My Second Year University Experience: Academia

We have reached the final post within my second year university experience series! (wow what a mouthful). If you haven't read my other posts, please be sure to do so.

• Social Experience
• Accommodation Experience
• Finance Experience

I saved this post until last because I was still waiting for my results to come through. My second year has been worth 25% of my final degree and I wanted to include what I got. 

For those of you who don't already know, I study BA English Language. It is a 4 year course, however placement year is optional, meaning it can be bunked down to 3 years. I decided to opt out, for many reasons and with the virus, I'm even happier that I didn't do the year abroad like I originally thought about. This is going to be a breakdown of the modules I did and how I found my course this year. If anyone is interested in studying English Language, hopefully this will give you an idea of what it's like.

4 Tips For Working From Home

I made my first IGTV video a few weeks ago, sharing some tips for being productive at home. It didn't get many views, which is what I expected, but the advice given was pretty useful if I do say so myself. For that reason, I decided to go back to my comfort zone and share that same advice with my blog readers. For the first couple weeks of self isolating, I found it pretty difficult to study from home. I'm basically a permanent resident in my campus library, so not being able to go there and work took adjusting to. Luckily I found what works for me and I have been able to submit assignments early! If you want to know what I do, just keep reading.

AD | How To Get Motivated: Changing your Atmosphere

As a student, I understand the struggles of feeling unmotivated. Sometimes your to-do list is full but lack of motivation makes it very difficult to cross things off. I have shared many motivaion tips on this blog, however they have been mainly focused on you. Today I want to share my tips on how to get motivated, just by changing your atmosphere or environment.

This post is in partnership with Photowall - a Swedish wall art company. The product mentioned was GIFTED however, all opinions are 100% my own.


My first tip is to work in a clean space. Working in a clean and clear space really helps you to stay focused and be productive. There is nothing worse than a cluttered desk. I find that when my environment is a mess, so is my headspace. I find it much more difficult to think and stay on task when I am surrounded by chaos. Make the effort to clean your room if you work at home, or find a spot that doesn't look like a disaster. Cleaning your room before studying can also be motivation in itself. Once you've started being productive, it isn't hard to keep that train going.

My next tip is to eliminate distractions. Distractions are subjective, so first you need to figure out what distracts you. For me, I can't be around my friends or family while studying (unless we're actually working together), because I'll end up chatting and things won't get done. I work really well by myself, so 90% of the time I'll be working on my own in the library. Another distraction is upbeat music. I always have my headphones in when working, however I rarely play upbeat music, as I find it very distracting. I like to listen to instrumentals and classical music a lot of the time because it's super relaxing and there aren't any lyrics to sing along to. I'm really good at blocking people out, so I don't mind being around people in the library, however I know people who have to work on the silent floor because seeing people just walk around is a distraction. Work out what takes your focus away from studying or working and try to eliminate it. If it's social media, turn your phone on aeroplane mode, if it's people around you, work in silent areas or completely seclude yourself from groups of people. I loved working in my uni accomodation in first year, because it was just me, myself and I. If you're like me and work independently, utilise that space. You have a desk and a private room. USE IT. Don't feel obligated to go to the library just because that seems like the most productive place to work. You can get just as much (if not more) things done when you work where you're most comfortable.

Speaking of comfortable, that is my next tip. Work in a comfortable atmosphere. When I say comfortable I don't necessarily mean fluffy pillows and blankets (unless that's your vibe), I mean working somewhere you feel is best for you. This is kind of an extension from what I just mentioned. Being comfortable is only going to benefit you and your productivity. It's very unlikely that you'll get much done if you're feeling uncomfortable and things feel "off". Don't go to the library if everytime you go, you feel anxious and don't stay at home if things aren't peaceful. Take yourself out of uncomfortable or awkward situations.

My final tip is to have visual reminders of your goals or visual motivation. I have a giant vision board in my room, and everytime I am in my room, I am reminded of my goals for the year. On my 2019 board, one of my goals was to get good grades at uni. Anytime I felt unmotivated to study, I would see that section of my vision board and start working. It's amazing how such a little thing like that pushed me to pick up a pen.
This year I decided my visual motivation would be a quote. I am such a huge fan of quotes. Fun fact, words of affirmation is one of my love languages, and the fact that I study English is enough to tell you that I love words. There is something so powerful about language. I get so motivated by reading quotes, so it made sense to have one on my bedroom wall. The quote I chose was "She gets what she wants because she works for it". I think that quote is so simple yet so powerful. When Photowall contacted me and said they wanted to work with me, I was really excited and knew exactly what I wanted. Photowall are a Swedish wall art company, that create unique and creative designs. They make canvases, wallpapers, posters and so much more. You have the choice of measurements and even the photo. They have a range of premade designs, however you also have the option to print your own image, which is what I did. I found the quote from one of my Pinterest boards and it came out exactly how I wanted. I'm in LOVE with my canvas and it has already kept me motivated since I received it. If you would like to get your own canvas or any other product from Photowall, I have a 25% off discount code to get some money off! The code is chellebelle2020 and is valid for ONE MONTH.

Photowall - https://www.photowall.co.uk/

You can get one for yourself to motivate you to work hard, or maybe you want to get something for your mum, since mother's Day is fast approaching. Whatever the reason, I hope you make good use of the discount and enjoy vamping up your room!

So those are my tips for staying motivated, just by changing your atmosphere. I hope it was helpful.
If you have any other tips, let me know in the comments.

Again, a big thank you to Photowall for working with me on this blog post.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

January Academic Goals 2019

It has been so long since I have done an 'Academic Goals' post. My last one was back in May! I originally planned to start them again in September but finding time to blog during the first semester was a bit of a nightmare. Now that it is a brand new year, it is only right that I kick start them again. These type of posts always had a great response and honestly having academic and personal goals every month is essential for me.

I don't have many goals for this month as I don't start university again until the end of January. I have an exam on the 17th but my first lecture of second semester is the 29th.Most of these goals focus on the exam.

1) Learn how to draw Grammar Trees

If you have never studied English Language above GCSE level, you'll probably have no clue what these are, but they are THE WORST. I had heard of them during my A-levels but we didn't ever have to do them, so being told drawing them in first year was worth a hefty amount of marks in exams was quite the disappointment. When we were first introduced to them in a lecture, I had never left a room so confused. I went to the seminar the week after and still had no clue what I was doing. The week we broke up for Christmas, we had a revision session and I didn't improve much then either. It is now 2 weeks before the exam and I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM DOING. My number one goal for this month is to learn how to draw a stupid grammar tree. I understand the concept and the first couple steps but honestly I'm lost from beyond that point. Send help.

2) To Practise writing the two exam essays

This is obviously a goal I need to meet BEFORE the final exam, but it is one I am yet to even touch. The exam is 3 painful hours long and includes writing two essays. I feel like such an unprepared student because I haven't attempted to do a practise essay ONCE. I've known about this question for over a month and haven't even dissected the question, let alone wrote it. I don't know what it is, but I've come home and forgot I'm a student. I'm planning to sit myself down and plan the question out and then write it next week.

3) Learn the definitions for linguistic terms

This is a goal I have actually started trying to reach, thank God. It's probably the easiest of the tasks because its all a memory game. All I do for this is write out definitions over and over until I wake up repeating them.

4) My one goal for after the exam is to look into my modules before the term begins.

I am able to view what my modules are for second semester, so I want to read around the subject a little bit just to take off some of the stress. If I know the basis of the modules, then perhaps it will make assignments a lot easier and maybe I'll have to do less reading during the term (lol a girl can dream).

So these are my academic goals for the first month of the year! What are some of your academic goals? And if you're working full-time, what are your professional goals?

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x

How To: Bible Study

I have been wanting to do this post for AGES but I kept putting it off because I know half my audience aren't christian or religious. However I really felt to do it. Maybe my page-views won't be very high with this post but I want this blog to be authentic and reflect who I am. Not only that but it's not important how many people read this. If just one person appreciates it, that is enough.

Today I thought I would share how I usually do my Bible Study. Of course there is not one way to study the bible, however this has been the most effective way for me. I've been using this technique for about 2 years and it's quite a popular method of Bible Study. The method I use is the S.O.A.P method. In this post I will be going through it step by step. Let's get started!

For this method of Bible Study, all you need is a few things. The first thing you need is a Bible. Whether it be online or a physical bible, is completely up to you. I alternate between my actual Bible and the app on my Tablet. It's nice to have a physical Bible as it gets you used to finding certain chapters and sometimes it feels more like a study, however online is also super convenient as you can find different versions and make comparisons.
The apps/websites I use are:

• The Bible App 
• BibleGateway.com
• BibleStudyTools.com

The second thing you will need is a notebook. You can use plain paper if that is all you have, however I think it is important to keep a study notebook. Keeping all your study in one place is not only super convenient, you can see the way God has worked in your life. I was looking back at my own Bible Study book from 2017 and it was so cool to see the way God has moved in my life, but also how much more God speaks to me now in comparison to back then. I started this method almost a year before I got baptized and you can definitely see the growth.

Then of course you need a pen and also a highlighter. You don't necessarily need a highlighter, however I have found it helps to remember scriptures.

So first thing is first, what does S.O.A.P stand for? S.O.A.P is an acronym that stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. I will be going into detail for each section. It is a really clever way of studying the bible, whilst being able to apply it to your own life.

The first thing I like to do when doing Bible Study is write the date. This just allows you to track your growth when you look back at notes. I then either Title the page whatever the topic may be or clearly write the book I am studying. Following this, the first Step is 'S'.

'S' as I said stands for SCRIPTURE. This is where you will read the chapter(s) you are trying to study and pinpoint the verses that stand out to you. Whether it be a scripture that is speaking to you in some way or just a scripture you like. If I am reading a particular chapter, I will write the verses that stand out in anyway. It may not always be several, it could just be one verse. If I am studying a topic, such as 'Love Thy Neighbour', I will write down any scriptures throughout the bible that apply to that topic, that I may find interesting. I like to highlight them, if it's a scripture I feel I need to learn in that season. After you have written down all your scriptures you can move onto the next stage.

The next stage is 'O' which means OBSERVATION. This is where your actual study will go. What does the scripture mean? What is it really trying to say? What symbolism can you find? Is God speaking to you through that word? What are the key words that jump out to you? This section will often be the biggest as it is the studying section. The great thing is that God's word is full of secret messages and it never gets boring. You could read the same scriptures 100 times and get different revelation. This is your space to just write anything and everything down. You can really go into detail about how you feel about the scriptures you wrote earlier, and completely dissect them. Once you have spent some time analysing the word, you can move onto step three.

The third step is 'A' which is APPLICATION. This is where you take God's word and figure out ways it can be applied to your life, or even the lives of others around you. For example, if you were studying Luke 10:25-37 (The Good Samaritan Parable) and one of your observations was that the Samaritan went out of his way to help someone who probably wouldn't help him, within your application you could give yourself the challenge to do the same. Or you could challenge yourself to encourage your friends to help people they wouldn't usually. Your application should be how you are going to make those scriptures or observations relevant in your life. In some cases it may not be how to make them relevant but how they are already relevant. Once you have done this, you can move onto the final step.

The final step 'P' is PRAYER. This could just be a thank you to God for giving you understanding of his word. It doesn't have to be specifically related to the study. You could ask God for a better understanding of what you studied, or you could ask God for help with the application. For example, about a year ago I did a study on Stress and Worrying. In my application I wrote about wanting to go into a mock exam with confidence and my prayer section was me asking God for guidance and strength to be faithful and to worry less. You can make it super personal or quite general but you want it to link to your study in some way. It's really cool having your prayer written down because you can see how God has worked in your life. It could be on a certain issue you prayed about or even a person you prayed for who was struggling with that issue. It's so amazing to see how good God has been and observe the growth. It's honestly incredible how much God has done in so many areas I prayed about and for literally just months ago.

So this is how I do my Bible Study. I don't have a regular schedule but I'm trying to sort one out by the new year. Eventually I will get to everyday but I think it's wise to work my may there rather than throw myself into daily study and be disappointed if I fail.

I hope this was helpful for some of you or even just interesting to read about. Do you use a different method of studying? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x

How To Have A Study Day

Happy Easter!! Whether you're like me and celebrate Easter for its true meaning or you just spend the day as you usually would, we can all appreciate the glorious day off. Even better, if you're a student, you can appreciate a glorious 2 weeks off. Although it is VERY important that you spend time for yourself and relax, it is also a good idea to study, for those exams that are quickly creeping up on us *shivers*. Pretty much every other day, I get asked "How do you study so much?", "How long do you study for?", "Where do you find the motivation to study for hours?". I have done a fair few study posts, however I haven't talked in detail about study days. If you know me, then you will know that I can spend up to 8 hours studying in a day, and gain a lot out of it. Since I get the questions above so often (usually on a study day too), and we have 2 weeks off, I thought I would share with you, HOW to have a study day.

Step 1: The first step to a successful and productive study day is to write out a To-do list or list of priorities. It can be very easy to plan a day of studying and have no idea where to start or know what needs to be done. Spend some time writing out the things you want to get done, so that you can visually see your tasks. I like to write a massive list of things to do and then allocate days for each task. This may intimidate some people, so the other option is to only write out tasks for that particular day.

Ideas for your list may be:

- Go through flashcards and get someone to test you
- Write a practise essay
- Highlight class notes
-Fill in gaps for class notes/catch up on missed lessons 
-Mind map a certain module

PRO TIP: Choose your focus subject wisely. Time is falling between our fingers like sand and its doing it pretty quickly. Spend time working on areas that you are weaker at. Of course you shouldn't neglect the areas you are strong at, because you should have a balance, however there is no point spending hours on something you already understand well. Figure out the areas and subjects you are struggling with, and work on that.

Step 2: Speaking of areas, find an area you can work well in. Your environment is very important, and it is essential that you pick a location right for you. I know people who can work well with noise, and people like me who can't. I don't always work in the library, as I get distracted by other people, however I know many people love the library. Its all about where you enjoy working. I tend to work in my room or the dining room.

PRO TIP: Make sure whatever room you work in is well lit, to avoid you getting too cosy and falling asleep (speaking from experience).

Step 3: Have the essentials with you. Before you actually start studying, make sure you have all your resources in the room with you. If you keep forgetting things and leaving the room to get them, not only do you lose time, but motivation to actually start. If you have to write a list of things needed and check it before beginning, then do so. You should also make sure things are prepared. One thing I always forget to do is charge my tablet or laptop in advance. I would recommend you do this.

Examples of resources you may need:

- Pencil Case 
- Laptop
- Flashcards
- Memory Stick
- Planner
- Earphones 

PRO TIP: Try to mainly use printed materials, if you get easily distracted on the internet/with a laptop. Print past papers and mark schemes in advance, use textbooks etc.

Step 4: Plan out your time. What I mean by this is decide how long you want to spend studying that day. BE REALISTIC. I can do up to 8 hours, however if revision is not something you usually do, don't decide you're going to study for 12 hours. You have to be realistic, based on how well you focus, how long your list is, what other things you have to do that day etc. If I know I have work the evening that I choose to have a study day, I wake up earlier, do at least 3-4 hours of study and then leave about 2-3 hours of free time/ time to get ready for work. Whether you just make a general time plan for the day or individual time frames for every task you do, map it out effectively. Schedule in breaks too. When I work for 3 hours, I don't have a break as I know I am capable of doing it without one, however 6/8 hour days, I always schedule at least an hour to chill.

PRO TIP: Begin your study day with your highest priority as this is when you're the most alert and awake. If you don't get to tick everything off your list, at least the most significant things are done, right?

Step 5: Get to work! Here are a few ideas of things you could do.

- Make Flashcards
- Go over Flashcards
- Re-write notes
- Watch Online Lectures/Videos
- Further reading
- Past Papers/Essay Questions
(Try them timed and in exam conditions)

PRO TIP: Do things catered to the type of learner you are. There is no point writing out notes and highlighting them if you don't work well this way. Play games if you learn this way, watch videos, read. Do whatever works for you. It doesn't have to be the conventional way.

These are my steps to having a study day! I hope it has helped. If you need tips on motivation and productivity, check out my other blog posts!

6 Ways To Get Motivated To Study: https://chellebelle2016.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/6-ways-to-get-motivated-to-study.html

How To Be Productive: https://chellebelle2016.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/how-to-be-productive-study-edition.html

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x