Tag: writingblog

Writing Prompt: The Witch’s Brew

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

A new coffee shop has opened in town! It’s the newest buzz among the residents, especially the college and high school students that practically live off of Frappuccinos and macchiatos. But upon its opening, it wasn’t at all what students expected.

Blandly painted walls and decor, this shop looked anything but special. A sign hung over the door with a crescent shaped symbol, reading “The Witch’s Brew”. But its interior hardly lived up to this magical name. The only real decoration piece that one noted was a large, rectangular mirror hanging in an odd little hallway in the shop. But if one were to examine this closer, it revealed something far more interesting. The reflection did not accurately reflect the shop one was standing in, but a ornately decorated, and magical hallway. And, if one were to step into it, they would be able to follow that hallway to an even more magical coffee shop. This was the true witch’s brew.

The drinks “brewed” here are not what they seem, with fire dancing along the rim of some glasses or purple steam pouring off others, this is no ordinary coffee shop.

Tips on Studying for an Exam (especially when memorization is involved)

~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

★Flash cards!

And while I know there are a lot of nifty online flashcard making sites like quizlet and so forth, but I personally recommend getting your own index cards and making your own by hand. Making the cards itself can help you study, plus if you’re ever somewhere without access to the internet, your phone, or computer, you can pull your cards out and study. Plus, it just really helps your memory to lay the cards out in various ways and studying them. Remember, the more physical movement involved in your studying, the more likely you are to retain the information.

★Make your own study guide.

Seriously. It helps you study while making it but can also be invaluable when actually studying. Memorize the information by covering up the answers to said study guide and writing the answers out, by hand. Which brings me to my next tip-

★Write things out you need to memorize

Not type. Write. If you’re handwriting is bad, don’t worry about it. That’s not the point. The point is to memorize and studies show that people are more likely to remember something when they write it out by hand.

★Recite and Read Out loud

And if you’re wondering if this is another memory thing, it is. Read your stuff out loud to your sibling, cat, your breakfast, whatever you want. Just solidify those words in your head and attach sounds to them. Again, you’ll be a lot more likely to remember.

★Take breaks

Your brain can only really focus for about an hour before wondering off into oblivion. So, every hour, walk around a little and take a well-deserved break. Study smarter, not harder.

★Don’t wait till the last second to study

We’ve all tried. And it rarely works out. And even when it does, the amount of stress you undergo the day before is not worth it. Do yourself a favor, and start as soon as possible.

★Reward yourself

Try and prevent burnout not only be taking breaks, but rewarding yourself if you can. My favorite way to do this, is if I’ve studied a long time, I’ll allow myself to buy an iced coffee before hitting the books again. Find out what little ways you can give your brain dopamine and integrate that into your study time.

★Eat food. Drink water.

Do you know how utterly useless your brain is when you’re dehydrated and hungry? Pretty darn useless. And even if you feel like you’re making progress, you’re probably are fatigued by a head ache. That’s why I mean it when I say to feed yourself and drink water. Not coffee. Not a smoothie. Water.

★Don’t attach your performance on this test to your self-worth

This is more of a mindset tip, but it concerns your preparation for this test. No matter what, PLEASE do not attach your performance on this test to your grade. Please. Speaking as someone who lived this her freshman semester, this does not help your testing abilities. You will probably find yourself a nervous wreck before, after, and during the test, therefore hindering your memory. The more stressed out you are, the more likely you are to forget stuff. And then if you don’t get the grade you wanted, you feel super defeated and it’s much harder to bounce back from a bad grade or a failed test when you possess this mindset. So do yourself a favor, and trash it. Try your hardest and the rest of it will workout.

Writing Prompt: The City of Planets and Stars

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Fast-forward waaaaay into the future and humanity has managed to colonize every planet in the Solar system. More gaseous planets dawn floating cities, while the cold rocky planets are kept running by a large forge at their core to allow people to populate their otherwise unwelcoming terrain. But the people are more divided than ever. So, in one last ditch effort to unite humanity under one banner, a city is built, dedicated to every planet and every people. The City of Planets and Stars.

Evening Poems: My Sister’s Shoes

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

I remember when she was 11 and I was 7

I always got my sister’s old hand me downs. My mom would put the big shoes on my feet. She’d squish the ends to see if they would fit. She would tell me, before I knew it, I’d be in my sister’s shoes.

We made sticky mud pies and told stories. Got grass stained knees and carpet burns. It was nights of lightning bugs and cart wheels that made the world turn.

I remember when she was 15 and I was 11

She didn’t like looking in the mirror but she would still look. She hid behind her hair and cut herself bangs. Friends were scarce because children are cruel. This I came to know too well.

I remember when I was 15 and she was 19.

Social circles became webs to navigate. She said, they said, who said, who cares? They care, I don’t, What happened? Unfair!

I don’t know how, but we made it out in one piece.  First my sister, and then me.

Now she’s having a kid, and I’m 19.

I know I’m next.

The next sister in line.

If I’ll blink, I’ll miss it.

My mother was right.

Before I knew it, I’d be in my sister’s shoes.

Advice on Writing Poetry

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

★When you’re writing poetry, you don’t have to write the perfect poem. You just have to write today’s poem.

★Read the work of poets your love, but also vary your tastes. There’s something to learn from everyone.

★Give yourself permission to write whatever you feel like writing. If that’s trash, then write trash. We’ll worry about making the trash “pretty” and “clever” later.

★Play with rhyme. Play with with free verse. Play with alliteration. Play with everything.

★Poetry is like literally every other hobby. Practice and get better.

★Keep a journal

★If you have an idea, write it down right then before it flies away. Inspiration is fleeting. It’s easier to catch that butterfly right in front of you than to chase down one that is miles away.

★Be Vulnerable.

★You don’t have to be angsty. You don’t have to have a “muse” or whatever that means. You just need to be a living, breathing person to write poetry and that is enough.

★Understand that not every poem is meant to be shared.

How to spend your college break

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been meaning to write this for awhile. Far too often I find myself at loose ends as to what to do on my college breaks so with it currently being fall break for me, like, right this very second as a I type this, I figured now was a good of a time as any to give people advice on how to spend their college breaks. Sometimes it can be hard to balance the resting and the still wanting to get stuff done. Breaks should be relaxing and you should give yourself a break, but if you also want to use that time to do some minorly productive things to get ahead, I respect that too.

So, here’s a few suggestions on what you can do on your college break!

Do some well-needed cleaning and organization

I don’t know about you, but my backpack is sort of a mess by the middle of the semester. Old papers I don’t need, random straw wrappers, and bits of trash I don’t need can be found in near every pocket. My pencils need to be sharpened badly and overall my backpack could use a washing. And let’s not get me started on my desk space.

So a break is the perfect opportunity to remedy such problems.

Catch up on any show that you’ve been meaning to watch

You’ve earned some rest! This is a perfect way to unwind, especially with a snack.

Schedule some social time

College can make it difficult for people to get together with classes and homework quickly overtaking everyone’s schedule. But we all need to see people sometimes so scheduling a well-earned coffee date with a gal friend is one of the best ways you can spend your break.

Dabble in something

Take this time during your break so try something new that you would otherwise not be able to. Or stick to your old neglected hobbies and maybe start painting or drawing again? Overall, I highly encourage people to do at least one creative thing on their break.

Relax but also PAY ATTENTION TO ANY ASSIGNED HOMEWORK OR READINGS

In an ideal world, professors would not assign homework over a break. But I don’t think I have to tell you that we don’t live in an ideal world. It surprised me too how much homework teachers would sometimes assign over your break, as if they didn’t fully understand the meaning of the very word “break”. But sometimes we just gotta deal, and your life will be a little stressful if you put off any homework last minute. The goal is to emerge from your break refreshed, not panicked. So slowly work on and pay attention to any assigned reading or homework that you have been expected to complete over the course of the break.

Make a game plan for returning back to school

Sometimes your break is a good time to revaluate and readjust some of your approaches to your classes and homework. Whether this means reexamining your study strategies or completely reorganizing your meal plan, your break is a good time to do any of these things.

And finally write a blog post on what to do with your break

And that’s where I’ll leave it. Rest up, lovely students!

Evening Poems: The Ninth

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

How do you think a cat would spend its final life?

If it were old and on the ninth

I think a cat would spend its last days

Snoozing in the sun’s streaming rays.

Batting around that ball of lint

Dart around the hall, in a sprint.

And did I mention the

Sleeping. Sleeping. Sleeping.

And around the corners always peeping.

In short I would have to say,

That a cat would spend even its final day

Much how spent every year

Happy and without a single fear.

A cat on even its final minute.

Wouldn’t hesitate to then spend it

Dozing peacefully next to you, as your pet.

Because unlike you, he has no regret.

Evening Poem: I

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

I dont know why

I try and try

But theres no strength left in I

I turn left, and then turn right

I feel I am lost without a light

There is no strength left in I

I rely on that “I” so much.

So much that I start most sentences with an I.

I

I

I

Identity starts with I.

That’s on who I rely.

Me, myself, and I.

But not matter what I do

There is no strength left in I

At end of I

There is nothing.

Ironic.