Hello, today I am sharing with you an interview with Helin, a senior student of nutrition and dietetics, whom I met through her social media posts. Helin, who produces content on her Instagram account named “Obsessivedays”, has motivational energy with her “study with me” themed photos. In this interview, we talked about the productivity of studying on digital products such as tablets or laptops, tips on how to increase individual motivation, and the importance of internships during university years. For those who are interested in such topics, this blog may be attention-grabbing and useful. Have a pleasant reading!
Welcome, Helin!
First of all, thank you for accepting my invitation and participating in this interview. Today, with the increasing digitalization, the speed of integration of technological devices into our lives has also increased. In the minds of many people, there are thoughts that they cannot get enough efficiency when they study digitally. In your working space, tablets and laptops have a very important place in addition to stationery materials. What are your thoughts on this kind of working arrangement when you consider productivity?
To tell the truth, working in a digital environment was scary at first. My habit of paper and pen gave me the feeling that I would not get any efficiency. It was satisfying to touch the paper, take notes, and then store and accumulate those notes. But when you look at the sheer volume of notes and the space they take up, it can be seriously challenging in the long run when they become uncontrollable.
I remember searching for my notes for hours to access my ‘Physiology’ lecture notes when I was a 2nd-year university student. After finding my notes, I spent just as much time accessing the information on the subject I needed. Afterward, I decided to buy a tablet, thinking about how I could make this job easier. The decision to buy a tablet is a big part of my transition to digital space. Especially the tablet is literally at the center of my work. I access all my documents on the tablet. Then, my habit of using paper almost disappeared. Although I still cannot switch to digital space for keeping an agenda, I can say that have such an intention. In summary, I can say that the effects of the digital environment on me are completely positive.
If take a closer look at your account “Obsessivedays”, it is full of really inspiring and motivational content.
Do you have a mutually motivational interaction with your followers in this direction? If so, how does this relationship make you feel?
We definitely have an impact on motivation mutually. It feels incredibly good to know that there are people who see me working and sitting at the table simultaneously. It’s great to be together with a productive group of people who check whether I’m working or not when my posts decrease when finals week comes. In addition, it is an incredible feeling to contribute to people in a positive way. When my exam week is over, my activity decreases for a while. I start to slack off and my followers whose exams are still going on are unhappy. I feel responsible. There are times when I take my tablet and coffee and sit at the table to be inspired.
It is very important to keep a planned agenda in order to create and maintain an efficient and disciplined work routine. Are you a regular organizer user?
I can’t say that I use an agenda on a regular basis. I use it most actively during school times. But still, this situation does not make me lose the motivation to keep an agenda. When I first got into the habit of keeping an agenda, I lost motivation when didn’t keep it regularly. Now I use it to plan my day efficiently within my needs.
The benefits of doing a field-related internship during the university education, and the experience it adds to the individual are greatly valuable. What are your thoughts and recommendations on this subject?
The best thing about internships is that they allow for socialization. For this reason, I took care to choose all of my internships in different areas and in different locations. I think it is important for our communication skills. It is really good to increase our level of knowledge, but if we do not improve in transferring process, we may not get the efficiency we want. Therefore, it is so important to take an active role and communicate effectively during the internship. At the beginning of mine, I was worried about finding the best place but then realized that my effort is actually more important than the internship place. I tried to get involved in the process and embrace my job. It is much more efficient when you embrace it.
“For the internship application, I reached the competent people in the fields, wanted to work in via e-mail. The most important part is that I did this consistently. There were places where sent e-mails for months. And finally the happy ending. I was accepted.”
How do you find time to read books in this busy academic and internship schedule?
It is very difficult to find time to read books in my busy academic life. Actually, it might be more accurate to say that I don’t want to make time. It makes much more sense to read and repeat my lecture notes when I find a gap. Yes, it won’t be like reading a book, but I think my conscience is much more comfortable this way. I would like to add that the 4th grade is among my busiest years. In the past years of university, I was able to spend more time reading books, mostly by waking up a little earlier than the time I woke up in the morning.
Helin, the content you share on “Obsessivedays” also feels like it could give inspire “study with me” videos. Have you ever thought about making videos in this category for YouTube or do you already have something in the works? It might be a good idea.
I am glad that you think this way. I really enjoy making Study With Me videos, and also enjoy watching this type of content on other accounts, therefore, thinking about YouTube. I’m pondering about starting one, and while the idea of connecting more through videos feels great, I’m waiting for the right time.
Last but definitely least, what advice would you give to those who always intend to have a productive work routine but never get started?
In my opinion, ‘Stability’ and ‘Discipline’ are the most important elements of success. Little but constant, little but disciplined. I want to continue on from my experiences. I don’t wake up motivated every morning. Most mornings I find it hard to work. But imagine that I choose to work in the mornings when I wake up fully motivated. How productive do you think that would be?
When I put long periods of time between my work, it’s harder to start again and I forget more parts. This means that I have to put more effort into the next study. But when I created a study routine without waiting for motivation, I realized that I created a much more rational study style. And I did it with less fatigue.
I’m glad we had this pleasant conversation, Helin. I am sure it will be useful for many people. I wish you the best of luck in your successful life adventure!
- I hope I was able to convey myself efficiently. May Discipline and Stability always be with you.
