so for my 17th birthday, I asked for a kindle paperwhite because I had started taking reading a tad bit seriously again, and thought it was a good way to keep my books in one compact device. the fact that you have to then buy individual books to read was sort of annoying but hey, at least they were cheaper than their physical counterparts. I had the kindle for a while and took it with me on holiday and even used it for college. I bought and read Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. alongside these, I downloaded a number of samples for other books that I had on my TBR or just caught my interest.
but I also began missing the feel of physical books, continuing to buy more of those than try to stick purely to an e-reader.
the kindle accompanied me when I started university and into my second year until COVID-19 hit and I had to return home. it wasn’t until August 2020 that I was able to clear out my dorm room. but one thing was definitely off when I began searching for my kindle, thinking it must be with all my other belongings that were finally back in my bedroom at home. then I tried to remember where I last saw it and couldn’t think of anywhere I may have left it… it was literally nowhere to be found. so then began a period of mourning for my kindle paperwhite, lost somewhere out there.
there was a brief time when I considered buying a new kindle in secret as no one else knew about the fact that my original was lost. but since they cost quite a lot, I refrained and decided to save up more money first. I pretty much had fully given up at this point.
but in 2022, something incredible happened…
I noticed a message from someone on Instagram: it was a girl who was now living in my previous dorm room and while searching for her AirPods… she had found my kindle!!!! there was also a notebook and a note from a friend/flatmate from first year that was also left behind and the latter having my name helped her find me :’)) the amount of gratitude I have towards this girl is still grand. I expressed this gratitude and with help from another friend, the kindle, notebook and post-it note made their way back into my arms through the post ❤
I have been guarding the kindle immensely since so as not to lose it again. for a brief time though, I didn’t feel like reading because I wasn’t bothered to spend more money on e-books again. but this summer, I went on holiday with my family and some family friends and it coincided with the release of ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ on Amazon Prime. since the novel was on my TBR for some time and I preferred to read it before watching the film, I caved in £4.99 to finally read it on my kindle. the amazing part? I was immersed into reading once more, wanting to keep turning the page and into the next chapters, a feeling I had not had much over the last few years 🙂 I even crocheted a sleeve for my kindle to make it extra special and protected.
these days, I see reels on my Instagram explore page of people buying and/or decorating their own kindles. there are stickers, a clear case and pop sockets being used on almost all of them. so the kindle paperwhite has become part of a lot of people’s lives again. mine was through a miracle and I’m glad I’m re-entering this kindle girl era.
A bullet journal is a planning system created by Ryder Carroll as an alternative system to the usual planner. His video on how to bullet journal was uploaded to YouTube in 2015 and the phenomenon grew exponentially. I’m sure most of us have heard the term to some degree.
Carroll’s first video on the bullet journal system / channel: Ryder Carroll
The bullet journal video which gained popularity and led to the rise in bullet journaling / channel: Bullet Journal
Social media sites such as Instagram and Tumblr saw a rise in what is dubbed the “study community” or colloquially “studyblr/studygram”, portmanteaus of ‘study’ + ‘tumblr’/’instagram’. This new space that I found became a new home and had a large presence of bullet journals. The bullet journal in particular quickly became the common and preferred format of planning for students and naturally, I decided to pick up this system.
Bullet journal spreads usually feature the following:
Monthly title page
Calendar
Goal list
Weekly spreads with space to add tasks
Yearly/monthly/future logs
Other optional additions are playlists, stickers, washi tape and photos to name a few.
I bought a Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal, some Tombow dual brush pens and washi tape and went on with it. The practice became on and off until eventually, I officially gave up in 2019. The sentimental part of me feels sad to have let go of it. But the rational part of me is so relieved.
the pressure of perfectionism
The problem was the overwhelming task bullet journaling became. The system is supposed to be a solution to our disorganisation and in Carroll’s videos, the simplicity of the system is obvious. However, the blank canvas of Carroll’s style leads to opportunities in designing the appearance of your bullet journal, leading the way to the “aesthetics” problem. On Tumblr, I noticed that the bullet journal spreads posted by various users were often artistic. Stickers, washi tape and brush pen calligraphy made these pages visually stunning. While these are wonderful to look at and appreciate, subconsciously, we build the notion of what is to be expected from keeping a bullet journal.
When I began bullet journaling, I had already forayed into the studyblr community and felt much more confident in organising my academic life, something which I previously struggled with. But then came the unspoken rule of being aesthetic. Aesthetics have become incredibly popular and are arguably a core part of everyone’s identities in the contemporary world. I myself love the concept of aesthetics and apply it as part of my own identity. But it proved to be an intensely stressful exercise for a lot of us in the study community. In 2017, I was ready to post my own spread. A muted weekly spread in pastel colours with minimalist pictures made its way to becoming liked by over 2,000 users. It was a delightful feeling seeing how many people liked how aesthetic it is. What I didn’t realise is that was precisely the superficial mindset that would lead to my quitting.
the bullet journal spread that received over 2k notes / tumblr
Bullet journaling became a chore and I would create spreads for the new month and become dissatisfied with its appearance. There was too much effort for my slow and easily exhausted brain. They weren’t ‘aesthetic’ enough and wouldn’t receive social media likes.
Leading on from the aesthetic dilemma, the time spent on constructing a double-paged spread results in being side-tracked from a bullet journal’s purpose. From my own experience, I can recall spending an awful amount of time figuring out what type of weekly format to use, which colours I wanted, what materials would look the nicest and finding pictures to print and glue onto the pages. Writing down the tasks would be the last thing I considered.
In hopes of becoming more productive, bullet journals became a popular solution for students and those who work. When the attention deviates from the process of organising your life, the system is made redundant.
Of course, there are people who succeed with their productivity and be creative visually using a bullet journal. AmandaRachLee, a popular creator online who’s known for her bullet journal videos on YouTube, is one that comes to mind. Her monthly upload schedule always features setting up her spreads for the new month. As an artist, her talent is evident in the various themes she incorporates. But her consistency in utilising the system to her benefit is also clear. Bullet journal users such as Amanda have found a method which works for them. However, that doesn’t mean this system is universal. Some may be quick to adopt it, others like myself will go through that annoying cycle instead.
Bullet journaling also turned out to be an enemy to my bank account. Especially since I struggled with the extra materials in an attempt to be artistic, these products led to a series of issues.
One of the earliest stationery shops I came across from the studyblr community is KawaiiPenShop. Some top creators would use their stationery products and would also offer a 10% discount if customers used their affiliate code. There was also an introduction to Muji and their products, a popular Japanese brand. The stationery in question would range from pastel-coloured washi tape (a type of tape made from rice paper), brush pens, stickers and gel pens. Additionally, the notebooks and journals were among a few noted brands. Moleskine and Leuchtturm were the top names in notebook brands while some who continued to use planners, owned a MosseryCo planner. The appeal of the latter was the personalisation of having your name on the front cover.
During the initial phase of bullet journaling, I bought the washi tape and stickers from KawaiiPenShop and a pack of Tombow dual brush pens and a Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal from Amazon. While I cannot remember the grand total from the top of my head, it all cost a tad bit too much. As well as the price points being just beyond reach, I realised that I could not afford to continue spending money buying a new batch of stationery once the previous was either completed/used up.
The other glaring problem I’ve come to realise is the amount of waste being produced. In more recent times, I’ve become more eco-conscious as the environment and climate of our planet is on the ropes and we all need to do much better to save it. The journals I owned have several empty pages towards the end due to creative blocks. Some existing pages do not feature any tasks or remain unfinished. If I was unsatisfied with a spread, I would attempt to redo the ‘mistakes’, ruining the quality of the paper in the process or fully tearing the pages out and discarding them.
Waste does appear to be an issue across the study community. Whether it is leaving journals unfinished or buying far too many to find proper use for all of them, I can say that I almost shudder recalling the wasteful person I was when I tried bullet journaling.
so what now?
Since I abandoned bullet journaling, I did not move to a new system per se. It took a little bit of time to find something which worked for me. I was gifted a yearly planner on my 21st birthday which I managed to use well. Afterwards, I felt that planners would raise the waste issue again so I didn’t continue with this format.
Eventually, I began using Notion. This app kept appearing amongst students and other creators on YouTube and the design and structure was definitely appealing. So, after much contemplation, Notion quickly became a top database for my life overall. Google Calendar also proved to be helpful in planning out tasks across the week. Both apps being digital and providing freedom to customise solved many of the issues I had with bullet journaling: there is no waste, the apps are free to use and easily customisable if I wish to edit my style.
Those who have been successfully using a bullet journal, fair play to you. For myself, I have left for (what I believe are) greener pastures. The important thing, overall, is to figure out what type of system to adopt and utilise because it works for YOU. Don’t settle for a system because it is the popular and trendy thing to do.
So, I’m sure many of us are individuals who have tried to boost our productivity at least a couple of times. Unfortunately, for some of us, we struggle and land back in our old habits. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that because everyone goes through life differently and certain factors are beyond our control. I know for myself, I’ve been held back a lot because of mental health and fatigue and I often find myself starting something and giving up after a few days. But I try, I guess. This list is essentially just different applications and websites that have helped to maintain at least a minimal stream of productivity as well as helping me to start taking care of myself.
Notion
Notion is a site/application that I came across around last year (I think) and it’s been quite life-changing. Notion is an outlet to be able to organise your entire life from work, studying, general tasks and events and so on. The application is a blank canvas upon which you can add various elements such as calendars, tables, other widgets and there is a great freedom for customisation! You can add images, gifs and change headers sizes, fonts and colours. Below are some Notion tours that’ll give you an idea of how Notion works and how much you can customize it according to your life! Notion also has a feature where you can duplicate templates by other users if the link is provided by them. This can help if you’re unsure of how to structure your Notion ~ If you’re a student, you can use your school/college/uni email to get the pro plan for free!
Alexandra (twirlingpages) made a video which is when I decided to start using Notion myself!
Joel’s Notion is very stunning so I had to embed his tour :O
The two downsides I’ve heard of and come across is that for more features and larger file sizes, you need to switch to a paid subscription and Notion isn’t fully secure in terms of your data, a problem highlighted by harshibar on YouTube. I would highly recommend that you don’t use Notion for very private and personal information, e.g. bank details, locations/addresses, school/college/university IDs, passwords, journal entries with very private info etc.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a note-taking software which saves your data only on your PC without putting anything into a cloud. The text is plain text Markdown so you can add asterisks to make words/sentences bold and dashes to make them italic etc. You create vaults which are saved to your PC and within each vault, you can create folders and individual note pages. I came across this application through harshibar as she presented it as a secure-alternative for Notion. I prefer Obsidian to Word because of it’s smoother and nicer UI and it makes me want to write for once. But since Word is commonly used and preferred when I submit articles, I just copy and paste from Obsidian to Word. The writing experience and better security is what makes Obsidian appealing for me to use. Personally, I still don’t keep anything private in Obsidian either but rest-assured it’s more secure.
Google Calendar
A feature easily accessible if you have a Google account, Google Calendar is something that I wish I had started using sooner. It’s relatively straight-forward. You’re able to:
create individual calendars which can be colour-coded and labelled, e.g. “Birthdays”, “Work”
set the duration of the task
view the calendar in yearly, monthly, weekly and daily formats
get alerts before a task or event occurs to remind you (if you’re calendar is synced with your phone)! You can also set when you want to receive alerts, e.g. 30 minutes before the task/event
As someone who used to bullet journal and grew tired and annoyed with the system for a few reasons, Google Calendar has been a much more easier and quicker planner system to sort out my days and weeks.
Anyusha has a great video with lots of details and can show you how to exactly set-up your Google Calendar.
Idenati
Idenati is a site which allows you to keep and organise the websites you often use in the form of separate tiles. You can sort them by adding tags/categories and star them to add to your favourites so you can filter through them if you wish. I’ve set up Idenati as the first page that appears when I start up Chrome so I can easily find where I want to go and not have to type. Your usernames for each website can also be recorded in order to not forget. The downside is that the free version has a maximum of 20 tiles and for unlimited tiles, you’ll need to have a paid subscription. Idenati also has a feature for each tile to store your passwords for websites. I’m not sure how secure the site is so I haven’t recorded any of mine and I’d probably recommend you don’t too. The site is just great for my daily Chrome use to easily find my top and prioritised websites.
What my current Idenati set-up looks like!
coffeelings
coffeelings is a cute Chrome extension that’s basically a mood tracker. When you click on the extension, you’ll see an option to choose from 5 different moods: amazing, ok, tired, sad and stressed. The moods then appear on a yearly chart to show how you’ve been feeling across the year. You can also type how you feel into the little box just below the coffee cup and mood options!
A cute design and easy tracking of your daily mood 🙂
So those are the few apps/sites I like to use to get my life together. I know that it’s helped me greatly once I started using them and allowed to find a sense of routine as well, even if the days and routine aren’t packed. Of course, everyone is different and if you try out any of these, you may find that it works or maybe it doesn’t. But remember, productivity does not equate to your worth. Resting and taking care of your health is being productive too. But if I’ve introduced/encouraged you to a way (or ways) to organise your life too then I hope they help you as well!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog! This month has been both hectic and agonizing. What’s the reason? Finals! But now that I only have one more exam and a week off, I’ve been trying to take care of myself. It was critical that I did so because I was feeling very isolated and having mental breakdowns, neither of which is good for my mind. Health is a top priority for me, and one way I’ve been helping my mind is by surrounding myself with great content. Since I am constantly on my laptop, I might as well try to make that habit meaningful rather than leaving it open, wasting battery power and straining my eyes. I’ll be giving a tour on all of the things mentioned in the title: coping mechanisms and support systems in the form of media that reminds us of the joys in life ~
YouTube
During quarantine last year, I discovered a few lifestyle channels that produce weekly vlogs, and they have been a great source of comfort as well as inspiration! From days/weeks in their lives to room tours, these people’s creativity and bright personalities have earned them a growing fan base, and rightfully so! Here are the channels I absolutely adore:
Nayna Florence
Nayna is a third-year economics student from London who attends the University of Edinburgh. She uploads vlogs every Sunday, is a vegan, and promotes sustainability on her YouTube and Instagram accounts. Her promotion of these in her videos has been extremely beneficial in understanding that lifestyle. It has also encouraged me to try to do this with my food consumption and clothing purchases/wearing. Her vlogs are both relaxed and adventurous at times. Even though I’ve only been to Edinburgh once, I’ve seen more of the city and all that it has to offer as a result!
Moya is a content creator I discovered by chance, and I was surprised to learn that she was also studying art history! She is truly one of the sweetest people I’ve seen on the platform, and her videos have brought me a lot of hope and peace on late Sundays. Her videos have a certain charm to them, reminiscent of a coming-of-age film, as she documented her life in Dublin in her eponymous ‘Dublin Diaries’ vlog series (which are now over since she has finished university). But I’m excited to see what her future videos bring, and I have no doubt they’ll be amazing! P.S. Her fashion sense is also impeccable.
Leah Wei is a Canadian content creator and artist based in Montreal who produces a series of vlogs called ‘Adulting Diaries,’ among others. I gained a better understanding of veganism, spirituality, and yoga through her videos, despite the fact that I do not practice these myself. I also enjoy her videos in which she tries to speak only in French, which her boyfriend speaks fluently, and in which she tries to be trilingual in English, French, and Chinese. It rekindled my interest in language learning, and watching her vlogs helped me understand how to incorporate it into my daily life. Her creativity is also admirable, as she is a design graduate who also owns her own shop!
A whole web series has its own category. Invincible was a series that I had seen a teaser trailer for several months ago, but unfortunately forgot about soon after for no reason. It wasn’t until I saw KSI’s Instagram story of his finishing the first season and talking about how amazing it is, that I remembered. Since it is an Amazon Prime Original, and I do have Prime myself, I thought I’d give it a go. Verdict? IT WAS AMAZING!
As someone who enjoys the superhero genre (when done properly), this was a perfect blend of subversion and a nod to the genre’s humble beginnings. With a compelling narrative and a cast of complex and interesting characters, all of whom are voiced by well-known and talented actors, it’s no surprise that this series is already a fan favourite. It should be noted that the series has already produced at least two meme formats, which is impressive. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend you do so! But be warned: there’s a lot of no-holds-barred violence and gore!
Music
I was struck by a wave of nostalgia and decided to listen to some tunes from the 1990s and early 2000s. I decided to compile a playlist of songs that encapsulated the warm summers of that era. Selena has been an artist I’ve been aware of for a few years but had never properly listened to until this year. Three of her songs, ‘Como La Flor,’ ‘Amor Prohibido,’ and ‘Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,’ have kept me in a good mood during finals season. It breaks my heart that she died so young, but it also warms my heart that many of us can still listen to her music and carry on her legacy. Some of the other songs are straight from my childhood, and I just want to cherish them as much as possible.
As I clarified in my previous post, now that I’m no longer a member of the “born in the wrong generation” crowd, I’ve returned to unapologetically listening to mainstream pop songs. I’m not sure why I thought it was a bad idea because they’re just entertaining to listen to. Of all places, TikTok has reintroduced me to a few songs. There’s not much else to say except that I’m glad I can listen to whatever I want now.
That’s all there is to it, folks. These are some of my personal favourites! Of course, as I’ll be a free woman in the coming months, if I discover (or re-discover) anything else, I’ll write updated posts with any new favourites in each category. I’m excited to be able to explore and spend more time immersing myself in new content of all kinds! You’re welcome if anything in this post was introduced to you for the first time and you enjoyed it 🙂
So I’ve been working really hard recently (college, exams etc.) and I felt that while it’s good to do so, it’s also important to take care of your wellbeing. Our mental health is just as important as getting those grades if not more. So today, I’ll be showing you how to boost your happiness and relax 🙂
1. Watch your favourite TV series
Nothing feels better than cuddling up in a blanket and drinking some hot chocolate, all the while you binge some Netflix. Have some time to yourself in the evenings to catch up on your favourite show. I would recommend watching after you’ve studied, as a reward, if you’re still in school/college/uni but feel free to do it whenever if you’re on holiday!
2. Read a good novel
I cannot stress enough how important reading is. Buy a book, go to the library and sit down in the comfort of your room or the atmosphere of a local coffee shop. Immerse yourself into these beautifully crafted worlds and characters. You won’t regret it, trust me.
3. Eat your favourite foods
Just eat whatever you wish. Satisfy your taste buds and stomach. But don’t gorge yourself, you’ll fall ill!
4. Write in a journal
Transferring your thoughts onto paper is an effective method of releasing any tension within you. Vent out your frustrations, write down your goals. You are likely to feel a lot better.
5. Learn a language
Take it easy and find a language you think is fascinating. Step by step, practice the vocabulary, learn the grammar and if necessary, the character system. Organise all your notes in a beautiful notebook and look over it every day. Learning a foreign language is a useful skill and will render you knowledgeable about other cultures. Don’t stress out though, take your time.
6. Take a warm shower
You’ll feel clean, refreshed and much more alive than before.
7. Make art
You don’t have to be an expert to draw or paint. Just take a piece of paper or get a sketchbook and draw whatever comes to mind. If you’re feeling ambitious, YouTube is your friend to find helpful tutorials to do so!
8. Get a good night’s sleep
Sleep is so important. There’s nothing more or nothing less to it. I sound like a hypocrite right now because I’m struggling with my sleep hygiene. The first step is to set up an early bed time and turn off all your electronic devices. Follow the above, such as taking a warm shower or reading a book instead. Maintaining a good sleep pattern will obviously decrease fatigue but is also beneficial for a good memory and a healthy brain.
9. Share the love
Smile at people, even if they’re strangers. Be helpful to someone. Perform little acts of kindness. You might make someone’s day and you’ll feel good too 🙂
10. Find your passion
Do whatever you’re good at and it can be pretty much anything. Praise yourself while you’re at it, but don’t fuel your ego though. Finding that spark will lead to an adventure like no other!
So I hope these will help you in finding happiness. It’s important you do and don’t forget to smile! You’re valued and loved and you have gifts. So keep on being awesome! Positivity is key 🙂
cinem(a)shika. 