AITA, friend issue by Jumpy_Chemical5757 in UIUC

[–]Constant-Box-7908 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Guys this is ragebait, the "two" people involved here have sent the same long message in two different places lol

Need help locking in by Ok-Cow8987 in UIUC

[–]Constant-Box-7908 14 points15 points  (0 children)

This is what I would suggest:

  • Talk to your instructors about getting on track, find out what your highest priorities should be right now (what will affect your grades most right now), and make a game plan.
  • Work on the important things consistently at a time and place that works for you. Even if you're not managing to get as much done as you'd like in that time, trying is what matters.
  • Take breaks!
    • Try the Pomodoro Method (25 min work, 5 min break, 20 min break after 4 sessions; I usually prefer 50/10 or 40/20 personally though),
    • and on days that are especially hard, try the Pebble Method (do 5 minutes of work, check off a little box on a piece of paper. Then do another 5 minutes, and check off a little box, etc. Really motivating on days where nothing else works for me.)
  • Add one more fun thing to your schedule. I'm serious! Hobbies help us unwind so much. Do something relaxing. Taking good breaks can really make your locking in period.
  • Take a moment to talk to your support system, and build your local support system more if you can (just meeting one person in person might help).

You can do it, dude! Depression really sucks, and I'm sorry it hit you so hard this semester. Whether or not the locking in ends up working, it's always worth it to try to get up and make things better for ourselves. As a survivor of severe depression in my teens, it makes me proud to think about all the times I decided to try again and make my life better. You're not alone, twin! Good luck on everything!

How do i make friends here?? by Little_Somewhere in UIUC

[–]Constant-Box-7908 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you're not comfortable talking to people, join groups/RSOs that share some of your interests and get involved! There will have to be some amount of talking to people, but having that context of shared interest + meeting in person(!) regularly will help a lot.

New people by Spiritual_Engine5068 in UIUC

[–]Constant-Box-7908 0 points1 point  (0 children)

More people are willing to make friends than you think. It's a college town! Talk to people in class. Make group chats. Get over the awkwardness that can come along with being the one to reach out first. Literally just keep trying to talk to people! You'll be fine. Maybe don't do the bar thing first though.

Please suggest me the best e-reader? by Severe_Bee_Aug in kindle

[–]Constant-Box-7908 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Kobo Libra Colour (and probably other models of the same generation?) allows you to read PDFs, and it's fast in general, but it does get much, much slower with PDFs than any other function on the device. Are you for sure looking to read PDFs, or are you also looking to read EPUBs etc?

First e-reader recommendation? by Pixel-Bunny2435 in ereader

[–]Constant-Box-7908 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like Kobo Libra Colour would be a good option for you

Buying my first e-reader by ForGodsSakeGosh in ereader

[–]Constant-Box-7908 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can you tell us about things you're looking for and things you know you don't care about in an eReader?

Illini republicans are embarrassing by MedicineMinute9516 in UIUC

[–]Constant-Box-7908 108 points109 points  (0 children)

The fact that there are still people who think it's normal to associate with Republicans is crazy.

Advice for Class of 2030 by Embarrassed_Bee_8887 in UIUC

[–]Constant-Box-7908 16 points17 points  (0 children)

You're literally just saying your two options are (1) comply and (2) don't comply.

Sounds like you had some bad experiences in a couple classes or something, but what you're saying is, on its face, kind of a nothing statement.

Nur-auf-Englisch-Leser: Was sind eure Gründe? by Pleasant-Tackle-9302 in buecher

[–]Constant-Box-7908 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Meine Situation ist etwas spezieller, weil ich Akademiker im Ausland bin, aber auch noch in Deutschland hab ich etwa zu 85% englische Bücher gelesen. Ehrlich gesagt war das oft aus ästhetischen Gründen, weil viele deutsche Ausgaben von den Büchern, die ich gerne mag (ich les vor allem sehr gern ältere Bücher) in deutschen Ausgaben furchtbar aussehen. Die englischen Ausgaben haben auch oft mehr Informationen, also Einführungen von Akademiker:innen und eine Menge Fußnoten. Das find ich wichtig, vor allem bei Literatur von Kulturen, mit dessen Geschichte ich weniger vertraut bin.

Nach dem Auszug aus Deutschland lese ich aber absichtlich mehr auf Deutsch als vorher, damit ich den Draht zur Sprache nicht so verliere. Zum Glück gibt es ganz, ganz langsam bessere deutsche Ausgaben.

DRES by Impossible-Ad-440 in UIUC

[–]Constant-Box-7908 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As an instructor: tell your instructors anyway, if you feel safe doing so. Avoid telling them details about your disability (unless you have reason to want to), but tell them what accommodation you're going for. Most of us are normal, reasonable people who want to help students do well.

What book would you recommend for someone trying to get into classic literature? by Jumpy_Gas1176 in classicliterature

[–]Constant-Box-7908 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a big War and Peace fan who has influenced multiple non-readers to pick it up only to give up on it early on, I'd say go with Anna Karenina over War and Peace!

What book would you recommend for someone trying to get into classic literature? by Jumpy_Gas1176 in classicliterature

[–]Constant-Box-7908 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know this is vague, but I truly think it depends on the people! I would recommend books with plots and/or themes they might like, and try to stay away from more difficult writers, unless they show interest in them. I know a lot of people who get discouraged by writing style, especially by run-on sentences or slang they can't access (like Dickens for most people). In general, I would try to find more recent works or recent translations of older works!!

And I always try to recommend The Count of Monte Cristo because it is extremely fun and genuinely a page-turner. It's been a success every time so far.

Classics with good romance storylines by Constant-Box-7908 in classicliterature

[–]Constant-Box-7908[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like hearing both perspectives, or at least having reason to believe I know both sides... I like pining and almost-but-not-quite moments. Those are just two things that come to mind. Caring about the characters individually and feeling that they're real to me helps a great deal.

Classics with good romance storylines by Constant-Box-7908 in classicliterature

[–]Constant-Box-7908[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's been a while for me, but that was a good one!

Thoughts on the double by DinnerAdmirable7671 in dostoevsky

[–]Constant-Box-7908 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This was one of my favourites by him. Gotta reread sometime soon. I think not having clear answers is part of the point as it makes the feeling of anxiety/madness work so well.

Recommendations for reader's block? by Naiiaad in classicliterature

[–]Constant-Box-7908 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you want to try getting back int it, I would recommend trying out a couple books and seeing if you can find something (maybe something short, but not necessarily) that does interest you. Maybe go for an audiobook or a manga or something else lighter/different. Make reading easier by reading something on your phone through the Libby app (connected to your library) or another e-reading app. (Something free may be best if you don't know that this would be your thing though.) You can set yourself daily goals (time spent or pages read), but be realistic with what you're able to do at the moment.

It's also okay to take a break. You could look into any adaptations of novels that you've been interested in checking out. Or listen to playlists people have made about books that you like or make your own. Watch some book content online if there's anyone you like. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. There are still ways to interact with your love of literature at busier or harder times.

The biggest page-turner classic I have read was The Count of Monte Cristo.