I’ve found studying to be more fun when I include bits of “me”: a space that felt right, a session of learning with the help of my favorite playlists, a Pomodoro video to study along to, and a “high-five” from a small reward. Rather than feeling like something I’m supposed to do, studying feels more like something I want to do. And I’ve boiled it down to 4 simple tips.

PERSONALIZATION

Let’s start with the area where you study. Having a study space that you love, whether it’s simple or decorated with many personalized touches, will make it easier to sit down and get started. Decorate as much or little as you like, but it might be helpful to keep the items you need, such as books and pencils, within your reach.

Try to incorporate your favorite things. This can be as simple as stationery with your favorite colors. Or, if you’re a music lover, you could find or create a playlist specifically for your study sessions.

Gamify it! You can do this in multiple ways. One way is to create “rewards” for how much work you complete (or, if you prefer, the amount of studying you get done). For example, if you’ve successfully done everything on your to-do list for the day or week, reward yourself with an item off your wish list, a movie you want to watch, or anything else you’d like.

Lastly, you may or not be familiar with “Study with Me” videos. These videos can be helpful for staying focused and motivated. If you can, you can also study with a friend, group, or loved one in person.

Regardless of what approach you choose to take, remember to experiment. With a bit of creativity and exploring, you’ll ultimately find a study routine that’s uniquely yours.

Sincerely, Wordynora.

My school will be out for a few days next week, so I’ve been spending some time planning out my mission for those days. But without the slight structure given to us by a school, there are so many possibilities in terms of things you can do. For someone like me, that can be both a wonderful and a dreadful thing. Listing it all out tends to help a lot. And if you aren’t on a break at the moment? Planning ahead of time is equally helpful.

PLANNING IT ALL OUT

I like to begin by asking myself: “Do I want to exercise or relax my brain?”

If you are burned out and need to spend some time relaxing and re-charging, focus on self-care and hobbies. Self-care can mean many things depending on who you ask. You could tidy up your room, read a book, or snuggle with a pet—but you should always aim to get at least 7 hours of sleep, drink enough water, and do a bit of exercise (stretching counts too). If you can, enjoy one of your hobbies with a friend or a family member (or do something else enjoyable, like bake together or watch a movie).

Maybe you want to get ahead or back on track in school. If that is the situation, then spend your break doing a bit of homework, studying, and reviewing. Remember to take frequent breaks so you don’t get too tired—your goal is to study smart. Work on a few math problems, analyze a text, then take a 5-to-30-minute break after a certain amount of time. The length of your break should increase with the time you spend working and studying!

Nothing is always simply 1 and 2. There is always an in-between, and, in this case, that is your extracurricular activities. During your break, you will have more time to focus on those extracurriculars or get involved in more. However, no activity is exactly alike, and some might not even be active during breaks. For example, my school’s clubs do not have meetings during our breaks.

PRIORITIZE YOURSELF

Regardless of how you choose to spend your break, make sure you are happy! You can always do all three: spend some time studying, focus more on your extracurricular activities, and relax with your family. The important thing is to have a balance and, of course, take care of yourself!

Sincerely, Wordynora.

The holiday season is over—it’s now a new year. At the start of each year, we often think of our dreams, wishes, and goals—the life and person we wish to have and be. Setting goals is great for your productivity and future, but that’s if you do it smartly! A cycle of setting goals and not completing them can drop you down into a deep hole of negativity.

To protect our motivation, energy, and happiness, let’s set goals for ourselves that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

A PATH TO YOUR DREAMS

Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant (though this is sometimes replaced with “realistic”), and time-bound (or “timely”) creates the word SMART. I learned about this last year from my 9th grade career teacher, and it's been really helpful. It is essentially “rules” that help you set goals:

Your goals should be specific. This is the difference between saying “I want to study more” and “I want to study at least 1 hour each day during this month.”

They should also be measurable, so you can track how close or behind you are to achieving them. If one of your goals is to study more, you should be able to track how long and often you study.

Any goal you set must be achievable. If it’s unrealistic, you’re only walking towards disappointment. Aiming too high and landing nowhere near where you wanted to will only dishearten you. Ask yourself, “Is this possible for me to achieve if I work hard enough?”

Along with the above three, make sure your goals are also relevant to you. If an artist’s eye is more on their art, it might be best for them to set a goal in that area.

Finally, your goals should be time-bound. Have a planned time (such as a day, month, or year) by which you should complete your goals. For example: “I want to have a habit of studying math at least 1 hour a day by the end of my school’s spring semester.”

Think about what you want to achieve this year. One of my goals this year is to become an intermediate guitarist. Dream big and high, yet realistically! Work hard with dedication to achieve what you long for. And when you make goals, make smart (or SMART) goals. It’ll keep you on a path that will lead you to your dreams.

I wish you a happy 2023!

Sincerely, Wordynora.

It is extremely important to stay organized for so many things in life. Whether it’s school or a job, an organized life is a less stressful one—even if it’s just an inch less. You’ll manage your time better, and it’ll be easier to stay on top of everything (especially your assignments).

One way to manage your time is to create a schedule. Every day won’t be the same, and there will be times when you won’t be able to stick to it, but it’s helpful to have one. Calendars are also especially useful—I use two different calendars!

Create a to-do list and organize your priorities in order of importance. In your to-do list, include everything you need to do that day. Pick the things that will affect you and your life the most and place them at the top.

As for class notes, you can have separate notebooks for each course you are taking (though this might be expensive), use a binder and dividers, or use folders (either physical or digital).

Lastly, you can’t forget your surrounding space. Although every person is different, it’s often difficult to stay focused and concentrated when your surroundings aren’t tidy (that includes noise too). Have a designated, organized, and quiet place to work away!

Sincerely, Wordynora.

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart.

Imagine a young girl who preferred to blend in rather than stand out. She was too timid and too scared to do things that brought attention to her. The words she breathed merely existed to agree with others and nothing more. Soon, she grew up. Though she did not bother to change her ways, she smiled at life. However, regret soon caught up to her. She began to wish she did more. All of those missed opportunities—gone. Every night, she watched her memories play over and over in her head. She whispered to herself, “If I said this, I would have been better at this. If I had done this, I could have been one step closer to achieving my dreams. If only I was not so scared.” She knew it was still not too late and there was always time to work towards her dream, but fear controlled her.

Although I’m not sure how realistic it is, that is how I used to envision my future. The fear I had of embarrassing myself and being judged prevented me from doing so many things I dreamed of doing. And that fear is not gone. It is still here, eating me up—I can just manage it better. If you embrace challenges and take risks, your world will be more alive. Many people have left or are leaving positive changes in the world because they took risks.

SMALL STEPS TOWARD GROWTH

Develop a growth mindset. The way you think plays a huge role in the choices you make. Know that it is possible to improve or learn skills and abilities with dedication, effo