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ok a similar question from before: how do you pick yourself back up from feeling rather extremely down and nothing (like current hobbies and results that you get from exams and assignments) ever satisfies you anymore. id try to pick up a new hobby, but there isn't enough time as it's final examination period. vacation would probably be an easy fix, but like I said before, there's not enough time for that.
Have a ‘me time’. I know, you probably don’t even want to get out of your bed. Your place, even. But if you have a fav spot in your neighbourhood/city, go there! I have a park I go to whenever I don’t feel like doing anything/I get extremely stressed out (although the ER seems to be my fav spot during exam weeks these days), and I spend hours and hours reading there. If the wind isn’t knocking you over on the sidewalk (this happened to me a couple of weeks ago), go out for a bike ride. Clean your place and see how you can decorate it after your exams (as a “post-exam period activity”). Think about all the positive outcomes you are going to get after this stressful period - nothing feels right and tastes good, but you don’t want to miss out on the joy of being done with everything after your exams, right? Plus, get out of the slump and just study harder. Would you rather be down and empty right now and get an okay grade, or work harder and get an amazing one? Or you can do what I do - book a trip somewhere to treat yourself after your exams. Did it after midterms in October, and I’m doing it again in February. It’s something to look forward to. (Exercising seems to help a lot as well) |
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i'm the biggest procrastinator ever! how can I change? It's a terrible quality and it makes my life way more difficult than it should be :(
HEY anony, Write out the things you need to do, by their importance/priority (and due date as well). If you have a paper that is due in a week and have to do the reading first, do the reading. Then move on. But in order for you to start on your coursework, you need to control yourself and stay away from all these temptatious (is that a word?) things like Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, this and that.. I suggested some people to get Self Control on their Mac but they ended up going on those sites on their phone (I almost always have my phone on airplane mode when I’m working on an assignment). If it’s just because you can’t sit still and focus on one thing (cc: ADHD), find THE perfect environment for you to study in. I once wrote a paper in a bathtub because my old roommate (dorm) was laughing at some show she was watching and I just couldn’t get anything done. Try not to take “smart pills” like Adderall and Vyvanse. I don’t even recommend drinking energy drinks. You need to find a healthier way to do this, so you know you can do it again in the future. But seriously, get off the Internet. If you must use your computer to study/do homework, turn the WiFi off. If you need to download your lecture notes online, download them first and move on. If your computer isn’t necessary, leave them home, go to the library with a book or two (or eight like me), your notebook, and a pen. Make a study buddy. That could help. ONLY if that person is not going to distract you. |
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What was it like moving out of your previous city to go to college? How did you deal with it?
I freaking loved it. I still do, and this is probably the best decision I’ve made in my life. I’m from Northern Virginia, and all of my friends currently study at Ivy Leagues (yeah it’s NOVA. This is typical) or UVA/GWU/Georgetown. I didn’t really exist in high school because I was a year or two ahead of everyone (thank you, summer classes) and I literally went to school, came home, and went to private lessons for piano and violin. I wasn’t really attached to anyone from high school so I didn’t see the point of staying in NOVA. In fact, I didn’t want to see them ever again. I don’t know why. I have never been home sick until a couple of days ago (but I got over it really fast haha oh god I have no emotions), and moving out wasn’t that hard at all. I’m an only child and I’ve been dependent on myself since middle school so it was easy for me. TLDR: I had no problems moving out of my previous city. I think I’m much happier here. But Sora is in NOVA so I might go back… |
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Hey! How are you? I just wondering do you have any suggestion about what to say/ to do in an interview? because my university going to have a scholarship to Spain in the summer and just for a month. I really want to join but I heard it is really hard to get one :(
1. Practice, practice, practice! Cheesy and cliche, but look up some basic interview questions online. You’d probably know what to say when your interviewer asks you to introduce yourself. But is it good enough? Strong enough? Your diction and tone of voice definitely help - I’ll try to find the article on the effect of one’s tone of voice when I get home. Also, practicing answers to basic questions can give you more confidence. Nobody wants to have a candidate who sits there and says “uh.. um… hold on. uh…” for minutes. 2. Do a research (or two). When I had my interview for the American Medical Association, I spent an entire night reading about them and seeing what they have on their website. While you are doing this, you’re most likely to find some things you like/do not like about them. Mention the things you like during your interview and bring up the negatives by saying “I was not satisfied with such and such things; however, I believe my [such and such characteristics] could bring [some positive outcomes] to [name of the program]”. This would show the interviewer that you are very serious about this thing you are being interviewed for. Not to mention this boosts your confidence level up by 1000xxxxx 3. Lastly, ask a lot of questions. Even the small things like “what are some characteristics you are looking for in a candidate?” and “when will I be able to hear back from you?”. Again, this will show you are interested/serious. Remember these things too: firm handshakes, eye contacts, watch your body language, and a write thank-you note/card/email after your interview (and do a follow up). Other than that, I’m pretty good. Took two online exams in an hour and now I’m working on a paper. YOU KNOW. THE USUAL. |
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How do you motivate yourself to work hard when you feel worn out or bogged down?
I just look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I’m so damn good looking. No. Think of all the good outcomes you are going to get after pushing yourself to do better when you’re feeling worn out. What can you gain from that? Would it be another positive attribute of yours that you can tell people about? Plus, feeling worn out/bogged down can cause procrastination and that’s never good. I guess this is where synthesized happiness comes in. Think of some reasons why you feel worn out/bogged down. Was it a fight that happened between you and your mate? Was it because of your bad grade on an exam? Turn those negative reasons into positive outcomes (wouldn’t make sense at first, but watch this TED Talks video and you’ll understand it) |
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so i'm in an independent study in highschool about philosophy and we have a 10 page paper due November 4th about anything related to a topic or topics we're reading in this assigned book. But i'm nervous because i've never written a paper of that length let alone think of enough information to fill the whole 10 pages. do you have any advice? i want this to be good but i tend to procrastinate and i don't want to wait until last minute for something so important.
Heya Since it’s October 19th and you have about two weeks to complete the assignment, I would start out with an outline TODAY (or tomorrow). I don’t know when you received the assignment, but I start on my outlines and first draft as soon as I receive it (aka first week of classes for final papers). Don’t know what to write about? Just take small notes about what you already know, and how you can incorporate such ideas into your paper. I had to write a 30pg (minimum) paper for astronomy in high school and that took me the entire quarter. Now, that is back when I didn’t know anything. But if I were to write a 10pg paper now (whether it’s a reflection paper or a research paper), it would probably take me less than a week - including an outline, drafts (usually three or four of them), final product, and peer reviews. Although this 10pg paper might seem big to you, but things are going to get worse and worse (oops. SORRY!) and it’s going to look so easy later. So yeah. Start out with something small. Make an outline (make some bullet points), write little things about them, turn those things into a paragraph or two, and see how your paper looks. OH OH OH I always write my thesis and conclusion first, because that gives me a basic idea of what I’m going to write. Then I can edit them as I work on the paper with more precise information. All in all, start on it now, try to finish it as soon as you can so you can ask other people to look over it for you. If you need help, email me (on the sidebar). I’m going to push you and say have your paper finished and reviewed by Halloween.. |
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Do you have any tips on being attentive/awake during an exam after staying up late studying? I would really appreciate your advice!
No. Eat some fruit! Don’t have anything carb-heavy before your exam because that’d make you feel bloated and might put you into food coma. Have something light yet filling like yogurt, smoothie, or just coffee if you think you can survive. What I recommend during while you’re studying though, is that you don’t drink caffeinated beverages/take 5 hour energy shots/take “smart pills” because chances are, you are going to crash (either physically or mentally). Have decaffeinated tea, water, juice… anything! If you do end up drinking some coffee, just know your limit. Anyway, make sure your eyes are not tired. This is the biggest problem for me because I wear my contacts almost all the time (except at night/in the winter - I wear glasses) and my eyes get dry really easily after wearing them for 12+ hours. Are your eyes dry/heavy/tired? Use an eye drop and see how you feel. I’ve heard that frequent use of eye drops isn’t good for your eyes, but if you think you have to do it, go for it. This sounds so silly, but being a little cold in your testing environment is known to help a little (wish I could find the article about this - I will post it when I do). Being warm and cozy in your clothes during your exam might cause you to be sleepy.. according to some article I read in high school. Just don’t study the night before your exam. Give yourself a lot of time so you naturally process your textbook/class notes. You won’t have to worry about staying up all night studying and having to go to your exam right after. |
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now that in college, i've gained around 11 pounds. i need some advice. what do you normally eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? i'd appreciate some advice to stay fit too. thanks!
I have a cup of tea for breakfast because I just can’t stomach food before 10a or so. Brunch (or lunch) is my biggest meal of the day and I really just have whatever I feel like eating that day. Dinner doesn’t really exist for me because if I were to have lunch, it would be something like late lunch/early dinner. Does your school have a gym? If that is the case, you should try to use it as much as you can. I am positive the membership fee is included in your tuition (mine is, at least for me) and why not take advantage of it? Plus, if your school gym offers you classes (spin, yoga, kick boxing, etc), go to those classes! It’s a good way to meet new people AND to work out. I don’t know where your school is, but my campus is kind of spread out throughout the city. I used to walk to my downtown classes from Lincoln Park (instead of taking the bus/the L) and that definitely helped me a lot. So try to walk around.. a lot. On a regular basis. Don’t feel like it? Go shopping. That’s a lot of walking right there. Have a lot of small meals throughout the day. You can have something light for breakfast to get your metabolism going, and snack on fruit when you get a little hungry. Don’t mind having a big lunch because you’d still have the rest of your day to burn that off. I don’t know about you but I don’t enjoy eating anything heavy after 6 or 7. My good friend during my first year had ana/mia and she kind of enabled me to do this, but it actually makes me feel good in the morning. So don’t try to have anything too heavy after the sunset. |
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Hi Yewon, as a (recently turned) 17 year old with no experience, I would love some advice on how to get a job that doesn't involve greasy fried food. It probably doesn't help that I am really introverted and shy.
Have you volunteered before?* I always recommend high school students to volunteer for at least a year or two before applying for a real job, so they have something on their resume (and to network as well). Or does your school offer mentorship programs? Student government? Do you know which area you would like to work in? If you are looking for a part time job to kill your free time and or to make extra money, there are tons of opportunities that do not involve food in general. Think about some things you don’t mind doing for a long time. Are you social (you mentioned you are introverted and shy, but who knows?!)? Do you like engaging in conversations with people? Are you good with pets? Are you good at science? Math? Music? Would you mind tutoring students? * I applied as a news/media intern at the Associated Press when I was 16. Upon my acceptance, I was told that my volunteer experience really helped me stand out of the candidates pool. After that, I was an intern for the Department of Justice for two years. Volunteering was the only thing I had on my resume and it really is better than nothing. TLDR: Think about some things you enjoy doing. |
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Hey you seem like a pretty straight a student. I'm a freshman in college and I was wondering how you stay on top of all your studies?
I just started the second week of my third year, and school is getting crazy already. I started on two of my final papers this morning and I am planning on finishing them before midterms (mid October). I go to two actual sit-in lectures on Mondays and Wednesdays, and I take three online courses (two for my major, one for electives). I have this awkward 4hr layover between my first and last class on Mon/Wed, so I try to do all of my reading during that time. I work when I’m not on campus (usually eight hours a day) so I pretty much do not even know what “social life” means these days. But I am a double major student who is finishing her undergrad in three years (and who is also taking four to eight extra credit hours - I’ve been doing 24 credit hours for the last four quarters), so school comes before everything. My planner is full of self-reminders that I need to finish this and that before other coursework, and I have a very structured academic/social life so I am used to it. If I am not at work/school, I spend most of my time at a coffee shop or at the school library studying for classes. But I still manage to find some silly amount of hours every week to see my friends. I sound like a really boring person who only studies and works, but that’s just me. I enjoy keeping myself busy. I worked and interned 30-40 hours a week and was in school as a full time student during my second year, and I still managed to be on the dean’s list with a 3.87. It really is all about time management. If you need any help, email me! Hope this helps. |