Important Confession

The only way I feel I can adequately describe my feelings on the chewis dynamic is that I think Charles would call Lewis mommy.

Soon to be college freshman, Can you give me advice? Like what I'll need when I move into dorms? Study tactics? Things like that? (Also, I wanna be a teacher!)

That’s so awesome!!! Here are some things off the top of my head:

Dorm supplies

(Technically I wrote these for another post a while back but I still stand by these recommendations tbh)

A good lamp (ideally a sunlight lamp or something that has natural-looking light so you don’t hurt your eyes too much at 2 am)

A storage tower thingy (great for toiletries and other small stuff like that)

A fluffy rug makes a hugeeeee difference in my opinion

Hanging shoe rack (you can put hats, belts, socks, etc. in it, not just shoes!)

A planner or notebook for a bullet journal (if desired)

An essential oil diffuser + your favorite essential oil scents (instead of air fresheners, I think they give a much nicer feeling plus you can customize it way more)

Fairy lights

One of those comfy armrest pillow thingies idk what they’re called ok

A good pair of headphones!

A good water bottle that DOESN’T LEAK

Mildliners or some other nice-looking highlighters (if you like to highlight your notes or textbooks)

Study tips

When you’re trying to focus, seriously put your phone away somewhere you can’t see or use (I like using the app Forest and putting my phone in a drawer, though there are a bunch of other similar apps out there such as Flora, Plantie and Study Bunny!), turn off any notifications that would come up on your laptop, and close any tabs that you’re not currently working on. I know this is so one of those things you see in every list of advice, but it truly can make such a difference in my opinion!

Have a system for keeping track of assignments. I use Notion, but at different times since being in college I’ve also used a planner or a bullet journal, so find a system that works for you and use it religiously

Keep a calendar of classes and other meetings. I use Outlook but you could also use Google Calendar or even just writing it down in whatever planning system you choose. Don’t just rely on yourself to remember when your classes are, because at some point you’ll miss a meeting. It also gives you more peace of mind and mental space for other things, too

Personally, I find that doing a quick and easy task in the morning before I move onto more difficult assignments helps a lot with motivation, so give that a try and see if that also works for you! Some people also like doing their hardest task first, so just figure out which one suits your life the best

Tbh I have a lot more tips but they’re so dependent on like what types of classes you’re taking, if they’ll be online vs in-person, so hmu if you want more specifics!

Other tips

If you are truly not wanting to do a piece of homework, try to figure out why that is instead of just forcing yourself. A lot of times it can be that you are ignoring things like hunger, exhaustion, mental health, etc. and it’s really important that you take care of some of those essential things first. Mental health comes above schoolwork, and you need to make it a priority in your life so you don’t get burnt out

Have a life outside of schoolwork. Join a club, do volunteerwork, make some friends and talk about things other than classes, go into town from time to time, pick up or continue doing a hobby, anything really. So many people get completely stuck in their college schoolwork bubble that they forget to also live their life somewhere in there too

Best of luck!!! I hope things go as smoothly as possible for you!

just saw this video of checo playing a mix of soccer and dodgeball in his driver’s room on twitter and now i am fully on board w him actually

something my mum always taught us was to look for the resources we're entitled to, and use them. public land? know your access rights and responsibilities, go there and exercise them. libraries? go there and talk to librarians and read community notice boards, find out what other people are doing around you, ask questions, use the printers. public records offices? go in there, learn what they hold and what you can access, look at old maps, get your full birth certificate copied, check out the census from your neighbourhood a hundred years ago. are you entitled to social support? find out, take it, use it. does the local art college have facilities open to the public? go in, look around, check out their exhibit on ancient looms or whatever, shop in their campus art supply store. it applies online too, there is so much shit in the world that belongs to the public commons that you can access and use if you just take a minute to wonder what might exist!!!

Two job-hunting resources that changed my life:

This cover letter post on askamanger.com. A job interview guide written by Alison Green, who runs askamanager.

thinking about them <3

Good e-Reader

Z-Library domains are seized and pirate book site is dead

During the pandemic one of the most notorious ebook pirate websites gained millions of new users. At its height, the site offered over 11 mi

evil loves to win

obsessed with this pic, mark looks so unimpressed, literally going "my smart, talented, future wdc mentee is in love with... this guy?? ew."