The Academic: Issue 2 by The Academic

Dedicated to Mr. C, who let me procrastinate and FaceTime in class for The Academic, and my dad, who read the whole thing through in one night. —Meadow Dedicated to my co-worker Joanna, for listening to me rant about zine drama while doing diapers, and my mom, for stepping in when we needed a designer and providing counsel and advice when we didn’t know what to do (which was most of the time). —Edye

“

Efforts

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

and

courage

are

not

enough

without

purpose

and

John F. Kennedy

Dear Readers:

”

direction.

Welcome back to those of you who read our first issue! Thank you so much for 7,000 reads and counting. For those of you who are newcomers to The Academic, we’re thrilled to have you join our readership.

Compared to last issue, this one was a breath of fresh air. We finished issue 1 and gave ourselves two

whole days before we jumped headfirst into issue 2. This issue was not nearly as rushed as we gave ourselves three months versus twenty-four days, and we even got to the point where we weren’t quite sure how to handle the dramatic increase in time. This issue was as much of a learning experience as our first. We discovered what did and didn’t work, and our vision for the magazine continues to grow and develop. As we gear up to begin production of issue 3, we are doing so with renewed energy, motivation, and a stronger sense of what needs to be done and what attitudes need to be had to ensure its success. We tried a variety of new things in this issue, and second time readers will likely notice the differences. First of all, we focused in on consistency with margins, running headers, fonts, colors, page numbers, and more. We attempted (with varying degrees of success) to maintain an air of professionalism. In terms of behind the scenes work, we implemented more checkpoints and assignments to ensure that our staff stayed on track. Additionally, we added two new positions: photographers and design advisors. While having photographers didn’t ultimately work out logistically, we greatly appreciate the efforts and participation of Gab (studiousgab) and Lilyanne/Alice (asuina). However, the addition of a design advisor is perhaps the smartest decision we have made to date and, we believe, has significantly enhanced the quality of this issue. In that vein, we would like to give thanks to all of our incredible staff. Ally (allydsgn), our design advisor, worked tirelessly to critique each and every layout multiple times, went out of her way to make sure she was available almost 24/7, and helped our less experienced staff with her extensive knowledge and experience with graphic design. She really pulled the entire issue together, and we could not have asked for better results. That is not to negate the contributions of every other staff member on our team. Designers do take on a significant portion of the work in that they are responsible for the look and feel of the entire magazine, and we’d like to give a special shout-out to Candyce (studyvet) for taking on not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but six entire layouts and for somehow managing to have a positive attitude

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

throughout. She is truly our knight in shining armor. We’d like to thank Anni (hazie) for finishing her layouts despite personal difficulties towards the end of production, and Joanna (studybuzz) – who has been here since day one – for patiently listening to our extensive critiques on her three layouts and applying each one on top of co-writing a very lengthy, well-researched article. Also, special thanks to Taryn (equipoises) and Kat (katsdesk), who provided the foundations of layouts that were later completed by other designers. Edye’s mother, Bremner, came through at the eleventh hour and generously took over a layout despite her other projects as a freelance artist. To our dear writers, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You are the ones who give our magazine what attracts readers, and you are truly the peanut butter to our jelly. All of our writers also wrote for issue 1, and they deserve a round of applause for sticking with this project. We call Sydney (boardingschoolblr) and Cailee (cskyestudy) our personal cheerleaders and MVPs because they have remained upbeat, optimistic, and supportive. They never miss a deadline and are both fantastic young women. Sydney especially goes above and beyond and actually took the time to conduct research for one of her articles even though she’s busy with sports, school, and extracurriculars! Xuanlin is incredibly talented, kind, and prompt; if she ever needs an extension, she is quick to ask for it. We truly admire how dedicated she is despite her studies and other commitments. Of course all the staff play important roles, and editors help turn something good into something great and worthy to grace the pages of our baby and brainchild. Thank you to Gina and Lindsey for being helpful and constructive. Special thanks to our proofreaders, Margarida Mendes Ribeiro, Chlö, and Joanne Zou for their support of the magazine and the time they invested in helping ensure the quality of this issue. We chose this quote by John F. Kennedy because we feel that it encompasses the essence of what The Academic means and is to us. Our dedication to the project is borne of determination to fulfill our vision for the magazine and aid students around the world. It is often difficult, particularly in the beginning stages of what is, for all intents and purposes, still a startup venture, to find purpose and direction. We have found that in this magazine. It has now been one-third of an entire year since we began this crazy adventure. We still remember our surprise and excitement each time we gained a follower, received an application, or got a message. In our wildest dreams, we could not have anticipated a better response or more support, and we look forward to expanding our audience and experiencing the growth of this publication with you, our readers. Love,

Edye & Meadow vi

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

HOW TO WRITE A

RESEARCH

PAPER W ritten

e dited

A di ( studyplAnts )

M eAdow p endley ( studyingwtf ) d esigned

A nni M Arie ( hAzie )

The Academic, sue 2 | May 1, 2016

“

”

Good writing is

essentially rewriting

I speak from experience when I say that writing

original topic. As you continue to research, your

a research paper can be one of the most daunting

subject will likely evolve, allowing you to narrow

tasks a student can face. Managing your time wisely

down the focus of your paper. Picking a topic that

and staying organized can make researching a less

truly interests you will make the process much

intimidating and more enjoyable process.

more enjoyable.

The first thing to consider is the viability of your

Once you’ve collected all your resources, you can

research topic. Will you be able to find a sufficient

begin taking notes and selecting important topics.

number of resources? Will you be able to develop

Everyone organizes their research materials

your own thesis after analyzing outside sources?

differently; I’ve found that color coding works really well. Instead of scribbling your notes in the

Encyclopedias or local libraries are a great place

book itself, try typing up important and useful

to start gathering information. Once you have a

points, quotes, and page numbers, or use index

general idea of your selected topic, you can start

cards instead. You can use a different color to

looking for more specific material. University

denote each book or source you are referencing.

websites often have extensive online catalogues

When you’re finished with all your materials, you

where you can find primary sources regarding

could shift the order of the sections or cards so

more obscure topics. If the subject is too general,

you’ll know where each fact originated. It’s often

like “The French Revolution,” it’ll be really

helpful to write a short summary to recap after

difficult to discuss all the information you gather.

you’ve finished each book. You can refer to these

On the other hand, if it’s too specific, there may

summaries as you write your final paper.

not be enough information to write a full-length paper. However, you don’t need to stick with your 12

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

Much to the dismay of researchers everywhere,

– topic sentences really do all the work. Each one

you can’t just conjure a full-fledged paper out of

acts as a “mini thesis,” providing a new insight

thin air. It requires planning, which is where an

while connecting to the main idea.

outline comes in. Using numbers or bullet points

Roald Dahl said that “good writing is essentially

will allow you to refer to certain ideas later, and

rewriting,” and this is especially true of research

structuring your paper will make the writing

papers. Once you’ve done all the writing and

process much easier. However, a paper is not

research, you can proofread your paper. Read it

complete without a thesis statement to tie it all

out loud or ask someone to look over it for you

together.

so that you can catch mistakes you wouldn’t have

You don’t have to limit your thesis to just one

noticed otherwise. As soon as you’re satisfied, you

sentence, and it is perfectly okay to focus on more

can hand in your final research assignment. Now

than one overarching idea. The thesis statement

go and write a brilliant paper!

just outlines the objective of your research paper

A GUIDE TO CRAMMING Written by Xuanlin (study-ings) edited by EdyE (acadEmla) designed by allyson (allydsgn)

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

Almost all students have been there. The night before an exam: reality like a slap to the face, panic surging in your chest as days, weeks, and possibly months of procrastination suddenly become painfully apparent. It’s an overwhelmingly crushing weight, declaring a battle that you feel you’ve already lost. Being rather experienced in the field of procrastination

and

being

underprepared

for exams, I’ve found and developed a method that works really well for me in times of academic distress. This is not meant to be an all-encompassing guide to cramming, and I do not claim that this method will help everyone. However, I hope some of the tips I’ve picked up along the way as a disorganized student sorely lacking in time management skills will help you, too!

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

STEP ONE: FIND YOUR SYLLABUS.

STEP THREE: PRIORITIZING AND ANNOTATING.

Though its importance is sometimes overlooked, the syllabus acts as a guideline to daily studying as well as revision for exams. It is an absolutely critical resource for effective studying; without a framework to base your knowledge on, it is near impossible to sift through the information in your notes, textbooks or handouts and find what is truly needed for your exam. And, when you’re cramming, it is more important than ever to only focus on relevant information.

Now you should be left with the concepts that require a higher level of understanding than just memorizing; these are the concepts that will require “discussing” or “explaining.” Read through these and identify (by writing an exclamation mark next to the point or highlighting in a different color) those which you are completely unsure about. Then, using a different symbol or color, identify areas where you have some basic understanding but could use some extra revision on.

STEP TWO: HIGHLIGHTING.

Next, immediately tackle the areas about which you are least confident. Have your textbooks, handouts, and class notes ready, and use these to annotate the syllabus. This is quite a straightforward step, but I’ve found that it’s the quickest way to reabsorb information and see how it relates to what is needed for the exam. Once you’ve finished annotating the most urgent areas, move on to the concepts that you only partially understand.

Once you have your syllabus in front of you (a digital copy will work, but I highly recommend printing it out), it’s time to start highlighting. First of all, identify all the concepts that ask you to define, state, or describe. In effect, highlight everything that just calls for pure memorization, e.g. “define meiosis as reduction division.”

While annotating, it’s important to remember that you only want information that is directly relevant to the syllabus point. With a plethora of resources around you, it can be hard to narrow it down to the pure essentials. However, this is a critical step in revising effectively. Be active in your reading and annotating; stop and ask yourself if this information is actually needed for your exam. If it is just extra information that is not directly needed for your exam, you do not need to include it in your notes.

Since these concepts only require memorization, which is a relatively basic skill, handle these first and get them out of the way. A lot of the time, memorizing these key concepts and definitions will also aid your understanding, making your revision for the other syllabus items easier. You can do this by making flashcards, or simply by copying each key concept three or four times on a piece of paper until you remember it.

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

This can be done in different ways. Personally, I prefer annotating directly on my hard copy of the syllabus, but you could also write your notes on a separate piece of paper. I use the syllabus because it helps me stay focused on only the essentials, and having less space to write with forces me to summarize my notes as much as possible. However, if you feel as if you will need more space, as you would with a more content-heavy subject, using a separate piece of paper may be more effective.

STEP FOUR: TESTING KNOWLEDGE. After 45 minutes to an hour of annotating or note-taking, take a five minute break from studying. Then, go back to your syllabus or notes and cover up your annotations. Try to recall what you just learned for each syllabus point and write down what you remember on a separate piece of paper. Check your answers alongside your notes, and rewrite any information that you missed in a different color; while doing this, make sure you’re actively trying to reabsorb information – you can even read things aloud if that helps you!

STEP FIVE: PAST PAPERS AND QUESTIONS. At this point, you are probably quite familiar with at least the key concepts. However, being able to apply that knowledge to the format of an exam is extremely important, and will ultimately determine whether or not you will obtain a good grade. Try to find as many exams as possible from previous years – these may come in different forms depending on the resources available to you. As if you were taking an exam at home, complete the exam under timed conditions without referring to your notes or textbooks.

and write down everything you lost points on in a different color. This allows you to identify areas of weakness and understand how to get full points on each question. After reviewing, rewrite an improved answer without referencing the mark scheme or original test. If you do not have access to mark schemes or their equivalents and your exam is formatted differently (e.g. broken into sections such as multiple choice, short answer and free response), your teacher may indicate how many points each section or question is worth. If this is the case, it is likely that they physically mark how many points you lost on each question. With this information, you can clearly see which section or subject you performed most poorly on and therefore focus on these areas during cramming.

In my opinion, the bulk of cramming time should be spent on going through these exams; it’s the most effective way to master the material that you will be expected to know. If you have a mark scheme, which is essentially a breakdown of how to obtain full marks on each question in an exam, refer to it while reviewing 17

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

STEP SIX: SUMMARISING INFORMATION. If you’ve managed to get through all the steps above, you’re probably feeling more confident about the content of your exam than you were before your study session. However, if you still have time to spare, taking it one step further and consolidating information into a more accessible form can help increase retention. This can be done in many different ways, and at this point in your revision, it’s completely up to you! Here are a few ideas that you could consider if you have some extra time, and want to solidify your knowledge for the exam:

» FLASHCARDS: these can be good for fact-based memorization.

» AUDIO NOTES: Record yourself explaining a key concept and listen back to it (works well for auditory learners).

» MIND MAPS: A mind map is a diagram that summarizes a concept and allows you to visualize links between ideas and information by using arrows, bubbles, boxes etc. Mind-mapping can be timeconsuming, but it can help you connect and recall key concepts (which is quite useful for subjects like history or economics). A good idea for visual learners!

» QUIZZES: Either by using your annotations/notes that you made on the syllabus or the questions that you got wrong while taking exams from previous years, make yourself a small “quiz” and write the answers as bullet points. If you can, get someone to test you by reading out the questions and having you repeat the bullet points back to them! These different methods all have one thing in common: they rely on repetition to be effective. After you’ve compiled your review materials, the only thing left to do is to keep going over it repeatedly until you’re completely confident with all the content you need for the exam. However, don’t do this by just reading over what you’ve written; cover things up and test yourself, or repeat information out loud.

GOOD LUCK!

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

THE INSECURE STUDENT’S GUIDE TO

CONFIDENCE

“

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.

Marie Curie

W ritten e dited d esigned

E dyE B EnEdict ( acadEmla )

G ina ( studyGEEn ) a nni m ariE ( haziE )

”

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

Starting from a young age, we’re surrounded by a

you to take risks and opportunities, which is a

society in which it’s very easy to feel inadequate. As

large benefit of doing so, but you can be happy and

a result, finding and maintaining confidence can

successful either way.

seem an unattainable goal. However, confidence

Confidence also often requires risk-taking. It

doesn’t have to be controlled by others’ opinions

requires putting yourself out there, as well as being

and attitudes. You can take control of your own

assertive and not letting others drag you down

self image and self-assurance regardless of your

or silence you. Few of us are natural risk-takers.

relationship with yourself.

Instead, we want to use shortcuts and take the

Whether you possess genuine self-acceptance or

easy way out – which is perfectly understandable.

you have to fake it ‘til you make it, it’s never too

To become completely confident, however, you

late to start feeling strong. You do not have to be

will need to let go of that, step out of your comfort

perfectly secure and have your life totally together

zone, and take the road less traveled.

to be confident, which is a large misconception

Most important to acknowledge is that confidence

and cause for despair amongst many people, who

isn’t just one-and-done. As you grow older, you

think that their life circumstances are inhibiting

are inevitably met with harsh criticism, negativity,

them from achieving confidence.

and challenges – physical, emotional, and mental

Confidence is fluid. Even the most confident

– unlike any you’ve ever had to overcome. Nobody

of people have bad days. While you may

comes out unscathed. If you are not particularly

surreptitiously

internet

confident, you are not inferior to people who are.

personalities, envying the seamless confidence

Don’t beat yourself up for lack of confidence! It

that they exude, understand that they are no

will discourage rather than empower you, and

less emotionally flexible than you. Just as your

the end goal when working towards confidence is

moods fluctuate, so will theirs, and even as your

empowerment. Believe that you will be confident,

confidence levels increase, you must allow for the

allow yourself to be confident, and you will get

occasional – even frequent – bad day.

there, critics and self doubt be damned.

That said, confidence is not the magic bullet to

There are two primary types of confidence:

mental stability or pure happiness. While it can

academic and social. Overlaps in terms of general

help you become a more balanced person with a

ideas are present, but there are also discrepancies

better sense of perspective, you don’t need to be

between the two environments and therefore

mindblowingly confident to achieve great things.

the skills and concepts to bear in mind when

Granted, becoming more secure can encourage

approaching confidence in each.

eye

your

peers

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

Academic Confidence

point is that you took a risk, you practiced speaking

Academic confidence is a big issue, seeing as

In the academic world, you will have to accept

nearly two decades of our lives are dedicated to

disappointment and failure, hard as it may be.

school. The absolute first, most imperative step is

You cannot be perfect all the time! It simply isn’t

to believe in yourself. Trust your instincts. Trust

possible. You will fall short of your expectations

your abilities. Never tell yourself that you can’t

sometimes. Learn to be okay with that. Once you

do it or that you’re going to fail or that this (class,

have accepted this inevitability and are able to move

homework, test) is too hard.

on, over time, you’ll feel a lot more confident. Give

in public, and you should feel proud of that.

it your all; you might crash and burn, but that’s

Public speaking is one of the biggest stumbling

fine! It’s better than not taking the risk at all. Plus,

blocks for people who struggle with confidence.

lowering your standards a little bit and accounting

This skill isn’t something that comes easily to

for the possibility of completely messing up is

many people, but once you can speak publicly, even just in class discussions, confidence begins to bloom. A good place to start is by setting goals. Whether you’re speaking in front of your class or at graduation, build up to it. Set small goals. Even if you aim to participate once a week, that’s okay. It’s all about baby steps. When you’re preparing to speak, make sure not to judge or invalidate your thoughts and opinions.

never a bad thing. High expectations cause high

People often hold back because they’re worried

anxiety, and the less anxiety, the better.

about the validity of what they have to say. It’s a

One thing that actually helped me gain confidence

legitimate concern: sometimes you’ll speak and

in school is realizing that I have the ability to apply

your teacher will kindly (or not so kindly) tell you

corrections, and this is far more important than

that you missed the mark, or you’ll realize that

getting it right the first time. Go into the situation

you’re really only repeating what ten people have

with your head held high, and know that if you

already said. But those things don’t matter. The

screw this up, it isn’t the end! You will apply corrections, meet with the teacher, get feedback, and everything will be fine.

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

Remember that help is out there. To quote

Social Confidence

Albus Dumbledore, “Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.” Unfortunately,

As if academic stress isn’t enough, we must also

my acceptance letter never came (or it’s eight years

contend with the social world. In my experience,

late), but the concept is important. If you have the

social confidence becomes a lot more difficult in

determination to solve a problem, you will find

teenage years and I definitely noticed a significant

support, even if it’s only within yourself. In my

dip in my confidence levels from ages 13 to 18.

experience, most teachers and adults in general

Starting from a young age, we have a sense

are happy to help you out if you’re a polite and

of popularity and social dynamics which only

hardworking individual.

intensifies as we grow up and learn how to be

Lastly, have perspective. Five years from now

mean, how to manipulate, and how to be liked

you will not remember this. This grade does not

or not liked. Unsurprisingly, this tumultuous

define you or your future happiness and success –

climate lends itself to massive insecurities in the

so you might as well be confident about it! In the

social arena.

grand scheme of things, when you’re kicking butt

Lack of confidence is not remedied by perceived

in college and beyond, I guarantee you won’t be

popularity. For years, I’ve idolized Internet

able to recall anything that was on that terrifying

celebrities and Tumblr or YouTube famous

AP exam or what you got on your English

accounts. But until I started my blog (disclaimer:

placement essay.

I’m not famous by any means, but I have more followers on my studyblr than I’ve had on any of my previous blogs) I didn’t fully understand that while it’s wonderful to have a relatively large and supportive following, it isn’t the be-all, endall when it comes to confidence. I thought that when I reached a certain follower milestone I would automatically feel more secure, and when I passed that benchmark and nothing changed, then I assumed the next milestone would be the turning point. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t, and never will be. Prom kings and queens with thousands

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

of followers might have no self confidence, while the outcasts and nerds who aren’t even on social media may be the most confident young adults in your peer group. Assume that people like you. If I go into a situation worrying about being awkward and assuming that people won’t like me, I’m more likely to come off as insecure. People pick up on lack of confidence, subconsciously or not. If, however, you march

like you and if you embarrass yourself, it honestly

into a social situation with your head held high

just makes for a good story. It really won’t matter a

and decide that you will be liked, you’ll find that

couple years from now. It won’t. I promise.

fake confidence leads to real confidence. It doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be liked or even tolerated

Don’t be afraid to have a sense of humor. I tend to

by them, but it does guarantee that you’ll be too

get stuck in many awkward situations, no matter

confident to care what they think.

how hard I try, and I’ve learned to accept and laugh at it. When something humiliating happens, I replace thoughts of “oh my god I’m a failure, I want to jump off a cliff and never face this person again” with “well won’t this be another funny story for the blog!” I tend to be a sarcastic and (I’d like to think) funny person, so I use comedy to my advantage. I enjoy telling entertaining narratives and I view situations where my confidence didn’t do me any favors as amusing tales rather than allowing them to wound my pride.

And remember: in the end, they’re just people. They can be intimidating, yes, but they are people

Nobody is going to be liked by everybody.

just the same, who have most likely suffered

Sometimes, it’s just futile. Sometimes, people

the same insecurities and self esteem issues as

won’t

you have.

you

for

absolutely

reason.

Sometimes, they won’t like you for a legitimate

Just like academic confidence, perspective is a

reason that you can’t do anything about, whether

useful tool in social situations. If somebody doesn’t

that’s a deliberate offense on your part or a messy misunderstanding. Just like accepting academic failure, accept social failure. If you accept this, if 39

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

you go into a situation and force yourself to be

I’ll end this article with my favorite words of

confident knowing the risks, you’ll feel way better

wisdom: ten seconds of courage. That’s all it takes.

about it. It’s going to hurt if somebody rejects you,

If you can muster up just ten seconds of courage

but don’t go in assuming that they will. Confidence

to say what you want to say, to send the first text,

means being at peace with yourself; if you are at

to walk up to a group of people at lunch, to strike

peace with yourself, chances are higher that others

up a conversation, to speak to a teacher, to raise

will be at peace with you.

your hand in class… that’s all you need. In just ten seconds, you get the ball rolling. In just ten seconds

Fake it ‘til you make it. This is a method I’ve

you pave the road to confidence. Take that leap of

employed for years and that I honestly believe

faith, take that risk, even though it may go awry.

contributed greatly to my confidence and recovery today. Even when I was in the throes of anxiety

The battle for confidence may be an ongoing and

and depression, I pretended that I was confident.

enduring one for the majority of your life. However,

I watched confident people, saw what they did and

if you bear some of these pointers in mind, it is one

how they interacted with the world, and copied

that you may overcome more often than not, and

that. Basically, pretend to be who you want to be.

this, in itself, is a victory.

In the words of Cora from Once Upon a Time, “Someone once told me to act like what you plan to be, so I try to act a little better than I am.” By this logic, if your goal is to be confident, try to act more confident than you are.

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

NOTEBOOK REVIEWS Written By Meadow Pendley (studyingwtf), sydney gerbel (boardingschoolblr), Joanna tasMin (studybuzz), Xuanlin (study-ings) edited By Meadow Pendley (studyingwtf) designed By K at (MuJi-Princess) & allyson (allydsgn)

MEAD FIVE STAR NOTEBOOKS Sydney: I often use these notebooks for school. The ones with the built-in folders are perfect for both taking notes and keeping handouts and returned assignments. Very sturdy covers (made of plastic, not paper). Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (of course 5-star notebooks deserve a 5-star rating!).

MOLSKINE JOURNALS Sydney: I use a Moleskine journal with dotted grid paper for my bullet journal, and I absolutely love it. It is a sturdy notebook with an elastic closure band and a pocket in the back â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perfect for holding stickers or post-its. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars. As much as I love it, dark colors bleed through sometimes. Joanna: I use a soft-cover Moleskine gridded journal for my bullet journal, and I find that it has pretty good-quality paper, although fineliners bleed through sometimes. I really like that it has a small pocket in the back for index cards, sticky notes, and just anything. The only downside to the notebook, I feel, is the price. However, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty good investment! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars! 47

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

MUJI NOTEBOOKS Joanna: I use Muji notebooks for rewriting class notes and exam notes, and I’ve been loving them so far! They’re pretty sturdy (for the cheap price they were sold at), and the paper quality isn’t bad, although I do have to stick together pages sometimes due to excessive bleeding through of pens. I do love that I can get a several of them at a pretty reasonable price, and the stores have sales often. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars! Xuanlin: I love the Muji notebooks for their versatility. They come in different paper: lined, gridded, plain, and even dotted! The great range of sizes is another thing I really appreciate. In addition, you have the choices or either spiral or bound notebooks for most ranges of their notebooks, as well as some mini hole-punched notebooks that you can put in binders! I’m quite a fan of the mini hole-punched ones too, as they’re great for making note summaries or bullet journaling and are not too expensive either. Finally, the paper has a great texture and is super nice to write on, so I’d really recommend these notebooks! However, the paper is a little different in colour to standard white paper; if you want to stick things in, there may be a colour contrast that you might not like. Additionally, many of these notebooks can be quite easily damaged, as their covers are made of paper or card. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. I’d really recommend these notebooks! They are definitely one of the Muji products that are worth your money, especially if you don’t need to order them online. The simple design and variety of paper, size and style are really what makes these a great purchase!

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

JOT (AVAILABLE AT DOLLAR TREE) Meadow: I get the 120 page ones, enough for all my classes. The paper is thick, and fountain pens don’t bleed through it at all. It’s a cheap price for decent notebooks. However, I do notice that when I use a pencil with .5 lead the paper tends to rip more easily. It’ll leave little holes, and it’s really annoying if I’m going to use the paper for essays or such. The only ones I’ve seen come in wideruled, and I prefer the college-ruled. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Although the covers are flimsy, I thoroughly enjoy this product.

MIQUELRIUS GRIDDED JOURNAL Meadow: I love this notebook. The faux leather look is really nice. I use gridded paper to make my handwriting neater, and this is really good paper because it doesn’t rip. The disadvantage is that the paper is a bit thin, so some pens do bleed through. Mine is 300 pages, more than enough for me. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Since pens bleed through, I bumped it down a star.

TYPO NOTEBOOKS Joanna: These have the cutest covers ever! They come in various sizes, with different numbers of pages for different purposes, which is amazing. They’re not too pricey, but the paper is sort of flimsy and most pens I use bleed through them. The larger, thicker notebooks have multiple packetlike holders for loose paper, stickies, pens, extra handouts, etc. These are great as class notebooks, where you don’t mind messing up a ton! Also, the pages are tearable, which is pretty cool! Rating: 3 out of 5 stars! 49

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

HELPFUL APPS & WEBSITES W ritten

E ydE B EnEdict ( acadEmla ) & m Eadow P EndlEy ( studyingwtf )

D esigneD

a nni m ariE ( haziE )

and

a llyson a rrogantE ( allydsgn )

WRI T ING

PRODUC T IVI T Y

Grammarly: An app that finds and suggests

FocusNow: This is the free alternative to the

how to correct up to ten times more mistakes

Forest app! As you study, a tomato plant grows.

than your word processor. It looks for errors,

If you exit the app while you’re studying and the

enhances clarity, and even works with your

timer is still running, your plant dies.

email.

My Study Life: Timetables, tasks, and

Bubbl.us: An app accessible on both phone

reminders all in one place and synced across

and computer, Bubbl.us makes mindmaps when

multiple devices.

you’re brainstorming.

Pocket

Schedule:

Has

timetable,

Q10: A writing app for Windows that has lots of

personalized calendar, assignment viewer, and

options such as fullscreen, notes, target counts,

individual course details.

and more. Thesaurus.com:

Self Control: This is hardcore intervention for Finds

synonyms

and

the most addicted of internet users. Add a list of

antonyms for words.

websites to the blacklist, then set the length of time that you need the sites blocked for, and you won’t be able to access them until your time is up, even if you reboot your computer or uninstall the app.

The Academic, Issue 2 | May 1, 2016

L ANGUAGES

NOT E-TAKING

Duolingo: Learn languages with the app or

TopNotes: A note-taking app for iPad that

website.

allows you to handwrite notes.

Memrise: This app doesn’t just have languages; it

Microsoft OneNote: This app has a ton of

also has AP test review, history, religion, and more!

capabilities! You can take photos, clip online articles, record audio notes, add annotations,

WordReference.com: A free online and

and create and sort shareable notebooks. If you

mobile dictionary for lots of different languages!

prefer to write and draw your notes by hand, you

It also offers verb conjugators in French, Spanish,

can use a variety of pen colors and settings to do

and Italian.

so.

SpanishDict: A Spanish and English translator.

Bamboo Paper: With a high selection of pens

HEALTH

and brushes, Bamboo Paper is a virtual “paper”

Sleepyti.me: This app helps wake you up at

sketch. You can even add photos to a page and

a specific time based on your sleep cycles. This

write on top of them!

notebook that you can use to take notes, draw,

means that you’ll feel less tired when you wake up!

Notepad+ Free: Gives you the option to type

Stop, Breathe & Think: A mindfulness/

or handwrite notes, annotate PDF documents,

meditation app to help you relax and think better

add photos and images, and save and export

when you’re stressed.

your notes as a PDF or image via email, print, iTunes, or Photos.

Water Drink Reminder: If you’re bad at staying hydrated, this app will be a big help with

S T UDYING

logging how much you’re drinking every day and

Quizlet: Lets you make or use other flashcards

reminding you to drink more!

sets. Has a website and an app.

Charity Miles: This app will donate money to a charity of your choice for each mile that you

Sparknotes:

walk, run, or bike.

understand a book, but it also has test help, study

Great for when you don’t

guides, and more.

Bluelight Filter: This app helps protect your eyes by adjusting your screen color to reduce

Slader.com: Answers to textbook problems

blue light, which makes it easier to fall asleep!

with explanations and will provide you with a

Available on Android.

free tutor.

dreams ELEANOR ROOSEVELT