Hello, my lovely readers! Currently, I'm on a (very) small break from university in order to celebrate Easter this Sunday. Here in Portugal, where we have a strong Roman Catholic tradition, this is a very important celebration and because of that this Friday (14th of April) is a holiday and (obviously) Sunday is too.
Last week I finally received two of my three copies of The Norton Anthology of World Literature, which I plan to use as an aid to my literature classes. Honestly, I also think that if I want to be a serious "aspiring academic" in literature I have to do some extra reading in order to broaden my horizons. One of my lecturers told me this is one of the best anthologies that cover a wide span of literature and that it is perfect for some further reading as well as an aid for my class work (*caughs* essays * caughs again*). This is quite an investment since the books are really expensive but I hope that this will be a worthy one.
Pro tip for you: when you have to buy books for uni, go to Amazon and search the used section. In this section, you can find the book you want at a more reasonable price and in a readable (sometimes as new) condition.
Along with this, I have a lot of tests and assignments coming up! I find myself spending an increasing amount of time in the library studying. The other day I spent four and a half hours sitting down and revising Cultural Studies materials and was only reminded I had class by my Google Calendar.
Sometimes is very difficult to keep track of time! There is so much stuff to do that I get lost in my tasks and end up working like a robot. The library is also a good place to sit down and read books for reviews. This happens because I can actually sit down put my kindle/book on the table and take notes on what I cannot forget to mention on the review post.
When you are surrounded by a bunch of people that are being productive it is easier to be productive. At least that is what I believe in. When I'm in a library full of professionals (or serious students) working I find myself in kind of a competition on who's studying more (not that they're aware of that).
When I cannot find the time to got to the library I try to use all the dead time I have to read what I need/want to read. I read on the train, on the bus, between classes, while I'm eating, while I'm brushing my teeth, before I go to bed... No this is not an addiction!
Having a book blog is something I love and it fulfils me but I have to admit that it is also very time consuming (especially when you have many many books to read and analyse for university). I have to find the time to sit down and read critically, which is something I'm getting better at. I also have to find the time to sit down and write, plan and format blog posts and also reply to emails and work on the blog's social media platforms. Blogging is not only writing, you have to find source material, original ideas and also cannot forget to cross post!
Pro tip: Always keep a notebook with you! Ideas appear in the most inconvenient time possible and having a small notebook to write down your ideas is key. I keep one in my school bag and one on my nightstand. You can also use your notepad app on your phone, but it isn't as fun.
One of the things that I have noticed that changed a lot since high school is studying in school breaks. Before I never even thought of studying when I was on break but now I know that doing work in advance will save me a lot of pain during the rest of the semester!
Now that I'm home, I'm trying to read and schedule some posts for the blog while also doing some work in advance and studying for my exams. While doing all of this is essential it is also crucial to understand that you need to get out of the house, absorb a little of sun and hang out with some friends. A balance is always needed so please always try to achieve it (believe me, that's how you avoid burn out).
To end all the rambling mess this blog post is I have some very very cool news! I'm now a Book Depository Affiliate! This is my way of trying to get some funding to get better source materials and resources to make this blog the best it can possibly be!
From now on, all of the links to Book Depository within the blog will have the affiliate link and with that, I will win a small commission on your order. You do not pay more because of this.
I hope you liked this post!
Love, Ana
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