I Tell Everyone This And I Mean It. Buy A Journal. Carry It With You Everywhere You Go. And I Mean Everywhere.

this is the one thing i need in my life other than good grades

Any ideas for efficient breaks between study sessions?

I’m a pro at this;

For a 5 minutes breaks;

Clean your desk. This is very important because you would want to have a clean space when you want to return to studying. It’ll also help you focus more.

Grab a healthy snack. Carrots and nuts are my favorite snacks tbh. 

refill your bottle of water.

Solve a rubix cube (if you know how to solve it)

Check your email or messages, but make sure you don’t spend more than 5 minutes. Just reply to the important ones.

Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee.

For 10-15 minutes breaks;

Prepare some oatmeal! I love oatmeal and I always have some during my break. It’s very nutritious and it wakes you up frankly.

Have a shower. Sometimes when I’m sleepy, I just take a short shower, usually moderately cold, maybe even warm, and change into fresh clothes. That boosts my level of concentration AND makes me feel amazing.

Tidy your room. This is a nice way to control the mess and it sets you in a better mood, knowing that everything is in place and neat. 

Call a friend! You sometimes need to chat with someone that makes you feel happy.

Watch a youtube video (preferably motivational). This is what I do most of the time. It really gives me a boost of motivation and kind of reminds me why I’m doing what I’m doing. Why I shouldn’t stop.

Exercise; some yoga sequences, crunches, squats, ANYTHING REALLY! Maybe practice your splits or bridge. I don’t know, just MOVE your body. I frankly dance. I just place some music and start to choreograph to it. Or I also practice my kicks for karate (trying to get them higher than usual). Just do any kind of exercise that moves your body.

For 20-40 minutes breaks;

POWER NAP YAASSS. If you feel too tired, just sleep. Tell someone to wake you up in 20 minutes or so. but don’t exceed the 40 minutes or else you would wake up tired rather than energized. Tbh, a 20 minutes power nap is the best option.

Read a chapter from your favorite book. Just one chapter yeah?

Prepare lunch, or dinner. I honestly just go heat up my food and eat it, or maybe actually prepare some (noodles bruh). and then I watch something while I’m eating, like a part of that musical I’ve been wanting to watch (Heathers is what I’m currently watching).

Prepare next week’s spread. I tend to do that during the weekends.

Skincare! Since I have rosacea (it sucks), I use this time to wash my face, apply a face mask, then wash my face AGAIN then put some serum to regenerate the skin. Not only is this good for my skin, but it also makes me more relaxed.

Go outside! go to the library, the coffee shop, the grocery store, the park. ANYTHING. You need fresh air. 

For 1-2 hours break; 

THIS IS THE MOST YOU CAN GET.

Watch a movie. Preferably something that doesn’t have sequels. 

Watch an episode or two from your favorite show. if the episode is for 1 hour or more (Sherlock or GOT) you probably should watch one episode.

Go out. Have lunch with a friend, or by yourself (quality time aye)

Go shopping!

Write. I have a two hours break every Saturday and Sunday to write.

Clean up your closet. You probably have many shirts and pants that don’t fit you anymore, so why not give them to someone that actually needs them?

This is what I can think of at the moment. Hope they’re useful!

And remember to actually be productive for you to take a break yeah?

Productive Things That Aren’t Studying

washing the dishes

making your bed

tidying your book/dvd shelf/shelves

cleaning the cupboard/wardrobe

reading

sleeping

writing a blog

planning your month/week/day

replying to messages or asks

responding to emails

sorting through letters/mail

clearing your email inbox

organising stationery

clean your sinks

clean your toilets

pet your pet

sort through old clothes

give to charity

go on a walk

go on a run

clean down any surfaces

work out

meal prep

get rid of empty shampoo bottles from the shower

clean out old food from the cupboard/fridge

empty out your school bag

call your parent

unfriend/unfollow people you no longer interact with

watch a TEDTalk

empty the bins/trash

clean the mirrors in your house

hug your pet

wash some clothes

buy any birthday cards/presents that you need to

reply to any old texts

make a tumblr post on productive things that aren’t studying

It’s not a hug, I’m just grabbin’ the door for ya.

I think there’s something so deeply and intimately and morbidly true about The Last of Us’s primary thesis which is that humanity’s fatal flaw, in that very Shakespearian way, is that we are destined to care too much about one another so much so that we discard the collective entirely. like we have such a capacity to love the human race and humanity as a whole, to grow our communities and govern cities how we know best and foster such connection with the masses which we are part of, but it’s overtaken by our capacity to love even just a single other person. like one human can come into your life that creates such an intrinsic and passionate love in you— or maybe two people or a family’s worth or any small number— and you suddenly would burn entire villages down just to keep them safe.

joel doesn’t blink twice murdering to find ellie. he doesn’t look back when he decides to do what he does at the hospital later on. he has no remorse about any of it it, because this one girl has grown to mean more to him than any possible greater good could ever mean. and it’s reciprocal. ellie would— and does— do anything she can to help him, save him, protect him, and, eventually, to avenge him. because that’s what you do when you love someone. not when you love people. when you love someone.

and it’s selfish, in a way??? because we love these people and would do so much for them because they mean more to us than other strangers do. it’s exactly like an iteration of the trolley problem, actually. one track has your daughter on it and one track has fifty people. don’t even try telling me you wouldn’t go onto track B if it meant saving your daughter and her puppy dog eyes from the whimpering and pain and fear. The Last of Us says yes, you would. I would. we all would. and like yeah that is our greatest weakness, that we have such a unique ability to love a handful of people so deeply that our compassion towards community and strangers and the bigger collective starts to slip from view. but goddamn what a fucking great fatal flaw it is to have. we are all going to die and the world will burn because we loved another person too much.

In all honesty, procrastination is my nemesis– and I think that goes for a whole lot of people, even here in the perfect world of studyblr. Here are some tips to get better at sitting down and going for it without getting distracted!

Removing Distractions

Physical Distractions

Clear any clutter off your desk. Having a more minimal workspace without yesterday’s receipt from lunch keeps you more focused.

Remove irrelevant items. If you don’t need it for the task at hand, get rid of it. This applies especially to appealing books, games, and puzzles.

Close the door. Whether literally, or figuratively, let other people know you’re working and ask them not to disturb you so you stay focused.

Digital Distractions

Use a website blocker. If you really need to stay away, try an app or extension to make sure you stick to focusing. Here are some options:

StayFocusd

Forest

SelfControl

Cold Turkey

Focus

Turn off phone notifications. Almost nothing is more likely to distract you, so use aeroplane mode, or block all social media notifications.

Getting to Work

Planning

Make a to-do list. Getting a solid list of what you need to do is one step closer to getting it done! Here are some printables that might help you:

Weekly to-do list from @studeying

To-do list printables from @apricot-studies

To-do list from @aescademic

Let’s do this! from @sundayscholar

Schedule according to your priorities. Breaking your tasks down by importance is another way to categorize and be more efficient.

Ensure that you look ahead. If necessary, look at your schedule in the future and plan that so that you’re forced to stay on track in order to not get behind your schedule.

Structuring your Work

Track what you’ve done. If you can check it off your list, you’ll just want that feeling again. It encourages you by showing that you can do it!

Time yourself. If you commit to ten minutes of work, you’re far more likely to just keep going, and timing’s also a great tracked. Here are a few apps you might find handy!

Toggl

Pomello

ClearFocus

Reward yourself at set times or milestones. Take breaks, grab a cup of coffee or an orange, and don’t work yourself into the ground. Giving yourself ten minutes off will refresh you, as long as you don’t go straight back to your distractions. 

You’ve got this!! Get yourself sorted and get going, because you most certainly have it in you :D

Vi, the protector

Vi never was a loner. She’s a protector. The entirety of act 1 shows how she cares deeply about people and would never willingly put them in danger. It’s Vander’s influence on her - him telling her that she’s responsible for people’s safety, that whatever happens is on her. 

Vi has only ever known love through protecting others. She learned how to fight and used those skills to defend herself and her siblings - and to survive in the lanes. 

When she thought she wouldn’t be able to keep Powder safe, she left her behind and went out there with Mylo and Claggor instead. She could always rely on people as long as she felt sure she could still protect them if things went south. She wasn’t sure she could protect Powder this time.

Vander did everything he could to protect Vi, even if he was on the verge of death. She learned it from the best.

When Vi finds herself in prison, she becomes a protector with no one to protect.

After Vander dies, Caitlyn is the first person to protect Vi. The very first instance is when she protects her from the warden having a “chat” with her. It’s clear from Vi’s attitude that she was fully bracing herself to be beaten up after her conversation with Caitlyn. And she got released instead.

Caitlyn protects Vi from Sevika’s final blow by shooting Sevika. (and she answers Grayson’s question about what she’s shooting for. They have the same goal; protecting people. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we see this flashback right before Caitlyn arrives to Sillwater, meeting Vi for the first time.)

Caitlyn protects Vi from Ekko, thinking he was an assailant, saying “listen, I brought her here. It’s me you want." 

Every decision Vi makes about Caitlyn after this is with the intention of protecting her. Keeping her out of trouble on the bridge to find Powder herself. She couldn’t have imagined that Powder would come back and attack Caitlyn instead, but when she fires at them, Vi ultimately chooses to bring Caitlyn to safety. 

“Will you be okay? I’ll be right back” she says, ensuring that she’s safe.

She’s forced to face the inevitable. Powder wants to and could kill Caitlyn. Plus, she almost did. Her connection with Powder puts Caitlyn in danger, so when Vi thinks she won’t be able to keep Caitlyn safe, she leaves her behind, just like she did with Powder all those years ago. 

However, Jayce reminds Vi she won’t make it alone and he’s right. She couldn’t beat Sevika alone the first time and she wouldn’t have been able to do it without the hextech gauntlets the second time, and even then it was a close call. She’s not a solo fighter.

Vi needs people. And she needs people who will protect her.

She needs Caitlyn to protect her.

She needs Caitlyn to protect.

Okay, but French-speaking Draco:

Draco being raised by a mainly french-speaking Narcissa

Maman instead of Mom/Mommy

Lucius having to slowly transition Draco to speak predominantly English as he gets older

Draco getting a headache when he’s immersed in English for too long

Draco feeling like he’s missing a limb when he has nobody to speak in French with at Hogwarts

Him writing all his letters to his mom in French

Draco eventually realizing that most of the house elves are multilingual and him sneaking down to the kitchens to chat with them 

Draco teaching everyone in his House how to curse in French

Slytherins blurting out obscene phrases in French during frustrating classes

Not having to lock his journal because none of his housemates speak French

Draco getting frustrated and cursing in French beneath his breath

Harry staring on, flabbergasted, as Draco stomps past him, mouth going a mile a minute, spitting out beautiful, flowing words so rapidly and harshly

Draco being one of the best duelers of the school because he duels in French so his opponents can’t understand him and can’t counteract properly

He and Harry facing off because Harry duels in Parseltongue

When he and Harry eventually get together, he teaches Harry small phrases

Draco reverting to French in bed because it comes as first nature to him

Harry loving the filthy spew of typically elegant words coming from Draco’s mouth

Everyone knowing which hallways/broom closets/classrooms/dorm rooms to avoid due to the cries of Parseltongue and French

Draco getting mad at Harry and cursing him out in French

Firecalling his maman and ranting to her about everything, feeling relieved and comforted by the familiarity of his language and his mother

Draco’s heart fluttering when Harry sheepishly, and with an awful accent, mumbles to him, “je t’aime”

Him kissing Harry and hissing “I love you” in Parseltongue (he didn’t mention it had taken him months of research to find the correct translation and pronunciation)

Draco raising his kids to speak French and being their papa

Just, French-speaking Draco. 

I SAW THIS ON TIK TOK AND I HAD TO SHARE

Scorpius: Come to the funeral. Albus: Of course. Scorpius: And be my good friend.

- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act 1 Scene 4

Thor ragnarok deleted scene