My Study System

This week I wrote an article for the Review about the importance of preparing for finals early. Now I’m going to offer you some tips from my own study process and encourage you to develop your own! There are four main parts to my study process and it relies heavily on my in class note-taking.

Take good Notes in Class:

I depend on my notes to carry me through my process. If I’m not taking good notes, my system just won’t be complete. But we are a bit over halfway through the semester and you might be feeling a bit of burnout. I know I am. Don’t allow the temptation to let your mind wander get the better of you. Instead, focus your energy on your note-taking. It may not help the day get any more interesting or go any faster…but it will help you pick up and absorb the information presented.

Make a Copy of Your Notes:

This is the most essential part of my own routine. I take ‘chicken-scratch’ notes in class. They look super messy – no one would ever want to read them. In class, I worry less about the look of my notes as I take them. Instead, I focus on the information and make sure I have all the details I need. Then, each night, I copy those notes down on a separate sheet of paper. I structure them and color code them in a way that works for me. I’m a visual learner and I find that color helps quite a bit. Colored pens are my best friends!

Develop a Schedule for Reading Your Notes:

Now it’s up to repetition to get the information ingrained in your memory. Don’t let your notes sit idly by! Establish a routine and stick to it. Schedule a time to go over your notes for each class. It could be once a day, every other day, weekly, etc. It’s up to you how often you need to review your notes. Prioritize the classes in which you need to brush up on your knowledge and skills.

Practice Your Tests:

The best way to prepare for a test is to practice the test. If your professor is kind enough to hand out a study guide, don’t let it go to waste! Use it to practice! Write out your answers. Have a friend or roommate quiz you. Time yourself. Also…look for gaps in what you know. It’s not in your notes? Ask your professor!

By developing a study system that works for you and sticking to it, you will be better equipped to handle finals week in December and you will save yourself a load of stress!

Looking for more resources for study tips and help? Try these links:

• WU's Tutoring & Writing Center - Helpful Academic Websites
• CrashCourse on YouTube
• "How to study effectively" by SimonOxfPhys on YouTube
• HowToStudy.org

Happy studying!

Find Your Political Voice

I know. I’m sick of them too.

Political ads. Yep, it’s that time again.

I always feel so manipulated by these ads. They’re so obviously swayed, it practically makes me sick. 

I’m not going to vote for someone just because they bashed their opponents on television. Give me the facts.

To be aware of the facts, you have to get involved. It’s essential that you as an adult achieve a basic understanding of political issues and use your political voice to participate. No more sitting on the sidelines, listening to your family argue politics over Thanksgiving dinner… It’s time for you to get active!

But how does one find their political voice?

It’s pretty easy. It can be boiled down into three simple steps. All it takes is a little passion about things that matter!

Educate Yourself!

Have you ever found yourself ready to punch someone in the face because they were SURE they were right, but they didn’t have the facts to back it up? Welcome to politics. This is why it is absolutely essential to educate yourself. Find real world issues to get passionate about. There are plenty of areas that need reform and development. I’m not just talking about saving the whales, here. America is notorious for its inequality issues – women and gender, marriage, income, race, education and student loans. There’s plenty to get passionate about.

Do your research. Don’t just stick with one source like Fox News or CNN – check many sources to look at the issue from all perspectives.  Talk to your friends, family, and colleagues. Get their opinions and compare them. Compare them to your research. Now you’re starting to develop your own opinion – and that’s a good thing! As long as you have educated yourself thoroughly on the topic. You and I may not share the same opinion on an issue, but if you can defend your opinion with hardcore information, I will respect it.

Have opinions!

Opinions are not innately bad. Opinions are natural! Solid opinions are important to your decision making. But don’t be pigheaded and unwavering about your opinions. Listen to others. Keep up with news and research. Don’t shame others for having a different opinion than your own. Discuss your opinions with others in a respectful way. You might learn something new, or you might begin to understand things from a different perspective. Your opinion might change…and that’s okay! It’s important to be open to new ideas and their discussion.

Get involved!

Some were born to be activists. Some choose to be activists. You don’t have to carry a picket sign down 21^st street calling for an increase in the minimum wage… But hey, if that suits your fancy, go for it. Activism is important! Share your opinions and call for change. Call out political leaders when they are causing more harm than good. Start a campus organization, organize rallies, table in the union, create posters, sponsor a peaceful protest. Go for it. But becoming a political activist is not for everyone. The important thing is to be aware of what’s going on in your country and be active. The easiest and most crucial way to do this is by registering to vote…and then voting.

Don’t let your educated opinions go to waste. Your voice matters! Get passionate, get involved, and get active.

Occupation: Fangirl

It’s a big day in the nerd world. My friend is trying to keep her heart from exploding as the final book in the Heroes of Olympus (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) series is released today and I cannot contain my extreme joy for the Season 10 premiere of Supernatural tonight! In fact, as I write this post, I am sitting at the television, watching the Season 9 marathon with my laptop and a cup of tea in hand.

In honor of this very special day, this post goes out to the nerds of campus – to my fellow fangirls and fanboys.

First of all, I love you guys. Some may try to judge us for the ways in which we spend our time, but they just don’t understand.

We are devoted readers. We are dedicated viewers. We are the fascinated discussers. We are restless writers. We are brilliant artists. We are the greatest supporters. We are the captivated audience. There’s so much more to us than graphic tees and Tumblr blogs.

What amazes me most about fandoms (be it Harry Potter, Marvel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you name it…) is the sense of community that they can provide! Popular fandoms bring people together for discussion. You meet new people and you make friends. It can be small scale on the internet or on campus, or it can be large scale at conventions like Comic-Con!

Fans are everywhere and they may not always be the people you’d expect. Fandom crosses social circles. You can find them in the marching band, on the cheerleading squad, and in fraternity houses. You will meet them in your law classes, nursing classes, history, and English. Fans come from many different backgrounds and have a variety of different goals – but it’s the fan-ness that connects us.

We have each had an experience with a story that helped to shape us. Maybe it was a movie you watched with your siblings, or a videogame your friend recommended to you. Maybe it was a book you heard about from a YouTuber, or a television series your dad watched when you were young. Maybe it was a story you discovered all on your own that was relevant to your life at the time. One of the most fundamental things about being a human is that stories impact us.

Characters are not just fiction to us, because we recognize what they represent – real life issues or emotions that we all face daily. Characters influence us, they make us look within ourselves, and they help us to acknowledge the reality of good and bad in the world. Most importantly, they teach us how to deal when life doesn’t go as we think it should.

As fangirls and fanboys, we embrace stories. We follow them, support them, we want them to continue. We recognize their impact and the lessons they have to teach.

We are the guardians of stories.

So the next time you see someone wearing an Adventure Time shirt or Deathly Hallows earrings, ask them about life. They’ll probably have a lot to say. And you will have connected with someone on a deeper level than you could have imagined.