actually studying in the library for once ๐ and yes, i did spend five minutes drawing those gorgeous field lines instead of being productive
I've been studying Law for almost an academic year. And as much as I love this degree... the other day I sat down with a cup of tea on my hands and cried for some hours because I've never loved anything as much as my English degree. And it hurts me that I made the desperate decision to change career paths because I was too anxious and too depressed to think that maybe a sabbatical year would've been a better decision.
So now I taking two steps back and figuring out what I want to do with my life and how I am going to achieve it.
5.11.2024. || Tuesday
Hellooo ๐ฉต
โ Study time: 3h 34min
Math again gahh
My exam is tomorrow ๐ญ I really hope I do well since my grade this semester LARGELY depends on it
There is some good news though, my teacher removed module 2.2 from the exam!!! I'm so happy since that was my weakest one
โ Today we got our discrete math test results back and I got a 5!! ๐
(In my country 5 is the highest, and 1 is the lowest grade)
โ Workout ๐ซ - Le Sserafim workout, rest day :D
_____________
๐Currently reading: Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass #7) - Sahra J. Maas (progress: 284/981 pages) [yes i read this instead of studying shhhh]
cardiology readings catch-up ๐ have fallen painfully behind because of clinical placements the last two weeks
todayโs study || happy first day of classes!!!
4 nov 2024 - monday, 00:25
i didn't do anything today
i started decluttering my desk but i just couldn't get myself to do more than picking up a few things.
i'm so fed up with myself because i haven't studied in so long and i'm not getting anything done ๐ญ
i hope tomorrow i'll be able to do better
How to write a thesis and defend it like a pro
A guide from a girl who didnโt believe she could do it.
happy to have you here my beloved study community and thank you for all your thoughtful wishes on my thesis defence ๐คtoday Iโll try to share with you all my tips & tricks on how I got there.
productivity tips:
1. start early โ๐ป
as soon as your professor announces your topic or you choose it, it is time to start before there is still not so much resistance. trust me, youโll feel on top knowing that itโs you who did it first.
2. donโt be afraid to ask for help ๐
do you think youโre stupid for asking? if I thought so Iโd be getting my answers from tarot cards. but seriously, your mentor is the one who is supposed to be doing their job. of course try to do it in moderation, but ask questions because it is your success.
3. consistency โ quality ๐
you know how they talk about this annoying one all the time but really this is so important. you have to establish a clear goal, for me it was writing 3 pages per day. sometimes I didnโt feel like doing it so I wrote 2 or even one, but I showed up and tried my best with what I could write. you might write one page one day and the next one youโll get the spark and finish the chapter.
4. set clear goals. ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ
this one is fully connected with previous because this is 50% of your success. not having a routine with this task wonโt lead you anywhere. letโs say youโre morning person so you wake up and do your best at 7 am consistently until 10 and youโre done for the day (or opposite if youโre a night owl). as James Clear says, itโs tiny changes but remarkable results.
5. make it enjoyable ๐ซ
you know this feeling when you finish something hard and you feel so much better. this is what they call hard work dopamine release, because youโve worked for it.
but thereโs a way how you can actually enjoy your thesis writing:
1. buy scented aesthetic seasoned candles ๐ฏ๏ธ
2. always keep your study area clean ๐ซง
3. be a coffee or a tea queen/king โ๏ธ & ๐ต
4. study beats / dark academia music (but keep it undistracting)
5. watch study tik-toks or study motivation movies like Gilmore Girls.
6. reward yourself but in moderation ๐
youtube channel recommendations:
๐ Unjaded Jade (her video: How to Write Your Dissertation)
๐ Dr Amina Yonis (sheโs honestly an amazing woman who breaks down writing with AI, thesis components, resources that you can use & so much more)
๐ Merve (long study session videos with breaks + livestreams without music)
๐ ASMR Weekly (study in a Hogwarts ambience with a different time options, truly magical space)
a personal tip: watch study vlogs from people getting their ish together, it will keep you going when you will start to slack off (Yoora Jung, Phedra Dee, daiz and others)
writing tips โ๐ป
1. please cite your resources straightaway.
donโt repeat my mistakes and donโt spend time searching for what you didnโt save.
2. create a separate folder for your bachelorโs thesis resources.
this is a smart move so your documents arenโt over the place.
3. deep rewriting.
after youโve done some reading you can come up with your own thoughts on topic that your previous paragraph is built on, thatโs what they call your original work.
4. check for plagiarism and correct it.
there are many available resources on the Internet. many universities use Turnitin from UniCheck. some universities give access for personal student use, some check the work when itโs done.
before submitting it, which was really stressful for me, I used my.plag.com.ua for checking my work and Iโve got small percentage still didnโt change it up, but I do recommend it to you if you have more than 20 percent to have a positive feedback.
thesis defence day ๐
1. make a visually appealing presentation.
it is supposed to help you, not stress you out. of course you shouldnโt add all the text that you have, but simply add the most important information.
2. write your speech text in advance.
3. rehearse your performance (at least twice but donโt overdo it)
4. ask yourself questions (simply send your topic to ChatGPT and ask to write questions for your thesis). It helped me gradually because some questions were asked at the real defence.
5. when answering questions, be confident.
this is where you will prove your subject mastery but even if you donโt know the answer - donโt show it, start from afar. some people on interviews use the same technique, but they never tell the truth while their opponent is still satisfied with answer. I actually believe it works like that.
โ๏ธ๐ซง remember: youโre more capable than you think. your worth isnโt based on your achievements. it is simply about trying your best with what you have. make the journey enjoyable!
I cannot express how much I adore dappled shadows formed by sunlight in paintings and photography and in real life
23rd August 2024
So the good news is that my chemistry and English exams went really well. I'm pretty happy with the chem score, though there's a lot to improve in my preparation.
The bad news is that I was rejected from my dream exchange program. HOWEVER the good news there is that it's not because my application wasn't good, it's because I didn't meet the age criteria (too young). So, honestly, I'll take it. At least my anxiety can shut up now.
Next is physics, in three days. Not much to do beyond practise and revision of formulae.
In the next week, my reference books for 2024 and a book stand will be delivered, so I'm (naรฏvely) excited about getting to work on annotations and digitalising my notes in the month after midterms.
Have a good day ahead!
๐ง: Dirty Devil Town (Mother Mother ft. Cavetown)
๐๐ฌ๐ซโ๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ ๐ข ๐ฆ๐ฑ. ๐