Hey guys! I noticed how many people on this website are learning German or want to learn it. It is my mother tongue and I love German cinema. We all know that movies help to improve language skills, so I made a list about my favorite German films and some must-sees! I hope you enjoy these films!
Keinohrhasen (the main actor is problematic IRL and also in this movie but I still like it, a journalist has to work in a day care center because he fucked up Vladimir Klitschko’s party, he meets the girl he used to bully when he was a teenager and then they fall in love… this movie is so typical for that director lmao)
Zweiohrküken (the same characters as in Keinohrhasen, they move in together and it’s a mess, also the guy’s ex affair wants him back and the woman’s ex boyfriend - whose dick she describes as the eiffel tower - is back in the city and wants to be with her again, drama drama drama, cute, typical German rom-com)
Anatomie (very bloody! about a girl who wants to become a doctor, creepy things happen at her summer med school)
Die wilden Hühner (a kids’ movie based on famous books, a cute girl gang wants to save a few chicken from a member’s granny who wants to kill and freeze them, very cute film)
(T)raumschiff surprise (gay people in space, ICONIC)
Fack ju Göhte (supposed to mean Fuck you Goehte, a criminal pretends to be a teacher, great comedy, sexy main actor, CHANTAL CRY LESS NOISY!)
Good bye, Lenin (iconic movie, a woman was in coma for 8 months and her son makes her believe the GDR still exists, awesome soundtrack, great story, cute couple, very moving)
Die Welle (a teacher makes a social experiment about fascism with his class and it goes wrong!! a must-see!)
Pünktchen und Anton (adaption of a famous novel, cute movie for children but I’m in my twenties and I still love it, a rich girl and a poor boy become friends)
Die dunkle Seite des Mondes (don’t take drugs guys, just don’t! this movie will show you why! the main character goes crazy - but is it just because he took drugs? find out!!)
Jeune Homme ((Swiss)German and French film about a guy who makes an au pair year, gets laid by the neighbour lady and falls in love with the host parents’ oldest daughter)
7 Zwerge - Männer allein im Wald (it’s like Snow White and the 7 dwarfs but very trashy, the dwarfs are big, the prince has a wild hair style and Snow White loves playing with her barbie. Ah, and the evil queen’s outfits are iconic and weird)
Die wilden Kerle (a kids’ movie about boys who play soccer - we all love it! EVERYTHING’S ALRIGHT AS LONG AS YOU’RE WILD! BE WILD - DANGEROUS AND WILD!)
Sommer (teen movie about the first love, takes place on an island, skater boy meets rich boy and they both love the same girl, teenage drama, i don’t wanna spoil but some people almost die and sth burns down)
Das Missenmassaker (12 girls who want to be Miss Switzerland, bitch fights 24/7 and a lot of blood because a lot of people get killed)
For No Eyes Only (Rear Window for teenagers, a very interesting thriller, cute main characters)
Homevideo (a guy films himself while masturbating, someone finds the video and then the drama starts, his family also falls apart)
Grosse Mädchen weinen nicht (two teenage girls, lots of feelings, sex, dangerous things)
Lola rennt (reminds me of The Butterfly Effect, iconic film, i don’t even wanna say more about it just watch it)
Who am I - Kein System ist sicher (movies about hackers with big plans and sometimes you have no idea if what you see is what is real)
Das Leben der Anderen (must see! fucking sad tho)
Cannabis (a member of the Swiss federal council who is against the legalization of weed has to consume weed because he has a problem with his eye and this helps - ofc his life changes and gets wild)
Die Herbstzeitlosen (4 old Swiss woman open a lingerie shop in a lil village and people freak out)
Grounding - Die letzten Tage der Swissair (the story behind the grounding of Swissair, the national airline of Swizzy)
Das Experiment (based on a true story, some people engage in a prison experiment - some are good people, others are bad people and ofc it escalates quickly)
This post will consist of study tips and techniques that I have learned throughout university that allowed me to receive straight A’s both semesters my senior year. Long story short, during my final year at university I wanted to improve my GPA and receive good grades in all of my courses. I aimed for an A in all of them and managed to get straight A’s both semesters, as well as end up on the student honors list for having a high semester GPA. I hope that these tips can help improve your grades, but straight A’s are never guaranteed (please keep this in mind). Also, I will be sharing with you all of my study tips (tested for 4 years at university), as well as tips that I learned in my cognitive psychology course about memory and learning. Keep reading if you’re interested in SLAYING this semester!
1.Set GOALS. I have a post already up on how to set SMART goals at the beginning of a new a semester. Click HERE to read it. I also have a guide sharing tips how I prepare for a new semester, click HERE to read it.
2. LECTURES. Attend all lectures, workshops, tutorials, classes, labs, etc. If you’re a full time student, you shouldn’t make excuses to skip lectures. Before lectures, I would skim assigned textbook readings or look through uploaded PowerPoint slides to have a general idea about the topic, what will be taught, what I should pay more attention to, etc. You will already be familiar with the material and this will allow you to ask questions, summarize key information, anticipate what will be featured in the exam.
3. Learn from DAY 1. My biggest tip for studying and surviving university, is that you need to start learning from day 1 and then build up your knowledge throughout the years. The first few lectures of any major are usually the core of that major, so you have to know those subjects and topics well. Then, your knowledge will build on a strong foundation, which will make learning easier. So start learning from day 1, keep up with new material and you will see that as exams approach, you will be less stressed about not knowing anything.
4. HOMEWORK. At my university, we would be frequently assigned a lot of homework, so I always made sure I had everything done. Sure, there were times where I would skim through readings or half-ass assignments, but the key here is to know the importance of each assignment. Sometimes, while doing homework I would get carried away and research the topics to learn more about them, because it would help me understand it better. It really depends on the assignment. Another reason why doing homework is crucial is because often professors throw in homework questions in exams. By practicing trying to solve problems you’re already doing yourself a favor, because practice makes perfect.
5. REVIEW. After lectures, I would review freshly learned materials at home. I would finish taking notes from slides, research what I didn’t understand, as well as look up answers to my questions (if the professor didn’t answer them). I would also study the material. Repetition of studying information over and over again is great for retention, as YOUHAVE TO KNOW THE MATERIALS AND BE ABLE TO APPLY IT. Don’t memorize it, know it! (this is honestly the biggest key to success!)
6. EXAMS. For exams, I would make study guides from chapter readings that cover the necessary information. I would either fill in a pre-made study guide handed out to us by our professors, or I would create one. I would include terms and definitions, key concepts, key research, theories, examples, etc. A quick tip is to make study guides from slides and then add extra information anywhere necessary from the readings. Keep in mind that your study guide’s should include only important information, don’t get carried away! Then I would only study from those study guides, which usually worked well for multiple choice exams. For essay based exams, I would ask professors for topics that we can expect on the exams and write them out at home. I would then learn from those essays. This methods helps you have coherent thoughts, arrange arguments, etc.
7.PROJECTS. I would start working on projects (group presentations, individual presentations, etc.) at least a week in advance, just because I’m a perfectionist and a visual learner, which means that I wanted my slides to be PERFECT. Nice slides can help your earn good grades! I would choose a slide design style, 2-3 fonts (max), 2-3 colors (max) and would stick to them. I would also include funny photos (memes are really popular if they suit the topic!) or gifs. As for information, I would keep it short and summarized on the slides, and if I needed to expand on a certain point, I would be able to do that on my own. Don’t put a lot of text on your slides, nobody likes to read them (Unless it’s a very official presentation, your professor asked you to, etc.). If you have a good sense of humour, you can throw in some jokes during your presentation (in my case sarcasm wasn’t for everyone, but at least my friends found it funny!). Take the time to prepare a nice presentation, practice presenting in your room, because it is an easy way to earn good grades.
8. PAPERS. I would also start working on papers at least a week in advance, this usually depended on the lenght of the paper and the topic. I would research articles that I could include first and make a bibliography list. Then I would read those articles, which could take up 2-3 days if I was busy and had to work on other assignments. Afterwards, I would start writing, one paragraph at a time (this approach worked on harder/longer papers or a boring topic). Sometimes I would word vomit all of my ideas and then read through it and edit the paper. However, if I could, I would always try to choose an interesting topic and I would always discuss them with my professors beforehand, because they could recommend readings or help with generating ideas for arguments, etc.
9. STUDY GROUPS. Studying with friends or a group of students from your class can be different and fun, as well as beneficial for receiving that A. I would utilize study groups before mid-terms and finals, but always make sure to study on your own first and only then attend a study group. Once you know the material well, you can meet up with your friends/peers and teach each other concepts that you still can’t quite grasp. You know you’ve learned a topic well if you can teach it to other people and them being able to understand what you are teaching. Otherwise, study groups can be distracting and a great excuse to procrastinate.
10.
PROFESSORS. Your professors are a wonderful resource of knowledge, so use them! Attend their office hours, ask questions, discuss any problems or issues that you’re having in their lecture after class. Don’t be afraid to approach them, because they’re a great ally for your success! They always notice students who go above and beyond to learn and do well at university! Trust me, they talk behind students backs as much as students gossip about professors! They can also offer you amazing opportunities afterwards, when doing research, working on dissertations, etc. I was recently offered a volunteer lab assistant position, to help out one of my professors, even though I already graduated. So network with your professors, they will help you out!
11.LEARNING STYLE. It would be useful for you to know what’s your learning style. Visual, auditory, read & write or kinesthetic. You can read about it more in detail HERE. I’m a visual learner, so I would include graphs, drawings, schemes, etc. in my notes, in order to retain information better. Discovering your learning style could help you improve your studying habits!
COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND LEARNING. Below you will find the tips for studying that I learned during my cognitive psychology course.
It’s easier to remember information you can interpret in the context of things you already know. You will remember textbook material better if you take the time to scan a chapter first, to get a sense of the major points, before reading the chapter in detail. This is also the reason why professors ask students to read chapters before class, so that the students’ minds are prepared to encode and remember the information presented in the lecture.
The more deeply you analyze information, the more likely you are to remember it later. This is known as depth of processing. Experiments have shown that people remember words better if they’re formed to think about the meaning of words, rather than simply memorizing them.
The best way to prepare for a test is by processing the material in a way that is similar to how you expect to be tested on it: making the study and recall format as similar as possible.
More cues mean better recall. Free recall is when you are simply asked to generate the information from memory. Cued recall is when you are given some kind of a prompt. Recognition is when you pick out the correct answer from a list of possible options. Many students prefer to take exams with questions involving multiple choice (recognition test) rather than essays (free-recall test). Professors know this too, so they design multiple choice questions to include alternative answers that can easily be mistaken for the correct response if the student hasn’t studied the material closely.
I hope you found the information included in this post helpful. If you’re interested in reading more, check out my other back to school blog posts HERE, as well as my studygram account HERE.
ALSO, I found this video that I thought would be useful, so check it out for more advice! Click HERE.
This topic is really close to my heart. I’ve struggled with Depression for 4 years but I didn’t reach out for help until this year because I’ve been scared. It took a toll on me as a person and especially my grades.
If you’re suffering from the same issue, PLEASE REACH OUT FOR HELP. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT. IF THEY DON’T RESPOND POSITIVELY, YOU HAVE A WHOLE COMMUNITY SUPPORTING YOU, REMEMBER THAT. TALK TO ME, OR TALK TO SOMEONE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.
1: if you’re making a study guide: make it like you’re going to give it to somebody. I always make them like I’m going to give it to Hannah. What would she need to know? How’s the best way I can tell her this info?
2: if you’re making flash cards: don’t make ones for stuff you already know just to have a complete set of 40 or something. Make 3 flash cards if 3 quick things is all you need. Make them even for subjects you wouldn’t normally think you’d need them for. Chemistry concepts are great for flash cards especially those little concept hints that help direct what is happening in your reactions etc
3: Stop after a few sections of reading and make sure you actually can recall what you just learned and summarize it. Did you actually learn it or did your eyes just read the words?
4: Spend more time on your homework each week and you’ll need less time studying later. I cannot stress this enough. Do your homework the right way the first time. Actually struggle through the problems, get answers from your TA on the ones you can’t do WEEKLY then when the exam rolls around, you won’t have 4 chapters you kinda understand and a million level 1 practice problems you need to complete so you’ll have more time for practice exam level questions.
5: Make up your own study games. I love to make up flash card games when I get tired of a subject.
I need to follow #2!! I get anxiety when things aren’t “complete” but for my own sake I need to learn to deal with it to be more efficient cause now that I’m a junior taking all these upper division science classes I need to stay on top of my shit now more than ever
Anonymous asked: any tips on how to get back into drawing? I used to really enjoy it but felt like I got too busy my last year of undergrad + grad school. I just can't seem to motivate myself back into it
Ah that’s a tough one. I’ve fallen off the art wagon several times - I suspect most artists do at one point or another. I’m gonna start this with some broad philosophy which is mostly a callout post to myself, and then follow up with some actual things I do.
The most important step in making art is making art.
Sometimes you just have to sit down and do it, which sounds like terrible advice (and kind of is) but waiting for the right moment is just going to result in more waiting. Figure out why you’re waiting. Are you just having trouble finding something you’re interested in, or are you actively holding yourself back with arbitrary rules and negative thoughts?
If you’re telling yourself “I must produce a finished piece/something worthy of posting” or “I’ll just mess it up and get frustrated if I don’t have A Perfect Idea” or “when I’m ready I’ll be able to sit down and draw, so I’m just not ready”…destroy that. Your paper is not sacred, there are no rules to worry about breaking. The goal is to just do it. The passion, the habit, the grand ideas? They can be found later, once you brush all the dust off.
Do not sit and wait for inspiration; you can look for it while you’re moving.
As for what to actually try…Your mileage may vary on this but when I hit a block or a dry spell, I usually go to one of the following:
1. Fan art. Sometimes it’s easier to sit down and draw if you give yourself a set of parameters that involve something you already care about. It takes away some of the burden of design and decision-making.
2. Retail therapy. Treat yourself to a new pencil or something. I say pencil because new sketchbooks intimidate me - I feel like I need to christen them with something amazing, which is just me getting in my own way again - but pencils are toys to be played with.
3. Draw dumb shit. Comic about your cat being a jerk. Viking octopus. Wizard mouse. Houseplant on your desk, but keep drawing leaves until there’s no empty paper. Just doodle and make mistakes and know that none of it matters because this is just a weird little drawing but hey you actually really liked doing that octopus so let’s go draw another octopus and eventually we’re back into the swing of things.
And lastly, just make it easy for yourself - whatever that means for you. Maybe that means you put on a one-hour podcast or bring your sketchbook to breakfast and that’s your drawing time. Maybe it means you block social media for the afternoon to kill distractions. Let yourself make bad art and get frustrated and go back anyway, because even failures will brush the rust off. Just start somewhere.
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