How To Feel Your Best When You're Not At Your Best: Tips for Deadling with Stress and Discontent

Growing up, my favorite activities were simple: dessert eating, computer game playing, and Disney World exploring. While meeting characters like Mickey and Minnie or gazing at firework shows that lit up the sky like the Las Vegas strip are just two of the multitude of things Disney is known for, my favorite parts were the rides (the bigger the better). I always closed my eyes on rollercoaster's, not because of fear, but because of the surprise element. Any second I could dip down to what appeared like hundreds of feet based off of my poor six-year-old judgment, and turn in four different directions in a matter of seconds. When the ride was over, I would beg my dad, my ride buddy, to wait in the block long line again with me. Ah, the memories. As I go through college admissions now, I realize life is a lot like roller coasters, only now I like to keep my eyes open. If the "good" parts of my life are the straight, smooth parts of the ride, then we I want to know exactly where the jerks and sharp turns are, so we can plan and adjust our lives accordingly. Unfortunately, no matter how many pairs of glasses we wear in hopes of identifying the twists and turns of life, we soon realize that even one pair is useless. Even after we get desperate and attempt to cup our hands in hope that The Force can help control our futures, we still find these outcomes surprising.

Not being able to identify these setbacks (or more, figure out how to solve them quickly), is where we begin to develop stress. We may dedicate tons of time and effort into our studies, sports, and instruments, and not be satisfied as to how our hard work is displayed to others if that's in a GPA, awards, or rankings.

I experienced struggles through both my academics and extracurricular activities the past school year. I found myself putting in quality work into my math classes (I took both Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra 2), my soccer, and my violin, only to get average results. There were multiple nights where I looked like Tom (pictured below), sitting on the floor of my bedroom at eleven o'clock at night, frustrated by the plethora of tests I had the next day and the little my Red Bull's were going to do to help me do well on them.

I always took the l(oss) after these nights.

There's a rainbow with every storm, however, and I found myself throughout the trimester using fewer and fewer tissues. Not necessarily because it got better, but because I learned how to cope, move on, and hope my next opportunity ends up better.

Even after hours of doing precalc problems and weekends filled with baseball games, we have little control as to how our hard work gets displayed, or if it pays off. However, we do have control as to how we react, learn, and reflect from the hardships that come with the rollercoaster of life. Use the following four tips will be able to help you stay sane and move on (sooner or later) to your next project of greatness.

Read:

Twenty minutes of relaxed reading in bed with freshly moisturized skin after a hot shower will not only relieve your stress but make your studying more focused as it clears your mind. Your worries become less about your precalc homework and more about if Gryffindor will win the quidditch match, if Thomas is going to survive the maze, if your dream couple is going to advance to the next base. But besides the distraction factor, there are also many health benefits to reading, one being boosting your brain power. There are wins all around from reading, my friends.

If reading isn’t your thing (yet), I recommend checking out Barnes and Noble’s or New York Times’ Bestseller Book Lists. Not only are they lists updated weekly at the minimum, they also provide summaries of all the books, keeping your search quick and convenient. Most of my reads come from one of these two lists, and the reviews from all my books read recently have been 13/10 would recommend.

Don’t Hype It Up in Your Mind

Going into AP exam season or your school musical’s opening week babbling with your peers about how stressful your week is isn’t going to bring Fairy God Mother's at you shoulder to get you through it. Oftentimes, we will spend more time complaining about the little time we have than trying to make the little time we have count, creating more problems for ourselves. In this time, you could be making flashcards for your US History exam, or write in fingerings for flute solo, anything that will lead to progress.

Sometimes, talking about stress, or believing you are stressed when your not, makes your physical stress symptoms even worse than they actually are. This sort of idea is discussed by Kelly McGonigal in her TedTalk “How to make stress your friend”, which is one of the favorites of the dozens I’ve watched. You can check the talk out here: https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend?language=e

Watch an episode of Drake and Josh (or other childhood shows)

The sight of youthfulness develops a grin on one’s face that’s brighter than the southern Florida sun.

Even if you claim to hate kids, you have to admit that listening to a four and five-year-old attempt to explain something to you, like their family life or a list of their favorite things is cute and captivating. They think they know so much, but in reality, know so little.

What makes watching childhood TV shows a great mechanism in battling is stress has a lot of benefits. There will be laughs, giggles, or small grins guaranteed, as you will begin to realize the numerous amounts of jokes that are AUO (“adult” understandable only) in addition to the exaggeration and ridiculousness of some of the plots. But because you’ve already seen most, if not all of the episodes at one point or another, you won’t binge watch an entire season of it the night before a big exam like some do with Grey’s Anatomy.

If TV watching wasn’t a big portion of your childhood, my show recommendations to start with would include Drake and Josh, iCarly, Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Spongebob Squarepants, and That’s So Raven. With one to two episodes a night, you should be able to get through a semester or two without a problem.

Volunteer

Recently, I started volunteering at a food pantry about three miles from my house. The pantry was set up like a little store, with shelves organized by their food types. My job was essentially grocery shopping for someone else. I took the clients through the pantry with a pre-approved list of items that they could get based off of their income and family size. “A simple and easy task to understand” a twelve-year long volunteer had told me. And simple it was.

Despite the simplicity of the task at hand, I soon enough found myself scheduling around the food bank’s schedule to go back again. Knowing that I helped a teenager concentrate on her homework instead of hunger, a little girl play more than complain, a mom work instead of search for food, left me feeling extremely fulfilled with a beaming smile to match.

A common reaction to heavy stress and frustration is crying. We cry, and cry, and cry when things that really mattered to us didn’t go our way. Volunteering changed that for me. Even after a tough day or week at school, helping at the food bank clouded those thoughts out of my mind. I found myself happy with myself despite all the mess-ups in my test scores or my performance in soccer, I did something correct.

So rather than finding a random one time opportunity that will give you community service to fulfill your National Honors Society requirement, go somewhere where the people really need it. Where families would starve without you, where elementary school students wouldn’t be able to do their homework without you, anything that makes you feel fulfilled when it’s over. Feeling that you did something great after multiple failures is the push you need to get through the stressful times sane.

The best rollercoaster’s in the world are the ones with dips, twists, and turns; some gradual, some fast, some sharp and unexpected. While some may still be on the uphill through college, others of us are in the busy section of the ride early on, with a sharp turn or big drop discouraging us from our goals and eating away our motivation.

But even if one mess up feels like the end of the world now, remember that you were born with so much strength and ability and that ability doesn’t have to be reflected in a piece of paper or a number. You are capable of so, so much. Keep grinding at what you do, but once a big test week is over or softball tryouts are finished, do something that brings you genuine joy, laughter, and happiness. You’ll get through it, and in the end, end up somewhere fantastic. I double pinky promise with a cherry on top.

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How to Balance School and College Applications

If you are like any high school senior or junior, the demands from inside and outside of the classroom combined with the pressures of getting into college can leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Seniors often feel that they have no way of balancing difficult academics, extracurricular, and college applications. Students should always try to start their applications in the summer in order to alleviate some of the work that comes in the fall. With essays, homework, exams, and extracurricular activities, it’s all about a balancing act in order to make the deadlines, This article will help you with how to balance because if you don’t balance, you’ll find that you may have missed something important in the end.

1. Get Organized

Getting organized is always the first step in finding balance. We have plenty of tools that can help you get organized. Start as simple as buying a planner from any office store or getting apps such as SoCal, Cal, Weekly Planner, etc;  in that has some sort of calendar to log all school assignments, application deadlines, and any important meetings or college interviews. Taking your time to organize your schedule and writing down everything you need to do will help you see what needs to get done. This schedule will allow you to get tasks done little by little. If you manage to all get papers, applications, and other assignments done before deadlines, you will be less stressed at the end the day.

2. Prioritize

When everything seems to be important, prioritizing assignments can often seem difficult. However, some assignments are more important than others. Learning to prioritize certain assignments and choosing what is most important will allow for students to not only alleviate stress but get you in bed before midnight. If you have an essay due in a week, this should have higher precedence over finishing some projects or applications that due in another month or two. Not only will you keep your grades up but you be able to work proficiently throughout the school year

3. Fight Senioritis

Don’t catch senioritis. Seniors fall victim as early as September of their senior year but when the second semester comes around, students get caught in a whirlpool. Senioritis will hurt your college admissions when you have to send in your final transcript. Students often make the mistake of waiting last minute to start on assignments and even college applications. Putting off these assignments will stress you out because these deadlines do come sooner than you think. Start your year off strong and stay motivated by keeping up with your deadlines and making sure that you do step back and take a breath.  Senior year is difficult and busy so make sure you have some fun.

I hope these tips will help you out this upcoming year. Leave a comment down below if you have any questions. And as always make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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12 Ways to Distract Yourself While Waiting for College Decisions

After consulting teachers for recommendations, filing the FAFSA, researching college admissions procedural advice, and refining your Common App or college-specific application, all that is left to do is wait.  The reality is that the result has moved beyond your control and in the hands of the admissions decisions committee, and the weeks-long waiting period can the hardest part of it all.

Given the fact that I am currently going through the college admissions process myself, I have compiled a short list of mindful things that I do, and affirmations that I keep, to ease my nerves during the selection process.  Hopefully, you will see these motivations personally fit upon awaiting your admissions decisions.

12 Ways to Keep Yourself Busy While Waiting for College Decisions

1. Remind yourself that it is not the end of the world.
   • Often, we may find ourselves overwhelmed with the over exaggerated notion of failure if we are not admitted into a specific university of choice. However, the label of a university cannot affirm nor defer your innermost worth.
2. Handwrite a list of positive affirmations and post them around your room.
   • I prefer to reaffirm myself of positive characteristics, as I believe it digs deeper than, and ultimately influences, compliments about physicality.
3. Create something, whether it be a painting, a journal entry, or a music mix.
4. Bake yourself a batch of cookies.
5. Remind yourself that everything happens for a reason.
   • No matter the outcome of the situation, it is important to remember that you are not always given the results that you want, but rather, the ones that you need.
6. Give yourself a spa treatment.
   • Physical self-care is just as important as spiritual self-care. Spa care can range anywhere from taking a bath to painting your nails.
7. Build a play fortress. Gather flashlights and read under it.
   • There is something pleasurably nostalgic about emulating a favorite activity from your childhood.
8. Take a spontaneous walk with no destination.
   • In a situation as demanding as college admissions, it is necessary to do something for yourself that does not involve intricate planning.
9. Talk with a friend or relative that you haven’t spoken to for a while.
   • Whether you ask the person specifically for advice pertaining to college admissions, or you’re catching up on life’s adventures, you will gain a new perspective from someone you haven’t heard from in a while.
10. Have a solo dance party to your favorite music playlist.
    • This is the best release after finishing a college supplemental essay.
11. Dress elaborately for the sake of dressing elaborately.
    • I truly believe in gained self-confidence through the expression of outerwear. If you enjoy doing your makeup, I would suggest doing your makeup fancily for a day, it is simply another esteem-boosting tactic.
12. Watch something on Netflix that you wouldn’t normally.
    • I find independent and international films to be particularly intriguing; you can gain new insight and it feels as though you traveled to a completely foreign place, all while sitting in your room.
13. • There are great instructional meditation videos available online for first-time meditators. My personal favorite instructor is Jazz of Life By Jazz.  I would also recommend reaching out to your local meditation classes or camps if you prefer meditating in a group setting.

All in all, keep busy.  Your life does not end the moment that you apply for colleges and restart when you attend it, so you should value every allot of time during this process towards self-improvement and productivity.  The college admissions process is an exciting, unparalleled once-in-a-lifetime event.  There is no need to worry, you will end up right where you need to be.

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Five Apps Every Student Should Have

Apps every student should have…or at least know about. We all have those apps that are just fun to have but aren’t really useful education wise. You know exactly what I’m talking about: Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter. You might say that we use them for education, but I think teachers would beg to differ. I will give you a total of five apps that you need to download this school year.

1. myHomework (13.5 MB, free)

Hate handwriting all of your assignments that you need to complete? No problem, the myHomework Student Planner is here for you. This app not only works without internet connection, but it can also go in your notifications bar to help keep you on track. If your teacher has an account with teacher.io, then your assignments will be uploaded automatically, but if they don’t then you can manually upload them. Swipe right when completed, swipe left to delete. Simple right? Definitely.

2. Google Drive (105 MB, free)

Teacher: “Okay class, turn in your paper on Shakespeare”.

You: *Frantically searches for essay* “Um, Mr. Harshknuckle, I left my paper at home”.

Teacher: “Well you better get it to me fast. I’m not accepting it after noon”.

Clock: “Tick Tock”. *Reads 11:56 A.M.*

How many of us have been in that situation? I’m going to save you the shame of getting a failing grade on a paper you wrote because you left it at home. The Google Drive app allows you to access all of your items done within any Google software (Docs, Sheets, and Slides). You can share the items from your phone with anyone. Another benefit is that you can set a document to “available offline” so you can still access it even without WiFi.

3. Khan Academy (140 MB, free)

I just don’t get it. Maybe it’s the teacher’s voice. Maybe it’s me. No, it’s definitely the teacher, she sucks. No more thinking like that anymore because we now have Khan Academy. Khan Academy is an online classroom, basically, that aids you in any subject you can possibly think of. It all started from a little YouTube channel; which is still active today. You can find help in subjects from Math to Arts and Humanities. You can also type keywords into the search engine  to pinpoint specific videos. They also offer test prep for the SAT, NCLEX-RN, AP Art History, and more. Extra help, total win.

4. Duolingo (26 MB, free)

Did you know that if you speak more than one language, you have a higher chance of earning a bigger paycheck (CNN)? Well, you do, that’s why your school requires you to take a foreign language course such as French or Spanish. “But I’m not good at Spanish!” You are, you just need more practice; that’s where Duolingo comes in. It teaches you the basics first then helps you advance. When you first choose one of the fifteen languages offered to English speakers, they’ll give you a pre-test to see where your skills are. You also get to set up a daily goal that you need to reach; trust me, you’ll know if you miss one.

5. Voice Memos (Depends on the phone)

You don’t have to download all apps. Just use the voice memos or recorder on your phone and voilá, you can go to sleep now. No, I’m kidding, do not go to sleep in class. But if you need to take a little five-minute brain break in the middle of a lecture or if you are an auditory learner, just turn on your voice memos or recorder and record what your teacher says. Simple.

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Four Steps to Conquer Senioritis this Year

Senior year is an exciting year. High school is almost over, summer vacation follows, and College is right around the corner. But with senior year comes senioritis which means procrastination, goofing off, or skipping class, but don’t succumb to the temptation. It’s possible to keep your grades and still have fun your senior year. Here are four ways to avoid senioritis and finish strong.

1. Fulfill Both Graduation and Admissions Requirements.

With college applications opening up for the fall semester, it becomes difficult to balance school work, applications, and jobs or extracurricular activities. Because of that, students’ grades tend to drop. Some schools require that certain classes are needed to graduate, so make sure that you attend all your classes and keep your grades up in order to secure your graduation. Keeping your grades up also helps you when you need to fulfill your admission requirements and earn scholarships. When you apply to college and are accepted before the school year ends, many colleges will require to maintain your grades to stay a student at that school or to keep a scholarship that you may have earned.  Once accepted, students fail to realize that their final transcripts can still impact their college admissions. Not keeping your grades up can cost you financial aid and scholarships at your prospective school.

2. Stay Organized

Managing your time between school, work or activities, and friends can be demanding as senior. Students tend to lose focus on their studies and concentrate more on friends and activities. Keeping a daily planner with homework and tasks that you need or would like to complete not only inclines you to complete the task but staying on top of your task means that you won’t fall behind on things that need to be done. Scheduling free time is also a way for you to get motivated to finish the more difficult tasks so you can have time to relax with your friends.

3. Stay Healthy

A common symptom of senioritis is feeling sluggish and unhealthy in the morning which leads to a student skipping class or school. If they choose to go to school, they drag themselves to class and won’t be able to stay focused in class.  Exercising and eating enough protein and vegetables will help get rid of that sluggish feeling. Staying or getting healthy is a way to feel refreshed and motivated to go school.

4. Set Attainable Goals

Setting goals that you know you can keep is a way for you the get a sense of accomplishment during the stressful times of senior year. Setting goals that are almost impossible to accomplish only add more stress which isn’t healthy. Setting goals teach a student to judge the important things when faced with multiple problems. Getting things done on your own will help in college because it creates a sense of independence that when they enter college, there won’t be any parents making sure that they get their tasks completed.

I hope these tips will help you out this upcoming year. Leave a comment down below if you have any questions. And as always make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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What You Should Be Doing Each Year in High School to Have a Successful College Admissions Experience

Growing up, I used to watch a lot of TV. Even though the heat didn’t work in my basement and the room gave me shivers that went to the balls of my feet, a show or two was always on my daily agenda. With age, the shows I was interested in shifted from wanting to watch the PBS Kids nightly specials to recording every Disney Channel and Nickelodeon original movie that was ever mentioned on a commercial. I was one of those that can still sing both the Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2 soundtracks by heart. Still can, actually, and still with no shame. With my introduction to Nickelodeon and Disney Channel shows, my different visions of the high school life became brightened like Christmas lights, and I was becoming more than excited to go. While I knew I would never be acting at (the fake) Hollywood Arts High School or living on a Cruise Ship, I wanted to know how I could make my years of high school as productive and entertaining as possible within a more traditional high school experience.

Because of the lack of older siblings or other family to help give me advice, I turned to YouTube. At the time, I had already learned a lot through the site, like that cats can do absolutely anything and oranges are extremely annoying when they talk. However, when I tried to do research on how my four years had to go in order to have a competitive college application, I was only able to salvage a few genuine responses, as 95% of the knowledge I gained from the videos were identical advice regurgitated with different wording, advice as common and bland as a saltine cracker. With the help of some exceptions, including YouTubers (Katherout, Annemarie Chase, and Joi Wade), I was inspired to try some things for myself, and found what worked and when I needed to start things.  I worked for you to avoid the mistakes that I’ve made during high school, and a good timeline to follow to prepare yourself for the college admissions process.

Freshman year

Academics:

Academically, freshman year of high school is an adjustment period. Some people, like myself, find the adjustment easy, and others find it more difficult. However, it is a year that goes on your transcript so it’s important to start the year focused and stay focused throughout the year.

Extracurricular Activities:

Get overly involved in activities. If you have any slight interest, sign up to get alerts and go to the first couple of meetings. It’s easier to join some activities then quit them after freshman year, if you don’t like them, than to try to join clubs, sports, etc. as an upperclassman.

Testing:

This should be an area you are least concerned with. Because most of you won’t have the math skills or have built up the English language skills that are crucial to the ACT/SAT. Don’t do more than the practice tests your school may require you to take.

Miscellaneous:

1. One of the best ways of getting through the stresses of high school and the college admission process is having friends or a community that will support you through both your successes and failures. Freshman year is a great time to establish your “crew” that will be there for you. While these people may not stay with you throughout your entire high school journey, at least having a past connection is a great support mechanism to make the high school experience both fun and rewarding.
2. Set both short and long-term goals for yourself academically, within your extra-curricular activities and socially. These goals can range from making the varsity lacrosse team, to getting a 3.8 unweighted GPA, to getting into your state school. Writing these goals down and keeping them somewhere where you’ll read them often can help you maintain your focus throughout the school year.

Sophomore Year

Academics:

Keep grinding. Stay focused. If you slipped into bad habits freshman year or were not happy with your academic performance, don’t dwell on those mistakes. Use them as motivation and a learning experience for this year and going forward.

Testing:

By the summer, talk to your parents/guardians and determine how you’ll be preparing for your standardized tests (the ACT/SAT), whether that’s with prep courses, private tutors, or self-studying, in order to get ahead of your peers. If you think prep courses or private tutoring are paths you’ll need to go on, it may be a good thing to pursue during the summer as you have more free time to do the practice.

Extracurricular Activities:

By sophomore year, continue to search for the extracurricular activities you really enjoy. There is no shame in quitting or joining activities this year. If you want to have the possibility to gain leadership in one of these activities, make sure to attend as many of the events/practices/meetings for the activity, in order to show dedication to the advisor or coach.

Miscellaneous:

If you’re interested in doing some more unique things during college, like playing a sport, joining an ROTC program (which you can read about here http://www.goarmy.com/rotc.html) or studying the performing arts, talk to your guidance counselor and see what sort of preparations you’ll have to do before-hand. The last thing you want is to find out when you’re applying that these programs aren’t available to you because you waited too long.

Junior Year  

Junior year is the year you’ve got to get your head in the game. This is the most looked at year by admissions committees on a college application, so you need to.

If this year is getting too stressful, make short-term goals. Sometimes it’s easier to look at getting through a stressful week than a well-known stressful week.

Academics:

1. For those of you who decide to apply to colleges at the early deadlines in November, the end of this year is the last impression colleges will have of you when you apply, so you need to push yourself academically. Try to do the absolute best that you can academically.
2. Since you most likely got all of your graduation requirements done with, this is a year to establish a schedule in areas of interest. For example, if you want to be pre-med, it would be beneficial to double up on science classes, to show your dedication to your major to your colleges of choice.

Testing:

Try to get all of your testing out of the way as early into junior year as possible. Start doing prep and taking actual exams by December to give an adequate amount of time to improve your score. If you believe you are going to be applying to a college that requires or recommends SAT subject tests, make sure to plan for those as well.

Extracurricular Activities:

1. If by this point you have found a few activities that you really enjoy, try to dedicate a bunch of time to them. If you love playing the trumpet, you can play in a myriad of bands, mentor beginner trumpet players, and go to intensives in the summer to help you improve your craft. This sort of strategy allows you not only for tremendous improvement in what you do, but shows colleges your dedication to the activities you involve yourself with.
2. Look into possibly pursuing leadership in the things that you’ve been involved in. No matter how much you doubt yourself about getting a leadership position, just do it. While one of your volleyball teammates with an ego bigger than the Pacific thought they were guaranteed being captain BS’ their speech and is basically not going to be considered, you’ll wish that you had written a speech yourself.

Miscellaneous:

1. If affordable, try to visit some of the colleges that you are interested in. If the visit list is still limited, maybe take a week and go to a couple of concentrated areas with lots of colleges, such as Boston or LA, because there are a variety of different colleges that you can visit in order to get a feel for the type of environment that you would like in a particular college.
2. Stay sane and socialize. Go to a couple of football games. Go to Homecoming, prom, girls ask guys dance. Go to a party, even if you have a lot of homework due on Monday. It will keep your mind clear and sane. You’d be surprised by how much screaming the lyrics of your favorite song can take you out of the stresses of the world and into a happy place.

Senior Year

Academics:

1. If you end up applying to any regular decision deadlines, you will have one-two marking period grades that will be sent to colleges. Just like junior year, it’s another time to impress colleges and show another strong academic record.
2. Remember that even after a college accepts you, they can take back their acceptance if your academic performance is not where they would like it to be, so try to stay focused enough where you can achieve grades of a level that is near your highest performance in high school.

Testing:

If your standardized testing is not already completed, work on getting it completed in the September and October dates.

Extracurricular Activities:

Enjoy being on your sports teams, orchestras, and unique clubs while you can. If you aren’t interested in pursuing these at a collegiate level, this year will be the last that you’ll be able to experience them. Make that last year count.

Miscellaneous:

1. Make sure to dedicate time nightly for your college applications. You don’t want to fall behind on these and not have them at the quality that you like.
2. Visit the colleges that you got accepted to if possible, to help make your final decision of where you’ll be attending college easier.
3. Have fun! Treat yourself for the hard work put in you put in the past 3 ½ years.

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The Summer Senior Slump: Getting Ready for Senioritis and the College Application Process

Defining the Slump

The day I am writing this article is the day that I had my first interview for an internship. The day I am writing this article is the day I had a summer meeting for a club that I am an officer for. The day I am writing this article is the day that I truly sat myself down and thought to myself, the summer is almost over, and I have no idea what I am doing with my life. Yes, it is quite melodramatic and cliche for a seventeen year old high school senior like me to say, but I don’t think any other group of words could sum up what most high school seniors feel the summer before consecutive months of worry lines and sleepless nights.

Recognizing the Slump

I woke up this morning earlier and more alert than most. Today was a big day for me and it required a different mindset than most of my summer morning yawns. I needed my mind focused on current events, political awareness, my future endeavors - this list could go on about what I thought the people at the internship I was getting interviewed for wanted to hear. I should have realized sooner that my own personal interests and qualities are the main reason why I would get hired as an intern in the first place.

Before going to the interview, I met up with my fellow club officers at our high school to discuss possible events and opportunities for our club this school year. Our discussion quickly took a different turn, and soon enough we were discussing our worries and stresses about newly released AP test scores, last minute SAT testing, and of course, the he-who-shall-not-be-named of incoming high school seniors. College applications. I didn’t realize, that until that moment when I heard my classmates spill out their college related confessions, that time was not slowing down. In other words, I needed to get my act together, and fast.

Attacking the Slump

On my way back home from the meeting and getting ready for my interview at 12:20 PM, my mind was juggling between the “could be’s” and the “what if’s”. What if I don’t improve my SAT score by the time applications roll around? Could I actually get into a good college with my mediocre transcript? Instead of coming to my senses that moment when I was stressing out, it is only dawning upon me while I am writing this article that instead of thinking, I should be doing. I have my fair share of regrets and I have always thought about doing something I will not regret, but when will the time come when I actually do it? If you’re reading this, you probably find yourself in a slump, feeling regretful, but not actually doing something about it. This new and last school year is not even starting yet, but the weight of responsibilities and worries are already bringing us down. What we need to do is stop concerning ourselves with the “if’s” and “but’s” of our worries, and start focusing our mindsets on kicking our senior year in the butt - in the best way possible.

Meditating

No, I don’t mean the exercise where you sit still and let small chants run out of your mouth, but hey you could do that too if you want. By meditating, I mean do whatever you can to not stress (yet). The first thing you should do before taking on the grind of getting out of this slump is to take a significant amount of time to relax and not worry. Let your mind think thoughtfully, and not angrily, on your mistakes you might have made in the past school years. Reminisce on the enjoyable moments, but recognize your regrets. The first step of tackling a problem is finding and recognizing the root of it.

Although you may be hard on yourself for your mistakes, take this time to also think about any dreams or wishes you have always had. I am a firm believer of second chances and the ‘it’s never too late’ mentality. Have any long or short term goals in your mind? Never lose sight of them and write them down, you could seize the day at any moment. Taking this time to recognize and organize all your thoughts will make it easier once you actually start doing something about them.

Stimulating

Now that you have mentally assorted all the things you have been meaning and wanting to do, it’s time to get those phalanges and femurs moving. Get excited! This next step is the part that requires the most optimism, patience, but most of all open mindedness and fun. Bust out your computer, or any other device that gives you access to Google, and your favorite snacks, because the next amount of hours or days will be your creative research period.

After establishing your mistakes and goals, you need to find a way to tackle them. Need to retake a science class? Find out if your school offers summer courses, or if you can find a college nearby that allows you to take a class for credit. Want to start finding out different career paths? Research related volunteer work that fits your ideal job, or any internship opportunities nearby. Use this time to actually start taking action on what you want to do with your life. The great thing about this step is that it does not even have to be boring or impulsive. Let your creativity flow during this research period and really focus on finding what screams at you and makes you want to drop everything and do it at that moment.

Revitalizing

So you figured out you want to stop being lazy and found some stuff that actually interests you. Now what? After narrowing down your options and choices, here comes the hard part. It is time to actually do it. Interviews, workshops, and applications may be rolling like an avalanche towards you, and it may be stressful and take a toll on your brain. You need to readjust your mindset out of summer lazy mode, and flip the switch to summer productive mode. The key words to this step are practice makes better, not perfect. This is the time for you to get better.

Get better at presenting yourself, get better at a certain field of study, get better at a particular hobby or interest. There is no need to be perfect at anything yet, because that will come later. The point of getting out of this slump during the summer is to improve and prepare you for the school year, when the even harder parts make an appearance. Perfect is an overrated term and state of being in the first place, and overrated is definitely boring. Remember what I said earlier? This is a time to have fun and be creative, there is no room for being boring.

Celebrating

Congratulations! You don’t have everything figured out yet, but you are one step ahead of accomplishing what you initially set your mind on doing. This last step is even vaguer than the previous ones. After focusing your time on isolating your problems and goals, to celebrate may mean differently to each person. You could celebrate by actually throwing a party and using the summer’s heat and your swimming pool to practical use. Or celebrating may mean landing the job or internship you wanted, and actually enjoying yourself doing something new and exciting.

This is the time to do things for yourself, because once August or September rolls around, school will be creeping up on you again. Whichever way of celebrating you take on, you should be proud of yourself for stepping up to the plate, and batting out your problems or goals that have always been following you around. It takes one to talk about their dreams, but it takes an even greater one to do something about them.

During the Slump, and Afterwards

Some of you may be wondering, what happened with that internship? Even if you are not that curious, I will tell you anyways because it is a prime example of the steps I just listed to you. I found out about the internship through one of my closest friends, and it only took a matter of two days to research, apply, and take on my worst fear - getting interviewed. I spent the past two days researching about the internship position and the campaign I was hoping to work for. I had practically all of my older cousins review my resume and do trial interviews with me. I had the general information about this campaign down, and I knew my resume was at its best presentation, even if the only other time I actually touched it was freshman year in our required business class.

Whilst driving in the car to my interview, I already knew I wouldn’t arrive at the recommended time of 15 minutes prior. Additionally, I forgot my cover letter and I wore heels that I could barely walk in. I parked in the parking lot of the campaign headquarters by 12:18, and I walked through the glass doors by 12:20. The office was pretty barren, with groups of desks in one corner and campaign posters in the other. The people were dressed casually, and my internship coordinator could pass as my sister. I was standing in the middle of the open office in a thick black blazer and uncomfortable heels. I could tell you how the interview went, and how I felt afterwards. But I could also tell you that the day I’m writing this paragraph is the day after my interview. The day I’m writing this paragraph is the day I started my internship. The day I’m writing this paragraph is the day my boss recognized me for my superb phone duties, and how I went over the average number of phone calls on my first day (which is a pretty big deal). I wore jeans to the internship today and ate pizza while making survey phone calls. I defined the Slump, but am still yet to conquering it. Cheers, anyone?

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Three College Admissions Guide Books You Should Consider Investing In

“The most technologically efficient machine that man has invented is the book.”

- Northrop Fyre

With the pressures to finish up your required courses, find scholarships, and deal with the excitement of being a senior in high school, applying to college can be a stressful process, but if you plan ahead of time and do your research, it makes things much easier. But what happens when the internet doesn’t give you much help? That’s where we take the books and find out our information the traditional way. I’ve compiled three books that can help you find the perfect college as well as help you through the college admissions process.

College Handbook 2017 (College Board College Handbook)

This a book that gives you a basic overview of every accredited college and community college in the US, this book can give you that. Every year, the College Board comes out with a new book with updated information. This book is split up into major section: the 4-year colleges and the 2-year colleges. Each section is listed by state and for every college/university they provide a student profile detailing how many students applied, how many were admitted, and how many actually enrolled to the school. The book also included the all the information such as tuition, room and board fees, and admissions requirements. It’s a giant book which is actually one of its cons. It’s not user friendly so it’s a layout that you might need to get used but if you are looking for a book with every single college, this one is for you.

2.The Insider's Guide to the Colleges, 2015: Students on Campus Tell You What You Really Want to Know, 41st Edition By Yale Daily News Staff ($17.01 on Amazon)

If you are looking for a book that contains the student’s perspective of your prospective college, this is your book. This book contains about 300 colleges and universities so I can’t say you could find your college in your book. However, they provide assessments of each school that they have listed. It does have a college finder section in the book that has some statistical information as ACT, SAT, and admission requirements. However, that’s not all. It has some information such as the highest minority attendance, highest female/male attendance, etc. This book prides itself on the student perspective on the school. If you want to get a feel for the student life on campus, this book is perfect. However, beware that the book contains some outdated information about tuition so pair this book with an updated book and you should be fine.

3. You Got Into Where? How I Received Admission and Scholarships to the Nation’s Top Universities by Joi Wade. ($12.90 on Amazon)

Last but surely not the least, You Got Into Where? by Joi Wade is a guide that can help you in any part of your college application process. This book is the thing you need for if you want to learn about getting the good scores, on how to write essays, and completing those applications. Joi has gone through the struggle and has shared her experience to make the admissions process easier. This book includes a guide on creating a College Master List, how to ace the ACT, how to write essays, and how to get scholarships from top universities.  If you are a senior and looking for something that can give some advice as well as help you through this stressful process, grab this book off of Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and start reading.

I hope these tips will help you out these upcoming year. Leave a comment down below if you have any questions. And as always make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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Taking the Leap: Why You Should Try Something New This School Year

A new school year means another chapter that you will add to the story of your life and look back on in the future. The only question is this: what will you do to make sure that this year will be one to remember? Trying new things throughout your education will only lead to you becoming a well-rounded person, and with opportunities waiting left and right, it is up to you to take the leap and allow yourself to gain new experiences

1.. If not now, when?

The time that you have as a high school and college student is very valuable. If you pass up chances to do certain things, who knows if you’ll ever come across them again years from now after you’ve already entered your line of work? Take advantage of the opportunities that cross your path this year, because it is unlikely that you’ll see them again as an adult.

If you’re hesitating to try something new because you are nervous, go ahead and push the boundaries of your comfort zone! Sign up for debate club even if you’re terrified of speaking in front of others, or pick up that instrument that always seemed interesting to you. Waiting only leads to more indecision, and soon, you’ll miss your chance to do anything at all. Take a deep breath and allow yourself to be uncomfortable; maybe you’ll find a new hobby!

2. You’ll be able to indulge in new interests.

Finding things that you are passionate about is an important thing because it adds to what makes you unique as an individual and so you can do things that you love when the stress of school gets to you, as it does to every student. You might be super passionate about Biology, but if that Women’s Literature class caught your eye, why not join it? This portion of your life is for exploring different things, even if they are things that you might not have ever thought you would get involved in.

3. New worlds will open up to you and allow you to consider your current career path.

Perhaps what you are studying now or plan to study in college has been what you have always wanted to do and has always seemed so certain to you, but that belief may be challenged if you explore your options. When you find something else that you really love, a whole new realm of possibilities will work its way into your life, and the path that you had planned to take before might not seem as intriguing to you anymore.

Trying something new that interests you in some way as early as possible will give you a lot of time to find out if it is right for you and if it is a viable career path for you to take or something that you should keep on the back burner as a hobby. It may seem a bit frightening that what you’ve always said you were going to study might turn out to be an interest that you don’t pursue, but it’s worth attempting to find new passions and possible majors that could make you happier in life!

4. You will befriend people whom you may have never been able to meet before.

When you become a part of something new, you’ll have the opportunity to become friends with people from all walks of life that you may not come across in your regular classes. This is one of the most rewarding things about finding new interests; sharing something that you’re passionate about with another person is a great feeling that cannot be replaced. These people will be able to understand your love for something and be willing to talk to you for hours on end about it.

Gaining more trustworthy people in your life is a big thing within itself throughout your years of education, for you will have more shoulders to lean on when school gets to be too much, and you’ll be able to enjoy your experience more with friends by your side. Reach out to strangers in whatever new activity you choose; you may just find friends in them!

With so many chances to gain new experiences in life during your higher education, don’t let them slip away due to fear or anything else. This is your time to find what you are passionate about, and you definitely need to take advantage of it. Some of these new endeavors might not click with you, and that’s completely okay; at least you took the time to find out if they were right for you! When you do find something that really makes you excited, though, you know your options. Remember: in the end, we only regret the opportunities we didn’t take.

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Tips and Tricks: High School Life Hacks

High school is hard. Point blank.We have to wake up early, go to school all day, and then go home and study. None of these things are particularly easy; however, there are a few things that may change that. Here are a few life hacks that can make high school a bit less of a struggle. Having trouble getting up in the morning for school?

Hack #1: Use Sleep Cycle

Sleep Cycle is an app for Apple and Android that serves as an alarm clock and a sleep tracker. Basically, how it works is you set an alarm on the app and it tracks your sleep, which then allows it to wake you up in your lightest phase of sleep, enabling you to feel more awake and refreshed in the morning. For example, I set the alarm for 6:00 a.m. and place my phone on my bedside table. It tracks my sleep and will wake me up any time between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. when I am in my lightest phase of sleep.

At first, I was a bit skeptical of this app. How could I be more awake waking up at 5:30 than if I slept for an extra 30 minutes and woke up at 6:00? It describes it best on the app, but basically you will be more refreshed if you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle, rather than in the middle of one. By using this app, you will definitely have an easier time getting up early during the school week!

Hack #2: Use sleepyti.me

If Sleep Cycle isn’t your thing, try using the website sleepyti.me (http://sleepyti.me). This website allows you to enter the time that you need to wake up, and it then suggest optimal times for you to fall asleep in order to wake up the most refreshed. Similarly to Sleep Cycle, this website is based on the idea that you will be most refreshed if you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle, rather than in the middle. This website is perfect if you still want to use a conventional alarm clock, but still need help feeling more rested in the mornings.

Have a difficult time focusing in class?

Hack #3: Chew Mint Gum

Chewing mint gum or eating mints while you’re in class has been scientifically proven to increase memory and focus. Basically, the scent of mint increases blood pressure and the amount of oxygen in the blood, which ultimately allows more blood to go to your brain, resulting in increased focus and memory. A more natural alternative to gum or mints is peppermint essential oil. This will serve the same basic purpose as mints or gum if you simply put the essential oil on different pressure points on your body before school, so you can smell the peppermint throughout the day.

Have a difficult time focusing while studying?

Hack #4: Try the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a technique that was invented to prevent burnout and increase productivity. The basic structure of this method is that you work for fifteen minutes at a time, taking five minutes breaks in between the fifteen-minute work periods. You would then repeat this until you’re done with your task. However, you can adapt this to fit your best interest. I personally like to work in one-hour chunks, taking fifteen to twenty minute breaks in between. Go to http://pomodorotechnique.com/get-started/ for more information about the Pomodoro Technique.

Hack #5: Study in a Different Way

Look at the way you’re studying and consider why you can’t focus. If the reason is because you’re bored, consider using a different method to study. Textbooks and notes aren’t the best or most interesting way to study, which is probably why it is difficult to focus. However, there are different ways to study, such as using mind maps, graphic organizers, or even just writing in a different color pen. This will create diversity and interest, which should make it easier to focus. Now go and conquer high school!

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How to Use A Bullet Journal to Get Organized

Have you ever found yourself knee deep in homework, obligations, and chores? Then you may want to start bullet journaling.

What Exactly Is It?

A bullet journal is a small notebook that is used to incorporate organization and creativity into your life. A bullet journal helps you jot down the important things in your life and helps organize your life according to the way your brain works. You can use a bullet journal as a calendar, diary, to-do list, and so much more. Even though you may have seen videos of people using fancy journals or expensive pens, you don’t need them to create your own bullet journal. All you need is a simple notebook and a little bit of imagination! One very important thing to remember before starting a bullet journal is that it is YOUR journal. Don’t compare your journals with the ones you see on Pinterest or Instagram because you are a completely different person from the creators of those bullet journals. Do what work best for you and take your time. Remember, it’s not a competition and this is just a fun way to keep track of your daily responsibilities. Why should you start bullet journaling? Bullet journals are a way to keep all your thoughts in one place that is easy to refer to and read. It allows you to assess your priorities and take the best course of action to complete your tasks. Your organizational skills and thought processes will also improve gradually with constant bullet journaling. Some also say bullet journaling is relaxing and therapeutic. It also allows you to take control of your life, which can ultimately decrease your stress levels.

What Goes in a Bullet Journal?

Most people begin by numbering the pages of their bullet journal to keep track of pages and to find certain information quickly. This can be a somewhat tedious task so you may want to number them as you fill in the pages. Many bullet journals also include a table of contents at the beginning. It allows for easy reference as you begin to fill in the pages of your journal. Having a key page can also be handy since you will most likely have a lot of different types of things being written down in your bullet journal. Doing so will also prevent you from forgetting or misinterpreting information.

The actual content of your bullet journal will depend entirely on you. Some people bullet journal on a daily basis with daily to do lists, while others plan out their events in monthly calendars. What you do will depend on what you actually want your journal’s purpose to be. If you’re like many people, your journal is a mixture of a lot of things. Sometimes you may use your bullet journal to jot down ideas for an essay, to write important birthdays, or to just simply doodle.

Logs are also essential pages that are present in bullet journals. There are three main types of logs: future, monthly and daily. Future logs are bullet lists where you jot down the events and/or tasks for the future. The great thing about the future log is that you can add more things to it and nothing is “set in stone”. Monthly logs are quite similar to future logs but they only focus on one month at a time. You can also add all the days of the month to help track of dates of the events that you may add. Last but not least, you have the daily log. The daily log is where you write you tasks or events down to help you stay organized much like the future and monthly log. Besides logs, bullet journals can include grocery lists, sketches, brainstorming, etc. It really is up to you as to what the content of your bullet journal includes. It may be helpful to think about the parts of your life that you’d like to be more organized in and tailor your journal to those.

Materials Needed to Start!

All bullet journals are essentially a small notebook or journal that can be purchased or may be lying around your house. It may also be convenient to have a small bullet journal if you plan on writing in it throughout the day. You may also want to invest in some colorful, quality pens if you want your bullet journal to look more artsy. Watercolor pencils and paints are also great ways to add a little pop to your pages. But, if you enjoy simplicity then a plain black or blue pen will work too! So, don’t worry if your pages don’t look like the ones on Pinterest. Some people respond differently to notes if they are written in different colors so it’s all up to your preference.

All in all, bullet journals can be great ways to take control of your life and help prevent disorganization by collecting all the needed information that will help you with your daily endeavors.

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Choosing Clubs and Extracurricular Activities in High School: How Not to Do Everything

A lot of students choose to participate in extracurriculars for a variety of reasons; whether it is to continue a childhood passion, make new friends, or uncover new interests, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you select which clubs and activities to be a part of during your high school career.

Do What You Love

When it comes time to filling out college applications, many students feel that their extracurriculars must relate to one another in order to be considered noteworthy. I identify personally with the student who has varying interests across many fields. I am involved in Future Teachers of America because I love to work with kids, Drama Club because I love to be onstage, and DECA because I love to exercise my public speaking skills through business terminology and posh professional wear. With that being said, it is okay to let your interests lead you to clubs that may have little to no correlation with each other. High school is supposed to be a time of self-discovery and exploration; do not limit yourself to a status quo. For example, if you want take a cooking class and be a part of the science club, you may later find that it opens doors for you in the field of food science.

Find a Balance & Prioritize

Take some time to carefully evaluate your daily class schedule and fix your extracurricular activities around it. Voluntary clubs and activities should not heavily interfere with your academic priorities. I, for example, am taking Honors and AP classes this year, complete with dance and Spanish electives. Because I know that I will be completing classwork and studying on a consistent basis, I have a more mindful approach in making outside commitments to time-consuming extracurricular activities. From there, I can narrow my number of extracurriculars to a few time-consuming activities that fulfill and excite me, rather than a plethora of activities that I will only wound up exerting little to no effort in. Ultimately, you should evaluate for yourself what you consider to be a want or a need, fit or unfit, in your daily schedule. Do not feel pressured to include certain extracurriculars into your regime if they add unnecessary stress. Not only will you wind up overwhelmed and unmotivated, in most cases, poor academic performance and civil participation can lead to termination from your activities.

Quality over Quantity

If you find that you only have room fit in your schedule for one school-oriented club, be rest assured. You do not need to stretch your time over a wide range of clubs in order to be involved. It is far better to be involved in a singular activity than five. Here is why: when you are wholly devoted to one or few clubs, you have extended opportunities to connect with the club advisors and advance to higher positions/rankings within the club. As a DECA participant for three, going on four, years, I can speak truthfully that the best part of being involved DECA for so long is being able to clearly see my personal evolvement as a strategist, business intellect, and person since being a freshman in high school.

Do Not Follow Your Friends

You are taking personal time out of your day to attend to clubs and extracurriculars. If you do not feel wholly passionate about the activities of the organization, you should not feel pressured to serve additional time to it. To those with friends who may be pushy or misunderstanding of the matter, be sure to communicate with them, in whichever way necessary, that you feel your time together should be spent elsewhere.

Create Your Own Club

Many students often forget about the opportunities to create their own clubs within the walls of their school. If you have an idea or passion that seems to generate interest among a number of students, do not hesitate to reach out to your school advisers.

Just Join!

At the end of the day, extracurricular activities are available for your benefit, not to fulfill a requirement. Always check with yourself to ensure that you are happy with whatever it is that you decide to do. You will find in high school that your mind will change constantly as you try new things and become curious about others. Allow that change to happen within you and go with it. Best of luck!

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Third Time's a Charm!: My Experience on Moving to Three Different High Schools

Despite the fact that I come from a military family, I was fortunate enough to have lived in Hawaii for 12 years.  In the summer of 2015, we moved from the middle of the Pacific (Hawaii) to the South East of the United States. In case you don’t know, there are major differences between the regions of the United States so this was a pretty big change for me. In addition, many people claimed that Hawaii’s education system did not live up to the mainland’s education system; in my personal experience, this is not entirely true.  I felt as if I went against all odds when I moved to three different schools.  Here is my story on my experience of moving to three different schools.

Freshman Year

While in my freshman year of high school in Hawaii, I was an active member of the student body; I was a cheerleader and class president!  Freshman year is when you’re still soul-searching and still unsure of the type of person you are.  I was lucky enough to have a big support system full of trustworthy friends that I counted on every day.  My freshman year was also the year I said goodbye to the islands of Hawaii and said hello to the mainland.

Sophomore Year

A stressful summer of unpacking has passed and school had started.  You know that feeling in your gut when something good is going to happen? I had that feeling the first quarter of the school year.  I joined Anchor Club (a community service club) and Math Honor Society (I dropped cheer and student council because I was too late to join); I also made two good friends that I hung out with and talked to everyday. It seems like I had a decent school year since I joined extracurricular activities and made friends.  That was actually not the case.  It took me a long time to adjust to a new set of people (who didn’t share the “aloha” spirit that I was so accustomed to); however, I never struggled too much on my academics (beat that, anti-Hawaii education system people!).  Towards my second semester, I decided to apply for a “pre-med program/magnet school in my district.  This was a confusing time because it seemed illogical to leave behind the new friends I had made and the clubs that I joined.  I pushed aside whatever thoughts and opinions other people had and went ahead with the application.

Junior Year

Now, we arrive to junior year; many claim that junior year is the hardest and with just five weeks into the school year, I totally agree with those people.  I now attend a different, third high school.  In order to attend this school, students must send in an application that is carefully reviewed and chosen by a group of administration and teachers.  I happen to be 1 out of 100+ applicants for the pre-med major.  Since this is a school you must apply to, students here are more cautious about their education and are even nicer than students from my second high school.  Applying to this new school was the best decision I’ve made since moving to the South East.  I still have an entire semester to go, but I know that with a great start of a school year, there will definitely be a great end.

What About You?

Moving to a new school is a different experience for everybody. Whether you’re a freshman or senior, you should make each year of high school count. If you’re having trouble adjusting to your new environment, then try to join clubs (especially ones that you’re passionate about). You would definitely meet new people faster and hopefully some of the new people you meet have the same interests as you! Also, get to know your guidance counselor; their job is to help you throughout high school so getting to know your counselor would be a great idea. Getting yourself involved in your new school will give you an overall better high school experience.

 

To Wrap It All Up..

Speaking from experience, moving to a new school is definitely scary; but when you move to three schools, you definitely learn some tricks along the way that’ll help you.  If you’re thinking about applying to a program that’ll help you and your future, think it over and look for the pros and cons of joining the program.  If you’re a new student this school year, then don’t worry, just being able to have the experience of moving is going to help you when you transition into college.  Good luck!

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How to Handle the Stress of College Applications

As much as it is daunting to begin college applications, it is exciting. College is your next big step in life. The time you spend in college results in lifelong friends, treasured memories, and experiences that will last a life time.

          As it is nearing college application deadlines for the 2017 fall semester, most seniors (like myself) are fearing these deadlines. Although college applications can be overwhelming  there are many ways for you to ease the stress for yourself.

Start Early

I sound like a broken record saying this, don't I? I know you have heard it over and over again but I am only repeating this ear bleeding phrase because it is wise, very wise. The earlier you start all of the applications the less daunting the deadlines will become.

For most of us the essays are the most intimidating, but the best advice I will give to you is to just write. Don't think about it, just write. Don’t vacillate over topics, word choice etc. just start writing about the first idea/topic that comes to mind that best fits the prompt you are asked to answer. Once you have finished writing, simply put it away and don't look at your essay for at least a day.

Allowing yourself to freely write will not only help put your mind at ease that you have at least started or attempted your essays, but also break the ice and the potential writers block that you may have had.

Also, putting your essay away for at least a day will give yourself a fresh brain to revise the essay and formulate clear thoughts about your writing. At this time you can ask yourself if the topic you wrote about best answered the prompt, if the structure contributed well to the message you are trying to convey, or does the word choice match the style you want to portray.

Starting the applications early and completing them little by little (remember baby steps) will help the process along and the deadlines, like I said, wont seem as daunting. Dedicating time each day or every other day for about 30 minutes to an hour on college applications will also move the process along nicely.

Planning

Another key detail to relieving the stress of college applications is to plan. Get out your planner or print a monthly calendar off the internet and write in all of your deadlines. ALL OF THEM. Plan out  deadlines for yourself to complete rough and final drafts of your essays, teacher visits to revise your essays, and plan the days where you need to remind your teachers about the recommendation letter you asked them to write for you. Planning everything out AND sticking to it will help relieve your stress tremendously.

Realize

Lastly and maybe most importantly you need to realize a few things.The college application process is rigorous, time consuming, and stressful to say the least.  While it may be all of the above, it is not the end all be all.

With that being said, if you feel insecure about certain aspects of your application know that someone else is also just as insecure about certain parts of their application. Even the senior with what you may see as a perfect resume has insecurities too. You are not alone in this process. I am a senior this year, just like several other thousands of students and I am insecure about certain pieces of my application, but I do believe that everything happens for a reason.

As you begin your college applications show yourself off, brag about everything you have accomplished and show the college admissions who you are and why you deserve to attend their university. Start early ( I’m definitely sounding like a broken record), have parents and teachers revise your essays so you are able to put your best foot forward.

Maybe, at the end of the day you don’t end up at Yale even with the countless hours spent at the Humane Society or sleepless nights studying throughout your high school career, but know that wherever you end up it will be the perfect place for you.

As my parents have always said, let the chips fall where they may.

I wish you all (almost) stress-free applications!

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The New SAT V.S. The New ACT: A Closer Look

Why the Changes?

According to David Coleman, the CEO and Board President for College Board, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is making changes so that students won’t have to spend as much money on testing preparation; also, “these exams have become disconnected from the work of high school classrooms...” (CNN)  All in all, the College Board wants to keep their tests up-to-date for college readiness.

The makers and researchers of the American College Testing (ACT) are constantly looking for ways to make sure that the ACT is a reflection of what is taught and learned in school; in addition, just like the SAT, the ACT is targeted to be a an accurate guide for your college and career.

SAT

Overall, the content you will be tested on has changed. The math section emphasizes graph and data interpretation; the reading section focuses on data reasoning and evidence support; the writing section is now a passage-based section; lastly, instead of 25 minutes, you now have 50 minutes for your essay and you will be analyzing other writings as well.  Don’t these changes kind of sound like the ACT test? Well, that is what most people are claiming! To cheer up those who are dreading these changes, there will be no penalty for guessing on questions; before, you’d get a ¼ point deduction for every wrong question.  Are you wondering how the scoring changed? The SAT is going back to the 1600-point scale, but the essay will be graded separately from your section scores.

Fortunately, the new SAT might be a little easier for some because of the no-guessing penalty and somewhat simpler questions; also, the old SAT has been administered for a long time so there are plenty of study materials to help you out.

Also, the essay is now optional; however, double check with your potential colleges because they may or may not require an essay.

ACT

The main changes that educators and students are looking at when it comes to the ACT are the new sub-scores.  These include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and ELA (English Language) sub-scores.  Both the STEM and ELA sub-scores will allow students to know what their weak and strong points are on certain subjects.

Another major change that you should pay attention to is the Writing section.  Don’t worry! It’s still an optional section, but now you’ll have one prompt, one issue, and three total perspectives.  Instead of just defending your side of an argument, you now have to “explain the relationship your perspective has with the three that are given.”  (Petersons)  In addition, the Writing Section time has extended to a total of 40 minutes.

SAT VS ACT

Overall, with the new changes to both tests, the SAT and ACT, are becoming more similar; however, the SAT is more so designed to test your critical thinking and reasoning skills while the ACT is designed to test you on content you should have learned in school.  I can’t tell you which test you should take but with these changes and all of these different types of resources available, you’ll make the right choice for you and your future.

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The Perfect Score Game: Do You Really Need That 1600?

  I remember the exact moment that I decided that I was not taking the SAT ever again. It was early-June, my junior year was finally ending, and school was beginning to unwind. Just one more thing needed to happen before I could begin my summer of cool relaxation: SAT scores. I unlocked my phone and typed in my college board username with great trepidation but also with the vibrant, microscopic hope that I would get the illustrious 1600 that I thought would be my ticket into any college of my choice. That hope died as soon as I clicked the “See Your Scores Now!” tab.

At this moment, I knew that I had to seriously reevaluate my college strategy. I didn’t do horrendously on my SATs; my scores from my first SAT actually fit into the 25-to-75 range of my top choice school, albeit the lower section of that range. I had only taken the test again to pursue the distinguished 800 club or the 1600 that would show schools that I was perfect, therefore allowing me to slack off on the rest of my application. Needless to say, that didn’t happen, so I had to ask myself a series of questions:

Do I really want to take another SAT?

Let me paint a picture of my junior year for you. After six AP tests, SATs, and with the overhanging stress of subject tests, summer work, the essay, and actual college applications steadily and quickly approaching, taking the SATs again was the last thing that I wanted to do. I simply did not see myself having the time this summer, with work, summer programs, and schoolwork, to actually make studying for the SAT a priority, let alone do it well.

Can I afford taking another SAT?

I also realized that in order to improve my score, I would have to try a new studying strategy. For the past two SATs, I had relied solely on self-study, with my trusty blue SAT book always by my side. I realized, however, that to gain the drastic improvement on my scores that I wanted, I would need to invest in some other study method, perhaps a class or a tutor. The simple fact of the matter was that my lower-income family could not afford sending me to a class or paying for a tutor; even the monetary expense of just taking the SAT again, when added to the future cost of SAT subjects and college applications, made taking the test again seem unnecessary.

Is that perfect score really essential to my college application?

This last question made my decision clear. In order to answer this, I had to evaluate the other parts of my application. My high school transcript, while not perfect, was generally excellent and put me in the higher section of my top choice’s 25-to-75 GPA mark. Throughout high school, I had made it a point to foster good relationships with all of my teachers and my guidance counselor, so I was pretty confident in my recommendation letters. I had never received any disciplinary action nor had I any blemishes on my record. My extracurricular list was intense to say the least, but still credible with many awards, honors, and leadership positions to show my commitment to my activities. By this time, I had already written my college essay, and although I knew that I had a whole editing process to go through, I was satisfied in its content and its ability to speak for myself as a person.

My short answer came to this: I had worked hard throughout high school, and that showed with or without a perfect score. My scores were good for the schools that I wanted to get into, and the financial and physical strain of preparing for another test just for the vanity of a perfect score did not seem worthwhile to me.

In truth, the only person who can accurately judge whether or not you need that score is yourself. Maybe the other parts of your application are lacking for your top choices, so the SAT is really where you want to shine. Maybe you have the extra time and resources that you need to greatly boost your score. The scenarios are endless and different for everyone, but for me, it came down to one easy decision: no more SATs!

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How to Ask for Help When You Are Struggling in School

Option for who/where to ask for help when you are struggling with a certain topic, situation, or class.

“You can do anything but not everything” -David Allen

Asking for help can be hard for many reasons. We are admitting that we aren’t perfect and for some who always understood everything in school, asking for help is quite difficult.  That fear of being seen vulnerable can cause us to think that we may are stupid or give us a sense that people have lost respect for us. But asking for help is a necessary life lesson.  Help is always available even though you may feel like there is no one around. Asking for help is the first step toward progress.

1. Accept it and you will receive it

The first step of getting help is accepting that you need it. This is always the hardest part for most us. For a student who has never needs to ask for help suddenly realizing that they are struggling, it’s debilitating. However, you have to swallow your pride because without accepting that you can’t do it on your own, you will go nowhere. When you are not moving forward, the feeling of frustration and torturing yourself for hours is a worse feeling than just going forward and finding someone who can assist you.

2.What do you need?

Now that you’ve admitted that you need help, the next step is to determine what exactly you need help with. This will help you in finding the right person to help you. When you determine where the issue is, it become a lot easier to find someone to help as well as easier to communicate to this person where you need help. One way to accomplish this is by creating a list of things you need help with in order of desperation: the most important to the least important. Next to your problem, list the people you know that could assist you and how they can assist you with your problem. This makes it easier to approach them and get straight to the point so that they can help you quicker.

3.Find Someone

The next step is finding someone to help you. As mention above, when you have a plan of attack; what you need help on, why you need help, and why that person can help you; it will be a lot easier to find someone. Asking for help from your friend and family is a lot easier than a professional because its common amongst people you know understand you. However, in situations you feel as though need professional help, seek out someone you know if qualified to help. In a class you are struggling in, a teacher or tutor can be helpful. If you are chronically unhappy, seeking out the help of a counselor or a doctor can provide you with an answer. Professionals, our friends, and family, they exist to help you.

 4.Gratitude

Thanking your helper is the last step to receiving help. You don’t always have to give them a gift but simply helping them is a good sign of faith. Telling them how much you appreciated their help means that in the future, they will be willing to help you again. They may even come back and ask you for help in the future.

I hope these tips will help you out these upcoming years. Leave a comment down below if you have any questions. And as always make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

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Early Graduation: Things to Consider Before Making a Decision

"High school sucks." Some variation of this phrase has been uttered at one point by most high school students. The homework, the tests, the drama, and having to wake up before the sunrises all culminate to form a generally stressful environment for all those who enter. But if you had the chance to shorten this stressful time from 4 years to 3, would you?

There are a growing number of students who, for one reason or another, are deciding to skip their senior year and head straight for college. Juniors who have enough credits and have taken the courses required to graduate have the option to graduate early, usually with the condition that they provide a list of the colleges they are applying/have applied to or have already been accepted to a school. This idea may peak the interest of some, but is missing your senior year really worth it? Here are some things to consider:

The High School Experience

Whether it’s its ability to relate or just some odd cultural fascination with teenagers, cheesy movies set to the backdrop of high school have become a genre in their own right. These movies showcase all the events seniors participate in a light that could convince someone who life the rest of life is pretty lackluster in comparison to those wonderful memories of prom and football games. Despite the exaggeration of these clichéd stories, they do pose an interesting question to those looking to graduate early; do you want to miss out on a final year of high school memories? The freedoms senior year provides makes many former students look back on it as their favorite year of high school, as it was an opportunity to let go and have fun before going off to college. Even if for those who aren't as keen on the whole "high school experience" as others, it’s still worth considering the benefits (or lack thereof) of having an extra year before entering the chaos of work that is college.

Friends

For many, the hardest part about going to college, especially out-of-state, is leaving their friends. Sure, it's easy to stay connected through social media, but by graduating early, you are, some ways, leaving your friends in high school for college. Even if you are going to a community college, your experiences will be largely different from those of your high schooler friends, so it may be more difficult to connect with them than when you saw each other every day and could commiserate over the English homework. This is, however, all dependent on the individual; graduating early could also have a positive effect on your friendships. Spending too much time together can oftentimes strain a relationship, so time apart could be just you need; every person is different. Maybe all your friends are seniors or you just never really got along with anyone while in high school; college is the perfect place to find people you actually connect with.

Scholarships

Anyone who has searched for scholarships, online or otherwise, will tell you it is quite the process. The process becomes even more complicated for those graduating early. While you are graduating the same year as the seniors in your school, you technically aren't a senior, so the wording of scholarships becomes more important than ever. If the scholarship says "open to those graduating in ___ year" or "for student who are going into their freshmen year of college"  then you're in the clear, but when it says "open to all seniors in high school," the waters become murky.  Luckily, this technicality isn't fatal to one's chances of getting scholarships; it is more of a nuisance that can usually be resolved with an email to the provider of the scholarship. In addition, there are also some scholarships specifically for early graduates, though they tend to be specific to individual states.

Maturity

High school is a time of great exploration, not only of the world but of the self. It's a time of refining tastes, changing value and new experiences that leave you, more often than not, much different from who you once were. Think about yourself in your freshmen year of high school; how much did you change in the time span of one or two years? If one or two years can you change you so dramatically, what can another year do? An extra year of high school could give you some well needed time to prepare. There are some students, however, who are much more mature than those the same age as them who have outgrown the high school curriculum, and those tend to be the students that should graduate early. In the end, however, the decision of whether or not to graduate early is all up the individual. Everyone is different and there is no one formula that can decide who should and who should not skip senior year. If you are considering early graduation, the best advice I can give you is to talk to your guidance counselor and your parents to find out what path is right for you.

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Investing in Yourself: Choosing the Path of Your Own Future

Family, finances, fear of failure, and friends: the four main sources of academic pressure. As you’re surfing the waves of the high school and college experience, you’ll come to realize that making decisions that will greatly affect your imminent future and possible career path will be anything but easy. With relatives constantly asking you want you want to do with your future and pressuring you to do well in school, the heavy costs of college tuition, the little devil on your left shoulder telling you that you’re not good enough, and your peers always making remarks about how they have their whole future planned out, deciding what path you want to take after high school is one of the most difficult, yet important decisions you’ll ever make. However, if you keep these pressures at the forefront of your mind, you may lose yourself in the heat of it all. You may end up taking a left turn, and drive along a road that you never wanted to take in the first place. Here are ways to make sure you take ahold of your future before others do.

Make Yourself a Priority

When considering all the factors that contribute to deciding your career path, you should always remember that this is your future; no one else’s. The decisions that you make will impact you, not your grandparents, not your teachers, and not your friends. For some, the opinions of loved ones play a huge role when making choices about one’s future. However, in the case of choosing colleges and career paths, you may have to make your own opinion a priority above those of your loved ones because like I said, this is your future.

Finding What You Love

So many people end up pursuing career paths that they aren’t completely happy with because they didn’t have enough confidence to do what they really wanted to do, or they didn’t think it would be enough to keep them financially stable, or because their family is expecting them to carry on a legacy of a specific career; the list could go on and on. There is a plethora of pressures, fears, and risks that come with deciding what career path you want to take, but it is important that you go through with what you want to do regardless of these fears and risks. You should decide upon a career path based on something that you enjoy doing. Pursuing a job that you love and enjoy is one of the most rewarding things in life. Think about all of your passions and your hobbies. Take into consideration what you want to accomplish in life, your interests, and your values. What do you find exciting? What kind of working environment do you prefer? What’s important to you? What do you excel at; what skills do you have? Combine all of these aspects and create a list of possible careers that fit your criteria. Maybe even consider fields that you’re not so familiar with but are interested in pursuing in the future. Which of these things can you see yourself doing for a living? Once you’ve narrowed the list down, research the remaining topics as careers. Look at how many years of school are required/recommended for a degree in those fields, the average annual salary for employees, and all of the aspects and positions of the job. When you’ve done your research, choose one, or maybe two, careers that you think will satisfy your desires and needs. Keep these career fields in mind as you continue your high school and college journeys, and participate in things that you think might help you in grasping a better understanding of them. Interested in going into politics? Join the debate team! Want to be an engineer? Enroll in an engineering course and/or a physics course! Interested in becoming a photographer? Join the yearbook staff, or join a photography club! Participating in these things will help you determine whether you truly enjoy certain subjects or not, and possibly help you decide what you want to do in the future.

Dodging the Bullets

Like I said before, this process comes with many pressures, fears, and risks, but it’s essential that you dodge these challenges when it comes to your future. Perhaps you’ll disappoint your parents by deciding to pursue the arts when they wanted you to become a neurosurgeon, or maybe your peers will ridicule you for wanting to become a psychologist, but in the end, doing what YOU want to do and following through with it will make YOU happy, and that’s all that should matter.

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How to Use College Confidential the Right Way

Every worried student has checked in to College Confidential at some point in their high school career at some point- and there’s no shame in that! I will admit, in my college search I’ve often browsed the endless forums, searching for other people’s opinions about colleges that I’m interested in, classes that I’m taking, etc. On the downside, College Confidential is notorious for being an unhealthy place where people tend to get sucked in to outside opinions and forget their own. However, College Confidential can be very helpful if you know how to use it. So here’s a guide on how to utilize the infamous College Confidential the right way.

SuperMatchTM College Search

College Confidential is not limited to forums. One of the most helpful tools on this site is a college search tool that can help you complete your school list as you discover schools that align with your interests. Basically how the tool works is you can enter your SAT or ACT scores, ideal location, majors, etc. and adjust their varying degrees of importance to you. The site then matches you to colleges that fit your preferences. From there, you can begin to the schools that spark your interest. This can be very helpful in jump-starting your college search! http://www.collegeconfidential.com/college_search/

CampusVibe

This is a useful tool that allows you to get a more personal feel for a college you’re interested in. Through CampusVibe on College Confidential, you can view pictures and videos that you may not necessarily find on a perfectly polished college website. It can be very useful if it is not possible for you to visit all of the colleges you would like to. Although it doesn’t necessarily replace a college visit, if you browse the CampusVibe, you can get an idea of which colleges you feel you would be most interested in, and visit only those to save time and money.

Visit the link here:  http://www.collegeconfidential.com/vibe/report_browse_letter.html

Forums

Obviously forums are a huge part of College Confidential. However, it is important to be careful when using these forums. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by too many opinions. That is why I would advise avoiding forums that are experience or opinion-based. For example, it may not be in your best interest to check out a forum that is along the lines of “What Are My Chances of Getting Into…” This is because many people will have varying opinions that might confuse or dissuade you from your own opinions. I would also not advise reading forums such as, “Should I Take This Class” as the people responding to your post do not personally know you, and therefore can not provide adequate advice on whether or not you would be successful in that class. Forums that can be helpful though are ones that are along the lines of “What Are Overused Essay Topics” or “Alumni Network Questions”. These are better topics to look up on the forums, as they can be fact checked using other resources. College Confidential should be a stepping stool to further research. Your research should not end with College Confidential, but instead it should be the beginning of it.

Overall, take everything you read on College Confidential with a grain of salt. Not everything that you read on the forums will be true, and it may not be the best source to gather all of your advice from. However, it can be a great tool to prompt your research for colleges and get the ball rolling. Best of luck on your college search and browse wisely!

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