My friends, you know what time it is; it’s time for midterms. Plus, that means we’ve hit the middle of the semester. I have a couple midterms in my classes, so I’ll tell you how I study for them and prepare for midterm exams, projects, or grades in general.
Exams
In two of my classes, I have exams to test what I’ve learned in the class. My Developmental Science, we have two midterms and a final exam. My Theatre History class has one midterm and a final exam. I study for these classes differently because they teach different things, which means other study methods. You need to learn each subject in how you best understand the content. Using that as an academic weapon will make you pass your exam and gain more of the content.
Developmental Science
I study Developmental Science by asking myself active recall questions along with vocab terms. I sometimes like to rewatch the lecture at 2X speed while studying. This is an excellent way to learn the content and remember certain things. We are dealing with many theories about the human mind, but we can look at ideas and data over the years of developmental psychology work. We learn about the brain, and I constantly review the different parts of the brain and their functions. The material within the class is primarily lecture-based, with a little bit of information from the book, so I study the lecture slides more than the book. This helped me a little with my midterm, but I still didn’t do as well as I thought. I plan to dedicate more time to remembering and learning the upcoming chapters’ content to help with the next midterm.
Theatre History
When it comes to any history class, I always love studying it. In this class, we are learning about different plays and performances during ancient history in places like Greece, India, Egypt, China, and other locations worldwide. We understand how each location puts on different plays while reading a play from that time. For our midterm, I’m pretty sure he will test on the performance and the history that was going on in the country at the time of the play’s performance and production. I’m interested and nervous about what we will be doing for the midterm itself, but I plan and looking through the slide shows, peer presentations, and looking at plays once more before going into the test.
Projects
None of my classes this semester have midterm projects, but I have had midterm projects in the past. Start planning at least a week or two in advance because college students tend to throw things to the last minute. Don’t wait till the last minute to start a project, but do it over short periods before it is due. This gives you time to reflect on your work before rushing to turn something in on time. Plus, these projects are an excellent way to take what you’ve learned and how you understand the different concepts within the class.
Grades
Don’t worry too much about your grades during midterm because it only reflects what you know. It’s just a way to keep you on your toes, but it doesn’t show how you will do near the end of the year. It never hurts to check your grades during the middle of the semester to see how you are doing. Don’t dwell on a bad grade too much because it’s not worth your time. By dwelling on that grade, you’re not getting better in that subject. Just look into how you’ve been studying for that class and if it needs to change so you can do better during the rest of the semester.
Midterm Burnout
This is also the time when people are getting burnout from their classes. One of the ways that I deal with burnout is by taking breaks, which reward me for the work I did that day. Even if I don’t feel I deserve the reward, I give it to myself anyway. Plus, studying isn’t about learning harder but smarter. It’s wise to let yourself take breaks, then not allow yourself to take those necessary breaks.
Last week, I didn’t go to classes because of making myself sick from burnout. I knew I needed to take a break; otherwise, I would have had a mental breakdown. That’s why taking time for yourself is essential, doing okay on your exams and well in your classes during midterm season. Along with being able to hang out with friends, whether studying with them, game night, or sitting in silence, it’s a great way to ensure you don’t run the risk of burnout. Just take some time to rest and reset, so you don’t end up hurting yourself and your grades in the long run.
You got this, friends!
Closing Thoughts
Thank you again for reading this post. I hope you all have a good day, week, month, and year! Studying for midterms is hard, but as long as you take your necessary breaks. Don’t dwell on bad grades, and don’t work too hard that you make yourself sick. Remember, nothing matters if you’re not feeling your best; you’ve got this!
Aw, Valentine’s Day is either the best or the worst day of the year. I have always loved when Valentine’s Day comes around. Mostly because I get flowers, stuffed bears, and candy from friends. This is always such an enjoyable holiday for people emotional because of the concept that society put on the holiday. But this holiday isn’t just about the love for a significant other, it’s about the collective love between friends, family, and significant others. I love this holiday a lot because of the love between the people you love and I hope that you guys have a great Valentine’s Day.
The Ghost of Valentine’s Day Past, Present, and Future
Past
In the past, I had a hard time understanding why Valentine’s day was such an important holiday. I remember back in grade school when we gave individual candies themed around the day and give them throughout the class. I still have a bunch of things from when I was a kid, like name tags from the different people within the class. I remember having a lot of fun during the celebration because of getting a bunch of candy from friends. Mostly because we didn’t have the pressure of having a significant other. We were kids, and we didn’t have that in the stars for us, mostly because we weren’t thinking about dating during that time of our lives. Then fast forward to middle school time, people were starting to date and try dating, which is when the pressure of having a valentine started up. I never dated much in middle school and in high school, mostly because I wasn’t thinking about it. Still, that pressure of having a significant other or someone to be your valentine was something that was very known within middle school and even in high school. Back in middle school, I used to think I’d be “forever alone” because nobody in my small town wouldn’t be my partner. I then realized that there is a whole world filled with my potential partners for the future. I got older and realized that your valentine doesn’t have to be a significant other but rather someone with who you’re willing to share the love. This is where my brain transitions into how I feel about valentines day in the present.
Present
Now I look at the fun with friends and the potential for having a significant other. Mostly because last year Valentine’s Day really changed the way I see and celebrate Valentine’s Day. Last year I went out to dinner with a friend and he got me, flowers, a sugar cookie, and a valentines day bear for that year. I of course got him some candy and wrote a sweet card for him. He just asked if I wanted to go out to dinner for Valentine’s Day. We weren’t in a relationship together but he still wanted to celebrate the holiday. He really changed the way I saw how to properly celebrate this amazing holiday. He taught me that this holiday wasn’t just for significant others but rather that it’s okay to show you to someone that you’re not romantically involved with. Right now as a freshman in college, I still see the holiday like that. That’s why I’m going out with my friends to celebrate this amazing holiday that gives love to the people in your world.
Future
The future is unknown but I like to think that I’ll look at Valentine’s Day the same way I did as a 19-year-old. All I know is that Valentine day’s in the future will be different. Hopefully that Valentine will still have those cheesy chocolate boards, valentines day bears, and of course the sour patch kids that every single person in the world eats on that day. Just to overall keep the spirit of giving the world and the people in your life the love that you feel for them, whether that’s with friendships or relationships.
Closing Thoughts
Valentine’s Day is a special holiday and deserves to be celebrated even if you are “forever alone” even though you truly aren’t. So whether you’re spending the day or weekend with the love of your life, some best friends, or with a pint of ice cream that you so deserve, just know that Valentine’s Day isn’t just about having someone romantically involved in your life, but rather the collective love that you have for significant other or your best friends, you deserve to have a good day. Thank you again, for reading this post and I hope that you lovelies have an amazing day, week, month, and year. Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
It’s everyone’s least favorite time of the year, SEASONAL DEPRESSION. This is when my seasonal depression hits hard. I’ve always had seasonal depression, but it only got worst when quarantine happened. Now I’m doing good at managing my seasonal depression but it can always kind of kick me at the worst times. Here are some things that I like to do to get out of my seasonal depression.
Change of Scenery
For me, if I’m in one spot and one place for too long I start to feel I don’t want to do anything. During winter break, if I wanted and needed to get out of the house I would hang out with friends, or go to my local coffee shop. Sometimes I would take my car and drive around listening to music. Changing where you are can significantly affect your mood and how you feel. Surprisingly I didn’t have much seasonal depression when I was home but being back on campus I always try and change my scenery at least two to three times a day. This is a great way for you to be able to not dig yourself into a hole. Plus, having multiple happy places is a great thing for you mentally and physically.
Do Things That Make You Happy
One of the ways I was able not to be in one of my depressive episodes was I wrote a current original book I’m working on. I finished the first draft and it still needs a lot of editing but I did get it done. Writing makes me feel super happy because when I write I feel so much better just in general, whether that’s just journaling or drafting up a future book, it helped me with my seasonal depression.
Another thing I did was recharge my social battery by hanging out with friends. Specifically, my best friend who goes to a different college came down and we hung out after Christmas and just tried to hang out as much as possible. Being able to hang out with friends is a great way for you not to fall into a funk and it improves your overall feeling. Even if you don’t feel like being social, just start out with studying or not even doing anything too stressful with someone you love.
I also read, watched tv shows/movies, and played games. I mostly read audio books because I couldn’t decide on a physical book then, but since I’m back on campus I have a physical book in mind. I love reading and it helped me escape my seasonal depression. Mostly because when I read, I feel myself looking into the character’s world. This helps me not get too sad during the cold months. Criminal Minds was my top show throughout the break along with other shows. For me, a comfort show is a way for me to put myself in a good mood. Whether it’s a show or even a movie, sometimes rewatching something that you love is the best thing for you. I like to also keep myself busy with computers, and video games. I played a lot of Mario Kart over break because I wanted to do something that was fun and not too boring. I don’t like to play too many boring games because it puts me into more of a funk.
All these things helped me a lot on break not to fall into a depressive state. Being able to find something that makes you happy is hard, but once you do find it, don’t ever let it go. Finding things or people that make you happy will help you not fall into a depressive state.
Stop And Take A Breathe
I know that this sounds like an obvious solution to the problem but it’s more complicated than it looks. I get that this is also a controversial thing to say to someone nowadays but I promise it can help. When I use to have mental breakdowns a lot, I’d find it hard to breathe and decided to take the time to calm myself down and take deep breaths. It helps me a lot in stressful situations and whenever I can’t get to sleep. I also understand that if you can’t find something to help slow you’re breathing, try putting something near your heart like if you lay down, grab a stuffed animal or something to help you out. If you find yourself not being able to breathe just stop and take some deep breaths.
Closing Thoughts
Seasonal depression is nothing to mess around with. It’s hard sometimes with the weather not being the greatest but it doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve love. Being able to use most of these methods will help you not feel down during these cold months. I hope you all enjoyed reading this post. Have a great day, week, month, and year my lovelies.
I started planning for this new semester a couple of days after the new year. I’m a planner at heart so as soon as I had a schedule for the next semester, I started to think and plan to be right for anything that came my way. Even though I can’t control everything during the first week of school, I can observe and change my habits to flow better as a student. Most of the time when it comes to planning a semester I look at the syllabus, study methods, and sleep schedules. Along with being prepared for the unknown and being flexible with your professors and TAs.
Getting Good Sleep
I don’t know about you, but my sleep schedule is nonexistent when I’m on break. But one thing I can do is give myself a week or two before classes start to get back onto a good sleep schedule. My earliest class this semester starts at 11:30 which is excellent because I’m more of a night owl than an early bird. I mostly like to do my hair in the morning and get some semi-good sleep. I try and shoot to go to bed around 11 to 11:30 and wake up around 7:30 to 8 am now that I have a later class in the morning. Plus being able to have a good sleep schedule you’ll be able to get more things done throughout the day. Depending on your schedule, there is a way to make sure you get good sleep. I have heard of several ways to make sure you get good sleep. You can either sleep for 6 to 8 hours or if you don’t have the time to sleep you can sleep in 90 minutes cycles because that is one full REM cycle. This is the only piece of advice I wish everyone would take because sleep is the most important thing to survive as a human.
Creating Schedules
School
Whenever I make a schedule for my classes, I always ensure I have at least a little break before each class. Like I’ve said before my earliest class is at 11:30 in the morning and all of my classes end around 3 to 4 ish in the afternoon. I decided to keep most of my classes together with some breaks in between to give myself time in the morning and in the evening to finish homework, projects, and quizzes. This helps me keep on track with the classes and not fall behind with the material. Plus being able to keep on track with my classes helps me not be too stressed out. I highly recommend that once you have the syllabus worked out you can have a pretty good setup for how you want to get homework and assignments done in time. This goes with the idea of making study schedules for each course.
Study
For the first week of classes, I don’t have a study schedule because I’m still feeling out what the class and the materials are going to be like. Then after the first to the second week, I make a study schedule week by week. This helps me know what and when items are due for certain classes. Plus putting the time of when items are due helps me keep on track so I don’t have something late. You don’t have to have specific things within the subject, just set aside time to work on a certain subject if needed. If you like to plan out when to do certain assignments or work on a single subject then I highly recommend making a study schedule.
Work
So I have a job where we make our own schedule with the different places we need to go and review. We’re given a time like breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late at night. In turn, we get five places on campus for each week we need to review. I make my schedule around my class schedule based on when and where my classes are on campus. For example, I live on the east side of campus so the places on the east side are easier for me to do at the beginning of the week. If I need to go to the west side, I try to go at the end of the week. There are always certain places I love to go to because they have good service on campus but some places I don’t like going on campus. So I plan out my work schedule week by week like my study schedule. If you don’t have a job on campus then you don’t have to worry about this but know that if you do want a job on campus, your supervisors are super understanding about how you’re a student first and employee last.
Hanging Out With Friends
At the end of each first week of school, I make sure to spend time with friends and celebrate getting through the first week of a semester. This is something I did back in high school with my friends. I decided to carry this with me into college because it gives me time to charge my social battery and take a break from the stress of school. I love my friends and some of them read this blog so I hope that you enjoy hanging out with me as well. Most of the ways I hang out with friends is by joining them for study sessions, lunch, dinner, and even for social events. Your college friends are going to be your mini family away from your family so make time to hang out with them.
Updating My Notion
You know that I love using Notion for everything in my life. As course sites are opening up I put the syllabus in my notion template to keep me organized and ready for the upcoming semester. Once I get the syllabus into Notion I can settle for a bit. As the semester goes on I make changes when needed. This helps me keep on track with my assignment, test, quizzes, and other items in my life. This is a great tool if you don’t like to carry around a physical planner all the time. It is easy and student-friendly with creating the perfect online workspace.
Closing Thoughts
Everyone prepares for a semester differently and I hope that you all have a fabulous next semester. These were just some tips and tricks that I like to use whenever I prepare for a new semester. Remember, don’t stress yourself out, and if you find yourself stressed then find something to help you not stress out. I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and I hope you all have an amazing day, week, month, and year. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! Let’s let 2023 be the year for growth and happiness.
That’s right my friends it’s time for the most stressful two to three weeks of your life FINALS SEASON. I personally have a love-hate relationship with finals and the respective classes I’ve taken in the past. I have either passed my finals or failed terribly but one thing that I always tell myself when it comes to this time period is “it is what it is.” You can only study for certain times of the day otherwise you risk feeling of being burnt out. That’s why I want to talk about habits I like to get into when finals season comes up. Along with some apps and items that have helped me get myself together for this stressful time.
Make Study Schedules
example schedule (created in notion)
This seems obvious but let’s just say that college students love to leave things to the last minute. Mostly because we have a billion other things going on in our heads during this period of the semester. I can’t stress this enough, plan out your time from when and what subject you will be studying for. I’ll give you guys some examples of what you can use for classes or help you will finals season. My plan is to dedicate 90 minutes to my final concept map for my class called Contemporary Environmental Issue. It’s not due until finals week itself but it’s good to get a head start on getting it done before the due date itself. Since this is one of the harder classes I have this semester I dedicate more time to it than my other classes this semester. Then I’ll dedicate at least 60 to 90 minutes to my Creative Writing Portfilo because this one is due earlier within the ending weeks of the semester I’ll focus on this one more than the concept map while my final speech for my Rhetoric class I’ll dedicate at least 30 to 60 minutes on perfecting the speech itself. This is my plan to succeed to the best ability and it may not work for you so just make sure you know exactly how you study and learn the content in your respective classes.
Apps That Students Need (I Use These Apps)
Note-Taking
OneNote (Apple, Samsung, and PC)
If you’re like me and don’t really like writing your notes on paper and pen then you could use a tablet or iPad and use GoodNotes or Onenote. I use Onenote because I use a surface pro to write my notes with my mac book to take the note off of. If you have an iPad then you can use GoodNotes because it is only compatible with apple products. I love using Onenote to insert my lecture slide show into the different notebook sections and paper. That way I can look at the slides in front of me not worrying about if I’ll miss something on the slides. You might be thinking well do you re-write all the slides, and the answer is it depends on the subject. For more content-heavy classes, I rewrite the notes in my own terms so it makes sense to me and only me. Mostly because if you don’t know how you study then that can throw you off when you’re trying to study for college classes. I will say that it might just be easier to get a tablet of some sort because we do live in a world of technology. I’ve found that I find myself using it so much more ever since I started college, but I do keep a notebook just in case I need to be in a class that doesn’t use technology.
Focus
Forest App
Blogging Time
Stats from Focus Time
Creative Writing Time
Contemporary Environmental Issue
Writing Time
If you guys are like me then you have a hard time focusing. Some people will tell me just to sit down and do it but I can’t just do that without some type of reason to sit down. That’s why I use this app called Forest to do this study technique called the Pomodoro technique which is typically 25 minutes of work with a 5 minutes break but I typically don’t do that. I usually do either 60 to 90 minutes of work with a 20 to 30-minute break depending on the subject I’m working on, but let’s get back into what Forest is. Forest is an app that you set a time to while you have a tree growing. You can choose what kind of tree you are growing during the study time. You can put labels on classes, reading, cleaning, or even working. I use it a lot to give myself something to look forward to whenever I grow a tree for my Forest. You earn coins and once you earn enough coins you can buy more trees and plants to plant in your forest within the app itself. I got this app after one of my favorite study YouTubers recommended it to me who is also a college student as well. It’s a great way to reward yourself if you don’t have the motivation to study or just want something to look forward to when you plant different trees, flowers, and other items. The only thing about it is that it does cost $4.99 upfront but I still highly recommend using Forest because this is one of my favorite apps to use when studying or working on projects for school items. Along with keeping me on track and it’s a great way for me to remind myself to take those much need breaks.
Writing
Grammarly Icon
I’m pretty sure if you’re a student you have gotten at least one to million ads about Grammarly. I use Grammarly a lot but I use the free version. I’ve thought about getting the premium version that helps will spelling, reworking sentence structure, and grammar of course. I do think that this app is very effective when it comes to writing assignments, emails, and even blog posts. Grammarly is checking this post when I write it, when I left, and do more editing. I mostly like using this but it can get a little repetitive at the same time this is a very helpful tool, but I will say that you should also reread those your assignment and just anything you write. Being an English major I do use this program a lot because it makes my writing seem more professional in many ways. Grammarly is free but you can also get a premium version that helps with more things to help with your writing. Do I recommend this app, yes I do but start with the free version and if you do have the money I suggest that you upgrade if you can. For my purposes and status at this moment I use the free version just perfectly fine.
Productivity or To-Do List
Notion
Logo
My Notion Board
If you guys are on study tube then you have probably heard of Notion at one time or another time during study vlogs. I pretty much do everything with that app and it’s some fun. It’s completely free and you can customize your boards to your liking. I took inspiration from Breanna Quan’s notion template and I’ll put some pictures on the post because I love using this app. I organize my school items, daily items, my podcast work, and other items. I have weekly schedules and course schedules for the semester so once this semester ends I’ll make one for the upcoming one and revise it if needed. I highly recommend getting this app because it’s free and it’s easy to use and customize. And if you don’t know what to start out with a board then you can always use templates that notion has made or even people on youtube who use notion. Anyways, if you need an organization you should use Notion.
Google Calendar
I use Google Calendar to remind myself to go to classes. It seems like an obvious tool but sometimes people don’t understand how useful this really is. I put in the classes shown on my syllabus and input it into my calender with times, locations, and a timer to let me know to go to class. It’s very useful because if you have classes that are canceled you can just remove the event to remind yourself that you don’t have class. I use my email to connect to my google calendar to access the calendar on my computer. It’s super useful to keep you on track if you lose track of time easily. Mostly because it holds you accountable so you’re not late to class. I suggest using this to remind yourself to go to class so you don’t fall asleep or forget about your class.
Studying
Quizlet
I’m pretty sure you guys know all about Quizlet. I recommend this app because it’s so useful. I use this to make flashcards, learning tools, and sometimes test functions. Plus if you are in college or are in high school you can look for pre-made sets for certain classes. That’s what I did and do when I don’t have time to be able to make a set of flashcards or need some help with my exams. I’ll get you an example of how I use it. For my Cultural Anthropology class, I had a year ago, I made sets for different exams and used the learn function to learn the content I put into Quizlet. I’ve used this since middle school because my teachers would have us use it for Quizlet Live and other things to learn the content. I recommend using this along with looking up pre-made sets for certain classes if you don’t have time to make a set for a certain class.
Khan Academy
When I was doing math classes my teacher would put clips from Khan Academy to use as extra help when it came to learning concepts. I won’t be able to take a math or science class until my sophomore year so I’ll more than likely take some crash courses through Khan Academy. I’m an English major so math isn’t my strong suit but I like to keep my head within math. I’ll more than likely take the courses over winter break to keep in the study loop so I don’t lose my flow. This may even help with getting concepts in your mind about subjects that are hard to grasp. This is a pretty good source when it comes to trying to figure out concepts that you struggle with in different subjects.
Take Breaks and Self Care
I can’t stress this enough but it’s good to take your breaks and not overwork yourself when it comes to Finals Season. I know that it can be hard for us to let us have a break or even take care of myself but I’ll get you guys some tips on how I take care of myself when Finals Season comes around.
Take Breaks
As I’ve said before I like to use the Forest app to keep myself focused on a take for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the subject. During those breaks, I either read, watch youtube, tv, play games, or just walk around. Typically when I work for 90 minutes I take a 30-minute break to either read or watch an episode of a tv show and during that 60-minute work time, I take a 15-20 minute break. During that break, I either watch a youtube video or walk around and stretch. It’s important to always walk and never stay stationary for too long. If I’m walking around, I normally walk around my dorm hall and the neighboring one. If I’m studying in a different building around campus, I walk to the bathroom and take a walk around to get back to my spot. Plus even taking these breaks may seem like you don’t deserve this but trust me you deserve a break.
Self Care
I know that during Finals Season you may or may not think you deserve to do some self-care, but trust me you deserve it. When I do self-care I either continue writing one of my books, my skincare routine, take a nap, or just put on a comfort movie. I’m an English major so I’m currently working on a book I want to publish in the future so writing comforts me when Finals Season hits. Even if you don’t feel like you deserve self-care trust me you do. You need to take care of yourself in order to have yourself at your best.
Closing Thoughts
Make sure that you hang out with friends and always take your breaks. Finals Season can physically and emotionally destroy you, don’t let that happen. If you take some of these tips or have your own way of taking care of yourself then that’s good. I just wanted to end off by saying you guys got this. You’ll all pass your exams and do good on your projects. I hope you guys do good on your finals and have a great winter break. Thanks again, for reading this post, and hope you all have a great day, week, month, and year.
It’s about halfway through the year which means it’s almost time to register for Spring Semester classes. I’m pretty sure we are all nervous about the next semester but the one thing college kids love is picking their own classes. I was kind of roped into certain classes for Fall Semester so this semester is important to me because I’ve picked all of my classes and have potential schedules ready. When it comes to the University of Iowa, we have a thing called schedule builder which makes several class schedules you can choose from along with talking with your advisor.
Schedule Builder
This is a great tool for us whenever it comes to picking classes. You can choose different classes that you’re interested even when it comes to open majors, or if you already know your major or double majors. My intended majors are psychology and creative writing so being able to pick classes for my major helps out a lot in many ways. Mostly because I’m an open major but I want to do creative writing and psychology. I have three schedules that I’m thinking of for the Spring Semester which is good. This leads to my next point of making an appointment with your advisor to be approved for classes.
Meet With Advisor
For first years and second years most of the time you meet with your advisor so they can approve of your course. My advisor approved my classes and just told me what to do when it came to registration day. I registered on November 11th at 8:30 pm, so I can register for classes during or after that time. Plus it’s my birthday as well on the day I register I’m going to be ready to press that blue button on the schedule builder and get the classes I want. I have backup schedules if they fill you quickly. Early registration opens from Nov 7th to Dec 2nd for classes for Winter 2022 and Spring 2023. So I’m to be typing very fast to make sure I get all the classes I want.
Always Have Backup Classes
The typical amount of hours is 15 semester hours. All of my classes at the moment equal 15 semester hours which is right on the money for being able to graduate in 4 years as an undergrad. I don’t know if I want to do graduate school here yet but that’s a story for another time. The 1st schedule I’d like to have is Creative Writing Studio Workshop, MoneyWise, Academic Seminar II, Beginning Jazz, Introduction to Developmental Science, and Theater and Society Ancients and Moderns. This is the number 1 schedule I would like to have and if I’m lucky enough to get it then I’ll be grateful. Plus certain classes will draw you in so just take a chance if your major has something to do with engineering try a creative class and just see how it goes. It’s recommended that you take at least one class that is not related to your major in any way or shape possible. But once you have scheduled it’s important that you have time in between classes or time to study.
Make Sure You Have Time In-between Classes
I personally like to have at least an hour to 2 hours in-between classes to calm down or get ready for the next class. Since most of my classes this semester are in the morning I get all of the afternoon to study for papers, quizzes, and readings. Next semester my earliest class with start at 11:30 am which is fine but I’ll still have time in-between to study or get ready for that next class. I will say, even though in high school you might have 8:30 classes, 8:30’s in college is not it. I struggle to get up in the morning but I do get to class on time. I also suggest that if your classes are back to back make sure they are near each other or at least in the same building. One of my friends has at least 10 minutes in between classes and walks up and down the hill within a matter of 3 to 5 minutes.
Closing Thoughts
Play around with what your schedule is going to be mostly because it’s easy to get so overwhelmed that you can forget about what you’re in college in the first place. Also, make sure you look over sample plans for your major because you’re on your own kid. You have to keep track of your own gen-eds and electives because your advisors are meant to help guide you in the right direction but you always have to make sure you are on your own. Try out different schedules and make sure you get at least one gen-ed within your schedule and balance. Thank you all for taking the time to read this post, I hope you guys got some much-needed information.
At most coffee shops I can get a cold brew, a chai latte, or an americano. These are my go-to’s because of allergies to dairy. I order my cold brew with vanilla and oat milk, my chai latte with oat or soy milk, and my americano with vanilla and a splash of oat or almond milk. Sometimes I’ll do a hot chai latte but that’s only if it’s really cold outside. I love coffee which is way a frequent in these places but not every day because I am a college kid.
Prairie Lights (Books and Cafe)
Prairie Lights is a cafe and bookstore. The great part about this cafe is that there is a bookstore right underneath it. They have it laid out very nicely which is nice when you’re trying to find what you’re looking for. I like to come here to listen to classical music and admire the view of the street. One of the things I like getting is an iced chai latte with oat milk. That is the one thing that I can do mostly because I can drink it at any time during the day. Prairie Lights is open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during the week while it closes early on the weekend at 6:00 pm. This is a great place to study and focus if you like classical music and being able to drink your drink from a glass or a mug. Plus after you’re done working you can walk around the bookstore and look for books to read or purchase.
Chai Latte and Spring 2023 Classes
Downtown Java House
The Java House is a local shop that was started in Iowa City and has extended into Illinois and other places. There is one in the Iowa Memorial Union and in Downtown Iowa City. I prefer the Java House downtown more than the one in the IMU, mostly because not many people are in the downtown one. Plus they have a station that has lids and straws that way people can choose the order for here or to-go. I love either sitting in the window or in the back room where there is not much foot traffic. It’s quiet and it is a really good place to read if you find one of the comfy chairs around the area. I finished at least 2 books in Java House. If you need to work or read try going to the Java House in downtown Iowa City. The other thing I want to say is that it can be busy in the morning because some of the other coffee shops aren’t open but it’s okay. It’s got a good vibe and I always love being here.
BeReal at Java House
Chai Tea in IMU
Blogging with Chai Tea
Teamo Tea
Now, this is a boba shop that is in downtown Iowa City. It’s right next to Target and even though it doesn’t have coffee, it is a cafe. This is also 1 of 2 boba shops in Iowa City, the other one is named La Tea. As of right now, I haven’t tried La Tea but they are both very nice places to study and just hang out. My go-to order from Teamo Tea is a Jasmine Green Tea with Passion Fruit, Honey Pearls, and Lychee Jelly. It is a very confusing taste and texture because the pearls and the jelly are chewy and when drinking tea some people don’t want to feel very confused when drinking something like that. It’s not for everyone but it’s very good. Something that I also like to get is an Oolong Tea with Rose Petals, Passion Fruit, Strawberry Popping, and Strawberry Jelly. Again people might just like the popping boba because it pops in your mouth with the flavor in your mouth. I like to do there if I need to watch something for one of my classes or just to watch something that is fun. Boba is a treat for me and coffee is essential for me to survive. I’d say that if you don’t know what to get at this shop I’d say go with a smoothie or slushie with no toppings. I started out as just drinking items that had popping boba and moved on to the more challenging items. I love teamo tea and if you don’t like coffee then this is a good place to go.
Rose Petal, Passion Fruit, with Strawberry Popping
Go to Boba Order
Allergy Scare (Don’t Worry I’m Okay)
Tru Coffee
This shop is kinda off of the downtown strip. It’s a very good coffee shop that also sells clothes. It’s very sweet and cute when you need to just study. It’s just like Prairie Lights where you can drink your drink in a glass when sitting down or have it in a to-go cup when you don’t want to sit down. This is probably the best chai I have had mostly because you can really taste the cinnamon. This place probably has the best lighting because they have a lot of natural lighting. They also have clothes that are vintage I’m pretty sure because I follow their Instagram a lot. I’ll more than go to Tru Coffee during the days I don’t have afternoon classes which will be nice. They close in the early evening which is around 4pm. It’s okay, to be honest, plus there local from what I can tell. Their iced coffee with vanilla is not too sweet which is sometimes what I love. Fun fact one of my friends that don’t like the taste of coffee really likes the macchiatos that they have here. They were out of chai this day but I didn’t mind, they had different options to choose from which was nice. Other than that it’s a very cute place and kinda a hidden gem of the coffee shops in Iowa City. Come to this place you won’t regret it.
iced coffee with oat milk
homework
window views
Cortado Mediterranean Cafe
Cortado’s is right downtown and they have all-natural drinks. Their coffee is made with non-burnt coffee beans, making it taste even better. This is also another place you can choose to sit down or take your drink to go. Their hot chai lattes are to die and if you go to any of these coffee shops in Iowa City GO TO THIS ONE!!! It’s so good, and it’s very close to campus, it’s right near Panchos so that’s nice. I will say that it can be hard to find seating because of how packed it can be in there so just be careful of that. Plus I’m pretty sure that they have breakfast foods and food for lunch. Plus the food is organic or something like that. The meal is limited to what I can eat because of my allergies but I only need coffee and tea to survive in a cafe. Most of the time it’s very busy because everyone tries to get a spot to sit down. Most of the time it’s impossible to find a place to sit, that’s why I usually go in the morning rather than in the afternoon. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of the cafe but if you ever visit Iowa City it’s close to the Airliner on the downtown strip near the Pentacrest.
Starbucks
Of course, I had to throw Starbucks into the mess because it’s a phenomenon of coffee all around. The one downtown is one of the hardest places to try and find a place to study. That’s why I don’t normally go in here, mostly because people love being in there. I don’t think this is a good place for me to study because there is a lot of foot traffic when it comes to people going in and out of that place. This one that’s downtown is close to the Voxmen music building and the unimpaired dry bar. The vibe is very nice in there but people are going in and out like wildfire so it messes with me and my ADHD. I don’t think that this is a good spot to study if you like quiet study spaces, but their coffee, most of the time, is very good. I’m not going to put a picture of it because this place already gets enough advertising by people taking pictures of their drinks.
Closing Thoughts
There are so many more coffee shops around Iowa City like The High Ground Cafe, DayDrink, Encounter Cafe, and so many more. Sometimes I don’t have the money in order to go to them all the time, but I suggest going to a coffee shop at least once a week, maybe twice. I love studying in cafes mostly because it gives a different environment to students being on campus but being surrounded by students and professionals working on whatever they were working on. If I can give you guys anything in return I’ll tell you to go to Prairie Lights, if you like classical music, Cortado’s if you like freshly made coffee, Java House if you like fun drinks, Tru Coffee if you like natural lighting and Teamo Tea if you don’t like coffee. Thank you future hawkeyes for taking the time to read my post I appreciate you all so much. I hope you all have a great day, week, month, and year. Just only go to Starbucks for the drinks and not for the study vibe.
Typically midterms are to help you know and show your progress halfway through the semester. It is quite literally the middle of the semester and it’s to test you and your skills. Most classes have midterm exams, projects, or just grades. These things help keep you on track and reflect on your knowledge in the course. My midterm grades are coming in soon and I’ll see how I’m doing in all my classes for this semester. I’ll talk about creating schedules, study resources, and most of all BREAKS.
Create A Schedule
The first thing that I like to do is to create a schedule to study the different subjects. I mostly make it through a digital organizer called notion. Notion is an all in one tool that I use for work, school, and my podcast. I always start my week on Sunday during the school year because that’s when the official start of the week starts for me. I input my classes and what times they go for. Then, in between the classes, I make time to study certain subjects. I always bold my classes because those typically don’t change times but certain things like studying times and places. This will help you with making sure you are using your time well. Plus you can hold yourself accountable for not staying on the study schedule you set for yourself.
Study Tools
Quizlet
I use this to remember terms and definitions for classes. For example, in my contemporary environmental issues class, I’ll be making a Quizlet set to help me connect all the ideas of environmental changes and terms throughout the course. I’ve been using this tool ever since I was in middle school and it helps a lot. I feel like if you didn’t use Quizlet at some point in your life then you are missing out on something special. It has all kinds of things you can use to help you understand multiple things in your course. Like flashcards, learn features, tests, and games like matching. I love using this to help me just know what I’m doing in my classes. If you don’t use Quizlet I suggest that you use it because it will help you a lot even in classes that you’re struggling with.
Practice Exams (From Classes Before)
If your class typically has midterm exams then there are most likely past exams you can take a look at and know what the current exam might look like. This is a really nice resource because the professor wants to see you do well and know what you’re doing. Last year I took a college course called Intro to Psychology and my professor provided past or practice exams we could take up until the test just to see what we knew. If your professor provides practice or past exams you can take, take them. It will help you in the long run, that way you can kind of expect the same sort of questions that will be on the mid-term exam itself. Two of my friends are using practice exams to study so they understand the material in the course. The course they are studying is Intro to Geology. It’s very content heavy so taking these practice exams will help them absorb the content.
Asking Questions Before, During, or After Class
There is a reason office hours were invented in the first place. Students have questions. Go to office hours because it can help gain some information about what you are studying which helps in the long run. If you need help with something that you learned about in class your professors are always wanting to help. Professors want you to go to office hours because they want to see you succeed. Nobody wants you to fail; plus if you fail then the professor fails in a way. They only want the best for you and only want success for their students. Most of the time professors are very understanding and will work with you to make sure you understand anything and everything in the class. I know because my Creative Writing professor has helped me with my stories and is currently helping me revise one of the current stories I’m writing right now. My own experience with office hours, it has helped me understand the content of the class and the subject we learn about in the class itself. So I can’t stress enough that you go to office hours and ask questions. Professors only want to see you succeed and have a successful college career.
Study With Classmates & Friends
Classmates
First of all, something you don’t understand someone might understand perfectly, while you might understand something perfectly and someone might not understand that very well. You guys can help each other learn the content together as almost one person in a way. That’s why it’s always good to have someone and some people that take their studies seriously. Plus if all of you guys are struggling with the same thing you guys can try to understand it as best as possible.
Friends
Even though you might not be in the same classes it can be really fun to study with friends. Plus I think I study smarter and harder when I know my friends and I are trying to get as much work done as possible. It’s a great way to recharge your social battery along with getting valuable work time in for classes. A couple of weeks ago I studied with my friend in the library. We didn’t talk, all we did was just work and it was nice. She also did help me figure out how the printers work on campus so thank you, you know who you are. Along with a late-night study session in Currier, we were doing our thing and my friend was freaking out about the characters for Mandarin. Even though you might not have the same classes just being closer to someone who is working just as hard as you are is such a good thing to have.
Find Locations You Can Focus In
Upper Levels of the Main Library
The reason why you shouldn’t study for midterms on the 1st floor of the library is that so many people walk through that area, from tours to big lectures, and others just get something to eat at the campus cafe. In the upper levels of the library, there is not much activity going on so you won’t be disturbed if you try to focus. I like to go up there when I don’t want to deal with the extra noise I get on the lower levels of the library itself.
Back Corner of the Ground Floor in IMU
If you face away from the tours that go past you in the IMU then it makes it the perfect place to study for a midterm. There is also a little seating area where you can just relax and most of the time you get people coming out of the Hawk Shop. Other than that you can just sit around there to just focus on whatever your midterm is over.
Burge Basement
Surprisingly I’ve had a lot of focus time in Burge’s basement area. I know it’s surprising but it’s actually really quiet down there. During the typical school day, people are working a lot and during the evening hours, that’s when you get the ping pong and games that are down there. I was down there a couple times just to rest and it helped me a lot even though I haven’t had a typical midterm exam or even a project.
Coffee Shops Downtown
If you go to the very back of the cafe you can get some good focus time because it’s away from people ordering their drinks. I’ve found this very helpful when it comes to my creative writing assignments. This a great place, as long as you don’t go every day. Plus the vibe of the place helps me just try to get as much work done as possible.
Common Room of Currier
Specifically in the back rooms of the Currier study space. It’s very quiet back there which is nice to be able to focus on your work. It’s great mostly because when you need some time to yourself going to the back corner of Currier or any common room in the dorms on campus makes it easy to focus for midterms.
Closing Thoughts
When it comes to studying for any type of midterm it can be hard, but if you take these tips I suggest you can move one step closer to getting a good grade on that exam or project. Quizlet saved my life on multiple occasions when it came to studying. Even if it wasn’t for a midterm. Studying with friends and classmates helped me as well but I wish I did it more often in high school. These tips are definitely good things to help you out. Thank you again for taking the time to read this post. Have a great day, week, month, and year!
It all depends on the party and where the location is at. If you trust and know where it is that’s great, if you’re going with a friend that you trust, that’s alright too. Just as long as you feel as safe as possible. Just as long as you are doing whatever you’re doing safely. I’ve already been invited to multiple parties. Some are costume parties and some are not. I know at least one person that’s going to a party on the weekend of Halloween. Mostly because Halloween is on a Monday this year which is a hard time to have parties but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone had a party or two. I haven’t said if I’m going or if I’m not going to either of the parties but if you want to join in on the party go ahead.
Costumes
Are you too old for costumes?
I personally don’t think that you get too old for costumes. One of the parties I was invited to is a costume party. I have my costume locked and loaded which is Max Mayfield from Stranger Things, specifically season 4. Plus my friends and I are thinking about doing something on that Sunday with our Halloween costumes and just having a dinner of some sort. Even though you might not go door to door for candy you can still have fun with your friends and dress up like your favorite character. That is why I love Halloween costume parties even when you get older.
How To Choose Costumes
It’s hard to choose something you want to wear any day of the week and the stress of Halloween just adds to the pressure of the matter itself. Creating a costume is hard and everyone expects you to choose a costume from one or even two days out of the year. I decided between multiple costumes before deciding what I wanted to be. I thought about Freddy Krueger from a Nightmare on Elm Street, Dr. Facilier from The Princess and The Frog, Kate Sharma from Bridgerton, or Max Mayfield from Stranger Things. You guys know I chose Max because her jacket is awesome this newest season plus we get see her in a really dark place trying to get back to how she felt before Billy’s death.
Other Events
Homecoming
Homecoming this year falls on Halloween weekend which is interesting. I mean it will definitely have joint party events going on. Even though this year the Hawkeyes haven’t been playing their best this year people are still going to celebrate homecoming. I’m planning on going to some events on campus to celebrate but also with not getting tickets makes it harder to motivate me to celebrate. I’m a football fan and I was disappointed I wasn’t able to get tickets for any of the games. So this year is going to feel different without a football game but it’s okay. Even if you can’t get tickets you can still celebrate with your friends.
Halloween Movies
On Friday my friends and I who love horror films are going to be doing a Saw marathon starting that afternoon. I have class so I’m going to book it over to my friend’s room to start the marathon. I think I’m also going to watch some more horror films like Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and others. I’ve also watched some good old Halloween Disney movies along with Halloween episodes from certain shows of my favorite back in the day. But if you can’t go on a binge of movies just try and make time for that one Halloween movie you always love to watch. Mine this year was Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2.
Closing Thoughts
Halloween grows as you grow up, whether that’s costume parties, movie marathons, or just plain walking around in a safe place. Whether or not you go to a costume party or a regular one just know that if you’re with people you like you will always have a fun time. Plus being able to just try new things when Halloween time comes around. Thank you guys for taking the time to read this post and I hope this can help you figure out what to do for the Halloween season. Have a great day, week, month, and year!
First of all, you find people with common interests, and it makes it a lot easier to make friends that way. Plus once you find people with similar interests you can hang out with them as well. I will be talking about how to join clubs, balancing school work, and what clubs I joined.
Joining Clubs
Specifically for the University of Iowa, there is a website that has all the student organizations and their events going on that day or week you look at it. Once you get accepted you have the chance to create a club if you don’t see a club that interests you. On this site, you can search for organizations and select branches of what you want to do. That’s how I found the majority of my clubs. I just typed in a bunch of categories and branches and found clubs I was interested in.
My Clubs
Dance Marathon
First of all, this is a great organization to join, and no matter what school you go to, sign up for Dance Marathon. Let’s explain what exactly Dance Marathon is. This is the largest student organization on campus at the University. We provide financial and emotional support for pediatric cancer patients of the Stead Family Children’s Hospital. We are a year-long commitment consisting of family events for kids to be kids, and dancer events for individuals to build connections within the organization. Plus with fundraising, we can eliminate some of the financial burdens that come with a pediatric cancer diagnosis.
The organization itself has had record-breaking years and has raised over $34 million for the kids and their families battling cancer. This is such a great organization and I suggest that you join it. I’m a part of Miracle Group 11 with my friend Lauren as well. They were the ones that convinced me to join Dance Marathon. Plus at the end of the year, they host the Big Event where members are encouraged to not sit, sleep, or consume caffeine for 24 hours to celebrate the kids who beat cancer and support those who are still battling and remember those who have passed and are now dancing in our hearts.
If you go to the website and donate look up Sam Smith to donate to my fund for the kids and families. My goal is to raise $500 and I’m already at $125. Even if you can’t donate a lot, even a little bit will go a long way to help out these families and the kids fighting the biggest battle of their lives. This year is the 29th year of the UI Dance Marathon and the goal for this year is to ignite the light, passion, and drive individuals have so we and they can continue our tradition of helping these kids. Out of all my clubs, this one is my favorite, because I’m committed to making life better for these kids fighting for their lives and if other members and I can make a difference in their financial situation then that is the greatest gift I can give to the kids.
Dance Club
Next up is Dance Club. This is a casual dance club. Now I danced for 13 years at my hometown dance studio. Dance was pretty much the only consistent sport I stayed in ever since I was about 5 years old. It was the only thing I was really good at and I felt happy doing it. It also gives the members the feeling of dancing at a studio. That’s why I was drawn to this club. For this semester they have classes running from Sunday to Wednesday. I mostly attend the Tuesday classes over at Field House on West Side.
At the end of the year, they have a benefit show to showcase its members. Plus it donates the proceeds to Dance Without Limits, a nonprofit organization that provides dance classes to children and young adults with disabilities, and the DEA Youth Dance Program. I also try to make it to Sunday classes on the weekends I stay on campus. My favorite style is Contemporary and Jazz. I’m planning on taking a Jazz Class next semester as an elective to develop my jazz skills. Fingers crossed that I get in. I don’t know if I will be a part of the benefit show this year but fingers crossed I do it next year.
Hawkeye Sunset Club
Another club of mine is the Sunset Club. It’s exactly how it sounds and it’s amazing. I haven’t been able to make it to any meetings in a while but this club is about a time when students can socialize, listen to music, and be in the moment with the sunset. They also do a rating of the sunset from 1 to 10. It’s just a time to sit and enjoy nature with some students who also love the outdoors and the sunset.
Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness
This is a club I only recently joined in the last week or so. The purpose of this club is to encourage a positive, sustainable lifestyle through body image and eating disorders awareness on campus and local resource identification. This organization carries out an annual week of awareness activities with National Eating Disorder Awareness week. They work to include events that appeal to all groups of people because of eating disorders and help those that are struggling to identify to receive help. It’s a great organization and it’s great for me as someone who has had body image issues during her life. Plus having friends who struggle with eating disorders is a great way to raise awareness about these issues.
Closing Thoughts
The whole point of sharing this experience is to tell you to join clubs in college. Whether that’s joining a fraternity, writers club, club sports, or others, clubs will help you make something of yourself. I know that in my clubs I feel like I belong, and it feels like family. There is a club for everything at the university and trust me when I say that you will find your people and a sense of community. Thank you again, for taking time out of your busy day to read my blog. I hope you all have a good day, week, month, and year.
