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teabutmakeitazure · 1 month

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Zuri's Declassified University Survival Guide

This is a post about survival tips in university (undergraduate), especially if you're an international student living alone in a different country in this circumstance. I will be adding onto this later on if there's something I want to add, so keep an eye out for update reblogs of this I guess.

General Tips:

it's okay to make mistakes. you are here to learn and grow. no one is perfect, especially in the first and second year of their studies. those are mandatory experimental years. you're not expected to get magically mature and perfect when you get to university (or college for you americans). be kind to yourself and analyse your mistakes instead of beating yourself over them.

don't bother too much about your wardrobe. just wear whatever's comfortable. you might think people care but no one does. more than half of the people at campus will be in sweats or pyjamas and if someone IS dressed up, they're probably arts kids or business majors and they're the ones with the least workload (yes i am dissing you guys I've seen your workloads stop lying).

put yourself in uncomfortable social situations. yes i said that. the only reason i somewhat learnt to make small talk and learnt to talk to strangers is because I go to every single social event that I can. it's not necessary to make friends in all of them. just talk to people, exchange contacts, laugh while the event lasts even if you never see them again. this is how you survive in the lonely dorm life. and if you make an actual good friend? amazing! it paid off. even if it didn't you'll probably network and build rapport and have acquaintances from different majors.

if you're an ethnic minority, don't be afraid. I cannot stress this enough. don't be afraid to be there and take up space. you are there because you deserve to be and qualified. sure, it sucks at times because a good amount of people won't interact with you because you're 'different' but the international students will and trust me they're the coolest bunch to be friends with (I have 0 such friends so far). most times you will have to take the initiative to talk and sometimes they won't respond or worse flat out ignore you but don't let that get you down. just don't interact with them again. the world is big. not everyone will like you and accept you. find the ones that will.

eggs and milk are your best friend. a glass of milk everyday and 2 eggs. make that a staple. eggs are also very versatile for recipes. more on that in the recipes section. also yoghurt. a smol cup of yoghurt everyday too and nuts whenever you can buy them.

always have a few pack of instant noodles at home. sometimes you have deadlines or you forgot to cook or need a quick dinner because there's so much to do and you didn't get groceries. always keep them in stock. they're a quick fix for food. I'm not promoting them for frequent dinner but it's better than starving. just eat the noodles man. there's already so much shit to keep track of just eat the damn noodles.

incorporate veggies into everything food. they're good for you. if you're like me and don't like veggies, experiment with different recipes and find the one you like best. one good way is fried rice or rice with mushrooms, veggies, and meat in the rice cooker (I don't own a rice cooker when I'm writing this). just eat your veggies and thank me later. if you don't wanna cut them up, get a pack of frozen veggies. it's better than nothing. baby steps.

meal plan. if I don't plan my entire week's food on sunday night, I do it the night before for the next day. eat out as less as you can. homemade is better even if you're a horrible cook. practice makes perfect and you'll be grateful for learning a few basic cooking skills along with your degree later on. cooking your own food also gives you the liberty to add more veggies or save money.

treat yourself to stuff sometimes. yes you deserve it even if you don't meet your goals. you're trying. be kind to yourself. get that boba.

study everything done the week by that week's weekend. do the day's content that same day and don't lag behind. utilise reading week and read. don't slack off please I'm begging you. I'll even get on my knees if I have to.

you're gonna miss home and it sucks. yes you will be having your fourth mental breakdown of the week on a wednesday night and you will be alone or hiding under the blanket as your roommate is asleep. you're gonna have to tough it out soldier. I see you and I feel you. it gets easier with time and when you're doing better, you'll feel relieved for toughing through. it's so lonely sometimes and it sucks but it's worth the pain. don't lose hope.

seniors are your friends. they will give you forbidden knowledge for free. from hidden places with good food or convenience things or just life advice exclusive to your institute, they have it all. they're also generally very friendly so don't be afraid to interact with them.

annoy the living hell out of your professor during office hours if need be and utilise the student help room for help. your tutors will be happy to help you so don't be shy to ask for help. they will appreciate you coming to them, trust me. as for your professor, they're lonely people. go to office hours if you need to, chat, ask them what you need. they'll appreciate your presence and happily help you.

the security guards and cleaning staff will be witnesses to your worst states (freshly out of bed or haven't showered in 2 days) but they don't care. they're just happy to be of service and have you around. be kind to them. greet them whenever you pass by.

sometimes coffee is bad.

if your classes start at noon or later, get an hour of exercise in the morning at around 8 or 9 am. the serotonin that will hit you will be unreal. trust me.

make local friends. they're cool people and friendly and very helpful and accommodating. I may be biased but it's true.

being a student helper, student tutor, or a research assistant looks good on your resume and helps you win more scholarships.

put headphones on when in public if you don't want to end up talking to someone you might bump into. it works.

your body also has rights. treat it with care. don't abuse it. nourish it. you should take care of your body like you would a loved one. feed it good things, clean it everyday, and so on. when you feel good by taking care of yourself, you still do better and feel more confident. wash your hair with a set schedule and use good products.

make your wardrobe easier. hang your usual shirts and maybe wear the one in front each day, the previous day's being hung in the back or in the laundry basket. it saves time.

there's no shame in not having stuff. I still don't own a proper laundry basket it all goes into an IKEA bag. you live in a dorm, not a house. sometimes not having every single kind of furniture or accessory isn't bad. don't compare your setup to others. if it's convenient, clean, and homey, it's good. you don't need those expensive lights or those expensive posters to make it seem cool. what you have and what you may collect among the way is enough.

notes on paper are better than laptop or ipad

take breaks. be kind to yourself. it is you for yourself. treat yourself with love.

manage your time by designating time blocks to a certain task. it might not always work but it will help create some discipline in the routine.

having a set everyday routine helps. you don't have to think what to do, thus saving you brain power.

use a semester planner for deadlines and important information. it's useful. I highly recommend. I also have a template if anyone wants.

write down your thoughts, what's bothering you, your feelings, everything on a piece of paper or journal at the end of the day. it'll help process your emotions and you won't have to let the thoughts and emotions fester inside you, slowly simmering and coming to a boil. remember, you are your best friend.

Recipes to help you stay afloat (they're all quick and easy dw):

right off the bat I want to say boiled jasmine rice with sunny side up eggs. you drizzle a pinch of salt onto the yolk, break it over the rice, mix it with the rice and eat it and it's just *chef's kiss*. definitely a comfort food and a very easy quick dinner.

a lot of these I found while scrolling through instagram and some are from when I was trying to lose weight. hope they're helpful!

oyakodon

one pot rice cooker rice with veggies

veggie and meat single serve in one pot

chicken wrap (primarily for weight loss I think)

chicken gyros (this guy makes amazing food)

minced meat weight loss meal prep

chickpeas (chana masala. this shit is bussin i swear)

something tomato + onion + egg

one pot veggie rice (recommended)

chicken shawarma (not dorm friendly cooking but looks delicious)

egg sandwich in one pan

potato marraka (THIS IS SO GOOD)

one pot rice cooker with meat and veggies

daal

chicken and rice

pizza style chicken wrap

five different chicken marinades for meal prep

one pot biryani

takeout style egg fried rice

rice cooker carbonara

one pot yoghurt curry chicken rice

weight loss chicken shawarma

healthier mac and cheese

chicken fajita

chicken tikka masala crunch tacos

one pan braised eggs

air fryer garlic bread pizza

another veggie and rice in rice cooker

fried rice recipe

hainanese inspired chicken rice in rice cooker

tomato orzo(?)

creamy tomato pasta

tomato and egg rice

mushroom sauce (can be eaten with rice)

creamy tomato tortellini

grilled cheese sandwich

#yes im referring to ned's declassified school survival guide #damn i miss that show #this is more for myself than anyone else #i got to compile all the recipes with this as an excuse nice #anyway hope this helped #i know I'm a yandere writing blog but i can also be helpful sometimes #zuri's declassified university survival guide #took me 2 hours but meh #college tips #university tips

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greenstudies · 2 years

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Surviving college

I saw a really helpful post by @daisystudies about tips for college (link to post) and I felt inspired to share some things I learnt during my first year:

Commute will get easier - If you live close enough to your college, that you don’t have to move there, but far enough for it to be a long commute, I promise it’s worth it and it gets easier. Make sure to research ways to make commuting cheaper especially for students (most countries offer long term tickets for cheaper).

Everyone is just as lost as you are - Not even the older students are much wiser trust me.Being confused and stressed is super normal! It’s a big change, but you’ll adapt and it will get easier.

Everybody is lonely and everyone wants to make friends - People do not want to be alone and they will want to talk to you. Everyone seeks a companion and they are opened to a conversation. If you’re not brave enough to start talking to strangers (that’s okay) just try to look opened to talking to someone. Smile a bit, don’t spend all of your time staring into your phone, take part in class. I promise people aren’t as terrifying as they seem.

Professors who try to scare you are assholes and are not worth to stress over - I meet two types of professors: those who try to encourage students and those who are proud of their class being difficult. My very first lecture started with the professor listing reason why we don’t deserve to be there, which was scary. I later realised that people like that are not worth my attention. I promise you will meet great professors who will feel like mentors and will help you.

You’re largerly on your own - I know this sounds awful but stick with me for a second. In high school you are told all deadlines, reminded of important tasks and you get a very rigid schedule. In college it’s up to you to look up deadlines, find all necessary requirements and sign up for exams. This will be stressful at first but it also offers far more freedom and often allows you to do things on your own schedule.

Physical health and activity is way more important than you think - I beg you to move your body at least 3 times a week. Walk, do yoga, stretch, do sports, go to the gym - anything. Just make sure you don’t neglect your body just because of a busy schedule. It can and will do more damage than you might think.

College social life is a bit over romanticised - This might be the covid era student in me speaking but I still feel it’s important to mention. It won’t be like you see in shows and movies. Doesn’t mean it’s never fun... but still make sure not to expect the greatest years of your life. Best case scenario: you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Get a light laptop - this depends on what you study, but most majors do not need you to have an expensive computer. It’s just better to have something to have all your notes on and a lot of classes are so fast paced it’s impossible to hand write without having to go back and fill in large amounts of information, which in turn takes a lot of extra time.

Your mental health is not worth sacrificing for good grades or even a finished degree - Please set your priorities right in the beginning. Your health is the most important thing you have. You can always live an amazing life without a degree but not without your health.

#greenstudies #college #college tips #university #university tips #freshman year #tips #advice #mental health #health #school #studying #studyblr

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college-hacks · 2 years

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Ok guys I know some of us are commuters to college and some travel fairly long distances so here's some tips!!

First things first is that you need a good backpack that has lots of room and is sturdy to last you a few years

You are an hour or two away from home so carry some medications like ibuprofen, pepto pills, allergy pills, etc I personally use a round pill organizer with compartments that screw together so it doesn't take up much room

Also a small first aid kit with some bandaids of different sizes, triple antibiotic ointment, the pill thing, pads/tampons if u have periods, a brace for any joint u have issues with (if applicable), etc

I try to bring my own snacks so I'm not stuck paying vending machine or fast food prices for a bag of chips

Carry everything you could need for class. I have my laptop, charger, a 5 subject notebook so I don't accidentally bring the wrong notebook on the wrong day, a pencil case with black pens, colored pens, highlighters (love the erasable ones), 1 or 2 sharpies, etc

I also carry ear buds, a phone charger + brick, mini stapler, tape, and anything else I might need for the classes I am taking

Give yourself about 15-30 extra minutes to get there, especially during construction season because u never know what construction could pop up

Buy the parking pass, I know it's expensive but good luck finding parking outside campus parking lots

Or don't, one of my friends said if she gets caught once a week and pays for the ticket it's still less than the parking pass but that's ur own risk

Make sure your textbooks are in your backpack before you leave. You do NOT want to be an hour away from home and find out your reading your textbook in class and it's sitting on your desk

Bring a mask even if your campus doesn't require one. When the person next to you is coughing all class you will probably want one and you can't just slip out for 10 minutes to walk to your dorm

That's all I have for now but I'm sure I'll think of more because I'm writing this on my lunch break :) have fun at college this summer/fall

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an-undercover-bi · 1 year

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I am having to deal with so much Disability Services bullshit at my university right now so. . .

Here’s a sick academia-related tip for every chronically ill person out there:

Document. Everything. For real.

• Take detailed notes during accessibility-related meetings.

• Print out any accessibility related emails (your emails you send, their emails they send) with the dates clearly specified.

• Record the accessibility meetings themselves*.

It’s also worth noting that simply choosing not to delete the emails you send may not be sufficient depending on the email provider’s policy regarding old emails and how stable your internet connection/access to internet is.

So, paper copies are best.

To keep the emails: print them out, stick them in a folder or a binder and use sticky tabs to label the general subject discussed.

Trust me. This will come in handy.

You have rights. Exercise them.

* Check on your country’s/state’s laws prior to recording others without gathering consent first. These vary by country and locality. In my state—Virginia—it’s a single-party state, so only one “party” [in my case, me] needs to know the meeting is recorded). Make sure you know the laws in your area regarding this before you record.

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azsdiary · 1 year

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Idk Who needs to hear this but changing the time zone on my laptop from 9am to 1 am and resetting it every six hours to 1 am gave me The relaxed non-anxious vibes that switch on every night and got me through my last university assignment

(Rihanna, Tiffany ‘New York’ Pollard)

#study tips #video vixen #video vixen aesthetic #2000s video girl #Rihanna 2000s #rihaana #tiffany pollard #New York #flava flav #reality tv #Black girl blog #2000s nostalgia #2000s black culture #University tips #study hacks #how to study #Spotify

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sillycourtjester · 1 month

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Neat trick: look up your textbooks on internet archive dot org and fuck paying for quizlet plus.

#academic #academic tips #school #school tips #college #college tips #university #university tips #fuck capitalism

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hotchownsme · 7 months

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about to start uni guys <333

i need tips pls im scared😭

#girl help #uni #university tips #university #study tips #tips

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socstudies · 2 years

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23-09-22

Today I'm starting work (properly) on my reading for the first week of lectures. I also managed to change my optional module from law to criminology! :)

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writingwithfolklore · 2 years

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5 Tips for your First Week of University

Hi everyone, sorry for being away for a little bit! Like many of you I went back to school and things have been a little hectic since then. Until I get back on track, have 5 tips for your first week at uni/college/highschool!

Choose a seat next to someone

This is one of the best things you can do to make friends or even just gain familiarity in a new situation. When choosing a seat, make sure to pick one next to someone else. Even if you don't end up talking much that first class, people tend to stick to the same seats every day, and weeks down the line it's far more awkward to be stuck sitting alone than it is to sit next to a stranger that first day.

And who knows, you might make an easy friend!

2. If you end up sitting alone, don't put your backpack/things on the chairs next to you.

If you end up sitting alone, leave yourself open to being sat next to! Someone might want to come over and make friends, or even just don't know where else to sit. It's polite and shows you're friendly when you keep your stuff on the ground or table and leave the seats next to you open.

3. It's okay if you're a little late to your first classes

Everyone is getting used to where all the buildings and rooms are--I've never had a prof care if one of us were a bit late to our first classes. Even when I arrived nearly 15 minutes late my first year because I missed the bus. Don't stress it, and ask for help finding a room if you need to!

4. But come prepared

Most classes might require you to do some work beforehand (or even just pick up the textbook). You want to make sure you start off on a good foot and come prepared for your first classes. One, it makes you look good in front of the prof, and two, starting off having to play catch-up is really Not fun.

5. Sign up/commit to something that interests you

Even if it's just one club, hanging out at the library, joining a sports team or other group, getting involved in your school makes the experience so much better. As well, many campuses have amazing spaces and programs your tuition likely pays for, so you might as well enjoy them! It's a great way to make friends, and to come out of university feeling like you got everything you could out of it.

Have fun and good luck this semester!

#school #students #university #back to school #university tips #college #college tips #tips for students #study #life #life tips

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eyes-of-the-fox · 1 year

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Some Tips For College:

On Books:

Always check your book prices at other places, college bookstores are ridiculously inflated and they will eat you out of house and home. Amazon can be much cheaper but isn't always the best deal either (Do take advantage of their student prime). Sites like Abebooks and Ebay can save you a bunch. Check with the professor to see if older editions of the text will work (I saved an absurd amount of money on most of my psychology books by getting the previous edition which was essentially exactly the same as the new one).

Likewise renting textbooks will not always save you money.

Check places like Harvard, MIT, Opentextbooks, archive.org, gutenberg.org, libby, and other websites to see if they have your books online for free. Your local library may have access to materials too!

DO NOT carry all of your books. This can weaken your back, neck, and shoulder over time and can lead to permanent nerve damage and injuries years later. Regardless if you feel fine now. Very seldom, if ever, will you need most of your books in class. Try to find some place to store them if you need a lot of the heavier ones.

Digital textbooks can be your friends but be mindful of code errors. Keep your receipts. Always.

Citing and resources:

Your local library may have broader access to websites like ebsco than your college may have. Reference librarians are your friends.

The Purdue Owl Citation tool is also your friend and has tips on how to cite in all formats. Citation rules change regularly, it's good to be up to date on them while in the field.

When doing papers check the backs of your books to make sure the books you are citing are not just citing each other. It's absurd how common this can be, especially in history. If they cite multiple authors it's a little better.

Speeches:

The first rule of order is don't panic. Everyone is nervous, even the guy who is pretending he isn't. Even the people who do this for a living. Try to have some fun with it! It's not the end of the world.

Keep your speeches and your papers concise, list who, what, and where, and be careful of your citations. Use visual aides if you can. Summarize at the end, listing your key points again. 70~ hours from now all your audience will remember is the key points and whatever jokes you told. Two weeks from now all they're going to remember is the summary. Keep it clear.

Move around a little but don't be distracting, just relax, try to keep yourself straight and enunciate your words clearly, make full use of your mouth to accent your projection, you want to be heard but you don't want to seem like you're screaming at people. Typically screaming at your audience unless you're in a play acting the part or being murdered on stage is frowned upon.

Watch speeches. Seriously. Go watch historical speeches on youtube and archive sites, take a glimpse of everybody and the speeches that get remembered. Presidents, movement leaders, world leaders, politicians... Take a look and see what it is that they're doing that is keeping the audience's attention so focused their speech is remembered decades later.

Health:

Try not to stress. Yes, you are here to learn, yes, you are paying money and putting in time for your future, you want good grades but not at the expense of your life. The colleges I attended all had the same motto for this, you are paying them, have them help you. If you need something related to the class, e-mail your professor, talk to your advisor, make use of tutor labs, ask your classmates. Not everyone will be helpful but that doesn't mean help is in short supply. It's supposed to be exciting. Do this for you and try not to overburden yourself. If you need to take less classes or drop one until a following semester or find a different teacher don't beat yourself up about it.

Join something fun, the college paper, the theater, the choir, a sports team, anything that gets you connected and a bit of a social life, even if you only hang out with these people in class. Usually they are 1 credit classes that take place in the evening or early mornings so they rarely conflict, but they get your blood plumping, get you some exercise, and can do more for you than you think, just as you can contribute to them.

#college tips #I don't know why I felt the need to write this but I did so here it is #college #university #university tips #higher education #freshmen

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abbyofthecosmos · 2 years

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Tips on writing a personal statement

Research what kind of things the universities you’re applying for want to see – some unis like people who are well rounded with lots of extra-curricular clubs on their application, whereas some like Oxford and Cambridge only care about academics and proof you are good at the subject

If you have done any internships/work experiences in the field you are applying for, include these and elaborate on what key skills they have given you – why do these experiences make you better suited to take this course?

If you haven’t done any internships, what do your hobbies or extra-curricular clubs say about you? For example learning a language shows dedication and commitment, volunteering at a youth group shows leadership/teamwork skills, etc.

If you are writing about a book that inspired you, make it original and interesting, for example if you are applying for Physics, talking about A Brief History of Time has been done before and won’t make you stand out.

It may be tempting to just list a bunch of skills you have without expanding on why these make you a good pick for the university. Anyone can list a bunch of skills – the universities need to see why they should pick YOU specifically. What can you bring that someone else might not?

Keep rewriting and revising your statement. Get family, friends and teachers to read it and give advice.

Don’t be modest! This is your chance to really big yourself up and write like you are the most amazing student the university has ever seen and they would be a fool not to choose you.

#personal statement #uni advice #studyblr #uni studyblr #university tips #university #study blog #my studyblr

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easternelegance · 2 years

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Things I wish I knew in undergrad

Save your syllabi. If you transfer to another school, they might ask for the syllabus for a class to determine if it's equivalent to one of their classes. Also there's a fair chance that you'll wish you could look up a reference used in that class or the prof's details in the future.

Get as active as possible in your program. Join clubs related to your program. Attend lectures and conferences whenever possible. You want to be on a first-name basis with as many profs and students as possible. This is how you can hear about work and volunteer opportunities that aren't publicly shared.

Take classes with the same profs over and over. Having two classes with a prof gives you a very high chance that they will write reference letters for you in the future. You may need more than 2 if the classes have been very large lectures (200+ people) and you don't attend office hours.

Might add on more later.

#school tips #university tips #college tips #study tips #level up

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college-hacks · 1 year

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Find a hobby besties. Literally anything that isn't staring at a phone screen. It does wonders for your mental health. I learned to spin yarn on a drop spindle (you can make your own for cheap, I got mine for 5$ at a local reenactment, bought wool from the ladies at said reenactment and now am part of the reenactment lol) and you never know what other doors may open for you! It's a great way to make friends who are also into the hobby. It doesn't have to be anything artsy, it could be reading, taking walks, seeing how much litter you can pick up, collecting fall leaves that are pretty

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studyof-love-and-life · 2 years

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hi bryn's studyblr! i was wondering if you had any advice for people going into their first year of uni (hint: me) esp anything pertaining to getting a BA?

Hi Abby! I'll be honest, I'm not really sure how things may differ with a Canadian uni versus a US American one, but here are some tips!

Make friends in your classes! Not only does this mean that you know people who you can spend time with who have similar interests, but it also means that if you have trouble with anything in the class, you can go to them. I make it a goal to get the phone number of at least one person in every class. Even if you never end up contacting them outside of class, at least you have another resource

If you know what you want to do, try to figure out the requirements for your degree early. It can help reduce stress later instead of realizing last minute that you have more classes or labs you need to take (this might pertain more to US universities tho? I know a lot of other countries have a more rigid structure instead of letting you change focus in the middle of your college career)

Figure out what study methods work best for you. Maybe you'll find you work best with someone else who you can ask questions. Maybe you work best in silence. Maybe you like flashcards, maybe you don't. But figuring this out can be super helpful. Also, actually study!! Do the assigned readings and homework. They help, I promise

That being said, join clubs! Go out! Do! University doesn't have to be all studying all the time. In fact, you'll likely burn out if you do school work 100% of the time

Professors are your friends! Well, maybe not friends necessarily, but they are there to help. Go to office hours (is this a US thing too? idk), you can ask them things one on one and build up a relationship, which can be super helpful for future letters of recommendation. Ask questions when you're confused. I guarantee, you're not the only one with that question

If you're a procrastinator like me, treat any long-term due date like a short-term one, and get to work! Start planning ahead so you don't write a 10 page research paper in a day and a half like someone me did

If you get a roommate, establish do's and don't's. Establishing them early on can save you a lot of frustration later

These are what I could think of off the top of my head, but I'll let you know if I think of anything else! And feel free to ask anything, I may not have a good answer but I'll try to help :)

#have fun in uni!!#what are you studying?#tips #study tips #college tips #uni student #college student #university tips #answered asks #mutuals #abby tag #<333

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