Here you can find anything and everything a student needs to be organized and productive. Whether in high school, university, or graduate school, these tips, tricks, and ideas will surely help you to excel!
Your final year is an exciting but also terrifying time. It feels like your educational adventure is hurtling towards the finish line. As much as you’re looking forward to entering the real world, you’re also terrified.
While it might be terrifying, you can still take steps to prepare for your final year. These steps can help to make the transition as straightforward and comfortable as possible. You’ve made it this far already, and so you owe it to yourself to ensure that this final stretch goes as you planned.
Start Working On Your Final Project Now
If you already have an idea of your final project, you can begin by getting in all of the research, prep, and basic planning. Getting ahead will make each stage of the essay more manageable when you come to it. Of course, you can’t always get an idea of what you know about your project until you speak to your tutor. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still lay the groundwork.
This is because it’s best to have a slight idea than nothing at all, even if you don’t use this idea. Should you find the idea isn’t suitable for what you want to do, you at least know how to approach the project. You are then more prepared for the planning stage so you can find success in whatever topic you focus on.
Know What You Should Expect
A lot of your final year involves stuff you are used to. But there is always something that comes along that you never expected. This can throw your self-made schedule off course and could affect how you can stay focused on the more critical tasks.
However, it doesn’t need to throw you off. knowing what to expect will make every step more manageable. From exam preparation advice that you can find here https://mygreexampreparation.com/ap-statistics-textbook/ to the social aspects that come with the end of the year, including graduation and celebrations abound. You can plan before it happens, and make all the necessary arrangements. This allows you to ensure the unexpected and unknown doesn’t disrupt the rest of your year.
Get Your Mind In the Right Place
No matter how tough you think you are, the stress is bound to get to you at some point during the year. This is especially true if you spend your time cramming all the information you can. These late nights and early mornings will only lead to burnout, and this will have terrible ramifications for your final results.
You need your mind to be in the right place. Give yourself a break, work hard, but not too hard, and remember to get some exercise and eat well. Doing so will make it easier for you to manage the stress that you will encounter and help your final year be as successful as possible.
Ready for Anything
It feels like a lot is going on when you arrive at your final year, and that’s because there is. To ensure that you don’t get too overwhelmed, start preparing right now. By preparing right now, you will have less to worry about throughout the summer and as your year goes on.
This post was written as a contributed post. Contributed posts are written by another party who may wish to be anonymous. Further, all posts are edited and formatted by Elizabeth Ghekiere. Want to guest post for ElizabethJournals? Learn more here.
The coronavirus outbreak has completely turned college students’ lives upside down. Universities have shut their doors and classes are now being held online. Sadly, graduation ceremonies are also being canceled. Since everything is so uncertain right now, college students must save as much cash as they can. These three money-saving tips for college students will help them during these tricky times.
Become a Car Expert
People spend so much money on maintaining their vehicles every year. Use your time in quarantine as an opportunity to tackle these automotive projects yourself. Pop open the hood of your ride and become a pseudo-mechanic. Everyone has nothing but time on their hands right now, so try to learn more about fixing automobiles. If you know how to do mechanical repairs, you’ll save yourself so much dough in the long. You should wash your car yourself, too. Not only will you save yourself some cash, but you can wash your ride however you see fit. The more you know about maintaining your car and fixing repairs, the more money you’ll save.
College students are notorious for eating out. It’s so fun to try out new restaurants and share a meal with your friends. Yet, one money-saving tip for college students is to eat what you have in the house. Fight the urge to order food every single day. You won’t believe how much extra cash you’ll have in your pockets at the end of the month. Be creative in the kitchen as well. If you’re social distancing with your parents, use this as a chance to bond. Cook a meal together as a family. Hopefully, you’ll make something delicious—plus, you’ll make memories that’ll last you a lifetime.
Don’t Buy University Apparel
People who are in college love to represent their universities. College students have a blast in their school’s bookstores, both online and in-person, searching for cute t-shirts and stylish hats. Please, save yourself some serious dough and fight the urge to buy university apparel during this time. Your closet is likely full of your school’s clothing anyway. Wear what you have around the house and purchase more when schools reopen. When things return to normal, you’ll be glad you refrained from online shopping.
The world is a very scary place right now, but remember that we’ll get through this stronger than ever. If your college graduation has been canceled, hold onto the great memories you’ve made throughout the past four years. Cherishing those memories will help you get through this until things return to normal.
Meet the Author
Kayla is a writer, artist, and designer from the Chicagoland area. She incorporates her creativity to produce work that is informative and thought-provoking.
Going to college should be an exciting moment for students; however, it can often be a stressful process. For many students, it’s their first time out on their own. College introduces a new level of independence and responsibility that may feel overwhelming at times. If you can relate to this, don’t worry. Following these methods of reducing everyday stress for college students can be your keys to success.
Monitor Your Sleep Schedule
One of the biggest problems that students run into during college is partying. There’s nothing inherently wrong with going to parties. Ultimately, it’s all about putting your educational priorities first. It’s important that students get seven to nine hours of sleep during school nights. This will help you avoid feeling burnt out during your daily routine. By making sure you schedule your day with those sleep hours in mind, you can maximize your drive and overall attitude.
Avoid Car Troubles
If you rely on your vehicle to get to class, then unexpected car issues can introduce a whole new world of stress. Thankfully, there’s a simple solution. If you look at your car’s owner manual, you should find a maintenance schedule within. Make sure you consistently stick to that schedule and visit your local experts. Also, always take care of your tires; if they face problems, getting around will be near impossible. If you’re in the Knoxville area, for example, there are tire experts who offer a great product for an affordable price.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Another college cliché is students ordering food instead of making their own healthy meals at home. There’s nothing wrong with ordering a pizza every now and then, but you should be prioritizing healthy food throughout the week. Relying on junk food and energy drinks to get you through the day will inevitably lead to burnout. Focus on foods that will keep your body healthy and your mind engaged.
Be Active
Between sitting in class and sitting in your dorm doing homework, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of sitting down most of your day. Throughout the week, you should consistently implement a workout routine. This can include running, lifting, or even yoga. These are simple ways to increase physical and mental health.
Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Help
If you’re taking the proper steps to relieve stress but it doesn’t seem to work, don’t panic. It’s important to remember that there are many students suffering from stress every day. Don’t think twice about reaching out to a counselor or fellow student for help. Sometimes, simply talking things out with someone else can put things in a new and positive perspective.
Methods of reducing everyday stress for college students are incredibly important for university attendees to research. College can be a life-altering experience for students, opening doors they never thought possible before. By combating the everyday stress inducers of college life, you can make those years some of the best years of your life.
Meet the Author
Kayla is a writer, artist, and designer from the Chicagoland area. She incorporates her creativity to produce work that is informative and thought-provoking.
Have you ever been around a negative group of people? The longer
you spend time in their conversation, the easier and deeper you get sucked into
their negativity. If you do a bit of digging and observe them from a distance,
you will also realize that they don’t move forward in life.
They stay in the same groove of monotony and don’t seem to see the way out of their misery. When you look closely, you’ll see that their mental well-being is the cause of their anger at the world. Enhancing your mental health could be the key to get you out of a rut and moving forward to greater things.
Here are a couple of reasons why your mental attitude could
provide you with success.
Aiming For Self-Mastery
If you have a particular set of skills, then you need to do your
utmost to develop those skills and become a master. In the workplace, there are
only a couple of things that you have control over.
Your skills, thoughts, and behavior are all you need to develop self-control and from there, you choose how you do things or what you say. It is vitally important to garner a positive attitude and do your best, regardless of the situation around you.
If you can show the powers that you persevere and develop, even
in the most hostile of times, you will get noticed and your hard work will be
rewarded. Your attitude and resilience in dire times will set you apart from
your competition and you will grow even faster in your skills.
It all starts with taking responsibility for the things you have
control over and making the best out of every situation, no matter how bleak it
may seem when you are in the thick of things.
A Change In Attitude Goes A Long Way
Attitude is everything, or at least, that is how
the saying goes. I general, people use the word ‘attitude’ out of context, or
they attach a negative connotation to the word. This is not the case when your
attitude towards yourself and your job is concerned.
One trait that goes hand in hand with attitude is confidence and
when you combine a positive attitude with confidence, you get one mean team,
waiting to excel past everyone in line.
Your body language speaks volumes and if you can exude a positive attitude, then your superiors will start to invest in you. They will notice that you are the kind of person that will tackle adversity and come out on top because you have the right mental attitude.
When your attitude towards yourself is positive and healthy,
your outlook on life and where you fit in it also changes. It is the single
tool that you will use to rise above the rest and get back up when you were
knocked down.
A positive attitude does not mean that you think that you will
never lose, but rather that you will be prepared to lose and take the lessons
that you learn from your failures. The real ability is to fight, get back up
and fight on.
Setting Goals And Sticking To Them
People who are successful have clear cut goals that they set for
themselves. When you don’t have goals in life, you will fall into survival mode
and do only what is necessary to survive. On the other hand, when you have
goals. You tend to be more deliberate about your actions and you plan your next
move to fit into your plan and reach your goals.
Nevertheless, having clear goals as opposed to vague ones are
just important. When your goals are unambiguous, you tend to work hard at
filling the gaps to reach it.
For instance, if you set a goal to get appointed for a certain
job, then you go beyond your normal day in day out routine and fill the gaps in
your skill tree and your resume. The same rule applies when you are doing those
lengthy assignments as a college student.
It even might require some smart planning like outsourcing the work to online assignment help, but the idea should be to complete the work on time and deliver a project that actually impresses the teacher. You can go through the online resources to learn more about it.
It’s easy to lose focus and forget about your goals, especially
when it takes you a bit longer to achieve them. That is why it is important to
remind yourself of your goals each day and break the big picture up into
smaller, manageable chunks.
It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint
The thing about growing yourself mentally is that it takes a
long time to get it right. Most people don’t even reach their mental goals.
This is mainly because people give up before any real result is even
visible.
From the day that you are born, your mind creates neural
pathways in terms of your behavior or the way you react to a certain situation.
Sometimes, your behavior is toxic to growth and you need to change the way you
do things before you can move on. Making conscious decisions about how you
react in certain situations does not change overnight.
You have to give yourself time to adapt and change your mindset
and realize that you are not going to have success on day one. The one thing
that you need to remember is not to beat yourself up when you revert to the old
ways in which you did things. This isn’t good either.
Create A Path Or Strategy
Lastly, you need to plan your strategy. Having goals and saying
to yourself that you want to achieve something by a certain time is all good
and well, but how do you get there. Your strategy is vitally important for
reaching your goals.
Developing a growth strategy is like playing a game of chess.
You always need to be a step or two ahead of the game and make sure you don’t
stare at the move right in front of you.
When you have a bigger picture in mind, you also have the
ability to see more than one way to reach your goals. Again, looking to the
person you want to be in ten years will give you much insight as to your next
move.
Short-term strategies are great for steadying a rocky ship and
bringing stability, but planning ahead is where real progress lies.
The Bottom Line
The battle of success is won and lost in mind. When you are
strong-willed and determined to reach your goal, you will. People are resilient
and if you have the right drive, you’ll be surprised at how far you can push
yourself.
The only thing that you need to remember is to never give up and
to persevere. If you can hold your head up high and make plans when the going
is tough, the chances are that you will duplicate that same attitude when it
time to grow.
Meet the Author
Michael Gorman is an experienced freelance writer, essay writer, and proofreader from the UK who currently works at best essay writing service. Being interested in everyday developments and industry trends, he writes various blog posts and discovers new aspects of the business and technology world.
Students face many demands, including coursework, deadlines, and other school responsibilities – all on top of their social lives and even part-time jobs. We get it – school is overwhelming; you’re stressed out, and all you really want is to lie down and watch your favorite show. All this stress is normal, but you have to learn how to manage it and take care of yourself in the process. Step one is developing a self-care routine. Below is the ultimate guide to self-care for students – it’ll help you start putting you first.
Take Care of Your Body First
The first step to taking better care of yourself is starting a consistent exercise routine, even if it’s just walking to campus instead of taking public transportation or doing ten jumping jacks in between homework. Staying active is great for obvious reasons, but you also have to get your diet in check. You’re probably familiar with the freshmen fifteen, but if you aren’t careful, that can quickly turn into the senior thirty. Try your best to maintain a good diet throughout college. It’ll help you focus and feel better during school, and you’ll develop a habit that should last beyond graduation.
Of course, you need to get enough sleep as well. Don’t be that student who pulls all-nighters to finish a paper due the next morning. Your paper probably won’t be your best work because you’re exhausted, and pulling all-nighters is an awful habit to start. Instead, allow yourself time to complete your projects, and get to bed on time.
Students Can Say “No” Too
Signing up for every interesting opportunity in college is really easy, especially if you’re a freshman. However, all the fun activities you’ve signed up for will become a hassle when coursework begins piling up and your roommates want to go out. If you become comfortable with saying “no” more, you’ll be able to say “yes” to the things you actually want to do.
Start a New Hobby
Another great way to take care of you is to pick up a new hobby. You’ll stimulate your brain to learn something new and exciting, and you may even find the hobby meditative. However, before you run to a new hobby, do a little research so that you know what you’re getting into. Don’t take on a hobby that’s going to require crazy amounts of money or work – school still needs to come first. For example, if you’re thinking of picking up photography, do some research to find the right camera and to decide which type of photography you want to get into.
When you develop a self-care routine, the stresses of life will become a lot more manageable. Plus, you’ll be able to develop some great habits that will help you through life. Just remember that no one can do it for you – after all, you can’t have self-care without focusing on taking care of yourself first. What are thoughts on self-care for students discussed here, let us know in the comments?
The day has already passed by, and you couldn’t complete your work. Most of us suffer from such problems or something else that makes us willing to trade almost anything for just a couple of hours more. To avoid these situations, a time audit is one of the best and simple solution that you can follow. It lets you assess your time intention, the things on which you actually spend most of your time every day and set up protocols to check your progress towards the things you intend to spend your time on. The following easy steps would guide you for conducting a time audit.
Step 1: Setting Up Intentions
First of all, you need to set up time intentions. Basically, imagine your ideal workday and write down the amount of time you would ideally spend on activities throughout your day. You can set yourself some goals and allocate time accordingly. For instance:
Goal 1: Projects and assignments (50 percent
of your time)
Goal 2: Research and skill improvement (25
percent of your time)
Goal 3: Work-related communication with
clients and colleagues (8 percent of your time)
You won’t reach
these goals some of the time since everything isn’t under your control.
However, you get a target that can be approached.
Step 2: Track Your Time
It’s time to track your time data with a time
tracking tool. It can be any popular and reliable resource like RescueTime,
Hubstaff, or Time Doctor. Use the time tracking tool to look at the way you
spent your time compared to your intended goals. Most of these apps have
dashboards that will show you how far you lag behind or over achieve your
goals. You can dig deeper and see the frequency of failure of the goals and more.
Step 3: Review Your Audit
Once you have a gauge of your time spending, you can set new goals and realign them to fit your active hours when you are most productive. For instance, you can allocate most of the time to work in the morning, do research and improve skills during the lazy hours, and spend less time on social media and emails to be more concise and precise with your communication.
Step 4: Create A Time Management
System
Finally, place a solid time management system by adjusting your schedule and planning out every moment of the next day with time blocks. Everything from breakfast to work and even entertainment. This allows you to gain more control over your own time and lets you make quick decisions regarding the extra flow of meetings and requests. With previous assessments from the time tracking tool, you can also set up your own time management system more efficiently.
The importance of doing Time audit is increasing as our daily schedule gets more busy and overwhelming. However, it can only offer guidance. Improving your time management and gaining lost time requires you to change old habits, introduce new routines, and progressively apply new schedules. The human brain tries to resist any kind of change in our ordinary life. So, to pull through and reap the benefits of time management, you can also introduce someone to whom you would be accountable for these changes.
There comes a time in every student’s life where
they get so much frustrated and saturated by keeping pace with the bulk notes
that taking or jotting down lectures becomes an arduous, difficult task. They
tend to overlook so many important titbits while trying to keep on track with
writing down notes and lectures, which often become a problematic situation
during exam days.
We know
every student enrolled in different schools, the institution owns different
levels of capability of striding with the ongoing work or lecture. So, to solve
their concerns and shoo them away, we are discussing the five most important
ways to utilize your school notes while taking a class or when reading in this
piece of material.
Exchanging Notes with Your
Class-Fellows
It is the most effective and feasible method to get
hold of all the pending notes and utilizing them for your interest and gain.
You can exchange your class noted lectures in turn of borrowing your classmate’s
note and lecture copy. In this manner, whatever details you have missed while
it was being delivered, you can easily compare and write the missed details,
and in the same manner, your class fellow could use the same strategy.
Taking Use of Concept Maps
For students, it becomes tough to build concepts
side by side while taking notes during lectures. They cannot focus on two
different things, which include observing the concept and jotting it down on
the paper. Because of which we often end up missing half of the details to be
able to understand the concept. The best way to overcome such a situation is to
make use of a flowchart/concept map.
Whenever you meet a situation where you get to do
both, i.e., learn the concept and simultaneously note it down, so it is better
for you to construct a flow chart by the end of the lecture, that sequences the
details in order so that provides you closure of the entire topic. It is the
most organized and summarized way of taking and utilizing notes alongside
constructing the affluent concept of the topic.
Using the Digital Mode of
Notetaking and Squaring
In this age of technology, where everything is now accessible within a short click, why don’t we use it for our good? Students can also take advantage of digital means for copying and utilizing notes. If we don’t get to cope up with note writing, then we can seek permission from our lecturer to capture the jotted details on board and later copy it on our notebooks. Not only this, if we ever fall in doubt over missing information on certain topics, we can seek help from the internet to get a variety of data on that very piece of information.
Post-It-Notes
This trick comes in handy when you are reading your
notes to jot down the most important pieces in a separate section. You can
always use post-it notes in your notebook to write additional information
regarding the topic, which you don’t even need to carry it anywhere. Just paste
the note on every right page you are noting additional detail of and carry on
with your further researches and learning.
Highlight It Out
Highlighting notation is the most effective way of
utilizing notes while reading to hook onto important titbits and details of the
concerned topic. You can use a variety of colors to highlight sentences and
essential details on your textbook so that when you get to re-access the topic
some other time, you won’t have to go through the entire description
again.
Notetaking is an essential part of being a student, so, h Hamelin Notebooks offered to send me some notebooks. I have been using these notebooks all semester and am ready to give you a review!
First impressions
When I first got my notebooks, my first thought was the size, they are quite larger than the A5 sized notebooks or dollar store bound notebooks that I have always used. I chose the smallest of the ones they sent me to use regularly. My second initial thought is that they were thicker, hardcover, and (for someone who does not care for bound notebooks) the binding was really nice!
Once I began to peruse and play around with the notebooks, I came up with a solid list of pros and cons for these notebooks! Check out my thoughts below and get a notebook of your own!
Pros
High-quality paper
Hardcover
High-quality Ring Binding
Pockets
Comes with Stickers/Page markers
Perforated Pages
Connection with Scribzee
Grid and College Ruled
Ink goes on smooth
Cons
Large in size
Scribzee is similar to taking simple photos of your notes, just with different settings (to each his own, I don’t use this function)
Final Thoughts
After nearly a full semester of use, I do recommend the Hamelin notebooks. While they are larger than I prefer and I don’t use the Scribzee function, these aspects are potential pros for someone else! The larger size could be useful if you take larger amounts of notes and the Scribzee addition would be useful for someone who enjoys having digital versions of their notes! To each his own, right?
There are few other means of developing and utilizing notes for school students. Some of which involve creating a cheat sheet that includes a summarized definition, equation, formulae of the topic; others include marking pages with tabs to directly access the relevant topic. Regardless of what notebook you use or what you do with your notes...
Let us know in the comments! We would love to hear about how you utilize your school notes and what you look for in a notebook!
Meet the Author
This notebook was written by Rubab and the notebook review, formatting, and editing was done by Elizabeth of ElizabethJournals.
I am Rubab Sikandar from Pakistan. I have a Master of Philosophy in food and nutrition from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Writing is my passion, and I love to write on topics of all niches. Additionally, tons of my content has been published on prominent websites.
You would be surprised by how many mistakes students make even though they feel confident about their studying skills. It’s easiest to see that there is a problem when exam grades begin to drop. Continuing to use the same technique will only lead you to get similar results. Then, before you know it, you’re grades are tanking and it’s too late to save them.
When it comes to studying these days, it is not enough to just retain the information in a textbook. A lot more is tested in exams. So, to do good on your exams a lot of things may need to change. Especially for those who do not choose to be coached and instead study on their own.
Here are some of the study mistakes you are making that will cost you a lot academically!
You Always Procrastinate
You say you can’t study today, but what about tomorrow? If you continue to procrastinate, you are setting yourself up for failure. Putting off your studies will leave you with a much larger workload. Doing all your studying all at once will lead to you not being thorough or grasping all of the fundamental concepts.
Studying In A Rush
It’s not smart to approach your studies like you would a marathon. Some students pick a perfect studying environment with a desk and then stick by that place all day long. The problem with this is that you are not allowing yourself any rest time. Technically, your chances for learning a lot of material is very low with this technique. The reason for this is that the brain needs to rest every once in a while to process information effectively. Instead of procrastinating until your deadlines, schedule your course work in small bits at a time which is more digestible.
Additionally, realize that moving around helps with your brainwork. Experts suggest that moving around betters blood circulation. And better blood circulation permits your brain to sharpen thinking and higher in productivity.
Multi-Tasking
If you are taking multiple courses at one time and end up hiring online class-takers, do not forget to go through the course yourself. You do not want to prepare for an exam in a rush and end up failing. A common motivation for this is usually to get more flexibility that allows you to do other things outside of class-time. While this is a valid reason, multi-tasking is not quite the solution when it comes to studying. Trying to do multiple things at the same time will only exhaust your brain and you won’t retain as much information. You will also be dividing your concentration from one thing, which means you are not fully attentive to learn all concepts. Give your mind ample time to process the information in one project before taking on the next.
Trying To Memorize Everything
Whether you are studying last minute or you are right on schedule, memorizing everything does not necessarily help. The more times you try to master the information in your notes, word for word, the higher your chances of failing in the exams. Ideally, questions are not set to be the exact order of words in textbooks. As long as you understand the logic or concept of the content, you should be all set for any exams set in that area.
Social media has become ill for students during study time. A student may be very willing to concentrate on studying, but the distractions from social media hinder them. If you are one to keep looking at your phone, then it will be challenging to focus on your studies. Technically, when studying, you should leave your phone in your bag or in a different room from the one you are in. If you can study without using the internet, then do so. If you have to use the internet, consider shutting down all the tabs concerned with social media or entertainment like video games, YouTube, funny memes, among others.
Studying Alone
Every once in a while, a little solitude is excellent when studying. The problem comes in when you are always studying alone. In the company of people, you get different perspectives from which to approach a topic. As these people help to bounce ideas off, your brain better decodes the information. It is also the perfect time to clarify confusing and complicated matters in the subject at hand. Additionally, the more ways you are studying the better a grasp of the information you will have. Try teaching some of the concepts to your study-mates. Teaching them will not help you to retain the information, but it will help them to learn it as well!
Not Asking For Help
Along with bringing along some company during the study, you are doing yourself a disservice when you do not ask for help. Your professors and any other educators have a vast amount of knowledge they can share with you. Capitalize on the office hours of these people as your opportunity to gather more information. This is especially helpful for the technical bits of your coursework. Additionally, many schools have tutors available to you. Utilize these resources if you are struggling!
Studying A Few Days Up To The Exam
It’s easy to find yourself spending all your time up to your exam watching Netflix and avoiding your studies. Then you’ve found yourself cramming and rushing around to make sure you’ve studied. The few days prior to the exam, your tension has built-up too much causing your studying to not be as effective.
Instead of letting the pressure limit you, consider beginning your studies a couple of weeks before your exams.
Poor Time Management
Some students get almost everything else right, apart from time management. Realistically speaking, it can be hard to compile a 20-page document in two hours. However, students often take studying as a pressure-filled activity that needs to be rushed through. Some students only spare 30 minutes of their day for studying, and the rest of it on other activities. That kind of schedule does not allow your mind to soak in the information you have read. As an alternative, choose a proper balance in how you spend your time so that it is not too much or too little. Set aside an hour each day to study.
Conclusion
Studying is so much more essential than many students realize. Be sure that you are studying right with these tips! Let us know how these tips have helped you to study better in the comments below!
Author Bio
This post was written by Dancun. Dancun has been working with writing-challenged clients for over five years now. He offers ghostwriting, ghost editing, coaching, and SEO writing for businesses that want to see their sites at the helm of Google SERPs. His education background in communications and public relations has given him a concrete base from which to approach different topics in various niches. He especially enjoys writing website and blog content for startups and established businesses. He is also working as an academic expert, providing assignment help to students or mothers who don’t have much time to complete their tasks via onlineclasstaker.com.
When you go to university, you will have a lot of things that you need to pay for. If you are not careful when you budget, then you may find that your finances get out of control. You may begin to struggle to afford everything. If you want to get some support with that, then you can find some useful tips right here.
Common Course Costs
Sure, your tuition fees will cover some of the costs that come with your course. However, there is a high chance that this won’t include everything. There are ways for you to save money here, and one of the main ways that you can cut back is by buying your books online. You can even buy them from a charity shop or second-hand store. If your course is very dependent on research, then this can cost you a small fortune. You would be surprised at how much of a difference it can make to your budget.
Transport
You always need to try and take into account any travel costs that you may experience when at university. This could include taking the bus to a class or even catching the train home to visit family. You also need to try and look into any alternative methods of transportation that could save you some money. For example, it may be cheaper for you to get the train when traveling to university because you can qualify for a student railcard. To take advantage of any additional savings, try and look into booking your tickets way in advance. If possible, you can also try and stay on campus as well. If you want some cheap accommodation, then look at the University of Southern California.
Food
Students don’t always live off baked beans. It is more than possible for you to eat regularly and healthily even when you are on a budget. If you want to do this, then you need to avoid impulse buys whenever you are at the supermarket. Additionally, you need to make a shopping list whenever you go out as well. It is also a good idea for you to freeze meals in advance, or even cook bulk meals. When you do this, you never have to worry about heating a meal up, and you can also have cheaper meals when you are on the go.
Entertainment
It doesn’t matter if you are going to student nights, a fancy dress outing or even a quick coffee because it is always a good idea for you to try and cut down the cost of socializing. Give yourself a specific budget every single week to go out with. That way you won’t be inclined to go over, and you can also avoid any impulse sessions as well. If you want to socialize, but you don’t want to spend the money, then you have nothing to worry about. You can easily have a few drinks at your dorm or you can even go to the cinema. A lot of venues will offer you a discount if you are a student, which is fantastic if you want to cut down on cost.
Utilities
If you are in a residential hall then gas, electricity, and water will usually be included as part of your rent. This may not be the case if you are going into private housing. Of course, along with your rent, you also need to put some money aside every single month to cover your utility bills. Setting up regular payments on a direct debit is a fantastic way for you to see what is coming in and what is going out of your account.
Clothing
It’s tempting to go straight to the shop when you get your loan so you can buy yourself a whole new wardrobe. This is great, but it is possible for you to save some money by checking out deals on websites. You might also be able to get a student discount too. The more you can do your research, the more your money will stretch, and this is always a good thing when you are going to university.
If you want to save money on washing your clothes, then try and do everyone’s load at the same time. This way you can all chip in for the washing powder, and you can even take it in turns too. You’d be surprised at how little changes like this can help you to cut down on your bills, and it can also help you to free up more time in the week.
This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I may receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.
Are you one of those students who tend to while their time away till the exams looms on the horizon, only then trying to cram a year’s worth of knowledge? Do you often find yourself studying much harder than your peers, yet getting lower grades than them? Are you looking to change your ways; in search of better strategies to ace your exams? Well then, you have come to the right place!
The issue doesn’t necessarily lie with your intelligence or retention prowess. You only need to change the way you study. Here are five ultra-effective, smart-studying tips to transform your academic life for the better.
Understand the Concept before Memorizing it
Comprehension is the first step toward smarter study. It may be one of the simplest tips there is; your teacher might have mentioned it quite a few times in class!
However, many students still can’t grasp its importance. And therein itself lies the problem: grasping. Did you know that memorizing without understanding is far more difficult than that with a good grasp of the concept? Go back to the fundamentals if you simply can’t comprehend the advanced theory. It will still take much lesser time than blatantly mugging it up.
Teach Someone to Memorize Better
This is a lesser-known trick with innumerable benefits. Once you understand the concepts, instead of manually memorizing them, teach them to your classmate who barely comprehended a word. You will retain those pieces of knowledge better after a couple of three rounds of teaching.
What’s more, you would also have helped your peers excel! Had each and every one of your peers understood the concept by the time you did? Call your friends over and start teaching them. Admittedly, they might just be bored to death, but that’s what friends are for, eh – a tolerant audience to your many eccentricities?
You don’t have to keep studying for hours on end without taking a single break. It’s unhealthy, physically as well as mentally. Undue stress has never done anyone any good, and stress levels heighten considerably with continuous studying. Stare at the stars twinkling mischievously bright in the heavens, feel the cool, steady breeze on your face outside the window, and ponder over things other than the next chapter on thermodynamics, for at least 15 minutes after every two hours. Draw up a time table if you have to.
Here’s a little secret! How would you like to study for a whopping 8-10 hours every weekend with more than enough time on your hands for having fun? Study for two hours each in the morning, afternoon, evening and at night before dinner. You will still have a little more than five hours for recreation, excluding eight hours’ worth of sleep. Do the math!
Outsource the more Cumbersome yet less Important Assignments
There are times when students have more work than even the most meticulous of corporate professionals. Instead of letting your homework take a toll on your health, outsource it to one of the numerous assignment editing services in the market.
Browsing through the recommendations and reviews on assignment services will help if you are unsure which editing service to pick. Handing over your less important essays and assignments to such services will considerably reduce your workload, thus leaving you with enough time for actual study.
Start a Study Group with Like-Minded Students
If you thought that a study group was nothing but a bunch of students gathered together to study individually in total silence, you thought wrong. That’s a library! A study group is something more interactive. It is not only a chance for you to clear your doubts but also to organize debates and practical excursions.
For instance, if you are pursuing a major in Geology, go for a picnic on rocky terrain on the outskirts of your city; have fun while identifying the different types of rocks with your study group members. Additionally, you can conduct tests for each other within your group, thus getting ready for exams beforehand.
A few other honorable mentions include the habit of keeping flashcards handy, developing imaginative stories comprising the concepts you learned, and making good use of non-academic reference books. The number of hours you spent studying doesn’t count as much as how much you studied within those hours. Quality takes huge precedence over quantity at any given time.
Finally, signing off with some food for thought. How would it be if you take your stress levels up so high that you fall seriously sick? Working unnecessarily hard and stretching your mind beyond the boundaries of tolerance can lead to unforeseen mental and physical complications. Take very good care of yourself, eat healthily, and stay fit. All that smart-studying you did will go to waste if you end up with a bad headache during exams.
Author Bio
Carol Duke is very keen on teaching students new, effective ways of learning. When not freelancing and blogging on marketing-related matters, Carol enjoys traveling, taking immense pleasure from visiting new countries.
In today’s world, it’s crucially important to continue
growing professionally. For this reason, so many people try to balance work and
studying at college.
If you also have chosen this challenging path, you should learn how to cope with the stress to live your life to the fullest. If you are looking for useful tips on how to improve your overall performance and better your state of mind, keep reading.
Establish Healthy
Eating Habits
When you immerse yourself in work and studying, you burn lots of calories. For this reason, you should eat healthy food and control your calorie intake. Additionally, it’s important to make sure that your body gets enough nutritive elements to keep functioning effectively.
Doctors and scientists state that individuals who experience physical and mental stress must avoid eating junk food and fast food. Further, it’s highly recommended to increase the intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, and superfoods. If you feel exhausted, you should add the following products to your grocery list:
Must-Have Groceries
Blueberries
Olives
Almonds
Chia seeds
Avocados
Spinach
Quinoa
These products contain vitamin E and A, omega-3, antioxidants, copper, magnesium, selenium, and iron. Therefore, if you consume them regularly, you will boost your vital energy.
Exercise Daily
Only a person, who is physically and mentally healthy,
can cope with the balancing work and study. So if you want to be healthy, you
have to exercise daily.
It doesn’t matter whether you attend Zumba classes or work out at the gym – be sure that you enjoy the process. The sport will help you to decrease the stress level, and you will feel yourself much better.
Don’t say that you can’t go into the sport because you don’t have enough time. However, it’s not an excuse. You can always find at least 20 minutes a day to make some basic exercises or practice yoga at home.
Get Enough Sleep
Your mind and body require at least 7 hours for recovering after the long day. Further, a lack of sleep can cause anxiety, depression and even more severe mental health issues. So, if you want to live a happy life, you shouldn’t sacrifice your night’s sleep under any circumstances.
Moreover, it’s okay to take a 30-minutes
nap during the day. It will not affect your nighttime
sleep but will improve your mood and performance.
Spend Time with
Friends and Family
Balancing is all about setting the right priorities. First, find your priority number one: your work, studying, family or friends? You need less than a second to answer this question.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t let your busy schedule ruin your relationship with your loved ones. Further, you should always find a little time to talk to your close people on the phone or to meet them in person. Even if you live far away from your family, you can use Skype or any other services to have an in-depth conversation.
You should understand that the people whom you love provide you with great emotional support. They help you to overcome all the difficulties in your life. If you ignore your family and friends, you will not feel happy while working and studying.
Take Time Management
Seriously
Time is the most precious resource, which people have. Do you agree with this statement? Try to imagine that you get 24 precious hours every day. Then, you have to decide how to invest them in building a happier future.
You should learn more about modern time management strategies and apply them to your real life. Doing so will help you to become the best employee and the best student.
The problem is that if you have poor time management skills, your attempt to balance work and study can turn to be a disaster. Further, to prevent the troubles, you should learn how to create an extra hour in your day.
If you are a waitress or cashier, you can’t work remotely. However, if you are an accountant or web designer, it’s likely that you can perform some of your tasks from home.
Be brave and talk to your boss. You should clearly
explain why you would like to work remotely. If you are good at negotiating,
your boss will allow you to work from home at least one day a week. As a result, you will get a more flexible
schedule and will save a few precious hours.
Don’t Hesitate to
Ask For Help
Sometimes, when you have to work and study all day long, it feels like your life is passing you quickly. This is a terrible situation, and you have to find a rational solution.
Don’t pretend that you are a superhero, because you
are not. You are an ordinary person, so you shouldn’t feel awkward asking for
help.
Do you lack time to walk your dog early in the
morning? Well, you can pay $5 to your 12-years-old neighbor, and he will do you
a favor.
Do you want to go to the friend’s birthday party, but
have to write a research paper tonight? It’s not a problem! You can get help
from the best
college writing services
online.
Conclusion
Professional growth is essential for your success, and it’s a fact. However, there are a lot of beautiful things around you, which makes your life better. Make sure that your work and studying at college don’t take all of your time. Additionally, be sure that you can enjoy all the beauty the world has to offer.
Author Bio:
Daniela McVicker is a blogger and writer with a degree in social psychology from Durham University. Daniela primarily focuses on writing about self-improvement. Additionally, she has authored several insightful and motivating articles like “Making The Right Choices Every Day” and “7 Steps To Open Yourself To New Opportunities & Possibilities”.
Disclosure: This post is a guest post. Another anonymous party authored this guest post. All posts are edited and formatted by Elizabeth Ghekiere. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.
As a student, a screen recorder may not exactly be on your list of useful apps – but it should be. Contrary to popular belief screen recorders can be a handy tool. If you take advantage of screen recording, it could help you to learn more effectively.
If you want to start to take advantage of screen recording, there are three useful ways that you could begin to do that:
Use Video Calls to Study – And Save Them
Study groups are a great way to learn faster by working together while breaking the monotony of studying alone. But it may not always be convenient to meet someplace to study with your friends. When you can’t get together, use video calls on platforms such as Skype or Google Hangouts as an excellent alternative.
Via a video call, you can not only study together but share notes, and, show each other what you’re doing. With screen recording, you can then record the video call directly from your screen and save it. Having a recording allows you to refer to it at any point – which can help when you’re revising too. well.
Save Useful Online Streaming Videos
Nowadays, there are lots of useful online streaming videos that delve into practically every topic imaginable. Odds are you may already be watching specific videos that may be related to the topics that you’re studying.
Instead of continually streaming online videos, screen recording allows you to save it. It can be used to save any online videos – including live streams or video courses from within certain apps.
Once you’ve saved the video, referring to it will be much more convenient. You could even transfer it to other devices. Moving it between devices allows you to have access to it no matter where you are.
Get Help More Effectively
Have you ever been stuck with a particular software or digital problem? However, when you tried to get help but struggled to describe the issue, you’re facing? Instead of using words to describe it, you can use screen recording to capture a video of it instead.
For example, if you’re having an issue writing a report, you could record a video of the part that you find confusing. You can then share the video so that you can get the assistance you need.
By now you should be able to see how screen recording could help you out in many ways as a student. All that you need to get started is a screen recorder Mac or PC.
Once you have a screen recorder, you can explore all of the ways you feel it could be useful. Think of it as a screenshot – but far more effective and versatile.
This post was collaborative. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I may receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.
College life
is a mixture of fun, hardship, trouble, and anything in between. Many
adventures can take place in the span of years you spent on the tertiary level.
Moreover, although you can huddle over these things, you should still not miss
the part where you have to take care of yourself.
Any college student can are susceptible to being stressed and perplexed. Even the brightest ones can experience the horrors of academic pressures. Your physical and mental health can be challenged in this particular phase of your life. So, if I were you, I would learn these five quick self-care tips for college students.
This post was written by Layla Parker.
Get Some Sleep
Most college
people are quite overwhelmed by a series of deadlines. Each subject can give
you a horrifying experience of chasing backlogs on a daily basis. Of course, this
doesn’t include the impulsive quizzes and exams that you have to prepare.
Otherwise, you’ll get a sure “F.”
To prevent
such horrid predicament, a typical college student would burn his nights away
from studying. Sleeping is discarded because grades are more important than it.
However, is that the case? Well, that’s
a big NO.
You see, your
systems won’t function if it can relish adequate rest. Certain
proofs indicate that sleep deprivation can make you dumb. As a student,
being dunce is the last thing that you want to do.
Please take the opportunity to sleep whenever it is possible. Make sure that your sleeping environment is friendly as well. A mattress at the right price can immediately improve the conduciveness of your bedroom.
Surround Yourself With Positive Folks
In college,
you will eventually learn that not all people are worth keeping. Not all souls
you meet are there to stay in your life. Although you might see it as something
harsh and bitter, that’s the truth.
There are a
variety of reasons why this social sequestering happens. Sometimes, it is
because these people are not just suited for your life. They might come as a
burden or nuisance that you don’t want to deal with. Moreover, if you deem it
that way, then don’t hesitate to let them go.
You see, you
have to keep yourself afloat at all times when you are in college. You don’t
need stresses and strains from other people. Your academics are more than an
ordeal. Therefore, see to it that your circle brings positive vibes.
Eat Healthily
College is
the peak of liberation. You are no longer restrained your parents to the things
that you want to do. Of course, this means that you are already free to get
crazy with those booze and other concoctions.
However, if
you are seriously looking for a way to improve your welfare and survivability,
you have to avoid consuming alcohol, cigarettes, and other harmful substances.
At best, what you can do is to eat
delicious and healthy foods. Fruits and veggies can never be overrated.
Having a
healthy meal make you physically and mentally fit. It also makes your body
impermeable to common illnesses such as flu and cold. For a college student, a
healthy state of mind and body is already a treasure.
Keep a “Me” Time
Not all the time you need to socialize with other people, especially in college. I was very aloof in college, despite having a set of friends that I get shy with. I just find solitude as a way to relax and gather my composure.
Of course,
this doesn’t mean that I would lock up in my apartment and stay there as a
bummer. Instead, I give myself a five or ten-minute break without anyone
bothering me. The moments that I spent in solitude are vital because they gave
me a room to motivate and inspire myself.
Leave the Campus
No. I am not
saying that you need to drop your degree and slack off. We are not made to be
quitters. Sometimes, the best way to relieve us from overload and stress is to
set our feet away from the premises of our schools.
Except for
exceptional institutions, many colleges today have an ambiance that is quite pressuring. Of course, being kept on such
environment for extended periods will affect your mental and emotional health.
Have a break!
Go to your favorite shops or go to the
beach so that you can feel the fresh breeze. If not, you can go on a refreshing
hike instead. Doing these leisure activities will set your mood anew.
Wrapping it Up
Your college
life is crucial. It is the one that determines if you can have a decent chance
of surviving in the outside world. However, despite its given importance, no
college students should ever waste and kill their lives just to have a degree.
You need to
have a break. You need to care for yourself, too. There are very means that can
help you succeed in the end part of your compulsory education.
That’s it for
now. If you have questions or suggestions, drop them in the comment section
below!
My name is Layla Parker, the founder of ASleepyWolf.com. At this site, our team is going to bring you a lot of reliable and useful information about sleeping and everything related to it such as the therapies that improve your sleep, the ways of sleeping you should try, all the products you use every day that affects directly to your sleep, your health, and your life.
It’s normal to feel stressed or anxious about different things that come up in our lives, and having these feelings surrounding tests is nothing to ignore. No matter if you are in grade school, college, or getting your doctorate, test anxiety can affect anyone. Our education can hold a lot of weight, and knowing that something is measuring how much you know is a pretty daunting idea. Wherever you are in your education, know that you’re not alone! Here I’ve compiled some tips and steps to help you cope with test anxiety. You’ve got this!
Before The Test
Tip One: Study
Make a study plan. Prepare and write down your plan of attack. How much time will you spend each day studying? What topic will you cover on which day? Be sure to spread the studying out over time to allow yourself to soak up the information while you are feeling most relaxed.
Tip Two” Relax
Find a way to relax and take your mind off the upcoming test the night before. Maybe a hot bath, reading a book you enjoy, or simply going to sleep early. Taking care of yourself and your mind right before the test will help you be in a positive state of mind and ready to take on the world!
Tip Three: Eat Right
Eat a meal before. Don’t let your test anxiety stop you from keeping your body fueled and hydrated. Drink water, coffee, or tea to help you feel awake and ready to go. Eat a meal that has a good balance of protein, fiber, and fat to keep you full.
Tip Four: Breathe
Before you go in, take a deep breath. Remind yourself that you’ve prepared for this and that you took care of your body and mind to make sure you are ready to do your best work possible. Take one last look at the information if that helps you, but you know yourself best. Avoid this if you think it will make you feel more stressed or anxious.
Photo by Brad Neathery on Unsplash
During The Test
Tip One: Stay Positive
As soon as you get your test, take a few deep breaths. Affirm yourself with positive self-assurances such as “I can do this,” “I have prepared for this,” and reminding yourself that your worth does not come from your performance. Close your eyes and take another breath before you open the test.
Tip Two: Look It Over
Before you start answering, flip through and read the question types and understand what lies ahead. This way, nothing on the test will surprise you, and it will help you to realize that you will tackle it one question at a time. Read through the directions, read through all answer choices on each question, and if it is open-ended, take your time. You are smart, and you are capable!
Tip Three: Read It Through
Once you have finished the test, read through it once or twice. Be sure that you answered each question and check your answers again to be sure that you feel confident. Hand in your test with confidence knowing that you did your best.
Photo by Wadi Lissa on Unsplash
After The Test
Tip One: It’s Out Of Your Control
First off, you’re done! It’s important to recognize that you’ve completed the test and that at this point it is out of your hands—it is no longer something you can control.
Tip Two: Stay Distracted
Distract yourself if necessary. If you can’t stop thinking about how you might have done, or still feel anxious, distract yourself with activities such as spending time with friends, exercising, or watching your favorite TV show. Try to keep your mind off the test and focused on what lies ahead.
Tip Three: Reflect
Once you feel completely at ease, try looking back and assessing how it all went. Ask yourself, “Is there anything you can do next time to help yourself feel more prepared?” “Were there any tools that helped you, in particular, to retain information or feel more confident about it?” You can also prepare for the next test by coming up with a new study plan based on what worked or did not work before.
Thanks for reading!I hope this helped you as you tackle your next big test. Don’t let your test anxiety win! Good luck, and you’ve got this!
This post was written in collaboration with Caroline Pitarque Johnson. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.
The fact you’re reading this post suggests you’re struggling to get your head around college organization. Fear not. A shocking number of students feel as though they could drown under that pressure. And, it’s no surprise when you have teachers telling you that how well you do here will dictate your life. Talk about stress! Read on for more on our 3-layered study plan!
3-Layered Study Plan
One of the main things we struggle with as students are finding the time to study. Sadly, that’s about the most critical part of your college career. Even if you attend all the lectures and their extras, not making time to study could see you struggling to survive your first year of college.
But, that knowledge may leave you asking, how can you find the time? If you’re already struggling (and most students are), how can you create space for even more work? It might seem like an impossible task, but trust us; it isn’t. In truth, all you need to do to get on top here is a bullet journal and a three-layered study plan like this one.
Layer 1: The Time You Don’t Have
The blank page is the most daunting thing about starting a bullet journal. How do you even begin to section your life into a workable plan? Well, jotting down the times when you know you’re busy could be a good start. This will help you develop at least some idea of your timetable, and that’s most important of all. So, step one is to create pages which outline everything from your class times, any educational trips you have in the pipeline, and even planned social occasions. After all, meeting up with friends is also essential if you want to keep your sanity. Use a red pen for these areas to show that they’re no-go’s. You won’t need to worry about those hours because they’re taken and accounted for.
Layer 2: The Time You Could Have
Next, move onto the time you could use for study. By this, we meantime which isn’t strictly free but could still be put to good use. You know the type of stuff; lunch hours, commute times. These are periods of your day which are taken, but only loosely. Fill these in yellow. Then, you can leave aside quick-fire study tasks for occasions like these. If you have an activity which will only take half an hour, set it aside and don’t pick it up until there’s a yellow square on your study horizon.
The hard part is out of the way. You’ve separated the time you spend doing stuff in your day. Now, grab a green pen and get into the body of your study plan. If there are white squares left on this journal page, consider using them for your studies. Of course, we all need downtime. Make sure to leave yourself at least one blank space a day. But, the rest of your schedule should be used to get your studying done!
This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.
The 50:20:30 Budget is gaining popularity, particularly among minimalist populations. This budget helps you break down your goal spending into 3 categories making it easier to keep to your budget than a budget which is broken down into 5 or more groups. Keep reading to learn more about the 50:20:30 budget and how to use it!
This post may contain affiliate links
What is the 50:20:30 Budget?
The 50:20:30 budget is a simplified budget utilizing 3 categories: essentials, savings, and personal. I have been using this strategy on and off since I graduated high school and it has been the most effective budget strategy I have used yet! It is not only easy to use and simple but encompasses all possible spending without much categorical overlap to worry about. There are no excuses.
50 | Essential Spending
The first rule or spending category is essential spending. This category refers to your bills and any other expenditures that cannot be avoided and occurs regularly. This might include topics such as housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, insurance, electricity, internet, phone bill, etc. These bills do not include pleasure subscriptions, or anything extravagant and unnecessary. Remember that your essential spending is half of your income, so spend it wisely!
20 | Savings
The second budget rule is that 20% of your income is to be saved. This might include a savings account, emergency fund, retirement fund, or it might go toward paying off debt. Building up a savings is incredibly essential in case of emergencies, debt issues, retirement, etc. I can personally attest that my savings have saved me, financially, on several occasions! If you aren’t currently saving money regularly, open a savings account and get started today!
30 | Personal Spending
The final rule of 50:20:30 budgeting is that you get to spend 30% on anything else. This includes all recreational or entertainment purchases. This money can be set aside to go on vacation; it can also include clothing, hobbies, home decorating, gym membership, recreational, and entertainment expenditures. Here is where you can go crazy (so long as you remain within your budget) because this category is all you. Whatever your heart desires, this is the part of your budget you utilize to get it. Be responsible, but so long as you remain within 30%, you’re golden!
How do I use the 50:20:30 Budget?
What makes the 50:20:30 budget so successful is the fact that it is minimal and simple. It’s easy to remember the rules, and it’s easier to keep track of, regardless of how you track your spending. My favorite way to track my spending is through Mint. Mint connects to all of my accounts, allows me to set my budget, savings goals, and even pay my bills. I highly recommend checking out Mint, its free!
Another great way to use this budget is to keep an excel spreadsheet of your spending or keep a written record in your planner or journal. Just knowing what the budget is, is not enough, you must now track your spending and be sure to adhere to the budgeting rules.
I don’t know about you, but I always found it easier to concentrate when I’m in a pleasant environment. In fact, being comfortable, and having an organized and personalized space around me seems to help me keep my mind focused and get much more done. With that in mind, you may be considering creating a space dedicated to study and work in your home. However, before you do check out the advice below for some help.
Choose A Location
Before you can put in a study space, you need to pick where it will go. You have to be pretty smart about this as well. You want to be smart because you don’t want to be stuck getting distracted all of the time. To this end, an area such as the attic or basement can be the perfect spot. These secluded spaces make it more difficult for people to find you and distract you. This more private space means you will get left alone most of the time to concentrate.
However, before you go ahead with installing your study space, you need to ensure that the area is suitable for long periods of time. That can mean installing basement waterproofing, heat, and light into a subterranean space, or cleaning out an attic room. Also, remember to make your that the floor is sturdy enough to hold the furniture you need.
Pick Furniture
The next step on most folks’ lists when creating a study space is to pick out the furniture that the will need to get work done. Usually, this is a desk and chair and sometimes some books shelves and draws to keep things organized as well. Find your space becomes cluttered fast? Check out these tips.
Make sure that the items you pick are not only fit in with the decor you want but are also comfortable and sturdy. After all, you will spend quite a bit of time in that space. So, the furniture you pick needs to fit the space.
Otherwise, you could end up with a painful back for being in a chair that isn’t supportive of your posture, or even developing RSI if you don’t have your desk at the right height for your computer keyboard.
Add Personal Touches
To finish off your study areas and make it your own it’s nice to include some decorations and personalized touches. What you pick is entirely up to you of course, and many folks are happy enough with a few photos of their family and pets on the desk.
However, if you want the space to have a more cohesive look, you could choose colors that fit in with the broader scheme. Plants in metallic pots are in style this season. Additionally, hanging decorations like the paper pom poms that you can DIY are an easy decor choice.
Follow these tips and you will have the perfect study space to encourage productivity in your studies.
This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.
Note-taking is by far the most difficult part of reading for college students. Note-taking is tedious, boring, doubles the time it takes for you to read a chapter, and you generally cannot understand them later. We all know how reading can benefit us. Below are some ways to efficiently and effectively take notes. These strategies will make studying your notes easier and will keep your notes organized.
This post may contain affiliate links
Skim
The first note-taking strategy is to skim. I mean two things when I say skim. The first is that I recommend an extremely brief skim of each section before you read them. During this initial skim, take mental note of any bolded or italicized words. These are the words you are going to want to pay particular attention to when you’re reading.
Second, by skim I mean skim instead of in-depth reading. The more important bits of the reading is the beginning and end—the begging and end of the chapter, the sections, and each paragraph. That doesn’t mean ignore the middle bits. Just don’t spend all your time focusing on the middle of each paragraph.
How is skimming a note-taking strategy you might ask? Well when you are spending less time reading every single word, you have more concise, accurate, and organized notes!
Utilize Headings
Headings are very important when it comes to note-taking. Headings not only give you a brief idea of what you are about to read, but they can be used to organize your notes based on content. You might try organizing your notes based on headings or a general idea the text focuses on in the section following each heading.
Create Outline
An outline is an easy way to organize your notes as you go. This is particularly easy because most textbooks are organized with headings that give you an outline before you’ve even started taking notes. If you prefer not to outline your notes based on the headings. Create a brief outline when doing the initial scan that makes sense to you.
Color Coordinate
I cannot stress enough about the importance of color coordination in note-taking. Even just alternating colors when you start a new idea can help you to navigate your notes quicker when your studying. Planning Pineapple mentions choosing 5 colors to organize your notes. A different color for headings, subheadings, vocabulary, main notes, and big points. This is an amazing idea that I utilize in my own note-taking.
If you don’t like worrying about colors while you are taking notes, trying highlighting after the fact instead!
Splitting your Page
Another highly recommended way to take your notes is to split the page. Draw a line or fold your page about two inches from the left side. That left column should include cues and questions. The right column is where your notes will go. Then, about two inches from the bottom of the page (or even just at the end of each section), summarize your notes. This strategy is the best when it comes to taking in-class notes, but it can also be used effectively when you are reading your text!
Now that you have 5 more note-taking tools under your belt, you are sure to succeed! Which strategy is your favorite? Let us know if the comments!
The New Year is that time of year when everyone begins setting goals. Some of the most common goals for the New Year include losing weight and getting organized.
As someone who loves to organize this puts a big smile on my face, however, many people don’t feel the same way I do about organizing. In fact, they find it dreadful.
A common problem people have when it comes to organizing is they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. When you feel like this, you have no motivation even to get started. Then, just like that one of your goals has gone down the drain.
You can stick to your goals for the New Year, and you can get organized! Here’s how you can start:
Start with Highest Traffic Area in your House
The entryway is typically the highest traffic area and is usually the best place to start. Analyze what you use every single day. For example, I need my handbag and jacket every day. Our kids need their jackets every day right now as well since it’s winter. We have created a hook system on the wall where it’s easy to hang up our daily items. The kids’ hooks are lower so they can learn to hang up their own jackets. Wall hooks are a great organizing tool to use because they are very easy to use and don’t take up too much space.
Create a Command Center
After your entryway has been updated, work on creating a command center that fits you and/or your family needs. Create a central place where you can manage your mail and calendar. Use a chalkboard or dry erase board for a calendar. Having a visual calendar will help keep your life organized. Even if you only use a digital calendar, establish a visual calendar for your household so that it’s always in front of you. Our household uses the following:
Calendar Dry Erase Board- We write out our calendar on a dry erase board so we can see every day what is going on for the month. It’s easy to update when needed and color code it so it’s organized and easy to read.
Tack Board- This is where we keep photos, kids’ art pieces, important coupons that we want to use.
Magazine Holder– This is used to store magazines that come in the mail.
Hook Holder With Tray- The tray keeps the dry erase markers stored there, so it’s easy to update the calendar. The hooks are used for the kids to hang their jackets there. These hooks are great for key holders as well. Our kids are too young right now to store them there; we’d never find our keys 😉
Create a Household Binder
Paper still exists in our lives. Creating a binder will serve as a resourceful resource. The binder will become your go-to guide. It will be your Home Bible. It will keep you organized and allow you to become more productive because all of your important resources will be in one place. Time will no longer be wasted searching for documents or wondering what the password is to an account. You’ll want to place it where it can be easily accessed every day, like the inside of a kitchen cabinet or on an office desk. Keep it in the same spot, so you always know where it’s located.
Declutter Your Kitchen
The kitchen is the most commonly used and gathered area of the home. Having an organized kitchen makes things more enjoyable and perfect when an unexpected guest stops by. Depending on the size of your kitchen, break it up into sections: Drawers, Cabinets, and Pantry.
Start each section by decluttering it first. If it hasn’t been used in the past year or it’s broken, get rid of it. Once you have finished decluttering each section, then you’ll want to analyze that space and figure out organizing products to use for that space. If you are organizing your drawers, make sure to use drawer organizers to help keep items in their appropriate space.
Acrylic clear drawer organizers work the best because they give you the best-organized look and feel. They also match well with many different drawers. For the cabinets and pantry use baskets where necessary and label them. Use the same bins for a consistent look and feel. Wicker baskets or white bins work very well. Also, get rid of any type of dishware that doesn’t match your current set-up.
We wear clothes every day. You should love every single piece of clothing you own; it should make you feel good. When you feel good, you put your best foot forward whether that’s in your work or other areas of your life. Here are some tips to help you with your closet:
Get rid of something if you have not worn it in the past year.
If it doesn’t make you feel good, get rid of it.
If it’s too small or big, get rid of it.
Anything that needs repair (button needing to be sewn, etc.) and it’s been longer than six months, get rid of it.
Color coordinate hanging items starting with the red and move through the rainbow.
Use felt or wood hangers that are all the same to give you a consistent look and feel.
Now you might be overwhelmed by this list and where to start. Start with the first point and then move to the next one. Give yourself a week for each point, and in a month, you will have made a good dent in getting your household organized in the New Year! For more organizing resources, you can visit Organized Marie.
Meet the Author
Marie is an innate organizer and planner. She is a working mom to two with a third on the way and a veteran of Corporate America for ten plus years. Marie is a Fargo native and sports lover.
The Organized Planner was designed for the working mom to help manage and organize personal and work life.
Organized Marie is a place for working moms to create simple, everyday organizing solutions for their home. Every working mom can have an organized, stress-free home.
More and more people are choosing to work from home. Whether you have a home-based job, you run a business from home, or your employer offers flexible working options, it is important to be as productive as possible. There is an assumption that working from home is easy, but this should not be the case. Working from home suits many people, but others prefer the structure and formality of an office. If you are switching to a home office or you are spending more time at home, here are 3 simple ways to fulfill your potential and maximize productivity away from the office.
Establish A Routine
When you have an office job, you know that you have got to sign in and sign out at certain times. With a home-based role, there is more flexibility, but that does not mean that you should throw routine out of the window.
Most of us work better when we have set patterns in place. Establish a routine that works for you. If you are an early riser and you are more productive in the mornings, start early and tick off the most arduous or complex tasks first. If you do not feel alive until 10 am, consider a later start and work until later in the day.
You may also need to factor in time zones. If you negotiate with clients in different countries or states and the other person’s schedules. Similarly, if you participate in meetings or catch-ups with colleagues on a regular basis, take note of time zones when establishing your routine. If you are not used to working at home, it may take you a few weeks to figure out what works best for you. But you may find that this more flexible approach to working hours suits you perfectly.
Get Your Working Environment Right
When people say they are working from home, it is easy to envision them lying around in loungers with a laptop balanced on their knee and the TV on. The reality is that you are not going to be able to make working from home work for you unless the environment is right. No matter what you do and how much time you spend out of the office, you need an area that is geared towards work. This space should be a place that affords peace and the ability to focus, concentrate, and enjoy some privacy. Spare rooms, attic rooms, and garages can all work well as home offices.
Once you’ve chosen a space, think about how you want to decorate and present it. Choose furniture that will provide comfort, as well as a style. Add touches that will help you feel relaxed, but also energized. You might add houseplants or a scent diffuser machine. If you can, position your desk close to a window, as natural light is proven to increase productivity. It is also a lot more pleasant to look out over fields, ocean waves, or a garden than it is to stare at blank walls.
Be More Organized
When you work from home, you need to be organized. You can use the same scheduling tools as you do at the office, or you can use a wall planner or an in and out tray system that will enable you to keep track of what you have done. Establish a list of tasks and jobs every day and work on them. For more information about office organization check here, and for more information about time management check here.
It is perfectly possible to be as productive at home as you are in office. Simply apply these tips, and you will be cruising through your to-do list in no time!
This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to write a post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.
With every new year comes new goals and hopes to achieve these goals. Unfortunately, many of us create goals that never get completed. Why is this? One reason you might not achieve your goals is that the way you wrote it is too vague, not realistic, or has no deadline. This post is all about how to write effective goals that you can achieve. This post may contain affiliate links.
Learn how to write Long-Term Goals HERE or Learn more about SMART Goals HERE.
Define Your Goal
The first thing you need to do when writing effective goals is to define the goal. What do you want to achieve? This is the easy part—getting your idea written down. However, there is more to a goal than just writing it down. Your goals need to be specific, measurable, time-sensitive, achievable, and realistic.
Make Your Goals Specific
An effective goal is a specific goal. If you do not clearly define your goal using measurable terms, you will be less inclined to complete it. Your goal needs to be so specific that it might involve smaller more specific goals to achieve the overarching goal. Read more specifically about these smaller step ladder goals here.
Make it Measurable
An effective goal needs to be measurable. This means that you need to define how you will measure your goal. Are you measuring your goal by smaller tasks or deadlines within your large goal, are you measure with time or an amount? No matter how you choose to measure your goal, measure it.
Set A Realistic Deadline
If your goal does not have a due date, you will feel no pressure to complete it. How can a goal be effective if you are not motivated to complete it by a specific time? Make sure this deadline is realistic and that you have used the specifics and measurements define above to create your deadline. Having a realistic deadline can make a goal that might otherwise not be effective.
Is Your Goal Achievable and Realistic?
How likely is it that you can reach your goal by the dates you have set for yourself? To determine achievability, you must be honest with yourself. It’s common that our expectations are unrealistic, thus, making them unachievable. We get excited and don’t think about how our goal will fit into daily life. It’s often the issue that we set a date that is too soon so that we feel overwhelmed. It’s also common that we set dates that are too far away and we put off achieving our goal, leaving it to the last minute.
Effective goals written in this format are commonly known as SMART goals. They are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive. Follow this format, and you are sure to have an effective goal!
