Patiencepea - Corn >:(

How I Went From Academic Probation to the Dean’s List in One Semester

Introduction

So if you haven’t read it and want to understand the full story, I recommend reading this post right here (x) Long story short, while yes, I did have very poor physical and mental health that contributed to my academic probation, I also could have been more organized and overall a better student, and maybe I would have not had the best grades - but still maintained “good standing.” My first two semesters were rough. Then I took two semesters off. When I came back this semester, I was determined to succeed and essentially, I learned how to be the best college student I could be. Albeit, this was also after I regained control over my health. Nonetheless, let’s get into it!

I took some time off from school 

First of all, what helped me the most was taking two semesters off. I won’t lie to any of you. I took this time to see pain management doctors, receive treatment for my 6 bulged discs that contributed to my chronic pain, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and re-learned how to live my life, I got my anxiety disorder under control, and I worked 40+ hours a week serving and bartending to become more financially independent - which helped my anxiety. During this time I also learned to be honest with my support system (advisors, close friends, and family), which also contributed to my success this semester.

I forced myself to use a planner religiously (for about a month) until it became an unbreakable habit

I forced myself to use a planner religiously (about a month) until it became an unbreakable habit. Planners are the biggest tool when becoming more organized. During syllabus week, I took my dad’s advice and wrote down every due date, even if it was TBA. This allowed me to be “ahead of the curve.” I am not taken by surprise by any assignments now. 

Using my planner, I create artificial due dates for myself that are a day or two before the actual, posted due date. This ensures that my assignments are turned in early, or if something goes wrong in submitting them (if online) then I can make my professor/instructor aware of the issue beforehand so that something can be done. Write: “Have X turned in by today!” 

Do your best to also not only stay “on top of” assignments, but also ahead of them. It is better to work ahead and have nothing to do (or due) for the remainder of the week than to be overwhelmed by copious amounts of work and studying.

I took pride in my work

I took pride in my work/notes, and set out to create work/notes that would impress peers (if they saw my work) or impress my professor upon grading my assignments. I specifically set out to “wow” people with what I was creating. This lead me to the studyblr community specifically with my notes.

I emailed my professors literally all the time

I emailed my professors consistently. Even if I had a question that could have waited until the next class - I emailed my professors. They were able to learn my names, and my grades are awesome because of it.

I participated in class 

I participated in class. Not only do I sit in the front of the class because I can’t see (ya girl isn’t good about wearing her glasses) but I also do this because professors “teach to the T” This basically means that professors teach mostly to students who sit in the front row, and students that sit down the aisles. So imagine a classroom, and imagine which desks would make a T-shape. That’s where you want to sit. I also make sure to contribute to class discussions. When you sit up front, you are less inclined to be on your phone or doing miscellaneous things on your laptop. Your eyes will be drawn to your professor, you will feel more compelled to answer their questions, and you will pay better attention. With this being said, I was always the student that had to sit in front because I can’t see, but I was also always the teacher’s pet.

I purchased cool/cute study supplies that made me want to study

Buy materials that make you want to take notes with them. I really like Five Star notebooks. I also really like taking notes with Crayola SuperTips. Create notes that are easy for you to review later. 

Which brings me to my next tip: actually review those notes later. 

Tried and true study apps like Quizlet saved my semester

I utilize study-apps like Quizlet. I know that there are many out there; however, I prefer the tried and true method of good ole Quizlet.

Pay your advisor a visit. They do not judge you!

I make appointments to see my advisors regularly. Advisors can help you if anything begins to go awry. I also made an appointment with the same advisors, so that I didn’t have to re-explain my situation. They never judged me. They can provide you with materials and resources for any issue you’re having. I am always blown away every time I meet with my advisors because they know their jobs so well. 

I sat my butt down and did my work

I didn’t exactly “time block” study time because that doesn’t really work for me. However, when I had time after work or whenever - I sat down at my desk and made time for assignments. I highly recommend the Pomodoro Technique. You set a timer for 15-25 minutes, focus on your work during that time, and then take a 5-10 minute break before continuing. Usually, you will find that you either just want to go ahead and finish up or that you definitely needed a break. 

I created a study space that I love. It is really miscellaneous and not at all what you see on the majority of studyblrs, but it works for me. I love my desk! 

Buy some expos and a white board in addition to using your planner

I use a white board in addition to my planner to write down upcoming dates for the next week/entire month. I use a different color for each class as well as miscellaneous things I need to get done. When I have completed something, I just erase it. 

Treat yo self

I congratulated myself for little victories. 96 on a test? Ice cream for you tonight, babes. 

Figure yourself out as a scholar

I learned how and where I studied best. My two spots are in the library or at my desk in my room. I also seem to study best with someone else around me, like when my boyfriend is playing his video games - that is the perfect time for me to study. Do you study best with zero distractions, or do you like to work with some music on? Do you like background noise from the TV or completely silent? Are you a night owl or a morning bird? Figure out those things first. You can’t force yourself to study at a time when it doesn’t work for you. For example, I am a night owl so I know that evening - night is the best time for me to get to work. 

I learned what ritual worked best for me. Having a cup of coffee while I do my make up, and then ensuring that I was out at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus was scheduled to come, and making sure that I got on the bus that came no later than 30 minutes before my class. Know your routine. What routine works for you? 

The obvious

Go to class. Easiest one. Attendance policies can be brutal. Get to know yours. Sometimes professors also say things in class that gives those who attended the upper hand in some way. 

I started this studyblr! Knowing I wanted to create content here kept me driven to take notes when I didn’t always want to. 

I was honest with myself 

I was honest with myself for my short comings. AP classes in high school were beneficial in many ways, but they really taught me how to underachieve my way to success. I hardly ever studied for anything and bs’ed so many essays, but it worked and I got really good grades. That doesn’t really work in college. 

Non-curriculum based 

I learned to say no. 

I learned to cut people who did not fully support me out of my life. 

I cleaned my apartment and room every weekend. It’s much easier to study when everything is clean.

I made time to go to the grocery store every week. It’s much easier to learn and function when you are well fed. 

I did my best to get some sleep. Your brain needs rest to function its best.

I know it hurts, but check those grades frequently. It isn’t like a credit score, it won’t lower every time you check it

I checked all of my grades at least once a week. I know it can be anxiety-inducing, but you have to know where you are in your classes, especially when April rolls around and you might realize you need to put in a little more work.

I became a point whore

I became a point whore. I took advantage of every extra credit opportunity. Every single one. 

The golden rule

I made up a golden rule: Do not cram for any exam. To do this, I always started studying once my professor mentioned the test OUTSIDE of the syllabus. If you have dropped the ball and the test is a week out - create a study plan. 

Believe in yourself

Lastly, I believed in myself. You cannot do this if you do not believe that you can.

Remember that you can do anything you set your mind to. Start shouldering the burden now by forging good habits. Be honest with yourself. Lastly - dreams don’t work unless you do. I had a lot going on with my health that lead to my grades being terri - yeah they were terrible. But I still was honest about my shortcomings. 

Happy studying, realistic students!

Follow @productive-tips for more tips and content like this posted daily! Handpicked and curated with love :)

because the tumblr algorithm works essentially solely on tags, it’s important to make sure that you use the right ones. in the studyblr community, many blogs ‘track tags’, which means that they follow the tag and reblog the posts within it.

in this post, i have collated many studyblrs and their tracking tags that you can use!

if you would like to be added to the post, please send me an ask and let me know. if you are already included and you change your tag/url, also kindly let me know so that i can keep this post up to date. If there are any mistakes, also let me know!

[note: you need to make sure that your blog is discoverable in your settings to make sure that i can tag you. otherwise i cannot include you]

A

@apalsant —> #apalsant

@architecturals —> #tusermelissa

@arctic-anna —> #arcticanna

@asteristudy —> #asteristudy

@a-students-lifebuoy —> #astudentslifebuoy or #a students lifebuoy

@athenastudying —> #athenastudying

@audreys-notes —> #heyaudrey

B

@blueplaidstudies —> #blueplaidlook

@boldlystudy —> #boldlystudy

@bulletnotestudies —> #bulletnotestudies

C

@caffeine-study —> #caffeinestudy

@captainofstudies —> #captainofstudies

@chicanastudies —> #chicanastudies

@colorcodedchai —> #colorcodedchai

@contre-qui —> #lookmari

@coralstudiies —> #heycora

D

@divinity-study —> #heyrei

E

@einstetic —> #einstetic

@emily-studies —> #emily-studies

@endlesstudies —> #heyendless

G

@gloomstudy —> #gloomstudy

H

@hannistudies —> #hanniscup

I

@idlestudy —> #idlestudy

@indie-bitch —> #indie-bitch

J

@jaeyuyoo —> #jaeyuyoonotes

@jarofsharpies —> #jarofsharpies

@jeonchemstudy —> #jeonchemstudy

K

@katistudies —> #katistudies

@keshiology —> #keshiology

@kindastudyingstuff —> #akastudies

L

@lantern-academia —> #lanternacademia

@lattesandlearning —> #lattesforlaura

@lattestudies —> #lattestudies

@lifeofthegrind —> #lifeofthegrind

@lostlibrariangirl —> #lostlibrariangirl

M

@make-granger-proud —> #makegrangerproud

@maraskull —> #maraskull

@mathias-researches —> #lookmatthias

@medical-magpie —> #medical magpie or #medical-magpie

@medblrr —> #medblrr

@mediblr —> #mediblr

@medustudies —> #medustudies

@melaschnie —> #studywithmelli

@melody-of-moon —> #studybucky

@moon-thestars —> #moonthestars

@museeofmoon —> #heyzainab

@music-of-physics —> @heyalyss

@myhoneststudyblr —> #myhoneststudyblr

N

@nadjastudies —> #takealooksid

@ndemic —> #heylihi

@niastudies —> #niastudies

@noctis-studies —> #noctisstudies

P

@paperandcaffeine —> #paperandcaffeine

@pastelsandhazelnutcoffee —> #pastelsandhazelnutcoffee

@peachblossomstudy —> #heypeachblossom

@philology-studies —> #philologystudies

@phoenixstudies —> #phoenixstudies

@poweredbygreentea —> #poweredbygreentea

@problematicprocrastinator —> #problematicprocrastinator

@productivewitch —> #productivewitch

@projecthappinez —> #projecthappinez

R

@raebae-studies —> #heyreags

@randomstudyblr —> #randomstudyblr

@rivkahstudies —> #rivkahlook

@rylie-studies —> #lookrylie

S

@samanthropologist —> #samanthastudies

@selkie-studies —> #selkiestudies

@seltzerstudies —> #seltzerstudies

@serendistudy —> #serendistudy

@shimmer-studies —> #shimmer-studies

@smileystudies —> #smileystudies

@soaked-in-starlight —> #starlightstudy

@somuchtostudysolittletime —> #somuchtostudysolittletime

@sonderstudy —> #sonderstudy

@spoonieacademia —> #heytheo

@starryuniversitas —> #starryuniversitas

@studiesnstationary —> #studiesnstationary

@studyblr-so-i-dont-failblr —> #ameerstudies

@studycris —> #studycris

@study-diaries —> #study diaries

@study-it-sightless —> #blindacademia

@studyingfilms —> #studyingfilms

@studying-nando —> #studying nando or #studying-nando 

@study-van —> #studyvan

@studywithzorah —> #studywithzorah

@stuhde —> #stuhde

@stu-dna —> #heyharri and #heyharriet

T

@teapenguin —> #lookzuzia

U

@uglystudies —> #uglystudies

V

@venustudy —> #heyvenustudy

@vintage-lattes —> #vintage-lattes

Declutter Your Life

I’ve resolved that every Wednesday, I will write a masterpost about self care and living clean and happy lifestyles. Mainly because my blog is devoted to that too, besides being a studyblr, but I hardly ever post original content about it, so hereeee we go. :)

Plan first

Make a list of areas you want to tackle

Or items you want to go through

Set how long you’ll clean

And a little reward for yourself when you’ve reached that goal

Envision what you want your space to look like at the end

Set aside three baskets or areas: one for things to keep, one for things to trash, and one for things to donate/sell

House

There are just some ideas of things to get rid of or pare down. Feel free to add your own. :)

Bedroom

unnecessary pillows on your bed or extra blankets

monsters under your bed

chargers, wires, etc. that go to devices you don’t have anymore or that are broken

old devices, phones, ipods

books you felt kinda eh about while reading them

copies of books or CDs

old notebooks

sticky notes that have lost their stickiness

broken pencils

markers that have dried up

any art supply you don’t use

scrap paper that’s gotten too small

scrap yarn that’s gotten too small

old art projects

unfinished art projects

papers

candles w/o any smell

Scentsy-type stuff w/o any smell

Closet

clothes that don’t fit

all of those clothes you save for your “ugly days”

shoes that hurt that you don’t even like the looks of

underwear with holes (or blood stains - ya feel me, girls?)

socks without a matching pair

socks with holes

bras that are even looking tired

copies of clothes, like multiple white t-shirts

jewelry you don’t wear

childish jewelry

broken jewelry

Bathroom

hygiene products past their expiration date

faded towels

bottles with only a few drops of product left

worn out toothbrushes

hairbands that have lost their elasticity

congealed nail polish

makeup you regret buying

Digital Life

Social Media

Unfollow people, be merciless, make your social media a place of positivity

unfriend toxic people (see the next section)

go through your own posts and delete anything you regret posting

take social media breaks

Computer

upload all of your photos to Google photos or flickr or photobucket or onedrive or whatever, or even a CD, then delete them from your memory

also back up important documents or just things you want to keep to something else and delete them on your computer

go through and sort everything into files

delete any programs you don’t use

Phone

clean out your pictures, upload them to cloud or whatever

delete all of the apps you don’t use or need

go through your contacts and delete the people you don’t want to contact anymore

delete old text message conversations

give yourself a new background too, something clean and simple

Relationships

Get rid of those people who are toxic in your life, mute notifications from them, unfollow them on social media (you can unfollow someone one facebook without unfriending them), don’t answer them often

make an effort to interact with people face-to-face rather than through text or the internet

decide who you want to actively invest your energy in

School

make a study schedule

prioritize your schedule – study the hardest subjects the most

remember that grades are important

also remember that grades aren’t everything 

(pls don’t fire me from being a studyblr)

if you can’t get everything you need to do done in 24 hours without sacrificing 8 hours of sleep and a bit of time for yourself, then you’re doing too much

Best tip to stay decluttered: Learn to say no.

i’m starting the second semester of my junior year soon, and recently i’ve been dealing with a feeling of burnout and lack of motivation. it’s hard to force myself to study and power through.

one thing that has really helped is taking good study breaks! it definitely also helps if you’re staying up late studying or having a marathon study session… like for finals ;)

when should i take a study break?

here are a couple of options—find what works for you, or try a bunch of different methods!

pomodoro method - this generally involves working for 25 minutes, then breaking for 5 minutes. after 4 work sessions, you can break for 15 minutes. good pomodoro timers are the marinara chrome extension and tomato timer for iphone!

between subjects

between different assignments (ex. after a paper, then after a worksheet)

whenever you feel tired or unmotivated!

study break DON’Ts:

watching 5-10 minutes of a longer tv show episode - my ULTIMATE don’t. you’ll just be tempted to watch the full episode…and 3 more afterwards! save the tv-watching for after you’re all done. tv is meant to be compelling and enjoyable - NOT something you just watch 5 minutes of at a time.

reading a chapter of a book - for the same reason why tv-watching is super ineffective! you’ll just want to know what happens next.

watching 5-10 minutes of a longer youtube video

playing a video game

sleeping/napping - super short naps are ineffective and you’ll just be groggy. HOWEVER if you’re staying up super late and set an alarm to wake you up, a 30-minute power nap can be good!

scrolling through instagram/twitter

doing stuff you do before bed like showering or skincare - this will make you sleepier since you associate it with going to bed!

basically, don’t spend your study break doing things that are meant to suck your attention! save that for when you’re done and you can actually enjoy it :)

study break DOs:

eat a small snack

clean up your study area

wash your face or brush your hair - super effective, especially when studying late at night. splash cold water on the back of your neck!

listen to your favorite song and sing/dance along

drink a glass of water

do something boring - give your brain a break and do something important but super boring. send an email, get some forms filled out, etc.

and my ultimate study break tip…

WORK OUT!

this may seem really counterintuitive. why spend a work break doing MORE WORK? however, working out is SUCH A GOOD STUDY BREAK. it gives you a sense of accomplishment, gets some endorphins flowing, and COMPLETELY takes your mind off of studying. 

my favorite study break workouts:

pretty much anything from blogilates:

really hard weightless arms workout

another really hard weightless arm workout

extreme abs

under 10 minute yoga practices

10-15 min yoga

i hope these help you! in 2020, let’s start conquering procrastination and lack of motivation together!! :-)

- amulya

Procrastinating makes me feel really icky, but I can’t help myself. I always wait until the final moment to do something or study for something and then am always rushing, thus I’m always stressed out. This is the way I deal with procrastination. What works for me might or might not work for you, and that’s okay.

Make a list of every single thing you know you have to get done. This doesn’t have to be limited to a certain time, if you know your university applications are due in two months, put this down too! Also include the smaller tasks you may have ignored like changing your sheets or tidying up your room.

Put some sort of symbol next to tasks you want to accomplish first. These can be assignments due soon, or anything you want to get done quick. I usually use exclamation points and for ones with looming deadlines, I put multiple exclamation points.

Assign an estimated duration to each task, ranging from five minutes to two hours, see how much you can realistically get done today.

After making that list, you may have a rush of energy to start checking things off, so start with something that’s high priority and also has a longer time duration. Work on this for at least half an hour, or at most an hour and a half.

Try not to open Netflix or YouTube on this break. Use this time to get something to eat, you can also use this time to finish those small tasks you wrote out, or play with a pet! If you open any addictive apps, you’re probably going to have problems coming back to the tasks.

As soon as your alarm signifies the end of your break, come straight back and attempt a different task now. If you were to do the same task, you might get bored. Work on this task and follow the above mentioned techniques.

After feeling like you’ve accomplished a decent amount, you can reward yourself something. I usually reward myself an episode of Brooklyn Nine Nine or a face mask!

While doing the tasks, keep checking them off, it’s extremely satisfying and once every single task is complete, you’ll feel so good about yourself.

When at least three things have been checked off, you can take a bigger break. This can last anywhere between fifteen minutes to half an hour. During this break, you can use any of the apps previously banned.

Try to remind yourself why you’re studying. Is it because you want to get into a specific university? Is it because you want to make your parents proud? Is it because you want to prove yourself to haters? Whatever the reason is, channel the emotion attached to it and get back to studying.

Just know that no matter what happens, your grades do not define you. You are not just a number or letter on a sheet of paper, you’re a beautiful human being and you can do anything you want to do.

DO: Plan thoroughly. Use a project planner such as this one to map out exactly what you need and your partners need to do in order to complete your project, who’s going to do each task and how much time it’s all going to take. Planning is essential in order to stay on track, as well as avoiding any confusions like someone not completing something because they thought some else was going to do it.

DON’T: Have a bad attitude. I know it’s frustrating when you’re paired up with lazy people or people you don’t like, but approaching the project with a bad attitude won’t help. So suck it up and be positive and nice with your fellow members. It’ll make working together so much easier.

DO: Divide work according to strengths. I’m sure most if not all of your partners will have a special skill set that will be a great contribution to your project. If someone has great writing skills, let them proofread everything before you send it in. If someone else is good at graphic design, make sure that they design your slides (if applicable). Whatever it might be, find out about everyone’s strengths and let them shine.

DON’T: Use your teacher’s due date. By this, I mean that you should plan to finish a couple of days before your project’s due. Why? Because life happens. Some people might be busy with other classes, have an emergency or just slack off. By aiming to finish a couple of days before the due date, you can ensure the completion and quality of your projects.

DO: Check in with your group mates often. Communication is key! Talk to ensure often to ensure that everyone is on track and know the status of the individual parts of the project. You’ll also figure out if anyone’s struggling and will then be able to help them. Also, a few compliments here and there like: “This paragraph is really well written” and “I love the fonts and colors you used. Nice eye” will make your partners happy and improve their confidence. You’ll work better with happy partners and good partnership will improve the quality of your project.

DON’T: Be afraid to disagree with others. You don’t want to be insulting or over dominate your group, but if you disagree with how something is being done or know a better way to do it, speak up. Your grade shouldn’t suffer because of a simple mistake.

DO: Use online collaborative tools. As much as I love Word and Powerpoint, Google Docs and Google Slides are some of the best tools for group work. You can all work on something at the same time as well as see who did what and at what time.