Credits To: @satosan

Underrated Anime

Here are some titles that I feel deserve more love than they get!

From the New World - This anime was a masterpiece. Paced and well-planned, the show entangles you without you knowing until its too late. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to sink their teeth into a psychological fantasy that leave you with a strange mix of innocence and uneasiness. 

Princess Jellyfish - A love story between a confident and fashionable crossdresser and an awkward, introverted girl. This is golden!

Welcome to the NKH! - Just the right amount of humor and psychological torment to keep every viewer enthralled. Is it a conspiracy? 

Monster - What happens when a promising young doctor saves the life of a boy who was fated to die? A gripping thriller of justice and revenge!

Bokurano - A group of kids become the chosen pilots of a robot faced with saving the planet, a beyond awesome experience for them!…or so they think. They sign the binding contract and now each one of them must pay the price. 

Wolf’s Rain - As legend has it, wolves will open the gate to Paradise in a dying world. This anime is a gripping, heart-wrenching tale of an unlikely pack of wolves searching for promised Paradise. Out of any of the shows on this list, Wolf’s Rain is worth watching. It is a legend it its own right. 

Samurai Champloo - THE MUSIC. The music alone should be enough to draw you into this epic tale, but in case you need more persuasion, know that this show revolves around the two most badass fighters in town and their quest to help a girl they are indebted to find the samurai who smells of sunflowers. Ugh its so gooooood. 

Mawaru Penguindrum - Weird and comical sum up this anime pretty nicely! It is a fun watch that you will find hard not to binge on once you start. Stay with me people: An alien penguin-hat grants a girl her life back in exchange for her two bothers’ help in acquiring the Penguindrum (whatever that is). I know what you are thinking, but please give it a try! You won’t regret it! 

Eden of the East - “This nation faces a great crisis. One among you must save us. I cannot tell you how. I cannot tell you why. Should you fail, you will be eliminated.” 12 people have been chosen to save Japan, each given a phone with 10 billion yen on it and the simple instruction to save Japan–their lives are on the line. Despite this harsh description, the actual show also has an element of humor, so don’t be afraid to jump in! Noblesse Oblige.

Steins;Gate - Many of you have probably heard of this and thought that is was too stuffy or complicated for you, but I’m here to tell you that you will watch this show, make it to episode 22, and then thank me. YOUR WELCOME. Sure, this show takes some getting into, but once you delve deeper into the plot, you will find things falling into place. It has unconventional characters, a really great romance stuck in there, and a pretty refreshing, sciency tone. Enjoy. 

Nodame Cantabile - To think that so many people have not seen this gift to humanity sickens me. Nodame is most assuredly the most interesting and unique anime character to walk this little anime earth. There is music! There is romance! There is SO MUCH HUMOR! There are 3 seasons!!! You can’t really pass up this opportunity to watch a legend.  

Hunter X Hunter (2011) - This is the only long-running shonen series I will ever watch. This is a series for those of you who like action but not fight scenes that span multiple episodes and like actual character development and good animation consistently throughout the show (I swear its perfect the whole way). Gon wants to be a Hunter just like his father and he meets Killua, the boy-assassin (an resident cinnamon roll), Kurapika, the last of the Kurta clan hell-bent on revenge, and Leorio, a guy who wants to strike it rich. Follow these four on a journey you won’t forget!

Know your bricks!

On Describing Characters

Anonymous asked: “I’ve been writing in first person for my novel, but I’ve found I’m not sure how to describe the main character’s appearance.”

First person in particular can be a bit of a challenge when it comes to describing appearances. I think all the way around the trick of describing the way they look while looking into a mirror is a little tired and often hard to make it feel believable. The method I find most helpful is describing by comparison. 

Keep reading

High Payoff Scenes.

If that scene you meant to be emotional, jaw-dropping and climactic isn’t working right, try taking a step back. 

All the usual aspects of a good scene also apply to the buildup toward a good scene. As well as including all these aspects into the scene itself, remember that at the point where your awe inspiring scene hits…

The reader should already feel deep, ‘positive’ emotions for the characters involved, whether that be love, intrigue, or an I love to hate them feeling.

The reader should already understand and have witnessed the characters struggling in some way with the goals they are working towards during that scene.

The reader should already have a clear picture of the character’s relationships and emotions, and understand which direction they are moving.

The reader should already be well-based in the plot and have a good understanding of every piece of information they need order to be fully immersed in the scene. 

The reader should already have a clear picture of the current stakes and playing field, so they can decide what outcome to root for. (Or in some cases, they can feel the same desperation the pov character has as they realize there are no good outcomes.)

Most importantly, remember that there are no perfect first drafts, and barely any half-decent second, third, or fourth drafts either. If you need to rewrite and rewrite a few times over, that’s okay. 

Just because the amazing scene in your head seems to fall short once it’s written, doesn’t mean all its amazingness isn’t still buried in there somewhere.

As you all probably know I’m obsessed with Korean skincare, but the focus of kbeauty always seems to be focused on hydration and brightening skin, which is great, but I thought I would make a little list of Korean products that are for acne! 

Cosrx Pimple Master Patch: $4.79 for 24 patches. These are great for targeting those large, painful pimples without popping them. Put these on the pimple before bed to dry it out! 

Cosrx Centella Blemish Ampule: $21.71. This ampule is great because it’s anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory to help kill existing bacteria while prevent more from growing, and it is also super soothing and hydrating so it prevents dryness and irritation! 

Mizon AHA Peeling Serum: $13.96. This serum will help unclog pores by sloughing off dead skin cells before they can clog you pores! A great chemical exfoliation as opposed to scrubs that can actually cause more acne. Make sure to follow directions and only use 3 to 4 times a week! 

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Mask: $16.88 for 10 sheet masks. These masks are gonna help soothe redness and irritation caused by acne while also hydrating the skin.

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purity: $20.50. This is a great cleanser for sensitive acne prone skin. It’s hypoallergenic and will help get rid of excess oils, which can cause breakouts. 

So there you have it! Let me know if you guys want me to do more of these, or if you’ve tried any of the products! Also I know there are a few typos in the picture, sorry! 

The Flash is gold

3 Study Methods You Should Use More Often

This was originally for an article writing assignment, but I thought “why not write something I can also post on my blog?” so here are three study methods that I haven’t seen a lot of in the studyblr community but are definitely worth mentioning.

The Leitner System

          Flash cards have remained one of the most popular ways to study. Some people use them to memorize vocabulary, remember answers to specific questions, or even associate dates with events. Although the use of flash cards is convenient, their effectiveness has been reduced due to most people’s habits of prioritizing each card equally and therefore spending too much time memorizing the information on them.

          The Leitner System, created by a German popularizer of science named Sebastian Leitner, is a more efficient method of studying that implements the concept of spaced repetition. All the cards start off in one pile. You would first scan through these cards, then test yourself. Each card you answer correctly goes to a second pile, while those you answer incorrectly should be revised then placed at the bottom of the pile. When you review the cards in the second pile and get them correct, they will be promoted to a third pile. An incorrect card will always get demoted to the first pile, even if they had previously been promoted to the last pile.

          The reason why this method is so effective is that you end up reviewing the first pile of cards more frequently—the cards you don’t know very well. Some people choose to review their Stack 1 cards every day, Stack 2 cards every other day, Stack 3 cards once every three days, and so on.

          Once all your cards have been promoted to the highest box, study them thoroughly and then start over. The continuous revision trains your speed so that you may reach fluency, which allows you to recall the information faster.

Timed Memorization

          The name tells it all: you memorize a certain text within a time limit, normally around five to ten minutes depending on your fluency and memorization abilities. When the timer starts, you begin memorizing. When time is up, you flip to the next page, even if you haven’t finished the previous page yet. Continue until you’ve gone through all your material.

          Timed memorization helps you to discipline yourself because your brain thinks that there’s no time for messing around; you have to do this here and now. Make sure to repeat the things you missed and revise everything frequently. This method is actually one of the most effective for cramming as it gives a better coverage than if you spend a whole half hour memorizing one subtopic.

The Memory Palace or Mind Palace

           Sound familiar? In BBC’s Sherlock, the ‘highly functioning sociopath’ uses this method to remember vital information and facts. A mind palace is a systematic arrangement of information, each detail corresponding to a specific object in a familiar place. To ensure that you really remember everything, the objects have to appear shocking and conspicuous.

           Here’s an example: if I wanted to memorize “crimson, 11, delight, petrichor (the smell after rain)”, aside from imagining Amy Pond or the Doctor saying it, I would first choose a place, let’s say my school. I’d imagine myself walking up to the front gate and seeing that the entire building has been painted the color of blood—crimson. The building would then rise as though it were lifted from the earth and crumble into rubble, controlled by Eleven, the character from Stranger Things. Now, since I can’t really picture delight specifically, I’d probably end up visualizing a colossal sign that simply reads “delight” posted in front of my school. As for petrichor, I’d imagine curves rising out of the puddles on the asphalt after a rainy night, a visual representation of the smell of the rain. Of course, these visualizations have been created to suit my memory. (I wouldn’t know if you watched Stranger Things.)

           I used this method when memorizing case studies for geography, although I chose to visualize fictional places from television series and cartoons. Some people do opt to create artificial places, but these often become blurry and are easily forgotten.

           As with any study method, repetition is vital to storing the information in your long-term memory. Visit your “palace” as often as you can. Soon enough, you’ll remember the data as well as you remember the place associated with the data.

So there you have it, three lesser known methods of studying that have proven to be immensely efficient. Now, there is no “correct” way to study, but there are methods that can ease your learning process.

Highlight above the brow, right above the very tip of the arch instead of under. This will help lift the face without making the eyelids look puffy or accentuating stray hairs.