how to be an ACADEMIC WEAPON this semester 📝 non-basic tips, organization hacks
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Tonian shares practical tips for starting the school year strong, helping students succeed throughout the semester. Drawing from personal experience, she emphasizes organizing all deadlines in a single calendar, creating cheat sheets, tracking mistakes, taking detailed syllabus notes, and starting flashcards early. Tonian also suggests making monthly vision boards, creating a study support network, and using productivity tools like Gantt charts and reading extensions. Finally, she highlights the importance of mental health, encouraging students to focus on progress, not perfection, for a balanced academic journey.
Takeaways
- 📅 Prioritize organizing your schedule early in the semester by placing all school deadlines and personal commitments in one calendar.
- 📝 Create a personal cheat sheet at the front of your binder or notes for quick reference to frequently used concepts and formulas.
- ❌ Keep a mistake log to track errors from assignments and tests, so you can identify patterns and avoid repeating them.
- 🖋️ Take detailed notes during syllabus week, as professors often provide valuable insights into how to succeed in their course.
- 📱 Start making flashcards (using Quizlet or similar) immediately after each class to gradually build up study materials for exams.
- 🎶 Listen to calming study music, such as indie folk or instrumental soundtracks, to enhance focus while studying.
- 🎯 Make a vision board each month as your laptop wallpaper to stay motivated and visually track your academic and personal goals.
- 🗓️ Consider using a reverse syllabus or Gantt chart to map out your study schedule and break down tasks for major assignments.
- 📚 Frontload your semester by completing readings and assignments early to reduce stress during exam season.
- 👥 Develop an academic support network, including peers, professors, and upper-year students, to rely on for advice and study help throughout the semester.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video?
-The video discusses tips on how to be successful throughout the school year by starting strong and staying organized.
Why does the speaker emphasize starting strong at the beginning of the semester?
-The speaker emphasizes starting strong because it prevents the need to catch up later in the semester, as they experienced personally when they focused on non-school projects early on and struggled to keep up.
What is the speaker's first tip for academic success?
-The first tip is to consolidate all schedules, including syllabi, deadlines, and personal commitments, into one calendar to manage time effectively and plan ahead for busy periods.
How does the speaker recommend organizing important information for easy access?
-The speaker suggests creating a personal cheat sheet or reference page with formulas and key information at the front of your binder or notes, so you can quickly access it throughout the semester.
What is a mistake log, and why does the speaker recommend using it?
-A mistake log is a record of errors from assignments and tests. The speaker recommends using it to identify patterns in mistakes so that these errors can be avoided on future exams.
Why does the speaker advise taking detailed notes during syllabus week?
-The speaker advises taking notes during syllabus week because professors often give important insights on how to succeed in the course, which might not be recalled later when studying for tests.
When does the speaker suggest making flashcards, and why?
-The speaker suggests making flashcards early in the semester, after each class, so that students can begin reviewing the material throughout the term rather than rushing to create flashcards right before exams.
What types of music does the speaker recommend for studying?
-The speaker recommends indie folk music, Studio Ghibli soundtracks, and instrumental music from 'Bridgerton' for studying, as they find these genres helpful for focusing.
What is the purpose of making a vision board, according to the speaker?
-The speaker suggests creating a monthly vision board to stay motivated and focused on personal and academic goals. Changing it monthly helps reflect on past achievements and set new priorities.
What is a reverse syllabus or Gantt chart, and how can it help students?
-A reverse syllabus or Gantt chart helps students map out study schedules for major assignments and exams weeks in advance, allowing them to manage their time effectively and avoid last-minute cramming.
Outlines
🎓 Starting Strong for a Successful Semester
The speaker, Tonian, introduces the video by emphasizing the importance of starting the semester strong to avoid playing catch-up later. She shares her personal experience from the previous year when she focused on non-school-related projects early in the term, which negatively affected her academic performance. Tonian highlights the importance of getting ahead now for smoother sailing throughout the semester. She assures viewers that the tips she'll share are effective for both high school and university students, and provides some background on her academic achievements.
📅 Organize Your Calendar for Success
Tonian’s first tip is about organizing your schedule by putting everything into one place, including due dates, extracurricular activities, and other personal events. She explains that many students use separate documents for academic deadlines and personal schedules, but advises integrating them into one calendar for better planning. By seeing all your commitments together, it helps with mentally preparing for busy periods, such as having multiple exams and events at the same time, and encourages you to start working on projects early.
📘 Create a Personal Cheat Sheet for Quick Reference
Tonian recommends making a cheat sheet with key formulas and concepts that you struggle to remember. She used this strategy in high school, especially for subjects like math and science. Having an easily accessible sheet at the front of your binder or notes prevents wasting time searching through pages and helps quickly reference information when needed. She emphasizes the value of creating personalized cheat sheets tailored to your specific struggles for efficiency.
📝 Make a Mistake Log to Track and Learn
Tonian advises creating a 'mistake log' to track errors from assignments and tests. By writing down the mistakes, along with their correct answers, students can identify patterns in their errors. This allows them to focus on problem areas when studying for finals, ensuring they don't repeat the same mistakes. The log becomes a useful tool for revision when exams approach.
📂 Take Notes During Syllabus Week
Tonian highlights the importance of taking notes during the first classes of the semester, often referred to as 'syllabus week.' Many students overlook this, but professors often give crucial details about how to succeed in the course. She advises paying attention to specific information about exams and assignments, and taking notes on how much focus should be placed on textbooks versus lectures. This information helps guide study efforts later in the semester.
📇 Start Making Flashcards Early
Tonian encourages students to start making flashcards right at the beginning of the semester instead of waiting until exams approach. She recommends using Quizlet and praises its mobile app, which allows students to review flashcards whenever they have spare time. By creating flashcards early, students can gradually review content and be better prepared for exams.
🎶 Study Playlists for Focus and Motivation
Tonian shares her favorite study playlists, mentioning how instrumental music helps her concentrate. She recommends playlists like 'Autumnfall Indie' by Alex Rain Bird, 'Mulberry Mousse' by Alan Gole, and soundtracks from Studio Ghibli and Bridgerton. These playlists offer calming and motivational background music to enhance the study environment.
🎨 Create a Monthly Vision Board for Motivation
Tonian recommends making a vision board each month and using it as your desktop wallpaper. She finds this motivational and shares how it helps her focus on personal goals like trying new recipes, making YouTube videos, or daily journaling. The vision board reflects goals for the current month, helping track progress and reset priorities regularly. It's a fun and practical way to stay goal-oriented.
🗓️ Use a Reverse Syllabus or Gantt Chart for Planning
Tonian briefly touches on using reverse syllabi or Gantt charts, strategies some students find helpful for time management. These methods involve working backward from exam or project dates to plan study sessions and project tasks in advance. While Tonian doesn’t use these tools herself, she suggests them for students who struggle with time management.
📖 Frontload Your Work to Reduce Stress
Tonian advises students to frontload their semester work by finishing assignments and readings as early as possible. This proactive approach helps reduce stress during exam season and ensures students have more free time when workloads intensify. She also suggests using tools like the 'Half Bold' extension to speed up reading tasks and increase productivity.
👥 Build an Academic Support Network Early
Tonian’s final tip encourages students to develop an academic support network early in the semester. This can include professors, upper-year students, and peers who can provide guidance, share notes, or help form study groups. She emphasizes the benefits of seeking mentorship and joining university support programs that offer valuable tips and shortcuts for specific courses.
✨ Wrap-Up and Final Words of Encouragement
Tonian concludes by wishing her viewers a successful school year and reminding them that effort and preparation are key. She advises viewers not to stress about perfect grades, reminding them that their mental health should be a priority. She also encourages viewers to subscribe for more content focused on university life and academic tips, reaffirming her commitment to consistent uploads.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Semester Start
💡Personal Calendar
💡Cheat Sheet
💡Mistake Log
💡Syllabus Week
💡Flashcards
💡Study Music
💡Vision Board
💡Gantt Chart
💡Academic Support Network
Highlights
Start strong at the beginning of the school year to set the tone for the rest of the term.
Consolidate all your deadlines, exams, and personal events into one calendar to better manage your time.
Create a cheat sheet or reference page at the front of your binder or digital notes for quick access to essential information.
Keep a mistake log to track errors from assignments and tests to avoid repeating them in the future.
Take detailed notes during syllabus week, as professors often provide insights on how to succeed in the course.
Start creating flashcards immediately after each class using apps like Quizlet to streamline exam preparation.
Study with music: indie folk, instrumental, and film soundtracks can enhance focus.
Make a vision board each month and set it as your laptop background to stay motivated and aligned with your goals.
Look into creating a reverse syllabus or Gantt chart to plan your studying and assignments in advance.
Frontload your semester work, completing readings and assignments early to reduce stress during exams.
Consider using the 'half-bold' extension to speed up reading by bolding part of each word, improving focus.
Develop an academic support network early in the semester, including peers, mentors, or professors.
Seek out upperclassmen or join peer tutoring programs to gain specific tips for your courses and professors.
Remember that grades don’t define you—prioritize your mental health and well-being above all.
The speaker aims to create more consistent content focused on academic tips and university life.
Transcripts
hey everyone it's tonian welcome or
welcome back to my channel so today I
want to talk about things that you can
do right now while it's still the
beginning of the school year that will
allow you to be successful or as
successful as you can be throughout the
rest of the term of the semester because
I know that the beginning of your
semester really makes a big difference
on how you'll do for the rest of the
term because speaking from experience
last year my second semester I spent the
first month of that semester kind of
focusing on personal and non-school
related projects and that really made me
play the catchup game for literally the
entire rest of my semester so if you
start off strong and you get ahead now
it'll make it'll make for smooth sailing
for the rest of your term so here are
all of my personal tips that I use
they're non AI generated nonbasic tips I
also picked all tips that I think are
applicable to both high school and
university/ col students also whenever I
make academic related videos I like to
give a little bit of background about
myself just so you know who you're
taking tips from so I've always been a
very high cheer when it comes to school
back in high school I got grades almost
all the '90s I was in the fa students
myd you know in the past years
University I have been list so these are
tips that normally do work for myself
and I hope they will also work for
you my first tip is to put everything
that you have on your schedule into one
place now this might sound kind of like
a basic tip but let me explain so I know
that a lot of people when they first get
like their syllabi with all of their
different due dates their deadlines for
like essays their midterms their exams
they'll put them into like a separate
place than their normal go-to calendar
so I know that a lot of people will use
like a Google Sheets or they put like a
Google Document any kind of separate
maybe sometimes like a notion page but
personally I highly recommend instead of
doing that or on top of doing that
putting in all of those things also into
like your personal calendar where you
have like your work schedule your
extracurriculars your sports your clubs
different events everything that you
have going on in your life because it's
really insightful to see what you have
going on during those due dates because
you see that you have like two midterms
on the same time that you have like I
don't know a trip coming up you need to
plan ahead mentally put like a note in
your head that oh like just because it's
two months away I actually should start
working on it a month earlier because
I'll have all this other stuff going on
in my life at that same
time my next tip is to make your own
like cheat sheet that you put at the
front of your binder or if you don't use
like a binder if you just use like your
laptop to put at the top of like your
notes and basically I did this so much
in high school especially for my very
like STEM related math science classes
and basically you'd be like a full like
8 and 1/2 by 11 blank sheet of paper
where I just put at the front of my
binder and I put down anything that I
thought personally I would keep wanting
to refer back to or things I'd always
forget throughout the school year so it
would often times be formulas but also I
remember stochiometry specifically for
chemistry I struggled a lot with
remembering a lot of the things it's not
necessarily things that everyone
struggles with but it's just things that
yourself your own little brain can't
always quite keep in your head having at
the front center place you can easily
access is so much nicer than having to
go back to your dozens of pages of notes
and being like Oh oh like where's that
one thing that I can't quite remember
even what it is so I don't even know
where to look it up it's nice to have it
at the front and always refer back
to the sixth tip kind of goes hand inand
very similar to my last tip but it's to
make a mistake log and basically you
keep track of your errors from
assignments from tests that identify
patterns to avoid repeating those
mistakes throughout the school year so
whenever you get a test back you're like
oh I got this question wrong dra a new
sheet of paper that you can call my
mistake log whatever and write down this
is the question and this is the answer
and then when you're studying for the
final assessment the final exam you can
have your mistake log and you'll see oh
like I constantly mess up on these type
of questions and you can practice those
attend before your final
exam my second tip is to take a lot of
notes when your teachers or your
professors are going over the course
outline during your first couple of
classes now I know a lot of people
especially in like University will call
this like oh it's just like syllabus
week it's not important but those are
honestly some of the most important
classes that you'll go to because more
times than not your professor or your
teacher will kind of tell you how to do
well throughout the course whenever like
I go to that class like the syllabus
class I always have my laptop open and
I'm taking so many notes and I look
around or I can just hear I'm the only
one typing and no one else is writing
this stuff and maybe it's just because
they think oh like this is like common
knowledge but it's very like specific to
that class and to that teacher and how
they mark because you have so many other
classes going on you're not going to
remember 2 months down the line when
you're preparing for that test or for
that exam exactly what your teacher said
before an exam your teacher says
throughout this course we're going to
have one big test one project and one
exam okay and then they'll say the test
and the exam are both multiple choice
all of the content will be in my lecture
slides or stuff that I say in class the
textbook is just there if you want you
know learn about it further or only
about 10% of the test and the exam are
going to be on the content that's in the
textbook then I would write that down in
my notes so that when I'm studying for
the exam and the test down the line I'll
like look back at my notes that I took
in the beginning of this class and
remember myself oh yeah like I don't
actually need to read these eight
chapters that will literally take me
like 12 hours to read save all that time
and instead focus on doing active recall
and all the stuff that are in the slides
and making flashcards and practicing
those instead so all of this information
they'll tell you on the beginning days
will really help you down the line when
you're starting for the big
tests my third tip is to start making
your flashcards right now as soon as
your classes start I know the past
couple years I've been using Quizlet but
I would only make my flashcards like
right before the exams and that just
took a lot of time time that I wish I
could have been just recalling them at
the time instead of making them for the
first time so after each class start
typing out your Quizlet cards now so you
can practice them whenever you have dead
time that's why I recommend quizzes
specifically is because yes there's like
the desktop app but there's also like
the phone mobile app where you can
practice them on your phone so if you're
just out and about you got nothing to do
you can pull them up and you can start
you know recalling the stuff that you
learned early on in the school year and
that way you'll be ready when the exam
comes my fourth tip is actually quite
basic but I just want an excuse to share
some of my favorite study music so I'm
going to go over a couple of my favorite
playlists and songs that I think are
underrated also if YouTube will allow it
I will play little clip bits of the what
it sounds like so the first one is
autumnfall Indie it's a playlist by Alex
Rain Bird music and this person actually
makes a lot of great playlists on their
page so if you like like indie folk very
kind of like chill music I would
recommend checking out their page
[Music]
the second one is a specific song that I
actually just discovered a couple weeks
ago it's called Mulberry mousse by Alan
gole and it's just very beautiful
[Music]
instrumental and then the third and
fourth one are kind of based on movies
SL shows the first one is any Studio gly
music I think it's very like kind of but
also good to listen to while you're
[Music]
studying and then the fourth one is
Bridgeton instrumental because generally
speaking I do like to listen to
instrumental music when I studying and I
think Bridgton has a really great uh
like set list
[Music]
this next tip isn't necessarily strictly
academic related but I highly recommend
making a vision board every single month
of the semester that you set as your
background for your wallpaper for one
thing it's just fun to do but also it
kind of motivates me and reminds myself
every day whenever I look at my laptop
like what my goals are throughout the
year right now it's not actually too
academic related but I'll show you it on
my laptop so right now I have some
recipes that I want to make this month
like a craft that I want to try doing
things that I want to prioritize such as
like YouTube I'm going to make more
YouTube videos guys like meditation
daily journaling some outfit inspo and
changing that every month kind of allows
you to reflect on the month before like
what you achieved and also what you want
to specifically focus on for that month
because I know a lot of people make
fishion boards in January and then just
forget about them so making them every
month really allows you to focus in what
you want to achieve for that
month my next tip is to make a reverse
syllabus or Gant chart so I'm actually
not going to talk about this too much
because I personally don't use either of
these but I know a lot of my friends who
do like to use them so it's something
that you can look into a verse syllabus
is where you map out how you'll study or
review for major assignments or exams
weeks in advance so you look at oh I
have this exam I know I need to do these
flashcards for 4 days in a row it takes
me this many days to make them it's just
basically backtracking I also recommend
looking into Gant charts so if this is
something that if you personally
struggle a lot with time management and
what you've been using hasn't been
working you know this a resource that
you can look into to better than me
trying to
explain my ninth tip is to frontload
your semester work so basically finish
as much as possible early on to easing
your days ahead especially during exam
season again sounds like common sense
but most of us don't do it so here is a
really great example a lot of your
teachers have already given like your
readings throughout the semester if
these are things you actually do think
that you need to read to do well in your
class start reading them now I actually
want to highlight an extension that I
think you can get I personally have yet
to get it but I do want to once I start
getting to my longer readings and it's
called half bold and it basically makes
your reading easier because it'll make
half the word bolded and so when your
brain is reading it when it reads the
first little bit it can know the rest of
the word and it just makes reading a lot
easier for your eyes and also a lot
quicker apparently it helps with
productivity you know I'll get back to
you if I do actually end up using it but
it's something to also look
into my 10th and my last tip is to
develop an academic support network now
early on in the semester that you'll
have people to go to whenever you have
questions and concerns and need help
throughout the school year so this can
look like a wide range of different
people whether it's an upper year that
you know your professor and going to
their office hours or whether it just
means like your peers and creating a
study group do it now while it's early
on especially like upper years talk to
them now if you can whether you know
like your older sibling has friends or
if you go to university there's often
like mentorship or pure like tutoring
programs sign up for those because often
times they'll give you like life hacks
oh this this is how you can do well in
this specific professor's class or like
here are some my notes that you can use
and people are like willing to help you
if you look for it so develop that
Network now all right so that just about
wraps it up I just want to wish all of
you a really great semester really great
school year if you're watching this
video it just proves to me and it proves
to yourself that you're willing to put
in the time and the effort to do well
and also a reminder at the end of the
day if you don't get straight A's if you
get a couple B's I'm telling my past
self this it's not the end of the world
don't beat yourself up too much it's
it's not worth it at the end of the day
your mental health is your priority it
should be your priority if you like this
video give it a thumbs up and if you
like this kind of content subscribe hit
the Bell because although I haven't been
posting consistently I seriously do want
to really prioritize this that this year
as you saw my vision board I'm going to
prioritize uploading videos and
specifically I want to focus on like
University life and also like academic
tips so if you like that kind of stuff
subscribe thank you so much for watching
and I'll see you in the next one bye
[Music]
oh
hell what's what
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