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About blogmaja.de

This is me: Maja Ruprecht, 20 years old. Student of physics at the university of Potsdam, Germany. With a special liking for journalism and photography.

You’re sitting in front of a mountain of books and don’t know why you should learn all that stuff in the first place? Hi, I’m Maja Ruprecht and I’m going to show you that it’s not about what you learn. It’s about you realising:

  1. Learning goes far beyond school and training/studies.
  2. Actually, we learn our whole life.
  3. And above all: learning can be a lot of fun.

Only when you internalise this will you succeed in the long run in really enjoying life again during this time. And that’s what I’m here for. blogmaja.de is aimed at pupils, students and anyone interested in a new, exciting perspective on learning. Here you will find tips on time management, important methods or simply funny stories that have certainly happened to all of us at one time or another – and from which I have taken a lot away for myself. In the category ‘things to know’, you’ll also find exciting information on all kinds of topics that I’ve come across in school and university.

As a former A-level student and physics student, I know all too well how stressful and overwhelming the demands on you can sometimes be. All the more important that you do something about it. In order to be able to support you as best as possible with my blog, I welcome any new article ideas and questions from you at kontakt (AT) blogmaja _punkt_ de.

Are you curious? Click here to go directly to my blog. Or would you like to know more about me and my experience with learning? Then just read on 🙂

School stress and dreams for the future

On my first day of school, I came home exclaiming, “School is the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life!” This seemed to be true for primary school, but as I progressed through the grades, I found out (better late than never!) that school is just not a bed of roses – especially if you want to be an exemplary student. More homework, more projects, more stress. The sheer volume of tasks in the eleventh grade had taken me by surprise. Still knowing that really every grade would play a role in my A-levels didn’t make things any better.

Then I was glad when I finally got home and could just enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest – I grew up in the Dübener Heide. Here I learned to keep myself busy at an early age. Cycling tours in summer and writing stories in winter have been among my favourite pastimes for years now. It was the first Corona Lockdown 2020 that gave me a precious ten weeks of time at home. For the first time since I started sixth form, I was bored. And out of this boredom came the idea for my own online blog. (You can read the whole story here).

The weeks passed, the first wave of Corona was followed by the second, and before I knew it, I was in twelfth grade. My blog grew and not infrequently brought me a much-needed break from the school routine. Here, I could write what I wanted and how I wanted – without the pressure of grades in the back of my mind. I got to know and love the feeling of having a writing flow again and knew at some point: that’s exactly what I want to do. Journalism.

But what about my dream of studying physics? Of course, I didn’t want to give that up either. I still hope to overcome the cliché of the chaotic physics professor one day. Although my maths teacher always claimed that my notes really looked like those of a university professor, we all know: only a genius masters chaos. I researched and found the profession “science journalist”. I smiled. Yep, that’s where I saw myself.

A-levels and then?

I couldn’t dream my dream for long, because school demanded my full attention in the pre-A-level phase. Much to the chagrin of my blog. It was impossible for me to post a new article every week. But school was at the top of my priority list. And time flew by. The second semester had hardly begun when it was over. And I found myself in the middle of exams. I got through them all. With my graduation certificate in my hand, I officially left the Luther Melanchthon Gymnasium on 09/07/2021. Twelve years of school were over.

But my blog is far from over. There is so much in my head that I took away from school and individual subjects that would simply be too bad not to share. I mean, it’s a win-win situation after all: here I can pursue my hobby of writing and at the same time make your learning life a little easier – at least that’s my hope. The blog reminds me every day of the funniest days in the classroom, of my devoted learning overviews, of special school projects and, last but not least, of the people who had a strong influence not only on my school days but also on me.

I love to indulge in thoughts, but reality is usually different. After two and a half years of studying physics, I have not only learned a lot about physical and mathematical problems, but above all a whole lot about myself. Even though I always thought I could organize myself well, I have to admit: this degree demands a lot from me. I didn’t develop my photography skills or contribute to the student magazine. I merely tried to get through the semesters as happily as possible. And I’m still learning how to do that best.

I know that this time (our school and training/study time) is one of the most intense times of our lives and goes by insanely fast. So I don’t intend to waste it. And neither should you. Rediscover the real main aspect of learning, learning new skills and new knowledge, and start loving it. Sure, it’s easier said than done with all the stress and social pressure. But you are not the only person who feels this way. Share with fellow human beings. Start studying for yourself again and not just for grades. Find a balance. And discover your passion. Start now. Or as my experimental physics professor said last semester:

“Take a look at it. Try to understand it. I know it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to take a couple of years. But start today.”

With this in mind, I wish you every success and lots of fun while browsing.

Yours

Maja-Sign