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Grades

Grades

6 Things You Need to Fix Before Handing in Your Essay

It’s taken weeks (or maybe a rushed few hours), but you’ve finally got a solid draft of your essay. You’ve spent a lot of late nights with this bad boy, trying to fix your essay and make it good enough to hand in. You’ve read it and re-read it, so what could wrong? Well, a…

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How to Study Smarter: Memorization vs. Understanding

When it comes to ‘how to study’, I always flash back to elementary school and having to memorize all the times tables. “Nine times three is twenty-seven. Nine times four is thirty-six…” I also had to memorize lists of spelling words. I also had to memorize facts about the pioneer days (did anyone else have…

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Go With the Flow Method: How to Take Chill Notes

We look at the most relaxed, low-stress note-taking method yet: The Flow Method. The Flow Method is a unique strategy that prioritizes putting your own personal spin on taking notes. It’s not for everyone as it certainly has its drawbacks but it could be the right fit for you when it comes to the advantages…

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How to Deal With Your First B

From straight-As to that horrifying first B. After the initial panic, it turned out to be a valuable learning experience. When I was in high school, I was a straight-A student. You might have been too. Maybe you said things like “I didn’t study for that test, and I still got 92%.” If you did,…

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8 Ways to Survive an All-Nighter and Emerge with an Awesome Paper

It’s happened to all of us. In fact, it might be 2:30 AM right now and you just Googled “How to survive an all-nighter” and found this article. You’ve made a good decision. Let us help. Maybe you’re slammed with assignments, your part-time job, and life, and all of a sudden that term paper is…

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Confronting the 10 Stages of Exam Stress (in GIFs)

Quick, hide under the blankets! It’s nearly here—the exam stress is coming! Exam stress is to be expected during exam season. How could it possibly be avoided? We are under pressure to remember EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN about a subject in order to earn a passing grade (deep breaths people, it will be fine). Exam…

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8 Coping Mechanisms to Deal With Exam Stress

Picture this. Exam schedules are out. You click on that dreaded button and… BAM!!! 5 exams in 4 days! Your heart starts beating fast. You’re feeling nauseous. You panic. The exam anxiety starts pouring in and you start to wonder how to deal with the stress. That exam stress happens to all of us. According to…

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10 Tried and True Test Taking Techniques

Nobody wants hours of studying to go down the drain. School—exams in particular—can take a toll on any student. Unless you can take tests effectively and efficiently, how much or how little you study won’t make a big difference. That’s why we compiled some of the top proven exam and test taking strategies out there.…

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How to Write Like Hemingway: 5 Easy Tips to Improve Your Essays

Hemingway. His name alone conjures up images of a whiskey-swilling, big game hunter. And one of the best writers of the 20th century. It’s iconic. So who better to turn to for some easy essay tips? Right now, you might be staring at a to-do list that has at least three essays on it. Go…

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Group Projects Suck. This Will Make Them Suck Less.

I know you. You don’t play well with others. You’re the Tony Stark of the metaphorical Avengers that is your group project. Go ahead. Say it, “I am Iron Man.” You know you want to. And that’s okay sometimes, but eventually, you’re going to need to work with others to create something that you couldn’t…

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11 Best Study Tips: The Dos and Don’ts of Exam Studying

It’s midterm season, which means it’s time to brush up on those best study tips and tricks for acing your next exam. Because otherwise, just picture this… The big midterm worth 30% of your grade is tomorrow. After hours of doing everything but studying, you’ve finally decided to settle down and get to work. But…

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9 Stages of Midterm Exams Told Through GIFs

It’s that time of year again. I’m talking about EXAM TIME! Because if there are any two words that get student hearts racing, they are: midterm exams. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned pro, here are the different stages you’ll realistically face: 1. You’re going to crush that midterm You’re showing up,…

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How to Stop Freaking Out and Nail Your Presentation

You hear presentation, but your brain hears SABRE-TOOTHED TIGER! Why? Because your brain is still basically wired the same as it was in cave-people days. So…how exactly are you, with the brain of a cave-person, expected to nail your presentation? Sure, you know how to send a text and make toast, but somewhere in the…

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My Notes are Better Than Yours: The Student Guide to Expert Note-Taking

Unfortunately, note-taking is an element of student life that you just can’t avoid…if you want to pass, that is. But how effectively are you taking notes? A study published at the University of Michigan indicated that students recall more information from lectures on both immediate and delayed tests if they take notes. However, the study…

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What to Do if You Really, Really Screw up Your Exams

Don’t panic. Here’s what to do if you screwed up, or worse, failed an exam. We’ve all been there. Strolling into the exam hall, with a smirk on your face, answers right at the top of your brain. Pure confidence in your ability to crush this exam. Fast-forward two hours later, and you’re a broken…

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Dear SLN: Does My GPA Matter?

Our advice for students asking, “Does my GPA matter?” falls somewhere between “Yes, totally” and “No, not at all.” Dear SLN is an advice column for students who are looking for no bullshit answers to tough questions. This week’s question comes from Marina on Facebook. “Does my GPA even matter in the long run?” Peter…

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University and College Rules You Can Break to Become an A+ Student

Some rules were made to be broken. Especially these arbitrary university and college rules potentially holding you back from your full potential. There are made-up rules that every college student is presented with before embarking on their studies. Where these university and college rules came from, nobody knows. The problem is, these rules are seen…

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The 5 Best Ways to Improve Your Grades

Looking to improve your grades to the next level? Here are the five best tips we know. In the immortal words of every relative you’ve ever encountered at a family gathering, “How’s school?” If the honest answer to that question bums you out, know those feelings of disappointment can actually be a good thing. A…

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Stay Organized With Google Calendar, So You Don’t Fall Behind!

Planner. Whiteboard calendar. Post-it notes on my mirror. These things have one aspect in common: I use them to stay organized. Since you clicked on this article, I’m sure you’re in the same situation. You want to stay organized but don’t know where to start. Well, I tried everything so you don’t have to! Therefore,…

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5 Best Ways to Use Your Lecture Notes for Exam Success

You went to class. You paid attention. And you’ve got a killer set of lecture notes to prove it. Then exams roll around. How do you study? If your plan is to read your lecture notes until you’re blue in the face, don’t bother. There’s a better way. It involves more active engagement with said notes…

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Should I Stay or Should I Go: How Do I Know If I Should Drop a Course?

This article was originally published in 2016. If you want to drop a course, make sure to check your individual school’s website to get the information you need on important dates, the process of dropping, and how it could impact your grades. I was sitting in my osteology lab the other day, minding my own…

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5 Benefits of the Fall Reading Week

What can you get out of the fall reading week? Besides the academic break, a reading week provides you with the ability to recharge before or after your midterm exam period. For some, reading week may be a time to relax after most of their exams. While for others, this could be a chance to prep…

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How to Improve Your Writing for College and University – 9 Easy Tips

Writing for college or university isn’t easy, but here are some easy ways to improve your skill! As a grad student, I spent four semesters as a teaching assistant. That meant everything from attending undergrad lectures to leading tutorials to marking assignments and exams. And even though I was a TA for communications courses, many…

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Don’t Do All Your Assigned Readings!

As a kid, I loved reading. I read every young adult novel I could get my hands on. I even enjoyed the books assigned in English class and had one of the best reading/writing marks in my grade. My mom thought I would take AP English in high school—she even went out of her way…

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6 Tips for Writing Online Exams

Tips for writing online exams? Yes, please! We’ve gathered some basics for you to follow so you can ace those online exams this semester. With this massive switch to online teaching and learning in a short time frame, you might be writing your upcoming exams online. If you’re nervous about this new method, don’t worry,…

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How Does Exercising Benefit Your Studying?

Exercising is not a priority among most students. Not when doing homework or cramming for your next test seems more worthy of your time. Especially during exam season when you would rather be studying. However, working out can actually benefit your studying. One of the most effective ways to improve memory and attention is through…

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Midterm Season: How To Stay On Track Amidst The Chaos

Over the last few weeks, we finally familiarize ourselves with another school year. New experiences, challenges, and opportunities welcome us and are still on their way. In the blink of an eye, we close in on the first high tension moment of the school year. It’s midterm season. Of course, this is the moment reality sinks in.…

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5 Typical Habits of a Successful Student

Changing one’s habits as a student can often feel like the monster in your closet. You know, the one you were scared of as a child. It feels like a bigger deal than it really is. So you convince yourself that it’s scary or that it’s going to harm you. The reality is, much like how…

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4 Free Time Management Apps To Keep You Focused

Are you easily distracted? It’s easy to fall down the social media rabbit hole when you’re trying to get work done. The best way to avoid wasting time is to invest in a time management app. Time management apps can keep you on track and there are plenty of free ones out there! So, what…

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How To Study For Your Exams By Scrolling Through Memes

Studying for exams can suck. You’ve locked yourself in your room or set up camp at the library. You’ve only studied for 20 minutes and before you know it, you’re scrolling through memes on every app. Ah, procrastination at its finest. Or is it? What if I told you that drilling information into your head…

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Productivity Advice from a First Year Student

Have a million things to do with no time to do them? Let me show you a simple framework that I use to sustain my productivity. But first, let’s get on the same page. How does your typical day go? As a fellow student, you probably wake up way too early in the morning. And…

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Taking Notes: Paper vs. Laptops vs. Apps

Show of hands, how many of you use laptops to take notes in class? Do you need to take notes on your laptop or can you use a pen and paper? Maybe you use a voice-recording app that’s been pre-approved by your teacher/professor or you share notes with friends. Is there a real difference between…

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Letting Go Of Your High School Grades

All through middle school and high school, I was at the top of my class. Growing up in my small town, people knew me as the kid with good grades. Acing every test was important to me academically — I’ve always liked to feel like I’m doing well — but it’s become important to me…

Grades

Why You Should Take A Creative Writing Class

While they might just seem like grade-boosters to lighten the load of a heavy semester, creative writing classes offer a wealth of benefits for all students. Providing a chance to practice beneficial skills, creative writing classes aren’t just for English majors. My post-secondary institution began offering a creative writing minor just last year that expands…

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6 Active Reading Strategies That Will Keep You On Track

How can you be active while reading? I suppose you could take your textbook to the gym (I love dad jokes…), but that’s not exactly what I had in mind for this article. When I refer to active reading, I’m talking about your brain being actively engaged with what you are reading. If you’re getting…

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How Building A Study Guide Can Improve Your Grades

Ready to dive into studying? Get ahead by building your own study guide! Different program courses may demand a different approach to planning a study guide. Math may require you to know and apply formulas, same in science; however, history and English may have you memorizing dates and facts, and recalling readings. Make sure you…

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The Best Summer Study Spots

We all want to be outside on a warm sunny day. Even though you may have summer courses and work to get through, we highly recommend soaking up some sunshine. That’s why we created a list of study spots that allow you to do both! How to take advantage of the best summer study spots:…

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Pro Tips For Tackling Readings

Whether we like it or not, reading is a must in university. Luckily, there are better methods for tackling readings. Here are some tips to help you become a reading superstar! I’ll be the first to admit that academic reading is not my favourite. In fact, I rarely did all my readings until my fourth…

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The Learning Pyramid: How To Actively Learn From Your Education

Do you ever walk out of a three-hour lecture feeling like you didn’t really learn much? Have you noticed yourself forgetting everything from a class over the summer? Do you wish you could retain more of what you’re taught? Well, if you’ve never heard of The Learning Pyramid, I have some tips for you! Before…

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5 Positive Ways To Deal With Exam Stress

Exams are nearly here! Do you know what that means? Tons of exam stress! Raise your hand if you’re as exhilarated by that prospect as we are (because we’re certainly not excited about it). With increased anxiety levels due to exams, the stress can feel like it’s going to suffocate and drown us under a…

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5 Tips You Need To Know To Write A Good Essay

Writing essays is unavoidable in any school setting. Essays are long, tiring and intimidating, which means they’re usually put off until the last minute. If you’re mere hours away from a deadline with barely a page worth of words, fear not! From one expert procrastinator to another, here are a few tips to help you…

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Keeping Your Sanity During Exam Season Through GIFs

IT’S HERE. IT’S TIME. GET READY. It’s easy to spiral while exam season stresses us out. I mean, who hasn’t been bothered by the incredible pressure brought by the need to study EVERYTHING? *ahem* I mean, the important subjects we’re in school to receive a diploma/degree for… We’re only paying TONS of money to be…

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What Type Of Student Are You? Active Participant vs. Passive Observer

What type of student are you? Are you shy and quiet? Do you let others speak during class or do you take charge by asking questions? Do you even raise your hand? It’s easy to take notes while listening to your peers—instead of participating in class discussions yourself—but is that always the right choice? Can this…

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Finding The Best Study Locations

Are you looking for quiet time? The smell of coffee to pick-you-up? A place to talk out the information you’ve been cramming for the past three hours? You need an awesome study spot and finding one is not always an easy task. So, let’s get down to business and break down areas of interest: Library…

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Testing Yourself With Quizlet

Do you quiz yourself before a test? Are you looking for a new way to remember the information you’re learning? Have you tried using an online resource? We can do practically anything online these days: shop, socialize and study. Yes, we can study here too. Seems like there are more and more websites available to…

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Textbook Zombie: Reading To Retain vs. Reading For Gist

We all thought we had too much homework back in high school, didn’t we? And then university smacks us with their zombifying reading lists and excruciating workload. Textbook Zombies really exist during exam time. Each of us struggles to absorb the material we’re rereading with a fourth or fifth cup of coffee in hand, even…

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Scared of Presenting? Read This

Presenting can be a scary thought, especially when you’re speaking to higher-ups at the company you work for. It may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are loads of tricks you can use to feel better prepared, more confident, and less freaked out. We’ve all been there. So, how can you make…

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The Outline Method

What is The Outline Method? I used this tactic for years without knowing it had a name and, chances are, you’ve probably used this method too. The Outline Method is one of the most common practices for jotting down information, especially on a laptop, and it is one of the most effective note-taking methods. It’s excellent…

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The Ultimate Study Hack: Brain Dumping And When To Use It

Didn’t we already cover brain dumping? Well, we certainly tried. Brain dumping is the act of writing out the information in your head so you can clear your mind. This can be done using a computer or paper—whatever you prefer! Don’t let the dizzying twirl of a thought tornado stop you from focusing, and…

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Group Projects: Paper vs. Laptops vs. Apps

What’s the best method to use while working on group projects? Paper feels so ancient. Laptops feel like we’re all separate yet trying to work together, and apps can cost money. How do we finish a group project when we don’t know what to use as a team? THE STRUGGLE IS REAL PEOPLE, especially if everyone wants…

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Group Projects: Identifying Group Member Types Through GIFs

Ah, group projects. The bane of most students’ existence, especially if a presentation is involved. Have you noticed that teachers LOVE to throw presentations in the mix? Sometimes groups divide easily. That’s no accident. Group projects require specific roles filled by various personality types. Overall, groups are generally comprised of two types: core and extended. Core…

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Quick Tips For Smarter Research

How can we conduct smarter research? With a ton of assignments piling up, you need research and you need it NOW. We get it. We’ve been there. But there’s a question that’s probably circulating your brain (when it shouldn’t be) and that question is, how quickly can I gather a large number of resources? Well, friend,…

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Tools For Technical Edits: Grammarly

Have you sent an email and desperately wished you could take it back because you spotted a dumb spelling mistake? Or received a graded essay only to discover that it’s riddled with grammatical errors your professor caught? Reviewing our own writing is a blind spot, especially because we know what we’re trying to say. Technical…

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4 Ways To Focus While Facing Distractions

Hey! You! Yes, you! Are you able to focus on ANYTHING anymore? Are you even still reading this sentence? Bananas. Rocket ships made of bananas. Rocket ships made of bananas delivering bananas to a planet where everyone is a sentient banana. Did you even notice how weird that was? Perhaps not. Perhaps you’re just skimming…

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6 Pro Tips for Limiting Technology Distractions

Press pause on all of those distractions and get your work done faster. Yes, it’s actually possible (but it can be tough). Ready to get to work? Oh wait! Notifications from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest… We use technology to complete assignments, conduct research, create presentations, and so much more. But it’s so distracting! Technology is…

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5 Questions to Ask Before You Drop a Course

You’re deep into the semester, and assignments are starting to pile up. Professors are getting on your nerves, classmates keep pestering for your notes. That course you enrolled in last minute is proving harder than you thought. You don’t know if you can keep up. You keep asking yourself, should I drop it? It’s a…

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4 Group Work Tips as Told Through Shrek GIFs

Group work is like 2008 Justin Bieber—there’s no escaping it, it’s everywhere, and the thought of it gives most of us a headache. Even if you’re not explicitly doing “group work” you’re going to have to deal with other people in some form of work environment. This can be tough to do. People often have…

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The 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Switching Programs

The scariest thing I ever did in university was switching programs. I still remember sitting in the car during my second term, when my mom turned around to me and asked me if I wanted to switch programs. Going into university, I had my mind set on becoming a veterinarian. But I struggled through my…

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3 Ways You’re ACTUALLY Being Assessed In School

When I was in high school, I usually lost my course syllabus during the first two weeks of class. Sometimes I just recycled it the minute the first class was dismissed. I didn’t need it. The teacher was going to remind us about upcoming tests and assignments. They’d give us an exam review and everything.…

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No One Likes A Quitter: Use Matt Ringel’s 15 Minute Rule

Few things are worse than a quitter. Running out of ice cream just before a heat wave. Seeing a perfect rescue pup in an ad and arriving to find that someone else already adopted it. Being born into late-stage capitalism and watching it crumble around you, destroying The Earth in the process. Okay, so some…

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3 Project Management Tools To Make Group Projects Suck Less

Being in charge of your own procrastination and productivity is a huge component of being a post-secondary student. However, another component is learning how to work well with others. You either hate or love group projects. Yes, it can be fun to work with your friends, but also, you might realize those friends or classmates…

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5 Things You Should Do Before Dropping That Class

That drop date is right around the corner, and you need to figure out if you should drop that course or not. It can be a pretty hard decision, especially if you’ve never done it before – or if you have, and it’s ended badly. I have recently dropped a course for the first time…

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Improve Your Memory With a Mind Map

What is a mind map? It’s this crazy, detailed 3D image of the various relationships between your neurons and major sections of your brain that computers will soon use to transfer your consciousness to… oh. Sorry. That’s a different kind of mind map. Let’s get this straight… Taking notes is important. Taking notes is also…

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The Ultimate Study Hack: Brain Dumping

More and more students are brain dumping to help them learn. Find out how you can master this latest organizational trick. Just like dumping out your school bag at the end of the year, you dump all your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Write everything down. Everything. Anything that’s been nagging you,…

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Motivational Tips To Keep Studying

Do you have trouble focusing? Can you find the motivation to study? After 5 years of post-secondary education, I will admit that maintaining focus can become difficult when all you can think about is anything but studying. After 5 years, I’ve come across a few tricks to keep going. Hopefully they help you! 1. Start…

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Shitty First Drafts

The key to that next great written piece? It all starts with your (likely terrible) first draft. Wouldn’t it be amazing if all you had to do to write a strong essay or story was sit down and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard)? Of course, writing is a process and good writing…

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The Corson Technique: A Simple Tip to Make Profs Hate You Less

Don’t be THAT student. Use The Corson Technique to get on your professor’s good side. Ok, so maybe your profs don’t HATE you. You’re a good student, right? You always show up to class on time. You always do your readings and take detailed notes. And you always come prepared with everything you might need…

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An Article About Procrastination? I’ll Read It Later

Don’t let procrastination get in your way. Our daily routines are made up of habits. Some of these we’ve formed consciously, like making sure to brush our teeth, while others are the result of repetition that’s become second nature, like checking our phones. Different habits have different effects on our lives. Some are positive and…

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5 Tools And Apps To Keep You Organized

Organization isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone. Thankfully I was blessed with the natural ability to stay organized and prioritized. Whether you’re an organized person or not, organization is a key tool to be successful both as a student and in your eventual career. If you have trouble staying on top of things, there…

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9 Professors You’ll Meet In College & University

Which professors will you have? Professors are responsible for teaching essential lessons for our future careers, solving problems for students, and guiding us on our educational journey. Each professor has their own specific teaching method, which can of often either work perfectly for their students or quickly become their worst nightmare. To help prepare for…

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Bullet Journals: Your Secret Weapon For Better Grades and Mental Wellness

If you’re a student on Tumblr or Pinterest, you’re likely to have seen them: Bullet Journals—humble notebooks with cream-coloured pages hosting cleverly-organized lists, agendas, and art. Aesthetics range from earthy and shaded, to pretty and pastel. What Is Bullet Journalling? The term “Bullet Journalling” was copyrighted in 2017 by a digital product designer from the…

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How To Deal With Stress During Exams

Exams and stress. Name a more sinister duo. Kylo Ren and Emperor Snoke? Two-Face and The Joker? Thanos and Lady Death? It doesn’t matter if you’re heading into your first year or your final year: stress is inevitable. This is how it typically goes: You get an email announcing exam schedules… You open the email…

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How To Study For Your Exams By Scrolling Through Memes

So you’ve locked yourself inside your room or set up a base camp at the library. You’ve successfully studied for a solid 25 minutes, and now it’s time for a short 2-minute break. You pull out your phone. Big mistake. Before you know it, you’re scrolling through meme after meme. Yeah, studying in this golden…

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5 Tips For Crafting Great Presentation Decks

You don’t have to channel your inner Steve Jobs to craft an impactful presentation deck. Any student can do it with the proper guidance. However, by learning to master the presentation tools that you have at your disposal, you can not only improve your presentations as a whole but also become a more confident public…

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Dear SLN: Will One Bad Grade Ruin My Academic Future?

“Will one bad grade jeopardize my academic future?” The short answer? Probably not. Dear SLN is an advice column for students who are looking for no bullshit answers to tough questions. This week’s question comes from Samantha on Facebook. “Will getting a bad grade in an elective course jeopardize my chances of getting into a good post-grad…

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Here’s What Actually Happens When You Get Caught Cheating

Ever wondered what actually happens if you get caught cheating on a test? Do you skip over the academic integrity section in the syllabus? Zone out when the professor goes over it on the first day of a new course? Of course you do. You’re a normal person. “It’ll never concern me much,” I figure.…

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Dear SLN: What Should I Do If My Group Members Suck?

Working with bad group members can be a little like Survivor. Dear SLN is an advice column for students who are a looking for no bullshit answers to tough questions. If you have a question, hit us up on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat with #DearSLN This week’s question comes from Jessi on Facebook. “What should I do if my group partners are…

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Ace Your Exams With These Simple Study Hacks

Here’s how you can study smarter, not harder, this midterm season. ‘Tis the season for endless cups of coffee, all nighters, and trying to figure out how to cram endless information you can into your brain. On top of balancing your social life, of course. So, how do you study better and more effectively? Here are 5 proven tips to will…

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The Best (Free) Tools To Help Write Your Annoying Essay

Essays can be really annoying. A good essay needs structure, research, a strong thesis and originality. A few fancy ten-dollar words never hurt anyone, either. But usually the worst thing about an essay is that it needs to be done by an impossible deadline while you juggle a billion other assignments. To help with all of…

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How Technology is Slowly Killing Your GPA (And Your Mind)

Picture this: you’re in a regular post-secondary classroom. Your professor walks into the lecture hall, but he doesn’t fiddle around with the projector, take out a laptop, or prepare any slides—he just begins talking. You frantically look around you to see if you’re in the right class. You are. And your professor is still showing…

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The 9 Things You’re Doing Wrong in Class Right Now

Well, for starters, you’re probably reading this in class. I applaud you for reading, but time and place. Listen, we all fuck up. That’s the point of learning. And as your currently in an institution built on that very point, you’re going to screw up. It’s natural. As a nod to our collective mistakes, here…

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Having These 5 Powerful Traits Can Boost Your Grades

It’s a given that intelligent students have a greater chance at succeeding in school, but it’s important to remember that academics aren’t everything to achieving classroom success. Certain personal traits can really help you along your academic life, and if you’ve got some or all of these 5 characteristics, we think you’ll make the grade in…

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9 Simple Tricks for Kicking Stage Fright in the Ass

Have you ever had to go in front of an entire audience to deliver a speech? If your heart beats fast and your palms get super sweaty when you do, this probably means you’ve caught the unfortunate ailment of stage fright—or, in some cases, anxiety. Luckily, you’ve stumbled upon a great guide to surviving the…

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The 10 Online Tools That Will Boost Your Learning Potential

School is back in session. And with the emergence of powerful e-learning practices and educational technologies, students and teachers alike can enjoy tremendous options of online resources to enhance the school year. Young scholars now have the opportunity to blend conventional textbooks and lectures with interactive materials, and doing so can yield astounding educational benefits. However, students who…

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Beating the Block: 6 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block

Your laptop is set up. Your notes are laid out and your energy drink is within reach. You lean over to write your first word and… nadda. No ideas, no words, no pseudo-intellectual filler to feel like you’ve done something. Writer’s block is a student’s worst nightmare. A grave, grave enemy, especially when final papers…

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The 7 Most Kickass, Time-Saving Study Tools for Any Student

As a student, I fully understand the importance of being time-efficient while studying. The last thing you want is to be caught up with backlogged work or run late with assignments that need to be completed. Have I ever been a victim of this? Most definitely. And I’m quite sure that I’m not the only…

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Is It “Who” or “Whom”? Five Great Ways to Beef Up Your English Skills

Do you often confuse “they’re”, “there”, and “their”? Have you ever struggled to find another word for “running”? Worry not, for this vocabulary and grammar guide is here to help. Communication skills are of increasing importance in both the academic and professional world, but mastering the English language can be difficult. Some find themselves questioning,…

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Struggling with Essay Writing? The 11 Tools Every Student Should Use

It’s essay season. Your teachers request all types of papers from you. Just when you start feeling comfortable writing essays for your literature class, you are faced with a research paper about Napoleon and his greatest mistakes. What teachers don’t explain is how you are supposed to write five final papers within a short window of time.…

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When Mom Isn’t Home: A Checklist to Ensure You’re Proofreading Like a Pro

Oh, proofreading. You’re either an about-to-take-an-editorial-job-at-Penguin- or an I-can’t-properly-use-a-semicolon-to-save-my-life-type of proofreader. In that case, here are some solid tips. Brush up on your proofreading before you submit that year-end 15-pager you’ve been labouring over. Consistently Consistent Take note of the point of view (either first or third, never second) most appropriate for the essay, and make…

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Forget What Your English Teacher Said, Here’s How to Actually Write

I know that’s a cocky subject line. But stay with me here. I’ve written a lion’s share of essays. I’ve published hundreds of articles in online and print publications. I’ve made my living off of hitting a keyboard for the past eight years. I even got to interview the Jonas Brothers, so, you know, credibility.…

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Good Advice From Teachers (That Aren’t Grumpy Prof)

We all miss Grumpy Prof and his disgruntled yet sage student advice. Maybe we should start a petition to bring him back? What do you think? The past few weeks I have been interviewing several of my favourite teachers and asking them for advice. Asking advice for us. Some advice that is a little, you know, less…

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Make Essay Life Easy: Idiot-proof Referencing for Free

You’re going to hear a lot of buzz at the Student Life Network about RefMe this week. And for good reason. We get a lot of calls and emails at SLN about student focused apps or web pages. We review them all, but 99% of the time they suck. They’re poorly designed, run badly or…

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8 Ways to Not Fail Out of University in GIFs

University and college can be overwhelming. Understatement of the year. And since the end of the term is coming, students everywhere are shrieking, “OMG, I’m going to fail out of university!” Take a deep breath. No, you’re probably not. There are a few things that a person figures out along the way that makes school…

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12 Writing Tips for Students Who Procrastinate

We all procrastinate. Let’s admit it together: “My name is ______ and, well, I, um, procrastinate.” In honour of everyone’s favourite pastime, which seems to invariably increase during the school months, here are 12 tips for writing an essay for all of us procrastinators: 1. Write the title first. 2. Underline the title, so it…

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My Love/Hate Relationship with Online Courses

Picture this. It’s the winter term. You don’t have class on Fridays. You enrolled in an online class to avoid physically going to a class on those blustery, cold Fridays. Instead, you get to spend your Friday morning in bed, watching the lectures for your online class while you drink a warm apple-cinnamon tea. By noon,…