BOOKS

Since I’m going into my third year, I’ve learnt a lot about studying, university, and anything to go with it. Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way.

BOOKS

Don’t buy your books from the bookstore (unless you need the online code to go with the textbook). Some professors are totally cool with old editions, if that’s the case, try buying that because it saves a lot of money. Make sure that if you need the textbook code (some profs have online assignments through the textbooks software), you buy it. Best places to buy books are through Amazon, your cities buy & sell, and some universities have things like a Facebook group for textbook buy and sell! A lot of my friends and I will share books if they’ve already been in a class.

Don’t buy your textbooks before the first class. Sometimes what the university’s website says is “mandatory” is not. The first class, the teacher usually addresses this.

Check out your university library. If you want a head start, take the book out from them.

STUDYING

Switch up your location. School is much more independent now, so you’ll be studying more than in high school. Changing locations helps make studying a bit more fun. I love studying at the university libraries now.

Calculate the amount studied, per class, per day. I almost always need my laptop while studying, so I have a stopwatch open and an excel doc where I keep this saved. This way I keep track of which classes I give more attention to, and how much I’ve studied before a quiz/test/exam. It also helped me find out the maximum time I can study in a day.

Plan out how each week will usually look like. This includes how much time you’ll be in which class, when you’ll be at work, commuting times (if you don’t live on campus), and when you plan to study. Usually I plan to study 1-3 hours in the evening (not including breaks) on days I have classes, but if I don’t have class, then I expect a good 4-5.5 hours of studying.

Finding your note taking method. The first month I would come home and re-copy all my notes, but that took up way too much of my time. I suggest before school starts, try a few possible methods out. Some people just come in with a notebook and copy, I prefer printing the slides and adding additional notes if needed, but some like to do this on a tablet or a computer. Whatever you choose is up to you.

Study even if the course load seems low. Even if the first month of school seems “chill” and like there’s nothing to do, go out and study! Do *not* fall in the trap that so many students fall into. After the first class, plan the semester. Get ahead, because it’s easy to fall behind.

ORGANIZATION & HELPFUL RESOURCES

Keep some type of planner. I know bullet journals are loved on here, but they may not be for everyone. Keeping a planner helps me what I have to study that day, but also for the week and the month.

Have a list of all assignments, quizzes, exams, or anything you’ll be tested on throughout the semester. The profs job isn’t to remind you when there’s a test. But having a compiled list of everything that’s “due” for you that term *really* helps you out.

Websites & apps that should become your bestie. For writing, use a combination of the Hemingway app, and Grammarly. For decluttering, or sharing information, use CamScanner, Google Drive/Dropbox to hold all the papers you might need once the semester is over. After each semester, try moving all the files, assignments, and papers onto a Dropbox to avoid clutter and not crowd your laptop. Chances you won’t need the papers are high, but in some cases it’s handy.

Don’t ever be scared of office hours. It’s your prof’s time to help you. If you can’t make the time, email them your question or ask to meet with them at another time. This is a super helpful opportunity!

FIRST FEW DAYS

Tour the campus & get your student card while your at it. Before school starts, I suggest you go by yourself and “tour” the campus. Find out where all your classes and how to get to them. Also find out where some of the libraries are near your classes if you want to get some studying in for a break. Try getting your student card before school starts if you can.

Read over the syllabus beforehand. Ask the teacher any questions on the first day if needed. Also plan your semester as soon as you get this.

Meet someone in each of your classes. People for the most part are really nice! Get their phone number too so you can text them if your late or miss a class.

Set up your school email (& any other resources to communicate with your professors) and test it. This is super handy, and you’ll need to use it all semester anyways.

WHAT TO BUY

A laptop & a backpack.

Have a pencil case, fill it with: an eraser, 2 pencils(& lead if they’re mechanical), 2 pens, and correction tape. You’ll need this for exams so even if you’re going electronic, you gotta have this.

Having an agenda and some notebooks are always handy. Even though I keep a bullet journal, it’s easier for me to leave that at home some days and use a planner.

WELLBEING

Self-care. Have a little note to self of some self care things. Do one thing whenever your stressed and need it.

Keep active. The freshmen 15 is real! It’s much easier not gaining weight than trying to loose it later. Being in university is sedentary, so try making fitness something you do at least 2-3 times a week. More often than not universities will have a gym membership included in your tuition. But other low cost options include running, cycling, at home workouts, yoga, etc.

Make sure you have adequate sleep. 8 hours isn’t always possible, but you need 6 hours to function properly. I found my best school results happened when I went to bed at 9:30pm and woke up at 5:30am.

Try making your food as much as possible. Even if it’s just a sandwich. Buying takeout is expensive and unhealthy. Easy options for meals include: smoothie & smoothie bowls, oatmeal, Buddha bowls, sandwiches/wraps, pasta, etc.

I try making meditation a habit. I love the app Insight Timer (its free), but I know others like Calm, and Headspace as well. There’s also a ton on YouTube. Sleep meditations can help you get to sleep a little earlier too.

Try being on technology less. I know it’s tempting, but you’ll be on it a lot for school, your brain needs a bit of a break.

I hope this helped! Good luck at your first year, and if you need anything, send me an ask or message me. ✨

FOLLOWING SPREE

I’ve had an empty dash lately so I need more blogs to follow. If you are 100% STUDYBLR then reblog this and I’ll check your blog out 👍🏻

HOW TO SHAKESPEARE

HERE’S THE LATEST SERIES OF THINGS. THIS IS YOUR SHAKESPEARE STARTER KIT. IF YOU PARSE THROUGH THESE A LITTLE BIT YOU’LL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND A LOT BETTER OR AT LEAST BULLSHIT YOUR WAY THROUGH YOUR CLASS A LOT MORE CONVINCINGLY.

BRIEF BIO

FOLIO VS. QUARTO

AUTHORSHIP AND DUBIOUSNESS

THE LANGUAGE OF SHAKESPEARE

HOW TO READ THIS SHIT

HOW TO CLOSE READ THIS SHIT

WHAT THE FUCK IS IAMBIC PENTAMETER? (BONUS CLEAN VERSION)

HOW THE FUCK IS IT A SHAKESPEAREAN SONNET?

VERSE VS. PROSE

USING VERSE AND PROSE

HOW TO: THOU/THEE/THY/THINE/YE

HOW TO USE -ETH/-EST

IF YOU WANT MORE INFO OR NEED CLARIFICATION LEMME KNOW. ALSO TELL ME IF YOU WANT A CLEAN VERSION OF A POST OR GRAPHIC TO USE AS AN EDUCATIONAL TYPE THING. YOU CAN FIND ALL OF THESE POSTS TAGGED ‘GENERAL’ &/OR ‘HOW TO’

Alternatives for 25 overused words in writing

1. Interesting- note worthy; thought-provoking; fascinating; attracting; appealing; attention-grabbing; captivating; gripping; invigorating; engrossing; engaging; electrifying.

2. Beautiful- striking; stunning; magnificent; lovely; charming; gorgeous; radiant; dazzling.

3. Good- acceptable, wonderful, exceptional; positive; brilliant; first-rate; notable; stellar; favorable; superb; marvellous; prime.

4. Bad- awful; lousy; poor; unacceptable; crummy; dreadful; rough; inferior; substandard; atrocious; appalling; dreadful; defective.

5. Look- glance; fixate; observe; stare; gaze; peer; scan; watch; study; browse; eye; glimpse; review; inspect.

6. Nice- lovely; superior; pleasant; satisfying; delightful; likeable; agreeable; correct; adequate; swell; fair; okay; approved.

7. Very- extremely; exceedingly; exceptionally; immensely; tremendously; abundantly; particularly; remarkably.

8. Fine- satisfactory; worthy; respectable; exquisite; suitable; well; imposing; decent; admirable; praise-worthy; decent.

9. Happy- cheerful; delighted; pleased; content; amused; thrilled; elated; thrilled; ecstatic; on cloud 9.

10. Really- genuinely; truly; honestly; actually; undoubtedly; certainly; remarkably; incredibly; downright; unquestionably; extremely.

11. Sad- miserable; gloomy; devastated; distressed; down at heard; distraught; distressed; dispirited; sorrowful; downcast; feeling blue; desolate.

12. Big- massive; huge; giant; gigantic; enormous; large; colossal; immense; bulky; tremendous; hefty; sizable; extensive; great; substantial.

13. Shocked- taken aback; lost for words; flabbergasted; staggered; outraged; astonished; astounded; stunned; speechless; appalled.

14. Small- tiny; petite; mini; miniature; microscopic; minuscule; compact; pocket-sized; cramped; puny; undersized; limited; meager; modest; minute; pint-sized.

15. Angry- irate; enraged; touchy; cross; resentful; indignant; infuriated; wound-up; worked-up; seething; raging; heated; bitter; bad-tempered; offended; frustrated.

16. Know- understand; comprehend; realize; learn; perceive; recognize; grasp; sense.

17. Change- alter; transform; replace; diversify; adjust; adapt; modify; remodel; vary; evolve; transfigure; redesign; refashion; advance; transition; shift; adjustment.

18. Old- aged; ancient; matured; elderly; senior; veteran; decrepit; seasoned; venerable; past one’s prime; doddering; senile.

19. Think- ponder; reflect; conceive; imagine; contemplate; consider; determine; realize; visualize; guess/assume; conclude; envision.

20. Funny- comical; ludicrous; amusing; droll; entertaining; absurd; hilarious; silly; whimsical; hysterical; joking; witty; facetious; slapstick; side-splitting; knee-slapping.

21. Go- move; proceed; advance; progress; travel; walk; journey; depart; exit; flee; make one’s way; clear out; get underway.

22. Give- grant; donate; hand-out; present; provide; deliver; hand over; offer; award; bestow; supply with; contribute to; send; entrust.

23. Get- acquire; obtain; receive; gain; earn; gather; collect; buy; purchase; attain; score; secure; take possession of; grab.

24. Easy- effortless; simple; clear; smooth; straightforward; uncomplicated; painless; accessible; apparent; basic; plain; child’s play; facile; elementary; cinch.

25. Fast- agile; brisk; rapid; nimble; swift; accelerated; fleeting; high-speed; active; dashing; winged; hurried; turbo.

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charlies-day-off

9 years ago

pens | mug

HOW DO I STUDY FOR _____________

So I think this might be the question I get asked the MOST often. People are always asking me how do I study for this or that class. So I thought I would just make a master post I could link you all to. :)

All classes

Watch my video on how to study. This applies to almost everything you have to study.

See below for additions to doing everything listed in that video.

Math

Do problems. Do all the problems. Do them again.

Do all the problems in your book.

Get another book and repeat step 2

Trust me 99.9% of all math classes is pattern recognition. If you can learn how to solve the problem you can ace any set of variables they throw at you.

Physics

See math–because physics is JUST applied math. You have to learn how to read the questions and pull out the information you need–the only way to do that is to do dozens of questions!

Micro Bio/ID

Flow charts–break things up by group to understand them. You have to group things to remember what’s gram positive or gram negative

Don’t blow off the actual micro part of micro. If you understand the virulence factors you’re more likely to understand the sx/tx

I had to use a lot of silly sayings to remember all the little pieces of micro. So I would remind myself about the diseases of haemophilus influenzae by saying haEMOPhilus (epiglotitus, meningitis, otitis media, pnuemonia). It was silly but it worked for me.

O Chem

Do all the problems. Do them again.

Get another book and repeat step 1

Flashcard the reactions you don’t understand–put the reactants on one side and the products on the back. Practice these backward and forward.

Draw out every step of reactions you don’t understand

Circle your electrons or mark whatever it is you lose track of

Count–count where everything went at the end to make sure you didn’t screw up.

Categorize. Do all members of this group react this way?? It’s easier to learn the rules and the exceptions than force memorize every individual compound’s reaction.

Gen Chem

See math

Understand real world examples. I related all of the stuff about heat to a cup of coffee. It worked for me

Talk through it! I had to read chemistry out loud or try to repeat it out loud in my own words to have any idea what was going on.

YouTube videos are absolutely perfect for gen chem!! (There’s even a whole CrashCourse series on Gen Chem that’s appropriate especially for high school level chem).

General Biology–Genetics/Immunology/Cell Biologyetc

You really need to watch my video

Cross relate–you have to integrate all your biology together to keep all that information in your head.

Flashcard only the stuff that can’t be understood. (Like cell markers, etc)

Charts! Biology is all about categorization and understanding the similarities between different groups of things. If you can simply remember the characteristics of a group it’s easy to know everything you need to about all the members of that group.

Pathology

Pathoma

Look at the pictures until you feel sick.

Make flashcards of the pictures so you can at least do immediate identification of what you’re looking at even if you don’t know exactly what the pathology is.

Integrate! How does the physiology relate to exactly what is going on with the pathology? How does the pathology predict treatment?

Learn some latin and greek root words. Even if you have no idea what the word means you might be able to figure it out from there. :) I’ve gotten more than one question right by just figuring out what the word meant.

Pharmacology

Understand the mechanism of the drug–it will really predict how it is used or what its toxicities are for

Flashcard the bare minimum or anything bizarre you can’t remember any other way.

Figure out the similarities in the names. If it sounds the same, it probably belongs in the same class.

Don’t learn in isolation. It’s hard to study pharmacology on its own–instead study it integrated with physiology and pathology whenever possible for the best understanding.

Study as case studies!! What diuretics would you give to a patient with CHF? With ESLD?

Biochemistry

Charts–get poster boards or tape together a ton of sheets of paper and try to write out every pathway you can to see how it all is integrated.

Always track the flow of energy!! Where is your NAD/ATP/etc?

Group pathways by the “point”. Are you destroying carbohydrates or building fats? How does this compare to other pathways that do the same thing?

Try to rewrite the pathways from memory then see what you missed.

Anatomy

Spend a bunch of time with the specimens if you have access to them.

DRAW even if you suck at drawing

Learn the clinical correlations–why do you care

Thing about everything in relationship to one another!

Do questions!! Grey’s has a student question book I recommend.

I’ll probably add more to this list as I go and as more of you ask for specific subject advice, but here you go!!

When in doubt, always ask yourself “how would this be asked on a test?”. If you could write a test question about it, you should definitely know it!

And always remember that you should study for understanding and not just for a grade–always be learning and not memorizing. It’s more important you understand the material than you get the A!!

Happy studying!

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