Stick-Notes are an essential part of study-material. They are useful, seriously, a lot. You just need to know their uses. I have a complete box of 'em. Take a look at how and when to use stick-notes-




The box has a pretty chocolate colored top, with golden polka dots, and a chocolate colored bottom. My dad gifted me chocolates in this one, on my 19th birthday. The chocolates and the box are from The Chocolate Room. My dad surprised me by coming home from Rajasthan, and gifted me these delicious chocolates, and this lovely box! I tried my best to put this box in to a useful way. I'd first thought of Makeup, but then, I hardly have any Makeup. I just apply the Makeup during occasions like Saree Day at college, or for Fresher's and Farewell parties (but yeah, I apply a dark line of kohl, daily).
So I thought of putting my collection of stick-notes, inside the box. And at last, the box is useful.



A peek inside the box.


These Polka Dotted stick-notes can be used for writing a short message on gifts. They are in Pink and Yellow color.



These regular thick stick-notes are available in any stationary store. They can be used for writing short messages on calendars, textbooks, computer sides, etc. They are in Orange and Pink color.



These Fancy stick-notes have halloween-ish  look on them. They can be used on special occasions.


These cute toony stick-notes can be used whenever you feel so. There are various sizes in this strip- thin, broad, and large.



The Side-It stick-notes are a cute way to bookmark or flag your pages. The pack is of a 20x4 sheets. The colors are- Pink, Yellow, Green and Blue.



These stick-notes are great to bookmark the pages in textbook, plus write something on them. E.g., Q1), Q2), etc.



These notes are again useful for bookmarking and writing short messages on them. They are available in darker shades.



Finally, a great place to keep my box, perfectly on the work top.


That was a looong list. Do you use stick-notes? 

Exam is not a walk in the malls. You need to be very particular about it. Making sure you carry all the things is important. If you ask me what the essentials are, I would name these-




1. Pencils | Pencils or the pen-pencils are must. As no matter if you have a theory paper, you still never know when you need them. Sometimes, they might ask 'Distinguish Between', and you would be worrying, and asking for a pencil and a ruler. So they're really important.
2. Handkerchief | It is required to wipe off the sweat during summers (or even to wipe your tears if you are weeping because you don't know the answers).
3. Eraser | Eraser is required to rub off the extra lines that you have drawn for the distinguish or diagrams.
4. Watch | A watch is required to keep in check the time before, as well as while writing the paper. I always ask teacher the time in between. So it is better to carry one, of yours. Watch helps you to manage time. You know exactly where you are, and how much yet you have to write in the remaining time. Plus, you can manage time like this- 10 minutes for 5 marks question and so on.
5. Self-Notes | Self-Notes are must for the before exam study (quick study).
6. Pens | Carry minimum two pens. These pens should have full ink, ideally. Carry similar ink coloured pens.
7. Sharpener | Sharpeners or lead boxes for the backup.
8. Water | Water bottle to quench your thirst, and keep you hydrated.
9. Ruler | Big/small ruler to draw lines and keep the paper well organized.

And, Hall Ticket or Identity Card.

What things do you carry?

-xoxo-

PS- All the images have been taken from the net, and are not clicked by me.

Exam is almost here, and you have started fretting, already. So here are few tips that might help you overcome stress-

Before Exam preparation-

1. Plan Things to Study | Exam is within a week or a month, and professors have started scaring you, already. This is the time when you can plan out things and make a schedule. Schedule can be written in your planner, or simply in a notebook. (I don't do this, as I start studying few days before the commencement of the exam!)
2. Study | Studying depends on how quickly you can grasp things. Now, there are people who need to by-heart the notes, and there are some, who can just make it to the top by simply reading twice-once to know the things in the portion, and second time to know they've understood it all well. You need to decide yourself, in which category you fall (I am the latter), and study accordingly.
3. Make Self-Notes | Make your own notes by writing all the necessary points. My mother always told me to write down things, to make the learning process easier. But I always neglected her. And now when I write down points, I can myself feel the difference. These self-notes are great when you study on the exam-day, few minutes before the supervisor yells at you to keep away your bags and books.
4. Clear All the Doubts | This is a nerdy thing, but you need to do this. You need to ask your professors about all the doubts you have. Just carry a notepad, a textbook and a pen, and you're all ready. 
5. Collect All the Notes | Once you're clear with the doubts, start collecting the notes from the people who sit for the lectures.
6. Don't Fret | It's very necessary-Don't Fret. It's just an exam. Keep calm, and follow the tips. Go to professors to clear your doubts, and don't be stressed out.

One Day Before the Exam preparation-

1. Study Properly | It's better to study properly, than fret later. Choose a proper time to study, and see to it, that there is peace around.
2. Write Down Points | While studying, you can add points to the self-notes that you already have made. If there is no space remaining for a topic, use index cards to write points. 
3. Refer to Dictionary | Keep a dictionary next to you, so that you actually know what you're reading. Plus, it hardly takes any of your time. 
4. Write Important Meanings | Don't just read the meanings, but write them down as well. I have made a personal 'mini-dictionary'. I write down meanings that I read. I have made it alphabetically. 
5. Don't Leave anything for 'Option' | This is the worst thing any student can do. Leaving hard topics in Option is like putting yourself in the stress-zone even further. Better is to study everything (if not study, at least read it once).
6. Drink Lots of Water | If you are a night person (that is, if you study at nights), then drinking lots of water is must. It keeps you hydrated and calm while you study. Plus, you don't look over-stressed or over-sleepy on the exam day. My brother had told me once, "Drink lots of water, if you're going for a sleepover at your friend's place."
7. Use Fun Ways to Study | Aha! This one point is my favorite. This point is the base of my blog. Use fun things like index cards, fine liners, highlighters, pencils, pens, flags, stick-notes, etc. Trust me, this is a fun way to study. 
8. Index Cards | Use index cards to write the quick-points. 
9. Highlighters | Highlight things where necessary (don't use highlighters on a second-hand book!)
10. Self-Notes | Go through your self-notes, and keep them, as if they are your wealth. Be a miser. 
11. Eat Healthy | Eat nutritious food, as eating unhealthy can be harmful for your overall health, plus it can give you a bad tummy. Also, you need stamina to write a three hours paper!
12. Sleep Properly | I know, sleeping properly is not possible during exams. But still, give it a try at least. 
13. Keep your Phone Aside | If you are a phone-addict, I'm sorry, but you need to keep it away, any how. I don't follow this point, as my cellphone helps me with notes. 
14. Don't Fret | Once again, do not fret. Keep calm. 

So if you stay in India, you will hardly get any good Agenda. You would be craving for an Agenda like a Lilly Pulitzer one, but you will end up having a typically formal black colored Agenda. In that case, I would suggest you to keep calm. I have a way to make it good (like always)!




This was my father's Agenda when I was a kid. He had hardly written anything inside, but as always, I snatched it from him (I usually do that. Half of his office stuff is used by me). And as a kid, maybe it was back then, in 5th grade, maybe, I wanted to make it look gorgeous. I hated black then, as Metal and Rock were not introduced to me, yet.

I had cut the big and bold alphabets from a kid's magazine (something of Disney, I suppose), and had kept it in a dad's envelope. So, I don't know how I remembered it, but I did, and I started pasting it on the cover of this black unsightly Agenda. I made my name and made 'Diary', too (I was obsessed of having a personal diary).

'The Cutie'? Alright, don't laugh. I had an account at Barbie.com. I had to make a Diary over there, and they gave my diary the name 'The Cutie', and hence this name. I simply wrote it on a chart paper and stuck it on the Agenda.

And, I have no idea about the heart with my name on it.

Thus, I converted an ugly black Agenda to something that I loved, back then.


What are your views? Do you keep a Planner/Agenda/Organizer?

P.S. Tips on how to maintain a Planner/Agenda/Organizer coming soon. 

No pro-tips here. But a sneak-peak of how I manage my blog.

I have maintained a Planner to write a To Do List. This planner is exclusive for my blog. I use my father's Date Log of the year 2011, as my planner. I just tick the done things of the day. I update my planner every night, and see to it that all of the tasks are accomplished.

My best friend, Prajakta, came over to my house, the other day, and showed me her pencil case/pouch. And I went all 'Oh-My-God' over it.


Pouches from Chumbak are really very adorable. They have all the Indian stuff on them, which is indeed very cute. My friend bought this for 300 rupees. The pouch is blessed with softness from outside (it is spongy).




This is a guy with Turban or a Pheta, giving the pouch a cuter look.




There is ample of space inside. She had almost 40 + things kept, with lots of pens, pencils and other geometrical things.

This pouch is a must buy. How are your pencil cases/pouch?

The novel that you are reading currently, should be placed properly on your work top. This helps in giving a proper place to the novel, as well as comes handy when a program is getting installed, or when you are too bugged to work.
I am reading Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. This book is about how the 'Blacks' were ignored and harassed by the 'Whites'.
I had this book as my vacation-homework, but, umm, I haven't finished it yet (rather I started it a week ago, and I hope my professor doesn't read this).

Which book are you reading currently? Also where do you keep it?  

When you get a table to draw, how do you do it? Drawing a neat table/chart is very important. Following are some important tips while drawing a table/chart-

1. Write the heading of the table in bold and big letters.
2. Write sub-headings in medium sized letters.
3. Let this decrease in the fonts continue till the last aspect of the chart.
4. Draw straight lines to show the chart. The lines should preferably be drawn with a ruler. 
5. Use different colours to write different elements.
6. Draw the lines using a different colour.
7. Choose a larger sheet of paper, to write the names of all the aspects, properly.
8. Keep the chat properly in a place.

 Any more points to add up?

A free wallpaper for all the Blackberry Girls out there! Enjoy! Also, let me know what kind of wallpapers you like? So that I can make more and more for you all. 

I bought these fine liners from Stic.
My best friend and I had been to the Crawford Market, and finally bought these liners!
I always wanted colourful pens, and finally got them at such a reasonable rate.

Well, I got a packet of 20 for 140 rupees.
Can't wait to use them!


Do you use these gorgeous liners or any sort of colourful pens?

Oh, I'm in love with them, already! 

Cleaning the table you study/work on, is very necessary. It always is a must to have it clean, as you might need the table anytime. If it is clean, your stress level automatically comes down, and your frustration calms down, too. 



I manage to clean my worktop, always. It appears calm to work on such a table. What are your views about it? 

A small Strawberry Shortcake notebook, college rough book and a Faber-Castell pen. And, my pencil holder with sketch pens.
Sketch pens to highlight important points.




Print outs for the project.



And finally, all set and ready for the presentation!

I had presentation of Culture Studies the other day. However, my group members did not wish to present. I mean, they said that it was better if we did it some other day, because we weren't fully prepared. But then, me and Wrutuja-one of the group members-were of the thought that it was better if we finish up one task from our busy schedule, and present it that day.
So at last we thought of the presentation. However, other group members didn't turn up! We did not know what was to be done. So we asked sir, and he suggested to present without them. So with a heavy heart, we presented.
Later, we went for shoot of our pending short-film. And everything was fine, after that! Whew.

Oh, and yes, this is my U.S. Polo shopping bag, which I used to put my presentation papers inside, and the Jblues handbag, which I got as a present from my cousin, Pratik, for Raksha Bandhan.

How are your presentation days? Messed up, or pretty calm? 

This is the first page of my notebook. I love doodling things. I feel great to see this, every time I open my book.
Doodling is easy. You can write following things while you doodle-

1. Your name
2. Favorite bands/singers
3. Favorite football club/cricket club
4. Random words that you say while you talk always(except the swear words!)
5. Hearts
6. Stars
7. Smileys
8. Favorite quotes
9. Favorite games (can be video games, too!)
10. Your favorite people in the world (if you know what I mean)

This gorgeous notebook was my personal diary, in 9th grade. I tore off the memories, and now use it as my rough book, or the one I carry to the college.
I have stuck a Strawberry Shortcake sticker on it. There are beautiful poems by Shakespeare on the book. And these poems are quite inspiring.

What kind of a book you carry to college? 

A new member is added to the family! A cute notepad of Kelly Cat. Love?
Small notepads are required to write down sub-points that you might need for your presentation. I carry this notepad to write sub-points like 'Introduction', 'Needs', etc. So while I am presenting in front of the class, I just have to glance once, and then start blabbering! Everything is set, then!

Do you have such notepads, too? 

These cute files/folders are pretty much stylish, and are very cheap. You get them for hardly 20 rupees. Plus the designs are too cute, and available in plenty!
I bought this when I was little, and still have preserved it. Strawberry Shortcake, after all!

Do you have such files/folders? If yes, what things you keep inside?

Pearl Necklace. I prefer pearls over diamonds. What about you?

And this outfit? Well, I wore it on my presentation day (which was a sheer flop!). It's a Lee Cooper tunic, and a JBlues handbag, by the way.

How do you dress up on a Presentation Day?

Distressed jeans are in trend! So all you guys with torn jeans...you are actually fashionable!

Distressed jeans can go great with girly outfits as well with leather-jacketed personality. It's just the way you carry it!

Do you have a distressed pair of jeans at home? 

Index cards that we made together, are of use, aren't they? They are tiny, and lovable!