3 Steps To Improve The Efficiency Of Your Studying

Hello everyone it’s Zainab here, welcome or welcome back to my blog! I feel like I’ll be writing so many school-related posts this year as I approach my public exams this summer. But today, I wanted to share some of my advice of efficient studying. Let’s jump into it!

FOCUS ON YOUR WEAKEST TOPICS

Focusing on your weakest topics, or topics that you haven’t gone through much, are so important when it comes to the efficiency of your learning. I mean, there’s no point going over a topic if you got 100% on that section in previous quizzes. It will just be wasting precious revision time, and you won’t be learning anything new.

Instead, pinpoint topics that you’ve struggled in and focus on them. That way, your cumulative knowledge of the subject will go up, because you have your new subject knowledge as well as the retained knowledge. Of course, still look over what you do know – but not in as much depth.

SET A LIMIT EVERY DAY

This may sound slightly unconventional initially, but remember that more studying doesn’t necessarily mean that you will do better.

I’ve experienced firsthand the consequences of trying to study too much in one day, and honestly it’s worse than not studying at all. You can just get so burnt out and forget everything!

Instead, you can set yourself a temporal or topic limit. For example, I’m going to revise a maximum of two hours a day, or I’ll revise these 2 subjects today. That way, you know you can achieve something – but also not overworking yourself.

BUILD UP RESOURCES AS YOU GO

Sometimes you are so close to an exam or test, that it’s just not a pragmatic approach to make notes or new flashcards the night before. So, one really time-saving technique you can try, which is so simple, is just saving your resources from time’s of previous revisison.

Each small quiz or assessment you take is building you up to your end of year or public exam, so if you save them and use them to learn – you’re going to save time, and also you’ll be able to improve from how you previously performed!

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Thank you so much for reading this post, I hope it was useful. Let me know in the comments what advice you would give to others!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have a fantastic day!

My Interview On The Blogger Up Series

Hello everyone it’s Zainab here, welcome or welcome back to Zainab Chats! Today’s blog post is slightly different as I got the lovely opportunity to be interviewed by Nabeeha Jameel from the Brainstorms blog – so today I’ll be sharing my interview with you all! Be sure to check out the original post here and give Nabeeha a follow, now let’s jump into Nabeeha’s interview! from the Blogger Up Series! (Nabeeha’s questions are in bold!)

1. When did you start Zainab Chats, and what inspired you to?

I started Zainab Chats in April 2020. (I started at about the same time too, after being devastated and confused after my O-level Examinations got cancelled) I actually had a previous blog on Blogger called: Z.H Blogs but I really just wanted to rebrand – we were in the middle of lockdown and I couldn’t see us coming out any time soon so I decided to start Zainab Chats to spread positivity to others! (YAY🎊!)

2. I really like the whole aesthetic of your blog. What theme have you used?

Thank you so much! I use the free WordPress theme: Canape

3. Does your blog focus on a specific niche?

 I mainly focus on Positivity but I also do other niche-related posts such as Reviews, Study Tips and Lifestyle!

4. Throughout your blogging journey what is one thing that has been a constant challenge?

I’m very thankful my blogging journey hasn’t been much of a challenge. However, one thing that has been a challenge (not specifically about my own blog) but it’s been keeping up with other people’s blogs. Through school and other activities I find it quite difficult to consistently go through WordPress Reader and read other people’s lovely blogs. It’s not a challenge I’ve fully overcome but I’m getting there! (I can relate, but my constant struggle mostly revolves around being consistent with my posts and keeping up with life at the same time😬)

5. I noticed that Zainab Chats has an Instagram account. How has the Instagram account helped with your blogging journey? 

The Instagram account really helped me grow my blog in the beginning. Now, I tend to focus less on growth and use the account to interact more with my followers which is not something I can really do in the comments of blog posts.

6. What is your favourite post on Zainab Chats and Why?

That’s such a hard question, but I’d have to say my 100 Followers Special as it was such a big moment for me and I honestly never thought I’d get there. It was also a fun post as I got to react to people’s assumptions about me! (The satisfaction when you reach a 100 followers is indescribable! I cannot wait for your blog to reach 1K!)

7. Where do you see your blog three years from now? 

Three years from now, I hope to have grown by blog and to be posting a lot more than twice a week. I don’t like to predict too much as things can change but I hope I’m still blogging and have a lovely community

8. What is the favourite thing you own and why?

 I’d have to say my Bullet Journal – it really lets me plan my days so much more efficiently then a regular planner. I’ve actually almost finished it so I’ll be getting a new one soon!

9. Any secret talents that no one knows about?

Honestly, I don’t think so – I’m a pretty open book! (😂 Great!)

10. Imagine you met the Genie, what are the three things you would wish for?

I’d probably wish for: World Peace, A Happy Family and for Others to be happy too!

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Be sure to check out Nabeeha’s blog, and other then that, thank you so much for reading! I hope you learned a bit more about me!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have a lovely day everyone!

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Hey everyone, welcome or welcome back to Zainab Chats! Today, I decided to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award, I’ve been nominated for this but I haven’t had the time to do them, so today I’ll be participating in this award! Thanks so much to aprilnovaz for tagging me! Let’s jump into it!

Rules:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions given to you.
• Nominate 11 other bloggers and write them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the sunshine blogger award logo in your blog post.

Aprilnovaz’s Questions:

1. What inspired you to start blogging?
   I actually just saw so many videos coming up on Youtube about starting a blog, so I decided to start one and it’s one of my best decisions ever!
2. What is your favourite colour?
   My favourite colour is definitely either Rose-Gold or Pink!
3. What is one place that you would love to visit?
   I would definitely love to go to Los Angeles or even anyway in the USA! The USA looks so cool and I would love to visit there one day!
4. What is one thing that you believe society should stop doing?
   I feel like society should definitely stop stereotyping! So many people create stereotypes and I wish everyone could just accept eachother for being unique!
5. What is your favourite song at the moment?
   Honestly, I don’t really listen to music, so nothing at the moment!
6. What is your favourite movie?
   I have two favourite movies! The first is Avengers Endgame as I’m a huge Marvel fan! The second is Aladdin (2019)!
7. What do you love doing in your spare time?
   In my spare time, I love blogging! I’ve been doing more and more of it lately because of everything that’s been happening in the world!
8. What languages can you speak or are learning?
   Obviously English and also Urdu! I’m currently learning German!
9. What is something you could not live without?
   I couldn’t live without my family and friends, I don’t know what I’d do without them!
10. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
    The craziest thing I’ve ever done is going on the world’s fastest roller coaster in Abu Dhabi!
11. What is your favourite quote and why?
    My favourite quote is definitely ‘When The Whole World Is Silent, Even One Voice Becomes Powerful!’ It’s by Malala Yousafzai and it’s so empowering and always motivates me to speak my mind!

Nominees:
Catherine
Anna
Hannah
Christina
Imaan
The Wheelchair Teen
Maryam
Meghan
Beth
Isabella Kate
Pati

My Questions:

1. How are you today?
2. Why did you decide to start blogging
3. What’s your favourite book?
4. What’s your favourite movie?
5. How are you feeling about the current world situations right now?
6. What’s one country you want to go?
7. Where’s the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
8. Favourite subject in school?
9. What’s your favourite meal?
10. How long have you been blogging for?
11. What’s your biggest fear?

Thanks so much for reading, I hope you guys enjoyed it!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have an awesome day!

Teen Girl Christmas Gift Guide 2020

Hello everyone, welcome or welcome back to Zainab Chats! Since Christmas is coming up, I thought I’d share a little gift guide to what teen girls would want – also this list doesn’t just apply to Christmas. You can use it for birthdays or other events for family members too! Let’s jump into it!

Photo Frame:
We all love keeping our memories safe; so getting a cute Photo Frame with a picture with you and your friend will be sure to make their day!

Journal or Planner:
Since Christmas is near the end of the year, getting your friend a journal or planner will definitely help keep organised for the next year; the bullet journal I have I actually bought for myself!

A Book:
For that friend that loves to read, a book will never go wrong! You could even gift them one of your books if it’s in good condition!

Stationary:
I think most people have that one friend who loves stationary; I know I do! So try treating them to something like a stationary kit!

Beauty Products:
For a friend who loves going out a lot and getting dressed up; try getting them some perfume or lotion or anything along those lines!

Tech Products
If you have a friend or family member whose in need of headphones or anything tech related, try getting them a charger or heaphones! Only do this if you have a bit of money to spare though!

Something Homemade
Finally, this applies to everyone but you will make anyone smile just by making anything homemade; whether it’s a card or present!

So, here are some things that are guaranteed to make a teen girl smile with their present for an event or birthday!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Pinterest – To see my boards and pins!
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have a lovely day!

Positive Affirmations

Hey everyone, welcome or welcome back to Zainab Chats! Happy December! To start off the month , I’m going to share with you guys some positive affirmations to get you in the right mindset for the week, let’s jump into it!

Just Do It!
This is such a great affirmation! Anything you have to do this week, you should do it! Go on and get it done!

I Can Do It!
If you have anything you’re finding hard or upsetting this week, just remember this: ‘I Can Do It!’ It will definitely give you more of a motivational boost.

I Am Enough!
Whenever you feel like you’re not doing the best you can just remember you’re doing the best you can. Just say in your head ‘I Am Enough!’

Stay Positive!
Now, I know you’re probably familliar with this affirmation as I say it at the end of every blog post! Any time you’re feeling upset just say, ‘ Stay Positive!’

Those are all the affirmations for today, let me know if you’d like me to do a part two!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Pinterest – To see my boards and ideas
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have a great week!

Blogger’s Confessions With Meghan from Meghan’s Teen Life

Hey guys it’s Zainab! Today I’m going to be interviewing teen blogger: Meghan from the blog Meghan’s Teen Life! Let’s get into it!

1. Thank you so much for being interviewed Meghan! Can you start off my sharing with my readers a bit about you and a little bit of your blogging journey?
   Yes, of course!! Hi everyone! I’m Meghan from Meghan’s Teen Life. I run a blog and instagram account that launched in the middle of February this year! My platforms focus on giving advice to teenagers like me. I often share my own experiences which has boosted my confidence since launching my blog!
2. Your blog has over 200 followers – what advice would you give to new bloggers to grow to that following?
   Instagram really helped with my engagement early on. Before I launched my site, I connected with a few teen bloggers on instagram who turned what would have been a zero into 5 or 10 for my first few weeks of blogging!! Don’t get me wrong, I did not grow at all at first; it took me three months to reach 25 followers on my blog! Know that your content will improve over time, which will help you gain followers, so be patient!!
3. You’ve mentioned quite a few times on your blog that you don’t really enjoy school, what made you want to start your blog then as writing is obviously a huge part of blogging!
   It’s actually hilarious that you bring that up, Zainab!! I really do complain about school a lot, which begs to question: Why do I blog? My hatred for school stemmed out of the social aspect. I am not a sociable person, so being crammed in a building with 800 kids really stressed me out. I was always miserable in school because of that, not to mention the fact that homework is the worst! Despite that, I love to write. I’ve always been into writing, so it made perfect sense for me to have a blog!
4. Also, you’ve written a whole blog post about how nobody you know actually knows about your blog; what prompted you to make the decision on keeping your blog private?
   I wanted to write about my relationships, and to do that comfortably, I figured that it was best that no one knew about my blog. I wanted to write about my relationships, and to do that comfortably, I figured that it was best that no one knew about my blog. I’m also a very private person in general, who hates any attention on myself. Not that anyone in my school would care, but I would feel rather self conscious and my writing wouldn’t be terribly open and honest.

Thanks so much for coming on the blog Meghan! Be sure to check out her blog and Instagram!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Pinterest – To see my boards and ideas
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have an amazing day!

Top 3 Positive Room Decor Ideas | AD

Hi everyone, it’s Zainab, welcome or welcome back to Zainab Chats! Today, I’m going to be sharing with you decor ideas to brighten up your room; also this post is in collaboration with the brand Photowall! However, we will talk about that later so let’s jump into it!

Fairy Lights:

We all love adding some brightness into our rooms, so these fairy lights will be sure to add some sparkle into your room! You could find them at any craft shop!

Book Shelf:

For any of you readers out there, a bookshelf is efficient and aesthetically pleasing! You can also customise yours with bookends and more!

Poster / Print:

Thanks to Photowall for partnering with me for this final idea! A poster is a great way to spruce up your room! That’s why I’ve loved going to onto the Photowall website and choosing a poster! Honestly, they’ve had endless designs and patterns to choose from; I had a hard time deciding! When the package arrived, it came with really simple and easy instructions with how to mount it on my wall! Of course, I had to get you guys a discount code in time for Black Friday! You can use the code: zainabchats25 to get 25% off for the next month!

Thanks so much for reading this post guys, I hope you have enjoyed; remember to check out Photowall if you haven’t already!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Pinterest – To see my boards and ideas
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have an great day!

This post is a gifted collaboration with Photowall however all opinions and views expressed were my own and were genuine.

Answering Your Anonymous Questions

Hey guys, today I’m going to be answering your anonymous questions that you guys asked on Tellonym! Let’s get into it!

How Do Your Friends Describe You?
My friends will probably describe me as extremely loud, normally very energetic and crazy at times!

Who Can You Count On?
Honestly, I’m so lucky to be able to count on so many people, such as my family and friends! Even in something like the blogging world I have so many friends who have given me so much advice!

What Was The Last Thing You Ate?
As I’m writing this, the last thing I ate was my breakfast – which is usually Coco Pops cereal!

Do You Think It’s Important How People Present Themselves On Social Media?
I totally think it is, these days there are so many people on Social Media and quite a few of them are haters therefore it’s really important to present yourself well on Social Media, especially since there is more and more adversity on there every day.

Would You Like To Have Pets?
I actually did used to have two pet rabbits; but they were a huge responsibility and because of things happening at home, the timing just wasn’t right to have pets so unfortunately we had to give them away, but at least they both have more attention now! I actually used to be sad about giving them away so I said they passed away to remove the guilt, but know I know it’s best for them! Proving that everything happens for a reason!

Are You Scared Of The Dentist?
Yes! I’m so scared of the dentist, it just scares me how someone is poking around in my mouth!

What’s Your Favourite Word?
My favourite word would probably be ‘nifty!’ It kind of means interesting, I’m not actually sure if it’s a real word but I use it a lot!

What Word Do You Say The Most?
The word is say the most is probably ‘basically!’ I use that word a lot to explain things to people!

Do You Usually Eat Breakfast Every Morning?
Yeah I do! I love eating breakfast, it’s definitely one of the things that gives me energy in the morning! Like they say, ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day!’

So guys that’s some of the anonymous questions, if you want me to do a part 2 let me know in the comments!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Pinterest – To see my boards and ideas
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have an great week!

Blogger’s Confessions With Maryam From Infinitely A Daydreamer

Hey everyone it’s Zainab, today I’m getting to interview one of my great blogging friends: Maryam from Indefinitely A Daydreamer! Let’s get into this interview!

Thanks so much for agreeing to be interviewed, let’s start by you telling my readers a bit about yourself and your blogging journey?

Thank you for having me on your blog Zainab and hello to everybody reading!

I’m Maryam- a minimalist, intersectional feminist, lifestyle + wellness blogger and creatively driven teen from sunny Sydney. I’m an aspiring interior designer and self proclaimed iced coffee fanatic. I’ve been blogging over at infinitelyadaydreamer for over five years now. It’s a home for all my internal musings and has brought me community.

A fun fact about my journey is that I started off as a gaming blogger! I was ten years old and quite in love with movie star planet. It was essentially a fan page. I had come across an ad for WordPress while browsing online and figured I’d make my own site as it seemed like a mature, adult thing to do!

Your blog has over 900 followers, very close to 1000, what strategies did you use to grow your blog to this many followers?

I’m currently about forty followers away from a thousand and am mindblown when I contemplate this figure!

I have a considerably larger following on my Instagram page but I’ve always considered blogging to be a more difficult pursuit. When you have a website there are many aspects to manage and be on top of. It’s not as simple as taking pretty pictures and waiting for a potential audience to click that follow button! It is, however, more than worth going the extra mile for. I started taking blogging more seriously early last year and that’s when the change happened. When I first started my blog growth was very slow to come. My site was unrefined, I had no defined niches and I certainly wouldn’t have followed me if I was in someone else’s position. My content at that point didn’t offer anything of value to the reader.

I’ve worked hard to make sure my blog posts are worth my reader’s time and that I pass on a lesson, teachable moment or add to their day, even in ways subtle.I post consistently three times a week and use a mixture of stock and my own images throughout my website. This gives my posts a polished, professional look whilst allowing my audience to get to know me. I like to strike a balance and post on both serious and light hearted topics. It is important to me that I cross boundaries and appeal to a wider audience than just teenagers.

Lastly, I am to always represent myself in a way that speaks to who I truly am. I want to be authentic and let my audience know that I am person just like them. I laugh, I cry, I make mistakes, I have days where I feel on top of the world.

On your blog, you talk a lot about minamalism in life, how did you get involved with this lifestyle?

I discovered minimalism in 2017 and it changed my life in remarkable ways. I used to be someone who hung onto every little trinket and momento. My bedroom was chock full of them. It was suffocating both physically and mentally- to further illustrate this point, I even found a letter received from an ex!

This was a turning point. I realised that I needed to make a big lifestyle change. I did my research, watched some documentaries and slowly but surely started to live again. I emptied my closet, my desk drawers and ruthlessly culled when and where needed. I gave my space a thorough clean and made a commitment to change my ways. I chose minimalism because it is an enabler, not a disabler. It brings a higher sense of clarity and purpose to all those who pursue it. At its core, minimalist living denotes the intentional promotion of what is most valuable and the subtraction of what distracts from that. Minimalism invites you to come as you are and slowly begins to affect change in youre lofe.

For the final question, for those of you who have seen Maryam’s blog her blog design is amazing, how did you come up with your amazing blog design?

You are so lovely! Thank you for the kind words. I designed my blog graphics a couple of years back and rework the layout when I feel like a fresh look is needed on the blog. I stick to a simple palette of grey, white and gold florals as this is timeless and I am identifiable by this. Essentially, it’s my signature look 🙂

Being a minimalist I value simplicity. This is what I find the most beauty in- uncomplicated design with no frills and no fuss!

Guys that’s everything, but you should definitely check out Maryam’s blog, and get her to 1 thousand followers!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Pinterest – To see my boards and ideas
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have an amazing day!

Life Upate

Hey everyone it’s Zainab, today I thought it’s been a while since I’ve done a Life Update and a lot has been happening lately so I thought I’d just sum it up in one post!

2nd Covid Lockdown:
Okay, so the main thing I have to talk about in this post is the 2nd UK National Lockdown! Honestly, I don’t know how I feel, it hasn’t changed much for me as they have kept schools open. To be honest, I really wished schools closed – I love school however in my school we have already had some cases which I’m kind of nervous about but hopefully everything will be fine.

Starting Back At School:
So I’ve been back at school for around 2 months now and I’ve already had my half term! I’m currently in Year 9 which means I’ve started learning my GCSE Content. I definitely think this year will be my year at school! At the end of the holidays, I set myself goals for this school year and for the first half term I have managed to achieve them! The only one I didn’t manage to do is extra curricular activities as they have unfortunately been cancelled.

Exercise:
I have no idea why but lately I’ve seemed to want to work out more and more, I think it’s probably as I’ve been eating a lot of unhealthy stuff recently! The workouts are definitely helpful, however some days I’m motivated some I’m not, so if you have any tips let me know below!

Starting A Bullet Journal:
So, I’ve recently started a bullet journal and I’ve really been enjoying it! I love how you are free to choose whatever spreads you want or how you want to decorate it!

So guys that’s everything I’ve needed to update you guys on, let me know below how all of your lives are going!

You want to see more of me and get exclusive updates on my blog? Well check out my socials!
Instagram – For exclusive updates on posts
Goodreads – You can see any books I’ve read or even recommend me one!
Pinterest – To see my boards and pins!
Contact Me if you would like to collaborate or have any other inquiries
Any suggestions or feel like chatting? Comment down below!

Have a lovely day!