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Latest Posts by purpletelescope - Page 5
Stay Energized in the Winter!
I live in Ithaca now, and at this time of year, the sun’s up for like 8-9 hours a day, and it’s cold and dark, and you often find yourself not wanting to do anything. However, I still need to keep up with my studies, and I’m sure some of you are faced with a similar problem. So, I’ve gathered some of the things I do to help me stay energized throughout a winter day.
Understand your energy levels and work with them
I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect yourself to be able to do as much work or be as energized in the colder months as you do in warmer months.
For example, maybe in the summer/fall, you could survive with 5 hours of sleep and more intense work sessions, but in the winter, you might need more breaks and more sleep, and trying to resist that might result in the further deterioration of your energy levels. If you don’t already, try taking a midday break.
You shouldn’t feel guilty for having to recharge. You’ll be more productive afterwards.
Get enough sunlight
Exposure to sunlight boosts your mood by increasing your body’s serotonin levels - one of the happy hormones. It makes you more alert, energized, and prevents you from getting Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
My advice is to spend as much daylight time doing things so you can do them the most productively. Even if you’re more inclined to do things later in the day, at least push forward some of the things on your daily routine, or rearrange them in such a way that you get as much sunlight possible.
This semester - unfittingly called the ‘spring’ semester - I tried to schedule my classes as early as possible, even though I generally get sluggish in the afternoon and then work better in the evening. This is because I want to have time to do my work - or at least be out - while the sun’s still up.
Exercise where you can
It’s so hard to exercise outdoors in this weather, but I still see people going for jogs around campus, or hitting the gym. Personally, I just do some stretching and light exercise in my room.
Alternatively, if you take the bus, get off a stop early then walk the rest of the way (unless there’s terrible weather like a snowstorm or something where being outside is harmful). The key thing is that you get yourself moving, especially in the morning - you’ll be more productive and happier throughout the day.
Shower
I know the winter’s cold and you don’t feel like you have to take a shower, especially since it can make your skin dry. However, it’s a great energy booster, especially in the morning. Showering in the morning improves your blood flow and alertness, and reduces your stress levels throughout the day. If you don’t have time in the morning, shower in the evening, so you’ll have more energy after the sun goes down..
Make plans or have something to look forward to
Nothing is more draining than knowing that you have nothing to do, nothing to look forward to. You’ll probably just end up in your bed watching Netflix all day, which, let’s face it, might be fun at first but turns out to be a hell of an energy drainer. Go out to eat, study with someone, or at least watch something together.
Indulge yourself
Curl up with a good book. Watch your favorite show. Play some tunes while you sketch your favorite characters or OCs. It’s the winter, you deserve a little break to recover. If you don’t relax every now and then, you won’t be able to work as intensely and focus as hard as you want or need to.
Also, although it’s great to eat healthy, but a cup of hot cocoa or a muffin once in a while is fine and makes you happier in that moment.
Work on an indoor hobby
You’re going to spend a lot of time indoors, might as well use that time usefully (aside from schoolwork or other obligations). I like doing creative things like digital art, journaling, or bullet journaling while listening to a podcast, or reading - these types of activities are the most energizing for me.
You don’t need to do the things I listed - the point is, you should use your time indoors wisely, since during other parts of the year, you’ll probably be out a lot more.
Listen to the right music
I don’t know what y’all listen to but music is an awesome energy booster if you can align it with how you’re feeling. You know how sometimes you listen to a certain type of music and your mind just feels like it’s hovering there, like it’s slightly repelled by the music but you also don’t really hate it, and you just end up feeling unfulfilled afterwards? (That was a trash explanation but I hope you understand what I mean.) Yeah don’t do that.
During the day, listen to music that keeps you awake and energized - it could be hard hitting rock or dance-y pop or maybe even something mellow. Whatever it is, don’t try to counter it. I like to listen to roaring guitars in the morning, and slow jazz in the evening, and that works for me.
Get enough sleep (‘enough’ might be more than you usually get)
During the winter, you can take advantage of the cold and cozy weather to get more sleep. I know it’s tempting to keep working until you finish all your tasks, but if it means sacrificing your sleep, you’ll only end up depriving yourself of your already low levels of energy. Also, make sure you get good quality sleep so that you’ll be as energized as possible the next morning.
However, don’t get too much sleep. This morning, I came into math class, and my friend was like ‘you look really tired today, is something wrong?’ and no, there was nothing wrong. It’s just that this morning, I chose to sleep in until 8 when I usually wake up at 7, meaning I slept more than I should have. Too much sleep just makes you feel groggy once you wake up.
During the day, take a power nap if you have to, but don’t extend it for too long that your sleep inertia kicks in and you can’t get up anymore.
Focus on your food
I think the food we eat - and how we eat it - is a huge factor in maintaining our energy levels during these cold, dark months. So here’s an entire section about food-related strategies to combat the winter blues.
1. Eat well
Winter might tempt you to eat bulky food and sweets, but they’re not that beneficial to your productivity and energy levels. Sugary foods actually cause you to be sleepy during the day and reduce the quality of your sleep at night. Instead, opt to eat foods that contain
Vitamin C - like in fruits and vegetables - to boost your energy levels; and
Vitamin B12 - like fish, milk, and eggs - to reduce fatigue
2. Have good eating habits (don’t skip breakfast!)
In college especially, a lot of people skip breakfast - and sometimes even lunch - only to overeat during dinnertime. However, having a good breakfast - especially one with protein, fiber, and whole grains - will increase your ability to focus and boost your productivity throughout the day. Maybe you’re the type of person who tends to skip breakfast - the winter’s a great time to pick up the habit of having a morning meal. Recently, I’ve been having peanut butter and acai overnight oats - nutritious and convenient.
3. Have caffeine at the right time (if you consume any)
Studies show that the most effective time to have caffeine is between 9:30 to 11:30 am. Even if you have breakfast before that, I recommend waiting a little while before you sip your cup of coffee or whatever source of caffeine you take. You can always bring a cup to class or wherever you’re headed to at that time.
In the evening, I recommend having a cup of tea. Some teas contain enough caffeine to keep you alert but not prevent you from sleeping at night. My favorite is green tea, but other teas like oolong or black tea work just as well.
4. Snack (a little)
But not too much. A single square of chocolate or a couple crackers are great mood boosters, and it even improves cognitive functioning. You could even have a cup of tea along with your snack, which is doubly energizing.
That’s all I have for you now. Feel free to drop an ask or message me if you have any questions, and I hope the rest of the winter goes great for you!
p.s. wml bc I heard the winters here last till April
This is the best use I have seen of a composition notebook without the pen and highlighter bleeding through! Stunning!
some more notes
Schedule: work on that paper, mayb-
Brain: see how many superscripts and subscripts you can make before LaTeX throws a shit fit
february 4, 2018 — rewriting my semantics notes into more cheat sheet looking things!! ╭( ･ㅂ･)و"))
♫ EVERYTHING FROM THE PERFECT RED VELVET
another go at the eagle nebula
an educational graphic about critical thinking for tumnblr
winter dark academia
- waking up to cold mornings and condensation on your windows
- brewing a cup of hot coffee while reading a book
- wearing cozy sweaters and cardigans to stay warm
- draping your favorite long coat over your shoulders to create a mysterious silhouette
- stepping through heavy, packed snow as you walk to your morning class
- watching the glistening trees, pausing your podcast to admire them in their full glory
- combing your fingers through your hair to remove the falling snowflakes
- sipping hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire, turning the pages in your book leisurely
- stringing fairy lights to brighten up a dark room
- practicing your instrument in the evening, pretending to play at night - but the sun just sets early, but that’s not important
- relishing the long, dark hours to keep focused on your work
- listening to the quiet tones of claire de lune as you scribble through your essay
Here it is folks:
My definitive ranking of my least favorite bodies of water! These are ranked from least to most scary (1/10 is okay, 10/10 gives me nightmares). I’m sorry this post is long, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this.
The Great Blue Hole, Belize
I’ve been here! I have snorkeled over this thing! It is terrifying! The water around the hole is so shallow you can’t even swim over the coral without bumping it, and then there’s a little slope down, and then it just fucking drops off into the abyss! When you’re over the hole the water temperature drops like 10 degrees and it’s midnight blue even when you’re right by the surface. Anyway. The Great Blue Hole is a massive underwater cave, and its roughly 410 feet deep. Overall, it’s a relatively safe area to swim. It’s a popular tourist attraction and recreational divers can even go down and explore some of the caves. People do die at the Blue Hole, but it is generally from a lack of diving experience rather than anything sinister going on down in the depths. My rating for this one is 1/10 because I’ve been here and although it’s kinda freaky it’s really not that bad.
Lake Baikal, Russia
When I want to give myself a scare I look at the depth diagram of this lake. It’s so deep because it’s not a regular lake, it’s a Rift Valley, A massive crack in the earth’s crust where the continental plates are pulling apart. It’s over 5,000 feet deep and contains one-fifth of all freshwater on Earth. Luckily, its not any more deadly than a normal lake. It just happens to be very, very, freakishly deep. My rating for this lake is a 2/10 because I really hate looking at the depth charts but just looking at the lake itself isn’t that scary.
Jacob’s Well, Texas
This “well” is actually the opening to an underwater cave system. It’s roughly 120 feet deep, surrounded by very shallow water. This area is safe to swim in, but diving into the well can be deadly. The cave system below has false exits and narrow passages, resulting in multiple divers getting trapped and dying. My rating is a 3/10, because although I hate seeing that drop into the abyss it’s a pretty safe place to swim as long as you don’t go down into the cave (which I sure as shit won’t).
The Devil’s Kettle, Minnesota
This is an area in the Brule River where half the river just disappears. It literally falls into a hole and is never seen again. Scientists have dropped in dye, ping pong balls, and other things to try and figure out where it goes, and the things they drop in never resurface. Rating is 4/10 because Sometimes I worry I’m going to fall into it.
Flathead Lake, Montana
Everyone has probably seen this picture accompanied by a description about how this lake is actually hundreds of feet deep but just looks shallow because the water is so clear. If that were the case, this would definitely rank higher, but that claim is mostly bull. Look at the shadow of the raft. If it were hundreds of feet deep, the shadow would look like a tiny speck. Flathead lake does get very deep, but the spot the picture was taken in is fairly shallow. You can’t see the bottom in the deep parts. However, having freakishly clear water means you can see exactly where the sandy bottom drops off into blackness, so this still ranks a 5/10.
The Lower Congo River, multiple countries
Most of the Congo is a pretty normal, if large, River. In the lower section of it, however, lurks a disturbing surprise: massive underwater canyons that plunge down to 720 feet. The fish that live down there resemble cave fish, having no color, no eyes, and special sensory organs to find their way in the dark. These canyons are so sheer that they create massive rapids, wild currents and vortexes that can very easily kill you if you fall in. A solid 6/10, would not go there.
Little Crater Lake, Oregon
On first glance this lake doesn’t look too scary. It ranks this high because I really don’t like the sheer drop off and how clear it is (because it shows you exactly how deep it goes). This lake is about 100 feet across and 45 feet deep, and I strongly feel that this is too deep for such a small lake. Also, the water is freezing, and if you fall into the lake your muscles will seize up and you’ll sink and drown. I don’t like that either. 7/10.
Grand Turk 7,000 ft drop off
No. 8/10. I hate it.
Gulf of Corryvreckan, Scotland
Due to a quirk in the sea floor, there is a permanent whirlpool here. This isn’t one of those things that looks scary but actually won’t hurt you, either. It absolutely will suck you down if you get too close. Scientists threw a mannequin with a depth gauge into it and when it was recovered the gauge showed it went down to over 600 feet. If you fall into this whirlpool you will die. 9/10 because this seems like something that should only be in movies.
The Bolton Strid, England
This looks like an adorable little creek in the English countryside but it’s not. Its really not. Statistically speaking, this is the most deadly body of water in the world. It has a 100% mortality rate. There is no recorded case of anyone falling into this river and coming out alive. This is because, a little ways upstream, this isn’t a cute little creek. It’s the River Wharfe, a river approximately 30 feet wide. This river is forced through a tiny crack in the earth, essentially turning it on its side. Now, instead of being 30 feet wide and 6 feet deep, it’s 6 feet wide and 30 feet deep (estimated, because no one actually knows how deep the Strid is). The currents are deadly fast. The banks are extremely undercut and the river has created caves, tunnels and holes for things (like bodies) to get trapped in. The innocent appearance of the Strid makes this place a death trap, because people assume it’s only knee-deep and step in to never be seen again. I hate this river. I have nightmares about it. I will never go to England just because I don’t want to be in the same country as this people-swallowing stream. 10/10, I live in constant fear of this place.
Honorable mention: The Quarry, Pennsylvania
I don’t know if that’s it’s actual name. This lake gets an honorable mention not because it’s particularly deep or dangerous, but it’s where I almost drowned during a scuba diving accident.
Edit: I’ve looked up the name of the quarry, it’s called Crusty’s Quarry and is privately owned and only used for training purposes, not recreational diving.
if anyone is looking for some very aesthetically pleasing notebooks for school/pleasure, i got these from Cognitive Surplus. They have a crazy amount of options from a really wide range of subjects (like math, psych, anatomy, physics, etc.) AND THEY LAY FLAT !!!
👏🏾Education 👏🏾is 👏🏾a 👏🏾right,👏🏾 not👏🏾 a👏🏾 service 👏🏾
Pass along and use the shit out of them
Planets i learned about via youtube while procrastinating my english essay
Planet 55 Cancri e is basically a giant diamond. like the planet is a diamond. and it would be worth $26.9 nonillion
Planet Gliese 436 b is an ice planet that is constantly on fire do to its close proximity to its parent star. the ice doesn’t melt bc the planet’s gravity is so strong it physically prevents the ice from melting
Planet HD 189733b rains sideways glass…. constantly
Planet J1407-B has planetary rings that are 200x the size of saturn. if saturn’s ring were as big as J1407-B’s we’d be able to see them with our naked eye from earth AND they would dominate our sky and look larger than a full moon
Planet Wasp-12b rotates so close to its parent star that its slowly being consumed by the it
Planet Gliese 581c is one of the candidates for a planet that can support life however it orbits a tiny dwarf star and is tidally locked so one side is constantly subject to immense sunlight while the other is constantly in darkness. there’s a small area of the planet however, that is just the right temp to support life. u just can’t step out of said area. the skies are red and the plants would have be a black color instead of a green bc they would use infrared light for photosynthesis. (a message was actually sent to the planet in 2008 in hopes that there’s life on the planet but the message wont reach the planet until 2029).
Planet GJ 1214b is a water planet nicknamed “water world” is has no land at all and the water is so deep it goes down miles all the way to the planet’s core.
Planet Wasp-17b is the largest planet discovered thus far. its so large its existence contradicts our understanding of how planets are formed. and it has a retrograde orbit, so it orbits in the opposite direction of its parent star.
Planet HD 188753 has 3 suns you should have triple shadows and there would be almost daily eclipses. and no matter which direction u face on the planet u would always see a sunset
Planet HD106906b is the loneliest planet discovered thus far. its known as “super jupiter” bc its 11x bigger than jupiter. it orbits its parent star at a distance of 60 billion miles (which is v strange) hence why its the loneliest planet.
Planet Tres 2b is the darkest planet known. it reflects less than 1% of light (it reflects less light than coal and black acrylic paint). the tiny part of the planet that does reflect light is red making the planet glow a dim red.
math help bc i can’t watch ya’ll suffer anymore
I’m in my fourth year of engineering school and I didn’t get here without lots of outside help bc assigned math textbooks are lame and confusing and professors/teachers are more worried about feeling superior to bunch of groggy teenagers than actually teaching.
I have personally used all of these websites without receiving any security warnings from Bitdefender TrafficLight or AdGuard AdBlocker. They are all either completely free or have a free version that isn’t shit.
Wolfram Demonstrations (animated graphics)
Khan Academy (arithmetic through differential equations)
She Loves Math (arithmetic through differential equations)
math24 (calculus & differential equations)
Paul’s Online Math Notes (algebra through differential equations)
MIT OpenCourseWare (calculus through graduate-level mathmatics)
OpenStax Math (precalculus, trigonometry, & calculus)
Wolfram Alpha Examples
Desmos (online calculators)
GeoGebra (online calculators)
SparkNotes Math Study Guides (pre-algebra through calculus)
eMathHelp (calculators, but more specific)
Software for your TI calculator
ticalc (programs for your TI calculator)
Wikibooks Math Department (all the math)
Andy’s Cheat Sheets (calculus)
Cheatography (find free cheat sheets)
Open Access Math Textbooks
Engineer4Free (Calc, DiffyQ, & Linear Algebra tutorials)
Flammable Maths on YouTube (general high school/college level problems and derivations)
3Blue1Brown on Youtube (very, very good for understanding spacial concepts in calculus and beyond)
Vihart on Youtube (explaining math with doodles)
Bonus: Stay hydrated, take vitamin c, study next to a window during the day if possible, and remember not to let people base your worth on your aptitude for math.
So I keep seeing posts on studyblr about how to take notes, some of them “official” methods like the Cornwell method or whatever it’s called, others more based on personal experience/ideas, but basically all of those don’t work well with math and physics.
So I made examples of how I take notes in physics and math, which based on what I’ve seen from professors and other students is pretty standard. (Blue text is commentary on the notes)
In math always start by defining the variables, because you will forget and you need to know all the assumptions you’ve made (like “did I define the function f as continuous, differentiable, bijective or just continuous and bijective?”). Drawings are good since they help visualise the abstract stuff (and look pretty), but not necessary. Always write down definitions, theorems, and lemmas, and ESPECIALLY their proofs. Exercises (both proof exercises and application exercises should be written down too, with varying detail based on how easy it is for you.
In math, and a bit less so in physics, you should always try to use mathematical symbols to shorten text. For the theorem I wrote what I would actually write in white, and below in blue I wrote the full, no symbol version of that. It’s pretty obvious which will be written down faster in class.
And never forget to write that sweet little quod erat demonstratum square at the end of a proof.
In physics the only thing you ALWAYS have to write down is a work through of an exercise or proof (this, of course, includes defining the variables, unless you’re the same variables as last time and can refer back to those). Since physics is about THE REAL WORLD you should strive to draw diagrams constantly, since sometimes you won’t be able to find a solution until you draw the diagram and examine the system (some proofs, especially those in optics, rely heavily on diagrams to explain what the fuck is even going on).
Unlike in math, in physics everything has a unit, which you should ALWAYS mark SOMEWHERE, because you might figure an exercise out solely based on your knowledge of units.
Preparing for your exams
Check whether you have anything you haven’t studied. If you do, list them out in a paper/document. Put them into three categories:
1. Things you are not familiar with at all (that you probably haven’t paid attention during class, and haven’t read through them)
2. Things you have already gone through once and have a rough idea what it is about, but not clear with the details
3. Things you are quite familiar with, that you just want to go through them once again to memorise them
It is very important that you have every content of your exam syllabus on the second level around 2-7 days before your exams (depends on the amount of materials that is going to be on the papers)
So you should make a timetable to go through everything if you still have a few days/weeks
Don’t try to spend so much time actually memorising them for now. The key right now is to understand everything, so that they can be in your long-term memory.
You can leave other small details and examples (that probably requires your short-term memory) till the last week/last three days before exams.
If you have the feeling that you MUST remember things word by word / very clearly, mark them with a red pen or something to make sure they stand out so you can quickly memorise them during the final review.
You can also make index cards during this stage
Which may help you to organise the information and help you to stay focus (without wasting you so much time in making full and comprehensive notes)
And to quiz yourself during your final review
Final Review - 2-3 days before your exams
Scientific research shows that we are all very good at recognising things, but that does not mean that we are good at recalling them (which is exactly what requires during exams)
So, instead of just reading your notes, definitely quiz yourself using flashcards, or just look at the heading of the notes and recall as much information as possible
“no I have to memorise everything first before quizzing myself”??
No, not really. It is known that even pre-quiz can help you to remember the information better! Quickly quizzing yourself once to understand which areas you are least familiar with so you can focus more on those chapters in your final review
It actually does activate your mind too since you will be curious about the information (after knowing you cannot recall them during the quiz) - that can help you to remember better
Memorise in the right way!
Auditory learner: read the information out loud / try to teach others
Visual learner: recall the information by writing them all out in a piece of blank paper (feynman technique)
You can recall the information better when you are in the same kind of environment (scientifically proven)
That is, if you exam hall is silent, it’s better for you to remember things in silence
Even works for your condition too.
If you take energy boosting drink while your are studying, you can probably recall the information better if you drink them before exams (same as NOT drinking energy boosting drink too)
Write a list of very important keywords / information / equations as a final summary
The morning before your exams
Try not to go through anything new, you probably can’t remember/understand them anyway
The best thing to do is probably simply to go through the summary sheet you made before exams. It will help you to recall all the information you have memorised + you won’t panic since it’s everything that you have already studied
Breakfast, remember. You don’t want to be starving during exams.
#10 || Link to my study tips series - I post once a week here! (strive-for-da-best)
Important things I learned while studying Astrophysics
During presentations, 90% of the people won’t know anything about your topic, no one will notice minor mistakes
During presentations, 75% of the people won’t even listen to you
Don’t compare yourself to others. There will always be someone smarter than you, and the people you think of as smart, think of themselves as really dumb
The profs, the TAs and everyone else is also just a human. They are not perfect and have other things to do than run after and care for you.
Take care of your own shit. Always
If you work in groups, don’t be selfish. Just because you think you dont need to hand in that last paper because your grade is secure anyway, it does not mean that the others feel the same. Dont pull them down because you are lazy
If it seems too easy, you’re doing it wrong
Just because a person seems to sound convincing, check their data, they’ve usually ignored gravity or temperatures
Knowing professors personally can be both good and bad, good when it comes to jobs and favours, bad when it comes to oral exams
Buying books is useless when you can just get them from the library and sit on them for a year. Especially when there are no textbooks, but only specific literature costing around 600 € per book
Reading papers is the way to go. Always.
When showing your work/thesis, try to explain the process as simple as possible, while at the same time make your work look as hard and complicated as possible (Quote from a guy I work with: “It looks too easy for the public!”)
Learn how to work with others. You won’t get far on your own.
If English is not your native language, learn it! You will need it
Your humour will consist of science jokes and math references. Good luck making friends in the real world
by Laure S
6 Small But Powerful Study Habits
Many students—including myself at one point—tend to think that making big strides towards their academic goals means also making drastic changes to how they’re used to approaching academics and studying; however, making big strides towards your goals oftentimes only requires that you make small changes in your day-to-day behavior. For instance, you can replace small unhelpful habits (like checking social media between classes) with small helpful habits (like reviewing notes or flashcards between classes). These little behaviors accumulate over time to lessen the burden of big tasks. They can also build a stronger sense of self-efficacy and mastery, both of which go a long way to motivating you when it comes to the bigger goals. Here are 6 small but powerful study habits that you can adopt:
1. Do 5 minutes of revision everyday by reading through your class notes and creating questions for yourself to answer at a later time.
Doing this will help you identify what you don’t understand early on so you have time to learn and ask questions. It also gives you a chance to practice and quiz yourself on material you may feel confident about. As a result, you might be able to narrow your focus on what you truly need to study come exam time and not waste time reviewing material you’ve already mastered.
2. Write down your homework and important due dates during or at the end of each lesson, ideally in a planner that you include other tasks and events.
This is one of the simplest yet most important steps you can take towards better academic performance. It ensures you meet your deadlines and can help you realistically visualize the time you have available in comparison to all your other tasks and events. If you don’t have an accurate sense of the amount of time and energy you have to complete a certain task or meet a deadline, you won’t be engaging in other small, helpful habits to work towards that goal.
3. Self-monitor your learning.
During class, ask yourself if you’re understanding what the professor is saying. While taking notes, reading, watching an educational video, or doing any other study task, ask yourself what the key points were and try to identify areas that you can’t articulate or summarize well. If you identify these areas and come up with questions, be sure to write them down and fill in the answer at a later time to measure how well you addressed those lapses in comprehension. If you find that the answer still seems confusing, you can then ask your professor for additional guidance.
4. File notes in the right place everyday.
Make sure that your notes for each class are separate from other classes and grouped with other related notes. It would be even better if each subject was filed or organized in a way that you can easily distinguish between units and sub-units within each class/subject. Keeping your notes organized allows you to easily revise and review. It also creates a mental image of the information. For example,if you have a specific method to organizing your notes and use that method to review them, then you may be able to imagine going through your notebook or binder to find a particular piece of information during the exam.
5. Read one online article or watch an educational video to supplement your classroom learning everyday.
Extra reading reinforces the ideas that you’ve learned in class and places them in a wider context. It also strengthens your critical thinking and comprehension skills.
6. Reflect often. Each day, ask yourself: what went well? What didn’t go well? How could you improve?
The more specific you can be, the better you can identify solutions to improve. It’s also helpful to ask these kinds of questions after big events like the end of a project, essay, exams, and the end of the semester.
Best Wishes, Bujo Paper Creations
➽───────────────────────❥
Tumblr: Bujopapercreations Instagram: bujo.papercreations YouTube: Bujo Paper Creations
Propagation of Error
When I first started in physics, I was utterly clueless about propagating error. After three years of college, I have a better grasp of it and feel more comfortable using it in the lab. Have a look if you’re having trouble with error propagation!
Error and Uncertainty
Error: an unknown quantity in the realm of the state of nature
Uncertainty: a parameter in the realm of our state of knowledge about nature
Type A uncertainty: statistical in nature (an example of this would be if you were launching an object 15 times and recorded each distance)
Type B uncertainty: not statistical in nature (an example of this would be a digital reading on a scale - no matter how many times you put the same object on the scale, you will get the same reading)
Random vs Systematic Error
Random Error
environmental fluctuations
equipment noise
natural processes
Systematic Error
environment: fixed beyond a relevant parameter
measurement technique: assumptions, experimenter bias
equipment with an offset or using equipment beyond its limits
uninformed choices
You can reduce random error by taking more measurements.
You can reduce systematic error through thoroughness, properly calibrating equipment, reading manuals, and ensuring reproducibility.
Basic Error Propagation
This is the standard equation for error propagation:
This represents the uncertainty in the measurement of some value x. Suppose you are measuring this value based on this equation:
You took three measurements, a, b, and c, and plugged them into this equation to get x. However, there is some uncertainty associated with each of these three values. Let’s say you measured a on a scale, b on an oscilloscope, and c with a ruler. There is uncertainty associated with all of those measurements. When you’re reading the scale, you read it as 15.45g. Let’s assume there is an uncertainty of 0.01g in that reading. Similarly, you read your oscilloscope to be 3V, and there is an uncertainty of 0.05V. You read your ruler to be 3.45cm, and there is an uncertainty of 0.05cm. We now have our uncertainties for the three values:
a = 15.45g +/- 0.01g
b = 3V +/- 0.05V
c = 3.45cm +/- 0.05cm
The other aspect of the uncertainty equation is taking the partial derivative. Those are the dx/da and dx/db parts of the equation. We will take the partial with respect of each term.
The partial derivative of the equation for x with respect to a is 2a2
The partial derivative of the equation for x with respect to b is 2
The partial derivative of the equation for x with respect to c is 4.5
Now, we can plug into our equation:
Your uncertainty in your measurement for x is +/- 22.86.
I hoped this helped you if you’re struggling with uncertainty!
Eight Ways to Remember Anything by Alex Lickerman M.D.
Reference: Research-based strategies to boost your memory and keep it strong via psychology today
sunday, september 20th, 2020 | this morning was nice! I had a smoothie and did my planning for the week, then I worked on some physics notes. the weather is finally starting to cool down and I am so, so happy about it :D
hello!! I’m new to studyblr and really love your blog!! I was wondering what your note taking process is... for example do you write your notes the way they are the first time? or do you write your notes as anyone would in class and then rewrite them after you have your first draft? thanks!!
hi thank you so much and welcome! my note taking process varies from class to class, and i’ll put overly-detailed info abt that in the read more but if u take 2 points pls let it be these:
don’t rewrite your notes (it might b fun but unless you’re making a review sheet from a lot of different notes or something: it’s just a huge waste of time and it’s not helpful for actually reviewing material!)
all you need to take notes is a pen/pencil and a notebook (seriously. if you are abt to spend a bunch of money on colored pens or w/e for fun? go nuts. but if it’s bc you think it will help you study better? it will not.)
ok here we go (no pictures! bc 1. i am too lazy to take the time to find my old notes and 2. i don’t want u to try to emulate what my notes look like. these are supposed to work for u!)
Keep reading
Do you have any advice for how not to get overwhelmed when reading scientific literature, mainly primary research articles? I have to present one at the end of this month for in order to graduate from University and I'm trying to read through and understand it, but every couple of lines I start having a miniature panic attack because I feel as if I don't understand ANYTHING that I am reading
BOY HAVE YOU COME TO RIGHT PLACE BC I READ SCIENTIFIC PAPERS EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. /cries a bit
Don’t read the abstract first thing. I know a lot of people do, but that’s a big mistake if you’re not a super duper level 100 science genius. If you read the abstract without knowing the science really well, it’s going to sound like gibberish soon. Read the abstract last, because it serves as a good summary.
Instead, start with the introduction. This will give you the background information you need, and it always starts out very broad.
Skip the methods part for now. Read the Results after you read the intro, and refer back to the Methods section if you don’t know what some assay is, how the mice were fed, etc. But sometimes the methods section isn’t very helpful since they go into too much detail. That leads me to..
Don’t know something? Look it up! So you come across something like “aneuploidy”, and you have no idea what it means. Don’t try to gather information from context clues; just straight up Google it, or ask someone who knows. This is the most important thing. No one is ever going to understand everything in a paper (unless they wrote it, of course). Even the top scientists have to Google stuff all the time when reading other papers. Sometimes, you can even refer back to the references in the back of the paper for answers.
Jot down notes. Once you find out what aneuploidy is, write it down on the margin of the paper so you can refer back to it. Maybe even draw a small diagram too as an example.
Annotate the figures. The figures are very very very important. They’re what tells the story. If you understand everything in the figure–the question asked, the method used, what the x- and y-axes mean, etc, what the result was–then you will understand the entire paper. So scribble away. Draw arrows. Write notes. Circle things. Define acronyms. Color code stuff. This is what all the primary papers I read look like when it comes to figures:
(Also pay attention to the Figure legends. Sometimes they’ll tell you extra information)
Explain the figures out loud. If you can explain it in your own words, you’ve got it down! You’re going to have to do this for your presentation anyway.
If it helps, write down important observations/figure summaries on a separate piece of paper so you have something you can quickly reference when putting together your presentation.
As far as the presentation goes, I like to create my slides in this order: Title, Background, Hypothesis, Questions Asked (basically a summary of what they wanted to find), Question #1 (which is essentially what Figure 1 should be about), (Additional background if necessary), Method(s) used to answer Question #1, Figures that answer Question #1, Question #1 conclusion, Question #2, etc, etc, until finally, Conclusion, Future Goals. You may have a different format, but just throwing out the one I use.
You can do it! The trick to reading scientific literature is really… Google/ask questions for things you don’t know, and really understand the figures. And with anything that’s hard at first, practice will soon make it easier :) Good luck! If you need help with the specific paper, you can send me the first author’s name, title, and year published and I can see if I can help you with anything :)
From Beginner to Intermediate: an intense plan for advancing in language
Introduction
I studied Spanish at school for 3 years and now I'm at a low B1 level. I can actually understand pretty well while listening or reading but I can't communicate fluently.
This plan will include vocabulary build up, some grammar revision, a lot of listening, reading and writing. And could be used for the most languages, not only Spanish.
Plan
Every day:
Conjugate one verb in present, past and future tenses
Make a list about 10 - 30 words long
Create flashcards with them and start learning them (I use Quizlet for flashcards)
Revise yesterday's set of flashcards
2-3 times a week:
Read an article or a few pages from a book
Write a few sentences about anything in your target language
Listen to one episode of podcast (at least one)
Once a week or every two weeks:
Watch a movie in your target language, preferably animated movie as the language used there is easier. You can watch with subtitles
Grammar exercises
Translate some short text
Once a month:
Write something longer, like an essay or report, on chosen topic
Additionally:
Talk to yourself, to your friends, to your pets
Text with someone
Look at the transcription while listening to the podcast for second time
Repeat what you hear (in podcast or movie)
Check words you don't know from the listening and reading
Read out loud
Listen to music in your target language - you can even learn the text and sing along
Watch YouTube in your target language
Change your phone language to the one you're learning
Think in you target language!!!
***This is very intense plan for self-learners, you don't have to do all of these things in the given time. Adjust it to your own pace. I'll try to stick to this, if I have enough time.***
From Beginner to Intermediate: an intense plan for advancing in language
Introduction
I studied Spanish at school for 3 years and now I'm at a low B1 level. I can actually understand pretty well while listening or reading but I can't communicate fluently.
This plan will include vocabulary build up, some grammar revision, a lot of listening, reading and writing. And could be used for the most languages, not only Spanish.
Plan
Every day:
Conjugate one verb in present, past and future tenses
Make a list about 10 - 30 words long
Create flashcards with them and start learning them (I use Quizlet for flashcards)
Revise yesterday's set of flashcards
2-3 times a week:
Read an article or a few pages from a book
Write a few sentences about anything in your target language
Listen to one episode of podcast (at least one)
Once a week or every two weeks:
Watch a movie in your target language, preferably animated movie as the language used there is easier. You can watch with subtitles
Grammar exercises
Translate some short text
Once a month:
Write something longer, like an essay or report, on chosen topic
Additionally:
Talk to yourself, to your friends, to your pets
Text with someone
Look at the transcription while listening to the podcast for second time
Repeat what you hear (in podcast or movie)
Check words you don't know from the listening and reading
Read out loud
Listen to music in your target language - you can even learn the text and sing along
Watch YouTube in your target language
Change your phone language to the one you're learning
Think in you target language!!!
***This is very intense plan for self-learners, you don't have to do all of these things in the given time. Adjust it to your own pace. I'll try to stick to this, if I have enough time.***
hello friends!!! i made masterposts for almost all the stem subjects now, why not physics too? here you go [especially for @k-imeme]:
studying
how to study physics
tips to solving physics problems
tips to ace your physics exam!!
physics notes
using a calculator!!!!
science glossary
topics
motion
sound + waves
work, energy + power
heat + thermo
quantum phenomena
light + radiation
electricity, magnets + circuits
electricity + magnetism
mechanics
modern physics
optics
oscillations + waves
special subjects [space is here too]
thermodynamics
fun stuff yaaas
john travoltage [i love this idk why]
10 cool science websites
links + website resources
space + the universe masterpost B-)
minutephysics
physics on khanacademy
sparknotes physics
great physics website!!
institute of physics resources
stuff you may want to know
careers in physics
why study physics?
top 10 reasons why you should take physics
my masterposts
notes, studying, and self-study resources
self-study resources
supplies
igcse resources
improving your handwriting
how to studyblr
literature masterpost
organisation
aesthetically pleasing notes
annotating
studying a foreign language
really great apps
math
college + uni
motivation
biology
space!!!!
chemistry
+ more
hope this helps you v much + if you ever need anything/want to request a masterpost just message me :]
Hi Steph! I love your blog and your fic recs! I was wondering if you could please help me find a fic I read a while ago but lost. It's post-Reichenbach, where I remember it takes ~42 days for "the fog to lift from John's mind" and he realises what Sherlock meant by his 'note', and John works on clearing Sherlock's name, then moves to a lil house by the sea, and patiently waits for Sherlock, who shows up after a year and a half, I think? Please, it's driving me crazy aha!
Hey Nonny!
Ooof, I have no idea which fic this is, but it sounds vaguely familiar... anyone able to help me out with this one??
Hi Ranowa! I LOVE your stories so much omg!! I was wondering if you could maybe help me find this one specific fanfic that I lost? It's post-Reichenbach, where John is grieving, and it takes him like 42 days to realize what Sherlock meant by his phonecall 'note', and John works on clearing Sherlock's name then waits in a house by the sea for a year and a half, after which Sherlock shows up? It's driving me nuts that I lost this! Thank you!
Thank you so much!!! <3
Hmmmmm on one hand it definitely sounds familiar (the house by the sea is definitely a John-during-the-hiatus trope I’ve seen a few times) but I don’t think I’ve ever read this one! Anyone else have any ideas?
SCHOOL CHEAT SHEET!!
soothe yourself | self care
stationery
printables
helpful sites
music for studying | more music
note taking methods | another one
studying methods
english | physics | chemistry | biology | maths | languages
how to learn a language
ultimate guide for writing | writing resources | writing helps | tips for writers
how to write a kickass essay | write a great essay | stuff you need to write essays | essay tips | essay checklist | grade your essay
how do I study for…
bullet journals | a guide to bullet journals
the testing effect
everything you need to succeed in school
time management
organisation
how to annotate | another one
guide to aesthetically pleasing notes | improve your handwriting
create a study guide
resources | helpful websites | there’s an app for that
get more out of google
productivity resources | 14 apps to become productive | how to stay productive
lazy night owl school survival guide
apps for a better life | useful websites for students
masterpost of studying tips
social media citation guide
college masterpost | another one | starting college on the right foot | packing for college | how to survive in college
how to ace that college interview
food to stay motivated | motivation guide
how to stay awake in class
balancing a healthy lifestyle
studying on your period
huge masterpost for the semester
a very long list to help you survive school
not enough time to finish an assignment?
100 delicious cheap recipes
53 posts for students
high school cheat sheet
other cheat sheets