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Sharing my Study Tips, Habits and Experiences in Citywide Lectures

Language/语言:   English   简体中文
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By: Ken Deng   Published on 9 Jul. 2023

Approx. 1500 words, 7 mins

Being invited📩 by my IELTS School (New Oriental) and our school, I participated in 2 lectures🧑‍🏫 sharing my study tips, experiences, habits and routine⏳.

These are the first two study tips lectures🧑‍🏫 I have ever participated in so far, which were in Chinese language.

Today, I am going to share📤 what I have shared in this lecture. Here we go!

Note that the presentation PPT uses my own template with my Logo.

Download PPT (PDF, Chinese)

School Study Tips Sharing Lecture

School Study Tips Sharing Lecture

Self-introduction

At the beginning of the lectures, I introduced myself🧒.

I have been enrolled⛳️ into our school's Oxbridge College🏛️ (the area of top classes). This means I had the opportunity to study with other top students🧑‍🎓, along with our brand-new apartment.

My major is Computer Science🖥️, exploring and developing computer technologies.

I have also introduced my exam results, like how many A*s I have got.

  • IELTS: 7.0 (6.0 per component)
  • IGCSE exams: 6A* 1A
  • AS Level exams: 4a (all >= 90%; plus A* in EPQ and A Level Maths)
Our School's Oxbridge College Apartment

Our School's Oxbridge College Apartment

Research Experiences

If you are applying to universities, it's time to make research🔬 and gain experiences.

So, I also have illustrated my research experiences in both lectures.

EPQ (Research Project)

The first one is EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) which is a big research🔬 project advantaging🌟 some university applications.

It boosts your university essential skills like academic writing, research, time management🕰️, project planning🗓️, creativity, and presentation🧑‍🏫.

You can do whatever topic you would like to research and you need to write/make:

  • Dissertation (5,000 words in type P302);
  • Activity Logs;
  • Proposal Form;
  • Final Presentation PPT.

More importantly, don't give up even if you experience difficulties🚧 or your experiment fails⚠️. That's how I got an A* (27/28) in my EPQ Project.

My EPQ Result (A*)

My EPQ Result (A*)

By the way, you also need to record all failed❌ and successful✅ trials in your Acitivity Logs📋. This will also advantage your project.

You can learn more about my EPQ project by clicking the link below.

My EPQ Project

My EPQ Topics Mindmap

My EPQ Topics Mindmap

School Firewall Research

As well as the EPQ Project, I have also researched how firewalls on the Internet work.

Discovering our school WiFi blocks🚧 gaming🎮 and cartoon video websites, I wonder how the firewall can detect🔍 (discover) these requests.

I then found and used the WireShark🦈 app to capture Internet TCP packets📦 during the blocking process. The firewall uses HTTP HIjacking and SNI Filtering (TCP Connection Reset).

My School Firewall Research using WireShark App

My School Firewall Research using WireShark App

Internship Experience

The last one is the internship🏢 which also gains work🧑‍🔧 experience.

I helped an educational institution (COURSEMO) to make a student management🛠️ web platform.

The platform was then adopted by our school🏫.

While displaying this page in lectures, students were surprised🌟 by the management platform.

This is similar to the Study Planner🗓️ web app I made by myself.

COURSEMO Student Management Platform

COURSEMO Student Management Platform

University Application Process

The next one is the university application process.

I will not explain it in a longer detail🗞️, but I will share a few cautions⚠️.

The UK university application process involves:

  • Sign up for a UCAS account,
  • Choose universities and majors,
  • Write a Personal Statement,
  • Fill in and submit the UCAS application form,
  • Admissions tests,
  • Interviews,
  • Check decisions and offer conditions,
  • Choose Firm and Insurance choices,
  • A Level international exams,
  • Reach offer conditions,
  • and finally, view results.

My Cautions

  1. Use your real name and email address🪪 for your UCAS account because universities will send you emails.
  2. Be mindful of English grammar in your Personal Statement,
  3. Register for admission tests and reply✉️ to interview invitations in time,
  4. Don't be too relaxed after receiving conditional offers.
Tip

You can also reach your English language requirements after receiving offers.

Interview

Some universities and majors also include interviews🗣️.

Whether you are asked for Personal Statement or questions, always chat💬 with the interviewer and follow his/her hints💡.

Tip

If the questions were done before, I explained💬 each method (from incorrect❌ to correct✅) in deeper detail like a teacher.

My Productive Tips

Before continuing my lecture, I asked this question:

  • Do you have these Problems while Studying?
    • Not Well-prepared
    • Being Distracted
    • No Motivation
    • External Demotivations
Common Problems on Studying

Common Problems on Studying

In the lectures, I exclusively shared my "4BST" (like "for British Summer Time") method:

  • Be Hydrated
  • Block out Distractions
  • Be Well-prepared
  • Be Organised
  • Sleep Early and Get up Early
  • Take Exercise
My %224BST%22 Productive Tips

My "4BST" Productive Tips

My Study Tools

By the way, I also shared some study tools🛠️.

Daily Tasks List

List☑️ tomorrow's tasks in the evening.

My Daily Tasks List (Sample, 2022)

My Daily Tasks List (Sample, 2022)

Events Days Left Board

Display the days left🗓️ to your next exams, competitions and activities.

Change to orange in 7 days and red in 3 days.

My Events Days Left Board (2022)

My Events Days Left Board (2022)

Daily Goals Checklist

Check if your daily goals are achieved in a day.

Make Daily Goals, Burn like Coals.

My methodology since 2020.

It is now embedded🔗 on Ken's Study Planner (paper version is also available).

Ken's Study Planner

My programmed online study planning🗓️ tool🛠️, which is also part of my website and EPQ project.

Could only be used by myself, but opened publicly for free in mid-2021.

This is similar to free volunteering services🤑. (planner.kenstudyjourney.cn)

Learn More     Sign Up (Free)

Daily Goals Checklist

A Level Tips

Then is my A Level study and exam tips. I will outline some points in the presentation.

Study Tips

  • Listen carefully and take notes📝,
  • Use "Active Recall" to recall🤔 learned knowledge while walking around the school path🛣️,
  • Use Quizlet to memorise formulae and definitions,
  • Stick a Knowledge Board🏞️ in the apartment (my invented tool).
Knowledge Board in my School Apartment

Knowledge Board in my School Apartment

Exam Tips

  • Plan🗓️ and Check for Upcoming Exams,
  • Review Syllabuses📄 and Missing Knowledge Points,
  • Test and Review with your Classmates,
  • Read questions carefully⚠️ to avoid "Trap Options".
Physics MCQ Trap Options 9702/11/M/J/20

Physics MCQ Trap Options

For more details🗞️, please see this page:

My A Level Tips

Overtaking Others (from D to A*)

In fact, I didn't study well⚠️ in my primary school, failing language and PE exams.

However, having interests in Physics⚛️ in real life, I overtook others in Grade 9.

As a result:

  • I need more time⌛️ to understand knowledge points.
  • It may be slower (for me) to study for academic subjects and IELTS.

Learn More

So, how did I overtake others? Here are my tips.

Find Motivation to Study

The first method is to find motivations🌟 to study. For example, studying can:

  • Lay foundation📒 for future studies and careers,
  • Boost thinking🤔 and problem-solving skills,
  • Accumulate knowledge database📚,
  • Discover knowledge🎓 to explain real-life phenomena.

Utilise Free Time

The next one is to utilise my free time⏳, especially:

  • on buses🚌 and underground🚇,
  • when the train/plane is delayed⏳,
  • in the queue.

This regains my missing essential listening, reading📖 and comprehension skills.

Learn More

Be Self-disciplined

As well as studying, I also shared some tips to be a self-disciplined student🧑‍🎓.

I have been elected as our school’s student union member (inspector🔍 of disciplines) in AS Level (Grade 11).

Learn More

In School Campus

Sleep and get up on time,
- Following the school schedule can strengthen your body.

Remind roommates to turn off lights💡 on time,
- Everyone can sleep well for tomorrow.

Always wear masks😷 during the severe pandemic when required,
- This can avoid being infected.

(etc.)

Outside School Campus

Always fasten seat belts🪢 when taking cars (including back rows).
"Always fasten seat belts in whatever row you sit."
- This protects your body in case of an accident.

Always scan and show Health Codes (e.g. Suikang Code in Guangzhou, China) in public places during the pandemic.
- This protects others from being infected.

Always check the Expiry or Best Before date when buying and/or eating food.
- This ensures the food quality and strengths our body.

Always classify wastes and throw them into the correct containers.
- This protects the beautiful city environment and even prevents Global Warming.

Always keep Ken's Study Journey (including Ken's Study Planner) website logs on servers for at least 6 months.
- This strengthens Internet security, quickly identify suspicious activities and, by the way, identify and fix bugs.

(etc.)

Did you Know?

According to China laws and regulations, all websites (Internet services) must keep logs📝 for at least 6 months.

I know the importance⭐️ of keeping logs. It is for not only in case of investigation by authorities but also enhancing Internet and data security🛡️.

Around May to June 2023, one of my web servers (GB-LHR-01) discovered and reported⚠️ misbehaviour on my website threatening Internet security⚔️.

Learn More

For example, here is a Sample of my server's suspicious Access Logs.

Website Suspicious Access Logs (Samples) from Tor

Website Suspicious Access Logs (Samples) from Tor

Don't Follow Rules Only for Inspections

I also understood the importance of following rules and regulations, which is not only for inspections but also to make the community safer.

From my perspective, following rules only for inspections🔍 may be disrespecting inspectors’ hard work.

However, it's OK to follow the rules after be reminded by inspectors if you sometimes forget it.

Tip

Don't be afraid of inspectors. They are pointing out and correcting✅ your errors so you will remember them.

Ken's Study Journey not only manages itself strictly but also is friendly to users. I just remind💬 and educate users for the first time (e.g. threatening Internet security⚔️).

Ken's Study Journey discourages following rules only for inspections.

During the study tips sharing lectures, I summarised some common phenomena to follow the rules only for inspections:

Overspeed💨 when driving cars🚙 on highways. Then reduce speed to normal only where Police👮 Enforcement Cameras📸 exist (or in speed-measurement intervals).

After passing cameras or exiting the intervals, increase the speed above the limits again.

Caution

Following some rules is for safety reasons. It's not OK to violate rules at the edge (e.g. overspeed for 1 km/h or 1%).

Overspeed in Highways without Cameras

Overspeed in Highways without Cameras

Scan and show health codes🤳 in public places during the pandemic only when the staff checks them.

Scan Health Codes Only when Inspectors Exist

Scan Health Codes Only when Inspectors Exist

On Thursday evening at 21:30, do Full Classroom Cleanup only when the Student Union Inspectors check it.

Did you Know?

Sudden and random checks/inspections can solve this problem.

Do your Tasks at a Steady Rate,
Do Not Rush or Cram,
Do Not Leave Too Many Tasks until Deadline.

Thanks for Reading!

Hope you be a Productive, Diligent, and Active student entering your dream universities!

More useful study techniques🛠️ and habits📝 are available on my website. You can explore them if you want.

Explore my Website     My Study Planner

Lectures Presentation PPT Final Words Page

Lectures Presentation PPT Final Words Page

Disclaimer

1. Related Knowledge displayed in this article is for ease-of-understanding only. I cannot ensure that they are 100% correct.

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