Month: October 2019

Why Just Sitting Down and Writing HELPS

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

I’ve previously mentioned in a lot of my writing-related posts that the best way to start writing is to simply start writing. I definitely believe this; it’s how I get all my blog posts up. I usually sit down on one of the weekend days and grind out my posts for the next week. However, today I’m not just going to be talking about in the creative-writing or blogging context- I’m talking about ANY form of writing. Getting started with an essay, discussion questions, a project, an application, anything!

I’ve also mentioned in one of my posts about productivity that getting started on something makes it that much easier to finish it. It seems less intimidating, you’re already part of the way there, and your brain is already in that mode. For all these reasons, that’s why it’s so much easier to keep writing once you’ve already started. I happen to love writing, but I know a lot of people hate it and find it tedious, so they procrastinate it whenever possible. I would advise against doing this- the longer you wait, the more you’re going to not want to start, and the harder it’s going to seem to finish it in time.

I recommend finding a day where you have a decent chunk of time to sit at your desk and get a good portion of whatever type of writing it is done. Start simple: a title, your name, an outline, writing down the question numbers, beginning to restate the prompt in your answers, etc. Just get anything on the paper so that there’s something on the paper. From there, actually start thinking and working. Let your stream of consciousness flow out onto the page and don’t spend time self-editing or erasing. That can come later. If I’m short on time I might do a little editing as I go just so it’s done in the moment and I don’t have to go back and edit that portion later, but it’s nothing major.

Give yourself twenty to thirty minutes to just write. If it’s a short assignment, you could already be done by this point! If it’s longer, once you’re done with that twenty to thirty minutes, go get a drink of water or whatever to take a little break, and then come back to read what you wrote. You can edit during this re-reading, and make sure to assess how much you got done. You should have a decent amount of writing to start with, and if you have the time to continue writing, go for it! If not, you can now be at peace with the fact that you started and got a significant amount done.

I personally like to get all my thoughts out, write until the amount of work I need is finished, and then play around with it, edit it, and rework it into the final product. It’s way easier for me to whip out a quick first draft that’s really rough and then polish it, than to take my time in writing a perfect first draft. For example, I’ll just run with my thoughts and type out an essay in 35-50 minutes, but then I’ll come back to it a day later and spend an hour or two editing it- if I have the time, otherwise, at least I had that first draft ready to go!

I know lots of people give out that advice for writing and you’ll just think, “But how do I start?”. I hope this explanation made the strategy of just getting started seem a bit more achievable. Like I said, I love to write, and yet I’m still not perfect at avoiding procrastination and other pitfalls of writing assignments. No matter what the task is, I know it’s possible for you to achieve it!

-Brooke

Should You Do the Suggested Reading? Guide by Class

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

We all have those classes where the teacher assigns long readings in the textbook that you literally cannot force yourself to read… and we all procrastinate or try to find ways to avoid doing that reading. I’ve been there, and I’m still there- that’s why I figured I would make this simple yes or no guide to whether you really need to do the suggested reading.

Note that this is for reading that is not completely required- if you have to read a book for English, I would DEFINITELY recommend that you do it. You can always use SparkNotes and similar summary sites if you’re in a time crunch, but reading for English is what ultimately helps you understand the book and later analyze it in essays.

YES, you should do the reading if…

  • It’s not long
  • You have time
  • The teacher hints the material will be on the test
  • The class is lecture-based and the text will help you understand the lecture
  • You’re expected to take notes on it
  • Reading actually helps you learn
  • You can easily learn the information elsewhere/through summaries

NO, you shouldn’t bother doing the reading if…

  • It’s unreasonably long
  • You don’t have time
  • You don’t need to take notes
  • It’s supposed to be your suggested form of “studying” – other methods are more effective!
  • The class isn’t lecture-based and you do other, more stimulating activities in class
  • Reading doesn’t help you and you won’t be fully paying attention
  • It’s complex and can’t be learned through summaries/other shortcut methods

I know this is a short post, but I wanted to make a straight-forward guide that would help you guys answer this age-old question. My AP Euro teacher always suggests that we read the textbook chapter correlating with our current unit, but I only do it if I have time since it’s just a mini-review of everything we discuss in class, only in more technical terms and a more boring textbook format.

-Brooke

How to Look Decent/Socially Acceptable for School Without Trying

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

This is about the point in the year where everyone stops trying to put together stylish outfits, and starts to get lazy with their appearance at school. Waking up at 6:00 everyday is hard, but actually trying to look good at that hour is harder. It’s totally fine to not care about your appearance and show up to school in sweats everyday- believe me, I’ve done my fair share of that. Today, I’m going to give you some quick tips on how to get ready and look good without putting in a lot of effort.

  • Pick out your outfit the night before – This saves SO much time; I’m not sure how, but it does. Make it a part of your normal night routine and it becomes super easy. As you’re getting into your pajamas, look at the weather app on your phone and just pull out your outfit for the morning as well. I feel like when you’re awake and in that mindset, it’s easier to put something together than when you’re still half-asleep before school.
  • Know your favorite clothing pieces/basics – This also makes it easier to put together an outfit. I have my few favorite shirts/sweaters/jackets/pants/shorts/skirts, so I can easily mix and match when I don’t know what to wear. I honestly wear the same pieces every week, just mixed up in different ways and tailored to fit the weather.
  • Color-coordinate – If you want a way to make your outfit look way more stylish than it really is, this is it. I personally like coordinating my shirt color to my shoes, and my jacket (if I’m wearing one) to my bottoms, but it depends on what you want. This makes you look like you know what you’re doing, and it doesn’t take anymore time than picking out a random, mismatched outfit.
  • Master easy hairstyles – Some examples are high ponytails, side braids, half-up half-down, and messy buns. These are easy, and paired with the right look, will still look cute. Wearing your hair down is also completely fine as long as it’s brushed and washed/decently clean.
  • Wear minimal makeup (or none!) – I don’t wear makeup to school ever- it’s just too much work, I touch my face too much during the day, I have cheer after school, and I don’t care enough. I would suggest only wearing mascara, lip gloss, and concealer if anything if you’re in a rush/not wanting to try, but going bare-faced is honestly a great thing to do for your skin!
  • Keep up with hygiene/cleanliness – I know this is obvious, but I just thought I would throw it out there. Make sure you’re showering everyday or every other day and washing your hair however often you do (I have super oily hair so I do it everyday, but I know it’s not the best to do it too often). Keep up with brushing your teeth, washing your face, etc- having whiter teeth and clearer skin also makes you look so much better without trying!
  • Accessorize (again, keeping it simple though) – If you still need something extra to elevate your look, add a piece of jewelry. Similar to having a few favorite clothing pieces, I have a few favorite jewelry pieces I can throw on if I’m wearing a plain outfit. Putting on a simple necklace, bracelet, or even hair accessory can add so much to your look, especially if it color-coordinates!

Since I started high school, I’ve been all about trying to master looking as good as possible with the least amount of effort. Some days it doesn’t work out and I end up wearing sweatpants for the fifth day in a row, but hey, that’s just as acceptable! Also, it’s completely fine to want to put lots of effort into your appearance, wear makeup to school, etc. Take pride in your appearance and present yourself the way you want to be seen, whatever that is.

-Brooke

New, Early AP Test Registration – A Student’s View

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

I touched on the topic of early AP test registration in my last post (which you should also go check out if you haven’t!), but I didn’t go super into depth or give my personal opinion on it. I’ll get things started by saying that frankly, I’m not the biggest fan.

Basically, AP test signups used to be in March, towards the end of the school year and only a couple months before the test; you would be almost done with the course, and have a pretty good idea of whether you wanted to actually take the test or not, based on how you thought you would do on it. Now, the deadline to sign up for your tests is November 15th, and late registration will have a fee of $40 (per test, I believe?). There’s also a $40 fee if you sign up but don’t end up taking the exam.

The registration process has had an overhaul in general. You now sign up through your AP class to an “AP classroom” online and register for the test there, and you also do the normal registration paperwork/payment, so it’s a two-step process. There are quite a few reasons why all these changes are inconvenient and somewhat ridiculous, which I will list here.

  • It burdens low-income students – Low-income students will have to decide faster whether it’s worth it for them to take the exam, and will have less time to save up/get the money to pay for the tests. I feel like these earlier test dates are just another thing that will stress out these groups, and many people have pointed this out as being a problem.
  • Students may end up dropping the class – If you end up dropping the class or struggling in it, you may not want to take the exam- especially if you don’t think you’re going to pass. Lots of people may end up dropping an AP class or not doing so well in it around the first semester mark, when they will already have had to sign up and pay for their test.
  • Self-studying becomes more complicated – I personally experienced this, but it luckily wasn’t even too complicated because my school does offer the AP class that I needed to sign up for. This probably isn’t the case at lots of other schools where people are self-studying though; if your school doesn’t offer AP classes, specifically the ones you are self-studying, you’ll have to find a school that does, AND a specific teacher who you can sign up online through.
  • Seniors haven’t finished college applications – Lots of seniors decide whether or not to take AP tests based on the colleges they are applying to/get accepted to/are attending and their individual policies on accepting APs for college credit. If you have to sign up by November, you might not have even sent out all your college applications. I guess you can still weigh it based on the colleges you’re interested in, but this just seems like an unnecessary stress put on seniors.

Overall, this decision just seems like a major cash-grab by the College Board. Since they really do have a monopoly on the whole standardized testing scene for the most part, it’s something they can do. They claim it’s not about profit and it’s actually about motivating students and giving everyone an equal chance for success on the tests, but I don’t see how this decision would correlate to that. Feel free to share your thoughts with me!
-Brooke

My (sort-of) Self-Studying Plan: AP Psych

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

If you are taking one or more AP classes this year, you would hopefully know that the registration for the AP exams this year is much earlier than in previous years. My school required that we sign up before October 15th, but there’s obviously still late registration. This is an attempt at a cash-grab from the College Board, albeit one that will probably work well for them. Registering for exams is also a two-step process now, where you join an online classroom for the APs you’re taking and sign up for the exam, and then you do the normal payment/registration. This makes it more complicated for people self-studying and/or taking AP classes online.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you would know that I took AP Psychology over the summer since I didn’t have room in my schedule for it, and I was planning on kind of self-studying for the test- it’s not full self-studying since I took the class, but you get what I mean. I had to go to my counselor and explain the situation, and she helped me sign up for the online classroom with my school’s AP Psych teacher so I could pay/register for my test as normal.

Now that I’m locked into taking the test and I’ve been forced to think a little bit about how I’m going to study for it, I figured I would discuss my plans. If any of you are in a similar situation or have done this previously, feel free to share your plans!

  • Prep books – I was going to order one during the summer when I was actually taking the course, but I realized the 2020 Psych test is going to be a new and updated version, so there wouldn’t be a point in buying old books. I’m planning on buying the Princeton Review one (2020) edition (which isn’t out yet…) since I used that brand of book for my AP Human Geo test, but I might ask the Psych teacher at my school for recommendations first.
  • Memorization (flash cards!) – I bought the Barrons flash cards for Psych during the summer and I found them super helpful- there’s so many and I know I probably won’t end up memorizing them all, but I know Psych is a memorization heavy, definition heavy course, so I feel like it’s a really good thing to have. I got them on Amazon, and they weren’t very expensive.
  • Going over the tests/assignments from my course – I took AP Psych through BYU Independent Study, and I still have access to all the tests I took and assignments I turned in as well as the actual lessons until next year (access to all that expires a year after you take the course). If I need extra practice or to reteach myself a concept, I can always go through this stuff.
  • PRACTICE TESTS – I think this is what really helped me succeed on the Human Geography test last spring. Just drilling the info and getting practice for actual test day helps you gauge where you’re at. This is the main reason why I liked the Princeton Review book for human geo/want the one for Psych- the practice tests were great!
  • Possibly in-school help – My school does offer AP Psychology, I just didn’t and wouldn’t have ever had room in my schedule to take it at school. However, the benefit of them offering it is that there’s still a teacher I can go to for help prepping for the exam or if I need explanations on certain things. As I mentioned before, I think I’m going to ask him what prep book he recommends before actually buying the Princeton Review one.
  • Online materials/YouTube videos – Another thing that helped me with Human Geo, there’s lots of videos that can give you quick reviews of the material and/or extra tips for the exam. I’ve already watched a few Psych videos on YouTube to supplement the course and jog my memory throughout the past couple months, and it’s super helpful to hear other people explain it- it’s like being with an actual teacher.

I feel like self-studying or taking an AP course in some untraditional method seems so much more daunting with these new regulations on having to sign up so early, but we’re all in this together. In fact, the AP Psych test is getting an update this year, so that’s another thing I have to figure out how to prepare for accordingly. If you feel like reading more about my AP Psych online experience, go check out some of my posts from summer!

-Brooke

The Reward of Being a Tutor

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

Before this school year, I had never been an official tutor before. I had always tried to be helpful with my classmates and friends if I understood a topic that they were struggling with; I would be happy to answer their questions and explain the concept until they had a better understanding of it. However, I hadn’t had the actual job/position of helping someone in a certain subject specifically- I had always wanted to though. That’s why I volunteered to be a tutor during at least one lunch period a week in my school’s History Center. I haven’t been doing it for very long, but it’s already been very rewarding.

In middle school, history was sometimes my favorite subject, and sometimes boring (it depended on the teacher). Freshman year, I took AP human geography, and although it’s not a traditional history class, it’s still under the umbrella of history- I found it fascinating. My human geo teacher runs the History Center, so when he started looking for tutors, I knew I wanted to sign up; he’s also the funniest person ever and I really miss him as a teacher, so that’s a bonus.

When I had my first tutoring session, I was pretty nervous; it was someone in my grade, which I didn’t expect. I thought I would mainly be helping freshmen. However, it actually went really well and I was able to help the person. It felt so good to know someone actually learned something from me, and it helped that I actually love to explain history-related stuff. I find most of the things we cover so interesting, and the history department at my school has really intelligent and funny teachers.

Regardless, I’ve been inspired by these weekly tutoring sessions to do some more tutoring. I’ll now be tutoring in Spanish at the Language Center occasionally, and my English teacher recommended that I tutor in the Writing Center next year- only juniors and seniors are allowed, but she knows I love to write. I would also love to tutor some little kids outside of school, especially since the work is even easier to explain. I encourage you guys to go sign up and volunteer as a tutor for your favorite subject; I promise it will be worth it. I feel like it’s a learning experience on both ends.

As you guys know, I love to volunteer, so it’s nice to find another way to help others- especially my own peers. I’m not the best at explaining things off the bat, but I feel this is also an activity that will really improve my communication skills with people. I hope you guys take advantage of the tutoring resources you have if you’re in need of help with school, and that if you feel comfortable, you sign up to be a tutor yourself!

-Brooke

Self-Care Ideas for the Crazy School Year

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

When life speeds up, it’s super important to still keep up with your self-care routines and take care of yourself. This helps you maintain a healthy balance and reduce stress. Today I have a list of great self-care ideas for when you need to give yourself a break and relax.

  • Use a face mask
  • Draw a bath and use a bath bomb/bath salts
  • Light candles
  • Watch your favorite TV show or movie
  • Eat your favorite comfort food
  • Wear one of your favorite clothing pieces
  • Bake something
  • Write a list of things you’re currently happy with
  • Clean up your space
  • Write yourself a letter
  • Meditate (you can use an app!)
  • Go on a run or a walk
  • Take a workout class

Sometimes when I get super busy, self-care is the first thing to cut out of my routine. However, this year I’ve realized how detrimental that can be to your mental and physical health. Self-care is now a huge priority to me, and I hope you guys try some of these things and prioritize it more in your own lives as well.

-Brooke

How to Balance Schoolwork and Social Events

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

Since homecoming was such a crazy week, it was a little difficult for me to finish all of my schoolwork and still attend all of the events. Since I’m a cheerleader, there was the added responsibility of practicing and performing at the rally and the games, so there was definitely a lot on my plate. I figured I would give you guys a few tips on how to get everything done but still enjoy these amazing events in high school with your friends!

  • Plan ahead – If you know it’s going to be a crazy week (like homecoming!), plan ahead to get some work done towards the beginning of the week or the weekend before. If you know you’re able to fit certain things in at certain times, you’ll be able to get them done before things get too busy.
  • Utilize the weekend – I know no one likes to spend their weekend catching up on work, but sometimes it’s just the best thing to do. Studying for tests the weekend before and getting a head start on the week’s homework will alleviate a lot of busy work during the week.
  • Only do what’s necessary/due soon – Normally I like to try and work ahead and constantly be tackling assignments, but when you have a lot of special events each day there’s not really time for that. It’s okay to only do the things that are actually due the next day if it means you get to have fun with your friends.
  • It’s okay to let a couple things slide – Obviously don’t shirk all responsibility because you want to go party with your friends, but it’s okay to not do a couple things that week when you have other stuff going on. For example, it’s okay to not do your weekly volunteering on the weekends if you’re going to be recovering from a dance and catching up on homework. Only do what you can reasonably accomplish.
  • Study with friends – Since these events are usually schoolwide, everyone’s in the same boat! Share the responsibility with friends and study or do work together. It will hold you accountable to get things done.

Balance is key, so remember to let yourself have fun away from the business and stress of school at least once in a while. You’re only in high school experiencing these events for a few short years, so go and make the most of them while you can.

-Brooke

A Typical High School Homecoming Week

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

Now that homecoming week is officially over and all the festivities have occurred, I wanted to give you a glimpse into what it’s like to experience a typical high school spirit/homecoming week. If you’re a freshman, this can give you an idea of what to expect; if you’re not a freshman, it might just be fun to compare my experience to yours!

Monday: Class Colors Day, Homecoming Rally- Each grade wears their assigned class color and there’s a rally between fourth and fifth periods where the dance and cheer teams perform and there’s other class activities.

Tuesday: Tropical Day – Everyone dresses up in Hawaiian shirts.

Wednesday: No School – Jewish holiday!

Thursday: Jersey Day, Lunch Rally & Food Fair, JV Homecoming Game- At lunch my cheer team decorated the football locker room (it’s a tradition) but there was also a food fair where you could buy lots of fast food. Right after school for cheer, we ate lunch and braided our hair together for the game. Then, the actual game happened, and we performed our halftime routine!

Friday: Blackout, Varsity Homecoming Game, Sharky’s Fundraiser – Everyone wears all black at school and to the game. At the game, the homecoming court goes around the track in cars at halftime and there’s lots of performances. After the game, there was a school restaurant night fundraiser at Sharky’s down the street.

Saturday: Homecoming Dance – The dance started at 7pm but all of my friends met at someone’s house at 5:30 to take pictures and get picked up in our party bus. We left the dance a little before 10pm and went to Denny’s, then got dropped off in a local shopping center where our parents could pick us up around midnight.

I hope this gets you excited for your homecoming and gives you some insight into what it’s like! It’s a really fun way to show school spirit and enjoy being a high schooler.

-Brooke

How to Prepare for High School Homecoming

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

It’s October and football season is winding down, so what does that mean? It’s time for one of the best school events of the year: homecoming! This week was homecoming spirit week at my high school, and the day that you’ll be reading this is the night of the dance. I’ve mentioned in many of my posts that I am on the JV cheer team at my school, so our homecoming game was on Thursday, but the varsity game was Friday. For any of you freshmen out there, this is a little guide to having the best homecoming ever.

  • Go to the dance in a group with all your friends – If you have a date, that’s awesome! However, I would still recommend going in a large group with all your friends so you can take pictures before and enhance the experience. I know lots of people at my school pitch in and get party buses with their friend groups if there’s a large amount of people- I’ve done it and it’s really fun.
  • Dress up for the spirit week – It makes the events way more fun if you actually get into it and show your school spirit. I usually have to wear my cheer uniform since I’m a cheerleader, but I encourage all my friends to dress up. There’s usually fun themes and you can coordinate with your friends.
  • Attend all the events!! – Obviously you don’t have to, but I would really recommend going to the rally, game, and dance, especially if you’re a freshman. You won’t know if it’s your thing until you try it! I’m usually not the most spirited person and I still think homecoming is super fun.
  • Wear comfy shoes – If heels are comfortable for you, then go for it; I feel like for most people they’re not, so I would recommend wearing heels for pictures and then changing into flats or sneakers. I personally wore Vans to the dance and it was a lifesaver- it’s so crowded and you’ll be moving around and dancing, so it’s just easier that way.
  • Organize somewhere to go afterwards – It will definitely be a late night out, but I think it’s so much more fun if you continue the fun afterwards. My friends and I went to IHOP last year, and this year we’re going to Denny’s afterwards, and it’s just fun because you’re probably going to be starving (there’s not really any food at our dance) and so you can stuff your face before you go home and crash.
  • Get ready with friends – This makes any event more fun, but I think it’s especially good for a dance because you can all do each other’s hair/makeup, etc.
  • Don’t stress about your appearance too much – In the end, everyone’s going to get sweaty and look disheveled after a few hours of dancing in a crowded gym/wherever you hold the dance. Obviously take pride in your apperance, but don’t worry about looking perfect.

Overall, the most important thing is to make the most of your homecoming experience and have fun. My homecoming week was the highlight of my freshman year, which is why I was so excited for it this year. I have faith that you all will have the best experiences ever!

-Brooke