So What Can I Do?

history is a subject i adore and over the years i’ve been studying it, i’ve picked up some great skills! here are my five top tips for aspiring historians out there, whether you know you’re one yet or not ;)

1. read!

no matter what you’re into, someone in history will be #relatable. want to study a gay king who kissed his gold-digging boyfriend in public? james i is right here! what about a prince who wore dresses to court? well, have you heard of philippe d'orléans? maybe you want to learn about the noblewoman who inspired dracula and bathed in the blood of local ladies! elizabeth báthory’s your girl. whatever you’re interested in, there’s someone out there who’s written about it - and learning about your course beyond the syllabus will improve your understanding as well as your writing skills! if you’re struggling to find a way to make a particular period interesting, just message a historian - i’m more of a social historian, but i’m always happy to talk about any aspect of history, and i’m sure others on tumblr feel the same!

check out:

academia.edu - papers about pretty much anything you could want to read, ranging from very accessible to heavy academic language

google books - a great starting point for literally anything, you can search “gay women 14th century” and you’ll find the historical lesbians you’ve always wanted

jstor - great for academic texts, but you can only read three per fortnight unless you sign up with a bunch of spam emails

2. take it outside the classroom!

history is all well and good in theory, but visiting historically significant locations can change your understanding completely. whether it’s a local graveyard to trace the stories of those before you or a medieval castle, visualising the lives of people you study makes the subject far more engaging (and easier to remember in the long run)!

check out:

travel journal masterpost by @stillstudies

historical days out for under £20

museums and galleries with free entry

3. make a timeline!

again, visualising history makes it so much easier to remember. whenever i start a new module of history, i make timelines by buying a huge roll of the cheapest wrapping paper i can find and taping it up onto my wall, patterned side down. i’ll make a really rough timeline of key events (e.g. my tudors timeline started with the accession of different monarchs, deaths of important people, where henry viii’s fancy led to) with big markers and then as we go through the course, i’ll add more detailed information in different colours! then, when i’m revising, i’ll tape another piece of wrapping paper over it and try and reconstruct it from memory. some people in my class use flashcards instead, with one for each year - do whatever works for you!

check out:

formatting and using flashcards by @illolita

flashcard tips by @tbhstudying

flip cards by @brokestudiesnrefs

4. make profiles of key figures!

when i was studying the american west, i found it really hard to keep track of all the generals because a) i’m about as far from a military historian as you can get and b) i hated them all. so to try and remember them, i made them into characters - some of them i doodled, some i made on the sims, some my history class acted out together. it’s a great way of forcing yourself to both research individual figures and remember little details about them - i’m a bit of a perfectionist, so looking up tiny facts about each rank to make The Perfect Sim really helped them stick in my head!

5. make your own history!

at the end of the day, it’s you that has to remember these facts for an exam. why not make a game out of it? reenact a key argument with a friend, read out preserved letters dramatically to yourself, watch historical dramas involving the figures you’re studying. if you can get yourself to remember things outside of a textbook, you’re halfway there!

check out:

studying history by @universtudy

writing history essays by @thehistorygrad

i hope you can find these useful! if you have any questions or just want to talk history, feel free to message me :)

Why is this turtle being mobbed by fish?

A few months ago while researching in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA diver Mitchell Tartt caught this turtle on camera. Although they may seem like paparazzi swarming this green sea turtle, the yellow tang here are actually doing the turtle a favor.

Over time, turtles and other marine animals accumulate algae and parasites and small invertebrates. But to the yellow tangs and other fish, those parasites are something entirely different: a meal.

These fish gather throughout Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary in what are known as “cleaning stations.” When the sea turtle swims up, the fish surround it – it’s dinner time!

This relationship is just one example of a type of symbiosis in the ocean, called mutualism, in which animals of different species form relationships that benefit them both. Many sea creatures depend on symbiotic relationships to survive, from sea anemones and clownfish, to corals and zooxanthellae, to remoras and sharks.

What’s your favorite example of symbiosis in the ocean?

Update:Τα 18.

*Η στιγμή που το κορίτσι που ήμουν στα 16 μου,άλλαξε στα 17 για να καταλήξει αυτό που είναι στα (τόσο κοντινά)18 μου.

Υπάρχουν ακόμα μέρες που κλαις για καταστάσεις και πρόσωπα του παρελθόντος,μέρες που δε θες να σηκωθείς καν από το κρεβάτι,που θες για λίγο απλά να υπάρχεις στον χώρο,χωρίς όμως να κάνεις τίποτα.

Αλλά:Οι μέρες εκείνες είναι τόσο λίγες,μπροστά σε εκείνες που νιώθεις ευγνώμων για ό,τι έχεις καταφέρει ως τώρα.

Ένα αγόρι θα σου πει πόσο του αρέσουν τα μακρυά μαλλιά σου γιατί “αυτά ταιριάζουν στις κοπέλες”.Και τότε αποφασίζεις να κάνεις αυτό που ήθελες τόσο καιρό αλλά δίσταζες:τα κόβεις.Δε σε νοιάζει τόσο πια η γνώμη των άλλων.Έτσι τολμάς κι εκείνα τα piercing και φοράς πλεον ό,τι αρέσει σε εσένα γιατί πια δε σε αφορά η μόδα.Νιώθεις μια περίεργη μορφή εσωτερικής ελευθερίας.

Έκανες κάποιους λάθος χειρισμούς.Θα συνεχίσεις να κάνεις.Αλλά πλεον έχεις μάθει να σε συγχωρείς και όχι να σε καταδικάζεις.Έπαψες πια να ανακυκλώνεις τις αρνητικές αυτές σκέψεις στο μυαλό σου.

Συνηθίζουν(λανθασμένα) να λένε ότι η ωριμότητα πάει με την ηλικία.Έτσι θα χάσεις λίγο την ανεμελειά σου γιατί ένας μελλοντικός ενήλικας έχει περισσότερες ευθύνες απο τον 16χρονο εαυτό σου.Θα αρχίσει σιγά σιγά να σβήνεται το χαμόγελό σου και τη θέση του να παίρνει ένα πρόσωπο βουτηγμένο στις υποχρεώσεις.Μην επιτρέψεις να χαθεί αυτό το παιδί από μέσα σου.

Διαφώνησες αρκετά αυτά τα δύο χρόνια και έχασες άτομα.Κάποια μάλιστα ήταν σημαντικά για εσένα.

Αλλά: Κέρδισες εσένα και δεν επέτρεψες σε κανέναν να σε αλλάξει.Και δεν μπορώ να φανταστώ μεγαλύτερη νίκη από αυτήν εδώ.

Συνειδητοποίησες την προσωρινότητα των καταστάσεων και κατάλαβες ότι οι άνθρωποι δε μπορούν να μείνουν για πάντα.Βέβαια,είμαστε κι εμείς οι ίδιοι που αποχωρούμε κάποιες φορές.

Τελικά έκανες πράγματα που ισχυριζόσουν ότι δε θα κάνεις ποτέ.Κάποια μάλιστα τα επανέλαβες διότι σου άρεσε η γλύκα της “αμαρτίας”.Έτσι,ήπιες λίγο παραπάνω και δε γύρισες σπίτι την ώρα που είχες υποσχεθεί.Ή μάλλον ίσως και να μη γύρισες καθόλου.Ανοίχτηκες σε άτομα που δεν περίμενες ότι θα ερχόσασταν τόσο κοντά και τόλμησες επιτέλους να φύγεις από καταστάσεις που για χρόνια σε έπνιγαν.Έσπασες τους κανόνες για ό,τι ποθούσε ανέκαθεν η καρδιά σου.Διεκδίκησες,υποτιμήθηκες,πόνεσες,κέρδισες αυτό που επιθυμούσες,αλλά έμαθες και να χάνεις.

Πλήγωσες και πληγώθηκες παραπάνω απ’ όσο πίστευες ότι θα αντέξεις.Και όμως,να ‘σαι εδώ.Ακόμα πιο δυνατή.Ακόμα πιο εντάξει με την ιδέα ότι έσφαλες.

Αλλά: Ακόμα πιο σίγουρη ότι δε γίνεται να φταις για όλα εσύ.

Η ευτυχία σου δεν εξαρτάται πια από κανέναν άνθρωπο.Η ευτυχία σου καθορίζεται από εσένα.Και δεν ξέρεις πόσο υπέροχο είναι αυτό.

Χρειάστηκε να πεις πολλές φορές ένα μεγάλο “Άντε στο διάολο” σε καταστάσεις που δεν οδηγούν πουθενά.Κι έτσι,προχώρησες σε νέα πράγματα,καλύτερα.

Παρέμεινες ζωντανή κι έφτασες μέχρι εκεί που δε μπορούσες καν να φανταστείς ότι θα καταφέρεις να φτάσεις ποτέ.Τα μαύρα σύννεφα έφυγαν.

Έφαγες λίγο παραπάνω και δεν κοιμήθηκες καθόλου κάποια βράδια.Ξενύχτησες.Απέκτησες μαύρους κύκλους και ραγάδες.Ψήλωσες.Πάχυνες και αδυνάτησες.Και κάπως έτσι έμαθες λίγο παραπάνω να σε αγαπάς.

Τωρινέ μου εαυτέ,είμαι περήφανη για εσένα.

Υ.Γ.:Σε όποιον νιώθει ότι δε θα φτάσει μέχρι τα 18,διότι δεν αντέχει άλλο:Ο πόνος αυτός είναι προσωρινός και όλα εκείνα που σε περιμένουν τόσο μεγάλα που αξίζει να παλέψεις γι'αυτά.Τις πιο όμορφες μέρες δεν τις έχεις ζήσει ακόμα.Τα λέμε.

rare feelings

being completely immersed into a book as if you’re watching a movie

being able to study for a long time without being distracted

wandering upon a scent that reminds you of a distant memory from your childhood that you haven’t smelled for years and years

the freedom of letting yourself do something badly (like art or learning) and knowing you’re progressing every day

being completely happy despite the bad things because you remember every little good thing and kind person in your life

stargazing in a remote landscape and feeling existentially precious and insignificant at the same time

waking up early enough to see the darkness turn to sunrise 

finding someone who is radiant in every way

being consistent with a goal you’ve been working on for the longest time and seeing the finished result

knowing that one chapter of your life has ended and a better one is beginning

Lanzarote, Spain: british artist Jason Decaires Taylor has finally completed his monumental underwater project Museo Atlantico.

what if every Tumblr user suddenly looses their mouse?

The Final Interview – Emirates Airlines

So here I was at the Final Interview, more relaxed than my Assessment day. All the scary part was over.

Final interview was one on one with the recruiter. My interview lasted around 1 hour, I can’t quite remember all the questions but I will try to write some to give you an idea.

Also the documents that you need to bring with you to the final interview; 

Full length photo (1) (10 x 15 cm) ; business attire, big smile, plain background, both hands visible on the side, facing forward.

Passport Size Photo (6) (4.5 x 3.5 cm) business attire, big smile, plain background

Casual Photograph (2); one full length, one head/shoulder length photo; clothing in a fitted style, not sitting for full length, conservative attire and surroundings, no sunglasses, hats or group photos. ( You can bring a selection of casual photos and the recruiter will help you to choose.

Photocopy of Educational Certificates

Updated CV

Passport copy x 2 colored 

What Happens in Final Interview?

You have around 1 hour with the recruiter.

You mostly get questions about your previous work experience (s/he takes notes of everything you say)

Just relax, be yourself and believe in yourself:) You can do it!

        Tell me a time when you had a discussion/conflict with a colleague.

         Have you ever worked with people from different cultures/religion?

         Tell me how you adjusted working with people from different cultures

         Tell me about a time when you were disappointed by  a colleague.

         Name a time you had to adjust to the rules / way of doing things at a job, to accommodate a customer’s needs.

         Have you ever had an issue with another employee were you disagreed on something, and how did you handle the situation?

        Have you ever had a deadline at a job that you had to meet, and how did you go about getting it done on time?

        What are/were your responsibilities in your current/previous job?

        Why do you want to work as Flight Attendant?

        Which languages can you speak?

        Have you ever had a disagreement with a customer? what happened?

So it is very relaxed not strictly formal interview it is more about getting to know you. We ended up with recruiter laughing and gossiping about the hotel’s staff :D And when I was leaving she thanked me in Turkish, and she told me she has a very good Turkish friend working for Emirates and I taught her how to say You are welcome & Nice to meet you in Turkish:)

And my recruiter told me she will present all the candidate portfolios to Dubai HQ and I should hear back in 4-6 weeks about the result. So crossed my fingers thanked her and left there feeling happy and hopeful :)

did y’all see this shit

“My mom painted this and said no one would like it. It’s her 2nd painting.”

“I painted somebody’s mom”

“Took a while and not perfect, but i painted the guy who painted the other guy’s mom”

“I painted the girl who painted the guy who painted the other guy’s mom who painted an egret”

“I painted the guy who painted the girl who painted the guy who painted the mom who painted a bird”

“When it sinks in that I stayed up most of the night to paint a meme for internet points…”