Lately, I have been trying to develop some sort of routine for the day, especially around the morning, I have recently joined some internship that I do from home which is Keeping me busy and productive in quarantine (so I don't go insane). Slowly, some structure has been added to my day and I kinda developed a "morning" routine 🥺 even when I am not working I do the same thing tbh (minus getting up early, I sleep IN when I can!). What has been keeping you busy in quarantine? Need some ideas? look at the link(s) below 👇🏻
I woke up feeling a bit unmotivated, so I decided to ease myself into being more productive even though I was in bed having some flavoured Greek yogurt. I thought it would be nice to make some progress in an online course I enrolled in weeks ago. This gave me a kick start and motivated me to be more productive for the rest of the day.
Join me in a more relaxed 30-minute study session in quarantine with relaxing study music.
Most of us are having at least some extra fee time and, generally, much more flexibility after the abrupt changes following the pandemic (COVID 19). A lot of us took that extra time to relax for once and let loose, but, for some, it dragged for longer than what was initially planned for. I, for one, am trying to ease myself back into being more productive after a period of choosing not to engage in intentional productivity. I definitely did enjoy the lack of structure and routine, but I noticed that it was, slowly but surely, getting me stuck in a rut that I am now trying to get out of.
The biggest obstacle I faced when trying to get back into being more productive was motivation. I struggled at first to motivate myself to do the things I wanted to get done. But after some research and some trial and error, I compiled a list of tips and advice that helped me be more productive and get things done. It also helped me be more motivated to work on the things I wanted to work on. And this inspired me to share the tips and advice that have been helping me get back to being more productive, and be more motivated in general, with people who might be struggling to start working again, after the much-needed break.
♡ Things to do in quarantine/ lock-down here
It has been announced that instead of finals, we're required to write, from home, a research paper or a review article (think of it like an essay, but more fragmented and scientifically specific) either individually or in groups (of up to 5 students). We can start turning in our work at the end of May till the end of June. We either pass or fail and if we fail we have another chance to rewrite and resubmit the paper/ article.
Although I did attend online lectures and received all the lectures all labs we were supposed to learn during the second term/ semester, no finals are taking place this year. We'll probably do practical exams of this term before the start of the next one (If and when it does 😿).
I am still confused tbh but I did the work anyway. I filmed myself co-writing a research paper in pharmaceutical chemistry, if you don't know what it's about you seriously need to watch my video Here
Whoever needs the push tp stop procrastinating and actually start working, here it is! I mean, I added music and all.
[brb gotta go hope for a better future soon, byee ♡]
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In this video, I finally tell you how I study pharmacology.
I have had to study pharmacology 1, 2 and 3 over 3 terms in pharmacy school and I had definitely been among those who struggled with it so I analysed why I felt that way and I found that it all boiled down to having to memorise meds' names that seemed impossible to memorise at first.
I struggled for a bit until I came to a conclusion, that I despise having to sit down and actively memorise anything let alone complex names so I came up with a way that is more long term and gradual but is definitely much more effective for me and I am going to break it down to you, hopefully you're going to find it helpful.
Pharmacology study tips and advice for a high GPA / better grade:
1. Make sure you understand the main principle
In pharmacology 1 we studied hypertension and naturally, before we were introduced to the different meds and treatment approaches, we were given an introduction to hypertension which was the foundation upon which drugs were based and although many pharmacology exams wouldn't focus that much on the disease itself, rather the medications and their mechanisms, there's no way you'll be able to properly study and understand how anti-hypertensive medications work without understanding hypertension first. So make sure you don't skip the disease, it makes a huge difference.
2. Divide the subject into smaller topics
If we're studying hypertension, then I split into:
introduction
B-blockers
Ca channel blockers
Diuretics
and then study each topic separately. This way it is much easier and less intimidating to study as opposed to studying hypertension as a whole.
3. Expose yourself to information multiple times
One of the best ways to memorise information in general to guarantee that it sticks around for long is to study it over a long period of time. While cramming can seem like a nice option before an upcoming pharmacology final, I don't recommend it because you'll forget everything once you get out of the exam hall if not sooner.
I once had to study a pdf of more than a 100 slides before a pharmacology final and that was just one part of many other topics I needed to study. It was about different classes of antibiotics, so throughout the the term I would study what I scheduled for myself and then at the end of the day before bed I would dedicate enough time to visually go over the slides but I would make sure that I gave each slide enough time to read it well and I would make sure I went over the entire pdf EACH day. Think of it like thoroughly scanning the slides repeatedly.
4. Active reading
while reading the slides I would write down the parts I struggled to give them extra attention the next day. If I came across a term I didn't know I would look it up online and while I'm reading, if I noticed that maybe two drugs had similar characters, I would write them down so they don't get mixed up. So if two meds had neurotoxicity as a potential adverse effect I would write that down in a notebook to go through later.
5. Read out loud
One of the many things I struggled with was being familiar with meds' names. To get used to a medication name, you need to say it out loud many times to both practise saying it as well as hear it over and over again. Also, attending lectures and/ or listening to lecture records helps a lot.
6. Break it down
Divide medication names into smaller parts and memorise them one by one. Many meds under the same pharmacological class share the same suffix. Which makes it easier for you to recognise the class without memorising the entire name.
So, definitely keep an eye out for that.
7. Write down and recite
The night before the exam I would finally sit down and recite with pen and paper and by reciting out loud what I've learned during the days I was actively reading the slides to consolidate the information even better.
8. Revise and summarise
As I told you before, I would make little mind maps or summaries for myself as I was reading and in lectures throughout the term. They weren't so fancy they were just some scribbles either in my lecture notebook or on the margins of the textbook but I would make sure I went over them quickly on the days leading up to the exam.
Find out how pharmacy school is like here
Many students struggle to keep an effective study routine in Ramadan. Especially when they need to study for finals whilst they're fasting so, in this video I tell you how I study when I have exams in ramadan and how everything from what I eat to every detail in my Ramadan study routine. Hopefully you can build a more effective schedule... find more study tips here free printable ramadan calendar here
Hi everyone! hope you're all safe x
Lockdown seems to be getting the better of us lately; it just seems very easy to lounge on the cough in pajamas all day doing basically nothing while neglecting our basic needs. Every day feels like the day before and nothing seems to be interesting anymore. Getting into this mindset is a gradual process and getting out of it, though not impossible, is pretty hard. So I compiled a list of things to do during lockdown to get things going and prevent getting stuck in a rut.
Art by: Heikala @heikala_art |
Lockdown seems to be getting the better of us lately; it just seems very easy to lounge on the couch in pajamas all day doing basically nothing while neglecting our basic needs. Every day feels like the day before and nothing seems to be interesting anymore. Getting into this mindset is a gradual process and getting out of it, though not impossible, is pretty hard. So I compiled a list of things to do during lockdown to get things going and prevent getting stuck in a rut.
1. Have a set morning routine:
I personally find this to be the most important out of the entire list. A morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you get up at 2 pm after sleeping in due to staying up late the entire night before you almost instantly feel put off for the rest of the day. Whereas if you go to bed at a reasonable time and wake up early to take a shower, change into something cute, do your hair, make breakfast and actually take the time to eat at a table you automatically feel so much better and feel ready to take on the day ahead of you.
2. Have something to work on every day:
If you're a student, like myself, then you probably are already doing online lectures and studying at home. I find that it helps build structure for the day. My sister works from home and she, too, has to wake up quite early, prepare her workspace and start working until the evening. Having a "main event" around which you can plan your day, I find, is crucial to making you feel productive and more in control. If you're currently taking time off, you can plan to learn or work on something every day just to have a goal to tick off at the end of the day so you don't resort to lounging all day long.
Many online courses are now available for free. You can start there. Maybe start reading that book you've been putting of for too long, or brush up your baking or cooking skills. Whatever it is you have not had the time to start doing, now seems like the perfect time to do.
3. Have regular meals:
Preferably healthy ones. It ties both self care and building a structure together. It is very easy to grab an unhealthy snack when you're hungry and forget about basic nutrition during lockdown. The problem is, it backfires almost instantly. I used to not care about meal timing that much but I found that it made me sluggish at different parts of the day and I would feel like staying in bed 80% of the day basically, until I actually started taking care of my meals and what goes into them. It makes a huge difference especially to mental health and emotions.
4. Try incorporating some exercise:
The thought of sitting around all day with barely any physical activity was one of the most unsettling things I knew I had to deal with during lock down. Especially considering the fact that we have no idea when this whole thing is going to end. But then I started working out to youtube videos at least once a week and I notice that I always feel ten times better afterwards.
5. Wind down:
I personally like to take some time completely for myself in the evening to just do whatever I want, basically. I like to work in the morning and relax in the evening and not do as much work. I tend to do less work as the day progresses, so it's not unusual for me to watch something in bed with a cup of tea before I call it a day.
6. This is a time like no other!
It seems like the world is pausing for some time (hopefully not for too long). So take it as a chance to reflect and assess where you're headed and whether or not you'd like to continue this way. It's like we're suddenly being handed a bundle of free time that we're not used to. What we choose to do with it is up to us entirely. Although I still have online lectures, I now have much more time than I previously had and I see it as one of the positives of this situation. It can't be entirely negative, right?
7. Try to help:
If you can help people in need in this difficult situation, please take the time to do so. Not everyone is taking time off or has the privilege to wait at home until it's safe to go outside again. You probably already know this but try to consider what other people have to go through at this time and actually offer help (in any way). This has to be honestly, the best thing you can do at the moment.
8. Only go outside if it is absolutely necessary:
It might be getting extremely boring inside, but it's a pandemic and we need to stay inside for our safety and the safety of those around us. So make sure you're keeping yourself occupied while you're at home to distract yourself. I like to look at the lockdown as a temporary situation that is, hopefully, going to end when everything gets better soon. It helps stop the endless stream of negative thoughts that follow the notorious questions that start with "What if...". Whenever you find yourself starting to get this state of mind, distract yourself by doing something you love and it'll be over before you know it...
prefer video? watch here
☁️ r e e m a ☁️
Here's a calming and relaxing long study with me that I filmed recently to find some peace in the midst of these chaotic times. I added rain sounds for relaxation along with soft music in the background. I hope this helps you find online learning a bit easier and more acceptable. We're all trying to navigate and we all hope for the best. 💕
COVID-19 got us studying from home everywhere in the world.
E-learning / online classes (lectures) took over and left many of us with no other option but to try to catch up at home completely on our own. In a situation like this, it's hard to find the motivation to get up and study. I personally struggle sometimes, this is not the usual study with me...
This is why I decided to post a quick pick me up and to be a study buddy to those of you struggling to start studying in the light of what's happening 🖤
Stay safe and keep studying from home. Much love x
- r e e m a
Hi everyone! I hope you're all safe and well. 🌸
Today I decided to make a video to help students like myself who might be struggling to adjust to this new way of learning. E-learning or remote learning is new to many of us and If you're anything like me then you're used to waking up extremely early every day, getting dressed and going to lecture but with the abrupt changes we're facing worldwide due to the widespread pandemic, we have to stay at home to protect ourselves and those around us. That being said, adjusting to studying at home online on your own can be challenging so here are some tips and advice to help you get through this initial discomfort and hopefully shape your new study routine.
☁️ r e e m a ☁️
Hi everyone! I hope you're all safe and well 🌸
Today I decided to make a video to help students like myself who might be struggling to adjust to this new way of learning. E-learning or remote learning is new to many of us and If you're anything like me then you're used to waking up extremely early every day, getting dressed and going to lecture but with the abrupt changes we're facing worldwide due to the widespread epidemic we have to stay at home to protect ourselves and those around us. That being said, adjusting to studying at home online on your own can be challenging so here are some tips and advice to help you get through this initial discomfort and hopefully shape your new study routine.
1. Speaking of routine, many of us need to have a set routine to follow each day and by staying at home our routines got completely disrupted and this can have a negative impact on our productivity so giving your day some structure back can be a great way to start.
Set yourself a timetable if that's something that helps you be more productive, work out the time of day during which you tend to be most productive. If you prefer waking up early and studying in the morning, then by all means start doing that. Maybe you actually liked the preset timetable you used to go by prior to all of this. If so, I highly recommend you go back to following it again and see if that works.
Just make sure to follow a set routine and wake up at roughly the same time every day.
2. If you find yourself turning to laziness try changing your clothes and get a bit more dressed up. You don't have to wear anything restricting, just changing into something different from what you're used to wearing normally when you're chilling at home can make a huge difference in your productivity throughout the day.
3. Keep yourself motivated. Write down your main goals on a sticky note and keep it near you while you work. If you feel distracted take a short break and walk around for a bit. Maybe look at motivating pinterest boards or watch a motivating youtube video but don't get too carried away with that because it can turn into an endless break. There, I warned you.
4. Speaking of endless breaks, this is exactly why you need to set a timer. While you work and even when you take a break. A day that lacks structure is basically set up to fail. Taking a break without a proper time limit can easily be turned into you watching a series in bed and a timer can definitely keep you from getting to that point.
5. If online learning is new to you and you're struggling to adapt to it, try to write down a list of the ways it's better than physically going to uni or school. In what ways is this new way of learning better? I personally like that it saves me so much time. I no longer waste time in transportation. I choose when to study and what to study. I also get to pick the environment I want to learn in so it's not all negatives, is it?
6. Find a clear space and make it your study corner. Make sure it is not the same place you relax or sleep so the two activities don't get mixed up in your brain. Picking a place that is dedicated to work or study is one way to give our day more structure.
7. Before working, bring out all the tools you know you will need during your study session. Lay out your stationery and if you can't work without a cup of tea / coffee then by all means make one so that when you start working you don't interrupt your workflow. You wouldn't walk out in the middle of a lecture randomly to get a sandwich and then walk back in, would you?
8. Narrow down your tools to as little as possible. I used to work on my tablet, phone and laptop sometimes all at once and needless to say, it was too distracting to me. So now, I started working only using my laptop; I transferred all the necessary files to my laptop and I downloaded all the apps I used on my tablet or phone onto my laptop so when I need to work, I use only one device and keep the rest on silent to minimise distractions.
9. Organisation is KEY especially when we're being bombarded with emails, lectures and assignments which can easily be lost in the pile of endless files we are sent every day.
So, make sure to keep a calendar and a daily to-do list that you actually check regularly. I personally switched over to using google calendar and I enabled notifications on my laptop so I can have an idea on what I need to study each day.
I also keep a folder on my laptop for each week and I keep within that folder all the files sent to us throughout the week. I personally write down everything that happens during the week academically. So I can check it out if I'm confused later and trust me, it happens a lot.
10. Get the most important tasks done first. For instance, if I have a lecture to study but I also have an assignment that I need to turn in. I choose to do the assignment first, even if the due date is not anytime soon. Many things can get in the way of turning in an assignment on time, so I always choose to do it first while I can.
11. Passively watching a lecture can be boring so I started taking notes while watching video lectures to keep myself attentive and I even sometimes play some dialed down music in the background so the urge to check social media or procrastinate doesn't come up because now the lecture is way more interesting than it was before.
12. I don't know about you but just watching a lecture on my laptop and not being able to interact properly and participate as I used to, makes it feel like I'm not getting what I actually need out of the lecture but making sure I write down any questions that may come up in my head while watching lectures to later send them in an email to my lecturer makes things so much better and clearer.
13. As I just mentioned, communication is key. If you feel stressed out or if you're struggling with a certain subject, it's best to communicate it with your professor/ teacher or lecturer. It doesn't have to be in person, you can always send them an email and it almost always helps. I was recently struggling to download a large file that a professor sent so I sent them an email requesting the file split into smaller bits I can download. and they actually got back to me with smaller files so it does work sometimes.
14. Working or studying from home can get quite lonely, so making a study group with your friends and aligning your work to theirs or setting up a common study schedule can help tremendously and can motivate you to study. It also holds you accountable and you feel the need to finish studying earlier to catch up with your friends.
15. Don't turn yourself into an overworked, borderline burned out study machine. Take some time for yourself. Try to stop working at the same time every day and put away all your study tools and books once you're finished studying.Then take some time to relax and unwind to be able to continue studying the next day with a fresh mind.
16. Headspace is just as important as workspace. If you're feeling anxious about what's going on in the world, which is totally understandable, try to calm yourself down and remind yourself that although we might be going through some difficult times right now, it will end at some point and we will come out of all of this stronger than we were.
If you've made it to the end of the list and you want more, check out the videos that I make to help students everywhere navigate and study in the best way possible for both: their grades and mental health.
☁️ r e e m a ☁️
I am trying to improve my focus and stop myself from feeling distracted so I thought I would bring you along with me on this journey. If you have never been able to keep your focus for one hour, take this video as a challenge. Sit down at a desk and attempt to actually study without distractions. I added a timer for motivation as well as self assessment so you don't have to sit through the whole video, pause and take breaks, or come back later and replay the video if you prefer. Whatever helps most. Ready to be more productive? check out even more study with me videos I made: S T U D Y W I T H M E☕
I'm back! Just finished the first term of fourth year and I had to take some time off to refresh but now I have a new video for all the new pharmacy students out there. Many of the first year students have similar concerns and it shows in the questions you send me, so I decided to address them in this video. When I first went into pharmacy school, I looked for advice and a video like this could've helped a lot but I couldn't find any and I had to do it all on my own. So I hope this video saves you some time and actually helps you in any way.
~ Here are the things I wish somebody had told me as a 1st year pharmacy student + tips and advice on how to study organic chemistry:
VIDEO :
POST :
1. Pay attention to Organic (and Analytical) chemistry :
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There are many courses that we take on as first and even second year students that we may not find very pleasant. Quite frankly, so many of us struggled to grasp the basics of organic chemistry but I'm here to tell you that it's very important to at least get a clear idea on organic chemistry 1 and 2 because they're the base on which many future courses are built. For instance, pharmaceutical chemistry, which is heavily based on past organic chemistry courses, will be painful to study if you have no idea what organic chemistry 1 or 2 were about. Yes, many courses studied in later years are based on previous ones especially organic and analytical chemistry.
Organic chemistry is not easy to learn, that's a fact and many professors may not have a compatible teaching style with our way of learning but don't lose hope just yet; because there are many online resources through which you can learn in parallel to your professor at uni. You can always search for whatever topic you're struggling to learn, which is absolutely normal, and find the best youtube video(s) that suit(s) you. There's so many of them and plenty of them are extremely helpful.
2. You don't have to be perfect. That's not even possible :
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We're here to learn and we're supposed to learn SO much material in too little time and therefore, we're only supposed to try to the best of our abilities to learn and memorise material for our future courses and this leads me to the next point...
3. Don't expect to remember everything :
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We do our best to consolidate what we learn and the best way to do it is to learn it over a long period of time and to go over it multiple times. You also need to understand the concept/ rule first then memorise what needs to be memorised but it's human nature to tend to forget what you've learned over the years. It's also human nature to remember it again when it's brought up -only when you've actually taken the time to thoroughly learn it in the first place- so don't worry if you think you forgot everything you've learnt because you'll most likely remember it again when it is needed later in a future course. Courses in later years are built in a way to emphasise what needs to be emphasised and you'll end up graduating with the right amount of knowledge you actually need. Just follow the process one day at a time.
4. Don't stress over your future career :
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Please don't. It's only going to eat up your peace of mind and put you under unnecessary stress. If you're sure that pharmacy is what you want to do and learn then the next thing to do is to actually start learning. All the unnecessary worry will clutter your headspace preventing you from getting on with the work you're here to do in this stage of your life which is learning and studying. You're basically accumulating the knowledge you'll need in the future.
Who knows what opportunities you'll face later in life?
5. Try different things :
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Throughout the years of your studies, try out different things and see which one suits you best. Train at a hospital one time and at a community pharmacy next. Try joining a student activity and see how that works out. This should give you a brief idea on which environment you tend to work best at. It should, therefore, serve as a helpful tool later on when you're choosing the career that most suits you but then again, don't stress too much on trying to fit into a certain work environment right this moment; it takes time and you may even change your mind later.
- The bottom line is, don't stress too much and be open to new opportunities and experiences.
- r e e m a ☁️