When your organic chemistry professor says you can use both sides of a full sheet of printer paper as a reference for an exam you take advantage!
I just got back from a mini working vacation. I drove 5 hours to get home yesterday and then immediately got to work on a powerpoint that I presented earlier today. I have a LOT of work to do, but I’m so relieved that I’m done with the presentation.
15thAugust - What’s your favorite summer drink?
I’m very boring - I literally drink nothing but water.
16thAugust - Daytime or night time – what’s your favorite time during summer?
Daytime! I love how long the days are in the summer.
17thAugust - What is your favorite seasonal fruit to eat during the summer?
CHERRIES!
18thAugust - Would you prefer your summer to be shorter or longer?
Shorter, both in terms of vacation and hot weather. I get bored on vacation, and two days of 80+ F is enough for me for an entire year - I have no need for a month or two of it.
19thAugust - How does summer feel in your region?
Hot. And humid. I’m lucky enough to live by the water though, so at the beaches there’s lovely wind.
Do you ever feel the happiness when turning in your assignment you know you worked hard upon?
I got my first grade of this semester and i dont know, I’m so happy. it was a small task of answering simple questions. But i feel happy, because i know I’m doing my best on answering those simple questions.
And the task with my senior which took eleven hours within three days. i got a sudden epiphany today, when i finally understand this concept and making connections between topic. translating it to my native language was also fun. i think i understand it better that way. maybe i should do the same for my future notes?
my senior praised me several times today, and i think he was satisfied with my performance on today’s lecture. i feel a sense of pride, I’m happy.
What is your dream vacation?
if I’m allowed to dream whatever, i’d like to explore cultural city with my friends. getting lost but knowing what we’re heading to, it would be an adventure. and meeting locals that show us things, figuring out the culture and community from marks and buildings, that would be awesome.
today, classes started to be effective. by effective i mean the lecturer would give us modules and let us study by ourselves. i don’t hate that. i like to have someone to teach me, but it would mean i need to repeat it (‘translate’ it) in my own language later, whereas when I’m studying alone, i can immediately make connections by myself (in which not everyone would understand). but of course, i would need to do a lot of research. i like researching when there’s proper outlines. if not, then I’ll end up on some 10+ wikipedia page discussing the medical use of intentional bleeding in ancient greek.
that’s why i like 'narative’ textbooks too, as if the book is speaking to us. and i would make comments and read it myself over and over. but surely, screens are bad for my eyes. please help.
What is the best vacation you have ever been on? (note: does not have to have been during summer)
All these questions about vacations make me miss going out again lmao.
Hmm, it would be end-year vacation with my school friends? I have a group of six including me, we’re all from different class but we get along well. I liked it because there were few destinations to visit, which means i can play longer and not rush everything over. and I’m mature enough that time to be calm and prepared for me and my friends. i took photographs of the scenery and my friends. we visit historical sites too. we shop, i got some essential oils and handmade soaps. when we’re at the hotel, they barged into my room demanding fried chickens. then i ordered some chicken buckets and we ate while talking and watching anime. it was two to three years ago i think? it was a pleasant memory.
i spent too much time in social media.. responding too much to my friends. i didn’t feel like i was doing anything productive, although i did two loads of laundry and cleaned my room. i also did some self care by applying body scrub. do you think i deserve it? why do i feel lazier when I’m taking care of myself?
maybe I’m just tired. tomorrow I’ll work harder!
Do you usually go on vacation during the summer?
I don’t. last time i went on vacation was three years ago, i think. we went to Bali (which is pretty near) for a week. as i said before, there’s no one younger to have such interest in vacationing. my family liked to stay and rest at home. or at least that’s what i thought, because they never offered me to vacations (I’m also in no place to ask any, they’re pretty busy).
I woke up with a panic attack, haha. I was stressed and in denial— nearly refused to study and thought i’ll just watch BTS episodes. But i asked myself, “What kind of achievement did you got to let yourself have such reward?” then i studied with a bit of a tear.
It did turn out to be okay. I promised myself not to waste time. At least i will try. Today’s lecture went great! my senior was so kind (and somewhat cute), i got 25/32 on my practice problems. Still a lot to learn, i’m even more motivated because of him.
I studied genetics today. and then some more plants with my senior. and i got a reading to do by 22, requested by my senior too. Will i make it to read all, i wonder.
What did you do during the summer when you were a young child?
We would go to a zoo next town. Now there’s no one young enough with that kind of interest. I still wish to do that sometimes, and have fun with my family. Or night market, it was very popular with street foods and lights. i once went on a date with my father there. i still feel like it was a dream, because i was so sleepy but excited the entire time.
another person left this world on the 18th. it was a very sad death. the internet is such a big place and it grant us with anonimity. but it does not mean anyone can do and say whatever they want. someone’s words can very easily lift someone up, but it also can kill someone.
i would lie if this does not sadden me. on my junior high, i would download his dramas secretly in the middle of lessons. he’s such a sweetheart, talented, and kind person.
I’m so weak, right? to let this affect my productivity. i only managed to gather resources and research. and only did halfway through my practice questions. i didn’t finish my readings.
may he rest in peace.
What do you usually do during the summer?
I’d spend my time with my friends on the city. If we’re bored we’ll go to a waterfall next town. Or going to secluded public bathing place to play. not to *take* a bath, of course.
it is said this place was a private bath for a queen. they still make offerings for said queen at the corner of the bath.
Yet another day spent with plants. I need to read 22 more pages for this chapter. It’s about auxin, a type of plant hormone. I also haven’t revised yesterday’s lesson and do the practice questions. But I’m sleep deprived so I’m gonna turn in early today.
I helped my parents to pack food to give for people around the neighborhood. We always do this at least once a month. It’s a religious thing. Oh i also got a set of new prayers that someone recommend me to try. I don’t think i can add another new habit that what i planned earlier, but once those three habits are established, I’ll definitely try the new prayers.
What is the most important task that you need to complete this summer?
I will assume that this is about school task. That is to finish my readings. I try to harness as much as information and practice my reasoning and data analysis skills.
Formal lesson begins next week, so i dont have any real task to do until then. All my focus is for the beloved plants.
annotating more questions. the new term is getting into me, i can force myself to concentrate more and i definitely read a lot more today. i finished reading plant cells and cytoskeleton mechanisms. now I’m getting into water mechanism in plants. I’m never a fan of plants and i hate studying about them. that’s why I’m vulnerable on that topic so i need to read more! oh yeah i also noticed I’m terrible at reading data.
Do you have a lot of work to do for school or university or your job this summer?
this semester is more likely to be more lenient— with online lectures. i do not need to waste my time with commuting so i’ll have more time to work on my tasks. this semester has a lot materials, i hope the teacher wont give us ridiculous projects. even so, i dont think i will be that busy.
but i definitely have a lot of topics to catch up on Biology, for the exam next month. it is intimidating. my senior is so smart and patient i wanna cry at my own incompetence.
I’d like to get busy though. maybe I’ll have myself participate in webinars and extra courses when my exam is over.
There’s a follow up on the exam date next month. It was postponed for a week, but I’m not slightly happy at all. i grew more jittery because I’ve been reminded of my deadline.
Then my instructor chatted us for confirmation. Then asks my senior to teach me. There’s only two people that gets into provincial level of Biology. And this senior is a national level champion. He’s totally cool but also super scary. I could never lie to him and he would know whether i do not read a certain topic in a certain book. I don’t like being so easily read..
The practice problem here is made by yours truly, my amazing senior. Oh, how unforgettable it is the headache i got when i first did it. Now I’m taking notes about each question topic. Does it take a long time? definitely. a question took me 20 minutes or so. Is it efficient? I don’t know. what i know is i definitely will not know each and every topic asked. so i might as well read chunks and research more if i think it’s important.
i browsed for tabs today. i want to still write and digitalize my notes so i can edit it easier. if the tab supports digital drawing apps, then it’s a plus. i wont be able to get an iPad because iOS is not that common here, and I’m more familiar with android. i set my eyes on Samsung’s tabs. but my laptop is still working just fine. do i want to waste money for it? nah, it’s just a wishful thinking.
Do you have a specific goal for this summer?
by goals here, i will assume it’s about personal goals. I do!
finish any two non-fiction books. (i read too much fictions these past months.)
get moving at least three times a week. (sunshine, who?)
read verses daily. (i stray further from God pls send help)
Have your plans changed at all because of the pandemic?
Yes, definitely.
My school has many class unrelated activities which are super tiring but super fun. There’s supposed to be basketball tournament this month, but it looks like it would be cancelled. Next month there’s cultural exchange festival, then the month after theres arts festival.
I definitely hoped i took part on the art festival. There’s no further update, but i am 80% sure it would be cancelled (except there’s a way to hold it online, with proper health measures?)
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I tried google docs with my friend today, we co-typed and co-edited the lecture together. the lecture was easy, but the speaker was in a hurry because the lecture is late, again, for a whole two hours. guess what, we’re done our work in less than an hour.
Now I’m trying to figure out how to deal with massive informations (thanks to me procrastinating since forever) from textbooks. i have yet to find the most effective method. I’ll keep reading though, i hope i can tackle this challenge near time!
there’s a lot of books that i want to read (also mangas) but i guess it’s not the time for recreational reading. my exam is in 20 days.
9th August - What was the last movie you watched? sherlock holmes- the one with robert downey jr and jude law- we watched it as a family and it never gets old
23rd July - What is the worst vacation you have ever been on? oh boy i’ve definitely stayed in my fair share of questionable sardinian hotels, but the one that stands out was somewhere in the south- it had no ac, a lingering smell of sewage, horrendous decor and the cherry on top was the hair in my risotto :’)
24th July - What is your favourite vacation memory? i could simply never chose a favourite! although, the place where i have made some of my favourite memories is northern italy where some of my family live! we always have an amazing time when we visit <3
• spent the morning with my aunty (we got coffee from a charming bakery and walked to a park)
• progressed on a future learn course on city migration
• made a start on a future learn course on american foreign policy
• did italian duolingo
• started ‘the picture of dorian gray’
i still have a couple tasks to do this evening (french as work, reading)- and spending time with my aunty took a whole chunk of my day- but i don’t feel guilty because it was worth the lovely time with her
summer studying challenge:
21st July - What is the best vacation you have ever been on? oh this is tricky, but probably last year when we stayed in a beautiful quaint village on lake como in northern italy, otherwise it would be costa smerelda in sardinia!
22nd July - What is your dream vacation? a road trip of italy with my best friend who lives there (we have started to plan it!) we’d go everywhere! from milan to bologna to florence…
A picture before I dive deep into my studies , cause this set up looks so hygge I have to admit that I have been procrastinating since morning when I have a huge topic to finish !!
And yes my dining table is now serving as my study table ! Why ! ? …. Because this area is so lit in my living room and also I need a lot of space with my large books !
Yesterday I cleaned out and re-organized my family’s fridge so that my brother could have an easier time finding snacks when he gets hungry. Because he has ADHD, it can be difficult for him to find food that will satisfy him that he doesn’t see (because of the object permanence issues that people with ADHD or ADD have).
Today I did a mock pack for Europe. We‘re trying to pack really light so that we don’t have to check any bags. It was actually very successful, I just need to check with my dad that everything is ok, and to see if I need more stuff.
I also went to the fist ultimate frisbee pickup game today. I have not played for a little while so it was godo to get to do that again. It was really great to see people again, but man am i out of shape for it only being twoish weeks since playing.
:One of Us is Lying - Karen M. McManus
July 6 - What do you usually do during the summer? Is anything different this year?
Normally I go camping about four or five times, but because of the Europe trip, we are only going on two short ones. Also we never do any big trips, but because my grandma left my dad a some money when she died last year, he’s using that to honor her memory.
This is just a batch catch up for the Summer studying challenge so that I can be back on track.
1st July - What are your plans for this summer?
I have a job as a camp counselor for my local parks recreation. Also, my dad brother and I are going to Europe next week, which I am really excited about because I haven’t been out of the US before.
2nd July - Do you have a specific goal for this summer?
This summer I need to start applying for colleges, so my goal is to figure out the list of ones that I want to apply to.
3rd July - Do you have a lot of work to do for school, university or your job this summer?
Kind of. As I am what is considered a “camp sub” I mostly just need to be available for when people get sick or need time off. But I do have to write a 6-8 min speech about something for a leadership position at school. Also I am house sitting for my neighbors in August.
4th July - What is the most important task that you need to complete this summer?
Writing my personal essay. Ugh I Have no idea what to write about, and it is probably the single most important part of my college/university applications.
5th July - Do you have any special plans or activities for this summer?
Yes! Going to Europe. I‘ve spent a couple months doing extensive research and planning, so I’m super excited to go, and I can’t believe that it is happening in a week!
