Raise your hands if writing essays for your class seems like an impossible task! Me. Too. Being in Arts and Science, there seems to be a never-ending line of essays I need to pump out before the next set begins.…
The Power of a Growth Mindset
Things you might hear after a first year midterm: “That didn't go as planned.” “I failed.” “How will this impact by GPA?” "I'm not cut out for this." U of T grading rubrics can be unforgiving. After the first tests…
Time Management Takes Time
Time Management Takes Time, Part 1 So, we are into our third week of school (second full week) and who is already drowning in school work? You too? Okay, good. Same. The lead-up to school is always fun. The first…
Surviving Exam Season: Japan Edition
On January 28th at 10:00 PM JST, I jumped for joy and started playing “Freedom! ‘90” on full blast. At this moment, I submitted the final assignment of my first semester at the University of Tokyo. Due to the different…
Overcoming Academic Perfectionism
Last week was one of those weeks. My midterms were nearing, I had a confusing paper due at the end of the week, and I felt overwhelmed by my extracurriculars. Despite pouring hours into my studying and writing, all I…
My tips for coping with a heavier course load
When I was signing up for University courses for the first time in August, a friend of mine gave me some important advice: “Whatever you do, don’t take 6 heavy classes in one semester.” So what did I do? Must…
My search for motivation
I can’t think of a worse time to be experiencing writer’s block and a lack of general motivation than at this point in the semester; but here I am staring blankly at my computer screen, waiting for intelligent ideas to…
Changing your essay is a-okay
It’s that time in the semester- the period in which we’re questioning if we’ll ever feel well rested again, and we’re forgetting what decaffeinated drinks taste like. Can you tell I have 2 essays and a midterm within a week’s…
Step 1: have a plan. Step 2: profit.
Being productive is good for our mental health. It’s even more rewarding to be productive when you’re completing an intentional and mapped out plan. Being a university student means we must have specific strategies for completing assignments all the time.…
Cramping Hands And Bad Grammar; In-Class Assignments.
I had forgotten the pressure and anxiety caused by tests, and with two in-class essays, I’m remembering again. The classic thoughts of “do I have carpal tunnel?” and “am I allowed to ask a question?” and “how much time have I…