Revision Tips

These days schools pile work onto us, so much in fact that it's completely overwhelming. And on top of all the homework, and all the schoolwork we are expected to finish and perfect, we end up with so many tests and exams to revise for. It can all bit a bit stressful, and over the years I've tried to master some really good techniques to cramming it all in your head. Obviously I don't have all the best expertise, but yknow, there's no harm in me sharing my tips and tricks to acing an exam :)


Tip Number One
WRITE IT OUT. It seems obvious, but when I just read through my notes from my lessons, it doesn't really stick in my head like it should. I love to write anyway, so when I feel I need a refresh of all the difficult facts, I find it's a good idea to just write it all out from my book, and then read through that. Be careful though, it's most useful when you reword what you wrote before, so your brain has to work that little bit, and its not just copying. Its normally now that someone might say you should write it out with a pen, or typing is better, but I personally feel its all down to personal preference. I prefer pen and paper, I like to use different colours of pen, it makes me more motivated and in the mood, but I understand that typing is quicker, and can help you remember a lot more for some people.


Tip Number Two
FLASHCARDS. I'll admit, I'm not a master at these. I only started them recently but they are a GREAT IDEA. There are two main ways of doing these, I favour one a lot more than the other. I think the traditional way is to write a question or statement or subject of some sort on one side and then the answer or correct explanation on the other. Then you can test yourself by asking yourself the question, answering it and then flipping over and checking yourself. It's a great way to do things if you are alone without a friend to test you. However my favourite way is where I just write a subheading of the topic on the top of each card, and then follow it with all the information underneath. Then all I have to do is read through it to secure it on my mind, which is great on the go.

Tip Number Three 
HIGHLIGHTER. This was is a bit controversial. Studies on the internet have stated that highlighter is not actually the best for linking points together. So if you are revising something that really requires that, you might wanna ignore this one. However, for me highlighter is great for simply highlighting important parts on my flashcards, in my notes and on my diagrams. That way when I'm scanning through all the keyboards stand ou to me, an it helps me remember them under exam conditions.


Tip Number Four
STICKY NOTES. This one is pretty self explanatory. These things are so great for adding key pieces of information, summing up important points, and organising your notes better. You can get these in arrange of colours, and I also recommend using little sticky tabs for your books and folders. This means you can colour code different subjects and easily flip to a certain page or subject.


Tip Number Five 
KEEP IT ALL ORGANISED. I don't know about you, but a neat desk filled with supplies is a whole lot more motivating than a pile of scribbles notes and ripped flashcards. If you keep all that stuff neat and tidy, your thoughts will be too, and it will be better to stay on task and keep focused. Try to write neatly, have a nice plan in mind and keep on task, and I swear it will be a lot less pressure. I know it seems obvious, but from previous experience I know how easy it is to lose track of your schedule, and generally get anxious and stressed out. Get your stuff out, crank up the Spotify, and get it DONE.

Stranger Things...

If you have Netflix, it's very likely you will have heard of Stranger Things. In fact, even if you HAVEN'T got Netflix, it's still very likely you know about this. If you don't, where the hell has you been?

This 8 part series is Horror, Supernatural story, set in the 1980's in a small town names Hawkins. The story follows 3 boys, intent on finding their friend Will, who disappeared one night after a table top game campaign.  I cannot express how much I LOVE IT. As the story progresses, we meet more characters, and the boys, the head of the police, Will's mother and more, get tangled up in a world of supernatural beings, parallel universes and more.

From left to right: Lucas, Dustin, Mike and El (Eleven)

And that was the spoiler free part of this blog post. If you wanna go watch it yourself, you might not wanna carry on.

Anyway, I loved the first season of Stranger things, and I'm very excited for 2017, when the confirmed season two is realeased. Of course, I have so many questions about the end of the finale: Where is 11? Will Nancy and Jonathan get together? What's wrong with Will? My favourite characters were Eleven, Dustin, and Jonathan. What were your? I also have many theories on how the stories of the main characters will progress, which I'd love to share with you. Here we go:

Hopper:
We know that when he was at Hawkins Lab, he made a promise that as long as they let him go into the upside down, and didn't harm Mike, Lucas and Dustin, he would never tell anyone that the lab was involved in the crimes AND that he would tell them where eleven was. Obviously we know that Eleven has gone somewhere, or died, but I think the reason he is leaving egos in the box is to lure her back, and then pass her back to the Bad Men at Hawkins lab to fulfil his side of the agreement. This would make a lot of sense, as after Will was rescued, and was in hospital, we saw the chief with someone looked as if he was one of the Bad Men, and we then saw him get into a car that I assume belonged to them. Is he planning on working with them?

Will:
At the end, Will throws up slugs (ewww gross) he then flashes back to the upside down, and sees the bathroom in the upside down. Something tells me that's not normal, surely something must be wrong with him. I think that because he was exposed to the toxic air and horrors of the upside down, he has somehow caught a disease or something, that WON'T kill him but will just turn him into another monster, or worse. In fact, I think part of him already is a monster, since when he sat back down he said he was fine, and didn't tell anyone that something was wrong with him. That doesn't seem like what Will would do, or in fact, what anyone would do in that situation. Surely he would want to tell his family, so they could get whatever it was sorted out, and escape the upside down forever? What if part of him is already changing into something bad?

Nancy, Jonathan and Steve:
A lot of people hate Steve Harrington, to be honest, I don't blame them. We all remember Steve offering to help clean the "Nancy the slut" graffiti off the cinema? My theory for this one is that the producer want to keep, so he can be a main character in Season 2. That's probably why we have seen so much of him being nice in the last couple of episodes. He hit the monster with a bat, even after leaving the house. I just think they don't want to lose this character yet. There is a lot more interesting things they could do with him. By leaving him and Nancy together, they can use him more, as then he won't be forgotten like Bar.... Sorry, we don't mention that name. Don't want anyone to start crying. Plus, this means they can make more sensitive and romantic moments between Nancy and Jonathan without them physically dating. If they decide that Nancy and Steve just isn't working, they can easily kill him off in an emotional way to make us all sob.

Lonnie:
This isn't really a long detailed theory. I'm just mentioning that I think he will definetly make an appearance next season, and maybe be a lot more protagonisty. That's a real word, promise.

This does NOT mean I like him, he was a dick to Joyce and Jonathan. Calling Joyce a bad parent was bad enough, but that's not even mentioning that he wasn't even there for Will and Jonathan. What a hypocrite.

And that's all my theories exhausted. Let's see how many I get right. I'd love to hear yours too :)


This blog post is dedicated to Barbara Holland, always missed <3

My Top Ten Youtube Channels

For many people, YouTube is a big part of our lives. I love curling up and watching some funny content regularly, (and of course spending more time than I should watching gaming videos, comedy sketches and more). So I'm not surprised that it was so hard for me to narrow this list down to just 10 channels that make my day. Unlike most other top tens, this list isn't really in order of importance to me, because I love most of these fantastic channels the same amount. :)

PolandBananaBOOKS
I love to read, so it's no surprise that I would have at least of BookTube channel on my list. And Christine is just my favourite. She has an amazing sense of humour and never fails to make me laugh. Not only that, but we share the same reading taste, so it's more than easy to understand where she's coming from in her reviews and tags. Plus, she does amazing sketches to do with books (I recommend The Reading Slump: A Case Study) so she's a great all round booktuber.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOkc2PP2lPDUMLg0p6rGGDQ

WillNE
This channel NEEDS to get noticed. This guy's humour is ON POINT. I don't know how he does it but he never fails to make me laugh so hard. YOU HAVE TO CHECK HIM OUT. Will makes some of the best reaction videos on the internet, with hilarious comments and his channel should be bigger. Please go ahead and leave some support, he deserves it honestly.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaFUrR3oSxOl5Y9y6tvLTEg

Leafyishere
I'm sure most people have heard of him. This guy makes absolutely hilarious reaction videos, mostly with massive amounts of swearing XD He has a great voice, (you never really see his face) and normally talks about the worst things on the internet while showing footage from video games. He's cynical, sarcastic and all round hilarious

https://www.youtube.com/user/LeafyIsHere

Pewdiepie

This guy gets a real mix of feedback, from intense hate to intense love. And mine is intense love <3 Felix has been making videos for a long long time now. They've gone from long emotional playthroughs, to short hilarious clips, but I love them all the same. Pewdiepie never fails to make me laugh, and he has a real range of videos on his channel, that vary from emotional and beautiful, to just the thing you need to put you in fits of laughter. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/PewDiePie

Jack and Dean

These two are my favourite comedy duo on the entire internet. Their remarkably british and funny humour is enough to have me in stitches. I just love all of their comedy sketches. It's always hard to choose a favourite, but I'm a massive fan of Dean :)

I encourage you to check out The Last Supper, Balloons, and The Stairs, all personal favourites of mine. And no, they aren't dating, they are just another ship that the whole internet wishes were gay toegther ;(

https://www.youtube.com/user/OMFGItsJackAndDean

Tomska

This guy has not only an amazing sense of humour, but is also great at talking about more sensitive topics. He has helped me to have a good laugh, and to understand depression, suicide and other things everyone should have a good understanding of. His comedy sketches are amazing, and his second channel (DarkSquidge) is educational and interesting. Not to mention that he is one of the rightly proud creators of asdf. It's impossible to not love Thomas Ridgewell.

https://www.youtube.com/user/TomSka

MusicalBethan

This singer and fashion blogger gives amazing girl advice. Her videos are always hilarious, and help all us girls out there to remember that we aren't alone with all our anxious problems. She's tackled periods, boobs, the struggles of writing a diary and more. She has a beautiful voice, and I encourage all teen girls to check out if they get the chance to. (Plus I think she dated Dean Dobbs at one point, so she obviously has great taste in boys)

https://www.youtube.com/user/musicalbethan

Gameranx

As someone who loves to play video games, watch others play video games and know ALL about them, I understand the importance of an informative way of getting the latest game gossip. And Gameranx is my favourite Youtube Channel for that sort of thing. They have great Top Tens, and videos that are the perfect length to be interesting and helpful without dragging on. I have discovered some of my favourite video games from Falcon and Co. Plus, they're funny, has a voice I can't get tired of listening to, and great video game topics to talk about.

https://www.youtube.com/user/gameranxTV

Atinpiano

This channel has some of the best piano covers I have come across on the whole of Youtube. They are so good, they have brought me to complete tears, they can be so emotional. Just listening to their detailed cover of The Elder Scrolls V made me have physical waves of nostalgia. They have done Star Wars, video games and more. This channel has had such skill put into it, it's incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Atin1337

DanAndPhilGAMES

I love Dan and Phil anyway, they are a hilarious little duo, with amazing content on their separate channels. But here, they have managed to combine their amazing humour, and the best thing in the world (video games) and pull it off so well. I have spent hours watching the adventures of Dil in Sims 4, and laughing at blindfolded Portal Co-op. I recommend checking this one out.

https://www.youtube.com/user/DanAndPhilGAMES

So there you have it, my personal picks for the best channels out there. A mixture of humour, sketches, gaming and music, all the best things in the world. Hope you enjoyed :) 

I would love to hear your suggestions and favourites too! 

That Need To Write

One of the worst feelings in the world is when I have an idea, but I have no clue how to write it down. When I feel like I've solved world hunger, or have the idea that could be the future of literature, or better. Maybe I've been watching one of the best TV Shows of all time, and now I just know the next part of the story. Maybe I had a sudden burst of inspiration while in the shower, and now more than anything I want to grab my laptop and write it down, but I just can't find the words.

So many of my ideas are lost, forgotten or just abandoned when I realise I just have no clue how to explain them to the rest of the world. I had an idea for a story named "The Visitant Boy", I got two paragraphs in before realising it had so many plot holes it just wouldn't work until I worked it out. But did I have the time or effort to work it out, no.

Even worse is when I have the desire to write something, anything, but I DON'T have an idea, there is no inspiration. If I do think of something, chances are I will lose focus quickly, and move onto something else.

I can never understand how my favourite authors manage to stick to ideas so well, get them down, and develop them without losing faith in themselves. I have so many unfinished novels, where I only got a chapter in, so many song lyrics I never found a good tune for, and so many lose scraps of paper with half hearted attempts at a story on them. Why can I not get anything done? Beats me.

We're More Free on the Internet

I don't know where this has come from, but I was just thinking about the difference between what we confide in the people we know and love, compared to what we tell people we don't even know in real life. You would expect to have the more personal information in the people you know right? But I have found that people seem more open on the internet, because they feel their opinion won't be judged. That's the crazy thing. The internet is a place where opinions are shared so much, that people get hurt easily, and hate is getting more and more common. So why would people want to share so much into such an unpredictable community? And the answer is that there are so many people in this massive community, that thousands of them will agree with the persons opinion, which is why there are so many fandoms, groups on social media, and websites dedicated to people who share a love for one thing.

I don't know what the hell this is meant to be, but it's beautiful, honestly

And the best part is, no one can judge you in real life. You can keep your face secret, and it's always your choice what you display for others to see. Apps like Whisper give people the opportunity to talk about their feelings annoymonously, and for me, the internet is a place to escape from the real world, and find people who like the same things, have the same interests, and won't put you down for what you love.

Of course, you have to be careful. Sorry to change the posititve tune of this post, but there is always the worry that once you have posted something, it can never come down, or the thought that you can't be sure that the people you have bonded with are trustworthy.

But if you keep your wits about you, and make sure you know what you are doing, then it can all turn out quite nicely! I've had some amazing conversations with people I have never met, I've found some amazing communities, and explored this amazing web of people. I have friends who I see everyday, who are dating people who live on the other side of the world, all because of this fantastic invention.

In my personal opinion, the internet is beautiful.

And just to finish off in a light hearted mood, I found this on Google Images:

The most accurate map I've ever seen

Summer :)

Summer is a hard one for me. I'm so used to living here in England, in a small town with dreary weather (what else can you expect from Britain?) so Summer is normally that time where you feel as if everything has suddenly brightened up for the better.

It's not always that simple. I'm one of those people who like a routine to function. Of course, I like a good surprise and a trip somewhere exciting and unexpected, but I'm also a massive fan of what school offers me, a chance to do what I'm told to do and keep a routine that makes me feel productive and in line. So by the time summer is over, I'm always eager to jump back into uniform and get back to going through the repetitive paces that are my student life.

That's why I have ALWAYS been a fan of short holidays, enough to give me time to relax and rest up, but not so long that I'm separated from my friends, or begin to relax into a system I won't be able to keep forever.

I know, I know, it should be easy to catch up with friends. After all, the summer holidays are so long you feel like you have all the time in the world! But as an aspiring video gamer, with lots of friends who also enjoy online gaming, its hard to find the effort to organise proper meet ups. It's always so much more simple when you see each other everyday anyway.

So for me, summer can be long, it can get boring, I can miss people over the long stretch, and I would personally prefer it if it was a little bit shorter. Call me a goody goody or a teachers pet, but I just can't deal with that "not having a plan or schedule" feeling, and the holidays tend to make me feel a bit stir crazy XD

That's not to say I don't find it thoroughly fun too. The holidays give me a chance to play new video games, read amazing books, and just relax into the beautiful weather (or... not so beautiful weather XD). I love that feeling of knowing the next day is another day of complete rest, that "for once I don't need to worry one bit" feeling. Being an anxious person, that feeling is rare enough as it is, but the holidays ensure that it doesn't get to overwhelming...