Okayyyyy

dark academia with extra appreciation for androgynous fashion and historic buildings at dusk

i do not own these photos. photos with links can be found on my pinterest: marieinanutshell (dark academia board)

things I'm good at

- going to bed at a normal time and staying awake for 3 more hours - replaying scenes of past events in my head and overthinking them - buying even more books although I have a huge stack of unread ones - procrastinating. everything.

these are the five browser extensions (that aren’t momentum) i use the most as a university student! if anyone has recommendations for any other extensions, please drop them below :)

how to wake up happier ♡

For the past few days I’ve woken up feeling a lot happier and way more positive, simply by starting a few more healthy habits. I figured that I might sprinkle and share some of my positivity with you peeps! ♡ 

If you are recovering from any mental health issues, or want to take the next step, this might be benefitial to you, as it was to me - however, I will warn you that different things work for different people :)

before bed: practise self-care and self-love, think positive thoughts, breathe fresh air, listen to calming music, read a good and positive book, drink water - stay hydrated kiddos, drink some calming tea, take any medication you need to, make sure everything you need for tomorrow is prepared and make sure that you room is in good conditions to sleep in. 

when you wake up: don’t reach for your phone the moment you wake up, open your curtains, open your window and let some fresh air in, have a drink, stretch and remember the positive thoughts you went to bed with.

some helpful words from some beautiful peeps if you have trouble sleeping at night (x) | @fuwaprince​ tips for getting up earlier when you’re not a morning person (x) | @halseystudy​ tips for balancing sleep & education (x) | @brbimstudying​ the science behind sleep, and how to sleep well (x) | @tobeagenius​ the masterpost of all sleeping masterposts (x) | kudos to @shelbys-advice-blog this post is amazing♡

“Quick fact. Ready? Consuming protein prior to bed time may enhance sleep quality by providing the body with amino acids necessary to create human growth hormone. This hormone plays a role in deepening sleep, as well as muscle recovery following exercise.” | @thepowerwithin​

i am manifesting an extraordinary reality and deserve the abundance that is coming my way. i am divine. i exude confidence. i am aligned with my highest self. any opposing energy, i quickly release. i move from a place of love and gratitude and the universe is conspiring in my favor.

shoutout to all high school dropouts, students who didn’t get accepted into college, students who used to be on honor roll but became overwhelmed, students who study for hours but still fail tests, or student who don’t study at all due to depression/anxiety, you are all stars and I’m wishing y'all the best luck possible to get back on your feet

weird asks that say a lot

in

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

7. earbuds or headphones?

8. movies or tv shows?

9. favorite smell in the summer?

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

12. name of your favorite playlist?

13. lanyard or key ring?

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

18. ideal weather?

19. sleeping position?

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

21. obsession from childhood?

22. role model?

23. strange habits?

24. favorite crystal?

25. first song you remember hearing?

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

28. five songs to describe you?

29. best way to bond with you?

30. places that you find sacred?

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

32. top five favorite vines?

33. most used phrase in your phone?

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

35. average time you fall asleep?

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

38. lemonade or tea?

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

41. last person you texted?

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

44. favorite scent for soap?

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

47. favorite type of cheese?

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

51. current stresses?

52. favorite font?

53. what is the current state of your hands?

54. what did you learn from your first job?

55. favorite fairy tale?

56. favorite tradition?

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

62. seven characters you relate to?

63. five songs that would play in your club?

64. favorite website from your childhood?

65. any permanent scars?

66. favorite flower(s)?

67. good luck charms?

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

70. left or right handed?

71. least favorite pattern?

72. worst subject?

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

82. pc or console?

83. writing or drawing?

84. podcasts or talk radio?

84. barbie or polly pocket?

85. fairy tales or mythology?

86. cookies or cupcakes?

87. your greatest fear?

88. your greatest wish?

89. who would you put before everyone else?

90. luckiest mistake?

91. boxes or bags?

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

93. nicknames?

94. favorite season?

95. favorite app on your phone?

96. desktop background?

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

98. favorite historical era?

a uni survival guide: tips from a phd

if there's one thing i know about, it's college. i've done it, i've taught it, i've lived and breathed it. these tips are for first years in particular, but honestly for everybody. i think it's so important for people to have balanced lives in these years -- academics are not everything. you know what didn't help me in the real world when i was afraid i wouldn't live through it? my fancy college note-taking format. you know what did help me? the friends i made there who i knew would get on a plane and fly across the country in a matter of hours if i told them i needed them.

academic

- figure out where class is held ahead of time: don't be that kid who's late on day one, i beg of you

- use the writing center: especially for basic grammatical editing, which a lot of professors don't have time to mark on papers

- speak up in class: talking through ideas helps you work through them, and asking questions about something you don't understand can open up great lines of conversation

- find a regular schedule that works for you and stick to it: my college schedule was morning free time, class, lunch, class, practice, homework. that consistency was a life-saver

- keep a planner: it's so important to have a central place to track deadlines, assignments, and engagements

- annotate your reading: when you're stressing about a paper topic, being able to go back to what you've highlighted and written in the margins is a life-saver

- color-code your coursework: i use the same color highlighter, pen, and notebook for any given class. it's super helpful

- if you can't focus while studying with friends, don't: i reserved group studying for days when i didn't have important work because i can't be in a room with other people without talking to them. if your school has one, the quiet floor of the library is your best friend

- treat yourself to a "fun" class: art was always my place to just sit back and chill, a way to end the night all zen in the darkroom instead of conjugating russian verbs in a fluorescent-lit cinderblock prison. for you, it could be gym, it could be pottery, it could be some random course about, like, the history of cooking or something -- explore!

- profs are people too: don't be too nervous around them. also, know that if you're struggling -- even b/c of something in your personal life -- you can admit it, and they'll almost always understand why you missed a deadline or bombed a test

- go to office hours: it's the only way to get to know professors in big courses, and it's so helpful for both your grades and learning how to navigate relationships with authority figures

social

- don't let academia keep you from your friends: it's a case-by-case basis, but sometimes it's okay to let the reading slide and spend time with friends. i graduated seven years ago and my college group text still talks every day. that's so much more important to me than the fact that i never finished brideshead revisited

- joining a club is one of the best ways to make friends: i played ultimate frisbee through college and it was the source of so many lasting relationships, as well as the way i met all my local friends when i was abroad

- say yes to things you don't know if you'll like: you'll surprise yourself. me? turns out i love drinking games. and theme parties. and skinny dipping. and rock climbing

- don't be that person who looks down on their peers for partying: honestly? that person kind of sucks. you don't have to party if you don't want to, but actually, a lot of those people are super nice and also good at school -- don't just write them off!

- show up for your friends: go to their games, their concerts, their art shows, their standup nights. show them that what matters to them matters to you, too

- set aside a night to do a group activity with others: whether your vibe is wednesday night trivia, a weekly "terrible movie" showing, or a get-high-and-watch-nature-documentaries-type thing, these are great ways to liven up the week and de-stress

- this is a great time to figure out who from high school really matters to you: you don't have to force relationships that were built mostly on convenience if there are friends at uni with whom you click more. people you became friends with purely based on the coincidence of where your parents lived do not have to be your forever friends. they can be! but they don't have to be

personal

- don't expect too much of yourself: a 4.0 is not the end-all, be-all. if your family or somebody tells you it is, tell them to call me, and i will personally talk some sense into them

- take advantage of university support services: mental health counseling, free yoga classes, multi-cultural societies, etc

- drink water: please, please don't get kidney stones in the middle of the semester, says the girl who got kidney stones in the middle of the semester

- let yourself take breaks: if you need to lie to a professor and say you're sick when really you're just feeling down and you need to sit in bed and watch a movie, that's totally valid

- don't freak about individual assignments: my students come to me freaking over a B+ and i tell them, honey, no job interviewer is ever going to ask you about your second paper from communications 101. i wish i'd known that

- go see speakers if there's someone interesting coming to campus: these talks are always cooler than you expect. i'll never get over the fact that i didn't go see anita hill when she came to my undergrad

- do your laundry on the same night every week: i can't explain why this is so helpful but it really is

- keep up on the news and the memes: read the school paper, the school blog, the memes page -- college politics and inside jokes are fun and convoluted and fascinating

- set the groundwork for long-term self-care: all of the above is really just to say -- university isn't just for learning about the french revolution, it's also about learning how to balance, how to handle failure, how to ask for help, how to make a salad that doesn't totally suck, etc

god i love being part of the internet’s most monetarily worthless user base. i love going to bed knowing that at least one social media site isn’t making shit off my presence.

The Ecal Manual of Style

Edited by Jonathan Olivares and Alexis Georgacopoulos

Phaidon, London 2022, 204 pages, 300 illustrations, Hardback, 27 x 20,5 cm, ISBN  9781838665173

euro 39,95

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

L'università svizzera ECAL è uno degli istituti di arte e design più quotati degli ultimi vent'anni, e questo volume ne rivela per la prima volta i metodi di insegnamento, attraverso una selezione dei progetti più innovativi realizzati dagli studenti. Designer, critici e scrittori rispondono alla domanda “Come si dovrebbe insegnare il design oggi?”, svelando l'approccio unico della scuola alla pedagogia del design: incoraggiare lo stile personale e stimolare gli studenti ad indirizzare la proprio creatività verso un contesto professionale. Un volume perfetto per un pubblico di designer e studenti di design

The story and teachings of one of the world’s most creative design schools, as told by its teachers, alumni, and student projects – the ideal book for educators and students alike, posing the question ‘How should design be taught today?’

Swiss university ECAL is widely considered to be among the leading art and design institutions of the past two decades. Here, for the first time, ECAL’s teaching methods are revealed to a wider readership. The book poses the question ‘How should design be taught today?’ to select designers, critics, and writers, and the answers highlight the school’s unique approach to design pedagogy: encouraging individual and personal styles, and rigorously pushing them to develop into their most coherent forms. This is the only book to explain ECAL’s innovative teaching methods, which encourage students to be business minded as well as creative.

18/06/22

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