#rhubardstudies

Webcam Model(Rexx05@xh) is live
LIVE

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!

A Levels is a lot different than GCSEs and here are some tips from a recent graduate.

  • It needs a lot more revision.

The jump from GCSEs/O Levels is enormous.Even though you go from having 8/9 subjects to ¾, much more studying is required. There’s a lot more to cover and all the topics are more elaborated. Overall, everything is just more difficult. Knowing this ahead of time can really be beneficial. Don’t think studying a week before midterms or exams will be a good idea because it won’t be. Your best bet would be to study as you go along.

  • Do not skip classes unless absolutely necessary.

The second mistake was skipping classes. So the first time I ditched, I told myself it would only happen again if it was an emergency, but alas, not the case. After my first time ditching, I almost stopped attending Economics classes completely because I thought I could study on my own, because I didn’t like my teacher. I regretted this when we had our mock, where the questions that were given to us had already been gone through in class.

  • Don’t waste your free periods.

I had a lot of free periods, and in all of them, I’d chat with friends, walk around the school, do nothing of sustenance, basically. These are ideal for studying or revising because you’re technically already in the right mindset seeing as you’re in school. Also, if you get enough done at school, you’ll end up having to do a lot less at home! I’m not saying do this every single time, but just realize that there’s more to free periods than social gatherings.

  • Pick subjects you enjoy.

Every subject is going to be difficult in it’s own way, and you’re going to most likely get fed up of everything. By picking something you enjoy, you may be able to deal with it a lot better and spend more time working on it. I spent the most time in AS on Economics because I loved it and it was so interesting to me, and much less time on Psychology just because it didn’t give me the same excitement. This was blatantly obvious when I got my AS results.

  • Your friend group will change,

I thought I’d be friends with the same people all throughout it. I was wrong. Over just two years, I lost a lot of people I considered to be close friends, but I also made so many new friendships. Friend groups change and it doesn’t have to be due to drama or whatever, it kind of happens naturally. Don’t be alarmed if this happens, because you’ll meet so many new people over the course of your A Levels.

  • Ask questions.

Don’t be afraid to raise your hand and clear your concepts if you’re confused. That’s literally what your teacher is there for! If you don’t want to ask in front of your class, ask in their office hours! It’s better to have accurate information than flipping through different books a week before the exam trying to make sense of it.

  • Join extracurricular activities and clubs

A Levels isn’t going to be fun if all you do is stay locked up studying. To make new friends, meet new people, just have a better time, you can join a club or an activity or something sports related! I joined like three clubs in AS and ran my own in A2, and let me tell you, it was amazing. I met people I would’ve never been friends with if it weren’t for the clubs. Yes grades are important, but some universities may prefer it if you seem like an all rounder.

If anyone has any other tips on starting A Levels please mention them! 

Hello! This is a masterpost of my favourite school supplies! This includes pens, pencils, highlighte

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)

Post link

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

loading