Beatrice

Back to school time is coming fast, and for a lot of us that means moving into dorms!! My first year I brought all the wrong things, so here are some tips and a lil packing list to help you guys figure out what you need and what you don’t.

tip #1 You don’t need as much as you think you need. Throw out those bed bath and beyond packing lists because they’re only trying to take all your money. If you don’t use it when you’re at home, you won’t use it at school.

tip #2 Think through a typical school day – what do you do? What do you need?

tip #3 Pack in things that will be staying in your dorm as much as possible – laundry baskets, trunks, those plastic drawers, etc. It’s way easier than carrying down 500 boxes to the recycling bin. 

tip #4 Don’t shove too much into one bin, especially if there’s no elevator. Keep it light!

tip #5 See if there are things you can wait and buy there – snacks, school supplies, etc to save room in your car. But drive an extra half an hour instead of going to the Target right by campus that’s inevitably packed and sold out of everything.

tip #6 Pack cleaning supplies last so you can clean everything (especially your bed!!) before you start unpacking. 

tip #7 Bring some snacks and a bottle of water for moving day, and dress comfy. It will inevitably be 100 degrees and you + your fam will get hangry fast.

what to bring:

bedding 

bath

study

clothes

misc

what not to bring: 

here are a few things commonly listed on packing lists that you’ll never use.

This is far from an exhaustive list, but it should help you get an idea of what you need and what you don’t! Be sure to check out your school’s housing website to find the details of your dorm before you leave. Good luck and happy packing!

A creative Copenhagen home | styling by Alexandra Papini & photos by Andrea Papini | more pictures of this home here

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A Small Guide to Journaling by Eintsein

Something you may or may not know about be is that I journal. However, only recently have I gotten the hang of it and stayed loyal to the habit of journaling. Here are some tips and tricks on how you can journal successfully. Hope you like it :)

now that most of us are at home, i thought this could be useful to the ones who aren't that used to learning material on their own and aren’t sure where to start, or which order of steps to follow. happy studying! 💗

studygram

hey!! i used to have a huge problem with procrastination but i would say i’m holding up pretty okay these last days and doing a good job at balancing out my days. i’m by no means perfect and still waste time every so often but i hope i can help some of you hehe.

do what gets you in a “productive“ mood 🍊

for me, it’s getting ready and putting on a fun outfit, for you it may be working out in the morning or completing some quick tasks like putting some things away etc. figure out what gets you started. this helped me a lot, especially after i laid in bed doing nothing, it’s much easier to do these kind of tasks than just start studying.

have a fun morning routine 🍊

something to look forward to. i love breakfast and listening to an audiobook. you can try to incorporate journaling, playing with a pet, listening to your fav music, doing fun makeup, … it will get way easier to get up in the morning.

maximize your space / use it in a smart way 🍊

i have a sofa bed so i make to sure it’s in the sofa state when studying, so i don’t get tempted to lay down. you could also make your bed in the morning and make a rule it’s only for sleeping. when you like to work in bed just change the layout like moving the pillows. make your brain associate studying with certain things. turning on a specific lamp, candles, certain music, idk even smth like putting your hair up. also best invention ever made are theses thingies making your books stay up (how are they called???). first of all your neck doesn’t hurt as much anymore, books take up less space and they’re also really practical for your laptop.

practice 🍊

when doing exercises you already have the answers to, try doing them without help and then correct yourself like a teacher with a red pen. i find i then know which mistakes are typical for me and remember the correct answer better.

be flexible 🍊

if you make a plan and find it doesn’t work out for you, change it. adjust your studying for subjects. i can read for 50mins but i can’t revise flashcards for that long. that may be completely different for you. i also don’t really like making a schedule because it just always seems to get interrupted. you may work fine with one. just try things out and find what works for you.

have things to look forward to 🍊

i need breaks. i like to take a midday break and watch youtube or a show and i study in 50min tacts with 10min breaks in between. i rest in the evening and do something i like. organize your days in a way that doesn’t make you burn out.

get enough sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🍊

hear me out. i didn’t want to believe it. but it makes such a huge difference. i know this is (sadly) not realistic for everyone but ever since i sleep enough, i’m way happier? and motivated. i can concentrate better and in the end get more done than when i would sleep less.

revision 🍊

if you need to memorize material go through it trying to repeat it without looking. then mark the stuff you don’t know (highlight/sticky notes). if you go through your material later you will know what you really need to revise and save time.

and most importantly: be gentle to yourself. don’t overwork yourself. don’t compare yourself to others. forgive yourself when you are not “productive“. your worth is not messured by that!!! okay?

okay, so here in california precautionary measures against COVID-19 have become increasingly intense. most schools have closed and are preparing to make the transition to “distance learning” aka online classes. this is a big change for many of us – but don’t panic!

welcome to surviving online classes 101!

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✐ self discipline

this is more of a warning than a tip. working from home means you will have to exercise a lot more self discipline. it can be a little bit boring or lonely at times. you cannot count on motivation from others (professors, classmates, friends, etc.), so you will have to learn some self discipline. 

✐ create your own classroom

a good way to make the transition is to try and mimic the classroom setting as closely as possible. something that might be helpful is to set up a space designated for work. try to avoid the temptation to work in your bed or on the couch. that trains your brain to be alert in those places and makes it harder to relax/fall asleep. at least during online lectures, try and eliminate distractions that wouldn’t be present in a regular classroom (like tv or netflix playing in the background, or having your phone out)

✐ dress for success!

dress in the way that makes you feel most productive. if you’re one of those people who usually rolls into class wearing sweats and still kills it, good for you! if you’re one of those people who needs to put on a full face of makeup to feel alive and ready for the day, do that! even at home!! i personally never wear makeup but if i try to be productive in pjs… disaster. i’ve also found that cute workout gear makes me feel badass while still being comfy.

✐ create a schedule

now more than ever you need to figure out how to manage your time. you can use a planner, bujo, google calendar, the forest app, whatever. just make sure you keep track of things like

✐ pack your bag like you usually would

i know this probably sounds so dumb, but when you’re done working clean up after yourself. pack everything up like you would at school, to sort of signal to your brain that academic time is over for now. and then unpack and set up when you’re ready to get to work again. this is just another way to trick your brain into that school mindset while you’re stuck at home.

✐ don’t overwork yourself

break up your studying into chunks. being cooped up all day can make us feel like we’re wasting time, but be sure to schedule breaks and reward yourself after a solid study session. i’m a big fan of the pomodoro method, and it can be customized really easily to allow for more or less study/rest time. 

✐ maintain a healthy sleep schedule

now is the time to develop that healthy sleep schedule we all dream about. staring at a computer all day is exhausting and hard on the eyes and brain, so make sure to give them enough rest and time to recover each night. also, consider investing in glasses that block blue light, even if you don’t usually use glasses. this will keep our eyes young lol. 

✐ communicate with your teachers and classmates

most of us are making this transition to online learning together. any time you have questions, email your professor. reach out to your classmates at the beginning and exchange emails/phone numbers/social media so you can build a support system. if something goes wrong, screenshot it immediately and reach out to your professor. technology isn’t perfect, and mistakes can happen, just communicate them.

✐ turn things in early

this is my biggest tip. when you are relying on online submissions for assignments and digital lectures, you always want to allow extra time to fix any errors you might encounter. your professor will also be much more willing to help you fix a problem two days before a deadline rather than two minutes before a deadline. eliminate that uncertainty by playing it safe with online submissions. 

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GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!! YOU GOT THIS!! WE GOT THIS!!

in the past, i had to prepare for several exams by self-studying for long hours at home, so over the years i’ve learned the best ways to adapt to this situation, which i now present in this little infographic. i hope it can ease some of the pressure! 💜

studygram

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