Shiro X Keith 😢

Stelena vs Delena; Neither Ship is Better…

As an avid fan of The Vampire Diaries I have been waiting with barely contained anticipation for the, unfortunately, what is to be the last season of this thrill-inducing show. Season 8 premiers in October and because I was impatient (and missing my weekly dose of Delena scenes) I read a few article about which ship they believed would be endgame. I stumbled upon an article that inspired me to write my own take on the main love triangle in the show.  I know this is debate has been going on for as long as TVDhas been airing and even when the books were written by LJ Smith. I haven't completed reading the books yet so my opinion is based solely on the TV show. I would just like to remind anyone commenting/reposting/reading this that offensive comments are not appreciated even if you are defending your OTP and dissing someone's favourite character or actor is rude and usually uncalled for.  Now moving onto the debate. I read an article explaining why nine commonly used argument for why Delena would not be a good ship are utterly rubbish. I believe the author was right because a lot of these arguments were completely invalid (The link for the article is at the bottom). I would also like to mention that while I do prefer Delena as a ship I do not hate Stelena. In fact I think they are cute and I ship them but they are not one of my OTPs (and yes I am aware I said one of. I just can't decide). To begin with I would like to address the issue of trust between Damon and Elena in contrast to Stefan and Elena. While Stefan technically didn’t lie to Elena about being a vampire he also tried to conceal for as long as possible; this, of course, is understandable. What person tells their potential crush/love/romantic interest that they are a creature of the night whose species drains people of their blood for survival?   However, while Damon doesn't exactly lie to Elena he does conceal the fact that they met first from her. Some of you might argue that it is because he loved her and didn't want her to feel guilty about being with Stefan or because he thought he didn't deserve her but he still concealed the truth from her. Relationships work on trust. However we can all rest assured knowing that Elena also lied to both Salvatore brothers. She lied to Damon when she helped Stefan hide the fact that he had killed Enzo (although if you think about it Enzo was the one who moved out of Stefan's grip) in season 5 episode 19. She lied to Stefan when he came back from his time with Klaus and she pretended that nothing was happening between her and Damon in the end of season 3.   My second argument is that many watchers of the show assume that Elena will end up with Stefan because he is the “good” brother; however, let’s not forget that Damon isn’t just the “bad guy”. The Salvatore brothers have complex personalities and both possess equal sides of malevolence and benevolence depending on the occasion. In fact, it appears that when one of them is being the “bad guy” the other is being the “good guy”. When Stefan leaves with Klaus after becoming a ripper; Damon is there to help and protect Elena through the tough time. Although in the beginning Damon threatened to turn Elena into a vampire to get Emily Bennett’s grimoire (spell book) to help rescue Katherine from the tomb and Stefan was the one who protected her. A reason many people use when saying they ship Stelena is that they are cute. Now I understand we all love cute things like me I love cute kittens for example but I don't think that's an actual explanation for why you ship it or why it's better than Delena because a lot of people can tell you that they are cute too. So, therefore, this is not an actual argument and I tend to disregard it whenever it is set during a debate. Don’t you agree?   Lastly, considering that this is also vital to the building of a long term relationship I would like to focus on each couples communication skills or lack of thereof. It is stated on more than one occasion that Damon and Elena have a connection, an understanding that helps them to communicate without words and only with looks or simple gestures. However it appears that the same cannot be said for Stefan and Elena as it seems that they miscommunicate the wrong idea to each other more often than they actually communicate effectively. Many times during season 4 Stefan pressures Elena into adopting his “animal diet”. However good his intentions it still does not change the fact that it made Elena feel as if she had to lie to keep his respect and her place on the pedestal that Stefan had erected her on. The same cannot be said for Damon and Elena because, as I mentioned above, Damon understood Elena’s struggle and tried to help her through moderation not abstaining completely (opinions on whether this was a better solution or not are for another argument).   During the funeral when he helps her with her “throwing up blood” problem, it showcases their connection so well. This is why I believe that Damon and Elena communicate better than Stefan and Elena. That is, of course, not to disrespect the epic love that Stefan and Elena shared for the first two seasons. They might not have Damon and Elena’s wordless understanding but their immediate chemistry from their first scene as Elena bumps into Stefan as she exits the boys’ bathroom made, us fans, ship them from the beginning. In conclusion, I think that neither of the Salvatores is essentially “better” for Elena but that each of them helped her in the time that she needed them the most and that it is up to each viewer to judge whichever brother is more suited to being with Elena.   Link for Article; 9 arguments against DE that don’t make sense: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/damon-and-elena/articles/81318/title/9-crimes-nine-arguments-against-de-dont-make-sense    

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Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie (paleo, nut-free option)

Reblogginh for reference

hello pals!! this is a masterpost of half (or so) of the reference posts i reblogged/made. i tried uploading this masterpost as just one big masterpost but i had over 250 links so that failed and here i am again. here is part one, encapsulating studying + certain subjects which will be followed by part two (slightly more general) here! enjoy ✨

studying, school, + learning

what i’ve learnt throughout my years of being a student

notes, studying, and self-study resources

self-study resources

starting a studyblr

college + uni

how to get studying

online study guides

good habits

exams!

study management

school is starting soon

back to school (1)

back to school (2)

back to school (3)

back to school reminders

50 things to know for back to school

get prepared for a new school year

school resources

final grade calculator

writing emails to professors

cheap textbooks etc!!

save money on textbooks

school

first week of school stuff

testing effect

make studying fun

high school tips

101 study tips

types of learners

lazy kid’s guide to good grades

catching up on missed work

university tag

igcse resources

sat tag

act tag

ap tag

ib tag

a-level revision tips

diy school supplies

test taking tips

a complete guide to studying (well)

time to study!

groupwork (1)

groupwork (2)

tips tag

study effectively from textbooks

studying better

surviving your least favourite class

studying a subject you hate

success

doing research

understanding the question

pomodoro

study tips

tactile learning

how to concentrate

concentration

exam day

ultimate study masterpost

study tips for exams

school survival

studying on the go

how to read academic journal articles

how to study smart

how to remember anything in 3 steps

distraction-free studying

motivation

my study instagram + study blog

+ motivation links

motivation masterpost

stay motivated

get that homework done!

reaching goals

getting motivated

motivation through anime

writing

writing tag

recover an unsaved draft

uni writing resources

add citations!

annotating (1)

annotating (2)

advice for writing papers

writing helps

essay writing tips

how to write an essay

writing term research papers

active vs passive voice

writing masterpost

academic writing resources

essay checklist

reduce your word count

essay writing links

how to write and execute a huge piece of work

summary writing

the discursive/argumentative essay

the narrative essay + the descriptive essay

note-taking

note-taking in class

cornell note-taking

cornell (2)

lecture notes

illustrating notes

banners

maintaining good notes

note-taking

sticky notes

flashcards

colour-code + highlight effectively

colour-coding

studying from textbooks

study guides

upgrade your notes

illustrate your notes

mind maps

note-taking for different lecture types

ribbon drawing

smart highlighting

lettering ideas

how i take notes

note-taking tips

aesthetically pleasing notes

fake cursive notes

languages + literature

the ultimate english masterpost

shakespeare

literature masterpost

annotating

studying a foreign language

100+ legal sites to download literature

approaching poetry analysis

write a killer unprepared text essay

literary analysis research papers

classics

how to ace lit

reading lit

write a rhetorical analysis essay

practice oral comprehension!!

how i study for english lit

poetry analysis (1)

poetry analysis (2)

how i learn languages

self-studying languages

languages tag

how to open a new book

literary devices

literaty devices w/ printables

literature masterpost

grow your vocab

a guide to vocab

language learning tips + resources

SUPER IMPORTANT FOR POLYGLOTS

tips + tricks for learning a language

chinese

english

french

german

greek

italian

japanese

korean

latin

maltese

polish

russian

spanish

swedish

humanities + other subjects

studying humanities subjects

gathering materials for a humanities research paper

philosophy

philosophy tag

psychology tag

politics + government

women of wwi

ap world history

coding

design resources

sciences + math

how to memorise diagrams

biology (1)

biology (2)

studying biology

biology help

biology note-taking

anatomy + physiology

physiology

physics

ap physics

chemistry (1)

chemistry (2)

chemistry note-taking

studying chemistry

maths tag

how to study for math

how to study math (1)

how to study math (2)

math (1)

math (2)

math (3)

10 tips to excel in maths

avoid carelessness in calculations

succeed in math without really trying

math resources and links

algebra (1)

algebra (2)

precalculus

geometry

space + astronomy (1)

space + astronomy (2)

hope this helps + please check out part 2 as well!! ilysm 💗 

ps here is a list of all my masterposts just in case 🐝

- helena xx

i’ve compiled a masterpost of tips that i have reblogged over the past few months and i thought it would be easier to have it all in one place. none of these posts are by me! huge thanks to everyone that has created these tips.

exams

finals: survival guide for the brave

pennyfynotes’ guide to exam season

study tips for exams

tips for doing well on exams

how to

how to accept and grow from failure

how to avoid education burnout

how to be an efficient test-taker

how to cope with exams

how to get straight a’s

how to get straight a’s 2

how to overcome failure

how to study effectively

how to study as a busy student

how to study when you don’t want to

how to utilise your studyblr

how to do well in a class taught by a crappy teacher

improve your handwriting

improve your life

productivity

5 easy productivity tips

7 productivity tips

productivity 101

the no bullshit guide to getting your shit together

school

4 tips for delivering a perfect presentation

a self care masterpost to help you get through school

school cheat sheet

back to school

back to school advice

habits of successful students

search google like a pro

useful things for those going back 2 school

study tips

6 things people don’t always tell you about studying

effective note taking

memory tips

my 3 steps in studying

memorisation tips for different types of learners

random study tips

study habits

study methods

study smarter

study tips

strategies for writing good conclusions

things not to do when studying

tips + tricks for learning a language

types of study breaks for every situation

unconventional study tips

when to use

work smarter, not harder

misc.

four rules for a disciplined life

self discipline tips

self soothing techniques

small gestures of self-love

tips on how to get up earlier if you aren’t a morning person

APPS AND WEBSITES YOUR STUDENT SELF NEEDS

Citations: - bibme.org - easybib.com

Homework/Textbook Answers: - stackexchange.com // answers to any question - wolframalpha.com // math question answers - slader.com // answers to any textbook - MathPapa // shows the work

Studying: - quizlet.com // create or search for practice quizzes and flash cards - cheatography.com // make your own cheat sheet - Khan Academy // study basically any subject - Magoosh ACT Flashcards - StudySync - That Quiz - Brilliant

Free Textbooks: - textbooknova.com - ebookee.org - manybooks.net - feedurbrain.com

Note Taking: - OneNote - Notability - SuperNotes - StudyBlue - Bento - QuickOffice - Simplenote - Squid

Royalty Free Music: - purple-planet.com - freemusicarchive.com

Résumé Help: - monster.com

Money Saving: - finaid.org // info on financial aid and scholarships - studentrate.com // great deals on textbooks, uniforms, etc. - lozo.com // coupons for your shopping list - Amazon PrimeStudent // free for the first 6 months

Planner: -MyHomework Student Planner - Timeful - Listastic - Remember THE Milk - Finish - ClassManager

Language Learning: - Duolingo - Memrise - Busuu - Babbel - MindSnacks

College Search: - campustours.com // online campus tours - collegeboard.org // help for finding and choosing a college

Other: - dropbox.com // upload files to share, store, or move them to a different device - wordhippo.com // find the word that you can’t think of but can describe - scholar.google.com // narrows the search to more reliable information - essaytyper.com // type in a topic and get an essay - Desmos // a free graphing calculator - roomsurf.com // find a roommate - WiFi Finder

i found this super helpful so I thought I’d share

I’ve decided to do a sleep masterpost, because people are always saying that you need to sleep early so you can wake up early, but if you’re like me and have insomnia, sleeping early is not always an option. This masterpost is supposed to help you sleep.

NEW HABITS:

Stick to a sleeping schedule: always go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends, 

Avoid naps: I know how naps can be a gift of God, but napping during the day make it more difficult to sleep at night. If you really need a nap, limit it to 30 mins before 3:00PM. 

Get regular exercise: exercise can improve symptoms of insomnia, but it’s not a quick fix. Aim for 30 mins or more of exercise every day, but not too close to bedtime. 

Avoid late meals: Try to avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours before bed. Fatty foods can take a lot of work for your stomach to digest. Spicy foods can cause heartburn. 

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine: Stop drinking caffeinated beverages at least eight hours before bed. While alcohol can make you feel sleepy, it interferes with the quality of your sleep, and nicotine is a stimulant.

DEVELOP A BETTER BEDTIME ROUTINE:

Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool: Noise, light, and heat can interfere with sleep. Try using a sound machine or earplugs to hide outside noise, an open window or fan to keep the room cool, and blackout curtains or a sleep mask to block out light.

Avoid stimulating activity and stressful situations before bedtime:  This includes vigorous exercise, big discussions or arguments, or catching up on work. Instead, focus on quiet, soothing activities, such as reading, knitting, or listening to soft music, while keeping lights low.

Turn off screens one hour before bedtime: The light emitted from TV, tablets, smartphones, and computers suppresses your body’s production of melatonin and can severely disrupt your sleep. Instead of emailing, texting, watching TV, or playing video games, try listening to a book on tape, a podcast, or reading by a soft light.

RELAXING TECHNIQUES:

Abdominal breathing: Breathing deeply and fully, involving not only the chest, but also the belly, lower back, and ribcage, can help relaxation. Close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths, making each breath even deeper than the last. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Progressive muscle relaxation: Make yourself comfortable. Starting with your feet, tense the muscles as tightly as you can. Hold for a count of 10, and then relax. Continue to do this for every muscle group in your body, working your way up from your feet to the top of your head.

Mindfulness meditation: (This one is my favorite one) Sit quietly and focus on your natural breathing and on the way your body feels in the moment. Allow thoughts and emotions to come and go without judgment, always returning to focus on breath and your body.

PLAYLISTS:

Piano at 3pm (instrumental)

Meditation/sleep/study/yoga (white sounds)

Amazing classics (instrumental)

Nature Escape (white sounds)

City wanderer (instrumental)

Sweetest Female Vocals (acoustic)

APPS:

I only have an Iphone, so these apps are the ones I found at the App Store. 

Sleep Cycle alarm clock. 

Digipill - Sleep, Relaxation and Mindfulness.

Stop, Breathe & Think.

Headspace

It is that time of the year again, my dudes. Since I did this type of thing with MoD last year, this November I am doing the same with Between Us. All of the raw episodes will be uploaded on google drive for anyone who would like to have no logo, no hard subs and good quality. Each episode will be updated on this post every Sunday when the show airs. The folder is also open for anyone with the link, if that would be easier to bookmark or whatever.

As a final note, just like last year - if you find any issues with the videos, please, tell me so I can fix whatever the fuck the issue may be.

Peace and have fun making stuff 🖤

Google Drive Folder

Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Episode 9 Episode 10 Episode 11 Episode 12

edit: added the poster for my visual searchers. i know some of y'all don't read, but rather use visual stuff for navigation, so here. also @daikunart is really blind so this is for her mostly xd

edit#2: quick update on something, as @starminesister mentioned in their tags

there should indeed be subs in the video file, tho if i have to be honest, i don't know (don't use them sooo). if there are subs as it should, you would have to look for the subtitle stream and choose your language. as far as i know the subs should be in indonesian, simplified chinese, traditional chinese, english, malaysian, vietnamese and spanish. i am pretty sure that the subs thing depends on what player you are using tho.

edit#3: added a video for the subs. they are all under the same name so you will have to find the right one. also it seems some don't acutally work or are the embeded version of "no subs" not sure. but anyway, there are subs nonetheless xd

i found this very helpful for my English narrative assignment and i thought i’d reblog it to help someone else out

Myths, Creatures, and Folklore

Want to create a religion for your fictional world? Here are some references and resources!

General:

General Folklore

Various Folktales

Heroes

Weather Folklore

Trees in Mythology

Animals in Mythology

Birds in Mythology

Flowers in Mythology

Fruit in Mythology

Plants in Mythology

Folktales from Around the World

Africa:

Egyptian Mythology

African Mythology

More African Mythology

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

The Gods of Africa

Even More African Mythology

West African Mythology

All About African Mythology

African Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

The Americas:

Aztec Mythology

Haitian Mythology

Inca Mythology

Maya Mythology

Native American Mythology

More Inca Mythology

More Native American Mythology

South American Mythical Creatures

North American Mythical Creatures

Aztec Gods and Goddesses

Asia:

Chinese Mythology

Hindu Mythology

Japanese Mythology

Korean Mythology

More Japanese Mythology

Chinese and Japanese Mythical Creatures

Indian Mythical Creatures

Chinese Gods and Goddesses

Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Korean Gods and Goddesses

Europe:

Basque Mythology

Celtic Mythology

Etruscan Mythology

Greek Mythology

Latvian Mythology

Norse Mythology

Roman Mythology

Arthurian Legends

Bestiary

Celtic Gods and Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic Lands

Finnish Mythology

Celtic Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

Middle East:

Islamic Mythology

Judaic Mythology

Mesopotamian Mythology

Persian Mythology

Middle Eastern Mythical Creatures

Oceania:

Aboriginal Mythology

Polynesian Mythology

More Polynesian Mythology

Mythology of the Polynesian Islands

Melanesian Mythology

Massive Polynesian Mythology Post

Maori Mythical Creatures

Hawaiian Gods and Goddesses

Hawaiian Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses

Creating a Fantasy Religion:

Creating Part 1

Creating Part 2

Creating Part 3

Creating Part 4

Fantasy Religion Design Guide

Using Religion in Fantasy

Religion in Fantasy

Creating Fantasy Worlds

Beliefs in Fantasy

Some superstitions:

Read More

Linguine

PARMESAN & GARLIC LINGUINE

CREAMY PESTO SHRIMP PASTA

SMOKED OYSTERS, CLAMS, AND COCKLES LINGUINE

SPICY CHORIZO TOMATO LINGUINE

Italian Seafood Linguine

garlic butter white wine shrimp linguine

creamy prawn (shrimp) and mushroom linguine

TOFU & ARTICHOKE SCAMPI

TOMATO LINGUINE WITH BASIL & BURRATA

One Pan Creamy Parmesan Linguine with Shrimp

More recipes here

Follow for recipes

Get your FoodFfs stuff here

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Omg! This is super helpful

HOLLA i get like 746 asks per week about bullet journals so i thought i would compile a bunch of resources here 4 u lovely people ~ these are for the people who have never heard about bullet journaling, for the people that want to try it, or for the people who have been doing it for months :]

tutorial set ups

set up by @ studyign

official bullet journal site

set up by @ littlestudyspot

set up by @ ir-studyblr

set up by @ caffeinatedcraziness

set up by @ ambivity

set up by @ study-timeeee

set up by @ stemstudy

set up by @ staticsandstationary

set up by @ future-slp

set up by @ deinterlacing

set up by @ scriptsandthings

set up by @ mestudyblr

set up by @ organizeandstudy

set up by @ kingofwands

set up by @ study-for-your-future

set up by @ studygains

set up by @ lucidtransparency

cute spread insp

color coded n fun

neat n minimalistic

colorful n crafty

divider tabs in use

simple n v cute

pocket b journal

using diff methods

artsy n organized

so many highlighters

bright n super neat

lots of doodles

page/list ideas

some of my pages

v nice weekly spreads

tips on it lookin cute

printable spreads

study schedules

whole bunch of em

health trackers

study check calendar

tips on inspiration

manage the future

expenses / spreads

other jounals

sketchbook/journal ideas

journal/planner inspiration

+ masterposts

productive summer

succeed @ school

ap world history

web resources

ap psychology

ace ur exams

stress reliefs

essay writin

printables

supplies

sat help

hope this was helpful xoxo sareena

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