A tax-free Science journal by Dutyfree

[dutyfree]

Uni journal P10.
Review of week 0:
First thing I noticed about ‘new year new me’ was that the capacity of my social battery has significantly decreased. O-week consisted of manning the society’s stall and giving the same 2-minute spiel to first years, altered slightly to accommodate to their interest in academic or social events. It was mentally draining, regardless of my enjoyment in talking to new like-minded people. But the good thing was that I felt useful and productive with my new set of responsibilities.

On an unrelated side note, I’m seriously considering adopting some sort of vegan or vegetarian diet, the only major barrier seems to be dairy and eggs. I’ve been researching the impact of the meat industry on carbon emissions and even though, most would say my individual actions would only have a tiny spec of tangible impact, who cares, I've never liked beef (the edible and social version) anyway (shrug).

Despite my sudden introverted-ness, I was persuaded to go to a uni party with my friend (who I barely knew but wasn't awkward with). I actually really enjoyed it, I bonded with my new pal, everyone was super chill and easy to talk to, and I was thinking, ‘wow, this is what the advertised uni social life is like and thankfully, I’m comfortable and fitting in’.

This semester, my timetable is squished into Monday to Wednesday, this gives me 2 whole days to do lab prep, quizzes and fit in all the extra non-academic programs into the weekend slot. I’ve started my neurotic organisation of scheduling the entire semester, this time entirely on Notion. It’s solid platform so far, and I’ve adopted a few templates from study youtubers. Since I loved the advice and tips from my mentor last semester, I signed up to peer mentoring thinking, mm, I would get a couple of wholesome mentees keen to get started on their science degrees. Instead, I received 13 mentees?!??, how is this even manageable?
Anyways, I’m keen to start a hopefully 'normal' second year! 

PS: I finally deleted tiktok (I don’t know who reads this but hello pals! this is a monumental decision, that would now significantly reduce my screen time).
 

[The Cat In The Hat]

This journal sounds interesting.

[Bri MT]

Uni journal P10.
Review of week 0:
First thing I noticed about ‘new year new me’ was that the capacity of my social battery has significantly decreased. O-week consisted of manning the society’s stall and giving the same 2-minute spiel to first years, altered slightly to accommodate to their interest in academic or social events. It was mentally draining, regardless of my enjoyment in talking to new like-minded people. But the good thing was that I felt useful and productive with my new set of responsibilities.

O-week felt different this year but idk if that's because of how I've changed or because of the covid changes. I'm guessing this was for an academic society?

On an unrelated side note, I’m seriously considering adopting some sort of vegan or vegetarian diet, the only major barrier seems to be dairy and eggs. I’ve been researching the impact of the meat industry on carbon emissions and even though, most would say my individual actions would only have a tiny spec of tangible impact, who cares, I've never liked beef (the edible and social version) anyway (shrug).

If your major barrier is dairy and eggs, then maybe start with vego and see how you go with that?
(I've been vegan for 4ish years - happy to talk if you have questions)

Despite my sudden introverted-ness, I was persuaded to go to a uni party with my friend (who I barely knew but wasn't awkward with). I actually really enjoyed it, I bonded with my new pal, everyone was super chill and easy to talk to, and I was thinking, ‘wow, this is what the advertised uni social life is like and thankfully, I’m comfortable and fitting in’.

Woo! Glad you had a great experience

[Bri MT]

Uni journal P10.
Review of week 0:
First thing I noticed about ‘new year new me’ was that the capacity of my social battery has significantly decreased. O-week consisted of manning the society’s stall and giving the same 2-minute spiel to first years, altered slightly to accommodate to their interest in academic or social events. It was mentally draining, regardless of my enjoyment in talking to new like-minded people. But the good thing was that I felt useful and productive with my new set of responsibilities.

O-week felt different this year but idk if that's because of how I've changed or because of the covid changes. I'm guessing this was for an academic society?

On an unrelated side note, I’m seriously considering adopting some sort of vegan or vegetarian diet, the only major barrier seems to be dairy and eggs. I’ve been researching the impact of the meat industry on carbon emissions and even though, most would say my individual actions would only have a tiny spec of tangible impact, who cares, I've never liked beef (the edible and social version) anyway (shrug).

If your major barrier is dairy and eggs, then maybe start with vego and see how you go with that?
(I've been vegan for 4ish years - happy to talk if you have questions)

Despite my sudden introverted-ness, I was persuaded to go to a uni party with my friend (who I barely knew but wasn't awkward with). I actually really enjoyed it, I bonded with my new pal, everyone was super chill and easy to talk to, and I was thinking, ‘wow, this is what the advertised uni social life is like and thankfully, I’m comfortable and fitting in’.

Woo! Glad you had a great experience

[dutyfree]

Hey Bri MT!
Yep, it was for a niche academic society.
I’ve just stopped drinking milk (the one from cows) with tea/ coffee and from the fridge (yes, I used to be that creature)!

Uni journal P11.
Irrelevant segue:
How do you study?

To be honest, even after finishing my 12 years of schooling, I had no clue how to answer this question.
My philosophy was prep early and take the shortcuts. This means, I made tons of timetables (colour coded, of course) and made sure to find all the resources (online, past students, forums) – so I had exposure to reviews by high achieving students, excellent essays, the ‘what not to do’s’, etc.
But I’ve never truly worked hard, studied consistently for more than 2 hours or most importantly, remembered what I learnt the previous year. On the outward, I had excellent notes – neat handwriting, pretty diagrams and very detailed, but I knew I hadn’t truly absorbed most of the knowledge I have written down, as chunks of it were directly copied off the textbook. In my head, I referred to my studying as some sort of ‘cheating the system’; I relied a ton on my school’s sac scaling, wrote from my many memorised essays for the English language and French exams (oop) and floated by year 12 without much ambition.
I would say the gap year after VCE was a godsend to completely detach myself from academics and its burdens; imposter syndrome sprinkled with some anxiety. The quarter-life-crisis in 2019 allowed me temporary relief to be introspective of my motivations entering into more strenuous education.

Cringe idealistic conversation:
Society: Are you excited to start university, ‘a new chapter in your life’?
Moi: Yea, it’s going to be so chill and no way as factorised and rigid as high school.
S: Yep, uni is nothing like high school, you have to take initiative to study, keep up with assessments and you definitely don’t get spoon fed.
M: *panic*
       But I don’t even know how to study
S: ‘Shrug’
     Figure it out, it’s about time.

From there on I started my random and inconsistent research on study methods. I needed to find an efficient method to learn content without direct memorisation (which I’m terrible at), but most importantly learn how to learn and feel well deserving of my grades that I achieved from hard work (this doesn’t mean cramming for hours – but absorbing knowledge with good time management).

(This sounds like some kid on the internet trying to go on a nerdy journey to find themselves (roll eyes).
But yeth, that is exactly what this is - cue battle music.)

I think I’ll share these methods on my journal (just to hold myself accountable with my research) as I slowly adopt them if they benefit my grades and sanity.

PS: I really want to know who actually reads these entries, cos I think I’m getting far too brave and foolish in writing anecdotal things that can easily reveal me. 
 

[The Cat In The Hat]

Reply to P.S.: I read such entries. No idea who you are, if you're worried. Nor would I seek to find the truth since you clearly don't want it.
This is interesting.

[tiredandstressed]

To be honest, even after finishing my 12 years of schooling, I had no clue how to answer this question.
My philosophy was prep early and take the shortcuts. This means, I made tons of timetables (colour coded, of course) and made sure to find all the resources (online, past students, forums) – so I had exposure to reviews by high achieving students, excellent essays, the ‘what not to do’s’, etc.
But I’ve never truly worked hard, studied consistently for more than 2 hours or most importantly, remembered what I learnt the previous year.

this is so me!!! I can't stress how detailed my colour coded timetable, aligned with a specific folder system, is so crtitical for uni organisation (as well as life)
I think the rest of these tips will be helpful for the incoming jaffies

PS: I really want to know who actually reads these entries, cos I think I’m getting far too brave and foolish in writing anecdotal things that can easily reveal me. 
 

I'm really enjoying your journal!!!
You provide an interesting perspective, and I think many people can benefit from reading your experiences
Wishing you all the best with this academic year
-T&S

[dutyfree]

Thank you for the replies Cat in the hat and tiredandstressed! 
Uni journal P12.
Review of week 1 and 2:
Alrighty, thy is overwhelmeth… _{idk latin}
Uni in real life drains so much more energy than just sitting behind a laptop and watching labs and workshop videos for hours. The tiring routine of getting up, debating on how to look presentable in accordance with the weather, having to run back to pick up the forgotten mask (this happens way too many times) and panic climbing 3 flights of stairs for the physiology labs, will eventually kill my motivation if I don’t change something soon. I’m thinking that I move back my sleep/wake up times by an hour or wear black every day or start a morning inspirational playlist (cringe yet uplifting).

PHY: Behind by 2 weeks. (excuse: medical certificate). I loved my first lab; the protocols were easy and repetitive, but it was more exciting to wear a lab coat, use pipettes and dilute blood. Content wise, since I’m way behind, I can’t comment on anything other than the basic summary of organelles and cell membranes, which was relatively straightforward.

ATS: My tutor is the same one as last semester. I hope she isn’t biased by my previous results but that’s likely inevitable. I’m scared of letting her down and so currently worrying about whether my essays this semester will be up to her standards.

DEV & BCH: Again behind by 2 weeks (regardless, I still ensure to mention that time management is my strength in job interviews though ) Imaging techniques are confusing, especially immunofluorescence vs immunochemistry. Despite my being up to date on the topics the workshops/ labs are on and having completed the prep work, I always feel lacking compared to others. They seem to know more or have more practice at microscopes/ pipetting, even considering none of us received basic lab skills last year. I sometimes get very anxious about trying to constantly catch up and finally getting to a steady pace but still (mentally) being behind, even after ticking all the boxes in completing content thoroughly. Just like last year, mindset needs some severe improvement.
Goal for next week: finish w2 and w3 content + anki!
 

[dutyfree]

Uni journal P13.
Review of week 3 and 4:
I missed a 3% quiz (which was really freaking easy with only 5 mcqs) because I had to re-watch Survivor Cambodia (which by the way, I could’ve watched the next day or literally any day, cos it aired in 2015)! You have got to be kidding me?!?!

I watched and studied 9 lectures a day before a 10% test and drafted my 25% essay the day before it was due!
I know to some people 3% is a negligible number of marks or perhaps even the 10%, but I unfortunately have attached a great portion of my self-esteem to the knowledge I can carry in my brain and my mood usually correlates to my academic performance that week.
(disclaimer: yes, I have other hobbies and interests outside of studying eg: analysing strategy in survivor, crying watching orcas in concrete prisons etc.)

I’m really scared for my grades this semester. I told myself to take it easy but easy has now become synonymous with lazy/ can’t be bothered studying because watching literally anything else is more important.

With week 5 coming up, I’m holding myself accountable to thoroughly prepare myself for the oncoming physiology test.
Actually, not everything is so gloomy, I miraculously got full marks for a lab quiz and got a congratulatory email from Ramesh (popular unit coordinator). Made my day! (even though it was one line which was forwarded to approx. 10% of the cohort)

I’m manifesting that the next update won’t be so negative.
 

[dutyfree]

Uni journal P14.
Review of week 5 and mid-semester break:
YAYAYA! Positive update!
1.   I decided to underload very last minute. My inspiration: a stranger on reddit asking for the census date (sincerely grateful). I don’t make many good impulsive decisions but this one is in my top 5 best risks. There hasn’t been much change, but I know I no longer feel the guilt of putting off biochem revision till Friday.
2.   All dreaded quiz and lab results came out. Some mediocre and some horrendous, but all deserving after my sluggish efforts. Regardless, I’m happy I got through it all (sounds dramatic, but I wasn’t feeling the best at the time).
3.   I really enjoyed the mid-semester break; I finally understand why people say to take a break and to let your brain rest and recharge. I stayed over at my friends’ place in the middle of nowhere for a couple of days and did some random things – went to the beach on the worst day possible, had a silent disco night and cooked up some burnt yet satisfying foods.
4.   I know that some people advise against this, but I really like being friendly with tutors (in the most professional sense). Putting my camera on, answering questions (I have an uncanny ability to say the most useless things – in a perpetual state of wrong answers only), smiling at their awkward jokes..I don’t get any extra marks, but say after a really terrible assignment, they give little extra encouragements to improve and compliments for your strengths.
Next week: mid sems…eeek!