How to Study Smart

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Why do some students study very hard, spending most of their time doing their revision but they aren’t the best in their study group? And why are there some students who only spend a fraction of the time studying but they often get good or even outstanding results? This was not due to the lack of natural talent in studies but it simply means that they have not found an effective tool which acts as a knack for understanding concepts and learning new ideas. One of the smart study habits is by using mind-map to promote effective and accelerated learning experience. A mind map is a useful web-like structure which emphasizes visual imagery that helps to engage in critical thinking and seeing a bigger picture. Empirically, mind-mapping is proven as an effective method of note-taking as an active learning (Abi-El-Mona and Abd-Ei-Khalick, 2008; Liu, Zhao and Ma et al., 2014). Mind mapping makes learning more vivid, thus promotes creative thinking and encourages brainstorming. Th
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A single word can kill somebody


“I love you so much just remember that please and I’m so sorry for everything.” An 18-year-old girl who experienced cyberbullying left her last words to her family before she shot herself in the chest (CBS News, 2016). The girl had experienced cyberbullying for more than a year and she had been receiving abusive text messages from an untraceable smartphone application. Although she changed her number, but she had always been victimized, which in fact pushed her over the edge to commit suicide.

Along with the increasing access to the Internet over recent years, there are growing number of risks for heavy Internet users, especially to the youngsters. Technology has been so advanced that there are no boundaries. It does not involve face-to-face communication and the people are so free to say and do whatever without thinking about its consequences. Yes, we do have freedom to express whatever we want to express but these rights could be beneficial but problematic at the same time.  

Cyberbullying is an intentional and deliberate behaviour carried out repeatedly over time which causes harm or even mental abuse to the victim online or offline. It causes pain to the victim psychologically and emotionally which drives them to the extent of their mind. That is the reason why there have been several high-profile cases which involves teenagers taking their own life because of being harassed and mistreated over the internet. According to National bullying survey done in 2016, 55% of the respondents have experienced social bullying, and 52% subjected to false rumours online while 46% were threatened (Bullying UK, 2016).

Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it can happen any time of the day or night with internet access. The common forms of cyberbullying include sending threatening text messages, spreading libellous rumours and gossip, blackmail and grooming, uploading inappropriate or humiliating images without permission or when comments get abusive. Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and it can go viral very fast. This has heavily influenced a person’s behavioural, identity and social development, particularly to the teenagers. However, the sad story is where the anonymous is often difficult and sometimes impossible to trace.

It has come to our attention that most of the people suffered cyberbullying in silence. They are hesitant to tell anyone when cyberbullying occurs as they think that it is an extreme embarrassment to themselves. Therefore, it is important for all of us to respond and address carefully, as the one beside you right now might have experienced it silently. Be the one who cures, rather than the one who hurts. One person’s joke could be another’s hurtful insult. Pick your words carefully before you tell as one’s lives is in your hand!

References

CBS News (2016) Cyberbullying pushed Texas teen to commit suicide, family says [online], Available at: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cyberbullying-pushed-texas-teen-commit-suicide-family/ [Accessed: 28th July 2017]

Bullying UK (2016) Bullying [online], 
Available at: http://www.bullying.co.uk/anti-bullying-week/bullying-uk-national-survey-2014/ [Accessed: 28th July 2017]
By: Yau Che Yan, BAF1541
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