I started bullet journaling for the first time after seeing my friend using her own. Her journal didn’t have detailed drawings, fancy headings, calligraphy, or washi tape—she used a black pen to track down her dates, progress, and deadlines. She…
How Video Games Help me Stay Focused on School #JoyatUofT
One day, I was feeling nostalgic for video games that I played growing up. From child-friendly Crash Bandicoot to violent Mortal Kombat (I have an older brother to thank for that), I longed to play these games again but I…
Why Virtual Study Hubs Work – productivity, motivation, and everything in between
I’ve been attending virtual study hubs for nearly a year and I must say, I don’t think I would’ve got through my virtual academic year without them. Last year, motivation was the bane of my existence. With libraries closed at…
Starting the Year By Fighting Writer’s Block
As a humanities student, it’s vital that I have my creative (and motivation!) juices flowing for all those papers I’ll be writing this semester. I was on CLNX when I saw this workshop Addressing Writer’s Block a couple days ago;…
All About Mindset: How Productivity Decreases Productivity
How funny – one moment you’re going to bed at dawn after a night of idly browsing the internet then in another you discover you have a term test, two papers, and the rest of exams following shortly. This has…
Study Tips Part Two: Motivation and Vacation
My last blog post was about study tips, specifically, how taking short breaks while studying are effective for getting my work done. This week I’m writing about taking longer breaks (taking the whole day off, or even a week!) and…
Breaking Down Brain Break: Why Exercise is Important During Exam Season
We made it! Classes are finally finished for the term, but that means exam season is starting, which brings with it it’s own level of added stress. We always hear that its important to exercise, especially during this busy time…
Writing Alone Together
To be honest, I’m not big on group studying. For some people it can be beneficial to think out loud with others and work through ideas together, but I’m not one of those types. It’s hard for me take in information,…
(Barely) Imparting Senior Student Wisdom
Hello new semester! Don’t you just love the buzz around campus this time of year? You know, its that time in the semester where midterms haven’t taken over life yet, the weather is still amazing and you have a whole new batch of stationary to play with. Okay, that last one only applies to me and a handful of very cool people.
It’s also that time of year where I usually make tons of new goals and try extra hard to get this whole studying thing right.
Library Da[y]ze
As a student who ‘double-dips’ in both the arts and sciences here at U of T, I can tell you that sometimes a full library day is something you can’t avoid. My kitchen table is where I do the majority of my school work, but occasionally I need the focus and academic-y aesthetic a library provides. The many reasons students end up at the library vary, but I’m sure we all have one thing in common: we don’t really want to be there.
I once made made a trip out to Queen’s University to visit some friends who studied there. It was during the impromptu library tour (it didn’t take long, they only have seven) that I was told if you were going to get anything done there, you must get a desk with an outlet — not for your computer charger, but for the mini kettle that would apparently provide enough sustenance to read for hours on end with instant coffee and Mr. Noodles. And while I have never seen a person with a kettle at Robarts, I still think of this every time I pack up my bag for a full day of studying.