Advice

How to Find & Apply To Summer Programs

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

If you’re been reading my blog for a while, you’d know that I’ve been trying to figure out my summer plans and apply for some summer programs related to things I’m interested in. I’m mainly focused on finding a cool program for creative writing (let me know if you want a list because I’ve found sooo many from searching), but there’s tons of programs for pretty much every interest and extracurricular out there. It’s pretty overwhelming, which is why I’m still having indecisive troubles figuring out which ones to ultimately apply to. If you’re interested in finding out more about how to seek these programs out and apply, keep on reading.

  • Figure out what you would want to pursue at a program – What are you most interested at the moment? A program is only worth it if you know you’ll really enjoy it, learn from it, and get a lot out of it. If you have a main hobby (a sport, art/music, etc.) or a favorite subject, think about taking that to the next level by going to a summer program where you can spend a week or a few weeks really diving into that interest.
  • Do detailed research and compile a master list – I would start by just looking up “summer program for high schoolers” and your topic of interest. There are detailed lists on websites like College Confidential and the Applying to College thread on Reddit, if you want a wider range of topics to start out looking at. Don’t be sucked in by super expensive pre-college programs- it’s probably not worth it unless you’re genuinely interested and have the (significant amount of) money to spare. Cheaper/free programs are better in most cases, and you will come across them with more research- lesser known/smaller local programs are great too if they fit your interest!
  • Filter out programs by price, location, length, age eligibility, etc. – This is the most important step. Depending on how long you want to be gone, how much money you’re willing to spend, and what grade you’re in, it can narrow down a lot of possibilities. I would form a list of criteria before you start thinking about actually applying anywhere- it will make it a lot easier to narrow it down to only a few programs of interest.
  • Do more detailed research to see what the best fit would be – Once you’ve narrowed it down, now see what actually sounds the most fun and best for you. If there’s impressive advisers/staff/teachers/etc. or it’s in a location you’d like to visit, those are pluses! It’s kind of like a mini-college search- sift through to find what actually sounds most fun to you.
  • Work on essays/questionnaires over time – I think it’s important to start early since you don’t want to stress yourself out over an application for a program that’s supposed to be fun. The bulk of most applications besides a transcript and recommendations is probably essays or other supplements, so start these in advance.
  • Ask a teacher related to the subject or one you know best for a recommendation – Most programs will require recommendations, so make sure you’re prepared to ask for one in advance. If the program is geared towards a specific academic subject, try to ask a teacher in that subject or field. If it doesn’t really matter, I would just ask any teacher/mentor that knows you really well.
  • Hope for the best! – A summer program is definitely not a make or break of having a good summer or a productive activity. It can be a nice way to get out of your comfort zone, but there are plenty more local things you can do that are just as impressive and exciting. That being said, if you apply, I hope you get in!

I hope this gave you a little more insight on what goes into finding the right summer program for you. I’ve done a lot of research on this so if you need any pointers on where to look or what programs might go with your interest, let me know! I’d be happy to point you in the right direction if I can. Also, I am by no means an expert on this- it’s just something I’ve been interested in myself. I’m hoping to attend a writing program this summer, but I have no clue if it will end up working out. Of course, I’ll keep you posted 🙂

Brooke

Girl’s Guide to Living With Grandparents/Living in A Crowded House

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

Recently my grandmother moved in with my family, and it’s been chaotic to say the least. We live in a pretty small house, and it’s become even more crowded with the introduction of my grandmother and her miniature-Pinscher dog. I know a lot of other people live with their grandparents or just experience crowded family living situations, so I thought it would be helpful to offer my two cents on how to make these hectic conditions a bit smoother. I know it’s an adjustment as anything is, and I know I’m privileged to even have the living situation that I’m currently in, so don’t take this as me complaining 🙂

  • Establish boundaries, and stick to them – This is a two-way street. There will probably need to be compromises on both ends, and that’s just how it is. I would hope that all parties involved at least understand common courtesy (not having the T.V. on loud at night, not having loud phone calls on speaker phone, etc.) but depending on the people and situation you may need to clarify these things. It’s best if everyone has some sort of defined space as their own, especially when it comes to storage. In the bathroom it can be a drawer, in a bedroom it can be a side of the room or a corner- it all depends.
  • Figure out transportation – This also depends on the situation, because if everyone has their own car and can transport themselves, you don’t really have an issue. I’m not old enough to drive yet and I depend on my parents to take me everywhere, and my grandma isn’t really comfortable driving on crazy California freeways and roads- she also doesn’t have a car here at the moment. If my parents are taking my grandma to an appointment or to get her errands done, I’m stuck at home or stranded elsewhere. Luckily I’ll be able to drive soon, but right now we have to do a lot of planning in advance to make sure everyone’s getting where they need to go… which means spontaneous plans with friends are limited.
  • Have time to get away – I’m busy with a lot of extracurriculars and my schoolwork, so I don’t even spend that much time at home. I also try to be social and spend time with my friends as much as I can, so that’s even more time out of my house. This makes it a little easier to deal with the craziness at home- I’m not actually home very often, besides sleeping and eating and working. It really helps if you have lots of time in your schedule where you’ll be elsewhere, away from the chaos.
  • Find your “zen” space at home – No matter how cramped or crazy it is, there has to be some spot at home that you can go to for relaxation. It can be in your backyard, front yard, or even just somewhere else in your neighborhood if your actual house is too much for you. What matters is it’s a place of tranquility that you can easily access without having to depend on anyone else and where you won’t get disturbed. For me, I have a couple go-to places- the bathroom (I know, it’s weird), a corner of my room, and this one spot in my backyard outside if it’s warm out.
  • Know that everyone probably feels the same way and you just need to communicate – If you’re getting overwhelmed and feeling tension, chances are you’re not the only one. These situations require everyone to cooperate with each other and be comfortable speaking up when something’s bugging them or they need to make a change. I know there’s not much you can do or control as a kid in this situation, but you can still (respectfully) advocate for yourself if you feel boundaries are being overstepped or you don’t have enough privacy.

I know these types of situations can be quite trying, especially depending on your relationship with your family members. Just try to look at it as a bonding experience and a life lesson- you’ll need to learn to live with other people (with very different lifestyles) in small quarters in college or in other roommate situations when you’re older anyways. I’ve been in so many strange living situations and stayed in so many dorm rooms that I think I’m definitely ready to be living in a dorm 😉

Brooke

How to Fix An Unproductive Week

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

If you’re trying to have a productive week, this is the right post for you. We all have those weeks where we set ourselves up to be super organized and hope it all works out how we planned, yet somehow things go awry and you feel like you haven’t gotten anything done. But don’t fret! That doesn’t mean it’s all over, and you can still put your week back on track. Here are a few ways to turn an unproductive week on its head and make it as productive as ever!

  • Make a more realistic to-do list – Sometimes our mile-long to-do lists intimidate us. I know mine does. Make a more manageable list for what you need to do that day or that week, and you can start tackling the tasks one-by-one without feeling the pressure of what’s next.
  • Clean your space – I find that it’s way easier to be productive when your workspace is clean. Clean out your desk, make your bed, clean your whole room, whatever you have time for- just make it a better and more comfortable space to get stuff done in.
  • Go to a new environment and try and get things done there – Go to a Starbucks or even a cute coffee shop if you prefer a local café near you, and bring your work. I think this is a good environment to work in because lots of other people will be working around you and there’s nothing else to do but grind- plus, you’ll have caffeine right nearby.
  • Go for a walk or do any form of exercise – First of all, this can be something that you feel you’ve accomplished- you’ve gotten a workout in and done something nice for yourself. Also, the adrenaline and endorphins will give you motivation to do your other work.
  • Do all your tiny, five-minute tasks – These can seem like a lot, but when you just nip them in the bud and get them done, it takes quite a few small items off your to-do list. Things like putting away laundry, returning emails, and such are examples of tasks like this, and it’s refreshing to be able to cross something off your list.

I hope these tips help you out and inspire you to have a productive week this week! It’s crazy how the weeks are flying by, but I guess that’s just a good indication of how busy and productive I’ve been 🙂

Brooke

I Don’t Want to Go Into STEM. Should I?

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

My dad told me when I was little that he hoped I would continue to pick up math quickly because then I could become an engineer and make lots of money when I grew up. Whenever he told me this, I would nod my head, but I had a feeling that wouldn’t really be what I wanted. I’m no math whiz, but I’ve always gotten good grades in math and I tend to enjoy the subject when I have a helpful teacher. I’m decent at math, but it’s not my favorite thing- same with science. People always say STEM fields and jobs are where the future and the money is- they’re not wrong, but it doesn’t mean that’s what I want to spend the rest of my life doing.

Most of the kids in my (honors/AP) classes want to be engineers, doctors, or something else in STEM. I don’t. I’ve always felt like I should, because most of the high-achieving, smart kids around me do. If I’m high-achieving and smart (or aspiring to be), shouldn’t I like these things that are usually labeled as the jobs/fields high-achieving, smart people like and want to do? I still ask myself this from time to time, but I’m not putting pressure on myself to do or like anything that I wouldn’t genuinely pick up on my own. Everyone has their own interests, and I know that’s not my path. Sometimes I question it, of course, but I just have that instinct that it’s not for me since I don’t particularly enjoy those topics.

It’s more important to do what you love anyways, regardless of prestige or money (to an extent). I’m more interested in the humanities, and English and history classes have always been my favorite. I also love my Spanish class, I loved AP Psychology and I love learning about law (my childhood dream was to be a lawyer). I’m interested in the quantitative side of some of these subjects, but not math or hard sciences themselves. My mom always says it’s more important to find what I’m passionate about and explore different things along the way since I still have time, whereas my dad will still push the whole STEM-being-the-most-secure-future thing.

People always try to make STEM fields seem superior and hate on the humanities, saying STEM majors/jobs are harder, but any job or major or interest can be more complex and difficult depending on how you’re diving into it. It’s different since it’s just high school, but at my school, English and history classes tend to have reputations as being the hardest. I don’t feel bad about wanting to go into something that might not be “the job of the future” because I want to find and do what I love.

The last thing I wanted to touch on is the call for women to go into STEM. My dad had me watch some news special or documentary type thing on how companies want more women in the field and there’s definitely a demand for it. However, there’s TONS of sexual harassment and gender inequality at a lot of the big tech companies for women who do go into those fields. I wouldn’t want to put myself through the atmosphere of these male-dominated companies, especially considering I’m also just not interested in those types of jobs.

I recently watched Good Trouble (an amazing show and the sequel to The Fosters) on Hulu, and one of the characters works at a tech-startup and is one of the only women who works there. The guys on her team don’t take her seriously and she finds out she’s also being paid a lot less. I know it might not be a completely realistic depiction of a woman in STEM’s life and there are a ton of amazing, powerful women who probably have better experiences in the industry, but I think it definitely draws attention to some of the unacceptable behavior towards women in those types of workplaces.

If you’ve been in a similar mindset as I have, or are questioning whether to pursue a certain job/major/etc. in STEM or something else based on what others are doing and the prestige/money involved, just take a second to evaluate your priorities. If you have the skills for it and prestige or money/a secure future is the most important thing in your life, that is completely respectable and you should act accordingly. However, if you know that something else is your calling that you truly love, you should consider that first.

I hope talking about this draws attention to the internal conflict and thoughts that I know a lot of other people besides me must have as well. I promise it’s worth it to follow your heart, and you’ll usually end up being most successful at the things you love to do and see yourself pursuing the most.

Brooke

How to Declutter Your Electronics

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

I mentioned in my post a couple days ago that decluttering your electronic devices is an underrated form of organization, and that I would make a post specifically detailing it soon. Well, here it is! There’s probably tons of documents, apps, and other stuff on your phone that you’ve completely forgotten about and don’t need anymore. I highly recommend following these tips to clear out your phone and ~organize~ another part of your life, especially if you’re always running out of space on your devices.

  • Delete old text messages, notes, voice memos, and emails – These are all little documents you probably haven’t looked at in a long time and probably will never look at again. Unless someone has sent you something important or you have a few notes that are filled with important info, I would honestly clear most everything out. I feel like emails are the area where you’ll probably keep the most, because there’s a lot of important work/school stuff.
  • Delete pictures you don’t want (mainly screenshots) – Obviously don’t feel pressured to get rid of meaningful pictures you actually like, but I know personally I take tons of pictures of the homework for the day written on the board in school and other stuff like that and forget to delete them later, or screenshots of other school-related stuff from my teachers’ websites. Clear all these out unless you need them still.
  • Delete downloaded music you don’t want anymore – If you have a streaming service like Apple Music or Spotify, you’ll always be able to download them again later, but right now they’re taking up valuable space on your phone for no reason. Delete anything that you don’t remember what it is- that’s a good sign you don’t listen to it, and remove playlists you never listen to while you’re at it.
  • Delete apps you don’t use anymore – I find deleting games is a good thing to do since they’re relatively unused unless you’re on long car rides or flights and need something to do, and they take up a lot of space. Otherwise, just delete whatever else you don’t need.
  • Wipe down the screen/keyboard/etc. of the device – Time for the actual cleaning! There’s so many germs on our devices from using them all the time, so take a Clorox/disinfectant wipe and really clean off the surfaces.
  • Unfollow people you’re no longer interested in staying in touch with on social media – You can unfollow people’s old accounts they don’t use anymore, accounts you don’t like seeing, celebrities you don’t care about that much, and anyone else who you don’t feel attached to seeing their posts. I also recommend removing them from following you if they currently do, just so you don’t have to be attached to their account.
  • Delete old contacts – Approach this with caution since you never know when you’ll need to contact someone, but we all have those random numbers of people we never really knew from group chats we’d get put in… yeah, you can delete those.
  • Clear your search history and cookies – Not because you have anything to hide (if you do, that’s fine too), but because the website data actually takes up space. This is an easy way to free up a little bit of space, and you’ll stop getting all those creepy automatic fill-ins while browsing (nope, just me bothered by that?).
  • Change your wallpaper and password if necessary – This is totally optional, but it’s always nice to change it up! I like to change my wallpaper to a time that I’m currently missing- right now it’s the Amalfi Coast from my trip to Italy last summer. The water was so gorgeous.
  • Back up your device – Now that you have everything cleared out, you’ll want to preserve your phone/device how it is! Back your phone up to your computer and back your computer up to a hard drive.

I hope this helped any of you guys that wanted to clean out all the junk from your digital life! Since our devices are such a major part of our everyday life now, it’s just as important for them to be organized as our concrete workspaces.

Brooke

5 Little Ways to Organize Your Life in 2020

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

At the start of a new year, it’s always nice to do some cleaning. I find it makes me feel like I have my life together and am prepared for the year ahead. However, if you’re already a pretty organized person or just don’t have the time to do a major deep cleaning of your room/house, here are a few little ways you can organize your life and feel like you have it all figured out (even if you totally don’t).

  1. Organize any surfaces in your room – This sounds like a lot at first, but you probably don’t have that many surfaces where things are out in your room. For me, I have my nightstand, my bookshelf, my desk, and my bathroom counter. Your room will look so much neater if you just clean off these few surfaces and minimize the amount of stuff you have on top of them. Put things back that have been left out on these areas (put things into drawers, etc), dust them or wipe them down, and organize them.
  2. Choose some sort of planning system that works for you – Whether this is a physical planner, Google Calendar, the Apple calendar app, or some other system, find what works best for you. Having a record of all your plans and responsibilities is super helpful, especially for remembering everything that’s on your plate. For us students especially, it’s an easy way to monitor all your schoolwork.
  3. Go through papers – This sounds vague, but I mean exactly what I wrote: go through all your papers. Old receipts, manuals of electronics, schoolwork from past semesters or even past years, random paperwork, flyers, mail- recycle everything you don’t want and don’t need anymore, and organize what you still want/need in some sort of file folder system. I have a few different folders- I have a huge accordion one for all my current year school stuff so I can keep it and study for finals, I have a smaller folder with important school stuff I still reference from past years (notes from math and Spanish, etc), and a folder with all my extracurricular stuff and/or extra school information.
  4. Do a technology clean-out – I’m going to make a post on this very soon detailing how to do this most efficiently, but get old stuff and apps that you don’t want off of your phones! This is helpful especially if you don’t have a lot of storage. I’m going to leave it at this since I’ll go into detail in another post, but basically just delete stuff you don’t want off of your electronics.
  5. Clean out backpacks and purses – This is a really good idea for your school bag before the new semester, but it’s also nice to clean out any other purses or bags you may use. Check all the pockets, take everything out, and dump them out upside down once empty over a trash can to get rid of crumbs and other trash. You may find things you’d lost a while ago, like your old favorite chapstick.

I hope this inspired you to go do some cleaning. Trust me, you’ll feel so much better once you see the fruits of your labor! I’m an organization-lover and I’m trying to up my game this year, so you’ll definitely be seeing more posts about cleaning and organization soon.

-Brooke

Struggling to Get Back Into An Old Hobby? Read This

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

I’ve recently gotten back into reading, and it’s been difficult to carve out time to nurture my old favorite hobby. As much as I love to read, I have such a busy schedule in addition to other hobbies (like this blog!) that require a lot of time and headspace as well. There are a couple other hobbies I’ve tried to reintroduce into my life previously as well; some worked out, while others didn’t. Once you feel that something is out of your life, it can be difficult to incorporate it back into your daily routine, whether it’s a sport or something less involved, like reading.

If you’re currently having a similar experience, hopefully these tips will help you incorporate your hobby back into your life. I know it can be frustrating when it used to be so natural or so easy for you to do something and now it’s a struggle to prioritize it and bring it back into your life, but it will be very rewarding once you make it a habit again. Plus, hobbies are supposed to be fun! Use these tips, and soon you’ll be having fun again 🙂

  • Utilize time-blocking to find a time for it – If you really want to do something, you’ll have to carve out the time for it. Set a certain window of time each night or each week where you will allow yourself to spend time on this hobby. As you get back into it, if you’re still enjoying it, you can increase this time-block more and more.
  • Have reasonable expectations – If you were really good at your hobby in the past, don’t get discouraged starting out as a newbie again. If you start and it’s like you never left, that’s great too! Depending on the hobby, you may have found that you’ve regressed though, and that’s completely okay as well. Don’t expect to be perfect- you’re probably/hopefully just doing this for fun anyways.
  • Take it slow – If you’re trying to get back into running (I chose this example because it’s basic), you wouldn’t want to start with a marathon. Take baby steps, and reteach yourself the basics even if you think you remember them well enough. I find this is a good reminder as to how much you enjoyed the hobby before, and it’s always good to review in general.
  • Spend time with other people who have that hobby – This will inspire you to spend more time doing it, and it will also usually make you fall in love with your hobby more if you see and listen to people who are super passionate about it talking about it/doing it. It also helps to find your community, because now you can share your love for the hobby together! If it’s running, run together. If it’s reading, start your own book club.
  • If you’re over-scheduled, drop something else – This is also a good test to see if starting to get into your hobby again is worth it/important enough to you. Are you willing to give up something else currently a part of your life in order to have time for it? You don’t want to be too pressed for time, and there needs to be a balance in your life, so you may need to drop something else in order to take on a hobby.
  • Remember the true purpose of a hobby – As I said, hobbies are supposed to be fun! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get to the level that you were at before with your hobby- if you’re starting it up again, hopefully that would mean you actually enjoy it, regardless of your skill level. As long as you’re having fun and making time for yourself to do so, be content with where you are with your hobby in the moment.

I hope these tips helped if you’ve been trying to find the time for an old hobby in your life, or inspired you to start back up with something you used to love doing! I know it’s a challenge at first, but if you truly enjoy the hobby in question, it’s worth making time for and you’ll slip back into it easily. I know that’s been the case with reading- let me know if you have any good book recommendations, by the way 🙂

Brooke

A Teen Girl’s Guide to Grieving The Loss of A Loved One

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

If you read my post from yesterday, you would know that I recently suffered the loss of my grandfather. I wrote about it to commemorate his life, but also because I thought it might help anyone going through something similar. Grieving the loss of someone in your life, especially someone close to you, is a very difficult thing. I was extremely close with my grandmother, and when she died a couple years ago it was hard for me to deal with- it took months for me to adjust and feel normal again. It’s a sad and odd thing to say, but I think the “experience” that I gained from that is what’s making it a little easier to grieve and accept the recent loss of my grandpa.

I am not an expert in grief by any means, and if you are having a hard time I suggest you seek grief counseling or other professional help if you are able. That being said, I would like to share a few things that have helped me move through the stages of grief and move on in hopes that they may help you. We all deal with things differently, but these are a few general things that I think could help most people.

  • Talk about it – I completely understand if you need time to process it before knowing what to say, but it’s important to let your feelings out rather than keeping them bottled up inside. Find someone you can trust who will listen and comfort you, and don’t feel bad about burdening them with it- if they care about you, they most likely want nothing more than for you to feel better. If you can’t find someone in your life you feel comfortable talking to, seek group therapy or counseling if possible.
  • Write a letter to the person – If too many thoughts are going through your head, or you feel you didn’t get to say a proper goodbye to the person you lost, let all of your thoughts out in a letter. Tell them all the things you wish you could tell them in person, tell them all the things you love about them- whatever you want. You can keep the letter afterwards if you want, but I recommend throwing it away so there’s actually some sense of closure.
  • Meditate/pray/do whatever correlates with your religion and/or spirituality – Depending on your religious and/or spiritual beliefs, this may differ, but I highly recommend having some sort of mindful practice in reaching out to God and/or the universe. It also helps since you’re probably very overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts, and I think these practices are comforting during any tough time in general.
  • Attend the funeral/service if there is one, but on your terms – I highly recommend attending the funeral or whatever service you are having if you’re able to, even if it seems like a hard thing to do. You’ll be among family and friends going through the same thing, and that’s comforting in itself. Also, you can honor the life of your loved one and it will make you think of more positive memories with them, shifting to a better mindset.
  • Look at the big picture – I know they’re common things that everyone will tell you, but look at the positives: they’re in a better place, they’re no longer suffering, they’re in heaven (depending on what you believe), etc. Say these things to yourself and really believe in them, because it will make you feel better.
  • Find your community – This could be in group therapy or in your family and friends if they are experiencing the same feelings; whoever can relate to you, talk and listen, and will be there for you is a huge comfort. You are never alone in your sadness or grief.
  • Go easy on yourself – Don’t expect yourself to move on and feel better right away. Give yourself time. Take things one step at a time, and don’t ask too much of yourself as far as going back to school/work and getting back into the business of your daily schedule. For each tiny step to moving on, give yourself a pat on the back. This isn’t easy no matter what the situation is, and you’re a survivor for getting through it.

I really hope this helps out any of you who have recently lost someone in your life and are in the process of grieving. Remember, you are never alone, and you will get through this eventually- these things take time. Also, be there for the adults in your life who are grieving as well. I know us as kids/teens often think they have it together and can deal with these types of matters better or easier than us, but they’re in the same boat. Above all, I am so sorry for any of your losses if you are in this situation, and I am here for you if you need anything.

Brooke

Should You Seek Private College Counseling?

BrookeLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

Last year around this time, I had a rude awakening to just how competitive college admissions is today. I’m currently a sophomore in high school, so I was only a freshman at the time this happened, but I started to panic- we had a little meeting with our school counselors to plan out our sophomore year classes and make sure we were on track for the future, and so many people were taking summer school and trying to get ahead and game the system. I didn’t even know there was a system, I thought it was just about doing well in the highest level classes available to you at grade level, and being decently well-rounded outside of school. I didn’t realize there was so much planning and outside factors going into crafting the perfect college application as soon as freshman year. Keep in mind, I go to a competitive public high school, so this may not be the same in your school or different areas; maybe it’s even more competitive, I know at private schools and prep schools it definitely is.

My school counselor wasn’t a huge help due to her having 600 kids to advise and it was difficult to get a 10-minute appointment even if you only had a very immediate concern like a schedule change, and I felt lost after trying to get advice on the Internet from websites like College Confidential. I wasn’t trying to focus my whole life around getting into college in a couple years; I just wanted to know if I was on the right track and what I would need to do to prepare myself. Therefore, I asked my parents if we could go to a consultation with a local college counselor. They reluctantly agreed and we went- it seemed like a good vibe, and I was desperate for answers so it was really helpful to get some. My parents were skeptical to commit to anything because of the fairly high price tag, but they agreed because it was a one-time fee for guidance the rest of my high school years. I feel somewhat guilty that they paid so much since there are good and free resources online, but it was what I needed for peace of mind at the time, and it has proved very helpful to get personalized recommendations and advice.

I apologize for the long-drawn context, but I feel it’s necessary. If you’re feeling helplessly confused like I was and are currently considering whether you should consult a professional, you’ve come to the right place! I’m going to explain a few reasons why you should or should not hire a private college counselor based on your personal situation.

If these things apply to you, YES, you should:

  • You have the resources and time – I feel like this is one of the bigger things to consider. My parents were able to set up a payment plan so it wasn’t as much of a dent at once, and they felt better about it since I would be able to use the service from then until senior year. If you’re starting early, it can be more bang for your buck.
  • You’re an older sibling or only child – I’m personally the oldest sibling and the first one in my family to navigate this process. A lot of my friends are younger siblings and already knew so much about the process- some of their older siblings even had private counselors! They’ve also visited colleges with their older siblings, so they just overall are a lot more familiar with how everything goes.
  • Your parents have no clue about anything admissions-related – College admissions has changed a lot since our parents’ generation applied. My parents also both went to community colleges and transferred elsewhere, so they didn’t even ever go through the traditional college application process, only a transfer one. This led to a lot of frustration from me when they didn’t even believe me about how competitive it is to get in these days.
  • You’re not really sure what you want in a college, or what you want to study in college – I am super all-over-the-place in terms of interests and I don’t have a clear-cut path I plan on following in academics, extracurricular interests, or anything; I just know I like challenging myself and there’s a lot of things I’m interested in. And as far as the actual college search goes, I have no clue what I want either; I think I want a small or medium-size school and want to go far from home, but that’s pretty much it. It’s nice to have someone with a lot of knowledge on different people’s experiences and different schools to talk you through things.
  • You get along with the counselor and like them as a person – It’s so important to pick a counselor that you actually like if you’re going to be working with them throughout high school and paying them a lot of money. You’ll want to pick someone with good reviews online who knows their stuff, and seems like they really care about you.
  • You don’t have a strong relationship with your school counselor and/or another mentor who could help – I actually got a new school counselor this year and I really like her, but it’s still so hard to get appointments. Because there’s not a lot of individualized attention at my school, it just made more sense to seek it out for myself. I don’t have any other connections outside of school that would be able to give me advice when necessary, so I had to find my own.

If these things apply to you, NO, you shouldn’t:

  • It’s too much money and/or time – It’s definitely not worth it if you’d be struggling financially to pay for it. There are free resources online which I will write a post about soon, and your school counselor can help you. Similarly, if you’re a senior, it’s somewhat late in the game to take advantage of the full benefits- I would just go to someone who could read/edit/critique your application and essays if you’re a senior.
  • It seems like the counselor/service will require you to be unauthentic and/or unethical – Anyone who will encourage you to lie or cheat on your application is an automatic no. Even if they are suggesting that you do certain activities you’re not necessarily interested in, I would consider that unauthentic as well.
  • You already have a pretty good idea of what type of school/what school you want to go to and your interests for what to study there – A lot of the input a college counselor will give is related to narrowing down your options and figuring out what your actual plan is. If you already have a plan for yourself, they’re a lot less useful to you. For example, if you’ve decided you want to go to UCLA and major in biology because you love it, you don’t really need someone to tell you what else you should be doing. Yes, you might want someone to read over your applications and essays, but that can be done for cheaper come application time, and anything else you need to know can be found through online research.
  • You’re a younger sibling and/or have parents well-versed in college admissions – As I stated, a lot of my friends have already been through the process with their older siblings and have a pretty good idea of what they will need to do as well. In these cases, there’s not really a reason to ask for outside help when you can work closely with your family members and other personal connections.
  • You have a hands-on school counselor or other unpaid service/connection that can help you with these services – If your school fosters a more personalized connection between counselors and students, you may have never even needed to worry about seeking a counselor outside of school. Similarly, if you have a family member/friend/other connection who works in college admissions or has some other tie to the process, you could easily go to them for simple questions and such.

I hope this helped any of you out there who were having trouble deciding how to take action. Keep in mind this is just based off of my personal experiences, and your experience could be completely different depending on the services offered and the involvement of the program. Only do what you feel comfortable doing, and don’t feel pressured to use a private counselor at all! It can be a great resource and help you out, but it’s definitely not the end-all be-all or ultimate key to success. In a lot of ways, it’s more impressive if you can get through everything on your own 🙂

Brooke

5 Easy Ways to Be Eco-Friendly in 2020

BrookeLeave a comment

Welcome back everyone!

As we all know, sustainable and environmentally-friendly products have become a lot more accessible recently. A lot of people, myself included, want to reduce their own contribution to pollution, waste, and all of the harm we are doing to this planet. I’ve really been trying to become more aware of my choices and the waste I create, and it’s important to know that there’s actually a lot of easy and affordable ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. If you’re looking to reduce your waste in 2020, keep on reading for five simple ways to do so!

  1. Use reusable cups, straws, and utensils on the go – I know reusable water bottles like Hydro Flasks and metal straws have become super popular, but there’s even more you can do. Bring your own thermoses to coffee shops if they allow it, and keep a set of bamboo utensils in your car if you’re getting takeout or food where you would otherwise be using plastic cutlery.
  2. Pack lunches and snacks in Tupperware or lunch boxes instead of Ziploc or paper bags – Similar to reusable utensils and cups, packing your lunch in a way that produces less waste can also help you cut down a lot on plastic. This is something I plan on doing more this year, since at the moment I bring a paper bag lunch and there’s usually a couple snacks in ziploc bags. It’s an easy way to limit your waste on a daily basis, and it’s probably cheaper in the long run since you only have to buy a lunch box or nice Tupperware set once.
  3. Support sustainable companies and/or charitable companies with products related to the environment – Lots of these companies will be a lot pricier, but the products are often designed to last longer and in some cases they are more ethically made as well. For example, Reformation is known for their sustainable clothing, but it’s also very pricey. There are also companies that create their products on the basis of charity, such as 4ocean that takes a pound of plastic out of the ocean for each bracelet bought.
  4. Buy thrifted/secondhand clothes – This is helpful because it’s also a cheaper shopping option. Sites like Poshmark, Depop, and even eBay (less people go on eBay to buy clothes so you can get great deals) have tons of clothes you can get for super cheap, and it prevents people from throwing out their clothes. Also, going to your local thrift shop is just a fun experience 🙂 Of course, make sure to sell or donate your own clothes when getting rid of them so they don’t get thrown out either!
  5. Take notes / do schoolwork online – This is more about reducing paper than plastic, but I’ve seen that a lot of students have recently gone paperless. If you would rather take notes and complete all assignments online, it’s a great way to reduce waste- it does save some plastic in the long run as well because you won’t have to buy notebooks with the plastic covers, folders, or binders that have plastic in them. I know this doesn’t work for every person’s school and studying situation, but it’s something else to be mindful of. If some of your teachers have options to turn everything in online but some don’t, just take advantage of the opportunity for the ones who do.

Hopefully this inspired you to make a few swaps in your daily lifestyle. Remember that you really can have an impact and change starts with these small choices. On the other hand, remember no one is perfect; it’s difficult to completely shift your lifestyle and there will definitely be slip-ups or times when it’s not feasible to center your shopping around sustainability. The important thing is that you try your best and keep the earth’s best interest in mind. We’re all in this together 🙂

Brooke