Q. How can I balance doing all of my homework?
X responds: It’s safe to say that because of the pandemic some teachers have given us a lot of work to do, and it can be overwhelming. After the last class of the day, for those who are fully remote, try to eat, take a shower, or do anything that’s non-school related. This will give your brain a break from school for a while. Anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour should be the target goal. Once that relaxing break from school is done, your brain should return to “school mode”. Before starting any school work it’s best to create a to-do list with any tasks that need to be completed, even if it’s emailing a teacher about an assignment. Once there is a list of tasks to complete, try to order those tasks from top priority to “I can do this another day.” One way to classify things based on priority, is to do the tasks from the class in which you aren’t doing so well first. To get your grades up, try doing the tasks that have the highest impact on your grade somewhat early, then check them over and deliver them by the due date. There are days where there is more homework than others, which may mean that some assignments don’t get done. If that ever happens try to make the effort to get up a bit earlier the next morning to complete the homework.
While it’s important to complete homework and keep up your grades, it should never be to the extent that your physical or mental health is affected. If your personal and school life start to get too much for you to handle, it would be best to email one of your teachers to see if they could help you by extending the deadline for you, to ease stress. However, if a teacher allows you to do this, don’t abuse this opportunity or there will be a loss of trust between you and your teacher.
Q. How should I decide which college to go to?
Y replies: March is the month where many seniors are anxious about college decisions. As you get admissions letters back, it is important to choose which college is the best fit for you. My #1 advice is to re-examine the colleges you got acceptance letters from and think which one has the campus, classes, or community that is best for you. Create a pro and con list of each college and compare them. You should also compare the financial aid packages of each college. Colleges are very expensive and the student loan debts for many college students have been increasing over the years. Therefore, it is best if you choose a college where you get your money’s worth.
Do not go to a college just because of its reputation. While attending an Ivy League school is a great thing to boast about, you should be able to fit into the atmosphere of the school. Ask yourself if you would be able to attend a school that is very competitive. In addition, don’t go to a college just because your parents say that it’s the right college for you. Your parents’ advice is helpful, but remember it is your decision. Your parents aren’t attending the classes for you! Overall, choose a college that will make you happy, and better prepare you for the future.
Q. How should I cope with the second year of a pandemic?
Z says: It’s without a doubt that we all wish this pandemic could be over already. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. However, what we can do is approach a possible second year a little differently. The first time around it was a complete mess and one of the worst experiences yet. Now that things have settled down a bit more, and we have adjusted to new protocols, it means we might get more out of this year than the past one. Perhaps last time all you did was lay in bed. Well, this time around try to workout, go on more walks (with your mask of course), and just be more active! Or maybe boredom was an issue last year? In that case, try out new hobbies! Sewing, cooking, baking, anything will do. Maybe you can even bake cookies in the kitchen with friends over Zoom. Many of us had a heavy amount of stress and uncertainty weighing on us. To avoid that this year, try doing activities you enjoy more often. It’s always fun to go out somewhere in nice weather, but of course do it safely!
Furthermore, remember to take things lightly. The pandemic produced a horrendous amount of depression and anxiety. Being cooped up at home for a long period of time was definitely dreadful. So it’s best to keep a positive frame of mind. Don’t fall down that hole again! Find the upside, or humor, in every situation. Keep up with everything you need to do while still getting a good time out of it. We can’t let another year go to waste again. As New York begins to open more businesses, more public entertainment, more public schools, and more vaccination centers, things are slowly getting back to a pre-pandemic state, and so will we. Let’s all hope we can make the best out of “the new normal” while we can !!
Photo Credits:
Slideshow Image by DavidRockDesign from Pixabay
Second Image by Syaibatul Hamdi from Pixabay
Third Image by Lena Helfinger from Pixabay