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Final Exam Survival: Your Guide To Nail Your Final

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You’ve been working hard the whole semester. You’ve put in the hours on your class assignments, tests, and reports. You’re well on your way to getting a respectable grade. There’s just one more hurdle to overcome – you need to survive your ...

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You’ve been working hard the whole semester. You’ve put in the hours on your class assignments, tests, and reports. You’re well on your way to getting a respectable grade. There’s just one more hurdle to overcome – you need to survive your final exam.

How You Used To Do It

Exam time naturally comes with a lot of pressure. You’ve done the quick meals, lack of sleep, and cramming sessions route but they always leave you tired and the nerves don’t seem to subside. There has to be a better way to nail your final.

How It Should Be Done

There are plenty of top tips you can have in place to ensure that you’re well prepared and nail your exams. Here is our final exam survival guide:

Get Some Rest

This may come as surprise to you. Why on earth should you be resting when you could be studying? Well, besides the fact that studying for extended periods of time without rest will leave you exhausted, in order for your brain to remember all you’ve just studiedand transfer it to “permanent long-term memories”, you need to take frequent breaks. This includes getting some shut-eye and avoiding your smart devices while doing so as they stimulate the brain.

Get in that Vitamin B

A study conducted by scientists from Boston University revealed that learners who had good exam performances, had a lot of Vitamin B in their system.

You can find it in foods such as chicken, broccoli, pumpkin, lentils, and eggs, to name a few.

Don’t Procrastinate

The last thing you want to do is have an all-night study session the night before a major exam. Besides the fact that this will hinder your brain from remembering all you’re trying to get in, cramming also doesn’t help with the nerves. And we all know that nerves are the enemy of trying to get a good grade.

So do yourself a favor and prepare well in advance. Put together a study time table that includes resting times and try to stick to it as best as you can. You’ll be glad you did this one.

On Exam Day

When it comes to the day of your exam, it’s often true that the most basic advice is the truest.

Multiple Choice Exam

Most exam papers will have a multiple choice section. In order to nail this part, make sure that you follow the following steps:

  • Read the entire question
  • Use the process of elimination
  • With the remaining possible answers after the process of elimination, select the answer that makes the most sense to you
  • If you find that 2 or 3 answers seem like the correct answer and the other options may also be correct, then choosing the “all the above” option might be the correct choice.

Essay Exams

No need to be intimated when you come across an essay exam. Here’s how to nail it:

  • Read the question and instructions carefully
  • Draft your essay by outlining the important points you want to focus on
  • Also draft your evidence, quotes, or studies that will support your statements
  • Time yourself carefully. Make sure you’re not spending too much time on the essay, and neglecting the rest of your exam questions.

Take A Deep Breath!

Now that you have our final exam survival guide, go out there and nail your finals! For more useful tips to use at school and at home, be sure to join our email list.

 

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New Mom Tried “The 10-3-2-1-0 Formula” For A Week And This is What Happened

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New Mom Tried “The 10-3-2-1-0 Formula” For A Week And This is What Happened

Author and Business Consultant Bedros Keuilian created a system to help you sleep better, wake up earlier, get more done,...

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New Mom Tried “The 10-3-2-1-0 Formula” For A Week And This is What Happened

Author and Business Consultant Bedros Keuilian created a system to help you sleep better, wake up earlier, get more done, and feel great doing it. It’s called the 10-3-2-1-0 formula!

We all want to “wake up early and get stuff done!” But with busy schedules, classes, kids, and showering, all you want to do is squeeze every last minute out of your sleep. Hello, snooze button! This method promises better sleep and improved focus.

What Is The 10-3-2-1-0 Formula?

The 10-3-2-1-0 formula breaks down like this:

  • 10 hours before bed – No more caffeine.
  • 3 hours before bed – No more food or alcohol.
  • 2 hours before bed – No more work.
  • 1 hour before bed – No more screen time (turn off all phones, TVs and computers).
  • 0 – The number of times you will hit the snooze button in the morning.

Keuilian uses science to back up his claims. Caffeine takes longer than you might expect to leave your system (about 10 hours.) That residual caffeine lives in your system and can make it hard to unwind. Eating large meals, spicy foods, and drinking alcohol can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep all night—even though having a glass of wine in the evening may seem to make it easy. Plus, working, thinking about work, and staring at screens can keep your brain active when it’s time to turn the lights out.

This method is designed to help power down your brain so you can wake up refreshed.

Sounds interesting, right? We wanted to put this formula to the test, so we enlisted a real mom to try it out for 7 days. Would it live up to the hype?

A New Mom’s Experience with 10-3-2-1-0

New Mom Briana Scott is a Wife, Full-Time Employee, Part-Time Online Student, and Mama to 1-year-old baby girl. With so many roles and responsibilities, she was excited to try a simple method designed to help her feel better and get more done!

Briana tried the 10-3-2-1-0 formula for 7 days and reported back on her experience.

What was the first day like?

Rough! It was definitely an adjustment. Usually with the caffeine side of things, I drink a Grande size drink from Starbucks around 7 AM! To go without it, on most days, was difficult and made it hard to stay awake for homework after work. Because I have a couple classes and a full-time job to prepare for every night, I never got to bed at a decent time throughout this experiment.

How was the last day in comparison (easier, harder, did you want to quit?)

It was easier than the first day for sure, but it was something I had to keep remembering to do. So, it was almost like adding to the list of things in my day to be aware of. It was a great experiment, though, and would do it again when I’m off track.

What were some challenges you faced in doing the method each day?

Staying on top of it. There was a day or two that I forgot what I was doing with this. Again, that’s only because I had a few other things going on.

Did you notice any benefits in your work, school, or personal life?

I did! Whoop, whoop! The nights that I made myself follow the sleep part of this routine, I woke up the next day on time, refreshed and alert! I loved this result!

Does this method fit your lifestyle? Would you keep it up?

It does and it doesn’t! It holds me accountable for making sure I get the rest/relaxation I need as a parent, student, wife and full-time employee. If I can stick to something like this, I would be well-balanced all the time.

Will you try the 10-3-2-1-0 formula? Have your discovered a “secret recipe” for better sleep? Let us know in the comments!

 

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Will Your Full-Time Job Pay For You To Go Back To School?

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Will Your Full-Time Job Pay For You To Go Back To School?

You have big dreams for your career. You want the corner office, the flexible hours, and definitely the pay increase. You’ve been working hard but y...

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Will Your Full-Time Job Pay For You To Go Back To School?

You have big dreams for your career. You want the corner office, the flexible hours, and definitely the pay increase. You’ve been working hard but you know there’s one way to really give your career the boost it needs – going back to school.

Going back to school for working moms is possible. Sure, you’ll have to juggle work, school, taking care of the family, and that foreign concept called “having a social life”, but you don’t mind because you know it’ll all be worth it. And the best part? You may not even need to pay a cent.

There are many institutions in place that are dedicated to helping women and mothers further their studies. Some of them are grants and scholarships for moms. Some of them may even be right under your nose.

Your Job May Pay for Your College Degree

This one totally makes sense because educated and skilled employees are very valuable to a company. So how do you go about getting your tuition and other fees paid for? Well, you have to have a plan in place,of course.

When to Ask

Timing is everything. It wouldn’t make sense to ask the company to fund your schooling if you’re experiencing a bit of a slow financial period. It would also not make further sense if you are busy drowning in paperwork and have missed a few deadlines recently. Basically, you want to ask when you and your boss are both in a good space. Patience is a bit difficult sometimes but trust us on this one.

How to Ask

Speaking to HR about the company’s policy on training or education is the perfect place to start as you have to know what’s possible. Many businesses are willing to fund short courses, training or sometimes even full on degrees, as this means that their employee will come back to apply these newfound expertise into the company.

After HR has told you that it’s possible to go back to school, it is now time to convince management to pay up.

The best approach here is to highlight the benefits to the company of you going back to school. Mention the skills you’ll develop and the knowledge you will bring back to your work, after taking the particular course that you’re aiming for.

What to Expect

You may get a “yes”, “no” or “maybe”. You may even get back a “we’ll think about it”. As frustrating as it may be, you have to remember that they are not obliged to take you to school. If you get a positive response – Great! All the bBest! We’re rooting for you!

If not, don’t despair as there are alternative ways to make sure that you get the education you want.

Grants and Scholarships for Moms

There are plenty of grants and scholarships that can help you go back to school. Some are designed for womenand others for mothers, specifically. Opting for this route makes financial sense as you are not required to pay them back. It is worth mentioning though that you’re unlikely to get full funding through one grant or scholarship so applying to as many as possible should be the way to go about it!.

Can you think of other ways that working moms can get funding to go back to school? Share your thoughts in the comments section as we’d love to hear some of your ideas.And for even more money-saving tips, sign up for our newsletter!

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Brilliant Little Hacks  For  Going Back To School On A Budget

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Brilliant Hacks  For  Going Back To School On A Budget

Paying for the cost of going back to school as an adult can seem daunting. But, the payoff for investing in yo...

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Brilliant Hacks  For  Going Back To School On A Budget

Paying for the cost of going back to school as an adult can seem daunting. But, the payoff for investing in your future is ten-fold! There are many ways to go back to school on a budget, from tuition and textbooks to freeing up cash by couponing. Here are some of our favorite money-saving hacks for going back to school on a budget.

Save A Little Money Here And There

The College Investor suggests 11 everyday items that you can include in your daily spending habits to save money for going back to school. These include grocery coupons, cheaper cell phone service, a free app for money tracking, and more that can help you free up a little money here and there toward your goals.

Try To Avoid Student Loans

We all know the horror stories about student loans. Some of us are living them right now!

As a way to encourage you to avoid accumulating any more debt than you may already have, there are tips on how to avoid student loans during your financial planning for college. Sometimes taking on another job or a side hustle isn’t feasible, but there are other ways to work the system.

  • Apply for FAFSA to see what you might be eligible for in scholarships versus loans as a key piece of your college budget plan
  • Check out state colleges that offer free or lower tuition to residents
  • Always apply for the Pell Grant, TAP-NYS Tuition Assistance Award, and scholarships from the military if applicable
  • If taking on a part-time job or side hustle is possible for you, consider a job that pays regularly in cash (bartending or waitressing are a couple of options)

Save Money On Textbooks

This is crucial. Textbooks can be expensive, and if you’re financial aid can’t cover the cost, don’t feel you need to buy them upfront. Renting textbooks is a more affordable option! Just remember to return them on time to avoid late fees. At textbooks.com, former students buy and sell old textbooks at a fraction of the original price.

To get started, you’ll just need the ISBN of your textbook, and take note of the publication issue to be sure you get the right book.

For even more money-saving tips for heading back to school, be sure to sign up for our email list!

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Must-Follow Life Do’s & Don’ts For Women Going Back to School

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Must-Follow Life Do’s & Don’ts For Women Going Back to School

The Internet is full of “life hacks” for juggling it all, Diva. Maybe you’ve heard of some th...

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Must-Follow Life Do’s & Don’ts For Women Going Back to School

The Internet is full of “life hacks” for juggling it all, Diva. Maybe you’ve heard of some them:

  •     Wake up at 5 AM every day (and never hit snooze!)
  •     Study while you workout so you can knock out two things at once
  •     Forget about music and listen to motivational speeches on your commute

But is all that waking up early and multitasking every aspect of your life really going to help you juggle it all?

As women who have been where you are, we put together a list of real-life do’s and don’ts for going back to school as a woman with enough already on her plate.

DO Wake Up Earlier

Sorry about this one, Divas. It is true: waking up earlier can help you be a better boss at life! In fact, according to Forbes, a 2008 Texas University study showed that “college students who identified themselves as ‘morning people’ earned a full point higher on their GPAs than those who were ‘night owls’ (3.5 vs. 2.5).” The data is in, and it pays to wake up even an hour earlier each day.

DON’T Drink Caffeine All Day

It doesn’t matter if it’s coffee, Red Bull, or pre-workout: having caffeine after about noon is just a no-go.

Researchers from the Sleep Disorders & Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital and Wayne State College of Medicine found that having caffeine even 6 hours before bedtime affected sleep amounts by over an hour. Skip the caffeine and try an energizing 7-minute workout to give yourself a mid-afternoon power boost.

DO Try A Block Schedule

Ever felt like you’re checking email, texting friends, reviewing social media notifications, listening to a lecture and completing an essay all at the same time? You may feel like you’re doing it all, Diva, but multitasking can lead to feelings of overwhelm.

Instead, try a block schedule! With this simple method, you set up blocks of time (in your actual calendar or phone) for certain activities. Here’s an example:

  •     3-3:30 check email
  •     3:30-4:00 draft essay
  •     4:00-4:30 listen to a lecture
  •     4:30-5:00 text, call, and check social media

Everything has a chance to be done at its own time and place! You can relax knowing you’ll get to everything you need to do so that you can focus on one thing at a time.

DON’T Procrastinate

This one’s easier said than done, but there is hope! Waiting until the last minute begs for trouble, stress, and less-than-your-best performance. Set aside even 15 minutes each day before a big deadline to complete one task on a project. Pretty soon you’ll be done!

Let’s say you have a paper due in a week. On Monday, you can find 3 sources. On Tuesday, you can take notes on key points you can use in the paper. Then, on Wednesday, write the thesis and build an outline. On Thursday, write a draft. By Friday, you’ll be breezing through the editing process and hitting “Submit.”

DO Give Yourself A Break

Literally and figuratively speaking, remember to cut yourself some slack! If you know you’re doing your best, try not to feel negative about your productivity. You are worth more than just how much stuff you get done!

Take a break from time to time to watch Netflix, get some sun, or just take a nap. You’re doing great, Diva.

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How To Go Back To School As A New Mom

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How To Go Back To School As A New Mom

It’s true what they say: it is NEVER too late to return to school as a new mom. Between feedings, changings and excitement over your little one, being a mom going back ...

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How To Go Back To School As A New Mom

It’s true what they say: it is NEVER too late to return to school as a new mom. Between feedings, changings and excitement over your little one, being a mom going back to school may be the last thing in your mind. But whether you’re in the middle of pursuing your degree or you want to take the time to elevate your new family’s future. Getting started is the first step.

Focus On What Matters Most

Becoming a mom has a powerful effect on your mindset. You want to do everything you can to improve your life and your child’s, and going back to school is a great way to do that! It will be more important now than ever to  allow yourself to take a break by allowing others to help in caring for your new baby.

To get started on the right foot, be sure to:

  1. Outline Your Goals: Keep them realistic, attainable and pertinent to your future career. Articulate your goals to friends and family who support you. Find a study partner who is on a similar track.
  2. Evaluate Your Lifestyle: Choose the college environment that’s best for you and suits your learning needs and style.  
  3. Find Help: Locate an advisor to help you devise your course of study and to keep you on track.

Create A New School-Friendly Lifestyle

Once you’ve decided exactly how you want to go back to school as a new mom, experiment and discover a new way of life that allows all your needs to be met.

Set yourself up for back-to-school success by:

  • Choosing course times and styles that are convenient for you
  • Build a support system by enlisting your partner, an older child, trusted friend, or a babysitter to watch and care for your newborn while you study
  • Create a reasonable timeline for completing school (3 years, 4 years, any breaks) and share with your loved ones! Not only can they better understand why and how things are changing around the house, they can serve as your accountability partners.
  •  Remember to make yourself a priority in the household as well. Schedule time away from everything to do an activity you love, care for your body by going to the gym, or relaxing in any way you like.

 

When you’re going through a big life change, finding a community of like-minded women who share your challenges is crucial! Sharing your jouenry as a new mother going back to school and knowing there are others going through a similar challenge can keep us on track and hold us accountable to completing what we set out to do.  

The Back to School Divas Facebook group is a great place to explore! There are hundreds of women like you sharing inspiration, challenges, and friendship there.

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5 Types of Professors You Meet in College

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5 Types of Professors You Meet in College (And How To Handle Them)

First, there's acceptance, tuition, and registration. Buying books and doing homework are time-and-money-consuming enough. But then there’s the issue of your college prof...

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5 Types of Professors You Meet in College (And How To Handle Them)

First, there’s acceptance, tuition, and registration. Buying books and doing homework are time-and-money-consuming enough. But then there’s the issue of your college professor.

Whether you’re taking courses in-person or online, you’ll have to deal with them. Your college professor can be your guide and trusted Giver of Wisdom—or they can be an absolute nightmare.

What you learn, how you learn, the depth of your workload, and most importantly YOUR GRADE are all determined by this one person. So. Much. Pressure.

Learn how to deal with the 5 types of college professors you’ll meet on your journey (if you haven’t already!)

1. The Tough Gal (Or Guy)

This is the college professor every college student dreads. Still, the universe wouldn’t be in perfect order if you didn’t have at least one of this professor type.

The Tough Gal assigns two chapter readings and a quiz every week, with no opportunities for extra credit (of course.) “Make it work,” she says in her best Tim Gunn impression.

Her Goal: to force you to prioritize your work and get organized.

How to Deal: get your work done on time, and try to stand out from the class by engaging with her and your classmates (even online.) Get her to see that you’re a real person, with a real life, and she just might have some pity on you.

2. The Absentee

If you have this professor in person, you’ll often see the sign on the door: class canceled. Yay! At least, until the test rolls around. He’s never absent on those days.

Online, this professor never replies to email. Ever. Your questions go unanswered, even while grades still pop up in your Blackboard grade book.

So. Frustrating.

His Goal: skate by on minimum effort, seems like.

How to Deal: do your work, stay under the radar, and reach out to your classmates with any questions you have. You’re all in this together, after all.

3. The Hot Mess

Maybe she’s new. Maybe she has a crazy home life. Whatever the case, this college professor always seems on edge, is always borrowing pens from students, and can never find the lecture notes she needs.

This professor could be brilliant, and yes, she shows up on time—but being in her classroom gives you anxiety.

Her Goal: just make it through the day, honestly.

How to Deal: first and foremost, be kind. You never know what she’s going through! Be conversational when appropriate, and have patience. Oh, and keep extra pens on you at all times.

4. The Genius

This is the college professor of Hollywood. Intelligent, thoughtful, and totally put-together. The Genius is the type who probably wrote your textbook. She sits on the board of nonprofits and spends summer vacation excavating archaeological sites.

She has a lot of wisdom to impart! If you have any interest in her research and subject matter at all, she’s the perfect professor to ask to mentor you.

Her Goal: save the world, and also change the way you see it for the rest of your life.

How to Deal: listen carefully, take lots of notes, and pay attention! Ask her to mentor you if you’re interested, or ask for a recommendation letter. She’s likely highly respected in her field.

5. The One Who Loves Group Projects

Who doesn’t love a good group project? This college professor type REALLY loves them. “Get together, meet people, and explore things in real life!” Sure, we all need to work on our people skills. But does he not realize how hard it is to coordinate a group project online?

Sheesh!

His Goal: improve your communication skills, connect with people, and learn to operate with a team mentality.

How to Deal: Play the role you need to in the group to survive, and be a stand-up person when it comes to meeting deadlines and showing up for activities.

 

Can you think of any other professor types? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to share this post if you enjoyed it.

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The Surefire Way To Organize Your Life With A Bullet Journal

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The Surefire Way To Organize Your Life With A Bullet Journal

Between home life, work, and school, how’s a girl supposed to find time to just live? The bullet journal, the organizational notebook thought up by Ryder Carroll, could be your ...

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The Surefire Way To Organize Your Life With A Bullet Journal

Between home life, work, and school, how’s a girl supposed to find time to just live? The bullet journal, the organizational notebook thought up by Ryder Carroll, could be your solve. At its heart, this simple method acts like a combination of to-do list, day planner and project planner. It’s easy to get started, and easy to personalize (perfect for creative expression!)

The Surefire Way To Organize Your Life With A Bullet Journal

Between home life, work, and school, how’s a girl supposed to find time to just live? The bullet journal, the organizational notebook thought up by Ryder Carroll, could be your solve. At its heart, this simple method acts like a combination of to-do list, day planner and project planner. It’s easy to get started, and easy to personalize (perfect for creative expression!)

Bullet Journaling — that is — writing things down in a bulleted list or bullet journal as some call it, places our daily, weekly and monthly “to do” list in a sequential order.

Write down the things on your brain:

  • An appointment
  • An essay due date
  • Kids’ activities
  • Life goals

And get it off your mind.

Why Create A Bullet Journal?

Using a bullet journal can keep you on track. It’s also a great place to write down important appointments, social events, contacts and other items that require your attention.  The act of writing can also make your life calmer and keep you more organized as you go about the day caring for your family, your work, and yourself. It’s the best way to keep rocking every aspect of your life like the organized Diva that you are!

As you fill out your BUJO create a method for keeping track of things. The Lazy Genius Collective suggests that placing things in order, starting with an index with notes on all the pages in your journal, and moving into a daily or monthly plot can be beneficial to keeping you using your BUJO effectively.

The beautiful thing about this style planning is that it’s as unique as you are. No more wasting pages on day planners. Create it exactly the way you like, with only the things you need! In general there is no right way to organize your BUJO.

Get Started With Your Bullet Journal

Getting started is easy! Just buy any lined or dotted notebook and a pen—that’s truly all you need. Bloggers at www.simplepurpose.ca recommend that you buy yourself a good planner or notebook, one that makes you feel like you want to write in[1] it. The great thing about bullet journals is that they are customized to your life – you get to make lists, write, and scribble in your BUJO – and you can make it as minimalist or creative as you like!

Make Your Bullet Journal Work For YOU, Diva!

Once you’ve got the basics, you may choose to step things up a little by getting creative. Create monthly themes, plan layouts for tracking class projects, or make space for a gratitude log. You can do what you like! Planning Mindfully is a blog dedicated to the art and creation of handy, beautiful bullet journal templates. If drawing and “making it fancy” aren’t your interest, explore the official Ryder Carroll edition of Bullet Journal 101!

Get your life organized, gain some clarity of mind, and keep working it!

What’s your favorite way to plan? Tell us in the comments!

And if you want even more tips on staying organized, join our email list for weekly inspiration.

Bullet Journaling — that is — writing things down in a bulleted list or bullet journal as some call it, places our daily, weekly and monthly “to do” list in a sequential order.

Write down the things on your brain:

  • An appointment
  • An essay due date
  • Kids’ activities
  • Life goals

And get it off your mind.

Why Create A Bullet Journal?

Using a bullet journal can keep you on track. It’s also a great place to write down important appointments, social events, contacts and other items that require your attention.  The act of writing can also make your life calmer and keep you more organized as you go about the day caring for your family, your work, and yourself. It’s the best way to keep rocking every aspect of your life like the organized Diva that you are!

As you fill out your BUJO create a method for keeping track of things. The Lazy Genius Collective suggests that placing things in order, starting with an index with notes on all the pages in your journal, and moving into a daily or monthly plot can be beneficial to keeping you using your BUJO effectively.

The beautiful thing about this style planning is that it’s as unique as you are. No more wasting pages on day planners. Create it exactly the way you like, with only the things you need! In general there is no right way to organize your BUJO.

Get Started With Your Bullet Journal

Getting started is easy! Just buy any lined or dotted notebook and a pen—that’s truly all you need. Bloggers at www.simplepurpose.ca recommend that you buy yourself a good planner or notebook, one that makes you feel like you want to write in[1] it. The great thing about bullet journals is that they are customized to your life – you get to make lists, write, and scribble in your BUJO – and you can make it as minimalist or creative as you like!

Make Your Bullet Journal Work For YOU, Diva!

Once you’ve got the basics, you may choose to step things up a little by getting creative. Create monthly themes, plan layouts for tracking class projects, or make space for a gratitude log. You can do what you like! Planning Mindfully is a blog dedicated to the art and creation of handy, beautiful bullet journal templates. If drawing and “making it fancy” aren’t your interest, explore the official Ryder Carroll edition of Bullet Journal 101!

Get your life organized, gain some clarity of mind, and keep working it!

What’s your favorite way to plan? Tell us in the comments!

And if you want even more tips on staying organized, join our email list for weekly inspiration.

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Simple Time Management Tips For Graduate Students

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Simple Time Management Tips For Graduate Students

All academics, graduate students, and faculty alike struggle with the challenge of time management. New graduate students are often amazed at how much there is to do each day: classes, resea...

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Simple Time Management Tips For Graduate Students

All academics, graduate students, and faculty alike struggle with the challenge of time management. New graduate students are often amazed at how much there is to do each day: classes, research, study groups, meetings with professors, reading, writing, and attempts at a social life.

Many students believe that it will get better after they graduate, but, unfortunately, most people report being even busier as new professors, researchers, and professionals. With so much to do and so little time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t let stress and deadlines overtake your life.

How to Avoid Burnout

My best advice for avoiding burnout and getting bogged down is to keep track of your time: Record your days and maintain daily progress towards your goals. The simple term for this is “time management.” Many people dislike this term, but, call it what you will, managing yourself is essential to your success in grad school.

Use a Calendar System

By now, you probably use a calendar to keep track of weekly appointments and meetings. Grad school requires taking a long-term perspective on time. Use a yearly, monthly, and weekly calendar.

  • Year Scale. It’s difficult to keep track of today and remember what needs to be done in six months. Long term deadlines for financial aid, conference submission, and grant proposals creep up quickly! Don’t find yourself surprised to realize that your comprehensive exams are in a few weeks. Plan at least two years ahead with a yearly calendar, divided into months. Add all long-term deadlines on this calendar.
  • Month Scale. Your monthly calendar should include all paper deadlines, test dates, and appointments so that you can plan ahead. Add self-imposed deadlines for completing long-term projects like papers.
  • Week Scale. Most academic planners use a weekly scale of measurement. Your weekly calendar includes your day-to-day appointments and deadlines. Have a study group on Thursday afternoon? Record it here. Carry your weekly calendar everywhere.

Use a To-Do List

Your to-do list will keep you moving towards your goals on a daily basis. Take 10 minutes every night and make a to-do list for the next day. Look at your calendar for the next couple of weeks to remember tasks that need to be planned in advance: searching for literature for that term paper, buying and sending birthday cards, and preparing submissions to conferences and grants. Your to-do list is your friend; never leave home without it.

  • Prioritize your to-do list. Rank each item by importance and attack your list accordingly so that you don’t waste time on non-essential tasks.
  • Schedule time to work on classes and research each day, even if it is just a few 20-minute blocks. Think you can’t get much done in 20 minutes? You’d be surprised. What’s more important is that the material will stay fresh in your mind, enabling you to reflect on it at unexpected times (like on your ride to school or walk to the library).
  • Be flexible. Allow time for interruptions and distractions. Aim to plan just 50 percent or less of your time so that you’ll have the flexibility to handle unexpected interruptions. When you’re distracted by a new task or something that you need to remember, write it down and get back to work. Don’t let a flight of ideas keep you from completing the task at hand. When you’re interrupted by others or seemingly urgent tasks, ask yourself, “What is the most important thing I can do right now? What’s most urgent?” Use your answer to plan your time and get back on track.

Time management doesn’t have to be a dirty word. Use these simple techniques to get things done your way.

Iris Martin
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Divas Spotlight: Iris Martin, Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology

Iris Martin

Divas Spotlight: Iris Martin, Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology

Iris Martin recently graduated with her Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. She started her road to graduation in 1999, when she was ...

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Divas Spotlight: Iris Martin, Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology

Iris Martin recently graduated with her Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. She started her road to graduation in 1999, when she was a single mom of 3.

“I couldn’t stay focused on school, work and take care of my children properly so I dropped out and was left with lots of debt that I could not keep up with.”

Iris, like many mothers pursuing their college degrees, felt she had to make a choice. In order to be the best Mom she could, she put her goals on pause. “My student loans eventually went into default,” she says, “and I felt like I would never be able to complete my degrees.”

But that was just the beginning of Iris’ story.

“Eventually I was able to get my loans out of default and return to school to complete my Bachelors, then Masters while taking care of 5 kids and juggling several jobs including my own business.”

Today Iris is a proud grad and Travelista! Her Virginia Beach-based business, Surreal Journeys Travelers, allows her to serve as Travel Consultant for clients around the country. She helps navigate the travel process even last-minute to make vacation dreams a reality for her clients.

Her Facebook group Surreal Journeys Elite Travelers includes more than 1,200 members who share stories and vacation inspiration, as well as participate in group trips and take advantage of exclusive travel deals.

Iris is the definition of a Back to School Diva! Her hard work and tireless effort in raising her family, completing her degrees, and running her business make us so proud.

We’re excited to feature Iris Martin as our Featured Diva!

Get to know Iris:

Website: www.surrealjourneystravels.com

Instagram: @surrealjourneystravel

Facebook: Surreal Journeys Elite Travelers

 

To apply to be our NEXT featured DIVA, submit your application at https://bit.ly/2MzfLPu