Daily Check-in: May 5, 2024 🎀

hello lovelies <3

I have been MIA for a while now, and that’s because life has been absolutely bonkers lately. Here’s a quick breakdown:

> my financial habits have been terrible, I’ve been able to afford rent but haven’t been saving or paying off debts at all and it’s driving me crazy but I’m trying to teach myself better habits

> because of my lack of financial skills, I will NOT be taking classes next semester. I owe about 1,800$ USD to my university and won’t be able to register anyways with that high of a balance

> someone who I thought was a good friend turned out to not be and I’m dealing with the aftermath of a hurtful friendship breakup

> because of said friendship breakup, a few people at work have been borderline bullying me for no reason and it’s made me cry and have lots of anxiety at work, has also affected several work friendships in a negative way so I’m pretty much done trying to be friends with people at work

> my roommates and I resigned our lease so I’ll be living with them for this year and next thankfully! I love my rooommates, they are truly good people

> I still haven’t seen my boyfriend in person since January 1st but we’re trying to find time and the finances to get me out to cali to see him hopefully in December

> I started working out again and upped my medication by 2mg and the difference has been immense, I feel so much better, more clear, more like myself and overall just happier and more content

> I’ve stalled in studying Japanese, haven’t put much of any effort towards it lately but want to restart asap as I have a Japanese lesson in 2ish weeks

so, that’s the breakdown. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but believe me, it’s been insane. October has been a crazy month. I’m hoping to get back to it soon and overall start living my life to the fullest again. Will be making an updated post of goals to accomplish by the end of the year so stay tuned for that!

til next time lovelies 🩷

Check In - September 25th & 26th, 2023 🎀

these last two days have not been at all like I would’ve liked them to be. I started getting sick on Monday night and now that’s exactly what happened, I am sick and very unhappy about it. Luckily I think it’s just a cold this time but I always dislike getting sick. I’m not going to inicie a What I Ate in this check in because I genuinely don’t remember at the moment what I ate on Monday and Tuesday. this will just be a what I’ve accomplished post.

Monday 25th -

🩷 Personal Accomplishments -

went to bed at a decent time

Left work early to take care of myself

Morning skincare

Japanese Duolingo/Busuu for 15 minutes

🩷 Academic Accomplishments -

Completed module 5 notes for health and sport class

Completed module 5 quiz for health and sport class

Completed stocks assignment for personal finance class

Started notes for chapter 6 for my psyc class

I mentioned that I went home early from work on Monday and that was due to having a full blown panic attack in the work office in front of my supervisor. I think I had been stressed about school stuff and when I felt myself getting sick I just panicked and ended up with a near debilitating attack. I’m so grateful for my supervisor, she talked me down from the panic attack and then let me go home because she saw how it was affecting me. I love my work family.

Tuesday 26th -

🩷 Personal Accomplishments -

Took time off school due to being ill + last nights panic attack

Showered + night skincare

Made myself dinner

Relaxed and overall had a good day

Japanese Duolingo p/Busuu 15 minutes

🩷Academic Achievements-

Completed my mid term presentation and turned it in before the due date

Reached out to my Psyc Professor about an extension for a Psyc assignment

did not do much on Tuesday due to low energy and just wanting and needing to take care of myself a little bit. I’m still sick as of right now and still planning on taking it easy to help both mind and body recover,

this was not the update I had hoped on giving but I still wanted to keep you all in the loop as to what’s going on with me. I appreciate all the kind words I’ve received from you guys. Your encouragement and kindness is one of the reasons I keep up with this blog and have the motivation to be open and honest.

til next time, lovelies🩷🤍

Current Japanese Study Routine + Resources 🎀

As you all may know, I am currently self studying Japanese and Spanish, though I am putting Spanish on the back burner for now so I can focus more on Japanese as that is where my passion lies at the moment. Lucky for me, there is a Japanese language and culture club on my university campus that I am (hopefully) going to join next week or the week after, given how busy my schedule ends up being. I thought I’d make a little post about my current routine that I use to study and what resources I am currently using and am planning on purchasing to use in order to build my proficiency in this beautiful language!

Current Resources 🩷

Apps - I am currently playing around with several apps to see which ones work for me, so here is all the apps I currently have downloaded to my iPad/phone

Duolingo - this has been a go to for all language I’ve ever tried to learn, it’s useful for me as a basic introduction to vocabulary, sentence structure, some grammar, and I just like how it involves typing, speaking, listening, and reading.

Drops - this one is just a fun little 5 minutes gamified way to learn vocabulary for me, it’s definitely a go to on my lazier language learning days

Bunpo - I like this for learning the kana but I didn’t realize it costs money to use fully so I am debating purchasing a subscription to the paid version

Write Japanese - this one I’m using to learn the correct stroke order for the kana and I like it for the most part

Renshuu - I just signed in to use this one last night and it looks interesting. I’ve seen it recommended by several blogs and even when google searching language learning and watching YouTube videos so I’m excited to try it out!

NHK for School - I saw someone recommend this on their blog and I remember using the website version in the past so I know this will be helpful when it comes to reading

Jisho - this is a dictionary app that I’ve seen recommended on so many platforms and I’m always open to a good dictionary!

Japanese - this one was recommended on a blog post and it allows you to add vocabulary and interesting phrases so I thought it’d be useful once I start on learning sentence structure and grammar

Italki - this one is the one I’m most excited to use. It connects you to people who speak and teach your target language for a set timed lesson, and it does cost money but you pay by lesson, not on a subscription basis. So if you do one lesson the first week and then another lesson in three weeks or something, you only pay for those two lessons. I’m really looking forward to trying this one out in the future once I get more comfortable with speaking.

Anki - a flash card app I am using to currently learn hiragana and will soon use for katakana and eventually kanji and phrases. I was gonna use Quizlet but I ended up liking this one better for my current needs.

LingoDeer, Memrise, Babbel, HiNative, HelloTalk, Hey Japan, Busuu, Kanji, Kana, Sensei - apps that I have and have not tried yet. I really like the ones I’ve already tried so I’m not sure if I’m going to use these ones soon but if I get bored of current apps than I at least have alternatives to turn to to continue learning

Textbooks/Workbooks/Materials - I currently own two workbooks but will include the resource I am planning on buying, as well as any stationery material I am also using!

Japanese for Busy People I - This was the workbook we had for the Japanese class I took at my university while in high school. My dad ended up buying it for me if I promised not to take Japanese classes once I went to college. (My parents don’t believe it is useful to know and they are helping pay for my education so I didn’t have a choice.) I haven’t started reusing it yet but once I am comfortable with the kana then I will resume using it.

Let’s Learn Katakana - this is a katakana writing book my older brother bought for me (he is supportive of everything I have an interest in even if he doesn’t understand it himself) and it is really useful for learning and practicing writing katakana. However I am still focusing on relearning hiragana so I will return to this workbook after I solidify my hiragana knowledge.

Genki I and Genki II textbook/workbook + answer key bundle - I am planning to buy this off of Amazon as I have heard from most people who are learning Japanese on their own that this set is really useful for self studying so of course I am going to invest in it once I get paid next week.

I am also looking for a hiragana, katakana, and kanji writing workbook to practice those skills.

Free Online Resources -

YouTube!

Anime!

Music

Manga

Anything free I can find online when google searching resources

Stationary Supplies -

Kokuyo Campus Smart Ring Binder in pink

Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens in black

Index cards

Pilot g-2 fashion pens

Zebra mild liner highlighter/markers

Papermate Mechanical Pencils

Mini notebook to carry around for vocabulary

My iPad + Apple Pencil + Goodnotes 5

My Chromebook

A lot of resources but I am trying to stick with this for the long term. A few years ago, I self studied Japanese everyday for about 2 years and gained a good understanding but fell off from studying Japanese when I went to university.

My Current Study Routine* 🎀

*when I have more than 30 minutes to study, if I only have 30 minutes or less I just mess around on my language apps

I currently do not use any workbooks or textbooks as I am trying to re familiarize myself with the language. Here’s my current study routine!

Practice Anki flashcards 3 times or until I get 85-90% correct

Practice hiragana writing in Write Japanese app (~10min)

Duolingo lessons for 10 minutes

1 Japanese language Drops lesson

Use Renshuu until I get bored (~10-15min)

Watch an episode of anime as a reward (Japanese audio with English subtitles)

I will switch this up to a more structured way of studying once I start using my textbooks and workbooks, but for now this relaxed style of learning is working for me time wise and attention wise (ADHD brain right here).

I also listen to Japanese music throughout the day and try to recall hiragana characters correctly in my head when I have the time. I also sneak in some practice when at work on my apps and whatnot. I mentioned in my last daily check in some of my favorite Japanese artists, and I also love Japanese versions of K-pop songs too! I’m currently watching Bungou Stray Dogs on crunchyroll right now, and I’m open to any recommendations for what to watch next!

If anyone has any language learning tips or resources they’d want to share, feel free to comment! It would be greatly appreciated!

Til next time my lovelies 🩷🤍

Daily Check-in - July 28, 2023 (Late) 🎀

I forgot to post my check-in last night!! I fell asleep so early, I was so tired. I got home from work around 5pm last night, and I think I fell asleep around 7pm? Yesterday also was not a good day day for. My supervisor yelled at me in front of everyone for asking a question about work on Saturday, and it's now Saturday morning, and I have no answer. I decided not to go to work today because I feel like my.body can't really handle if right now, so it works out either way.

🩷 What I Ate Today:

Breakfast - One slice of toast with mashed avocado, paprik, a fried egg, and a side of one chopped up gala apple.

Lunch - A small serving of spaghetti with meat marinara sauce, grated parmesean cheese, some broccoli, a babybel, and half a brownie that my co worker gave me.

Dinner - Fried potato slices with ketchup I regret this, but today's a new day and a chance to make new choices

Other - I had 2 cups of coffee with French vanilla creamer

Water ~ 41oz

🩷 Workout - Full Body Pilates

This one was nice and easy and I really enjoyed it ! I actually wish it was longer! 9.4/10

This one was really good, but it was way more advanced than I was hoping it would be, so I struggled a bit with some of the movements. Not a bad workout at all! 8.6/10

🩷 Habits I Accomplished Today

Made my bed

Morning workout

Morning Skincare

Morning guided journal

I fell asleep so fast after work that I didn't even have time to do anything. I'm not very happy about that but I guess my body just needed the rest!

🩷 Song of the Day: Calm Down - Rema ft Selena Gomez

This song keeps me level-headed when it comes to situations at work or with my boyfriend, and just in general, I feel like this is a soothing song.

That's all for the 28th, lovelies! I am so sorry that I've been so inconsistent with my goals. Work has been killing me, and I still have to do this for another two weeks before the university begins again, and I can go back to my regular job and regular schedule. I'm just hanging in there until then!

Until next time, lovelies!!

Daily Check-in: April 17, 2024 🎀

today was a decent day up until the end, when I got upset and emotional over some things and ended up crying again. I swear, I've cried the last 6 out of 7 nights, and I'm so tired of it. here's to hoping things finally get better soon because this emotional stuff is seriously affecting my productivity, motivation, and discipline.

🩷 What I Accomplished:

studied chapter 6 of Latin American Spanish on Busuu

listened to 3 podcast episodes in Spanish

completed and submitted my lab report and pre lab quiz, also did my pre lab notebook prep

went to my last chem lab for the semester

went to chem lecture

had a meeting with the Dietetic director to map out some classes for the upcoming semesters

washed dishes

attempted a phone call with my boyfriend for the first time in a week (relationship issues + long distance × love ÷ dating for 2 years = an emotional rollercoaster, and lots of frustration)

washed laundry, did not put away yet

scheduled a therapy session for tomorrow morning

completed a 7 minute pilates abs workout from Madeliene Abeid

completed the 11 minute wake up yoga from Yoga with Adriene

started to do the 5 min daily stretch from Pamela Reif but my dad called me so I didn't finish it

downloaded a pdf of a Spanish textbook

rescheduled my italki lesson because I need to study for chem

scheduled 2 study rooms to study for chem with my chem lab partner

completed the pre class assignment for chemistry

walked ~8k steps

🩷 Good Things That Happened:

saw my dad this morning, who then took me to the campus library a bit early (I love getting to see my dad, I don't get to see him too often since he lives on the opposite side of town)

passed my lab report and pre class assignment

finished my chem lab super fast

had pizza rolls for dinner (I needed something quick and simple cause I've been tired)

got more practice with the chemistry lecture content

woke up esrly enough to do my morning routine

did a complete night routine, including skincare (-didn't read tho, couldn't decide on a book )

more good things happened, I just honestly can't remember them right now. but today was not a bad day.

💗 Stuff For Thursday:

psyc doc appointment

therapy appointment

supplemental chemistry class hours

make sure I'm caught up on homework

apply to/write essays for some scholarship applications

check hours worked if possible to determine next week's paycheck

study Spanish!!! dedicate a good chunk of time to it

do my morning and night routine as best as possible

Thursday is definitely going to be an interesting day, thats for sure. I don't feel as tho I'll have as much to do, but I'm going to find things to do, like studying my Spanish, etc.

til next time lovelies 🩷

ps. check out my depop shop <3

💕 Song of The Day -

Le Sserafim - Antifragile

this has been a long time fave of mine

reblogging so I can come back and read this whenever I need to <3

♡ channel your inner elle woods and dive into your studies with a “what, like it’s hard?“ mindset

studying will only be hard if you assume it to be. uplift yourself before starting your study session. go on a rampage on how you’re the best student at your school and that you’re successful at everything you do! the only person that will be with you from the beginning till the end is you. be your own cheerleader despite it all.

♡ romanticize your studies

life is better when you romanticize it and nothing beats playing some music to level your head, looking at photos & scenes of your favorite characters studying and acing their tests! 

clean your desk, light some candles, buy cute stationary, pretend you’re being filmed, visualize how it would feel when you have straight A’s and see that perfect score on the corner of your test/exams.

make a playlist with a cute cover and choose a vibe. dark or light academia? classics? rnb? cafe jazz? make it fun. mix it all together or make multiple playlists for the different moods you’ll be in. don’t listen to lyrical music. i recommend brown noise! and going to a cafe or a library helps me focus a lot. the background chatter doesn’t ever get too much for me so it gets easy for me to tune it out.

bambi’s supplies:

kokuyo campus binder notebooks

papier planners

laohaster aesthetic highlighters - 1 & 2

tombow dual brush pen markers

0.35 pens + muji 0.38 pens

paper mate gel pens

aesthetic book tabs

kraft paper sticky notes

index card case

♡ finding a study place

i love to study at libraries and local cafes. i also use this time to go on adventures to explore my city and find hidden gems. make sure it’s a place where you like the vibe, there are no distractions. something about looking like that mysterious, studious girl who stays to herself >>>>

before you indulge in your studies, be aware of your surroundings. get familiar with the place by grazing your eyes over the area and begin :)

make a checklist of all the items you need. laptop, charger, pens, notebooks, textbooks, a book to read if you want to spend more time at the place you’re at, headphones, calculator, etc!

if you’d rather stay inside, make your area is clean of clutter and clear of distractions.

♡ time management 

now that you’ve set out a place, let’s talk about time. what hours in the day work for you? morning, afternoons or at night? what weekdays work the best for you to keep up with this schedule?

be reasonable with yourself here. pick a time where your schedule is free and you won’t be distracted by obligations. tell your friends and family you’ll be busy during those hours on selected weekdays, not everyday will be the same. life can be hectic so this is where you take responsibility. work around your appointments. make use of your time and run flash cards while you wait to get called in or you’re in line, while you exercise, get creative! 

setting time away to eat and make sure you drink enough water is not equally but more important than any other thing. take care of yourself. 

utilize your time wisely. no one and nothing is going to achieve those goals. you are. 

now, let’s actually get into how i study. 

♡ scheduling & staying on track

create a system that works for you. keep a list of all of your assignments, finals, exams, tests, projects in an excel spreadsheet organized and ascended by the due dates and the progress of its completion. here are two very simple examples i made. 

as you progress through the list, it’s always so good to see the growing checkmarks! like yes, you did that and you can continue doing so! i always advocate for keeping track of your accomplishments no matter what ♡

as for day to day classes and schedules, you can use notion or google calendar. there are plenty of cute and practical templates out there to use.

let me know if i should share mine or make some

♡ how i study, stay ahead, and be the best student i can be

the most important thing a student can do is put themselves first! find out what works for you. your strengths, your weaknesses, and obstacles you tend to come across and work around them to make the best out of it. 

we’ve already covered the topics of time and place so great! now, that you’re all set, additional things i keep in mind to make sure i am all nice and comfortable are…

making sure i am comfortable. the temperature, clothes i am wearing, if i feel safe at the cafe/library/room i’m in.

i can’t focus or do anything on an empty stomach so get a small meal before you start and keep water and snacks with you!

the most important questions of all: are there any illnesses you have that affect your studying and focus? what is something you often find that gets in your way?

as hard as dealing with illnesses gets on a daily basis, it’s easy to forget that it can affect your studies just as much. you need to work with them. i used to think i was stupid, slow, and downright crazy for not understanding material right away or for how easily distracted i got because of my random bursts of energy. then it just dawned upon me one day and i said “oh… duh?”

so, what did i do? i found out what worked for me, monitored my studying techniques and personally modified them to work better with my attention deficit.

tackle the important tasks first. low maintenance assignments like reading and writing notes on a section, annotations, and worksheets can wait if they’re easy but this way might not be for everyone. 

the reason why i advise this is because at the beginning of a study session, i have the most energy/brain power so i’d rather shift my energy towards the assignments that need more of my focus!

plan what tasks you intend on focusing on that day. look at your assignment spreadsheet. which ones are more important/urgent? due the soonest? write them out in order and follow the list.

immediately writing down my thoughts. i’m very forgetful so making this a habit has helped me so much for when i get any new ideas and remember to do something very important.

find out what learning style fits you. visual, auditory, reading and writing, kinesthetic. making powerpoints, study guides, drawing diagrams, color coding systems, interactive notes. cater your study methods to your needs. here is a pinterest board with examples!

take a self assessment quiz. if you want, check these quizzes out to figure out what kind of learner you are and what study habits you can improve! remember that you can always be more than one thing just because quizzes give you a single result. you know you!

active recall. it’s a study method to help with retention, memorization, and informational retrieval. it reduces forgetfulness all the while actively stimulating your brain rather than writing notes, highlighting text information. 

separate the topics + subtopics and in the end, when you feel confident, jumble them together.

flashcards! i love them. you can use quizlet which has a spaced repetition system where it will bring back material you got wrong so you can focus on it extensively. physical flashcards and manually having to write them out is also a form of memorization!

practice testing (not multiple choice) online or finding them on a textbook, ask a friend to quiz you or ask questions to yourself and try to answer them accurately.

pretend to give a lecture. i love this one the most because if you know the subject very well, you can pretend to explain it to a peer and even a middle schooler so that it gives you a chance to simplify the material so it’s easy for them (and you) to retain. 

while using flashcards and lecture techniques, it helps me when my adhd flares up and i really can’t seem to stay still or keep from making noise. i can walk around my room & talk aloud, walk on a treadmill, and move my body!

i study until it becomes natural for me to know the answer, not because i recognize the term.

check your work and understanding to make sure that all of the information you’re studying is correct! it won’t hurt to do a little review here and there. you never know when a mistake might’ve snuck it’s way in.

make your own study guide. (if that’s your method) for every unit and section, covering every topic. this can be on google docs and whenever you learn something new that you think is important to know, add it via docs app or write it on a notepad so that you can fill it in later.

on the go. you don’t have to do this ALL the time (or at all) but if you think you need more time to soak your mind with information but you’re on a bus, waiting in line, etc. pull out your flashcards or google docs app to quickly review. there’s no harm in that! (just make sure you’re aware of your surroundings please)

OFFICE HOURS! go to office hours even if you don’t have any specific questions or struggles! it’s always an extra learning opportunity because you can listen to teachers and teaching assistants answer questions you might have later on AND the more you attend office hours, you’ll build a connection and get to know the teachers. that is always important.

starting assignments ahead of time. don’t put off working on a project just because it’s due in 3 weeks or so. start ahead of time so you don’t stress yourself out and cram. stretch them out. plus, even if you don’t actually put yourself to work, get a feel of the materials you’ll need to know, the instructions, etc because if you have any questions, you’ll have more/easy access to teachers for help since not many people will be there at the beginning of when a project is assigned.

ADVANCE READING! this is so fun to do. you basically just read ahead on current/future topics the teacher will cover to grasp onto the information. write down any questions you have and personally ask the teacher for a more clear answer for your understanding.

i love doing this because when the time comes of the teacher covering the topic, light bulbs just keep going off in my head! it’s exciting. it gives me room for me to retain and write any additional information the teacher says.

do not multitask. remember, if multitasking has always worked for you, don’t stop! for me, it’s truly better to focus on the task at hand to strengthen skills and concentration rather than having to do 2 or 3 different things at once. efficiency is key and staying true to one task at a time is the best way to do so.

BUT when my adhd gets in the way, be consistently inconsistent. don’t unnecessarily guilt trip yourself when you suddenly feel like doing another task. go with the flow. follow whatever your brain feels like doing at the moment! MOVEMENT IS MOVEMENT.

additional tip: take breaks at certain times even if you don’t feel like it. like the advice above, it doesn’t necessarily have to be resting. it can be as simple as taking a trip to get a beverage, tidying up your area, something easy & light to keep your mind occupied and to avoid burn out.

 breaking down the assignments into sections. this defeats procrastination. it can seem overwhelming when all the information is pieced together into one so divide the tasks into small sections. 

ex. read one chapter in the textbook, start writing down terms to know, annotate. move onto the next.

study groups. it’s collaborative— a chance to ask and also help others on topics you don’t know and make connections! the smaller the better in my opinion.

don’t look at studying as something you “have" to do. it’s an activity. a choice. it can either be stressful or something you can easily get through— how you approach this will ;

participate! ask questions! don’t be afraid to ask questions and raise your hand to put your two cents in when it’s an open discussion! just do it.

focus on the now. don’t overwhelm yourself by looking at all the assignments you have due. the task you’re working on at the present moment is the one that needs the most attention and focus.

advice from others won’t always work for you. we are all different! what might work for others won’t always work for you. this is why it’s important to monitor your study sessions, habits, behaviors, and find out what works and what you like better through trial and error. 

except for when i tell you to take care of yourself. if there’s anything you should take away from my posts, it is to put your needs first. always!

♡ keeping up momentum. motivation vs. self discipline.

“think of motivation as a power boost at the starting line and your foot pressing on the pedal of your car is discipline, it’s what keeps you going forward on your journey. motivation, as fleeting as it is won’t bring you far but self-discipline will.“

remind yourself of the life you want to live, the businesses you will own, the cases you’ll win, the people you’ll be able to help with your knowledge, the feelings you’ll have because of your amazing accomplishments if you just keep. on. going. 

read the “continuing to strengthen self discipline” section in my dream girl guide post. i guarantee it will help in finding what really works best for you when it comes to identifying roadblocks and how to work around these struggles.

KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM. you’ve been on top of your game so when it comes to engaging in activities that don’t revolve around school work, make it worthwhile. stay off your phone, say no to silly distractions and do something you’ll thoroughly enjoy. paint, draw, write, read a book, go on a walk! this will keep you going in doing your very best every day and it doesn’t have to be a strenuous activity! stagnancy who?

DOING ANYTHING THAT BRINGS YOU JOY AND FULFILLMENT IS PRODUCTIVE. 

♡ the most important tips of all

TAKE BREAKS. GO TO SLEEP. EAT WELL.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

DO NOT PUT THIS ON THE BACK BURNER. you want good grades and to do your very best, that can’t happen unless you TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

if it’s past your usual bedtime and your eyes are drooping, struggling to stay open, how are you able to retain all the information from that moment on? go to bed because then you’ll get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be refreshed for your next day’s class! OR if you don’t have class, you’ll be able to bounce back into studying in amazing condition.

PAMPER YOURSELF. 

good heavens, take a shower, wash your face, go for a walk, move your body, stretch, take time to just stay to yourself. enjoy the silence, play some calming music, watch a show, take a nap. your body is a temple, treat it with love. 

if you’re constantly stressed out all the while continuously flooding your brain with so much information without resting:

it decreases concentration → you won’t be able to retain any new information (so studying is automatically deemed useless) → poor sleep → you attend class and your inability to focus and overall school performance has degraded→ you isolate yourself from social interactions → fall into depression → difficulty picking yourself back up and the list goes on…

in summary, you will not be able to continue and put in your best work.

always remember that pushing yourself past your limit does more harm than good. 

you WILL crash and all that hard work will go to waste once you’re physically and mentally unable to show up for yourself.

and if it means you have to get anything lower than a 80, IT IS OKAY. nothing is worth more than your health. trust me.

♡ helpful resources

zlibrary + openlibrary - free online libraries

websites for research that is not google

weava highlighter - highlight text from pdfs and the web, add and organize notes and be able to access later! lifesaver.

99 legal sites to download literature

speechify - text to speech reader

not robotic. comes in many different voices and languages

aids in: easy reading, improve comprehension, multitaskers

adjustable reading speed

mercury reader - gets rid of clutter from articles for easy reading

grammarly - grammar and writing check

beeline reader - color gradient to help read easier

group your tabs for easy organization (for mac users: control + click)

piktochart - create infographics

spot misinformation - masterpost

desmos - free online graphing calculator

paper rater - essay scoring

pdf2go + cloudconvert - file converters

internet archive - free books, movies, software, music, websites…

slidesgo -  google slides and powerpoint templates

pomodoro timers - tide w/ white noise + otto w/ a website blocker

remember to drink water

more very helpful resources

okay my love! that’s all for this post. i wish you the best! ₊˚⊹♡ as always, here is the google doc version

— kisses from straight a student, bambi ♡

               SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION

INVEST IN YOURSELF: FALL + SCHOOL EDITION GUIDE HERE

Daily Check-in: April 2nd, 2024 🎀

Hello lovelies!

I am back with my daily check-ins, so i thought I'd start with April 2nd (even tho I know today is currently April 3rd)! I look forward to regularly posting again!

Tuesday was a rough day for me near the end of the day. I pretty much had an emotional stress-induced breakdown in front of my manager and director, but they were very kind and understanding, and I called my dad, who also was awesome, and helped calm me down. It's sage to say that a packed schedule and lack of sleep definitely don't mix well together!

🩷 What I Accomplished Today:

made some actionable steps for improving my health (sleep, nutrition, and fitness areas)

completed Chapter 9 of Spanish Busuu + made flashcards for it

attended my psyc class

completed the assignment for my Friday restaurant class

completed the take home questions for a quiz for psyc

Sent my academic advisor a filled out roadmap

🩷 Good Things That Happened:

one of my accountability buddies sent me a pdf of a Spanish textbook that I was able to download to my goodnotes, which is exciting!

I tried a restaurant on campus that I had never had before, and it was absolutely so delicious

my coworker is going to cover my shift on Friday evening, so I'll have time to relax/catch up on things

Got good advice from my supervisor about life stuff

💕 What Could've Been Better:

I need to reevaluate who I call my "friends" at work after a couple of interactions I've had with people I had considered my friends

Learned that over crowding my plate when already not sleeping well is not a good life combination and will send me to burnout a lot faster

On that same note, I do feel like I still need to learn to manage my time effectively. It's a hard skill to master but I did it before

my professor for psyc was 15 minutes late to class and then proceeded to continue lecturing 5+ minutes after. I felt bad leaving but I had a study room to go to

So that was my April 2nd! Today, I also have a busy schedule. I have an early morning in person meeting with an advisor for Finance majors (I may be adding a finance 2nd major....stay tuned), and then less then 2 hours later i have a meeting with my advisor for my current major. I know she's not going to be happy about me adding a 2nd major but ehh, if it'll benefit my future, then I want to do it.

til next time lovelies 🩷

Hello lovelies <3 I've decided I really would love to start posting more advice/tips/lifestyle content along with my daily updates and study content, but I have no idea where to actually start. So, I would love it if you guys could send me asks with things you'd want to know about, things you want advice or tips on, or even some of my own routines and habits you'd want to know about! I will do my absolute best to answer and be as thorough and thoughtful in my tips/advice/lifestyle content, so please feel free to flood my inbox! <333

til next time, lovelies 🩷

April 28th, 2025 🎀

It's grind time. With the semesters end quickly approaching alongside the end of steady work at my job for the semester, I'm running myself a bit ragged with all the hours I'm pulling on top of school work and whatnot. Here's to keeping myself accountable and productive the next two weeks until I can finally rest and recuperate from this semester.

ToDo Today (April 28th) ✨️

shower + night time skincare 🫧

work from 230pm to ~10pm 🍕

work on social media project for health psychology until ~1am ish 💻

read a chapter of my current book to unwind a little bit today 📚

try not to drink too much caffeine ☕️

since it's almost time for me to go to work, I figured I'd keep my todo list nice and short and manageable.

Tomorrow will be a similar story as today, just working and grinding out schoolwork/studying as much as I can. Let's hope I can end this semester on a high ish note.

🎶 Song of The Day: Loco - Neton Vega

I've been obsessed with music in Spanish lately, it just hits so good

til next time lovelies 🩷

check out my post <3

🎀 Workout Youtbers

I currently do exclusively pilates and yoga workouts from yourube. However, I've done other body weight workouts with various youtube videos and seen results in the past. Here is my list of workout youtubers that you could check out! I will put a * next to my personal favorites! I will include a short list of my current at home workout equipment at the end as well as some items I plan on buying soon!

With any workout program or routine, always be safe, check with your doctor if necessary, and if something doesn't feel good or right, don't do it! No matter what your goals are, it's always important to be safe and stay healthy. Please always take care of yourselves and know how beautiful, worthy and valuable you are no matter what! I love you all <333

🩷 Pilates

Move with Nicole * (also posts occasionally barre and yoga videos as well! I love her videos so so much)

Madeleine Abeid

IsaWelly

Pilatesbodyraven

Lidia Mera

Lottie Murphy

Amanda Blauer

Margaret Elizabeth

Jessica Valant Pilates

Bailey Brown

Dansique Fitness

Flow with Mira

Sivi (she's began posting some pilates inspired workouts and to my knowledge is currently getting certified as an instructor)

🩷 Yoga

Yoga with Adriene *

Yoga with Bird

Boho Beuatiful Yoga

🩷 Bodyweight Fitness/Strength/HIIT

Chloe Ting * (I don't like the click bait, but I like the workouts)

Blogilates

Pamela Reif *

Madfit *

Lilly Sabri * (Some of her videos are titled with pilates, but the older ones I used to do were not pilates, so I categorized her here)

Emi Wong

Shirlyn Kim

Vivian Yuan

April Han

growingannanas

growwithjo * (I love her walking workouts)

Hinafit

Mish Choi

Sami Clarke

Elenifit

Coach Kel (she posts what looks like more barre, ballet, pilates inspored/fusion workouts it seems)

Caroline Girvan

TRAIN WITH GAINSBYBRAINS

Daisy Keech

🎀 Current At Home Workout Equipment I Own

Thick Yoga Mat - since I do mainly yoga and pilates my thick yoga may (amazon brand) has served me well. Even tho I am a heavier woman at the moment, I've never had pain or any issues with this mat, and it came with a carry strap which I love! A good, thick workout mat is definitely necessary for working out at home for comfort, safety, etc. Make sure to disinfect it on occasion, especially if you sweat on it a lot!

Resistance Bands - I have about 3 or 4 at different resistance strengths, and they're incredibly useful for a variety of movements, especially lower body ones. They add some extra resistance and make the workouts a bit more challenging when you need something more advanced. I also got mine from Amazon/Walmart a while back. I prefer fabric over rubber because I like to wear workout shorts instead of workout leggings.

Pilates Ball - not a necessity, but useful with some pilates workouts and movements. I have seen sole videos using this, but am not advanced enough to try it on my own yet. Will use for sure once I'm more advanced.

3lb dumbbells - I thought these would be useful for the pilates workouts that had some upper body focus, and as someone who wants to develop a lean and toned upper body, they are perfect for low weight high rep, controlled movements. Again, not advanced enough to use as I want to master my form, but they're gonna come in handy for sure!

Foam Roller - so so good for stretching and muscle recovery on rest days. I love mine but want one that has the bump things on it to help my muscles more. I can imagine how good it'll feel on my legs during a recovery day when I begin wieght lifting again.

Massage Gun - my holy grail for the days I am sore and needing some recovery. my body feels like jelly after using this, and it's just so nice for the days my muscles feel extra tight and super sore.

🎀 Equipment I Want To Buy

Yoga Blocks - these will help me get deeper into the yoga poses once I get more advanced in my practice

Pilates Ring - this honestly looks so fun and challenging to use, I'd love to add it to my collection of useful workout equipment!

Jump Rope - I used to love this as a form of cardio and as long as I don't move into an upstairs apartment, I'm definitely buying one

Pilates Bar - still iffy on this one, it's supposed to mimic a reformer but I want to get better at mat pilates and see if I even end up ever needing or seriously wanting to buy it, its on my list tho

Ankle/Wrist weights - these are gonna be so useful for workouts where hand held dumbbells aren't useful. Want to buy some low weight ones just to help with resistance and extra strength during pilates workouts

Kettlebell weight - I think this would be useful for a workout at home type situation if and when I switch to not doing just pilates and yoga. I know these are useful in their own right, but not needed in my current fitness stage of life.

Core Sliders - these look fun and interesting. They're on my lost for sure, but not sure about the practicality of their use in my life just yet.

That's all that's currently on my at home workout equipment list! As someone who primarily works out at home, the things I currently own are most useful and most of what's on this list is for fun or extra challenge. Just not necessary yet.

hope you enjoyed this list! if you have any questions about my favorite youtuber workout instructors or favorite videos, please feel free to ask, I've tried so many and can give some guidance from my own experience and research.

til next time lovelies 🩷