#heygen
28.05.2022—finally making strong headway with this essay that i’ve been struggling with all week. not long left to go now. although referencing isn’t going to be fun
27.05.2022—this week has been intense, and there’s no reprieve coming soon. got a new laptop tho
25.05.2022—it’s essay season. hope you’re all having a good week ✨
23.05.2022—a new week, a new Australian prime minister. we love to see it
20.05.2022—busy busy times. very tired
Morning Session // Writing up project proposals…
I actually enjoy getting on campus early in the morning, before too many students are around. It gives me time to ease myself into the day (and eat my apple in peace). These pretty red chairs are super comfy too.
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07:00 || Lone mornings in the library.
As the term is only just kicking off, nobody attends the libraries early in the morning. Allowing me to bask in silence!! The above images are taken in The Flaxman Gallery inside the Main Library at University College London.
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Assignment Checklist Free Printable (PDF in Google Drive)
Keep your assignments looking professional and academic with these checklists that are used once you have completed a piece of work.
Tick off each task to make sure your work is of a presentable standard, for example:
- Single/Double spacing.
- Hanging indent for references.
- Completing title pages; Title, student ID, module code & name.
- Consistent font and font size.
- …And feel free to add your own tasks specific to your course too.
- Bonus: Box at the bottom has common reference styles (MLA, APA, Harvard).
I usually print these, cut them out and keep one with each assignment. It saves me time having to Google what’s required when referencing University/College work. If you can’t print then just write it out on paper/sticky notes. Let me know if this is helpful (and where to improve!).
More help: MLA Referencing//APA Referencing//Harvard Referencing
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Neuroscientist captures an MRI of a mother and child
Professor Rebecca Saxe (MIT) has taken the first ever MR image of a mother and child.
“This picture is an MR image of a mother and a child that I made in my lab at MIT. You might see it as sweet and touching… an image of universal love. We can’t see clothes or hairstyles or even skin colour. From what we do see, the biology and the brains, this could be any mother and child or even father and child at any time and place in history; having an experience that any human can recognise.
Or you might see it as disturbing, a reminder that our human bodies are much too fragile as houses for ourselves. MRI’s are usually medical images and often bad news. Each white spot in that picture is a blood vessel that could clog, each tiny fold of those brains could harbour a tumour. The baby’s brain maybe looks particularly vulnerable pressed against the soft thin shell of its skull.
I see those things, universal emotions and frightening fragility but I also see one of the most amazing transformations in biology.”
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- Once you have purchased an item open the product in-store (or in your car).
- Make sure everything is of an acceptable standard, and that it is what you needed (it usually is but I’ve sometimes made the mistake of buying the wrong cable).
I do this when buying:
- Technology;usually for small items e.g. USB, hard drives, cables, headphones, soldering irons etc… I would do it for laptops only if the box looked like it had taken a knocking. I’d want to check the screen there and then.
- Medical prescriptions; my grandmother was once given out-of-date medicine and the pharmacy also once ran out of the drug she needed and offered an alternative that my grandmother was actually allergic too.
- Textbooks;have a good look at the contents pages and illustrations (some pictures are sooo difficult to understand!) and make sure it has testing questions.
I have social anxiety and hate leaving the house for shopping so this has really saved me the worry of having to return products.
If these help anyone, great!
- Set your timetable as your phone background for the first few weeks. Use this method for no. 6 too if you can be bothered.
- Wear sports bras/bralettes to lectures instead of the ones with a buckle at the back. They tend to poke and prod your back after a while if you’re leaning back. Sports bras don’t.
- Lay a towel on your bed a few days before your period is due. If you leak on a towel you can just wash it or throw it away. Easier than washing and changing the sheets (esp. if you’re in a rush to get to a lecture!).
- When you’re in a lecture taking notes on a laptop remember to turn down the brightness on your screen, especially if the lecturer has dimmed the lights. Otherwise you’ll annoy others and drain your battery.
- Save your recordings at every given break instead of making one continuous one through pausing. Sometimes files are too large to save and you don’t want to risk losing the entire lecture recording. Save as you go along.
- If you need to remember something (e.g. a library book, USB, locker key..) write it on a post-it note and stick it on your shoes before you sleep. Make sure they’re the shoes you intend to wear the next day!
- Don’t shoot me: if you have left an assignment really late, stay up as long as you can completing it (yes, that means an all-nighter may be needed). Sleep as soon as you’ve handed it in.
- If you use tech in a lecture e.g. phone for recording or electronic notetaking on your laptop, then mess around with it before uni begins. Know what buttons to press and when, otherwise you’ll mess up your notes and annoy others, with your excessive clicking.
- Always, always, ALWAYS carry a plastic bag/carrier bag. You might need to make a trip to the library, drink may spill in your bag so you’ll need an alternative. Seriously, just carry one.
- Find out where coursework/assignment are submitted within your first week on campus. Ask admin how the procedure works and make sure you know it inside out.
- Spend a day wondering around campus (before timetabled lectures start). Find out where the library is, talk to the librarians and ask them how to borrow/return books and also how to reserve!
- When you get your timetable be sure to visit the lecture halls and seminar rooms a few days before the term starts so you know where to go. Find out where the toilets are in those buildings too.
- Find out where your lecturers offices are. Know the building and floor that they’re on (they’re usually all in the same place).
- Carry cereal bars and other non perishable foods that take up little room. Sometimes your tummy rumbles really loud in a lecture, give it some love.
- Volunteer in your first year of university, these is the least hectic year (usually!). You want something to put on that CV and those post grad applications!
- In the UK the first year generally doesn’t count toward the final degree classification but those grades WILL show up on your transcript. Make sure they look decent. When you apply for post grad courses, if you don’t have the certificate yet (because you’re still completing the course) the university/institution will ask for your grade transcript. First year grades come up first!
- A huge part of your degree classification/GPA comes from the final year thesis. Talk to as many older students as you can and ask them what topics they picked and how they went about it. A great thesis/dissertation will literally move you from a 2:1 to a 1st.
- When you have a meeting with your supervisor take notes and write up a short summary of what was said, similar to writing up “meeting minutes”. This will be helpful for you and your supervisor. Especially if you take long breaks before meeting again.
I’ll update this list as things come to me. I hope it helps.
9:00 // Royal Holloway, University of London is beautiful.
I’ve been running experiments with a masters student using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging). I also got an updated scan of my own brain. Nice nice.
Some cool stuff about fMRI experiments:
- Glasses can’t be worn in the scanner (because they contain metal) so you get to wear these sexy specs instead. The lenses that work best for you are slotted in. They’re like swimming goggles.
- People who wear the hijab or a turban can go in the scanner with their head coverings on. Yay! All pins,metals and hair ties need to be removed though.
- Experiments in fMRI tend to have a maximum running time of 90 minutes.
- There is a panic button (looks like a pump) given to participants in the scanner, if you ever want to leave the scanner all you have to do is press it.
- If it’s not given by default you can ask to have a copy of your brain scan. Download a free software called Mango and play around with your brain!!
- The equipment tends to look old - our comps run Windows XP. You’ll see this in science quite a bit and think “why don’t they update??”. Operating systems (Windows/MAC OS) sometimes have updates that tamper with medical software and it can be hard to pinpoint what’s gone wrong. So if it’s working we don’t update it until there’s a reason on our part e.g. when it breaks.
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How to get links in your description (successfully!) using the tumblr mobile app.
For those who already know what they’re doing here’s the link you need to insert with an example:
Example:
In order for the tumblr mobile app to redirect to something, it has to be a post e.g. /tagged/about - It can’t be an actual page e.g. studyingbrains/about (this won’t work).
A couple extra pointers:
- The accent colour (in the mobile app editor) is the colour of your links.
- Try to use obscure tags for “about” links and “my post” links. Otherwise random posts with the words will pop up. For an about page maybe tag the post as “ab0utm3″ then other posts on your tumblr with the words aboutme won’t be shown.
- The above applies to original content too if you tag your stuff as “personal” all posts with that word will pop up (even other users that you’ve reblogged). Come up with obscure tags for mobile links (this makes it easier for followers to navigate).
- When editing your tumblr theme, links tend to break and need to be reentered. Keep that in mind. Check your links every time, after you edit.
- You can still write in the description box, just write before and after the links. e.g. “Brains | UK | About|”
- You can add as many links as you can fit!
- You can add links via the desktop theme editor (I prefer this way), by writing in the description box:
I hope this helped! Any questions, just ask!
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Friday’s // London is actually really dull today and I am tired.
We’re celebrating as two of my friends are getting married and another is pregnant. Being The Antisocial Trash™ that I am, I decided to bake cakes in lieu of my attendance. I also read some infamous Dahl and sorted out my evergrowing stamp collection in the morning.
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11:00am // Work breaks.
With formal modules over, my breaks consist of reading [Phantoms in the Brain by V. S. Ramachandran] and walks around campus whilst listening to podcasts.
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Hello! Today I bring you the first post in my back to school series! This is a list of apps you can start using for the upcoming school year. A star ( * ) denotes apps I use very often.
To Do:
- Minimal List *
- Wunderlist
Calender/Planning/School:
- Apple/Google calendar *
- myHomework *
- Pocket Schedule Planner
- Egenda
- The Homework App
- Edo Agenda
- My School Life
- Class Timetable
Focus/Time Management:
- Forest ($1.99) *
- Flora (free alternative to Forest)
- Focus Keeper (Pomodoro timer)
Studying:
- Quizlet *
- KhanAcademy *
- Photomath
- Duolingo (for languages!)
Notetaking:
- Evernote
- Notability *
- Goodnotes
- OneNote
my first semester is coming to a close and im not ready for finals.
have been writing a term paper all afternoon, haven’t even started practicing for my calculus class yet either.
hope everyone’s having a great day!
Hello! This is a masterpost of my favourite school supplies! This includes pens, pencils, highlighters, markers, paper and notebooks! The small star ( * ) represents my all time ride or die products :) There are no brush pens on this list because I currently don’t own any, got a Pentel Sign one coming though!
Black Pens:
- Pilot G2 0.38
- Pilot G2 0.5 *
- Pentel Energel Needle Tip 0.3 *
- Muji Capped Gel Ink Pen 0.38
Coloured Pens:
- Muji Capped Gel Ink Pens 0.38
- Pilot Juice 0.5 *
- Staedtler Tripus Fineliners
Pencils:
- Papermate Clearpoint Mechanical pencils 0.5 *
- Bic Mechanical Pencils 0.5
Markers:
- Crayola Supertip markers *
- Staedtler markers
Highlighters:
- Zebra Mildiner highlighters *
- Stabilo Boss highlighters
- Muji clear view highlighters
Paper/Notebooks:
- Typo A4 notebooks * (best paper quality ever, kind of expensive)
- Muji Plantation lined notebooks * (really good quality, ivory paper)
- Muji recycled grid notebooks
- Fivestar reinforced paper (decently smooth but SUPER white)
- Muji loose leaf paper (SUPER smooth, but not white)
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First step to choosing a backpack that you expect will last you a long time is deciding what you need from it. How many notebooks and binders will you be carrying? Will you be commuting? How durable do you need it? Does it need to have some sort of water protection? Will you be carrying a laptop? How much does the look of it matter? Make a list of everything you need the backpack to have, and then start searching.
The prices I’ve listed are not exact, depending on the store you buy from, they could run more or less expensive. My brother found the Herschel Little America Mid Volume on sale at theBay (Canada) for $60, so keep an eye out and save some money! Also I’ve used the black version of all of these backpacks so pretty colours aren’t an extraneous variable.
Medium Sized Backpacks
Fjallraven Kanken 16L (80USD/100CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
This backpack has become everyone’s new favourite and I kid you not, I see at least two every single day. It’s is the smallest out of the ones I’ll be mentioning. This backpack is waterproof, so if you live in a more rainy climate then this may be a good idea! The thick material is very durable and can probably take some throwing around.
What Does It Fit:
It’s got two compartments, one main and one small one as well as two open side pockets. The smaller compartment is sort of on the tiny side, and if you want something thicker like a heavy duty portable charger to fit, it might be difficult. This is a good option for those individuals who may not have many textbooks, notebooks or binders. If most of your life is on your electronic device, this will be a good option for you.The original version we are talking about does not have a laptop sleeve (on their website, they do have a laptop version for 115USD/153CAD, that fits a 15inch laptop or smaller), but the back padding is quite thick, so your laptop should be okay in a good quality sleeve. It also comes in a very wide array of colours.
Aesthetics: 9/10
Practicality: 8/10
Availability: 8/10
Overall Rating: 25/30
Herschel Little America Mid Volume 17L (99USD/110CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
It’s very small, despite the fact that it’s a decent size. The zipper and magnetic clasp closure on the small pocket is very annoying, as is the drawstring closure on the main compartment. I find myself being extremely rough with it because the opening and closing isn’t very practical, especially if you don’t have a surface to set it on. I’ve only had it for a year and a half and it’s condition isn’t as good as my Jansport’s condition, after owning it for seven years. This bag is water resistant and waterproof.
What Does It Fit:
It has two compartments, the larger of which has a pocket for a 13 inch laptop. The smaller compartment is quite small, and can barely hold my phone and portable charger comfortably (for reference, I have the iPhone 8 Plus). The most that I’ve been able to fit inside this backpack is two notebooks and one textbook. This is probably better for those who don’t have much to carry. Or, this would again be a good choice for someone who does most of their schoolwork on their laptop/ipad.
Aesthetics: 8/10
Practicality: 3/10
Availability: 7/10
Overall Rating:20/30
Herschel Dawson 20.5L (69USD/75CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
This backpack is quite aesthetically pleasing, with a more minimalist look to it. My opinion on the drawstring is the same with this backpack too, I hate it, but slightly less because instead of having two clasps, it only has one. The material of this bag does mean it’s waterproof, which again, is advantageous to those living in a place where they get a lot of rain.
What Does It Fit:
It has a laptop compartment that fits a 13 inch laptop. It has two smaller compartments, both of which have a clasp enclosure, unlike in the other backpacks I’ve talked about, the small compartment of this bag isn’t horizontal, it is vertical. They’re quite deep pockets, and fit a good amount of stuff. It’s one of the bigger laptops in this category, and can fit around 3-4 notebooks and a binder or two. This is really good for people who have different weights to carry each day, because this is comfortable in both situations.
Aesthetics: 9/10
Practicality: 4/10
Availability: 7/10
Overall Rating: 20/30
Jansport Superbreak 21L (36USD/40CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
This is hands down the best quality of backpacks that I’ve encountered given the price. It ‘s neither waterproof nor water resistant though. It also comes in a wide variety of designs and colours and are probably the most easily available backpacks on this list. One reason I like this bag is because it’s got a very basic design, so if you get a solid coloured one, it’ll look very chic and the black colour will go with everything.
What Does It Fit:
It has two compartments, one main and one small one. This backpack doesn’t have a laptop compartment, but the backing on it is very thick and sturdy, so even if you put your laptop in a sleeve, it’ll be pretty secure. The large compartment is almost never ending (kind of like Hermione’s bag in The Deathly Hallows). It’s held six binders, four notebooks and two textbooks on one occasion for me. The small compartment is also quite spacious, and has a small built in organizer for pens and other smaller knicknacks. There are no water bottle holders on the sides.
Aesthetics: 9/10
Practicality: 7/10
Availability: 10/10
Overall Rating: 26/30
Large Sized Backpacks
The North Face Women’s Borealis 28L (89USD/110CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
This isn’t what I’d refer to as a cute backpack. It’s got this criss cross design on the front made with what they refer to as a bungee system, if needed, you could probably stuff a sweater in this area. Otherwise, it’s just kind of there. It comes in some nice colour combinations. There is also removable buckles, which are probably useful if you’re carrying a bunch of stuff. The straps look the thickest out of all the ones I’ve talked about, and that leads me to believe that they’re much more padded.
What Does It Fit:
This is a large backpack. It’s got three compartments, one very large one with a laptop sleeve that could fit a 15 inch laptop, and the middle one has a bunch of internal divisions for organization, it could fit a calculator, a bunch of pens, even a few notebooks. This divider also has a padded tablet/ipad sleeve. There are two extended mesh water bottle pockets, one of which has quick-draw cell-phone access. The main compartment is very large and could easily fit a large number of books and binders alongside your computer. This is ideal for people with a lot to carry, or commuters who don’t use their own cars.
Aesthetics: 3/10
Practicality: 9/10
Availability: 7/10
Overall Rating: 18/20
The North Face Women’s Jester 28L (70USD/80CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
This is again, not the most cute backpack on the list. It has the same bungee cord on the front, and on their site they state: “bungee cords crisscrossing the front of the pack are perfect for stuffing your jacket and bike helmet under for convenient, hands-free walks from class to class”. The bungee cords are more narrow than on the Borealis. There is also some light reflective particles on the backpack, especially the sleeves, which are probably there to make it safer to walk around at night.
What Does It Fit:
There are two compartments, both of which are pretty big. The front pocket has some internal organization the way the Borealis does. It also has a padded compartment for your ipad/tablet. There are two side mesh pockets for a water bottle or just smaller necessities. The larger compartment has a laptop sleeve again, and it fits a 13 inch laptop. The same compartment still has enough room to accommodate textbooks and binders. This is ideal for people with a lot to carry, and as stated in the other review, probably best for commuters who need to be on campus for a lot longer.
Aesthetics: 6/10
Practicality: 9/10
Availability: 7/10
Overall Rating: 24/30
Jansport Big Student 34L (48USD/55CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
This is a BIG backpack. It’s got the most volume out of all of the ones we’ve spoken about today, but it’s also physically much wider than all of them. That’s a negative for me, because if you ever fill it up completely, you kind of resemble those middle schoolers in television shows that have backpacks on that are bigger than them. I find that I can fit almost everything from this backpack into one of The North Face ones, and they aren’t as wide. It’s much more minimal looking than The North Face ones.
What Does It Fit:
It has six compartments and two mesh side pockets, perfect for a water bottle. One of these compartments at the very back of the bag is made for a 15inch laptop (I have found this pocket on the American version but not the Canadian version). The other two large compartments can easily hold a multitude of notebooks and textbooks. In ninth grade, where I live, we had to bring seven notebooks and five textbooks every single day, and I found that everything fit in those two zippered compartments. And they were not thin textbooks. The next pocket coming towards the outside of the bag is kind of a reach and grab one in my opinion, it isn’t too deep, and ends at about five or six inches down. Perfect for a cellphone. The next one has a built in organizer for pens and smaller trinkets, as well as enough space for a pencil pouch or a bullet journal. The last compartment is quite roomy too, and would probably be best for gum, hair ties, lip balm, etc. This backpack would be ideal for anyone carrying a buttload of stuff.
Aesthetics: 6/10
Practicality: 5/10
Availability: 9/10
Overall Rating: 20/30
Jansport Right Pack Digital Edition 31L (65USD/70CAD)
Appearance, Size & Material:
This is pretty cute for being such a large backpack. It looks a lot like the Superbreak bag from Jansport. I definitely prefer this look to the Big Student. The colours I can find online are pretty limited in comparison to other Jansport bags. In this specific bag design there is a suede bottom, claiming to help with durability. Also, it’s thicker than the average bottom so your electronics would be more secure and safe from breakage.
What Does It Fit:
There are three compartments. The main compartment has a designated and separate space for both a 15inch laptop and an ipad/tablet, the former of which actually has a strap to lock it into place, as well as some additional room for textbooks and notebooks and such. There’s not really much to say about this pocket because it’s very basic and straightforward. The first smaller pocket has a built in organizer, perfect for putting pens, pencils and other small objects in. This is much better than the one in the Superbreak and looks more like the one in the Big Student. It’s got a zippered compartment inside the organizer as well. The final compartment is just a stash pocket for things like your phone or earphones, etc.
Aesthetics: 8/10
Practicality: 7/10
Availability: 7/10
Overall Rating: 22/30
Winners!
The winners are solely based on the grading system, which is quite subjective. I may not like largeness of the Jansport Big Student, but you might love it. I’d recommend giving your own scores and seeing which one is your winner!
Medium Sized: Jansport Superbreak
Large Sized: The North Face Women’s Jester
