How To Study With A Mental Illness!!!! Aka A Guide To Simultaneously Caring For Yourself And Your Academics

how to study with a mental illness!!!! aka a guide to simultaneously caring for yourself and your academics

(disclaimer: this is from purely personal experience and is not a substitute for seeking professional help. these are just personal tips as i was formally diagnosed with depression and anxiety in the third year of college, but had been showing symptoms even in high school. different methods help for different people, but i really hope some of these things can help a struggling student out, because one of the reasons i went on studyblr in the first place was that i felt really lost and anxious.)

1. done is better than none. sometimes an assignment you have to turn in would be objectively easy to complete, but it takes longer to do so because you’re afraid that the final product won’t be as good as you want it to be, or as good as a professor expects it to be. it’s hard to remove those expectations, but it is a little easier when you remember that getting some points (no matter how many they are) are better than getting a deduction for late submissions or not turning in the project at all. many people – including myself – suffer from perfectionism in university, but it is overall more important to complete something to the best of your own ability, and learn from the feedback on the project later on. more importantly, often, you’re doing better than you think you’re doing, so surprise yourself. you can do it. just start. 2. keep careful track of your deadlines. much of my undergrad anxiety came from the fact that i knew something was due, but couldn’t keep track of it, or didn’t want to confront it. it’s better to confront it because you have more time to do it slowly and thoroughly. as soon as you hear about an impending exam or paper deadline, keep track of it. personally, i use google calendar. from there, you can make smaller plans and break down your goals to make it more doable! 3. don’t be afraid to ask for help. there used to be a huge stigma against mental illness, but thankfully, many educational institutions are much kinder and more considerate about it. if you really can’t meet a deadline or come to class, let your professor know. most professors are kind, reasonable people who genuinely care about you and your well-being. even one of my scariest professors granted extensions to a girl who was genuinely struggling with serious depression, and the college of law i’m in takes mental health very seriously to the point that they instruct faculty how to deal with such cases. if you’re not able to talk to a professor, try to ask help from a classmate or a friend who can share notes or fill you in on how they accomplished a certain assignment. many people will be happy to help. you are not a burden, love. 4. be kinder to yourself. mental illness is like any illness. it often keeps us from doing as well as we’d like to be because it’s a genuine and serious health problem. sometimes it helps to keep this in mind when we flub a report in class (as i did several tens of times in undergrad), get a bad score, say something ridiculous during recitation, or mess up a paper. it’s okay to do your best while you heal. you know you’re trying your best, and slow growth is still growth. 5. on that note, care for your other needs. one of my happiest and most fulfilled semesters (even though it was my busiest) was when i had time to see a psychiatrist, run, pack lunches and fruit to school to eat healthy, and have a reasonable-ish sleep schedule. this was during my thesis semester. while i had to take an incomplete, and finish my thesis the next sem, because i was attending to my own needs, i felt like a living, breathing, learning, happy person. and i finished my thesis the next semester. it’s better to look after your own physical health and needs before your academics. 6. sometimes, it’s better to do nothing and rest. you deserve it. part of the reason i’d been doing horribly in law school was that i didn’t sleep and it was making me mildly unbalanced and incredibly suicidal; not to mention the fact that i wasn’t really retaining any information or performing well. rest days are just as important as days when you study because rest IS productivity. 7. take your meds. see your psych or therapist if you have one. avail yourself of mental health services on campus if there are any. these genuinely saved my life at a time that i thought i was beyond saving. please go seek help if you can. BONUS: MY STUDY SETUP ON A TERRIBLE MENTAL HEALTH DAY (like today) - i try to clear the space and clean up as much as possible. it makes me feel like i have things under control, and have my work things where i can see them. - i eat something healthy, like fruit, and get a lot of water. i keep a water jug on my desk because it clears my thoughts and helps me replenish the fluids lost from crying (1/2jk). it also really keeps up my strength for the study process. - i turn on a calming playlist, like a jazz or lofi or ghibli playlist. in another window, i turn on a rain sound video on a softer volume, and it helps center me. - it helps when you have a soft or calming scent to calm you down. i use a lavender room spray, and it makes me feel cozy and productive, but in undergrad, i used this tea-tree lavender mix and it smelled like sunny afternoons and guitar coffeshop playlists. it really is nice. - there are breathing exercises and gifs all over the internet. they help calm you down when things seem Too Much. i really hope this helps, guys. don’t hesitate to message me if you’ve been having a hard time with school or life or anything. please, please care for yourselves. you can do it. – sam

help a trans man get out of pakistan

[reblogs extremely appreciated]

Reposting because the only contact I got on my sideblog was from some guy who tried to use me for money laundering...

Hi. My parents have made their monetary support for me contingent on whether I get into pharmacy school in Canada. I myself am attending pharmacy school in Pakistan.

They are not helping me pay application fees and I have no disposable income because we can get expelled/suspended for working. It's not legal but no one exactly cares here.

I posted this on my other account but got little to no traction.

I need to get out of here because I don't want to be assaulted or killed for being queer.

I am trying to raise money to pay for the fees, here's a breakdown: it's $125 CAD for USask (or $88 USD), $215 for Uwaterloo, and $250 for UofT. If I get more than this, I'll apply to one or two others as well.

I'm hoping for USask so I can bunk with someone I know there.

0 / $700 CAD

or, 0 / $500 USD

Here's my:

paypal (linked)

You can also buy me a coffee

gofundme.com

Donate to Support Zee in Applying to Pharmacy School!, organized by Zee K

Hi, I'm Zee! I'm a South Asian-Canadian transgender person who's going to move back … Zee K needs your support for Support Zee in Applying t

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trans lgbt queer trans woman help trans man fundraiser mutual aid urgent I have no idea how to tag this mutual aid request crowdfunding trans mutual aid trans crowdfund emergeny

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telesun

3 years ago

Hello! Apologies if this question has been asked before. Is there any way to get a job curating/storing/classifying/cleaning/whatever artifacts without getting a degree? I don’t know much about archaeology but sitting in a back room dusting off pottery shards and sticking them in labeled baggies sounds awesome, honestly I’d far rather do that than do field work anyway lol.

You could try to volunteer, but I don't know how much luck you have. One of the hardest things to do is "get your foot in the door" and being a student is one of the best ways to do that. I very forcefully shoved my foot in the door by seeking out internships with two of the archaeology professors at my university. They already knew me and knew what I was capable of, so they let me work with them. I don't know if the same opportunity would be given to someone they didn't know, and who doesn't have any background education.

I hate to say this because I really do think that archaeology is for everyone, but without any sort of archaeology education I don't think that you could get a paying job doing lab work. There are to many trained archaeologists looking for positions, and not enough job openings, so it doesn't really make sense to hire someone who has no prior knowledge and no credentials.

See if your state (if you're in the US) has an Archaeology Day. It's usually at a State museum, and a lot of different archaeology groups will be there with tables about their programs. This is probably the best place to inquire about any sort of lab work volunteering.

-Reid

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telesun

3 years ago

missed me? 🕊✨

some criminal class notes (again because it is my favorite subject in college 😳)

#qotd: which is your favorite subject in college/school?

follow me in my instagram: @gabstationery

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telesun

3 years ago

Monsoon by Sabit

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this is lovely

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telesun

3 years ago

I constantly feel intimidated by math. Like only some people get it and others just don't. I can't make connections and lose hope quickly. I am pursuing a combination of statistics, economics and math so math^3. How can one romanticize sitting in the same place and wrestling with difficult abstract math concepts without giving up? I am just penning this to find some point that triggers action in me.

Math is practice, practice and just when you think you're done practicing, you need to practice some more. I believe the issue is that in public schooling resources are very limited and teachers are undoubtedly overworked. This is a major issue with any subject but I believe particularly with math because, depending on which part of the subject you're currently engaging, it's the most abstract thing you will have to deal with. If you don't get it, well the resources simply aren't there for your teacher to take time with you and help you.

In reality math is nothing like that. As I have quoted before: “If you are receptive and humble, mathematics will lead you by the hand.” (Paul Dirac). I stand by this and will until my last day. Math requires an open mind and time, it does not like to be rushed and it will not stand for abuse. If you treat it kindly and patiently you will be rewarded. I understand it can be annoying/painful to have to take longer to grasp with content, just as it is annoying to practice the same kind of problem a thousand times but it's the way. You need to allow yourself to be wrong, to slam your head against the wall because you don't know how to proceed with problems. All of it is deeply painful, but remain open and calm and it will pay of.

When it comes to romanticizing mathematics I don't believe there is one right way. I love the rush I feel when I finally know the next step in a problem I've been stuck on for a day already. I feel butterflies in my stomach when I go outside and watch the water oscillate, when I look at bridges and try to figure out what parabola they describe. Small things in real life can always be reduced to math, and when you're out on a walk enjoying the weather it's a nice thing to focus your thoughts on. I love standing up, looking down at my desk which is filled with papers all over the place. Some filled with notes, others completely scratched out. To look down and tangibly see all the work I have done in the past few hours. Perhaps all of this applies to you, perhaps none of it applies. At the very least I hope you have some ideas now.

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<3 maths

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telesun

3 years ago

I've Added A Few More Things To My New Workspace. I Feel So Happy With It Now. I Love It So Much When

I've added a few more things to my new workspace. I feel so happy with it now. I love it so much when the sun hits it in the morning. It makes me feel so calm.

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spaces like these give off the feeling of that room feeling cold in a good way nice and chilly ugh i love it

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telesun

3 years ago

never underestimate the power of:

• eating fruits and veggies

• going outside

• opening your windows and letting the fresh air in

• cuddling with your pet

• catching up with your sibling or parent

• complimenting someone you don’t know

• exercising

• journaling

• cleaning out your fridge and cabinets

• listening to happy music

• putting yourself first

• making and eating a home cooked meal

• washing the dishes/putting the dishes away

• washing/brushing your hair

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telesun

3 years ago

bbambiing: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKnf1AsHmXQ/

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telesun

3 years ago

truly nothing beats the tags on this site, bitches will be like #AFKLJLKSDJDKLF HFHHHHH hhHGHH OP wHY WOU ld yo ud o thiS I CSTN BREATHe #c: jonathan sims #f: the magnus archives #scopophobia #gore #aes: нσω ∂σ уσυ ℓσνє? ℓιкє α ƒιѕт. ℓιкє α кηιƒє. #not to me. not if it's queue.

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no why would you call mer out like this in front of everyone we r all in this together lads

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