Monday 3 June 2013

'Neues Museum' Berlin - My work

  










I have taken this pictures back in October when I was in Berlin for a few days and I was impressed by the city and how it is still searching its identity. At every corner there is a story to be told and on many old buildings you can still see the signs from long lost times. As you can see them on the building of the 'Neue Museum', there still many scars of the war and many lost treasures, but it was still really impressive. I have taken so so so many pictures there, but I still managed to pic very few for now.

Sunday 2 June 2013

Being productive and Procrastination

For many the year/semester is ending by the beginning of summer and with the end many tests and exams are coming up. Well, my time at school has already ended... But I have next week as well an important CAE exam, for which I am currently revising for.
And personally for me and probably for a lot of students , studying comes always in package with something else: Procrastination. 
In the past, before this year art school, I ended up pretty often on tumblr or somewhere else on this Internet and I did hardly anything for upcoming test or projects. Which led me to an all-nighter the night before the due time for the project or to a bad grade. 

Anyway, within this year at this school I had hardly any studying to do. Mostly the work was done in school and what I did at home was more or less additional and something I did not mind to do. So with that I could concentrate revising for my upcoming English Exam and I could try out what works best for me when I am revising. 

  • Unplug yourself: With 'unplug' I mean shut everything down that could distract you from what you should be doing. Always when I am revising I turn off my computer and put my phone on flight mode. The internet is a dangerous place to loose time and get caught off with cute kittens instead of Math. 
  • The right place: Search a place where you feel comfortable. For me works best a solid table and a room that gets enough air and light. When the weather is warm enough and the sun is shining, I have an nice place outside on our terrace. 
In winter I used to sit at the very end of the dining table so I could look on the lake. When you open the window it feels like you are sitting outside.

  • Be organised: Before you start, collect all the things you might be needing for the task you need to complete. I get to easily distracted when I have to search something during a 'revising session' because other things are way more interesting than calculating. 
  • Make a playlist: Yes, for some music can be distracting while working, but music helps me to focus on the task. When there wouldn't be music I would get to distracted by the silence and my own thoughts (if that makes sense). 
          Here are a few songs I revise to;         Junior Walker & The All Stars - Cleo's Mood 
                                                                     The xx - Sunset 
                                                                      Young Man - Unfair
                                                                      The Gorillaz - Rhinestone Eyes   
                                                                      The Ramones - I Remember You   
                                                                      Florence + the Machine - What the Water Gave Me 
  • Food and beverages: Prepare a little snack (in case you get hungry or bored) and bring a bottle of water as well. Staying hydrated is important! 
  • BREAK: I always plan little breaks into my 'sessions'. Not long ones, sometimes it even just helps when I have a quick dance party to my music. 
  • After you are finished (or in the process) I recommend making a list of the things you have done and on what you think you could improve. Yes, to do list might help, but for me those do not work, I feel as it would force me and I think learning and revising is in the end something we do all for ourselves, so it is more or less something we do all voluntary. 
And if you have to work on your computer, then try to avoid the internet, unless it is necessary: For that I have always post-its on my side so I can write down all the sides that caught my eye and I think I could visit afterwards and things I have to look up later, because I tend to forget those things. 
Because for me the Internet is the most distracting thing ever.