How to Study (When the Sky is Falling)

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We only have a month to go! We only have a month to go! It’s the end of spring semester, which is college code for THE FINAL COUNTDOWN. All your assignments are due, final projects, final pieces, final performances, final games, and final exams are all here and coming for us. Right when you think you have free time, BOOM you forgot to write your report due Sunday at 11pm! The sun’s out later and your mood has picked up. Walk around and breath in the fresh air, because you’re going to spend all night in the library. How do you juggle these events? How do you keep from being stressed? How do you study when the sky is falling? Don’t worry fellow kohawks, I’ve also reached level-100 stress, and we will survive this together. Here are five ways to keep those grades up this month.

1. Go for a walk
I don’t care if you go downtown or to the moon, get outside and out of your stuffy dorm. The weather’s nice and some time away from your usual study space will help you de-stress, giving you time to get your head together. Read a book, talk with your friends, meet with your professors, and pet some puppies (puppies forever). The sun has a way of opening up your heart and making you feel joy. If it's raining, put on your boots and bring out your umbrella. This is your break; this is your free time.

2. Do what must be done today
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, organization is key. I don’t know about you, but taking the time to write down my assignments and making my checklist helps me moderate my anxiety. I already have due dates noted, but I do have classes where work is assigned daily, and it’s not the kind of work you can get ahead on. I make a list of what absolutely must be done today, then check them off as I go. Get those assignments done on time, it is April after all.

3. Make a list of what to study
What do you need to study for? See which test is soonest, and which one will take the most time. Maybe you can solve equations easily, but the vocab always stumps you. Maybe you only have exams, and you haven’t studied at all for the final. You may not love lists, but cramming the night before is not an effective method, so think ahead.

4. Schedule the time you need
Any gaps in your schedule? Fill them with study times. I work the closing shift two days out of the week, which puts me behind in my homework. It’s a domino effect. Time from work could’ve been homework, and time for homework could’ve been studying. It’s even harder when you need to work to pay for tuition, room and board, and the meal plan, stay alive, clean your room, AND attend class, AND do your homework, AND (yes) study. But if you don’t even try to make the time for it, it simply won’t get done.

5. Pat yourself of the back
Doing your best counts as an achievement. Being a college student is hard. A lot of us are first generation, a lot of us have jobs, and a lot of us struggle to manage our responsibilities on top of these factors. Even so, you’re doing great. I mean it. It’s great to feel the support of the people who care about me, and even complete strangers, so I’m telling you you’re doing great. Keep up the good work, and don’t kill yourself doing it.

I hope you find these tips helpful. This is what I do when I’m most stressed. You can still watch YouTube and Netflix (or Hulu or Crunchyroll), but you know you have to get your work done, and you’ll feel so much better once it is. Remember not to “relax” for too long, I fear you may be procrastinating… Have a nice day!

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BOTW: March 27

By Paige Waskow

Nature Anatomy

By Julia Rothman

What's it about?:

Basically a fun and beautiful field guide, Nature Anatomy takes you through the natural world in vivid watercolor drawings and descriptions. You can learn about the origins of the universe, classifications of trees, and the difference between a carpenter and bumble bee. The book gives you the environment in detailed and unique pages, fun crafts to try, and much more. You won't come away bored (even if you're not a nature nerd like me!)

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Why did I choose it?:

I love nature! And I love books that explore the outdoors. This book is an easy read and always fun to come back to. If you are looking to read the whole thing, or open its pages randomly, this book offers a field guide experience: learn as much as you'd like, but there's not a plot to follow.

As mentioned above, this book has a beautiful art style of watercolor with bold but not limiting sketched outlines. Whether or not you even read the descriptions, the art is enough to boldly stand out and make the book a wonderful experience.

Where can you get it?:

Nature Anatomy is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. You can get a library card for free anytime they are open. Check out their website and request books here!

Is there anything else you should know?:

Julia Rothman has also written books about food (Food Anatomy) and farms (Farm Anatomy) which are in the same colorful, field guide style as Nature Anatomy. I highly recommend! If you are interested in learning more about the author and her works, check out here website here!

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References:

Rothman, Julia. Books - Nature Anatomy, https://www.juliarothman.com/books-2#/nature-anatomy/.

Rothman, Julia. Nature Anatomy. Storey Publishing, 2015.

The War on Food

By Paige Waskow

Making healthy choices can often be misleading and discouraging. It can lead to unhealthy diets and obsession with weight rather than health. It can push a person to eat more, eat less, only eat x, not eat y… and on and on it goes. The war on food is tiring and often incredibly inaccurate. We do need to think about food and what it means because what we consume matters. So, how should we eat? These are four tips that can hopefully point you in the direction of healthy food!

1. Eat slow food

Like snails? Maybe. But what I am really getting at here is the less processed food you eat, the better. Processed food is typically full of what is known as empty calories. As stated by Harvard's health website:

'All food contains calories, and we need a certain amount of calories each day. But some foods provide not only calories but also other ingredients that also are critically important, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and others. When a food provides primarily calories, and little else of value to our health, we say that food has "empty calories,"' (Anthony Komaroff, MD).

Heavily processed, empty calorie food is typically made fast and is quickly available to a consumer (ex. fries, soda, and slushies). Additionally, it typically isn't fresh and lacks nutrition that our bodies need. "Slow food" on the other hand, is the type of food that takes a longer time to prepare, grow, and even consume (Slow Food USA). Examples of this could include fresh produce and homemade meals from scratch. To learn more about the slow food movement, check out the Slow Food USA website here.

                          

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2. Taste the rainbow

(Not like Skittles!) Eating in color can help you balance your meals. For example, many a high school lunch contained something like the following: a breaded chicken patty on a bun, canned peaches, and corn. Notice anything strange? All the food is a slightly different golden-y color. This isn’t a very balanced or nutritious meal. By eating according to color, you can get a better balanced meal and more of the stuff your body truly needs. Fruits and veggies are especially colorful and that is a good thing! Get some green, yellow, purple, and red on your plates.

One thing to add is that this doesn’t mean processed foods with artificial colors. Yes, M&M cookies and Airheads have a lot of colors, but they are most definitely not a balanced meal. For more information about the science behind color in food, check out this cool website from the Food Network here!

                                        

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3. Eat more whole grains

Grains can be good for you, but it depends on the type. There are two types of grains, whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains are not altered and have many vitamins and fiber whereas refined grains are essentially processed to only provide carbohydrates (Bjarnadottir, 2017). This means that refined grains can be considered as empty calories, and you aren't really getting much out of them.

Want to take a wild guess at the kinds of foods that contain or are refined grains? If you said pop tarts, white bread, bagels, and cake, sadly, you'd be right. Anything that contains white flour is refined, and you aren't getting your bang for your buck in the nutrition department. Can this cause further problems?: Yes. As Adda Bjarnadottir of Healthline says, "Refined carbs cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, and only make you feel full for a short time. This is followed by a drop in blood sugar, hunger and cravings," (2017).

So, can you still eat grains and avoid refined ones? Of course! Whole grains are typically labeled as such and include foods such as popcorn, oatmeal, bread, and pasta. The more processed a food is, the more likely it isn't a whole grain.

4. Try new food!

Everyone has that one food they have never tried and yet, it is surely has to be the most disgusting thing in the world. I am guilty of doing this, and my "no" food is beets. I've only had beet juice (why would they do that!?), which wasn't a great experience (it tasted like sweet dirt), and I have yet to attempt them in solid food form (I really don't want to). I often see them at the Caf, baked or sauteed, and I refuse to put them on my plate. So, I definitely need to try my own tip.

Trying new foods is a great experience, even if you don't end up liking the food. I discovered a few years back that I love brussel sprouts. They are now my favorite vegetable. Ever. Had I not tried them at a friend's house, I wouldn't have known that I was missing out (and that I could eat something healthy that I really enjoyed). My point here is that trying new foods doesn't hurt you. Yes, you may rush to get some water, but you also might find a food you love. It's a great way to expand your palette, eat more colors, and discover something great.

                       

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Please note that this isn’t a perfect guide (especially if you have a dietary constraint) but rather some direction to eating well. Everyone’s bodies are different! My intention is additionally not to body shame or suggest dieting to “fit” a societal beauty standard. Things like weight do not determine how healthy someone is and should never be the basis of how someone is viewed in society (although we seem to struggle with that).

Thanks for reading!

References:

Bjarnadottir, Adda. “Why Refined Carbs Are Bad for You.” Healthline, Healthline, 4 June 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-refined-carbs-are-bad.

Komaroff, Anthony. “Understanding Empty Calories.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, June 2016, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-empty-calories.

Slow Food USA. “About Us.” Slowfood USA, 2019, www.slowfoodusa.org/about-us.

Television Food Network. “Eating by Color.” Food Network, 2019, www.foodnetwork.com/healthy/photos/eating-by-color.

Be Advised!: Advising Season

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by Arabella Chamberlain

Beware, advising season is upon us!

Sounds a little scary, right? It's not just me? You're not alone if you feel that way. You might be thinking, "I've barely made it through this semester and you want me to pick harder classes and take more labs next semester?" It can be daunting. So what's a good way to make sure your schedule isn't too crazy?

• Don't schedule classes right over your lunch break. You'll be very hungry and there's probably at least one other credit you could take instead that doesn't block out your schedule from 10am-2pm. You can always grab Charlie's Pub if necessary, but you might get tired of that after 3 days a week, 14 weeks in a row.
• Need a writing intensive course? Take it one at a time. Unless you're an English major who can't escape this (I commend you), only take one writing intensive course a semester. Try to space out your classes well so that you don't have 3 essays due the same day.
• Keep that in mind for labs too. If you're a STEM major, your extra labs and things are bound to stack up and suddenly, you're not only in classes 4 hours a day - you're in labs 4 hours a day! Keep track of what classes have required labs and which ones don't while scheduling for next semester.



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• Look at your major and general education requirements before you head to your advising session so YOU have a good idea what to register for, not just your advisor who has dozens of other students to advise as well. Plus, it always helps to know if you're on the right track - before you get too far down the line.
• Don't overload your classes unless you absolutely have to! If you stay on top of your classes, you shouldn't need to do this. Even if you aren't on top of it, it's better to be just a little short and fill it with a 0.2 or 0.3 credit than to be a little short and fill it with a 1.0 credit and a lab. Space things out appropriately!
• Ultimately, take care of YOU! When making your schedule, don't just take only the courses required of you, but maybe step out of your comfort zone and take that art class you've been eyeballing since freshman year, or fill a Gen Ed with something new and exciting, not just some "Intro to..." class. Get into the nitty gritty of your education and experience all that college has to offer.

Happy advising!

Studying vs Homework

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We all do our homework, and we all study, but do you know the difference between the two? Intelligent.com says it best - trust me, those other websites quote it - but I believe my definitions help clear up any misconceptions.

Homework

Homework is time that you must set aside outside of class to complete assignments and projects required for your courses. Certain courses will require more frequent time allotted to complete weekly assignments, while others require none at all. Projects are less frequent but require a lot of time as well. Students might fill out worksheets, write stories, solve problems, or again do nothing at all. Not everyone will be given assignments to complete, sometimes your grade is completely dependent on exams. I have classes that require only a paper or two, but the time I use to write that paper is not studying; I have to allocate time afterwards. I’ve had classes that require reading a lot of pdfs and books, which takes a lot of time, but we don't have tests or quizzes, so studying isn't necessary.

Studying

Studying is time allotted to review class and textbook materials to prepare for exams and other tests. This means that on top of the time set aside for homework, there must be time set aside for review. You’re not alone if you don’t do this. I understand, we have jobs and other commitments that we can’t afford to give up. But, we have to study at some point.

I’ve always struggled to find the time, and just told myself that the process of taking notes is how I study. My schedule was more open last week, and I let go of my bad habits.  When given free rein over my time, I divided my day into sections and completed goals each hour or two. Homework took a lot longer than I expected, but I usually don't have enough time allotted in the first place. Being able to complete my assignments at my own pace was refreshing. You can study before or after you complete assignments, whichever needs to be done first. The goal is to make more time for studying, especially when you struggle with the material.

There are three steps we are expected to meet as students, but most of us neglect the final step until it’s time for a test or exam. 

1. Taking Notes
2. Completing Assignments
3. Studying the material

It’s advising season. Look at the classes available and see what you need. Then decide whether you’ll have time for ALL the other activities currently occupying your time. The struggle is very much real, and you may have to make sacrifices to reach your academic goals. But if you want to prioritize your studies, you have to prepare yourself to change and build good habits. 

I hope this clears up any misconceptions you have about the difference between these two activities. Being a student that goes beyond the bare minimum requires hard work and compromises, but you're doing great. If you'd like to know how I study, click here. If you'd like to know how we should study click here. How do you fit time to study in your schedule? Leave a comment down below!

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Helpful Links

https://www.intelligent.com/manage-your-time/

BOTW March 18

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

Every Heart a Doorway 

by Seanan McGuire

What's it about?

Children in stories are often taken to fairy tale lands, far away from their homes to go on adventures. But what if they couldn't return home or stay in their magical worlds?

Author Seanan McGuire images an in-between world where these children go- a place for those who have experiences of the peculiar sort. From worlds of logic and science to those of chaos and candy, the home is open to all. The story follows Nancy, a girl who is transitioning from her fantasy world. As she begins to adjust, the strange becomes stranger as children begin to be found murdered throughout the home. Who is killing them and what is their goal?

Why did I choose it?

This book is so weird- truly a wild ride into fantasy. It takes you through multiple dimensions with dynamic and magical characters. I have never read a book like it before, the closest maybe being The Chronicles of Narnia. It is also a twist on a murder mystery type story, and I am a huge fan of a good mystery. I loved the book's uniqueness and strong characters. McGuire doesn't shy away from her own imagination or topics that are often misrepresented or ignored by popular media.

This book, besides having a fantastically mysterious and mystical plot, can also boast of LGBT+ representation of multiple characters. It was refreshing to see an author not stray away from representation of characters who are asexual, transgender, and bi while normalizing it in the plot (aka the book was not strictly about sexuality and gender identity).

Where can you get Every Heart a Doorway?

This book is available at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. You can get a library card for free at any time. The closet library location to Coe is the downtown branch on 5th Avenue.

Is there anything else you should know?

If you are interested in learning more, the author's website can be found here.

References:

McGuire, Seanan. Every Heart a Doorway. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, 2016.

5 Study Habits to Start Now

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College students everywhere struggle to balance homework and extracurricular activities. I’ve heard people say, “I study so much but my grade doesn’t improve” and “I think I study too much”. Last fall, I tried five different note-taking methods and hybrid variations. My goal was finding which method improved my exam grade the most. You see, my schedule was pretty much filled with work, so I only had time to take notes and do my homework (sometimes). I enjoy being in class and engaging with the professor and writing new material in different ways. But, homework has always been...tedious.

You've probably had a class that that gave A TON of homework, WAY more than your other classes, so the time you would've spent studying is instead devoted to that. What's worse is when those assignments don't count for anything, and are instead your teacher's way of "helping" you study. You may be an avid note-taker, but it's time to become a pro at studying. Here are some helpful habits, to get you started.

1. Calculate How Long You Need to Study

Once I’m done with classes, work, officer responsibilities, and complete my homework I had around four hours of free time left to study each week. I spent those four hours focusing on whichever exam was closest. Clearly, I did not have time to study. My goal for this semester is to log at least 10 hours a week, and now that my work schedule has changed, I have time to do so.

According to Intelligent, we’re technically supposed to study for two hours per one hour we spend in class (or three hours, depending on your workload) and since we spend three hours in each class each week (9 hrs to 12 hrs total) we should aim for at least 24 hours of studying each week. These 24 hours would be divided into four 3 hours of studying and three 4 hours of studying each week. For example:

• Sun: 3 hours
• Mon: 4 hours
• Tues: 4 hours
• Wed: 4 hours
• Thurs: 3 hours
• Fri: 3 hours
• Sat: 3 hours
• Total: 24 hours

10 hours isn’t even half of 24 hours, but it’s a stepping stone. Instead of going all in the first week, I’ll be adding hours in intervals until I reach 24 hours of studying. As motivation, I’ll be eliminating onion rings, cheeseburgers, and hamburgers from my diet. This will keep me focused and help me be healthier. My reward each week will be one soda from the pop machine each week (lemonade is heaven’s water). You don’t have to sacrifice food for motivation, but I am. I know myself, and I want to change for the better.

If you already study 24 hours, good job! Do you study for longer? You may be studying for too long. There is a point in which your brain needs to rest, and it’s not just during sleep. Read more if this sound like you.

2. Mark your Calendars

We’ve gone over the importance of time management, but now it’s time for a test. Do you have your due dates, quiz and exam dates marked? What are your priorities? Did you leave enough time to complete your all your homework before they’re due? How about enough time to study? Now that you know how long you need to study, it’s time to plan how long you want to study. My goal went up by six hours, but how long you need depends on you and your schedule. Make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself, but that you are pushing yourself. Aim for that happy-medium.

3. Time Yourself in Intervals

When it comes to studying, you have to pace yourself to better measure your progress and keep your focus. If you do anything for too long for too often it becomes repetitive and you lose interest. By working in intervals of 20, 30, or 45 minutes you allow yourself to rest and reward yourself along the way. Make sure to read Bridget’s article on the Pomodoro Method for more information.

4. Study in Different Ways

I want to study better, which means studying smarter. What works for one class may not work for the next. Heck, it may not even work for that class after a while. It’s important to find what works for you, get into a routine, and make room for changes when necessary. Read more if you want to know the different study methods and the research backing them up.

5. Study in Different Locations

Dorms are wonderful places to study since they are equipped with desks and lamps, but what if you just can't stay focused? We sleep, eat, and hang out with friends in our dorms, and most of us have roommates which can make things hectic. Sometimes a change in scenery is all you need to revitalize yourself, and stay ahead of procrastination. Armstrong-Douglas lobby was a favorite of mine, my Freshman year, because of the many whiteboards and natural light. The library, classrooms, Upper Gage, and any other place that peaks your interest could be your new study location. The best part is you can change your mind and study someplace else anytime.

Well, this is all the advice I have for now. It’s important to prioritize your work before anything else, and it’s much easier for me to get through all of my work when I change study locations. Feel free to comment down below any of the ways you study. Until next time, have a good day!

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Helpful Links

https://www.intelligent.com/manage-your-time/

Paige's Pomodoro Method

Note-Taking Methods

Setting the Mood: Study Jams

by Arabella Chamberlain

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Looking for some studying music? Look no further. Down below are a few playlists with some of my favorite cram jams. Whether you're bunkering down to write out that 5-page essay or getting hyped up to pull an all-nighter before a midterm (not advised), hopefully, there's something for everyone.

(Disclaimer: These are personal playlists and don't reflect the views and opinions of the

Learning Commons or Coe College. Some songs may contain explicit lyrics.)

Early Bird Pop

Jazzy Afternoon

Evening Country

Late-Night Indie

After Midnight Beats

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Midterms: What To Expect When You're Not Expecting

by Arabella Chamberlain

When your prof reminds you
 about that exam on Friday
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The semester just started, right? How are we already at midterms? The panic has already set in, professors are rampant, and those midterm grades are coming out any second now. But fret not! Just because midterms snuck up on you doesn't mean they have to kick your butt. Maybe you're already a pro at those dreaded mid-semester exams, but if you aren't, it's okay. You can still make this a great transition into Spring Break!

Below I've gathered some of the best posts about how to prep for midterms:

How Not To Lose Your Mind: Scheduling for Dummies (and Smarties...)

The Procrastinator's Midterms Survival Guide

Keeping Toasty: Snow Break

It's Crunch Time

"Don't panic."
Me: ...
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Time Management Series - by Jasmine Barlow

Time Management

Time Management: Prioritization

Time Management: Organization

And just in case you're forgetting how to be a fully functioning human...

How To Do Laundry Like A Pro

Achoo!: What To Do When You're Sick

Broke AF: When You're Down and Out

Learning To Knit

Hope you had a fun and safe spring break!

BOTW March 11

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution

by Janette Sadik-Khan and Seth Solomonow

"If you can change the street, you can change the world."

                                 

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What's it about?

How do you manage making sure millions of people from one place to another on a daily basis let alone try to change how they get around? Whether we think about it or not, streets are incredibly important. As former transportation commissioner of New York City, Janette Sadik-Khan did just that. This book is her journey, achievements, and failures.

Sadik-Khan introduces the reader to streets in the eyes of an urban planner. Questions such as: how do you maintain what exists so that people can drive or walk while also making the street safer for everyone? and how do neighborhoods vary in transportation opportunity? are frequent topics of consideration. She covers how to read the street and how to make it better for people, communities, and local business rather than strictly cars. Her work challenges the status quo and makes bikes, pedestrians, and those who take public transport just as important as those who drive. It also addresses how to change a busy place, such as Times Square, and make it into a place where people can stop and just be.

Why did I choose it?

Streetfight is an excellent introduction to the work of an urban planner. I knew nothing about how transportation planning really worked until I read this book. I went in with an expectation of it being good, but was surprised by how fascinated I was within the first few chapters- I couldn't put it down.

I am a huge biking and walking advocate, and it was really amazing to see how a more sustainable and safe city could be made. By challenging the status quo, Sadik-Khan brings real hope and action to how we view the street. It inspired me to challenge my own views of cars, not that the book says that they are bad, but how we can make the street a more equitable and community-based place.

Growing up in St. Louis, I have seen a lot of the impacts of how transportation opportunity affects so much of what a person can do. Not having a car here in Cedar Rapids has taught me the value and privilege of being to drive and the need for universal bike lanes and reliable public transportation. This book was an answer to a lot of the burning questions I had about how to solve these problems. Of course, I still have a lot to learn, but I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to change the city they live in.

Where can you get Streetfight?

Sadly, this book is not available at Coe's library or the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you are really interested in reading it, it is available for purchase on Amazon or other online book-selling services.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below!

Happy reading!

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References:

Sadik-Khan, Janette, Solomonow, Seth. Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution. Penguin Random House LLC, 2017.

BOTW February 25

By Paige Waskow

The Book of the Week is:

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

"You can swim all day in the Sea of Knowledge and not get wet."

What's it about?

What would you do if you had the chance to step into a magical world whose entrance forms itself in the shape of a tollbooth? Perhaps take a swim in the Sea of Knowledge or visit the word market? Or better yet, meet a watchdog named Tock and a cynical Humbug of which to share an adventure with?

Milo, who is described as having too much time on his hands and being much too bored, is given this opportunity. His journey, which at first he isn't incredibly excited to be a part of, turns into a rainbow of surprises with twists of wordplay, all in hopes to restore rhyme and reason to the magical land.

                                 

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Why did I choose it?

This was one of my favorite childhood books. Although it is targeted towards a younger audience, anyone can enjoy its puns and eccentric characters.

I love this book because of its story focuses around what it means to learn and experience living. The journey Milo goes on is magical, but it reflects our everyday lives. How do we step outside of our comfort zones? How do we interact with those who have had very different life experiences from us? How do we grow when nothing feels the same?

Additionally, I believe that The Phantom Tollbooth, in its reflection of wordplay, is VERY relevant to our world and society right now. The book reminds us about the importance of words, ignorance, and meaning- especially from those in power. I'll leave it there.

Where can you get The Phantom Tollbooth?

This book is available at Coe's library as well as the Cedar Rapids Public Library. If you don't have a library card, you can get one anytime for free! The closest library to Coe is downtown on 4th street.

If you have a book you love and want to see as a BOTW, leave a comment below!        

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Happy reading!

References:

Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth. Random House Children's Books, 1996.