GAMMA GO TOs |
This webblog has been designed to provide helpful studying tips, locations, foods, etc. to continue the high standards of academics of the Greek community at UCLA. |
Turns out you may need to reduce your coffee intake.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602211940.htm
ScienceDaily (June 3, 2010) — The stimulatory effects of caffeine may be nothing more than an illusion, according to new research that shows there is no real benefit to be gained from the habitual morning cup of coffee. Tests on 379 individuals who abstained from caffeine for 16 hours before being given either caffeine or a placebo and then tested for a range of responses showed little variance in levels of alertness. The study, published online in the journal ofNeuropsychopharmacology, reports that frequent coffee drinkers develop a tolerance to both the anxiety-producing effects and the stimulatory effects of caffeine. While frequent consumers may feel alerted by coffee, evidence suggests that this is actually merely the reversal of the fatiguing effects of acute caffeine withdrawal. And given the increased propensity to anxiety and raised blood pressure induced by caffeine consumption, there is no net benefit to be gained. Peter Rogers, from the University of Bristol’s Department of Experimental Psychology and one of the lead authors of the study, said: “Our study shows that we don’t gain an advantage from consuming caffeine — although we feel alerted by it, this is caffeine just bringing us back to normal. On the other hand, while caffeine can increase anxiety, tolerance means that for most caffeine consumers this effect is negligible.” Approximately half of the participants were non/low caffeine consumers and the other half were medium/high caffeine consumers. All were asked to rate their personal levels of anxiety, alertness and headache before and after being given either the caffeine or the placebo. They were also asked to carry out a series of computer tasks to test for their levels of memory, attentiveness and vigilance. The medium/high caffeine consumers who received the placebo reported a decrease in alertness and an increase in headache, neither of which were reported by those who received caffeine. However, their post-caffeine levels of alertness were no higher than the non/low consumers who received a placebo, suggesting caffeine only brings coffee drinkers back up to ‘normal’. The authors also found that the genetic predisposition to anxiety did not deter coffee drinking. In fact, people with the gene variant associated with anxiety tended to consume slightly larger amounts of coffee than those without the variant, suggesting that a mild increase in anxiety may be a part of the pleasant buzz caused by caffeine. This research was funded by a grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), UK. Story Source: Journal Reference:Coffee Consumption Unrelated to Alertness: Stimulating Effects May Be Illusion, Study Finds
The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Bristol.
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A vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage) is typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines. It’s simple.
The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires.
- Poster board. (Target sells a really nice matte finish board. Highly recommend)
- A big stack of different magazines. (You can get them at libraries, hair salons, dentist offices, the YMCA.) Make sure you find lots of different types. If you limit your options, you’ll lose interest after a while. Such magazines are: Oprah, Real Simple, Natural Home, Yoga Journal, Dwell, Ode, Parenting, Money, Utne, and an assortment of nature magazines.
- Glue. Not Elmers. (It makes the pages ripple.) Glue sticks are the second choice because they don’t last.
No matter which method you’re choosing, have a little ritual before you begin your vision board. Sit quietly and set the intent. With lots of kindness and openness, ask yourself what it is you want. Maybe one word will be the answer. Maybe images will come into your head. Just take a moment to be with that. This process makes it a deeper experience. It gives a chance for your ego to step aside just a little, so that you can more clearly create your vision. Put on soft music that will help you relax and get started!
Step 1: Go through your magazines and tear the images from them. No gluing yet! Just let yourself have lots of fun looking through magazines and pulling out pictures or words or headlines that strike your fancy. Have fun with it. Make a big pile of images and phrases and words.
Step 2: Go through the images and begin to lay your favorites on the board. Eliminate any images that no longer feel right. This step is where your intuition comes in. As you lay the pictures on the board, you’ll get a sense how the board should be laid out. For instance, you might assign a theme to each corner of the board. Health, Job, Spirituality, Relationships, for instance. Or it may just be that the images want to go all over the place. Or you might want to fold the board into a book that tells a story.
Step 3: Glue everything onto the board. Add writing if you want. You can paint on it, or write words with markers.
Step 4: (optional, but powerful) Leave space in the very center of the vision board for a fantastic photo of yourself where you look radiant and happy. Paste yourself in the center of your board.
Step 5: Hang your vision board in a place where you will see it often.
1 - The “I Know Exactly What I Want” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re very clear about your desires.
- You want to change your environment or surroundings.
- There is a specific thing you want to manifest in your life. (i.e. a new home, or starting a business.)
How to create this vision board:
With your clear desire in mind, set out looking for the exact pictures which portray your vision. If you want a house by the water, then get out the Dwell magazine and start there. If you want to start your own business, find images that capture that idea for you. If you want to learn guitar, then find that picture. Following the five steps above, create your vision board out of these images.
2 – The “Opening and Allowing” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- You’re not sure what exactly you want
- You’ve been in a period of depression or grief
- You have a vision of what you want, but are uncertain about it in some way.
- You know you want change but don’t know how it’s possible.
How to create this vision board:
Go through each magazine. Tear out images that delight you. Don’t ask why. Just keep going through the magazines. If it’s a picture of a teddy bear that makes you smile, then pull it out. If it’s a cottage in a misty countryside, then rip it out. Just have fun and be open to whatever calls to you. Then, as you go through Step 2 above, hold that same openness, but ask yourself what this picture might mean. What is it telling you about you? Does it mean you need to take more naps? Does it mean you want to get a dog, or stop hanging out with a particular person who drains you? Most likely you’ll know the answer. If you don’t, but you still love the image, then put it on your vision board anyway. It will have an answer for you soon enough.
3 – The “Theme” Vision Board
Do this vision board if:
- It’s your birthday or New Years Eve or some significant event that starts a new cycle.
- If you are working with one particular area of your life. For instance, Work & Career.
How to create this vision board:
The only difference between this vision board and the others is that this one has clear parameters and intent. Before you begin the vision board, take a moment to hold the intent and the theme in mind. When you choose pictures, they will be in alignment with the theme. You can do the Theme Vision Board on smaller pages, like a page in your journal.
- You can use a combination of all three types of vision boards as you create. Sometimes you might start out doing one kind, and then your intuition takes over and shifts into a whole different mode. That’s called creativity. Just roll with it.
- Your vision board might change as you are making it and that’s okay.
Lastly, remember its about your future and no one else!
Additional reading: http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-make-a-vision-board/
1). http://ottobib.com/ - Ottobib: Essentially a bibliography creator. An easier alternative to speeding up those 20 source bibliographies. Ottobib is a simple bibliography tool that allows you to enter multiple ISBN numbers at a time and retrieve the bibliographies in APA, MLA, or Chicago format.
2). http://tadalist.com/ - Tada List: The ultimate in personal organizers, Tada List will do it all for you. It will help you keep track of whatever it is that you need to do and easily is accessible from any computer, wherever you are. You can create as many “to do” lists as you like, such as “homework,” “projects,” or whatnot, and then track your items via RSS.
3). http://www.universitynotes.net/ - University Notes: University Notes is an online network that allows students to easily share information and notes from their classes. With notes categorized by school and subject, University Notes is an unbeatable resources for every students when cramming for that big test.
4). http://www.pageflakes.com/Default.aspx - Page Flakes: This site is essentially a new homepage. This allows students to better organize a homepage that fits all their needs. This site has the ability to create a small window from each of their favorite sites. This allows students to have a facebook box, an email box, calender, weather report, news site and much more all on a single homepage.
5). http://www.collegehumor.com/ - College Humor: A favorite for every college student. This site is a great study break and has relevant videos that most if not all college students can relate to.
6). http://www.studyblue.com/#Start - Study Blue: A excellent flash-card and note network site. This site allows students to submit and exchange these valuable resources without having to leave their computer.
7). http://www.campustech.com/ - Campus Tech: A useful site that allows students to find great deals on a wide variety of electronic equipment. This site can save student hundreds on computers, accessories and programs as well as many other highly functional and useful products.
8). http://slickdeals.net/ - SlickDeals: This site is a comprehensive list of daily deals and steals on a wide variety of products. From vacuums for the apartment to clothing to an external hard drive for the laptop, SlickDeals has a simple to use interface with easy links to everyday deals that any student can find useful.
1. A Personal Time Survey
To begin managing your time you first need a clearer idea of how you now use your time. The Personal Time Survey will help you to estimate how much time you currently spend in typical activities. To get a more accurate estimate, you might keep track of how you spend your time for a week. This will help you get a better idea of how much time you need to prepare for each subject. It will also help you identify your time wasters. But for now complete the Personal Time Survey to get an estimate. The following survey shows the amount of time you spend on various activities. When taking the survey, estimate the amount of time spent on each item. Once you have this amount, multiply it by seven. This will give you the total time spent on the activity in one week. After each item’s weekly time has been calculated, add all these times for the grand total. Subtract this from 168, the total possible hours per week. Here We Go:
1. Number of hours of sleep each night
________ X 7 = _______
2. Number of grooming hours per day
________ X 7 = _______
3. Number of hours for meals/snacks per day - include preparation time
________ X 7 = _______
4a. Total travel time weekdays
________ X 5= _______
4b. Total travel time weekends
_______
5. Number of hours per week for regularly scheduled functions (clubs, church, get-togethers, etc.)
_______
6. Number of hours per day for chores, errands, extra grooming, etc.
_______ X 7 = _______
7. Number of hours of work per week
_______
8. Number of hours in class per week
_______
9. Number of average hours per week socializing, dates, etc. Be honest!
_______
Now add up the totals:
_______
Subtract the above number from 168
168 - _______ = _______
The remaining hours are the hours you have allowed yourself to study.
2. Study Hour Formula
To determine how many hours you need to study each week to get A’s, use the following rule of thumb. Study two hours per hour in class for an easy class, three hours per hour in class for an average class, and four hours per hour in class for a difficult class. For example, basket weaving 101 is a relatively easy 3 hour course. Usually, a person would not do more than 6 hours of work outside of class per week. Advanced calculus is usually considered a difficult course, so it might be best to study the proposed 12 hours a week. If more hours are needed, take away some hours from easier courses, i.e., basket weaving. Figure out the time that you need to study by using the above formula for each of your classes.
Easy class credit hours
________ x 2 = _______
Average class credit hours
________ x 3 = _______
Difficult class credit hours
________ x 4 = _______
Total
_______
Compare this number to your time left from the survey. Now is the time when many students might find themselves a bit stressed. Just a note to ease your anxieties. It is not only the quantity of study time but also it’s quality. This formula is a general guideline. Try it for a week, and make adjustments as needed.
3. Daily Schedules
There are a variety of time schedules that can fit your personality. These include engagement books, a piece of poster board tacked to a wall, or 3 x 5 cards. Once you decide upon the style, the next step is construction. It is best to allow spaces for each hour, half-hours for a busy schedule. First, put down all of the necessities; classes, work, meals, etc. Now block in your study time (remember the study time formula presented earlier). Schedule it for a time when you are energized. Also, it’s best to review class notes soon after class. Make sure to schedule in study breaks, about 10 minutes each hour. Be realistic on how many courses to take. To succeed in your courses you need to have the time to study. If you find you don’t have time to study and you’re not socializing to an extreme, you might want to consider lightening your load. Tips for Saving Time Now that you know how you spend most of your time, take a look at it. Think about what your most important things are. Do you have enough time? Chances are that you do not. Below are some tips on how to schedule and budget your time when it seems you just don’t have enough.
4. Don’t be a perfectionist
Trying to be a perfect person sets you up for defeat. Nobody can be perfect. Difficult tasks usually result in avoidance and procrastination. You need to set achievable goals, but they should also be challenging. There will always be people both weaker and stronger than you.
5. Learn to say no
For example, an acquaintance of yours would like you to see a movie with him tonight. You made social plans for tomorrow with your friends and tonight you were going to study and do laundry. You really are not interested. You want to say no, but you hate turning people down. Politely saying no should become a habit. Saying no frees up time for the things that are most important.
6. Learn to Prioritize
Prioritizing your responsibilities and engagements is very important. Some people do not know how to prioritize and become procrastinators. A “to do list” places items in order of importance. One method is the ABC list. This list is divided into three sections; a, b, or c. The items placed in the A section are those needed to be done that day. The items placed in the B section need completion within the week. The C section items are those things that need to be done within the month. As the B, C items become more pertinent they are bumped up to the A or B list. Try it or come up with your own method, but do it.
7. Combine several activities
Another suggestion is to combine several activities into one time spot. While commuting to school, listen to taped notes. This allows up to an hour or two a day of good study review. While showering make a mental list of the things that need to be done. When you watch a sit-com, laugh as you pay your bills. These are just suggestions of what you can do to combine your time, but there are many others, above all be creative, and let it work for you.
8. Conclusion
After scheduling becomes a habit, then you can adjust it. It’s better to be precise at first. It is easier to find something to do with extra time then to find extra time to do something. Most importantly, make it work for you. A time schedule that is not personalized and honest is not a time schedule at all.
By George Mason University
Remember, you’re going to kick ass!
Think Pandora! We all love free music!
Other stations:
http://www.last.fm/ — focuses on your personal music preferences
http://www.di.fm/ — has about a dozen different genres of electronic music
and iTunes radio offers a variety of genres.
Try to listen to music that doesn’t distract you,( i.e. air drums, singing along or anything of the sort).
Other mellow artists you might enjoy:
However, this is mainly mellow and melodic background music. Also, refer to the piece on Mozart.
1. Make lists: By including everything you need to do on a list, you can thoroughly and efficiently manage tasks you need to get done. Moreover, it will prevent unforeseen stressors from creeping up on you.
2. Concentrate: Allocate blocks of time specifically for studying, and stick to your schedule. Isolate yourself in a quiet environment, with limited distractions (if possible, this includes unplugging from the internet to avoid facebook, break.com, etc.). An effective way to keep your mind from wandering is to ask yourself questions about the material as you go along.
3. Taking tests: Get plenty of sleep! Your brain will be more alert and will have time to assimilate all the information packed into it while cramming. When studying, use headings to manage chunks of material, and number things when possible (4 theories, 5 elements, etc.). During the test, focus on what you know: getting into a rhythm answering questions you’re comfortable with can help with the recall of some things you might not remember so well. After you’ve gone through the problems you’re comfortable with, go back and see if any of the other questions triggered your memory.
The Perimeter - A 4 mile stretch that creates a perimeter around the UCLA campus. The route can begin at Gayley and Veteran, continue around Sunset Blvd to Hilgard Ave, then to Le Conte and back to Gayley. This run is more scenic alternative to laps around Drake stadium and the treadmills at The Wooden Center and allows for you to stay near campus. Blue and gold paw prints have been created as half-mile markers. After the sun has set, running The Perimeter should only be done when accompanied by a friend.
Group classes at John Wooden Recreation CenterAlthough use of the gym is free for all students, group classes require the purchase of a Fitness Pass for $25/quarter. With the pass, you have unlimited access to most group classes taught at the gym.Complete schedules can be found online and downloaded at http://www.recreation.ucla.edu, under Instructional Classes
FIT to Sit - a series that “resolves particular stressors that affect many types of jobs including sitting (from the VERY long hours of studying) and other repetitive workplace actions.
Spin: Both mornings and late afternoon classes mornings: M/W 7:45-8:45am evenings: M 5:30-6:30, T 5:25-6:26, W 6:20-7:20, Th 5:50-6:50pm
Taebo: If you are looking for a cardio challenge M 5:15-6:15pm W 6:25-7:25
Yoga (at UCLA): Need a breather? Yoga classes are offered daily, both early morning and late afternoon classes To partake in Yoga at UCLA, you much purchase a Fitness Pass WITH Yoga for a small additional fee.
Wanna get away? Venture toPowerYoga, an up and coming yoga studio that offers classes for ALL LEVELS all times of the day. Located at 522 Santa Monica Blvd.www.poweryoga.com OR YogaWorks, located in Westwood! 1256 Westwood Blvd www.poweryoga.com YogaWorks is offering 3 free classes for new students!
B vitamins help maintain our nerves and brain cells. Even a minor vitamin B deficiency, like from a couple days of gorging on cookies and Starbuck’s, upsets the nervous system and increases stress. Some foods loaded with B vitamins include: Other foods you should munch on are:
1. Try to avoid talking with other students right before the exam. Their anxieties may rub off on you. 2. Remind yourself of past successes. Think of a tough course or task in which you struggled but eventually succeeded. Tell yourself that if you did well in the past, you can do well on the upcoming exam. 3. Visualize completing the test successfully despite your anxiety. Play the entire “event” in your mind – picture yourself walking in calmly, working at a steady pace, not getting flustered, finishing and handing your test in with ease! 4. Expect a few “curve balls” on the exam. Remind yourself that you’re not expecting to get 100% on the exam; when you encounter a curve ball on the exam, you’re not going to get upset and lose your concentration. Instead, you will simply skip that question for now and return to it later to make an attempt. 5. Eat Light: Eat a light meal so that you do not feel drowsy or lethargic during the paper. But don’t go empty stomach either. 6. Prepare all the materials necessary for the exam: paper, pencils, pens, a watch in advance so that you notice if you may have forgotten anything. Give yourself enough time to walk to the exam room so that you are not late, but not too much time because you do not want to be stuck sitting in the testing room waiting for a long time. Further information: http://www.questtutorials.com/blog/5-things-to-do-before-an-exam/
The Mozart Effect is the idea that listening to classical music, especially the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, etc., increases short-term improvement of certain mental tasks. Some research has even suggested that listening to Mozart can actually temporarily improve IQ. While some may disagree with the idea that music actually aids in the effort of studying and overall health, for some it definitely helps. Here are some songs to focus the mind:
All composed by Mozart. Enjoy!
Additional: http://www.pandora.com/music/composer/Wolfgang+Amadeus+Mozart
1.Fish: Studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids boost energy, enhance learning ability, improve problem-solving skills, and boost memory power and enhance communication between brain cells.
2.Foods made from whole, organic soybeans like soy milk and tofu have been proven to help improve cognitive function, logical memory and memory recall.
3.Tea: Green tea is your best bet to good relax mentally and keep your wits sharpened because of the catechines it contains. Black tea, while not as potent as green tea, also works well as a brain enhancer.
4.Berries: blueberries are known for improving motor skills and learning capacity while strawberries are rich in fisetin, a flavenoid that improves memory recall
5.Chocolate: Milk chocolate has been shown to improve verbal and visual memory and boost impulse control and reaction time. Dark chocolate is rich in flavanols that boost blood supply to the brain and help improve cognitive skills.
6. Water: Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to keep your brain active and quick.
Additional information: http://www.onlineuniversitylowdown.com/2007/08/20-foods-that-w.html
What’s your learning style? http://people.usd.edu/~bwjames/tut/learning-style/index.html
Understanding and Identifying Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Styles: http://people.usd.edu/~bwjames/tut/learning-style/styleunder.html
Visual Learners: You learn by seeing and looking.
Auditory Learners: You learn by hearing and listening.
Kinesthetic Learners: You learn by touching and doing.
Further information: http://people.usd.edu/~bwjames/tut/learning-style/styleres.html
Reading Tips
SQ3R Reading Method
A helpful way to read material and comprehend what you are reading with out having to reread it is by using the SQ3R method. The SQ3R method stands for the steps that you should use while reading: survey, question, read, recite, and review.
Survey:
Before you begin reading, you should look over the sections that have to read. Just briefly skim them to get an idea of what you will be learning while you read. By doing this, you have a better idea of what you are looking for in the reading when you get to that section.
Question:
When you look at the heading of the section that you are reading, turn it into a question. By doing this, you know what you are looking for in the reading. If you ask yourself questions while reading, you will stay focused on finding an answer and that answer will be one that you retain from the reading.
Read:
Read the section that you are supposed to read to answer the question that you formulated. If you don’t find your answer, reread the section until you do. While reading, think about why this information is being presented to you.
Recite:
Once you find your answer, look away from the material and try to recite the answer to your question in your own words. This will show whether you learned the material or not. If you don’t remember the answer, glance over the section again to figure it out.
Review:
When you finish the reading assignment, try and answer every question that you have asked yourself before reading. Look over the notes that you have taken. Ask yourself why all of the material you have just gone over is important.
By using these 5 steps, your reading comprehension should improve and you should be able to retain all of the information that you read more easily.
