The end of another term has arrived! Though it seems that a lot of schools are out for break, a few of you probably still have your week full of sole-crushing final exams to look forward to. My heart goes out to all of you because I think we can all agree that test-taking kind of sucks and most feel they’re just not very good at it in the first place! However, I feel that test taking is an art that can definitely be taught. And once mastered, school definitely gets a lot easier.
I always thought that working from home is an art form. There have been many times where I wanted to be productive at home, yet these days are instead spent watching silly youtube videos or scrolling through Tumblr. You know, the complete opposite of what I’m aiming for. Go figure.
Unfortunately when you’re a student, sometimes working from home is a must. Whether you need to finish an assignment on the weekend or maybe need to concentrate on that paper you’ve been procrastinating, sometimes home might just be the best place to work in order to avoid the distractions of school and the office.
It seems that there is always a point in the school terms where everything feels like it’s piling up at once. Deadline after deadline approaches at lightning speeds and honestly all you want to do is catch your breath. I feel that 90% of the student population goes through this. Trust me. I’m going through this at this very second (and yet here I am writing a blog post, but I digress). Anyway, though this may be a little too late for those reaching the end of their quarters right now, I present to you my hard-earned advice that I wish I listened to on how to prevent that end of the semester chaos that brings stress levels to an all time high. Continue reading Avoiding End of the Semester Chaos
Disclaimer: This post is just a single anecdote of my experiences with feelings of anxiety and my personal way of coping with it. I am my no means an expert and highly recommend that if you think you may be dealing with feelings of anxiety or have an anxiety disorder, that you seek help from a professional.
I’ve been in grad school for almost five months now (holy crap, it feels like years!) and it has been quite an experience. Though I’ve bitched and complained both here and on my Tumblr, overall it’s been a positive experience. After all, it feels like everyday I’m learning something new about my research field, meeting fantastic people and getting more and more involved with the science that I love… Continue reading Anxiety in (Grad) School
Periods. They can be uncomfortable and annoying to deal with. Unfortunately, though, life doesn’t stop for your period and those times of discomfort can arrive during times when term papers are due, exams are quickly approaching and studying just needs to get done. So, here are some things I do when I’m on my period in order to ease the symptoms and keep my mind sharp and focused! Continue reading Tips for Studying on your Period
“Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.”~Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Hello everyone!
I wanted to present to you what I hope to become the “super duper guide to all that is undergrad research”! I know that before I entered college, I had absolutely no idea that undergrad research was even a possibility. I thought college would be four years of going to class, joining clubs and making a desperate attempt at being social. However, once I discovered this whole other aspect to undergrad, my eyes were then opened to a whole new array of endless opportunity! In fact, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today if I had never participated in undergrad research! But, more on the benefits later.
Anyway, to those of you who have many questions but few answers to the mysteries of undergrad research, I hope this post can be the guide that I wish I had when I was in your shoes. I also want this post to evolve as I get a better idea of additional questions people may have. So, if you think of anything that should be added, please let me know in the comments below or by any means on my contact page. Continue reading Undergrad Research FAQ
So, when I entered college, I was amazed at how many different lecture styles professors could have. Some used PowerPoints, some used the white board and some just talked at you and expected you to learn that way. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe amazed is not the right word. Maybe it’s better put as “culture-shocked to the point that required me to up my note-taking game.”
Regardless of the word you choose, there will eventually be a point in college (or grad school) where your regular note-taking style just can’t efficiently sort through the information presented to you. Therefore, I have decided to write a post that talks about how I adapted with each lecture styles in order to take the most efficient notes and ultimately determine the important test-worthy information. Continue reading Note-Taking for Different Lecture Styles
Hi everyone,
I hope this post finds you all prepared to start your winter/spring terms! Since I’m getting ready to go back to class myself, I thought I’d make a super duper quick post on some things I’m doing to start of the new semester on the right foot! 🙂
Hope this is helpful! Any other suggestions? Leave them in the comments and let me know!
Hello, my fellow students. Unfortunately, I greet you during that dreaded time of the year: finals week. And yeah, sure, the long nights of studying are pretty bad, admittedly. But, in my opinion, what can be even worse is that little voice in you head that that starts speaking up right before the final. You know the one. It says horrible things such, “You studied the wrong material,” or even, “I bet you’re going to forget everything you studied the moment you sit down!” Gosh. What a jerk that voice is. 😦
Anyway, I feel that a lot of the time, it’s this test anxiety that makes finals week so nerve-wracking, scary and stressful! However, over my test-taking years I’ve found a few techniques that have helped me reduce my anxiety and go into the exam room feeling focused, awake and confident! Listed below are my techniques in hopes that this helps you all have the best finals week ever! Kick those test’s butt! ❤
Extended version of this! Oh and sorta this too!
As a STEM major, there is a high probability that you’re going to have at least one class that has some sort of lab component. Whether it’s a three to four hour lab once a week or in the worst case (read: as a chemistry major), two four-hour labs a week. 😦
Of course, the difference between lab-based courses and lecture-based courses is that there is a significant portion of your grade is no longer based on exams and problem sets. Rather, a large chunk is now based on three other things: (1) how accurately and efficiently can you do your experiment in the allotted time, (2) how well you can remember your lab manual for quizzes, as well as (3) how well you can write it up (read: defend your results) on your lab report.
Unfortunately, for those that are starting on their first serious lab courses, it’s always these components that can sometimes be the trickiest to master. So, having survived quite a few lab courses as a chemistry major, here is my take on how I survived my lab courses in hopes that it helps you too! 🙂
Good luck & science away!
Caffeinated Confidence 