Oh Right... I'm Supposed To Study!

So I've posted about casseroles...

I've posted about crockpots..

About relationships, pets, and working out..

But I've never posted about the one thing that drove me to blogging.. I've never posted about being a student!

Students have to study right? I know, it sucks. I hate it. But I have found some awesome study tips and tricks along the way that I am going to share with you now.

Music

I work in radio. My life revolves around listening to the radio, listening to music or having background noise at all times. Needless to say, the silent study thing doesn't work for me, but neither does rocking out to Kelly Clarkson. Instrumentals help me a ton, and I've found that on 8tracks.com I can listen to premade playlists. Try the study+relax+instrumentals genre! Nothing is more soothing and yet gets you pumped as a piano rendition of Hall of Fame by The Script. Great, great study music.

Want new music and old school greats? Check out Southern Miss Radio and stream it live. Yes, this is completely biased because I work there, but it is also great to study to. I told you, I work in radio, and that's my place.

Study Techniques

There are tons of reading methods for you heavy-reading-burdened scholars. Personally, I've mastered the art of scanning the reading for graduate school, but that doesn't always work. I suggest the SQ3R method. It does take a lot of time, but it's worth it.

Flashcards work for more than just math. If you're having to study concepts (which I do, a lot) take the flashcard and write the name of the theory, concept, etc on one side and on the other side write everything you need to know about that subject. For example, if you're studying critical cultural theory (I have a test tonight :/ ), on one side of the card you'd write "hot medium." On the other side, you'd write "the medium is the message, Marshall MacLuhan. A hot medium is one that gives extensive data to the receiver without much interpretation or work from the receiver. Ex: television."
Run through those bad boys a few times, you'll be surprised how quickly you'll learn it.

Planning

Be organized. I can't even begin to tell you how important that is. Use different highlighters on your calendar for different classes, write everything down, and have different binder divisions or different notebooks for different subjects. Don't do like me and write things down on random loose sheets of paper.

Manage your time. Use a planner, schedule your breaks, and realize (for your own good) that you can't just spew forth a 20 page historical media research project with a proposal the day before it's due.
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Look, I'm a professional student. I've spent every single school year since I was five (I'm approaching 24) in school. I have learned that what once worked doesn't work anymore, that it continuously takes work, self-awareness, and organization to nail those grades. But if I could do it, you could. I know you could :) So get to the books, boo. You've got some studying to do.

Love as always,

Courtney :)

When All the Hats Get Heavy...You Have to Rest Your Neck!

So yesterday I spent 12 straight hours at work. I conducted meetings, prepared for more meetings, recorded my radio show, ordered new print cartridges... I even had time to squeeze in a class! With days like that, Super Spouses, the hats get pretty heavy. You start to give out, you're cranky, and before you know it you've had the "WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP!" moment. Though these moments come in high stress, they are highly avoidable. Here's how I avoid the ugly stress out snapping:

1. Delegate. I'm an Executive Producer of a radio show. If I had to prep the host, interview the guests, do the booking, record the liners, meet with the newsreaders, reporters, GM, and record my show all on my own, I'd go nuts. I have a great team that I have to choose to delegate tasks to. I also delegate at home. After a long day and a hot supper, Jeremy does the dishes. I'm not ashamed to ask him because I can't handle everything. Neither can you, Super Spouse.

2. Investigate. Work smarter, not harder. If you investigate the different ways through a situation, you may find a way to prioritize and order so that you see your "to-do" list as a "let's get it done" list.

3. Rationalize. There are 24 hours in a day. You spend 6-8 at work, 2-3 cooking, 2-3 studying, 1-2 on housework. That's a potential 16 hours gone. You can't do it all today, so figure out what can be shortened, compressed, and delayed.

4. Rest. Do it. Take that shower, read that book, tell the hubby to take the calls, put down the textbooks. If you don't, you risk burn out or worse. Treat yourself so that you can treat the people around you :)

Check out the {Never}homemaker. She has even more tips about how to stay healthy and some nutrition tips to help out. I'm following that particular link pretty closely myself. Stay strong, stay healthy, stay Super!

As always,
Courtney