So I’m absolutely terrible at updating this, but I really do enjoy blogging 😮
This’ll be a quick little update post, but I’m hoping to work on some more in depth ones tonight.
Last Thursday I got into Chemical Engineering! I’m so excited. It was a pretty wild lead up because I found out after class started, but I’m so happy to be in! 🙂
Not gonna lie, it’s really challenging. The first few days were really stressful, with all of the catching up that I had to do, but I’m working on it! It’s pretty overwhelming (especially as an anxious human being) but I’m managing, and I hope to share some of my tips with managing stress and anxiety (and life in general) with you guys.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
– Why is there never enough time in a day?
– I’ve found some solid 8tracks playlists I’d like to share with y’all
– Begin Again is an incredible movie and you should all watch it cuz it just feels good
– I feel like I’ve improved a lot of my productivity, so I’d like to write about how that’s going/what I’m doing
– I wonder how reasonable it would be to start doing youtube? I feel like that would be a better way to reach people, but I have 0 video editing skills and I’m not sure what the time commitment that would be
Long time no talk. Well no real talk, if that makes sense. Just a lot of formal informative stuff (which is hopefully helpful and.. informative).
I figured that I’d give you guys a little update on my life.
(I’m thinking about starting to vlog.. I’m not really sure if that’s something I’ll follow through on though because I’m pretty busy, but I think it’d also be fun and more personal)
Sorry about the relatively disorganized format of this blog post, by the way. I’ll do my best to keep it as organized as possible.
So, what have I been up to lately?
I went from 0 jobs to two jobs pretty quickly. I’ve come to realize that it’s not too difficult finding a job with a good number of hours in Vancouver, which is nice. I’m splitting my time between a coffee shop and a grocery store, which I’m really enjoying. Both jobs are about a thirty minute drive from my house, but I get lots of hours and it keeps me busy. So 40 hours of work a week later, here I am 🙂 It’s busy and tiring but it’s a nice break but not really break from school, if that makes any sense.
I made the hard decision to decline the RA job next year, so I can really pour all of my focus into school. It was a super tough decision, but I really struggled in term two of first year, and I figured this coming year is my chance to have another fresh start, and give it my all again. (Another sidenote, I’ll be making another blog post about struggling in school and anxiety as well sometime very soon)
This means that next year, I’ll be living in a Marine Drive studio. On move in day, expect a few move in related posts, and some pictures, for anyone who needs photos for reference! Because let’s be real, UBC’s pictures of the different rez rooms are lacking big time and it’s mostly a surprise once you get there.
This coming year, I’ll be going into my first year of Materials engineering, which is a super small program (hopefully that’s a good thing!). It was actually my second program choice, but I’ll make a post on that sometime in the next few weeks. I’m excited to start though! I’m all registered in my courses, and not gonna lie, I’m pretty stoked to take a course called “Pyrometallurgy” (I hope I don’t get my hopes too high up though 😮 )
So somewhere in all of this, I’m finding the time to hang out with my friends (though I feel like my life has been all about working, reading and sleeping) and finding some cool new music.
Somehow, summer is already coming to an end, and next thing you know, school will be in session again. It’s a weird feeling, being so excited, but also knowing that it’ll be crunch time soon.
Hope you guys are enjoying the long weekend! I’ll make another post in a few days, probably a course chronicles.
And let’s be real here, the weather is a little bit .. dreary
(The view from my window on res)
But that being said, I’m optimistic about school this term! New year, new me, right?
My question for you (readers) is this:
Do you get super anxious before the first day of classes?
Because for some reason.. it always happens. Don’t ask me why. It’s no fun and seemingly unwarranted.
This post is kind of all over the place, but please bear with me (I’m kind of all over the place..)
Good luck to everyone starting classes today (or soon!) and good luck to all of the future UBC students who have submitted (or will soon submit) their applications 🙂
More course chronicles will be coming up in the next few days!
So if anyone has actually been keeping up with this blog, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that I wasn’t completely honest when I said that I would be “keeping this updated every week”. So again, you get to hear me apologize once more.
Now, segueing super smoothly (not) to my post because I’m procrastinating my Webworks…
Welcome to exam season! Where tears and stress are around every corner and procrastination is the enemy.
Fun fact: Everyone probably feels the same way that you do. Don’t fret. Most people don’t want to admit that they’re dying of stress overload.. Or if they’re like myself, they complain way too much about it.
Have no fear, friends. Well have some fear, and then conquer that fear and laugh in its face when you are victorious.
Anyways… how does one handle exams?
As a first year, I obviously don’t have any experience with uni finals (yet), but we’re just gonna roll with it, because exams are exams are exams, and why not take every piece of advice you can?
So (I say so way too much, so I’m really SO SOrry about that. Please excuse the terrible puns)
5 Studying/Life Tips
1. Remember to eat (and drink).
I don’t know about you, but when you get in the zone with studying, sometimes you just forget to eat all day.
MAKE YOURSELF EAT. Cuz eventually the hunger will hit you and you’ll get hangry and that’s no fun. Keep a balanced diet, all that good stuff. Remember that you want to be in tip top shape for your exam, so remember to eat lots of fruits and veggies. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water. Or tea. Whatever floats your boat.
2. Two words: Pomodoro Method
Basically, this is a study method with a timer. I usually go for 25 minutes of hardcore studying with no distractions and then a 5 minute break where I can check my social media or have a mini nap. It keeps you focused (and as an easily distracted person, I can definitely attest to the helpfulness of working on a timer) and apparently it helps you digest information better.
3. Remember to get out!
It’s really easy to lock yourself in your room and get depressed when you’re studying. So easy. We’ve all been there, and it just isn’t fun. You feel sorry for/bad about yourself for not being able to do something correctly and you just wanna lie on the ground and have an existential crisis. (I’m all too familiar with this feeling).
I know it definitely feels like going on a 15 minute walk is a waste of time, but I assure you that it is absolutely worth it. It’s always good to take a real break and regain perspective. While school is probably one of the most important things in your life right now, there’s still an entire world out there, and everything else is still going on while you’re in your own study world. Don’t forget that.
Yes, sometimes it is helpful to sit in your room and focus, but remember that life is all about balance.
4. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Every person is different, and if it takes a longer time for you to master a concept, that doesn’t mean that you don’t know what you’re doing or that you’re not smart. Take your time. Trust your abilities. Give yourself a break.
You got into UBC for a reason, and don’t believe that doing poorly on one thing means that you don’t have what it takes. Confidence is key. And if you aren’t confident, fake it til you make it. It works. For reals.
5. Take one thing at a time.
This is really the only way to handle things.
Especially if you’re in engineering like myself, your to do list is probably endless.. because here’s mine:
That’s probably an incomplete to do list, but it’s a work in progress. Life is a work in progress. (Am I profound yet?)
Make yourself a to do list. And work through one thing at a time. Prioritize. What assignments are worth the most? When are they due? What courses do you need to put the most time into? What courses are you having the most difficulty with?
I know that it feels nearly impossible to do, but it’s honestly doable. There were points throughout the past few months where I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it. But here I am!
One step at a time and you’ll make it.
(Sorry, I say one step at a time way too much, and usually it leads to me breaking into mid 2000s Jordin Sparks. Forgive me, please)
Have faith that you know what you’re doing!
Remember to sleep. I forget to get sleep a lot of the time, and it really gets to me in the morning.
I’ll be posting more tips as they come to me 🙂 And expect a TON of posts throughout winter break because by then I’ll have the experience of first term under my belt. Godspeed my friends.
Can I just preface this by apologizing for my lack of appearance on here? (My sincerest apologies….)
Anyways.. It’s such a lovely fall day.. Looking out my window makes me want to just go out and enjoy the sunset while it’s still nice out.
BUT.. this is what I’m doing instead….
Exhibit A: The ever growing to do list
Exhibit B: Deadlines.. and important dates.. keeping it organized. That’s right
So, if you were to ask what I’ve been up to.. this *exaggerated arm gesture* is what I’ve been up to (I promise that I do have a life outside of school). It’s a little bit insane.. but relatively doable.
Midterms are due to start in a week for me (didn’t they just finish..?) So may the hardcore studying commence.
Look forward to some organizational tips and study tips!
Also.. it’s almost November. When did that happen (wasn’t it just move in day? Seriously.. where does the time go). My pre-November resolution is to keep this guy active (and by this guy, I mean excess thoughts). So expect to see weekly updates! (By putting this in writing, I have fully committed to owing you guys the updates). Can I also apologize for the incoherency of this post? I promise that I’ll be much more coherent in the future. And active.
