine's gifts. Since a very young age, Kakyoin has kept himself pretty isolated; he's never been very sociable. This led to him being labeled as rude and even a little intimidating, and he resigned himself to that fate.
However, when Kakyoin re-enrolled in Jotaro's school after returning from Egypt, things were a little different. Spending fifty days with four near-strangers had helped him open up, and after his dance with death in Cairo, he didn't want to waste a single day of his life. So, he approached his senior year with confidence and charisma - at least as much as he could muster - and to his delight, this ended up creating a beautiful friendship.
You've been best friends with Kakyoin since you wound up in the same class. You're both quiet, though you have an easier time socializing with your peers than Kakyoin does, and you both can be quite talkative once you've opened up to someone. It was during school lunch hour that you and Kakyoin really got to know each other, talking at length about anything either of you found interesting, and it was also during this time that Kakyoin developed a bit of a crush.
Now it's Valentine's Day, and Kakyoin refuses to let himself hope that you feel the same. Besides the crusaders, Kakyoin has never felt this close of a connection with someone, and he's terrified of letting an unrequited crush break it apart. He stands by his locker, trying not to look as anxious as he feels, and he watches out of the corner of his eye as students rush out of class to find their significant others. He's struck by a pang of loneliness as he observes two students lovingly exchanging Valentine's candy, and he tries to will the feeling away as he takes his bag out of his locker.
"Hey, Kakyoin!" He nearly jumps out of his skin when he shuts his locker and finds you smiling sweetly at him. "Shit, did I scare you?" you ask, your smile dropping.
"Yeah," he replies, laughing a little awkwardly. "Don't worry about it." He gets the last of his stuff together and throws his bag over his shoulder. "So how was math today?"
You give him something between a smile and a grimace. "Oh, you know - hell." You both laugh. "The test's next week, so at least I'll have time to study."
"We could study together!" Kakyoin suggests, then all in a rush he feels heat flood to his face. You blink, looking similarly flustered. After quickly shaking himself, he stammers out, "If-if you want to! If it's not weird or anything."
You clear your throat, hastily shaking your head. "Not weird at all! No, I'd love to." Phew. Kakyoin lets out a small exhale and nods. "But hey - can I talk to you for a minute? Over where we have lunch?"
Kakyoin frowns. He starts to ask if something's wrong, but he stops himself. "Oh - alright." Together, you and Kakyoin head over to the back of the school, underneath a large tree. This had been where the two of you met.
There's a solemn feeling to the air as you lean against the wall of the school, taking a quick breath. Kakyoin watches you nervously; he's actually managed to forget what day it is in his worry for you. "Is something the matter?" he asks gently, and you look up into his violet eyes. "If there's anything I can do, please let me know."
You grin, surprising Kakyoin, and suddenly you reach out and wrap your arms around him. "No, nothing's wrong," you murmur, and Kakyoin can hear the smile in your voice. If nothing's wrong, then what...? "I have something for you."
Kakyoin hesitantly lets you go, and you quickly reach into your bag. He almost forgets how to breathe when you pull out a little pink box with a red heart sticker on top. "I was kinda scared to do this, because I don't really know if you feel the same way that I do, but I figured I should try. Would you be my valentine?" With the most adorable grin, you reach out and offer him the box of sweets.
For a few moments, he can't figure out how to cohesively form words. As his mind searches desperately for a response, he carefully takes the box from you. "Yes," he finally forces out. "Yes, I would love that more than anything, (Y/N)."
You laugh out loud and stand up on your tip toes, pressing a kiss to Kakyoin's cheek; you laugh even harder when his face turns the same shade as his hair. "I'm so glad," you say softly. "I was really hoping you felt the same."
"Of course I do," he responds quickly. "You're wonderful." And he leans down and kisses you, and the motion is the most natural thing in the world.
For White Day:
Kakyoin's main goal for White Day is to show you just how much you mean to him, and how much he appreciates your love. He'd get you something that's connected to an interest of yours, whether it be a book from a series you enjoy, a new video game, or a clothing piece from a line you love. He wants the gift to be as personal as possible, and the greatest gift for him would be seeing the way your eyes light up as he gives it to you.
-- Josuke --
Valentine's Day is always the most hectic day of the year for Josuke. In fact, right now he's running full-speed out of his high school to try and avoid the horde of students who intend to shower him in Valentine's Day gifts.
He appreciates it, he really does, but after so many years of countless peers fawning over him, he's starting to get a little sick of it all. He doesn't really understand why they all like him so much; other than his sick pompadour, he's pretty sure he's just like any other guy.
He bursts through the front door and keeps going, racing past the train tracks and finally stopping in front of the cafe down the street from his house. He quickly grabs a table and throws himself into a chair, trying desperately to catch his breath. If he lays low here for a while, hopefully he'll be in the clear -
"What's up, Josuke?"
He whips his head around when he hears his name, but instantly he relaxes when he sees it's just you, his buddy who moved to Morioh only a few months ago. You're a good friend of Josuke's; ever since you were shot with the stand arrow and gained a new ability, you've been spending a lot of time with the other stand users in town - mainly Josuke. You're a really easygoing and lighthearted person, but at the same time you're smart and witty, and Josuke loves spending time with you.
"Seriously, what's going on? You look like you just ran a marathon."
Josuke laughs breathlessly and nods. "I did. I was trying to avoid the Valentine's crowd."
"The crowd...?" you ask, raising your eyebrows. Josuke gestures for you to pull out a chair and take a seat. As you sit, he rests his chin in his hand.
"Yeah. Every year I get totally swamped with Valentine's Day gifts. It's sweet, and I appreciate it, but it can be seriously overwhelming."
Josuke notes a change in your expression, but he can't quite place it; is it embarrassment? Either way, it's gone in a second, and you laugh a little. "Didn't know you were such a charmer," you tease, poking him in the arm, and he swats your hand away with a grin. "Seriously, though, that must be tough. Does rejection ever discourage them?"
"Not really, honestly. I guess I can admire their perseverance." Suddenly, a waiter arrives and asks the two of you if you'd like a drink. "Yeah," Josuke says quickly. "I'll have an iced tea. How about you, (Y/N)?"
You blink, looking a little stunned, and after a moment you order your drink of choice. As the waiter leaves, Josuke looks at you with a frown on his face. "You alright? You seem a little out of it."
You wave your hand through the air, smiling. "Nah, I'm good." After a little more chatting, the drinks arrive and you both enjoy your beverages.
After a few more minutes, you hesitantly say Josuke's name. "What's up?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.
"Ah..." You grin nervously, looking to the side. "I get that Valentine's Day is a sore subject for you, but - isn't this a bit of a Valentine's date?"
Instantly Josuke turns bright red. "Oh my God!" he breathes, totally mortified. "Are you - are you uncomfortable with that? If you are it's really no problem, I just wasn't thinking and - "
"No!" You reach out and grab Josuke's arm, looking at him with wide eyes. "No, I'm not uncomfortable at all. Are you?" He feels his heart skip a little at the sincerity in your eyes, and he shakes his head. "Okay." You let go of Josuke and reach down into your schoolbag, pulling out a small letter. "I really should thank you for dropping the perfect opportunity right in my lap." With a small smile, you set the letter down on the table. "Josuke, would you wanna be my valentine?"
There's something so genuine in your voice that makes Josuke nearly swoon. He can't believe he's never realized how sweet you really are. "Yeah," he says quickly, a grin growing on his face. "Yeah, that would be amazing."
"Really?" You laugh and lean across the table, giving Josuke a huge hug. His heart nearly skips a beat when he realizes you're purposely being careful with his precious hairstyle. "Oh my God, I'm so happy." You let go and lean back. "You scared the shit out of me with all that Valentine's Day talk."
Josuke laughs. "My bad. I'm glad I didn't scare you off." The two of you continue on your impromptu date, and Josuke tucks your letter into his pocket. He's excited to read it, and he's ecstatic to be your Valentine.
For White Day:
Josuke would want White Day to be a full-day experience; he'd take you anywhere, from the mall to the beach and even hours away to a theme park. He'd even skip class if need be! Being with you is so much fun, and he'd want his gift to reflect that. A day full of adventure would be the perfect encapsulation of your relationship.
-- Okuyasu --
Okuyasu has never been too serious about Valentine's Day. For a good portion of his life, he really didn't even have any close friends besides his brother, so romance was never even remotely in the picture for him. However, once he meets Josuke and the rest of his stand-user classmates, he starts to feel a little romantically inclined towards you, his closest friend in your already tight-knit group.
You're a complete goofball. Your favorite hobby is making people laugh, and you succeed wholeheartedly in that task whenever you're around Okuyasu. He finds you hilarious, and he finds it extremely sweet that you love making him smile so much. He likes to think that he does the same for you; you seem to like spending time with him, seeing that you do so pretty often.
When Valentine's Day rolls around, Okuyasu is completely prepared to confess. He's scared shitless, but he's so passionate about his feelings for you that he's willing to ignore any anxieties and make his feelings known. All day he suffers through his classes, playing the scene over and over in his head. It has three outcomes: either you accept and return his love, you reject his proposal but agree to be friends, or you flat out refuse him and cut all contact. He can't describe how terrified he is of the last potential result, but he forces himself to be courageous and persevere.
Finally, his last class ends, and he hurries to your locker. There you are, going through your books, and Okuyasu's breath catches in his throat at how lovely you look today. It might just be the adrenaline, but he's sure you look more beautiful than you ever have.
Nervously he approaches you, and you spot him before he can greet you himself. "Hey, Okuyasu!" you call, waving with a bright smile. "How's it going?"
"Alright!" he replies, his voice far too loud. "Just the same old, ya know?"
"Same here. I was just waiting to get out of class." You finish with your books and shut your locker, and you turn to him. "So what's up? Do you have any plans later?"
"No," he responds hastily. "Free schedule today. But, uh - " he takes a deep breath " - I did have something I wanted to talk to you about." Your eyes widen, and you smile a little.
"So did I! Yeah, there was something I needed to tell you too." You voice wavers a bit, and Okuyasu feels his heart pound even harder in his chest; are you onto him? Are you trying to shut down his feelings before he can mess up and reveal them? "Do you wanna talk outside? It's a little loud in here."
"Sure! Sounds good!" With a horribly forced laugh, Okuyasu follows you outside and into the school courtyard.
You take a seat on a little bench and Okuyasu plops down next to you. "So... I guess I should just tell you, then," you mumble, your voice totally uncharacteristic.
Sweating, Okuyasu vigorously nods his head. "Sure - well, maybe you'd like me to go first?" he offers; you sound oddly nervous.
You say something in reply, but Okuyasu's so stuck in his own head that he honestly doesn't hear it. He figures that it's now or never - Valentine's Day is dwindling to an end - so he reaches over and pulls his love letter to you out of his bag. After sucking in a deep breath, he turns and presents the envelope to you. "For you!" he announces, eyes squeezed shut, and he hears nothing in response until you start to laugh.
He opens one eye, and he nearly bursts into tears when he sees that you're holding a Valentine's Day gift of your own out to him. He feels laughter bubble up in his chest, and he bursts into laughter, setting the envelope on your lap and leaning back to let out a full belly laugh.
"We - we really both - " you wheeze, clutching your sides as you look up at Okuyasu with grinning, teary eyes. "Holy shit, dude! I can't believe it - " You're taken by another peal of laughter, and the two of you laugh and laugh for what feels like hours.
Finally, the hilarious moment winds down to a close, and you wipe the tears from your eyes. "Oh my God, Okuyasu. I'm so happy." You reach out and take his hands, and he nearly jumps at the contact. "I was praying you felt the same, I really was."
"So was I," he responds, grinning. "I love you, (Y/N), and I'd love to be your Valentine."
You gently raise his hand to your mouth and press a soft kiss to his knuckles. "Of course," you breathe, and Okuyasu is utterly smitten.
For White Day:
To Okuyasu, the greatest gift is something that is made with love. Therefore, he decides that the perfect White Day gift is a homecooked meal! He's been taking cooking lessons with Tonio for a good while, so he's fully equipped with the skills to make you a wonderful meal. He might slip up now and again in the preparation, but that's what makes a dinner cooked from the heart so special.
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saturnity · 3 years
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Telling Tenya Iida to take care of himself. Tenya Iida x Gender Neutral, Best Friend Reader.
(authors note: this is my first full length fic in...a while. motivation hit me like a brick and I decided I'd churn something out! this fic is dedicated to a few special friends: @classreptenyaiida, for the interactions I've had with him, @yarozu for being such a great fan and supporter!! @lostcoves for being my first friend on this platform and for being so so kind to me, @uwu-iwanttodie because god I know you're a sucker for tenya just like i am, and @tryingmyves for sticking around and being a wonderful person!! there's also one more special person this fic is dedicated to but I don't know their tumblr url and if they wish to be named LOL // but yes anyway, enjoy! i hope you like this, feel free to send me any feedback, rts and follows appreciated!!!)
warnings: none! all fluff. good for everyone.
Tenya Iida and (f/n l/n). The both of you were inseparable, friends since childhood, in the same class throughout elementary and middle school. You were overjoyed to hear that you’d be in the same class with him again in UA, brimming with excitement to be able to stick by his side for longer. Of course, you had a crush on him ever since you could remember...but you were really too scared, terrified, really, to confess to him- in fear of ruining your 15 years of friendship.
Out of all people, you were the person who knew how determined Tenya was to not only reach, but exceed his goals and aspirations. You knew how much he wanted to satisfy the people around him and meet their expectations. You didn’t exactly understand why he did it, but you knew how driven he was, and how he’d do anything within the law and the rules to get there. And he rarely failed. Tenya was a great inspiration in your life, encouraging you to do better, while growing together. In a way, he influenced you to work hard, train harder and to do your hardest. The both of you became a force to be reckoned with; your parents and Tenya’s parents realised this, and hoped you’d do great things as heroes in the future, allowing you to spend weekends and holidays together.
Throughout your first term, Tenya enthusiastically took up the role as representative of Class 1-A with pride. He’d come to you for feedback for his ideas, always asking your opinion before proceeding, and you’d be his biggest cheerleader. You improved ideas he delivered, making sure small details were tweaked, and ensured logistics ran smoothly. Whenever Tenya needed help, you were the first he’d go to. Tenya presumed the role of a figure of strength within Class 1-A, readily assisting people in need, hosting study groups after school, and going the extra mile to make sure everyone was...more or less, in line. His work towards being a ‘good hero’ started here, and it wouldn’t stop until his last breath. As an Iida, he worked daily to strengthen his reputation as a helpful, strong figure...no, a reputation as a hero.
But inside, you knew Tenya was tired. He was slowly burning himself out. He didn’t need a savior, but he needed someone to shake him awake. There were days where you’d find Tenya a little less awake than usual, even though he seemed to have the same amount of energy as every other day. You’d catch him zoning out after school days ended, maybe he’d drop from his chopsticks once more than normal at lunch, and sometimes he’d even forget to bring certain things to school. Your best friend definitely wasn’t sleeping or resting enough.
You did your best to make sure Tenya was taking care of himself. Sometimes, you would gently remind him to drink more water, or to get more sleep. Other times, you’d deliberately book ‘study sessions’ with him, only to do the exact opposite- taking him to a cafe for a ‘change of environment’, introducing him to several new drinks and cakes, much to his dismay. Or maybe you’d eat lunch on one of the school rooftops, and allow him to take a nap afterwards on your shoulder while you ran your fingers through his coarse, navy hair. Perhaps you’d relax at your house, a movie would be playing on the TV, and while he’d feverishly insist on studying or doing something more ‘productive’, you’d gently but stubbornly insist that he rest. As the days passed, Tenya placed his focus on his ambitions, and your opportunities to ensure his leisure decreased.
One night, you wondered why Tenya pushed himself so hard. Was it because he was a people pleaser? There were definitely times where he would be almost too eager to help others. Or was it because he decided to shoulder his world of responsibility alone? Maybe it was because he was constantly surrounded by good examples of what a hero should be, that he held the burden of his family name, that he was expected to be the next best thing for the hero community...or maybe it was all of the above. Tenya had been working tirelessly for this; yet he didn’t know when or how to take care of himself and to forget to be selfless. He was always running to help others, always thinking in the position of others, or whatever would be better for the future. You didn’t remember the last time he did something for himself. Regardless, you decided that you’d definitely work a little harder to make sure your best friend would care for himself. After all, everyone needed someone else to lean on, right?
You shook your head. “No. I’m serious. You need to rest. Or at least take it easy this weekend.”
Finally, one Friday afternoon, you saw Tenya yawn in class for the first time. He looked close to falling asleep, in fact, you could say he was positively exhausted. His eyelids fluttered downward, their weight becoming heavier and heavier with each blink. Inside, he was praying he wouldn’t get picked on to answer a question- he just wasn’t really following the class material anymore. Or worse, he hoped Mr. Aizawa wouldn’t assign group work- it’d mean he would have to actively interact with other people, which he didn’t have the energy for. Thankfully, the bell rang, and the gray, bleary-eyed teacher dismissed his class, unfurling his sleeping bag and escaping the room to get a nap himself. You walked up to Tenya’s desk and playfully smacked his arm, shocking him a little more awake. He adjusted his glasses and looked up to you.
“Heeey. Someone’s looking tired.”
“I suppose I didn’t sleep quite enough last night, (y/n).” Tenya grinned. To the normal eye, it would seem like one of the class rep’s normal, signature smiles, but to you, there was a fatigued weakness shielded behind its sunny exterior.
You arched an eyebrow. “You’ve said that every day for the last month and a half.”
“I know, I know. There’s so much work I need to get to, in fact, I should return to my dorm soon to st-” Tenya had finished gathering his things and prepared to leave the classroom, until your hand reached out onto one of his broad shoulders and pressed him back down onto his seat.
“No you fucking don’t.” You folded your arms, a frown plastered to your face.
Tenya scowled. “Please, (y/n), can we joke around later? I have to get th-”
“Look, if you’re aiming to be a successful hero in the future, you might as well take your own advice that you give so often to others and rest. You always tell us to make sure we get enough sleep, and you’re not even doing it yourself. If you’re tired or sick, you won’t be able to perform as well as you want to, right? And you always want to be at your best, don’t you, Ten?”
“But-” Tenya protested. He had so much work to do, so much to get to.
“Tenya Iida. In our 15 years of friendship, I’ve never seen you this fucking tired. We’re only in our first year. Are you going to keep doing this throughout school? Or what, the rest of your life? For the love of god, cut yourself some slack.” You almost yelled out in protest, in disgust of seeing your best friend suffer in silence.
Tenya stared at you in shock. You’ve never spoken to him like this before, or at least, it was rare. Usually you played more of a supportive role by his side, and when you were more assertive, you were never this pushy. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he heard you shout. The remaining members of Class 1-A who hadn’t yet left the room stared at the both of you in a similar amount of surprise as your bespectacled classmate did. After sighing, you decided to use reason that Tenya would buy into, desperately hoping he would do as you said.
“Then it’s settled. We’re gonna take it easy this weekend, okay? And don’t apologise for making me worry. It’s my job to look out for you, you know. And we haven’t napped together in a while too. I kinda miss that.” You brought Tenya into a hug.
Tenya sighed. You were right. He couldn’t hide that he was tired. And honestly, it was exhausting having to troop through each class with the meager 4-5 hours of shut-eye he was getting. It was a battle that he knew he was losing. He surrendered to your suggestion.
“I...uh...suppose you’re right. Sorry for making you worry.” Right after Tenya had finished that sentence, he yawned. There was really no hiding his tiredness now.
“Hey...(y/n)? Thank you. I appreciate you doing this.” Tenya smiled, as he reciprocated your warmth.
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seriouslysnape · 3 years
Note
First your writing is amazing! Second if you’re willing to write for young Snape will you consider writing him with a fellow classmate (Slytherin)? They’re best friends and there’s been mutual pining but neither of them recognize it, even though her other friends have tried to convince her that Snape is into her. And eventually he’s the one to finally confess and as he anxiously rambles on, she interrupts him by kissing him.
No worries if you don’t want to write it!
SO CUTE. THESE ARE THE BEST IDEAS. This one is stupid cheesy and fluffy. 
(Below the cut ofc) :)
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Taking Chances
Young Severus Snape x Fem. Reader
Warnings: None.
Word Count: 2,355
“Doesn’t it just take your breath away?”
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“He’s looking at you again.” Your friend whispered from where she sat across from you.
You glanced over your shoulder to see the familiar Slytherin boy that you had become so acquainted with over the years. He was sitting by himself at one of the tables in the Hogwarts library, an overly large Advanced Potions book open in front of him. His black hair was unkempt and had grown well past his ears, his slender frame hunched over his study material as he quickly averted your gaze once you gave him a friendly smile.
You turned your attention back to your friend who was looking at you with a knowing smirk. You raised a brow.
“What?” You questioned.
“He likes you.” She stated quietly so no one else could hear.
You gave her a heavy sigh in response. Not this again.
“We’ve been over this. Severus doesn’t like me like that. We’re just friends.” You explained, hiding the disappointment in your voice.
“Friends who spend every day together and very clearly have a thing for each other.” She argued back, tapping her quill on her parchment.
It was common knowledge within the Slytherin House that you and Severus Snape were the unofficial couple of all the sixth years. The two of you had grown extremely close during your time at Hogwarts, and there weren’t many things that the two of you didn’t know about each other. You tended to be so close that you were blind to the fact that you both were crazy about each other.
“Is it so wrong for me to have a close friend who happens to be a boy?” You asked, feeling Severus’ stare on you again.
She shrugged, completely forgetting about the assignment she had been working on. Your other friends had been telling you for years that he admired you. They noticed the way he hid his face behind his hair when you complimented him or said something kind. Or the way he squirmed in his seat whenever you entered a room and sat next to him. The only time he ever really seemed to smile or have any sense of happiness at all was when you were around.
Other students always gave him such a hard time. He was a shy, quiet kid with not a lot of backbone to defend himself. He let other kids toss him around and walk all over him. You had always felt sorry for him. Any initial encounter you had with him had been nothing but pleasant. You were a popular Slytherin girl, boys and girls alike of all Houses were constantly feigning for your attention.
Severus was the only one who you had ever had any interest in.
He had a pure heart, which was more than you could say for anyone else who had ever tried to win you over. He was just a little different was all. There wasn’t anything wrong with that. You steadily began to build a beautiful friendship, and you saw a side of Severus that you were sure no one else would ever witness. He quickly became your best and most trusted friend.
You didn’t expect to fall in love with him though.
“Not at all. I’m just saying that it’s clear that you’re dancing around one another.” She pointed out, briefly looking at Severus and then back to you.
You didn’t offer any kind of response, hoping she’d drop the conversation. You were sure that she, along with the rest of your friends, were horribly wrong. You didn’t believe that Severus had feelings for you, no matter how badly you wanted it to be true.
She leaned in even closer, her voice even quieter than before.
“You know, [Y/N]...there’s no shame in making the first move.” She advised.
You snorted, rolling your eyes.
“Yeah, and be horribly rejected and humiliated? No thanks.” You replied curtly.
She shot you a doubtful look.
“Come on. Severus would never embarrass you. The worst that could happen is that he says no to a date,” She said, trying her hardest to persuade you; “Just take a chance. You never know what might happen.”
You rolled your eyes again, packing up your stuff. You were done with this conversation.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to spend my time with someone less pushy.” You insulted your fellow Slytherin friend.
She didn’t take that personally. She brushed it off, knowing you were just frustrated. You moved yourself and your belongings to the table where Severus was sitting.
“Can I sit here?” You asked him sweetly, knowing he wouldn’t mind.
He nodded in response, acting as if he hadn’t just been staring at you for the last half hour. A hot blush crept onto his pale cheeks so he shook his head slightly to push his hair in front of his face to hide it.
“How is your Potions homework going? I haven’t done mine yet.” You asked, eyeing the book he had been reading from.
“Rather well. I can help you with yours, if you want.” He said.
Your chest fluttered gratefully at his offer. Severus was exceptional when it came to Potions. It wasn’t a shocker that he had chosen to take Advanced Potions this year. You were decent enough at it to qualify for the advanced class, but you still struggled with some concepts. Severus, on the other hand, completely aced it.
“That’d be great. This chapter has been hard for me.” You admitted, reaching into your bag to retrieve your less impressive Potions textbook.
He began to walk you through the homework, pointing out what each section required you to do. You had placed yourself next to him, watching as he scribbled the names of ingredients and amounts of each on the parchment. You watched how his focus trained in on what he was doing, and how he carefully explained certain concepts to you.
He was so cute when he was confident.
“You try this last one. It lists the ingredients and you have to figure out what potion the question is asking for.” He said, handing your quill back to you.
When you took it from his grip, your fingers brushed against his for a moment. His skin was surprisingly supple, yet calloused in some areas on his hand.. He spent a lot of time brewing potions, so you expected him to have some wear on them. Your eyes met his for a moment, looking stunned that your hands had just touched.
You quickly zoned back into your work, ignoring the flushing feeling you felt in your legs. He patiently waited for you to read the ingredients listed. He noted how your brows furrowed in concentration while you racked your brain of all the possible answers. You were dedicated to your work and education. You were motivated to be a successful witch after you graduated next year. He admired your work ethic and determination. He was so fond of the way you went out of your way to make him feel seen. You genuinely cared for him and made him happy.
“I think it’s...Everlasting Elixir?”” You said, half content with your answer.
“Exactly,” Severus confirmed; “You’re better at Potions than you give yourself credit for.”
You swallowed hard at his compliment, but gave him a kind smile. He really could be so charming...even if it was unintentional.
“Thanks, S. You’ve been a huge help.” You returned the compliment.
He gave a rare, but cute smile in return. He was more than willing to help you. A silence grew between the two of you. Suddenly, neither of you could think of what to say. You thought about what your friend had been saying. Maybe you should make a move. It wasn’t like it would kill you if you did. You didn’t want to ruin your friendship by any means, but you were afraid you’d regret it if you let this go undiscussed.
“Do you want to meet me in the courtyard later? The sunset is always so pretty this time of year and I hate watching it alone.” You said, deciding you needed more time if you were going to do this.
Sunset watching? Severus thought about that idea for a second or so. You hadn’t ever done that together. Wasn’t that something that couples did?
“Yes. I’d like that.” He accepted.
You sheepishly laughed, nodding excitedly.
“I’ll see you then.” You said, getting up from your seat and dashing out of the library.
You had to prepare yourself for any outcome. At least now you wouldn’t spend the rest of your life wondering what could’ve been.
__
Dusk came quickly over Hogwarts castle, faster than you wanted it to. The sky blended into a beautiful canvas of orange, purple, and red. You were sitting on a concrete ledge, your feet swinging over the side. You had been building this moment up in your head all day. You still didn’t even know what you were going to say. How would he react? What if it totally destroyed your friendship?
There were too many unknowns that you just didn’t want to deal with if you didn’t have to.
The courtyard was surprisingly quiet for a Friday evening. Usually there were all kinds of students spread out around it. You took that as a blessing though. At least now there wasn’t anyone around to witness your possible rejection. Soon after, you spotted Severus entering the courtyard. He was walking with his head lowered slightly, per usual. However, he seemed to be standing a little taller than he usually did.
“Hi, Severus.” You greeted.
He was lovestruck at how beautiful you looked in the golden hour lighting. Your skin glowed and your eyes sparkled with perfection. He just couldn’t understand how anyone could feel this strongly about someone. He often wished that you were trained in Legilimency so you could read his mind every time you saw him.
That way you’d know how he felt about you. He thought that he made his feelings clear over the last few years. He was obviously interested when he had conversations with you or even when he was in your presence. You were the only person he helped with Potions or any class for that matter. He had laid his feelings out on the table in the only way he knew how. Couldn’t you see how his heart yearned for you?
“You look wonderful.” He said as boldly as he could, taking a spot next to you.
You smiled for the thousandth time that day, thanking him graciously. You  looked to the sky, mesmerized by the pretty swirls of color.
“Doesn’t it just take your breath away?” You asked, sighing contently.
Severus replied, but his eyes weren’t on the sky. But you didn’t notice.
“Yes. Every time.” He confessed, his black eyes on you.
He continued on.
“I wasn’t aware that you watch the sunset often.” He stated.
You shrugged.
“I don’t do it every day. Just when I have time for it.” You explained, gaze still fixed on the sky.
He nodded in understanding. He thought about how you were a lot like a sunset. Beautiful, comforting, calm, consistent. He knew he could always count on you to show up for him. He loved that. He was close enough to you that your shoulders were almost touching. If he paid attention, he could feel body heat radiate off of you.
“Did you have a nice rest of your day?” He questioned.
He was always so curious to hear about your day. Every aspect of your life fascinated him. You liked that he always cared about the seemingly small things.
“I did. I managed to finish all my homework. I’m tired of having weekend work.” You laughed.
He laughed as well, a soft, calculated sound bubbling out of him. You felt your nerves begin to rise back in your belly. You had to do this while the moment was right. You had to get on with it. Just ask him how he felt...or rather confess your own feelings. You had put this off for far too long.
Take a chance. Just take a chance.
You took a breath to speak, ready to bite the bullet, but he beat you to the punch.
“[Y/N], can I tell you something?” He asked, forcing his hands to stop shaking.
You were stunned for a split second, but recovered rapidly.
“Of course. Anything.” You prompted him to go on.
He looked to his feet, his shyness shining through. He gulped and anxiously pushed his hair behind his face.
“I really like you.” He confessed through a tight breath.
Your brain short circuited. No way. The tables had surely turned. A million emotions crashed over you like a giant, ocean wave. You were flooded with excitement, relief, happiness, and love all at once. Severus went on.
“Uhm a-and not just as a friend. I lov- I like you a lot more than that,” He announced; “I d-don’t want you to be mad at me now, but-”
And then you kissed him, gently and sweetly.
It caught him off guard at first, not expecting that reaction. He took it as a good sign, kissing back before it was too late to do so. He never saw this moment coming, but he was so glad that it did. He had never had a girlfriend before, but he was pretty sure he was going to like it.
You pulled back to look at Severus, who was wildly blushing now.
“I’m definitely not mad.” You smirked.
He smiled softly and contently.
“You like me too?” He asked, wanting to be absolutely sure.
“Yes. I absolutely do.” You nodded happily.
He exhaled with relief. This was more than either of you could’ve ever dreamed of. It was something you had wanted for long that it almost didn’t feel real. He kissed you this time, adoring the feel of you against him. For a moment, your mind went to the conversation you had earlier. You knew one thing for sure.
You would definitely take chances more often.
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eleanorbloom · 3 years
Text
When You're Ready Ch. 25
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Pairing: Bryce Lahela x f! MC (Eleanor Bloom) x Ethan Ramsey.
Word Count: 6.3k
Warnings: Mentions of panic attacks, innuendos and Spanish dirty talk (with proper translations 😂) oh and lots of fluff   Rated: T
Taglist: @utterlyinevitable @binny1985 @shanzay44 @choicesficwriterscreations @starrystarrytrouble @lahellacute @lucy-268 @cinnamonspongecake @romewritingshop @freckles-spangledvampire @mercury84choices @curiousconch @thegreentwin @openheartfanfics
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Chapter 25. 24 Hours
It's a little soon
But I wanna come home to you
It had been forty days since she last put a foot in Edenbrook. Forty-six since the incident.
Memories of that day floored her mind as she was standing in front of Edenbrook Hospital looking for the strength, the bravery to come in.
The trauma about that place wasn't as big as it was in the first days when she couldn't even conceive being alone in a hospital room, worried that something could happen and she would be trapped there alone again; but was still there, leading her to catastrophic thoughts from time to time.
What if something happens again?
Eleanor couldn’t stop that question from popping up in her mind over and over again, but she’d reassure herself, over and over again, that anythingcould happen anywhere. It could've perfectly happened at the airport, on her way to Ohio, on her way back to Massachusetts. On her way to the hospital, even.
Anywhere.
So after a long, deep breath and ignoring her mind trying to trick her for the umpteenth time, she headed toward the entrance.
The hospital inside was with its usual hustle. People in and out at every moment; nurses, doctors, and other professionals deep in their work, some of them recognizing her and stopping to greet her, some others just giving her curious glances when she'd walk by their side.
Despite feeling overwhelmed by the amount of prying eyes and people inquiring about her state, she felt content with being back at Edenbrook. She’d been missing the familiarity of that place.
Banerji was as welcoming as she thought and happy to see her back at the hospital, though he didn't hesitate to tell her she could take more time if she needed. Eleanor thanked him for being so understanding during her time away but assured him that she was ready and therapy would help her in case things take a turn for the worse.
After chatting with Banerji about the hospital and life in general, Eleanor sauntered towards the Diagnostic Office, hoping she’d find Ethan to inform him personally about coming back to work the next day.
When she reached the glass walls, she found Ethan alone, deep in concentration reading something from his computer.
Her heart felt weird at the sight of him. The man she used to be in love with. It seemed almost impossible to think her heart belonged to him two months ago.
“Hello,” she said softly, standing at the entry.
His blue eyes widened by the sudden appearance, but quickly softened into a warm look when he recognized her, “Eleanor, what a surprise,” he said, standing and walking towards her, “How are you?”
“I’m doing better,” she shrugged, and both stared silently, awkwardly, unsure what to do next. But after everything had happened, there was no need to pretend anything, nor accentuate fondness when there wasn’t such or conceal coldness to not expose her feelings.
She wanted to believe they were already past that point, even if they only had two, almost three (normal) days to deal with the aftermaths of the end of them, and forty days apart seemed a good amount of time to do some healing.
So, she simply went for it and gave him a friendly greeting hug. They hadn’t seen each other in a while, so she greeted him just as she greeted her friends, just as Naveen greeted her that morning. Ethan was also her friend, despite everything, and maybe this was a way to show him she’d buried the hatchet after everything had happened between them.
Briefly stunned by the gesture, Ethan returned the embrace patting her gently in the back, "Are you visiting?" He asked while both were taking a seat at the circular table.
“Not really, I came to inform Naveen, and now to you, that I’ll come back to work tomorrow.”
“That’s good to hear. The Team hasn’t been the same without you.”
There was a tint of sadness in his voice and eyes when he said those words. There was more to it than the explicit meaning. It wasn’t just the Team, it was him he hadn't been the same without her, but that information didn’t mean anything to her. Maybe in another time, or another life, that would make her change her mind, would make her quiver and see hope in the hidden messages.
But not now.
At this point in her life, she was completely over him, and head over heels for Bryce Lahela and nothing could change that.
“And I’ve been missing using my brain for more than follow plots in my series,” she teased, trying to conceal the fact that she still could read him like a book, “I suppose I have a lot of journals to catch up with, too.”
Ethan chuckled, seeming a lot lighter than a few seconds ago, “Oh, yes you certainly have to.”
After catching up for an hour with Ethan about the team’s work, Eleanor headed to the cafeteria to have lunch with Bryce and some of her friends.
*
Late in the afternoon, after cleaning up last night's party and unpacking her suitcase, Eleanor took the T to Bryce's apartment.
There was still one person she needed to talk to.
When Eleanor stood outside the apartment door, loud music was heard inside, and a really passionate voice reciting a rap song with perfect speed and lyrics. Chuckling, she waited until the song was over to knock the door.
“Are you practicing for America’s Got Talent? 'Cause girl, you’re killin' it” she asked when Keiki opened the door, wearing Bryce’s red Stanford hoodie and a messy bun tied over her head.
“Ella!” she sighed before engulfing Eleanor in her arms, “Ohmygod, hi! What a surprise!”
"Hey, Keiks…" Eleanor replied, fighting back the tears. She didn't expect such a warm welcome from her at all, much less another spontaneous hug from her, but she returned it enthusiastically, "Oh, I missed you, kiddo, how are you?"
“I’m doing fine,” she assured, inviting her to come in, “I’m finishing my homework before studying for my history test tomorrow.”
“Woah. Bryce told me you had a test today too.”
As both approached the living room, Keiki grabbed a mix of notebooks, papers with concepts and diagrams, and some flashcards scattered all over the couch and piled them in the coffee table to let Eleanor take a seat beside her, “Yeah, Chemistry. Next week I’ll have my last two exams and I’ll be up to date with my curriculum.”
“Keiki, that’s amazing!” Eleanor congratulated, sitting on the couch, “And really impressive. Doing two months of exams in three weeks it’s a lot, I hope you get to learn well, though.”
“Oh, yeah. I honestly thought I wouldn’t make it, but I’ve got mostly As, so it was totally worth it the hard work.”
“It clearly paid off, you must be so proud! And Bryce too!”
"Yeah, he is, though it annoys me sometimes that he's so… nosy, like, he sits beside me to know what I'm studying, and he starts questioning me, and argh, you know how he is."
“Aww, but he’s trying to help you!”
“I know, it’s just…” she sighed, looking a bit conflicted, “My mom never sat beside me to study with me. Never. Only to ask me if I was doing good at school, etc, but she never actually cared about my… learning process, so I guess the whole thing it’s kind of new for me. I know I said I wanted him to show he cares about me, but sometimes it’s like.... too much…”
Eleanor nodded, encouraging her to keep talking. She knew how contradictory her confession was, even Keiki seemed to see it that way, but it was understandable. It wasn't easy to adjust to a new life where she had attention and genuine care, and that amount of worry, considering how independent Keiki was for being a fifteen-year-old, was certainly too much for her.
But she was happy for what that implied. Keiki was openly recognizing Bryce cared about her and was trying to give her as much time as he could, and that was progress compared to what she had felt a month ago.
She also felt happy Keiki still trusted her to share those things with her.
When Bryce arrived home, he was beside himself with happiness for having the two most important people in his life together again, joking with each other as Eleanor was finishing making dinner, and Keiki was setting the table.
He knew Keiki was over with whatever conflict she had with Eleanor, but seeing it materializing was different.
However, Bryce and Eleanor took things slow. She just stayed for dinner and before Keiki went to bed, she returned home to prep for her first day back at work. And the following weeks she didn’t spend more than two nights a week with Bryce to not alter the dynamics Bryce and Keiki were establishing since she started school.
Apart from the whole ‘over-worried Bryce about her studies’ thing, and the typical fights every adult has with a teenager, things ran smoothly between the Lahela siblings.
Both were doing their best to make it work.
Keiki had found a good group of friends at school with whom she used to spend her free time, and who had her back when some classmates tried to bully her when they found out about her family name. The first time it happened, she didn’t let them get under her skin and called them out and stood up for herself instantly, because there was nothing, and no one, who could ruin her peace now that she finally had a place to call home and people to call friends. She was done with the bullying.
One day, though, that attitude turned into suspension because she punched a boy who crossed the line with her, but Bryce, instead of scolding her, congratulated her by inviting her dining out for being so badass.
No one dared to talk about her after that day.
*
The first day back at work wasn’t easy for Eleanor. Nor the following days. From time to time certain things would trigger her trauma, making her remember painful details about that day, and consequently, cause panic attacks that would force her to lock herself in supply closets until the irrational fear was over. Luckily for her, some of those times happened when Bryce wasn’t in the OR, so he would sit on the floor with her to try to ease her mind or at least distract her until she was feeling good enough to come back to work.
Sometimes it happened out of nowhere, but most of the time it happened when she was walking outside the DT's patient room, or when she saw Danny attending his therapy sessions.
It overwhelmed her to see how weak he still was compared to her and even compared to Rafael, but Danny reassured her that he was doing fine, that he knew recovery would take him some time, but he was thankful for being alive and having another chance.
Sienna was happy with this second chance too.
Therapy helped her a lot, though. It helped her to unload the baggage she'd been carrying for so many years, and to not let her most recent trauma do more harm than it already had done. She was fighting hard to have her life back but to also be able to let all those fears in the past and give Bryce everything he deserved in their relationship.
She wanted to give him everything she once promised.
Between work, therapy, and trying to find ways to save Edenbrook, weeks happened in a blur, and before knowing it, the first days of snow arrived, and with that, the gift of a night of celebration with her friends, the Hopeful Hearts Gala.
“Why the smug smile on your face?” Eleanor asked, her arms locked around Bryce's neck as their bodies swayed to the beat of the music.
“Are you kidding? I’m the luckiest person here, dancing with the most beautiful woman in the whole world,” he said, grasping the fabric of her astonishingly beautiful red gown before lifting a hand to swirl her in one swift motion.
“Aw, mi amor. I have to disagree with you,” she said, placing both hands over his chest, feeling his warmth through the silky fabric of his blue floral button-up shirt, “I am the luckiest for calling the most handsome and loving man in the world my boyfriend, beat that.”
Bryce grinned before biting his lower lip “Okay, that’s really hard to beat, lots of people would kill to have your position.”
“Oh, I know, but you’re worth the fight, though I’d prefer not to fight at all, you know?”
“You don’t have to. I’m yours forever,” he whispered, and not missing a beat, Bryce leaned to brush his lips in her ear and added in a sultry voice, “and I’m counting the seconds until I take this dress off you and I make you mine.”
Eleanor lolled her head to the opposite side reflexively, feeling as a shiver was electrifying her entire body.
More than intoxicated with his innuendo, she turned to him and gave him a suggestive smile, “A couple more rounds with donors, and I’ll be all yours. Well, I am already yours, but I’ll allow you to use your prerogatives on me.”
“Wow, I didn’t know you could do fancy dirty talk too.”
“It comes with the dress,” she purred before drawing her face an inch away from his lips, her eyes still fixated on his, “Once you get rid of it... te hablaré sucio como tanto te gusta.” (I’ll talk dirty to you just as you like it.)
“Oh, please stop it,” he growled, pressing her body against his, his now dark eyes gazing hungrily at her cherry lips.
“Cállame,” she challenged, arching a brow and parting her lips invitingly. (Shut me up)
“Gladly.”
Bryce didn’t hesitate a second and captured her lips on his, kissing her with eagerness for a brief two seconds. The place didn’t allow for more, but it was enough to leave her cheeks flushed and her eyes ignited with desire.
“Stop it or I’ll drag you outta here and we won’t get to talk with more donors for the entire night. I mean it.”
“Alright, seré una chica buena,” she said with her best angel face before taking his hand and leading him to a group of philanthropists standing by the drinks table. (I’ll be a good girl).
Suddenly, she felt his hand pinching her waist with deliberate force, “You’re gonna pay for this, Andrea,” he mumbled discreetly in her ear as both were walking between attendees and colleagues with perfect smiles on their faces.
“Oh, I’m sure,” she said sweetly, before extending her hand to a posh couple debiting with a glass of champagne in their hands, “That’s precisely the point.”
*
When Eleanor opened her eyes the next morning, Bryce was already looking at her, his bare arms loosely tangled over her body.
“Good morning,” she said sleepily, tilting her head to kiss him.
“Morning gorgeous, how did you sleep?”
“Amazing, but…” A yawn interrupted her words, making her stretch between his arms, “I wouldn’t mind staying with you for another three hours.”
“Mmmmh, me neither,” he said softly, smiling pensively before embracing her.
After a minute of silence, Eleanor narrowed her eyes, stranged by how oddly quiet he was that morning. Bryce normally was noisy and chatty rather than pensive, much more considering the amazing and well-spent night they just had.
“Is something the matter? You’re kinda quiet this morning.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Love…” she stared at him, serious, waiting for his answer.
Bryce looked at her silently for a second, stroking her hair before answering, “I was thinking… Ok, I know this might be too much but I…”
Yeah, something was definitely happening because Bryce didn’t use to babble.
“I watched you sleeping for a while, you know? And I couldn't help but think how beautiful it would be to wake up like this every morning.”
She felt her chest swelling with a very well-known warmth at his words and the yearning smile he gave her.
“Oh, I see” she sighed, grinning nervously at him.
“And go to sleep every night with you by my side…” he continued, his hand now resting over her face, his thumb caressing her cheek, “And go to work together and… just live with you, babe.”
And her stomach fluttered with the images that started forming in her mind with every idea he was disclosing, and her whole body felt like melting, melting with that familiar warmth Bryce used to cause on her. With wonder.
As she wasn’t able to say a word, Bryce's smile faltered instantly, “Oh, babe, I’m sorry, it was just an idea, I didn't mean t-”
She shook her head, “It’s not that, I’d love to live with you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, that would be… god, perfect.”
“Then why don't we do it? I spoke to my landlord the other day because I wanna move to a bigger apartment with Keiki, and he let me terminate my lease early if I move between Christmas and New Year… ”
“Bryce… ”
She didn't know what to say. She loved the idea but a part of her was terrified about it. It terrified her she could screw it up again with Keiki. Or with Bryce.
But she knew she had to be braver than that. She’d been working on that in therapy and this was her first test.
“This could be our chance...” he persuaded, careful not to sound too insistent.
“Love, it’s not that simple.”
“Babe, if you don't want to do this just tell me, I won’t get mad because you don't feel ready.” His tone was earnest and there was no doubt he meant it.
“Listen, it’s not that I don’t want to, I do, but there are a lot of things we should consider before making that decision. The most important of all, Keiki. Have you even asked her what she thinks about this?”
He shook his head.
“Then you should start there. It took you a long way to get along with her, and making a decision like this without asking her could really damage her trust in you.”
"Mmm, you're right. Not because everything is okay now, it means she'll be okay with you moving in."
“Exactly. But even if she agrees, don’t you think it’s kind of… weird that we move together considering Edenbrook is closing and probably we’ll have to finish our residencies somewhere else, probably in different cities?”
Bryce furrowed his lips, thinking, “Not really? I plan to stay in the area, mostly for Keiki. I wouldn't like to force her to start over again in a new place and school. Salomon Kenmore and Mass Gen have great surgical programs so I’ll send my applications there as my first options. And… well, you told me the other day you were planning to apply to Mass Gen and BWH because those were your second and third options if you hadn't got admitted to Edenbrook. ”
“It's true. But what if I'm not accepted? If I end up, I don't know, in New York, or Cleveland?”
"Who cares? I mean, of course, it would be sad if we had to go to different cities, but is it really a reason to not take the chance now? We'd still have full five or six months ahead of us. Whether we end up here or not, we could enjoy this time while we can, and if in the end we both stay in Boston, much better."
Bryce was right. It didn't make sense worrying about something that wouldn't happen in several months when they had the chance now to live together for at least five months. All this, in the hypothetical case Keiki would agree to Eleanor moving with them.
“You’re right. It’s better five, six months than nothing.”
“Exactly, it’s making the most of our time together.”
Eleanor bit her lip, her eyes sparkling with excitement as new ideas started popping in her mind, unleashing all kind feelings and plans, "Awww, that would be so amazing! Having breakfast together before going to work, making groceries list, planning menus for the week…"
“And fighting who does the dishes or cleans the bathroom,” Bryce added, with the same excited tone Eleanor was using.
“Oh, and I’d yell at you every morning because you’re taking too much time in the shower.”
“And I would yell at you that you could join me instead of complaining.”
“But you can’t do that! Your sister’s here!”
“But it’s just a shower!”
“We both know it’s not just a shower, Bryce Lahela.”
“Damn, that’s true, but if we move to a bigger apartment with an ensuite bathroom,” Bryce gave her a mischievous smile, pressing her tightly against his warm body, “She wouldn’t even notice.”
Eleanor rolled her eyes, suppressing the smirk forming on her lips at his insinuation, “You’re impossible.”
Ignoring her feigned glare, he continued, “And we’d have dinner the three of us every night, and we’d brush our teeth together before going to sleep, and then you’d snuggle up to me every time you have cold feet…”
“My love...”
The sole idea was enough for her to say yes, but she knew, she knew she had to think about it seriously, even if Keiki agreed. Moving together carried a lot of responsibilities, with their relationship and also with Keiki, so she couldn't make the decision lightly.
“I’ll talk to Keiki about this,” he assured as he saw the mix of hope and concern in her eyes.
“And I’ll think about it and… probably start my applications to secure a spot here in Boston.”
“Deal.”
They sealed the agreement with a soft, lingering kiss before getting up to start the day.
The proposal kept ringing in her head for several days. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to move in with him, but she knew there were a lot of obstacles to make that come true.
Keiki was one, but also the uncertain future about where she’d be next year. But even without the idea of moving in with Bryce, it was about time she did something about her residency.
She started looking for places besides her two first options. New York and Baltimore had good programs too so those could go in third and fourth place considering closeness with Boston. Cleveland was another, but mostly because it was in Ohio.
Once she had a secure list of hospitals, she decided to discuss her options with Ethan and see if he could write a recommendation letter to incorporate in her application.
However, part of her was worried he would question her choices, probably the fact that her first two options were unmovable partly because she wanted to stay close to Bryce and Keiki.
With the whole hospital working for the free clinic, it was hard to find free time, so as soon as she saw Ethan was taking a break to have lunch, she followed him to his office and explained the situation.
“Your list of preferences is fine in my opinion,” Ethan said after both discussed the programs she had chosen, “but I don't understand why you're so adamant with Mass Gen and Brigham in the first places. They are great, but John Hopkins has a better Diagnostics Department.”
“I know, but I'm trying to prioritize options that let me stay in the city. Good options. Mass Gen is second nationwide.”
Ethan nodded, his gaze pensive. He was fighting hard the urge to ask further, but he did it anyway, “Are you doing this for Lahela? Because I assume he’s planning to stay in the area for his sister.”
Eleanor was expecting the question, but that didn't make her feel any less startled. She knew that 80% of her decision was professional, that she chose those places because they were her options two years ago, and still were one of the best options in the rankings, but for a moment, his words made her feel like she was actually making it just for Bryce.
Was that inherently wrong? Probably so, but she knew herself enough to tell she'd never make a professional decision onlythinking about someone else.
“I’m not, but what if I was?” she asked, trying to placate her defiant tone.
“I just want to make sure you're making the choice that's best for you.”
Eleanor begged internally he wasn’t going to come with his paternalistic attitude as always.
“And this is, Ethan. As I said, I came up with my first two options because those were the places I would've gone if I hadn't been accepted here. But yes, I also have personal reasons for wanting to stay here. Bryce and I are considering moving in together, so it would be ideal if we stayed in the same city.”
Ethan looked baffled for a brief second. At the next, he was the same stoic Ethan she knew.
“If you're sure that's the best for you, I support your decision.”
But she could tell it was hard for him to say those words.
“You really mean that?”
He sighed.
"Look, if I have to be honest, I don't agree with you at all. Personally, I would never let anyone or anything interfere in my career, so my choices would be different from what you made…"
“But that's you…”
“Exactly, that's me, so it doesn't matter what I think. What matters is what you want, and if you're telling me this is important to you, that these are the best options to you, I have to respect that.”
Eleanor was agape. That was something Eleanor would've never seen it coming in a million years.
Ethan chuckled, amused by her reaction, “I know I spent a lot of time questioning your decisions, both professional and personal, but that time is over. As a colleague and friend, I can tell you're doing what's best for you, so I cannot do anything but support you.”
Yeah, it seemed the time apart, and all the time they had been spending since her returning had done something to mend their relationship. Three months ago Ethan wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to question and criticize her decisions and would’ve mocked her for taking Bryce into consideration, but instead, and for the first time, she was surprised in a goodway by Ethan.
"Thank you, Ethan, it makes me really happy knowing you're on my side."
“You’re welcome, Eleanor.”
Eleanor left his office, happy and more sure than ever about her decision.
When she was expecting the worst, ready to set boundaries and fight for her decision- even if she knew she didn't owe him any explanations about her decisions-, Ethan was surprising her with empathy and support.
They'd come a long way and finally, they were finding the balance.
*
A couple days later, the morning of her birthday, Eleanor was clocking out after a long shift. The idea of going home and having a nap before getting ready for her lunch date with Bryce was the only thing on her mind.
However, as soon as she got out of the hospital, the figure of a familiar teenager approaching made her stop in her tracks.
Keiki.
Eleanor almost didn't recognize her as her face was hidden under a light-blue parka and a white scarf tied around her neck. It was freezing outside.
“Keiks? Hey! What are you doing here? Bryce isn’t working today.”
“I know, I came to see you actually. Happy birthday!”
"Oh my god, Keikiii! You're too sweet! Thank you!" she squealed as Keiki was crushing her with a warm hug. "Aw, you might not want to hear this but you're almost as much of a good hugger as your brother."
Keiki blushed, “As long as you don't tell him, it's okay.”
“It'll be our little secret.”
“Great, now come with me, I have a surprise for you,” she said in a confidential tone before taking her hand and leading her to the parking lot.
“A surprise?”
“Yes, but it’ll take us a while to get there, so you have to be patient.”
After a short walk, they found Bryce waiting for them in the car. As soon as Eleanor sat shotgun, Bryce wrapped her in his arms instantly, peppering her with kisses over her lips and cheeks and down her jaw, “There's my birthday girl! Happy birthday again, beautiful.”
“Mmmh, you’re in the sweetest Goldie mode today, uh? I love it.”
“Hope this day is as good as you dreamed.”
“Well, with Keiki's surprise visit and the surprise that's coming, I'm sure it will be!”
Bryce stared at her silently for a moment, his gaze charged with hope and something hidden she couldn't quite decipher, but it made her more excited about the surprise.
Suddenly, the door of the back seat opened, “Are you two done? I’m freezing out here.”
“No, but you can cover your eyes if you can’t stand watching some innocent kisses,” Bryce teased, kissing Eleanor once again.
“I’ve seen more than enough between you two too many times.”
“It’s not like you’d get a disease if you watch us, you know?”
“Bryce!” Eleanor giggled, “Leave her alone! We are done, Keiks. Get in here! I cannot wait to see my surprise.”
After a ten minutes ride by the snowy streets of Boston, Keiki tied her white scarf around Eleanor’s head, covering her eyes as Bryce started slowing down the speed, “Okay, we’re closer to your surprise.”
“Oh man, I’m getting nervous now.”
“Don’t be, it’s safe and I’m sure you’ll like it,” Keiki assured softly, a tone she rarely used, as she helped her get out of the car.
As they began walking, Eleanor hooked her arm around Keiki's so she could lead her to their destination. Keiki didn't let her go any second, guiding her through the entry of a -she guessed- building, helping her to get into and out of the elevator, and then leading her through a hallway until a door closed behind them. Seconds later, Keiki untied the scarf.
“Surprise!”
After trying to adjust her eyes to the bright light, Eleanor found herself and Keiki alone in an empty room. It was an empty apartment, actually. White immaculate walls, big windows, a new, shiny kitchen, and a spacious living room.
“Keiki, wha...?”
The teenager bit her lower lip as she started to shorten the distance between Eleanor and her, “Bryce talked to me the other day about the idea of you moving in with us. I must confess at first I didn’t like the idea, thinking I’d feel the same I felt… well, you know when.”
Eleanor nodded silently.
“But then I thought… There’s nothing wrong with you, or with me, or with Bryce. We only had problems communicating, and thanks to you and the way you’ve cared about Bryce and me, we could solve those problems and now we’re both trying to make this work.”
“I’m glad you can see it that way now.”
“I know we never talked about it after what happened, but… I wanna apologize for being so unfair with you, for kind of blaming you when it wasn't your fault, and…”
Eleanor could sense Keiki it wasn't easy for her to speak so earnestly, but it was clear she meant every word and every feeling.
She breathed in deeply.
“And at the same time, I wanna thank you for always taking care of me. For always taking me into consideration and trying to do what's best for me, since the first day we met. You… You've become like a sister to me, Ella, the sister I didn't know I wanted, so thank you for being there for me.”
“Oh, Keiki, please, you’re gonna make me cry.”
“Sorry not sorry,” she teased, her cheeks profusely blushed.
Her heart was so warm, she thought it would melt any second. And she was so happy, she thought she could fly any instant.
“Keiks… I had no idea you feel that way about me,” Eleanor hugged her, “Thank you for telling me.”
"Everything is true. I know I'm not the kind of person who says these things, but I really mean it. And I'd be so happy if you move in with us. And of course, my brother would be happy too. The happiest, actually."
Eleanor grinned broadly, her eyes glistening with joy. “You're like a sister to me too”, she confessed, throwing her arms around her again.
As if he knew it was the right time to get in, Bryce opened the door, and poked his head inside, “Can I come in now?”
“Yeah, weirdo, come in,” Keiki allowed, as Eleanor freed her from her embrace.
After drying her tears of joy with the back of her hand, Eleanor turned to Bryce, who was looking at her, expectantly.
“So, what do you think? I hope you don't mind spending the morning of your birthday looking for the perfect apartment to move in.”
Eleanor looked at Bryce, his eyes charged with hope and possibility. It was a possibility what she couldn't read early that morning. But she could now because her head and her heart were full of possibilities too, full of plans and a beautiful, bright future together with Bryce and Keiki.
And when she turned to Keiki, her smile was welcoming and her eyes sparkling with the same possibility. For once in her life, she wasn't hiding any of her emotions.
She thought about the things that had been holding her back. Right there, there was none.
Her heart wanted this. And she hadn’t realized how much she wanted it until that moment.
She was ready.
Ready to fully commit and take this new step with Bryce.
Ready to take this new responsibility with Keiki and try to give her the love and care she'd been lacking her whole life.
Ready to be part of this pretty little family.
Feeling an outburst of joy, Eleanor ran and clung to Bryce to smooch him sweetly, “I love it! I love it, I love it! And I love you!”
Bryce encircled his arms around her to lift her from the floor, his gaze devastatingly tender, “And I adore you, baby,” he whispered.
She rested her forehead against his, feeling the warmth of his breath before kissing him one last time. This was a moment she was sure she’d remember her whole life.
“Fun fact number one about domestic Eleanor,” Bryce said once Eleanor’s feet were back on the floor, “She’s actually a koala.”
Keiki, who was looking at the windows resisting the urge to laugh at the clingy scene, turned to her brother, “Oh, just as you’re a Goldie?" she retorted, mischievously.
“Exactly, Keiks! Exactly!” Eleanor said, chortling at the remark.
Grinning, Bryce approached his sister and rested an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side “Keiki needs a pet name.”
“Oh, no, no, no no, you leave me out of this,” the girl said, trying to get rid of her brother’s grip, to no avail.
“I agree with Bryce. You cannot be the only one in this family without a pet name.”
Keiki’s eyes widened at the mention of the word family. Forgetting completely the annoyed act, she smirked fondly at her and then to Bryce, realizing what she had in front of her.
Her family.
“Keiki is totally a cat,” Bryce stated seconds later, “She likes to be left alone, and only likes love when she asks for it, but not when you give it to her, and she hates me, just as cats hate dogs.”
“Oh my god yes! You'll be Kitty, then!”
“No, no way you’re gonna call me Kitty, anything but that,” she refused, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Grumpy Cat then.”
Eleanor cackled, and even Keiki couldn’t help the laugh.
“Love, Grumpy Cat? She’s not that grumpy.”
“If Bryce’s around, I am. So, as you'll only call me that way when we’re at home, it will totally suit me. Anything is better than Kitty at this point.”
"Grumpy Cat, Koala, and Goldie, quite the zoo, uh? Does this apartment allow animals?" Bryce asked.
“Bryce, don’t start with your dad jokes already!” Keiki scoffed, finally freed from Bryce’s arms, and sauntered towards one of the bedrooms, leaving Eleanor and Bryce alone in the empty living room.
Sharing a hopeful smile, Bryce took a few steps towards her and rested his hands over her hips, “Did you like the surprise? I hope this isn’t forcing you to make a decision.”
Eleanor encircled her arms around his neck, thoughtful.
“No, no, love, it was perfect. I’m actually… still a bit incredulous about what Keiki said and… well, that she agreed.”
“There's no way she wouldn't feel that way about you, babe. You've been so supportive and just… good and caring with her.”
“She's a good kiddo too, a girl that has been through a lot and didn't deserve any of what she had to live.”
“Lucky for her, her brother's girlfriend has the biggest, warmest heart this planet has ever seen, so she'll get all the love she deserves.”
Eleanor gave him a sweet peck on the lips before looking softly at him, eyes conveying nothing but adoration.
“Just as you will.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yes, my love. Every morning and every night of every day.”
-----
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. With the mess book 3 has been, this kind of fluff has been really therapeutic to write. Even the bit with Ethan helped me to recalibrate, because he's been insufferable in this book. Luckily, here I could portray him more as he actually is.
A big hug to everyone of you, and thanks again for reading ❤️
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lifewithlala · 4 years
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How to catch up to your classes
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Figure out how behind you are
The first step is figuring out how behind you actually are. Will you get anxious? Yes. Will you panic? Most likely. However, brace yourself. You got yourself in this, so make sure you get yourself out too. If you don't, nobody else will. Grab a paper or open a document. And do the following:
List all your subjects
Mark what you will be evaluated for. Is it an essay, presentation or your good old theoretic exam?
For each item that you have to deliver write down the following
Essay: How long should it be? Is it a team project or individual? How
Presentation: Is it an individual presentation or with a partner?
Theoretic: How many chapters will the test be based on?
Don't panic. Prioritize.
I'm not going to lie, you WILL be overwhelmed once you finish that list. However, you are not obligated to do all of them. What do I mean by this? Well, why don't you try to make a couple of them during resit period? I started a whole semester late, I had double the exams than my peers. Is taking all the exams at once doable? Certainly, but you will have to sacrifice your sanity and be content with a passing grade. However, I am not the type of person that is satisfied with a passing grade and I am also kinda lazy so I would choose which exams I would take in the examination period and which ones I would take in the resit period. That way, I didn't overload myself with stuff and ensure a high grade nonetheless. Work smarter, not harder, kids.
This is where prioritizing came in handy. Based on the previous information gathered in the first step, filter which exams are the most important. Do you have a subject that requires an essay, presentation and a theoretic exam? Make it a priority. Is that theoretic exam feared among all students for being hella difficult? Make it a priority. As a rule of thumb, make all team projects a priority. So, then... What do you leave for resit? Is it an individual paper that does not require a lot of work or cannot be too long? Resit. Is it an individual presentation? Resit. Is it a simple test in a subject you are confident in? Resit. Although I do recommend trying to take all the written exams in the examination week. However, if you see that the workload is too much, move one to the resit.
Create a Master Calendar
Now that you know what you will be prioritizing, it is important to create a master calendar that will help you catch up. Here are some guidelines on how I do it.
Mark off all your deadlines first
Per subject divide the study material in tasks: What chapters do you need to study? When will you outline your paper? When will you write? Revise it?
Schedule the most pressing or time consuming assignments first
Assign 1 or 2 study subjects per day
If you work with programs such as Notion or other software that helps you with project management, doing a big backlog can be a game changer. Want more in depth information? I wrote a blog just about that here.
Have a structured and mindful study routine
I was surprised at how much I improved my study when I implemented a study routine. Before having one, I would spend hours and hours on one thing, or I would start reading about something and quickly started doing unnecessary research on what I've read. I thought I was being productive but truth of the matter is that I wouldn't finish what I actually HAD TO do. Some weeks back, I shared my study routine with you. Having a study routine is important, if you want to ensure you are completing your tasks. Pro-tip: use the pomodoro technique or set a specific time for you to finish each of your tasks. You'll finish more things that way.
Have a partner to keep you accountable
Finding a study buddy is one of the best decisions you can make when you are behind your studies. BUT make sure they are serious. This helped me so much back in my minor, I teamed up with another classmate and we created a shared doc where we each assigned a chapter to summarize. We would then come together and explain the chapter to each other. Thus cutting the time we spent reading and writing the summaries in half in order to focus on learning. Try to come up with ways to divide the workload between the two of you and then explain and discuss about it. This is a more interactive way of learning and is sure to keep you more engaged and help you remember it afterwards.
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beifongsss · 4 years
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birthday [sero]
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Pairing: Sero x reader
Requested?: Yes! a lovely anon said: “Ahh im so happy to hear you're taking bnha requests!!! So recently it was resident tape boys birthday,,, i was wondering if you could do something where it leads into the two slow dancing in his room?? Thank you so much, i really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to crank out amazing works 🥺🥺”
Summary: (late birthday post for this boy) You try to get the Bakusquad to help you set up a small birthday celebration for Sero. It seems to be going as planned but little do you know, Mina’s main goal is to get the two of you to confess your feelings.
w.c.~ 1.7k
.masterlist. taglist form.
my first time writing for bnha so i’m sorry if it’s not that good! also idk if i’d write for sero again bc it was low key hard 
~
It had been an exhausting day, with you running around trying to keep the Bakusquad under control.
You had been planning Sero’s surprise birthday party and the hardest part about it was making sure that everyone acted as though you had forgotten that there was something to celebrate. There had been many close calls, with Kaminari almost asking him what flavor cake he wanted and Kirishima almost shouting a loud ‘happy birthday!’ when Sero first walked into class.
You had been quick to jump over his desk, slapping your hand across his mouth and earning yourself multiple confused looks as you tried to explain that it was a new game you and Kirishima were playing. It was the dumbest excuse ever and you could hear Bakugou cackling in the background but Sero hadn’t commented, instead choosing to give you a worried nod before slipping into his chair. 
As soon as the bell had rung, you had sprinted out of the classroom, pulling Bakugou along behind you as you motioned for Kirishima and Kaminari to distract Sero. Even though Bakugou muttered multiple profanities under his breath as he followed you, he dutifully helped you pick out the materials you needed, claiming that if he was being forced to attend some shitty party he was going to make sure that it wouldn’t be a bad one. 
Sneaking back into the dorms was the hardest part and you could faintly hear Sero in the common room as he asked Mina where you were. Truth be told, he was pretty upset. He had been waiting for this day for months, ever since you promised him that you would spend his birthday with him doing whatever he wanted. Now that the day had arrived, you were nowhere to be found and he was wondering why you had told him that and then gone back on your word. 
You rushed into the kitchen to check on Sato, who had happily agreed to bake a cake for Sero, before sneaking into the elevator. Once you had reached Sero’s floor, you managed to sneak into his room, knowing that he always left it unlocked because he hated carrying his key around. Even with Bakugou’s condescending comments, the two of you managed to set up pretty quickly. Balloons were floating around the room, some covering the ground along with some confetti. There were streamers hung up all around the room, a sparkly banner positioned right above his bed displaying the two words you were yet to tell your crush friend. 
Once you were done with the set up, you stepped back, brushing your hands off as you looked around in wonder. 
“Thanks, Bakugou,” you said, smiling at the grumpy boy. “This is gonna be great, I can already tell.”
Bakugou simply scoffed before throwing himself onto Sero’s bed. Shaking your head, you went back down to the kitchen, grabbing Mina’s attention beforehand. She joined you in the kitchen, the two of you praising Sato for his amazing work on Sero’s birthday cake. After handing the cake over to Mina, she went up to his room and you went into the common room. Kaminari and Kirishima exchanged a subtle glance as you nodded at them and they quickly said their goodbyes to Sero before heading up to his room as well. You sighed softly as you plopped down onto the couch, leaning your head on Sero’s shoulder. He glanced down at you, smiling softly when you reached up to scratch the tip of your nose.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten,” you said, breaking the silence first. Sero’s heart swelled at your words before shrinking back down again when you continued speaking. “We have that quiz tomorrow and you haven’t studied.”
Sero’s smile dropped in annoyance and you had to stop yourself before you could apologize and tell him that you did indeed remember his birthday. You shuffled off the couch, heading to the elevator before turning around. “You coming? We can study in your room. I’ll even let you pick the music!”
He trailed after you quietly, trying to hide his disappointment as the elevator ascended. When you reached his room, you stood behind him, earning you a confused glance because he knew that you knew that his room was unlocked. So why weren’t you opening it?
“Surprise!”
Sero stumbled back slightly as he looked around his room. Bakugou was still on his bed, a scowl on his face as he scrolled through his phone. Kaminari and Kirishima were wearing party hats, party horns being held between their lips as they made a racket. Mina was standing in the middle of the room, a large smile on her face as she held a delicious-looking cake. The rest of your classmates were also there, each of them holding a gift and chanting ‘happy birthday!’. 
“Happy birthday, tape boy,” you said softly, wrapping your arms around him from behind. You were smiling widely, happy that things had gone according to plan no matter how many times your friends had almost ruined the surprise. Sero turned around and hugged you tightly, his heart leaping into his throat as he realized you had done this all for him. 
“Thank you,” he whispered, grinning widely before turning to face his friends. 
The party went well, both you and Sero flitting from group to group but never quite spending any time together. Everyone was aware of the lingering glances you would send to each other and as day turned into evening, everyone began to make excuses and leave, making sure to wish Sero a final ‘happy birthday’ before they left. Eventually, it was only the Bakusquad left and you had fun filming a silly unwrapping video of each of Sero’s gifts. After that was done, Bakugou was the first to leave, stating that it was way too late and that he needed to sleep. Kaminari was the next to go, saying that Yaoyorozu had agreed to give him a late night review session for the upcoming test. 
After a few more minutes, Mina let out a fake yawn and tugged Kirishima off of the ground. She sent you a sly smile, pausing at the door and turning to face Sero. 
“Well it’s getting late, we should go,” she said, smiling sweetly before turning back to you. “See you tomorrow (Y/N/N) don’t forget to tell Sero that thing you mentioned. Bye!”
The door shut before either of you could react and you laughed nervously before turning to face Sero. He was looking at you, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as you drifted back into his room. 
“What was she talking about?”
“N-Nothing!” you squeaked, turning away from him and flopping onto his bed. “We really should do some studying though.”
Sero hummed, not replying to you before he turned and opened up his laptop. He connected to his speakers before turning his chair to face you. “So what do you wanna listen to?”
“Whatever you want,” you replied, glad that he was choosing to ignore Mina’s words. “I told you I’d let you pick the music!”
You pulled out your notebook, smiling as you heard Sero mutter to himself. After a few seconds of silence, he let out a sound of approval and you perked up as you heard soft music fill the room.
“Well that’s a bit different from your usual music choices,” you teased, frowning slightly when Sero didn’t reply. You turned around, seeing him standing a few inches away from you and causing you to jump. “Geez, Sero. Give me a little warning next time!”
Wordlessly, Sero held his hand out and you took it, giving him a questioning gaze. He pulled you forward and you stumbled slightly, falling into his chest as he led you to the center of the room. He chuckled at you before placing your hands around his neck and putting his own around your waist. You hesitantly laid your head on his shoulder, your heart pounding as the two of you started swaying softly to the music. 
“Thank you,” Sero said softly, his voice barely louder than the music.
“What for?” you replied. 
“Everything.”
“It’s your birthday, silly,” you said. “I wouldn’t have forgotten it. You deserve to be celebrated.”
Sero was glad that you couldn’t see his face as he broke into a bright blush. Still holdin you close, he cleared his throat before speaking again. “Not just for that. I mean for everything, (Y/N). You do so much for me. But yes, thank you for today as well.”
You pulled back slightly, smiling up at Sero. “You do so much for me too, Sero. I love you.”
The music faded for a few seconds as the previous song ended and the new one began. The silence was overwhelming and you felt yourself flush under Sero’s gaze as you realized what you had just said. Before you could fully pull away and run to your room to hide, Sero carefully cupped your cheek and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to your lips before nudging your head back to its spot on his shoulder. 
“Is that what Mina wanted you to tell me?” he asked, laughing softly when you nodded. “I love you too.”
“Happy birthday, Sero,” you said, closing your eyes as you enjoyed the moment. 
“Happy birthday to me indeed.”
~
A few hours later, Mina Ashido was rushing through the dorms when she realized that she didn’t have her phone. She didn’t bother to knock as she burst into Sero’s room, immediately locating the device and placing it in her pocket. 
“Sorry for just bursting..” Mina began, turning to face Sero but trailing off when she saw the two of you curled up in his bed sound asleep. “In.”
Smiling, she fished her phone out of her pocket and snapped a few pictures before sprinting out of the room to locate Kirishima and Kaminari, making sure to close the door quietly as she left. She couldn’t help but giggle wildly as she showed everyone the picture, knowing that when you awoke the next morning you would be pissed. But she could deal with that. 
She was just happy that her two friends had finally gotten together. 
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apathycarestostudy · 4 years
Text
Academic Success Tips from My Parents
Out of all the things my parents enforced in my siblings and I, the most profound were educational and life success tips. Legit would get 100% regardless of the subject/ course/ workload. Here’s a bunch of them.
Before class:
Spend no more than a quarter of the journey to class chilling. 
Organize your study materials according to subject. Files and folders in the back, then textbooks, then notebooks. Stationery in appropriate places.
Always carry a folder full of blank sheets (plain, graphed, all the kinds!).
Fix your bag before you sleep. Hang your wristwatch on the strap so you don’t forget it when you go.
Clear your desk/study area as soon as you’re done - you’re not allowed to move out of that spot until you do.
If you have a study journal/ school diary/ study guide, read it everyday before class. 
Be the first one there, at least 15 minutes early (30 mins to an hour early is favourable).
If the teacher walks in, you better greet them with a smile, regardless if they’re crabby or not. Everyday.
You have the option to relax and do whatever before the teacher walks in. However, you have to preview the lesson before it starts. No exceptions.
Make ‘preview’ notes, which is basically little helpful tidbits about what’s to come, stuff you’re not sure about, questions and guides, how formulas connect - literally anything that’ll make the class go smoother for you.
During class:
You can talk to your friends before class, but as soon as it starts, not a word or glance in their direction.
Have all your materials either out if you have the space, or within reach. 
Listen carefully and take notes where appropriate (on printed ppts, on the corners and margins of the textbook, or an actual notebook), always, every class. There’s no such thing as ‘I didn’t take any notes today’ or ‘There wasn’t anything going on’. 
Always write the date and the day. Make an index as you go.
No highlighters during class. Underline textbooks with pencil only, and use pencils for sketches.
Whenever a teacher assigns work or extra readings or reference materials, write them down - always. Optional or not.
You better write down test/ quiz/ exam dates, even if they’re happening the next day and you’ll obviously remember. 
Speaking of exams, if the teacher mentions that word, write down everything they say, dialogue tags and all.
Answer as much questions as you can. It would be favourable if you answer twice per class or more, but it’s fine if you don’t. Your performance matters more.
Give people a chance to answer and ask questions.
Listen to what they’re saying and what response the teacher gives, even if you know it. Listening skills are important.
If an exercise is assigned during class, get on it like it’s an exam, and show the teacher your work (if possible) for corrections.  
If there’s a couple minutes before the class ends, but the teacher’s lesson finished for whatever reason (a final exercise is going on and you finished, they’re taking questions etc.) you keep to yourself if you’re not talking to the teacher. Read a book, do some work, anything productive.
You can help your friends and classmates now. Never say no, even if you’re not sure, say so and let them know you’re willing to struggle with them for a solution.
If you lend stationery, get it back before you bounce.
Arrange your materials backwards as you go through the day.
If you have another class right after, you better get over there immediately. It doesn’t matter if you’ve gotten more than enough time to mess around. Take your friends if you if you’d like.
During breaks:
Study, read, review, or preview. Something light for at least a quarter of the break this time.
If someone asks for help, help them (again). It’s good practice for you to see if you understand, and it’s good practice for when you go out into the world.
NEVER GO TO TEACHERS UNLESS IT’S ABSOLUTELY DETRIMENTAL.
If you have nothing light you can do, you can do whatever. 
After class:
Start by finishing all your homework. It isn’t due this week? Doesn’t matter. Always do your homework as soon as it’s assigned.
Once you’re done with your homework, check your study journal/ school diary/ study guide again. Take note of what’s coming up.
stUDY NOW PLEASE. All the subjects / courses you’ll have tomorrow should be either a) memorized if you didn’t have more than an hour of homework time or b) read and reviewed and tried and tested if you did. 
You can use highlighters now. Make summary notes and formula master lists. 
Organize your stuff again. 
You’re caught up with everything and barely did an hour today? Time to bust out the optional readings then.
You have no extra stuff too? Time to go on the computer and get some resources yourself. 
If there’s a big project, plan every step with excessively precise details. Follow them. Don’t forget to add buffers in case you miss something.
You missed something? Plan all over again. 
Go to sleep by 7 if you’re in school and 10 if you’re in college. You haven’t finished studying? I’ll wake you up at 3/4 in the morning then.
Did I mention do your assignments the day they’re assigned to you?
No relaxing till the weekend. You wake up, go to classes, come back, shower, eat, then study until you go to bed. Oh, and lay out your clothes right down to the shoes and socks (accessories too) right before you do.
Weekends:
Sike. You only get one day off. 
(Legit tho, back in the day, my work week was from Sunday to Thursday, and my parents would allow Thursday night and half of Friday off. We had to get up at eight-thirty in the morning max and study until lunch with zero breaks. Lunch would usually be at 1:30 pm. You can forget about most of Saturday too. We’d study till lunch, then have to go back again until late afternoon (about 5:30 pm - 4:30 if we were lucky). And then of course, since we were starting back on Sunday, we’d be in bed by 7. People would wonder how in the world we’d be able to sleep at 7 with all that we had to do as students - now you know.)
Don’t get me started on exams lol. This may seem harsh, but without this type of discipline, I wouldn’t be doing as okay as I do now with the subpar standards I’ve seemed to developed in college. Well. I’ve got a bunch of other things I used to do (some still do), as these are only the ones I could remember on the top of my head. More coming soon maybe?
Hope this helps you!
EDIT: DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT ADVOCATING ILL-HEALTH. THIS IS ONLY THE ACADEMIC ASPECT OF MY LIFE, NOT THE ENTIRETY OF IT. IF YOU’RE TRIGGERED, READ THIS. THANKSS.
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