How I Use my iPad for Grad School | Back to (Grad) School

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Hello, friends! Kicking off September with a little back-to-school mini series that I'm excited to share with all of you. If you're new around here, I am currently a 3rd year PhD student and use my iPad religiously - As in pretty much every single day for upwards of 10 hours a day. I would say I use my iPad even more than I use my actual laptop - my iPad goes everywhere with me!

My iPad Set-up

• 12.9 inch iPad Pro, 256 GB

• Apple Pencil 2

• Apple Pencil case

• Thin case from Amazon

• Matte screen protector

P.S. If you’re curious about the apps I use on my iPad, I wrote another post about the iPad apps I use for grad school: What’s on my iPad?

I use the ipad with an apple pencil and y'all - it is a life changer. I highly recommend getting the apple pencil with the ipad if you're someone draws, writes, or takes a lot of notes on books/documents for either your job or just in your personal life. Although all the extra cases and screen protectors aren't necessary, for me, they are 110% worth it because they make writing on the ipad a closer experience to writing on paper.

You definitely do not have to go as over the top as I have with the biggest size ipad as well as a more storage space but since I was such an avid user of my previous ipad and apple pencil, I decided to go big in the hopes that this ipad & pencil combination will last me for many more years - hopefully well into my academic career post graduate school as well. I previously used a similar setup just with the smaller 9.7 inch 6th generation iPad and the 1st generation apple pencil but after hours and hours of use each day, I decided that a bigger setup was ideal for my use case.

If you're a graduate student or an instructor at a university also remember that apple has an education discount of 10% off most products so if you're considering buying a newer model, definitely buy off of their education store to save some money!

Why you should consider an iPad for grad school:

• Mobility & Accessibility: you can bring it literally anywhere. Remember the days when you used to drag around 3+ textbooks to school and back? Well, those days are gone. Depending on what you're studying, you might be reading books or you might be reading tons of journal articles (me!) - either way, if you're in grad school you're doing a TON of reading and being able to grab one device that has all of my notes, books, and articles in it is pretty darn magical.

• Sustainability & Reducing Clutter. This goes hand in hand with the first point but reducing the number of articles you need to print out or physical books you need to buy is saving the environment and saving yourself from a whole lot of clutter (marie kondo would be proud). Nowadays, if I get a piece of paper in class, I'll try to take a scan photo of it and put it on my ipad because I know it'll end up getting lost in the clutter otherwise.

• Syncing. There are some definite benefits to going digital with your notes and one of those benefits is that your notes syncs between all of your devices (usually haha). Every app I use to take notes, make to do lists, or write assignments also has a phone and computer app that allows me to pick up right where I left off each time.

• Multiple uses. I've found that there are SO many different uses for my ipad even outside of day to day work life. I use it regularly to watch TV while I'm running around the house, I use it to doodle and color to destress, and I've even started editing videos on my ipad since converting to online lecturing. I'm always discovering more and more uses for it which makes it pretty worth the money for me.

• Saves money in the long-term. As a BIG ex-stationary and planner addict (ummmm if in doubt please see blog evidence: here, here, here, and here - oops) the number of office things I no longer buy is literally astounding. I've pretty much eliminated the need for any printer paper, printer ink, folders, pens, notebooks, planner, staplers - etc. On top of that, any textbook or personal book I want to buy immediately gets purchased in kindle format which is always available at a lower price point than its physical counterparts.

How I use my iPad for Grad School.

• As a planner. This is the primary way in which I use my ipad and it has truly changed the way I work. Prior to getting my ipad, I was a bit planner obsessed. TBH I still am. BUT having an ipad has allowed me to have all my planner fun on a digital device that doesn't clutter up my 2 bedroom apartment :) I know I probably could have converted to planning my life digitally a long time ago, but there's something about actually writing on a physical page that is a lot more satisfying. For me, having the apple pencil and 12.9 inch ipad is the closest to mimicking a real paper planner I've experienced and is finally close enough for me to nix paper planners.

• Reading journal articles & textbooks. In grad school, you read A LOT. Think hundreds, if not thousands, of pages per week. I remember when I used to download articles for seminars and breathe a sigh of relief when the page count was under 200! nuts, I know. On top of the obvious environmental benefits, being able to take notes in a digital format means you can write all over the document, highlight things that are important, type your notes, erase mistakes, and even record audio of lectures and discussions. I use an app called Notability that allows you to do everything I mentioned above. It's a paid app but it is WELL worth it.

• Teaching. I started teaching this semester and have just newly started recording lectures by using the screencapture feature on my ipad. Because I use screencapture on my ipad rather than my computer, it's super easy for me to use my apple pencil to highlight important parts of my lecture slides and add additional notes while lecturing.

• As a second screen. This is a feature I had NO idea was even on the ipad when I bought it, but you can actually use your ipad as a second screen for your macbook through apple airplay. This has been such a life saver when I'm working outside of the home in a coffee shop (pre-pandemic) or even outside when the weather's nice!

• As a notebook for pretty much everything! I used to scrapbook, journal, and jot notes for work and school in a bajillion (very scientific calculation) notebooks or post-it stacks haha - but now I've been able to eliminate most of that with my ipad and pencil. I definitely still have moments where I love to journal on paper, but it's so comforting to have all of my random notes collected in the same place so I'm not digging around my office before heading out the door!

Phew! That was a long one haha. Who knew I had so many thoughts about my ipad?! Obviously an ipad is an expensive purchase and it may not be for everyone, but in my own grad school experience, it has simplified and streamlined my work and personal life immensely. Anyway, I hope this was helpful to all of you! Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions about my grad school ipad setup!

If you liked this post, you might also like: What’s on my iPad, Grad Student Edition!

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My Monolid Lash Extension Experience [Updated]

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Hello, friends! I've shared my lash extension review in the past and thought I'd share a little update since my first review post. Since then, I've had many (maybe too many!) more lash extension experiences and thought I'd share an updated version of my lash extension shenanigans. It's been a love/hate relationship and with all the new lash-related services out there it is so, so difficult to figure out which one is better for your eye shape and frankly your lifestyle!

If you want to read more about the whole lash extension process, check out my first post ( Something New: Eyelash Extensions). This one will be a bit of a rambly add-on that extends on my experiences after that!

A Little Preamble.

I started experimenting with lash extensions in 2017 but really didn't dive headfirst into my lash extension obsession until last year. I think I got lash extensions maybe 2-3 (?) times in 2017 but never thought it was worth doing regularly because of the cost and how uncomfortable they could be at times. I also never thought they were worth the cost because while they did make my eyelashes look longer, the difference wasn't as dramatic as I'd hoped it would be - given the price point. This is largely because with monolids, your eyelids push down your lashes so that no matter how long your extensions, they're still not as noticeable as they would be on someone with a different eye shape.

Lash Obsessed.

Last year, I started getting lash extensions regularly because I received a set of lashes that were super long and beautiful. I could tell that they were actually noticeable (even with my heavy monolids) and absolutely loved how low maintenance my makeup routine became after getting a fresh set of lash extensions. Although at times they were a little uncomfortable and they were still pricey - I felt like I was getting more out of my money when you could actually see them when my eyes were open.

Things Get Icky.

During these 8 months, I got my lashes filled every 2-3 weeks and usually paid somewhere between $55-$80 to get them filled. From what I can tell, that's not too bad of a price point for lash fills, but I started to run across more and more issues as time went on.

It started with minor things. I couldn't really wear my glasses or sunglasses properly because the lashes were so long that they'd interfere with my ability to push my glasses up. I was always wearing my glasses at the very tip of my nose - and as someone who is nearly legally blind, this was an issue.

With all lash extensions, you're also told you can't rub your eyes. Don't get me wrong, I know that you shouldn't rub your eyes all the time but there are certainly times where you really just want to get in there and make sure you've got all your makeup off!

After having these super heavy lash extensions for months, I realized that the glue that was holding them onto my lashes was starting to clump together which (a) looked awful and (b) was painful at times if the glue was angled in a way that caused it to irritate my eye. Having all of that glue stuck up there also started to obstruct my vision so I had the whole lot of them removed to give my eyes a break.

Things Get Ickier

After giving my lashes a bit of a break, I visited a different place to try out a new set of lash extensions (they're addicting - eek!) and learned that my lashes were horribly weak and short, so they were only able to put very short, light extensions on my lashes. I totally understand the need for keeping your lashes healthy, but for me, these short extensions were not worth it at all - frankly, you couldn't even tell that they were even there.

Things get worse though! After a couple of weeks of having lighter extensions on, my eyes started to have a massive allergic reaction. I ended up removing all of the extensions on my own because my eyelids were puffing up in response to the lashes? the glue? who knows?! After removing the extensions, my eyelids continued to puff and also started to peel and pus (yikes). This continued for months. Months y'all. It may be hard to tell that my eyes are puffy in the photos below, but given that I have monolids normally and some of these photos make it look like I have double eyelids....? It's pretty clear that there was some crazy puffing going on.

The Pros.

• I'm not going to lie, when I wasn't busy having an allergic reaction to the extensions, I really loved the long wispy lash look. It made getting ready in the morning pretty damn easy and if I ever had to stumble out of the house, I already felt like I was halfway done with the get ready process. I loved them enough to overlook a lot of irritating things about them.

The Cons.

• It's expensive, y'all. I've paid somewhere between $80-$150 for a full set of lashes and anywhere between $40-$80 for a fill.

• For my monolidded asian friends out there: if you live in a predominantly white area, be aware that lash places may not have the right lash extensions for you. Extensions are available in a lot of different types of curls but most places I went to in my super white midwestern city only carry a limited number of curl types that are not necessarily suited to monolid eye shapes. I'm convinced that if I had received eyelash extensions with a different curl shape (e.g., more of a J shape than a C shape) I wouldn't have had as many issues with obstructed vision and extensions hitting my glasses.

• A lot of small nuisances like not being able to use mascara, having the lashes hit my glasses, getting lashes stuck in towels, lashes obstructing my vision.

• Obviously the less than ideal allergic reaction that caused my eyelids to peel for nearly 2 months straight. 😝

• If you have naturally short lashes and you want your lashes to remain healthy, you're not going to be able to get the same drama out of your lashes that you could out of false lashes or even lots of mascara & curling. You could, of course, destroy your lashes (like I did) but clearly that's unsustainable 😅

• The lash extensions never lasted as long as the lash places said they would. They are supposed to last 4-6 weeks with the appropriate care but I swear that most of the time mine were 50% gone by week 2 - even with the appropriate care.

Final Verdict.

Alright, I know I've said a lot of bad things about my lash extension experience, but I haven't sworn off of them entirely. I still think they're a great option for special occasions like going on vacation, a wedding, etc - but it'll no longer be a regular part of my routine. In my experience, it wasn't the best fit for my monolids and they were more of a hassle and more expensive than they're really worth.

Buuuuuuuuut.... part of the reason I'm no longer regularly getting lash extensions is because I've found a new lash routine that I love love love even more and will be sharing soon - so, stay tuned! 🙂

*Updated check out my new lash routine here: My Lash Lift Experience + Mini Grande Lash Review

Work from Home Tips | Be Kind to Yourself!

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With the work from home trend becoming a long term thing and a new normal for many people across the globe, I've seen a lot of articles pop up with tips and tricks for working from home (WFH). Although I am a big believer in the WFH lifestyle, a lot of the guidelines out there about working from home tend to focus overwhelmingly on being productive rather than on maintaining balance. I spend about 90% of my time working from home as a PhD student and I've tried just about every WFH tip out there over the past 3-4 years! Over time, what I've realized is that, for me, one of the best things about being able to work from home is the ability to embrace balance and health - rather than constantly trying to maintain motivation! So, here are my tips for working from home - with a self-compassion spin :)

Relax your routine. While you might aspire to have the same 9-5 type hours as you would working from an office, working from home is a totally new normal that requires time to get used to! I'm fortunate enough to be able to control the hours I work as long as I get my work done which means that, sometimes, if I don't feel motivated in the mornings, I'll work at night - or vice versa. Right now, in the summer, I prefer spending a couple of hours a day outside and swap those for hours spent working in the evening. I realize a lot of people who are working from home are still be tied to a 9-5 style workday so it may not be possible to rearrange your hours a whole lot - but you can still try and relax your routine when it comes to the types of tasks you do or the meetings you take. If you find virtual meetings exhausting maybe try and schedule them for a day/time when you know you'll feel more well-rested or if you normally tackle emails first thing in the morning and simply don't feel ready for them one morning, go with the flow and tackle them at a later time. Oftentimes, I think we have a tendency to want to follow a clear, rigid schedule but our bodies and minds don't always work like that and it's especially important to embrace those ups and downs amidst the changing environment we're now facing.

Work somewhere you want to be. This goes hand in hand with the point above about going with the flow! Overwhelmingly we're told to be stricter with our schedules and to create a space that is designated for work so that we'll be more motivated and productive. While I agree that there are some tasks that require focus and need a dedicated work space, in reality, when I worked in an office, I often still spent time in conference rooms, on couches, or even on outdoor patios changing up my space to try and spice up what can otherwise be a long, boring workday. I do the same thing now while working from home. While it's true that working from your bed probably isn't the best idea - that doesn't mean you have to be chained to a designated work desk! During my work days I usually switch up my location at least 2-3 times. Sometimes, I prefer working at the kitchen table, other times I'm lazing about on the couch or working on the floor - wherever strikes my fancy that day. I find that listening to my own mind and working from where I want to be in the moment usually makes me a happier worker.

Find your music. Working from home during quarantine kind of feels like a never-ending work fest sometimes when there's nowhere to go, you go to sleep after work, and just repeat the whole thing over again. Whenever I'm feeling really blah and frustrated by the monotony, I play music to try to get me out of my funk. It can be whatever motivates you!

Get a bit of sunshine. This one is self-explanatory, but even if you aren't able to go outside (and maybe you don't want to because going outside can be super stressful at this time!) it's still worth it to spend a little bit of time in the sunshine - whether that's over lunch or while you're responding to 1000000 emails :) The sun always does wonders for my mood if I'm feeling down!

Hydrate. Working from home + boredom = LOTS of snacking (at least for me!). To try to curb this, I focus on drinking water (or if I'm feeling fun, a sparkling water + a splash of juice) rather than snacking. This helps to curb all my snacking, gives me something to focus on when I'm bored with my work, and is a whole lot healthier than my old granola bars + chips + anything available in the fridge habit :)

Take care of yourself before you take care of others. This is a piece of advice that I'm still in the process of integrating into my own life because it's hard to remember, yet so important! I have a really bad habit of rolling out of bed and tackling work first thing in the morning, but I've realized that that leaves me extremely frustrated and irritable whenever I run into any work-related roadblocks. Taking care of myself makes me feel better prepared for taking on any stressful roadblocks work might throw at me. P.S. taking care of yourself can mean anything you need. For me, most days involve a workout & a shower plus some time spent tidying up my apartment. Taking care of my space and feeling clean before tackling work both make me feel more capable and ready for the day.

Be kind to yourself. This might seem like a simple statement but it is SO hard to remember! We are harsher on ourselves than we are on anyone else. Remember that you are adjusting to a new normal and it takes time to get used to. Remind yourself that you are NOT a machine so expecting yourself to be motivated and productive all day every day is unrealistic and completely unsustainable. You are always changing, your situation is changing, and you are doing the best that you can - so be kind to yourself ♥

Hope you all are staying healthy out there and practicing self-love ♥