#am studying

okay so fish and i (august) have been gaining quite a few new followers over here, so i figure it’s about the right time to say something i’ve been thinking about for quite a while: whether productivity, studyblr’s key concept, is helpful or objectively harmful depends on how we define it. what is “productive” looks different for everyone and varies based on any given day. sometimes, to be productive is to get up, take a shower, and go for a walk at some point in the day. sometimes, to be productive is to get up at 6 and focus on blocks of studying all day. but unless we acknowledge and support the first possibility and those like it, we are creating a community that is objectively inaccessible and sells a lifestyle both unachievable and potentially unhealthy for many. when you discuss “productivity”, consider what you mean, and whether you’re falling into the capitalist trap that defines success based only on achievement within predominant systems around you, or whether your understanding of success includes personal levels of effort and self-maintenance; self love before external ideas of ‘triumph’.

SOME FAVORITE STUDY/FOCUS RESOURCES

online pomodoro timer - perfect for days where you have several assignments to complete, this timer automatically tracks how many 25 minute sessions you complete, bringing up the five minute break timer between the first three, then the fifteen minute break timer following the fourth.

freedom for computer -this website blocks all but a list of websites you choose for as long as you need it to. i’ve found it’s great to keep me on task when drafting a longer essay i’ve already done all my research for.

forest for cellphone- i’ve linked to the one on the chrome store, but the best iteration of this app is definitely the one to keep you off your phone. something about having a small, fake tree’s life in your hands is very motivating and also frightening. plus, it’s satisfying to look back at your tiny forest after a long week.

quizlet- if you’re a student in 2021 and haven’t used quizlet what legitimately what you doing. while there isn’t the benefit of handwriting out flashcards and it’s a lot less aesthetic, it’s way more convenient for those of us with messy handwriting or who need to study on buses and the like. you don’t have to worry about dropping cards on the gross bus floor

notion- notion is already madly popular on studyblr, with many people making wildly aesthetic setups, but it doesn’t have to be all that complicated! in my opinion, lists are a very satisfying way to ensure you get everything you want to done, and notion is very nice for that. plus yeah the aesthetic arty fancy options are a bonus. 

friends and family - okay this one is definitely a cop out because it’s not actually a concrete study resource, but i’ve found it works really well to make sure my friends and family are holding me accountable. for friends, this means warning them ahead of time if there’s going to be a few days where they probably shouldn’t try to make plans with me or expect me to be on discord, and for family or roommates this means reminding them to be non-disruptive. don’t be rude to your friends and family though because being a kind person to those you love should definitely should come before academic success.

BASICS

hello lads! i’m August, ½ of this new studyblr/langblr/academia blog. i’ve been lurking around studyblr for a while to give me some sort of motivation to push through the last of what has been a godawful covid-19 sophomore year of high school, and finally thought it would be fun to join and run a blog alongside my friend Fish! my pronouns are they/them, i’m a minor, and i’m very good at making pad thai. 

STUDYING IN CLASSES note: some of these are advanced/ap/ib versions but i’m not writing that :)

• Algebra II
• Chemistry
• Language arts (English; world literature)
• Computer principles 
• Spanish II
• World history 
• Journalism 

INDEPENDENT STUDIESthings i’m working on on my own over the summer!

• Psychology 
• Narratology 
• US political science
• Hebrew 

OTHER THINGS OF NOTE 

• i’m a writer! my writeblr is @seatraiin​
• mental health will always come before studying, even if that means taking a worse grade on a test/assignment 
• my handwriting is terrible and my notes are not aesthetic 
• oat milk coffee and sourdough toast <33

TAGGING SOME BLOGS THAT INSPIRE ME hoping this is alright :)

@a-students-lifebuoy​,@bulletnotestudies​,@philology-studies​,@sahersstudyblr​,@amystudying​​,@myhoneststudyblr​​

watch for fish’s introduction post as well as a post explaining a bit more about this blog! take care :)