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On May 29th 2020, Artemis Fowl arrived on Disney+. Although it was originally set to come out in theaters, the sudden arrival of the coronavirus pandemic forced Disney to release the movie on its platform instead.
Being a huge fan of the books after reading all of them in fifth grade, I was super excited to see all of the characters come to life, especially Artemis Fowl. I really wanted to see how the author imagined Haven City. However, I was extremely disappointed by the entire film, which was ruined, in my opinion, by the casting. Being Asian-American, I was extremely disappointed with the actor chosen to portray Domovoi Butler, the protagonist’s butler. In the books, the character was Russian-Japanese. However, he was portrayed by Nonso Anonzie, an actor of Nigerian Igbo descent. Removing the original cultural heritage of the character made me wonder if Disney cared about the equal representation of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and those of AAPI descent. Although Disney had a good and positive representation in Moana, why was Disney unable to do it here? Additionally, by racebending the role of Domovoi Butler, it seemed that Disney wanted to enforce harmful stereotypes of black servants and scary black men. Holly Short, an elven police officer, was whitewashed. Despite being described as a dark brown complexion, the actress of Short was white. The decision to cast Lara McDonnell seemed ignorant to whitewashing. There are many women of color who are able to portray Short; why did Disney whitewash this role? This isn’t the first time Disney has whitewashed a role; Johnny Depp was casted as a Native American in The Lone. Ranger and Tilda Swanton as the Ancient One (a Tibetan male) in Doctor Strange. These decisions seemed to make Disney appear ignorant of both stereotyping and the importance of representation. I was also disappointed with the casting of the protagonist, Artemis Fowl Jr. Fowl was portrayed by Ferdia Shaw. Shaw was a poor actor and lacked emotion when playing Fowl. It was rather displeasing to watch him and it ruined the film. For those unfamiliar with the Artemis Fowl series, such as my sister, were simply confused by the film. Josh Gad’s poor portrayal of Mulch Diggums made my sister think that he was an imitation of Hagrid from the Harry Potter franchise. The film didn’t explain many concepts to newcomers, expecting them to already understand these concepts. Additionally, the movie felt quite long and dragged on forever, making me want to switch to watch another movie instead. Overall, I definitely would not recommend watching Artemis Fowl. After watching the movie, I was extremely disappointed with Disney. The poor casting of characters and the poorly written script resulted in a film that dragged on for hours. The film definitely did leave me with a foul taste in my mouth. -Jade
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Our environment is changing as well as the planet’s climate. In fact, the planet’s climate problem is being fuelled by how fast our environment is worsening. Just like my last article, the definition for environmental change is as follows:
‘a change or disturbance of the environment most often caused by human influences’ (Google) What are some examples of environmental change caused by humans? You might’ve already heard of them:
These are only a few factors to our rapidly worsening environment. Some countries such as China and India are becoming overwhelmingly concerned as litter and waste is piling the streets, land and oceans, getting in the way of wildlife and marine life. As the climate crisis comes more and more into light, we now have to look at differences we can make as a society. Again, like in my last article, what could you do to do your part?:
Do you want to live in a world surrounded by rubbish and trash? Nobody has to be a ‘hippie’ to do their part in securing a clean future, so act now.
Shopping.
Some of us enjoy it, and some of us don’t. However, having a tight budget can bring the enjoyment to a screeching halt due to anxiety and stress, plus you can easily end up buying something you don’t want just because you felt pressured and could afford it. However, after going on many budgeted shopping trips I’ve identified 8 hints and tricks to leaving with clothes you really want, and avoiding wasting money.
This may seem like unnecessary hassle, however it can really help in the long run. Having durable fabrics with colours which compliment you means that they’ll last a long time and even limit your need for future shopping trips. Also, having versatile clothing which you can mix-and-match into different outfits is really helpful, as one article can be used in six different outfits, acting as six different pieces. Affordable online shops:
Esme If you could travel back in time what would you tell your younger self? Maybe you’d tell yourself to study harder for that one chemistry test. Or maybe you’d tell yourself to ask that one guy out in seventh grade.
Whatever it is, reminiscing is an important part of many of our lives. As important as it is to focus on the future, it is just as important to look back and reflect on our past. Every single day, from every single experience, we learn and grow. We learn from our mistakes and our accomplishments. We learn from our good days and our bad. We are the product of our past and what we’ve learned from it. Throughout my life, there have been many amazing milestones: my first day of middle school, my first exam, my first boyfriend, and so on. However, with these amazing milestones came the not so great ones: my first time getting bullied, my first time failing an exam, and my first heartbreak. The older that I get, the more time I spend thinking back on everything that has happened in my life - from my best wins to my biggest failures. As I look back, I can see how much I have changed as a person. In seventh grade, I was an insecure little girl that ate in the school bathroom alone everyday and cried herself to sleep every night. I have to admit, I am still not perfect or even anywhere close to it. However, I have changed and grown more than I ever thought I could and from all my experiences and everything I have learned, these are the pieces of advice that I would give myself if I could go back in time:
Life is messy and complicated. But everything that happens is a chance for us to learn and grow, which is why it is so important to be able to look back at the past and learn from experiences. Now that you know what advice I would give to myself, what are some of the things that you would tell your younger self? Have a great day! Erica xx Hyperhidrosis has taken over my life and leaves me in constant anxiety of physical contact. But what is ‘hyperhidrosis’? Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes people to sweat excessively in their hands, feet, face, chest, armpits and groin. The condition doesn’t always have a specific cause but is usually triggered by anxiety, certain medications, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hyperthyroidism and infections.
Hyperhidrosis doesn’t have an on or off button, for me, it can start at any given time and can be fairly embarrassing if you’re not at home. I find it the most difficult when I go for a job interview, the day will always be going great too! That is until I go inside and see the big boss. This is when sweat begins to flood out as if God is doing Noah's Ark 2.0 (and let me tell you, that is NOT fun). ‘Big boss’ will come over as if on key and then the thunderclaps and clouds begin to go grey! The big boss brings up his hand for the dreaded handshake! I would like to take a moment to say that I am not overreacting, anxiety was giving me a thumbs-up. When the big boss put out his hand I start shaking and I always feel so impolite but I say ‘yep that’s me...But I can’t shake your hand...I have hyperhidrosis’ and at which point the big boss is like ‘what is that’ and I am mentally slamming my head against the wall. I proceed to inform them about my sweaty life to which I’m usually greeted with a friendly smile, which is great! But also very unprofessional on my behalf and often leads me to not getting the job. Sad man-hours. If this sounds familiar then I have great news for you, there are ways to treat hyperhidrosis - it's always best to consult your GP and if you’re in the U.K. See if the treatments can be done on the NHS;
If you’re unsure on whether you have hyperhidrosis then you should definitely consult your GP because if you’re anything like me, you’re probably sweating while reading this article. If you'd like some advice on Hyperhidrosis then feel free to message us! -Cody Any teen movie involving ‘prom night’ portrays it as a magical moment in one’s life, but is that really the case? I don’t know about you, but I simply cannot believe that just because you are wearing a pretty dress and a face full of makeup, your life suddenly becomes perfect.
Due to the coronavirus, I didn’t get a prom. Although this devastated some people in my year (probably those who’d already spent way too much on a dress for just one night), I wasn’t bothered. Did I like the idea of hanging out with my friends, making memories, and having a good time? Yes. But, did I want to do this surrounded by my teachers? Absolutely not. Here’s a few possible reasons why some teens love the idea of prom:
However, none of these reasons really appeal to me and this is probably why I have never liked the idea of prom. Of course, I don’t speak for everyone and if I’m going to be perfectly honest, had it been on, I was intending to go to my prom. I’d even bought a dress! Sure, I think it’s forced, but so is everything if you think too much about it. So, even if you are pessimistic like me, I’d suggest giving it a shot. Who knows, you might even end up enjoying it! Have a brilliant day :) - Chloë x Anxiety is watching a blur of cars, their tires gliding swiftly through damp roads,
Drifting -- away. The sound of the crossing delays them-- a moment to breathe; A random pause in their flow of movement. But moments later, they begin their smooth descent To the known, Their destination already decided. Silent tears, the only things that can escape you; A salty tasty of freedom against your lips, The only way of knowing your tears are real, And not just a river being washed from within you, Turning you into the puddle cars manoeuvre around, Or splash against, coating pedestrians with despair, Their own feel for what anxiety did to you. But anxiety is Being left behind; Watching life move without you. Anxiety is frozen, Knowing what to do, but disconnected from your ability to move, Wondering how your legs once caught up to them, A blunder in your memories. Anxiety, your mind a jittery hand You can’t control, Your dreams spilled onto a page But the pen, the key to your soul, Is Slowly Losing Ink Anxiety is the choked silence Frozen in your throat Lodged between fear and freedom. Nicole Any hobby can be a gateway to improved mental health, happiness and relaxation. However, it can be extremely difficult to stay motivated for many reasons, and when motivation is lost it can lead to what was once a fun pastime becoming a stressful chore. So here are some tips to help maintain, regain, or create motivation.
List your achievements – Whether you came first in a competition or found something you once struggled with becoming easier, make a note of it in a diary, journal, or even just a notebook. Doing this can help to improve your confidence in yourself and increase motivation, because it is a reminder that however big or small your achievements are, they are still achievements. Even if you may consider someone else’s to be better or more impressive that does not lower the value of yours or make them any less your own. This brings up the next point: Owning your achievements - Every achievement is a small success however small or large, if you look at the stars in the sky their size does not affect how much of a star they are, the same goes for your own achievements, they are all stars in the sky of your life. Unfortunately, in our modern society the line between being proud and being self-centered or bragging can seem increasingly blurred to the point of no definition. This has created a stigma around having pride in your achievements and could make you feel guilty or wrong for doing so. Remember, you do not need anybody’s permission to feel proud for achievements you earned through your own hard work. Set goals – Setting goals can benefit you in many ways such as creating a source of motivation and something to celebrate when completed. These goals can range from a short-term to long-term, creating a driven and positive mindset. For me, I have been setting small goals in language practice on Duolingo using the day streak, this has been extremely helpful in motivating me to continue learning languages! List your strengths – Appreciating your strengths can be as important as being aware of your weaknesses, by listing them it is easier to come to terms with the fact that whilst it is impossible to do everything perfectly, there are many things that you are good at and nobody can take that away from you. This can grow your self-confidence, increase happiness, and in general help you to maximize enjoyment from your hobbies. Notice negative self-talk and work towards making it positive – Negative self-talk can lower your confidence and create a negative environment around your hobbies, a good way to combat this is to make a conscious effort to replace negativity with positivity. For each negative thought try and think of three positive thoughts. At first the effort may feel very odd and forced, but over time it will create a natural habit of which will improve your overall mindset, and you will find your passion is once again a passion! Finally, have fun! – The fun theory states that fun is an important motive for many things in life, in this instance it can be applied to hobbies. With any hobby you can sometimes not feel motivated to do it. However, when this happens perseverance is the key to keeping the fire of passion for what you love lit. You can persevere through these times by utilising the fun theory, try to think of three things, a fun experience of your hobby in the past, something you enjoy or find fun in your hobby currently, and something which you are excited about in the future of your hobby. This can help to bring positive memories of what you love to the front of your mind and make you excited and motivated to continue pursuing your hobby, as Michael Schumacher said “Once something is a passion, the motivation is there”.
The pandemic has caused a really difficult time for a lot of industries. Whether it’s a restaurant, a pub, a clothing boutique, a beauty salon or a hairdressers salon, everyone is struggling with not being able to open up and conduct business at usual. As hard as it has been for all businesses this year, there is one industry which means a lot to me and has particularly struggled - theatre.
I have loved the theatre for as long as I can remember. I don’t remember a time in my life, when I didn’t love going to see live shows and singing along to musical soundtracks. I don’t remember what the first show I ever saw was, but I specifically remember going to see The Lion King with my mum and my nan in the West End in London and being mesmerised by the amazing things happening on stage in front of me. Not only did I love seeing theatre, but I loved being a part of theatre productions - acting, dancing and singing. Acting has been in my family for a while. My grandad used to perform in shows, when he was in the Navy and he even did drag shows sometimes to raise money for charity. My mum and dad were part of a local community group who did cabaret shows in the local pub to fundraise for various charities too. It was only commonplace that I started a children’s theatre group when I was 3 years old and continued to participate in 2-3 shows a year until I was 18. But I didn’t stop acting then - I left the children’s group and joined the Lindrick Players which is the local amateur dramatics group for adults in my town. I love every second of it, but due to the pandemic, I haven’t performed whatsoever on a stage in 10 months since my pantomime in January and won’t be back until the middle of next year at the earliest. That also means I haven’t set foot in a theatre for over 8 months - 255 days to be exact - and it sucks. Because of the pandemic, theatres haven’t been able to open in 8 months and that means that actors, actresses, box office attendants, stage managers, directors and everybody else who is integral to performing a show have all been out of work for a long time. Shows have been unable to be performed or even rehearsed because according to the British government and Rishi Sunak, theatres aren’t essential and ‘[we] can’t pretend that everyone can do exactly the same job that they were doing at the beginning of this crisis’ referring to performers in particular. Those who work in theatres have also not been given the same furlough opportunities as everybody else during this lockdown so many of them are losing their jobs as the theatre cannot afford to pay them. Theatres have been given a £1.5bn cash injection, but this is not enough to keep them open for what is almost definitely multiple months or even years. We could see theatres being shut for a long time to come, and that just cannot happen in my opinion. I cannot see a future without the theatre in it. To help the theatre industry as much as we can, we need to do everything possible to keep them open and keep them operating whilst they still have the funds to do so. So here are some of the following things which you could do to help theatres and shows which have been forced to close:
Please please. Do whatever you can to support theatres before it's too late. We cannot afford to lose this incredible industry.
Emotions are a confusing thing. There are so many emotions you can feel and they all make you feel differently and act differently and sometimes can make your life downright difficult. If they weren’t confusing as it is, they can also be overwhelming and that makes it even worse. Not only have you got one emotion to deal with, but many, and not one at a time, but all at one. How on earth are you supposed to do that?
I get that it’s hard. I do, I’ve been there, I promise you. I’ve had my fair share, and probably more than my share, of confusing overwhelming emotions. I've felt sad and happy at the same time, I've felt confused yet with this sense of clarity and I've wanted to cry and scream and laugh all at once. Feelings are hard to negotiate and if you're overwhelmed, it can feel impossible. So you need a way to deal with it. I've been where you are so I've picked up some little tips for dealing with those crazy old things we call 'feelings.' One thing I have learnt about emotions is that you have to let yourself feel. It's no good if you try to push your emotions down and cover it up. This will just lead to them building up and one day, you will explode. It is only healthy that you let yourself hurt and feel your feelings. It sounds cliche but I've been where you are. Those feelings are important and it's important to acknowledge them. As well as feeling them, it's important to talk about them. Keeping them to yourself is equally as unhealthy as not letting yourself feel. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved. People will want to help you so don't be scared to talk to them. A third thing which can really help when you're feeling overwhelmed is to write your thoughts and feelings down. Write everything down - it doesn't matter if things are spelt wrong or if you're writing full sentences or if it makes any sense whatsoever - just write everything down on a piece of paper. Once you've done that, rip it up, or burn it, or screw it up - whatever it is, just get rid of it. Those feelings and thoughts are now out of your brain and out in the world. It sounds so stupid but it works. Yes, they are confusing and yes, they are hard but they aren't impossible. You can deal with them and you will deal with them. People will help you and remember - you've got this. Kenzie Music is the universal language to the ears. Regardless of where you are from, the tunes you listen to can incite joy in your day whenever you are feeling gloomy. Nowadays, the popular genres of music include rap, R&B, hip-hop, indie and more, and may have individual fan bases to support their favorite artists. However, music shaming continues to be a factor that makes many music listeners feel inferior based on their preferences, or feel “out of the loop” with whatever is considered tasteful at the moment.
Music shaming is evident in many genres and artists. The foundation of music shaming is made up of prior stereotypes that many people have nitpicked based on its origins and overall style. For instance, Taylor Swift continues to be music shamed because it is assumed that her general fanbase is made up of adolescent girls, or that her whole discography consists of songs that she produced based on her long list of boyfriends. However, no one applauds that all of these hit songs were personally written by her, which is very telling of how artistically talented she is when showing her personal storytelling through her writing. While not enjoying an artist is valid, it is unreasonable to project animosity toward them or their fanbase simply because their music preference is not in line with what others believe is considered to be “cool” at the moment. I’ve personally experienced embarrassment through my enjoyment of K-pop. I enjoy the genre simply because many songs are incredibly well produced, and the artists sacrifice a large amount of time in executing choreography alongside it for the sake of aesthetic. Whenever people ask what my favorite genre is, I always avoid the word “K-pop” because I am aware of the numerous questions alongside it that may lead me to feel inferior. It may brand me as a generic Asian who supports a genre that they cannot understand, or a psychotic fan whose whole life revolves around obsessing over idols, buying tickets and albums, or even targeting other fan bases on Twitter. Of course, I will always remember whether a certain song cheered me up on a bad day, or how proud I was whenever my favorite group made a comeback and delivered incredible content for their fans. That itself should not make me feel ashamed to be a K-pop fan, regardless of anyone’s opinions. No one’s music preferences should be shamed because it is a reflection of your personality. I have personally learned that you should confront your fears and go against the prior assumptions made by others. If you feel isolated based on your music taste, here are some ideas that may make you feel more comfortable: Communicate with your friends about their biases: Although it is difficult to do so, try to give them the opportunity to voice out their opinions. You can simply dismiss these claims if they are false and even provide them a perspective of how your music taste is a significant part of your life. Engage with the fanbase online: Every social media platform, especially Twitter and Instagram, have many accounts that engage with a specific community of music fans. If you ever feel isolated, you can simply visit their pages, enjoy their content, or even comment. I personally know of some fan bases that create special days in order to collectively listen to an artist’s music on Spotify, and doing so can make you feel accepted. Unapologetically listen to your music: Blast your music in your room! Your family may hear it, and who knows, maybe they may actually enjoy your music and listen to it with you in the future. Ultimately, everyone is uniquely different and one’s music preference should not be discriminated against solely because it does not fit with whatever is popular these days. Regardless, confidently embrace your music preferences and what it stands for. At the end of the day, the only thing that will fully appreciate whatever you choose to listen to are your ears. Lana My friend I’ve known for many years now has been very open with me, talking about her past and how it affects her to this day. She has also given me permission to share her story with TWE!
Me and my friend met over social media a few years ago, we started talking because of our love for the twins known as Jedward. She saw how much I got to travel to see the twins so she wanted to get to know me but what I didn’t know was her life was very restricted. My friend has a past with mental health and she’s been in and out of hospital since the age of 13. That to me is really hard for a teenager, she was telling me how she didn’t get to go to school to get an education because she was just so ill to even attend school. One other reason she reached out to me was because she saw I started a Youtube channel where I share my story with mental health. She told me that she really found me inspiring and brave to be that open about my past. So, that’s how we formed a friendship by sharing our stories with each other! When she started to go into detail about her story I could really see how much it affected her and how she’s still here fighting each day! But she told me about her restricted life and how she wasn’t allowed to have her own freedom, no mobile phone, no social media. It had to be one-on-one, so that meant she was watched all the time with everything she did. Just hearing that was really heartbreaking for me because I couldn’t imagine not being able to have my own personal time. Being watched with every move I made, it’s really unbelievable at first but I knew she was still feeling that pain. This meant she was monitored when taking her medication and people had to make sure she was safe. She continued to tell me what it was like there in the secured unit, people really paranoid and just crying all the time because they felt like they were in a prison. Hearing her story really made me think that I should appreciate how lucky I was and am to have my freedom and own time. But also to have gained an education too when she didn’t really does make you think her childhood and teenage years were taken away from her. I know it was the best for her and her own health going into that place but to hear her own words about her experience was really life changing. We connected on so many levels with our mental health and we talked about how depression affected us both. Now, she lives in her own flat that is a part of supported living, so there is 24/7 support for her. She has come a very long way in her life and I’m proud to call her one of my friends! This time last year, she was still in hospital but now she does have her own flat with her own personal time. Plus, she wasn’t allowed out by herself unless she was accompanied by staff. But this past Monday she made a huge step in her recovery and was allowed to travel by herself to come and visit me. I truly do admire her strength and passion for sharing her story! But just goes to show how much you should really appreciate your freedom in life! Some advice I learnt from my friend was not to put your life on hold for one person, you should live your life to the fullest! Always put your needs before others because you are the one who needs the strength and energy to care for others. If you would like to check out my youtube channel click here; https://www.youtube.com/c/MelissaGrimes Mel I’m waiting for my past-time, to be part-time, to be all mine.
I’m excited to watch the days fly by, not a care in the world. Right now they’re not mine. I’m ready to waste it, I’m ready to chase it, can’t fit in the moment But why should I care I’ve gotten over it, my future is glistening, but I’m stuck here. It’s a pity my emotions, creations, excitation are wasted on the wonders that aren’t here. Am I wrong to be excited for what to come; is it wrong for it to be the only thing I wanted? Am I wrong to want all the things unsure; is it wrong to be unhappy for the things I can control? Why does the me-now even matter, when she’s gone tomorrow morning? Why should I try? Even the world is trying to distract myself from “who am I right now?” - Jahannavi Activism is something that affects our day to day lives, as well as our entire existence. Whether you partake in it or watch it go by, it will always affect you in some way. It’s important to understand what it is, what each movement represents, what the end goal is for those movements, and what you can do to help.
Activism is the action or policy of using vigorous campaigning to implement either political or societal change. The changes can be issues that have been around for centuries, and although change can be scary, it’s time we do something and fix these issues. Sometimes we become so used to our lives now that we don’t notice the inequalities we may have in either a societal or political climate, which can be one of the saddest things about it. We can be so used to inequality that we don’t notice it. It’s time for that to change. Some major movements can represent racial inequality, LGBTQ+ issues, sexism, misogyny and environmental issues. Some movements include black lives matter, LGBTQ+ rights movement, feminism, me too and the environmental movement. A lot of misinformation goes out about these movements, as well as people who try to stop them from implementing change. It’s important that you do your own research about these movements and derive your own opinion. There’s a lot of misinformation spread, especially amongst the political climate, so please be careful. These movements can bring to light a lot of upsetting realities, so please be kind to yourself when you look into them. Activism is exhausting. It’s physically and mentally draining. It’s important that you look after yourself, that you take a break when you need to, and that you know when to stop. I’m petty, I like having the last word, but through this I’ve learnt when I need to stop and do things for my own safety and sanity, such as private my social media accounts and block everyone I’ve seen either mention me or interact with me in a hostile way. If people threaten to leak private information about you, find your location, threaten you, or send people to your accounts to leave hostile or harmful comments, block them and private your accounts. Your safety is the most important part of this. Look after yourself. There are many ways you can get involved in movements, both on social media and in real life. With social media, know how to block someone and how to private your accounts. In real life, make sure that you’re safe. In any kind of activism, things can get heated fast, so make sure you’re safe. Make sure you look after yourself. Your safety is important. On social media, share useful posts, share links to charities, challenge harmful opinions and posts, and report harmful content. Call out misinformation when you see it. While doing this, make sure you’re safe. If your well-being is affected, take a break. There’s nothing wrong with taking a break. If you get into a debate, don’t get emotionally attached to it. Don’t get hostile. Don’t call people names, don’t get personal. Challenge the opinion, not the person. Treat people with kindness, even if they don’t seem to deserve it. Being nice during a debate will make you the better person. In real life, write to local political officers, volunteer with organisations that help make changes, engage in conversations and go to protests. If you go to protests, please make sure that you’re safe. With certain ones that are taking place now, law enforcements and people against movements are making it hostile and quite often violent. Your safety is the priority. Look after yourself. You can search online who your local political elect is and write to them, but make sure to be polite. Again, be nice. Don’t get emotionally engaged because that’s when the hostility can peak. Don’t get personal. Don’t get violent. Challenge the opinion, not the person. Above all, your safety is the priority. Stay safe. Activism isn’t easy. I don’t think it ever will be, but it’s worth it if we can help change the world for the better. Chances are, the change we’re striving for won’t come around for a long time, and that can be a hard thing to accept, and sometimes it feels pointless even trying, but it’s worth it. If our actions can make the world a safer place for others in the future, I’m happy to do whatever I can to make that happen. The key thing with this is your safety, and I know I’ve repeated that a lot, but it’s important. As I said, it isn’t easy, it’s exhausting, it’s both mentally and physically taxing, so please look after yourself. Know when to take a break. Know when you need to take a step back and recoup. Listen to your mind and body and be safe. ~ En Link to global helplines- https://checkpointorg.com/global/ Disclaimer: This article is only my experience and uses rather theatrical language. If you came here seeking a realistic portrayal of periods, either refer to the last paragraph or talk to a trusted adult or doctor.
Since the beginning of time, women have had to deal with blood streaming out of their vagina while their hormones wreak havoc on their emotions and their uterus tries to consume them from the inside out; or at least that’s the description I use to terrify my guy friends. In reality, it’s pretty manageable for most. Let’s start with the science behind menstruation: It normally starts between the ages of 8 and 16 and continues its cycle until your 40s or 50s, when menopause begins (Read “Your Menstrual Cycle” on womenshealth.gov for more information). Each cycle lasts approximately 28 days; this includes the start of your period, the end of your period, ovulation, etc. Basically, during the 2-7+ day period, your eggs are maturing, meaning it’s ready to be fertilized. With this, your uterine lining thickens to prepare for the release of the eggs. If you don’t get pregnant during this ovulation period, your uterus realizes there is no use for it and sheds the blood that was making it thick and squishy. The tissue, blood, and nutrients flow out of your vagina – hence the red stained underwear - and you thank goodness you aren’t pregnant (Unless you’re trying to get pregnant, obviously)! This process causes physical symptoms such as cramps, bloating, nausea, breakouts, sore breasts, and fatigue along with emotional symptoms like mood swings. Well, that was more than school will ever teach us about the female body! Now that we have that out of the way, I’ll explain the less gross and more mentally draining portion of periods. Keep in mind that periods are different for everyone. Some may have a short, light, and fairly easy experience while others, like me, book a vacation to hell for over a week. In fact, I’ve been described on many occasions as Satan while on my period, which is fair. I have a love/hate relationship with my menstrual cycle. On one hand, it’s a sign I’m not pregnant; on the other, it pulverizes my physical and emotional being (which is just a bit dramatic). Before my lovely first visit from Aunt Flow, I was a rather stable person (excluding the severe depression, but that’s an article for another day). Then, I became this dramatic, sensitive, malicious blood-spewing ball of negativity. Anything and anyone irritates me, I feel like crying every 5 minutes, and my depression becomes seemingly amplified. If my mood swings weren’t enough, I also undergo truly monstrous cramps, an unnecessarily heavy flow, and extreme nausea. Thankfully, I only endure this side of myself like 2-4 times a year as it’s quite irregular. If you also endure the devil in your uterus, here are some things I have found to be helpful during those times:
For those of you who haven’t experienced your period yet, the depiction mentioned above is a dramatic way of describing my experience. Like I said before, no menstrual cycle is the same. You might not have a terrible cycle – however if you do, refer to the advice above. They also aren’t some nasty, taboo thing that shouldn’t be talked about. They’re something normal that should be talked about more. Always remember your body is a perfectly beautiful and normal thing! -Katelyn We all have hair, whether that’s on our heads, legs, faces, arms, underarms or pubic regions. It’s there, and if you are like me, you may wish it wasn’t. You may struggle to find the time every few days to shave the black stubble that continues to make you insecure when wearing shorts, skirts, or strappy tops. You may have to quickly shave your armpits before going out with friends or to play in a netball match, afraid of what people will think if they see that dreaded dark patch.
People have called me a gorilla before. Why do I mention this? Am I saying the only reason I decided to wax was due to peer pressure? No. Absolutely not. I mention this to inform you that these comments meant and still mean nothing to me. I decided to wax because I wanted to, for myself and no one else. If you love your body hair but feel pressured by others to remove it, I want you to stop reading this article. You are beautiful. Do not listen to them, they are probably just jealous of how gorgeous and confident you are. Own your body, own how it makes you feel and please, please don’t give in to hate. I’ve been shaving for four years now. Sitting in the shower, the bath, on the bathroom floor, even my bedroom floor (I do not recommend this, the cream stains) and frantically running the razer along my leg was not fun, but it was necessary. It was necessary for my confidence because no matter how many times I’ve been told that no one cares, I would still rather smooth than stubbly arms and legs. Of course, this is just my personal preference and if you prefer to embrace your body hair then I have absolutely nothing against you! Everyone is entitled to do whatever they want with their body, as long as it doesn’t harm them. A few weeks ago I decided that enough was enough. My mum went and bought me two packs of wax strips and last night, I sat on my bathroom floor rereading the instructions for the millionth time, trying to prepare myself for, well… I didn’t really know. Peeling apart the two wax strips, tapping one with my finger and realising just how sticky it was, applying it to my leg, rubbing it in a downward motion to ensure it was attached to every hair possible… these weren’t the scary bits. The scariest part was the fear of not knowing what I was doing and having no one there with me as I sat and stared at the strip on my leg, knowing eventually it would have to come off. I wish I had asked my mum to support me as I did it for the first time and, when you first wax, I would suggest having someone there with you to reassure you. When you wax for the first time, you will be scared and that’s in no way a bad thing. Your brain is screaming that you are being mad, the wax is going to rip your skin, you have a razor and you should just use it instead. Usually, I’d say to listen to this part of your brain (aka listen to your common sense) but in this situation it is actually doing more harm than good. Try to think about something else, maybe focusing more on how the wax looks and feels, rather than letting your brain worry you into oblivion. It isn’t going to help you and will only make you more nervous. That first strip is the worst and, to be honest, once it’s off, your leg will sting a little but, the pain isn’t that bad. At all. Ignore that episode in ‘Friends’ when they scream in pain; it was for comedic purposes, nothing else. I promise. For each new strip I found that counting helped me a lot, otherwise I would’ve sat contemplating it for the entire night. 1...2…PULL! Just like that, it’s over. Well, the first one anyway. What surprised me most was how satisfying I found waxing. If you are into ASMR then it’s honestly just another reason to give it a go. From the slow and incredibly satisfying pulling apart of the two strips, to the patch of hairless skin, if you view it with that mindset, you may even enjoy yourself (I know I did!). There are also a few other small things I am inclined to mention, mainly because the instructions I used didn't explain these parts very well. First, you need to make sure when you pull on the tab, you are pulling AGAINST the way the hairs are growing (so up your leg) and as close to the skin as possible. You want it to be fast, the skin around your leg to be tight (either tense your muscle or just pull your skin taut) and when your legs are covered in little red bumps, don’t be alarmed. This is simply your blood rising and asking your skin what on Earth just happened. It does not mean you’ve done something wrong, it’s just your body’s natural reflex to the sensation of hair being ripped out of your leg. When you look at the strip after shaving you may notice some of the hairs have a darker black bit at the end of them. This is where you’ve pulled up the root of the hair. Once again, this should not alarm you. In fact, it’s a good thing and means those hairs will take longer to grow back! Annoyingly, the wax won’t pull up every last hair. Now, I didn’t know this, and felt thoroughly ripped off when my mum said i would have to wait a few days for those hairs to grow a bit longer, and then try again. So, that was my waxing experience. Was it terrifying? A little bit. But, more importantly, was it worth it? 100%. I believe in you and I know that if I can do this, so can you. Don’t let your body hair define nor dictate how you feel. If you want it gone, get rid of it. If not, I want you to own it and if someone makes any kind of comment towards you, ignore them. You are strong, you are powerful and their comments do not define you. I hope this helped :) Have an absolutely glorious day my beautiful reader xxx
Have you ever watched “Morning routines”? “Night routines”? Maybe a “day in the life” video on youtube, hoping that you are able to wake up that early? Or be as productive during the day like what you’ve watched in those videos? Well, that's why building a routine is actually really good for you! It may even change your life for the better and help you! I personally enjoy watching morning routines, night routines, and day in the life videos because I aspire to wake up that early and be productive as well. Initially, I did try to copy their routines, I used to write down whatever they did and replicate the routines, hoping that I could be as productive and fresh in the morning as they were. That did work out for a couple of days, sometimes some routines did work out for weeks but honestly, never in the long term.
That's when I realized that the only way to actually have the “perfect” or the “most productive” routine, or the routine that your body and mind desires, is to actually slowly build your routine based on you. What I mean by this is, in order to have a “perfect” routine that you, personally do enjoy, you need to understand your needs and what your body and mind are comfortable with. Every single body and mind is different, frankly, it's quite difficult for people to be able to adapt to the exact same things. This means that I may not be an early riser or someone who's able to sleep early, and that's completely fine and normal, but that doesn’t mean that it's impossible to change. When I did try to make a routine for myself, based on what I saw in the videos, I forced myself to wake up early and sleep early, and do yoga in the morning and the night as well, and try to work out during the day, eat healthy, be productive all day, because I went to that extent to try to replicate routines. However, it actually doesn’t work that way. When I realized that I couldn’t cope with this routine for the long term, I assumed that it wasn’t possible to do it at all, but that's where I was wrong for the second time. It took some time to actually realize that building your routine doesn’t happen in one day. I believe that its really important to have a good routine for yourself because, in that way, you’re able to optimize your time better. However, you need to be patient with yourself and take the time to understand what your needs are. If you want to build a routine, you need to make the changes slowly and see if you’re comfortable with it. My sleep schedule was not the best, sleeping at 2-4, waking up at 6-7, and taking afternoon naps, and on weekends, sleeping in till the afternoon, wasn’t really the best choice for my health but I thought that waking up early and sleeping early was impossible. I was wrong. I thought that it was impossible, but it actually wasn’t. The first time I tried, I, of course, failed, because I was trying to force myself to follow the routines I watched online, but, the second time I tried it, I slowly and patiently adapted to a better routine. By this, I mean, I was so used to sleeping at 2-3 that I didn’t jump to 9-10 pm, I slowly started with 1 am, then got into bed by 11 pm, then some days I did relapse back to the late nights, but I didn’t give up just yet. I started again, I got into bed earlier and waited till I fell asleep, and even with the mornings, my main focus was getting enough sleep. So, since I slept early, I also focused on waking up early, thus, I was slowly building on my sleep schedule routine. Similarly, I wanted to see what else I could change in my routine. I saw in the videos how people were able to do yoga in the morning and night, and how they looked so refreshed so I decided why not. I did force myself to do it, and it did take time to realize that it didn’t really help me. I’m not saying that yoga isn’t good for you, but personally, it didn’t really help me, in terms of my mental health, so I decided to stop doing yoga and focus on some breathing techniques which are actually really helpful. I did try and work out, and that actually went really well but didn’t work out in the long term because I did overdo the workouts. I used to watch how people could work out for 2-3 hours straight, but I slowly came to the understanding that my body is comfortable with 30 mins to an hour of working out, and that to, maybe twice or thrice a week. Therefore, I started trying out more things to see what really makes me feel comfortable and what works for me, but at the same time, if something didn’t work out and I wanted to make it happen, I had to be patient with myself and wait for my body and mind to adapt to it. Like, I used to be able to study only at midnight and beyond when it came to school, and it was quite bad considering the fact that I wasn’t able to even prepare for my exams for the whole day because I couldn’t focus unless it was at night. That didn’t mean that I gave up just there though. I decided that since I could wake up early and put a stop to the afternoon naps, I could maybe try and sit down to finish my work in the morning. Honestly, nearly every morning during my summer vacation, I woke up early and sat down on my table. Even if I wasn’t able to focus, I still sat down and waited for my mind to come to terms that I had work to complete. Now, I can proudly say that even if it's 4 AM or 5 AM, I’m able to study without procrastinating too much. I realized that at the end of the day, to only find the perfect routine that you desire, you need to be patient with yourself, your mind, and your body. There’s absolutely no deadline to make a perfect routine, so you just need to work on building your routine every single day, and every single day, try to make small changes and see if they work out for you or not. If some things don’t really turn out the way you want them to, then don’t give up just yet! Keep at it and sooner or later, you’ll be able to achieve it! A routine is like a puzzle. You need to start figuring out which pieces fit and until you do, the puzzle may be incomplete. Be patient with yourself, and sooner or later, when all the pieces seem to fit, the puzzle will be ready. Be patient with yourself, and take time to understand your mind and your body needs. -Ananya It’s fair to say that I’ve had a hectic first term of Sixth Form and my A Level choices alone can show you this much. Starting off, we had a line up of English Literature, Biology, Chemistry and Drama. First, let’s just appreciate that I’ve never done any form of drama before in my life and, two weeks in, when asked to bark like a dog when my teacher took the register… I realised it wasn’t for me. Okay, one down and three left, I should’ve just left it like that, right?
Wrong. I then decided it would be smart to take up another subject I’d never tried before: Psychology. I would say ‘big mistake’, but it wasn’t. I mean, I hated the subject; I found it boring and dull and time-wasting, but it wasn't a mistake. If I hadn't taken it, I wouldn’t have known I hated it, and I would have spent the rest of my life wondering if I was secretly a Psychology genius. This leads me to my first, and probably most important, point when it comes to choosing your A Level subject. Do not do a subject you hate because you’re good at it. I faced a massive (well, massive relative to me) decision when I was taking Psychology. Grade wise, I was getting full marks in Psychology and Bs in Chemistry, BUT, I enjoyed Chemistry more. And, ultimately, that’s what won the battle: my love for the subject. I knew dropping Psychology would give me the time to focus more on a subject I actually enjoyed so I could boost that grade, rather than sit in misery every single Psychology lesson. Look, I know it’s difficult and feels really naive, but I am so much happier now than I was before, so I would like to stress the importance of doing what you enjoy. Cliche, I know, but this one’s from experience, so at least you know I’m telling the truth. As you can probably tell, I was indecisive about my choices (to say the least) and that’s totally fine! My school gave us an arguably long time before we had to fully commit (until November 2nd, if I remember rightly) which gave all of us ample time to change, switch, go back, and do it all again. It doesn’t matter if you're not feeling comfortable with your subjects; no one will judge or think differently of you if you simply realise that something isn't your cup of tea (in fact, some of my friends are jealous that I made the choice so quickly). Of course, there is ‘the future’ to consider (I know, I know, I don’t want to either but it’s better to be prepared). If you want to go to University, you do need to take a look at what A Level requirements they have (if any). I am hoping to attend Oxford to study English Literature and, surprise surprise, one of their requirements is English A Level. One thing I want to let you know, in case you also are looking at Oxbridge Universities, is that they prefer you to be taking the ‘traditional subjects’ (English, Maths, Science, History, Geography), and they probably won’t consider you if you are only doing one of these. It’s the harsh truth, I’m afraid. So, when choosing A Levels, I would recommend having Uni or whatever you want to do next in the back of your mind. It’s taken me a while (three months, to be exact) to feel comfortable with my A Level choices, but I don’t think this would have happened without the many obstacles I faced on the way. Just remember, A Levels are just another qualification, and it’s also important to do what you love outside of school as well. I hope this helped, Chloë The wistful whispers of the ocean as it glistens in the moonlight
Subdued by the tranquil air and the silence that gently travels, Urge the pebble to edge further into the predictability Of the soft waves, finding safety in its delicate fluctuating motion Unlike the tumultuous waves that possess the angelic Body of water when the sun rises. The blue light is electric, reflecting and revitalizing The gentle splashes provide a promise that they will Guide your thoughts, rather than aggravate them. Slowing them down, focusing on what truly matters. Unlike under the scorching cerulean sky, Where floating in the middle of nowhere Is blinding And being suffocated under the waves Which choke your silence. Here, silence is free, Silence isn’t synonymous with fear. Liberated by the soft waves of freedom, The dynamic blue water is glowing, Illuminating the truth in who you are, The truth that only you know is there. You’re safe here, You’re protected by the breeze that Carries your trepidation away Through the waves of discovery.
Sometimes I wish I could rewind the clocks and go - go back in time, be interested in the things I'm not, play with the toys that collect dust, climb the tree house before it’s all rot, ride my bike before its covered in rust, play games with my brother, just give it another, go - go back in time, and say yes to those scary things, not be as shy, listen to the bird sing, cause the limit is the sky. Oh, the places, I will go - but now I just sit, and cry as they all go by. By Josh
College applications seem to loom in front of you for your entire high school career. They’re always there, waiting to stress you out with the work and time that you have to put into them. But they’re not as scary as one might think, and all it takes to get started is that first click. If you take the applications one step at a time and give yourself enough time to complete them, the stress and anxiety that surrounds the entire process isn’t as bad as you would think.
I’m currently a rising senior and will be graduating in the spring of 2021, so I’m in the midst of applications. However, I’ve been working towards these college applications for what seems like forever since I’ve been going on tours and worrying about my SAT score for over a year. It’s been a lot to keep track of, especially during the middle of a global pandemic, and college research and applications have taken up a lot of my summer. I’ve had a list of colleges that I was interested in for awhile now, but there’s still so much that I’ve had to do and still need to get done. I’ve also struggled with getting started on my writing because I don’t like talking about myself, so thinking about the things I’m going to share about myself in the different essays has been intimidating. I’m lucky enough though to have a great support system behind me, including my parents, my older sisters, and my college counselor. They’ve helped me to slow down and take everything one step at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed with all of it. Now as I’m going into senior year and applications are starting to open, I feel a lot more at ease than I did at the beginning of the summer. I know what I need to get done and I know I can do it, and those are the two most important things to remember. Here are a few things to remember when you start the college process:
The college process can seem overwhelming, but if you take it one step at a time, it doesn’t have to be as stressful. Give yourself time to work through each part of your application, including research, and remind yourself that you can and will get through it. The future may seem scary but remember that you can do anything you set your mind to- including a few pesky college applications! ~Madeline Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, Booksmart, blends together beautiful cinematography and a perfect soundtrack, with an extremely talented cast and a heartwarming, hilarious plot to create an intricate coming of age film of which you could watch again and again and never grow bored of. Booksmart is truly a unique film as it utilises camerawork and music in its own artistic way but rather than taking away from the plot, it enhances moments and emotions making you feel as if you are in the room with the characters throughout the film. So, now you may be wondering, what is the plot?
Booksmart is a story of two high school seniors, Amy and Molly. With graduation nearing, the best friends look forward in excitement for what the future may bring, both have spent their whole time in high school working hard to get to prestigious colleges with flying colours. However, they reach a dilemma upon realising that their fellow students have also gotten into high-level colleges with good grades, but they spent all of their time in high school going to parties. For this reason, the pair make it their aim the night before graduation to go to the best party ever to make up for all of the lost ones and show that they are smart and fun. This results in a hilarious film packed with moments to make you laugh, cry and anything in between! One of my favourite aspects of Booksmart is the characters, all characters feel like real people complete with strengths and flaws. Despite the focus of the film's plot being the party, you can tell how long Amy and Molly have been best friends through their interactions, this, combined with the performance given by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein conveys a realistic friendship to the audience. Side characters are also well written, and none are two dimensional, and many characters who could be in danger of falling prey to overdone character tropes avoid them. For example Gigi, who could be classed as the comedy relief character of the film at no point becomes annoying in any way, a common trap for comedic relief characters, but still achieves making you laugh in all of her scenes whilst still remaining relevant to the plot and having depth. Additionally, there is well-executed LGBT representation with the co-lead, Amy, shown as a lesbian with an unrequited crush on another senior, a sub-plot explored throughout the film. As mentioned previously, I also loved the use of music within the film, the soundtrack features songs by Lizzo, M.I.A and many other artists ranging from well known to fairly unknown. The use of music in the film is unique in the way that rather than creating the intended mood of a scene it enhances it and creates further immersion into the moment. In my opinion one of the most powerful scenes in the film is an argument between two characters, this scene is so powerful partially due to the use of music as the argument begins with no music, but the music slowly comes in until the words are being drowned out by the music, for me this was a powerful portrayal of the way people say meaningless things in arguments. This scene is just one of many amazing scenes throughout the film and the use of music is just one aspect of the genius behind this film. Overall, I would recommend Booksmart to anyone, it is a good feel-good comedy, but it can also be a heart wrenching coming of age. For such an amazing film with such thought put into it to create the beautifully intricate masterpiece that was brought to screen it is hard to believe that this is Wilde’s directorial debut and I can only anticipate with excitement what we will see from her soon. Jasmine Failure. It’s something that we all actively try to avoid. However, it still plays a significant part in our lives. Having to overcome and learn from it, when it continuously shows up unannounced, is something we all need to learn how to do. But this is no small feat. Failure is often accompanied by negative thoughts and emotions, making it even harder to try to get back on our feet.
The definition of failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and it happens quite often. It follows us in our school grades, our relationships, our jobs, and some blows hit harder than others. We can feel drained and lost, confused about what step to take next, burned out, and burdened. I’ve had to deal with failure in many aspects of my life. But something that’s been riddled with it is my academics. Recently, I’ve been studying for the SATs (the college admission test for The US) for months, and each time I took a practice test, I kept getting lower and lower scores. I started to get scared, terrified of the fact that I’d get a horrible score on the actual exam. So I began to push myself harder. I’d spend more time practicing, take more practice tests, but I just kept getting worse. Even though these bad scores weren’t my actual results, it made me fearful of what the final score would be, which pushed me down even further. I thought the rest of my future was riding on this score. These results shut me down. I was reluctant to keep going. The fear and anxiety started to spill over into many other parts of my life, bringing them to a screeching halt. I wasn’t able to focus on school or study for exams. I wasn't able to keep up with my extracurriculars. All because of a stupid test score. After going through this experience, spiraling downward multiple times, I’ve been able to piece together a sort of routine to pull myself out. First, take a step back. When failure pops up again and again, our first impulse may be to immediately make up for it, trying to work harder. But many times, it can lead to burnout or feeling even more defeated than before, which could make the process of moving forward even harder. Let go of the thing that's causing you some trouble for a bit and try to focus on other things going on in life. This could be working on learning dance or a new song or even what's happening in a TV show that you're currently watching. Maybe try something that's the polar opposite of what you're having trouble with. After recuperating for a bit, try to find out why you're not getting your desired outcome. Analyze your mistakes to find out their source. Try to sit down with a mentor, by yourself, or even with a friend and discuss the mistakes you’ve made to see what could've gone better. From this, you can focus on the aspects that need more work. It may even help to start off from square one again, re-learning everything. But most importantly and the hardest: have faith in yourself. One reason we have trouble continuing in the face of failure is that we don’t believe we can go on anymore. We are scared that we may not get to where we want to be. It often helps to surround yourself with as much positivity as possible. Listen to upbeat music, dance like a maniac from time to time, read positive affirmations, and try to always tell yourself, ‘you can do it!’ The positivity will rub off on you, which can give you an extra boost in motivation and just make you feel better in general. Failure will never stop popping by, but it’s up to us whether we want to battle it or use it. It's always a hard journey, but keep pushing. For every little step you take, give yourself a pat on the back. Make sure you know that everything you are doing right now is what matters. Shine the limelight on the next step instead of the result. And always remember, even if something that you are doing or did is something you’d call a failure, you are never a failure. Keep pushing, and you’ll soon be in the stars. Jahannavi :) At some point in your life, you will want to go out and get a job for yourself. Sometimes it’ll be for money, to increase productivity, to get experience, or anything else really! One of the most requested items employers will ask for is a resume. So, what exactly is a resume?
A resume is a document that you will submit to your employer. It is a summary of your experience, contact information, skills, awards, references, and your goals for the job. The paper can usually be sent digitally or handed face to face, prior to interview or during the interview. In some situations, your employer may say that a resume is optional to turn in on the application you’re filling out. But should you still put a resume in? You probably should, as it shows you are prepared and they get to know your work ethic better. Next though, let’s go over more on what a resume includes. Please keep in mind this article will be going over a chronological resume, the most common and most preferred. Here are the four common things a resume consists of: Basic Profile – This is a big part of the resume, showing who you are and what you hope to achieve. Contact Information – How should people contact you? You can list your email, phone numbers, LinkedIn, and any other contacts you can think of. This is very important so that employers, managers, and fellow employees can contact you easily and don’t need to guess. Experience – What job or volunteer experience do you have behind you? This can be from your online moderation experience, any type of jobs, or anything that shows your responsibility. If you have extensive job history, put down the ones that are most related to the job you’re applying to. Skills – What can you do? This can be soft or hard skills, soft skills being skills like customer service, communication, teamwork, and more. Hard skills are skills like your typing speed, languages, and more. Just think of hard skills being able to be measured and soft skills being your character as an employee. AVOID using the linear points for this. Linear points are the items that say “3/10 with Microsoft Word”, and “1/5 with driving a truck” on resumes. Don’t use these as it doesn’t actually show how good you are at this skill and the employer doesn’t know how to measure it by. Are as an employee to increase the chances of getting the job, so contact your teachers and past co-workers (if you have any) to get a reference. So, a chronological resume will be mainly all of the key components up above, but how should you be writing this? 1) Don’t use bright colors but soft dim colors. You want your resume to be pleasant to the eye and not something that can make the eyes go sore. It’s more common to do a black and white essay, but you can use pops of colors as well (as long as they’re saturated). You can also do fully colored resumes, but make sure they’re saturated and balanced. 2) Be accurate and honest with your information. Make sure to put the dates of when you started and left past jobs, know what you did there and be truthful about what skills you have. If an employer finds out you’ve been lying, it can get you in trouble. 3) Be updated. Most likely you will use your resume multiple times, so make sure to update your information depending on the job, time period, and for your updated experience, education, and skills. This will show you’re on top of your responsibilities. 4) Don’t rush; make it neat. Make sure to not use Comic Sans but perhaps Time News Roman as a font. Use black or white text depending on your colors only and make sure it’s readable. Use columns to organize the resume to be more appealing and accurately name each section. Don’t forget to proofread it as well! 5) Be confident! Be confident in your experience and skills. Confidence is a huge plus because it shows how ready you are for the job and your overall mood about the job. If you act sluggish, they will get the wrong impression that you don’t want to be there. Show them that you do! Always feel free to look into resumes more and build on it by yourself. Try to make your own form of resume by testing out Word or Google Docs. Both programs are great for building them. You can also ask those around you such as teachers, parents, and friends. Now you know how to effectively write a resume, what’s included in a resume, and what to expect. Good luck out there! Emi Love. Trust. Respect. Attention. Communication.
These five points have been revisited again and again by psychologists and unofficially claimed as the five bases of a good relationship. Without these it can be almost impossible to build a strong one (either platonic or romantic) which will last. However, many relationships turn sour and bitter, and abusive or broken relationships can lead to extreme mental upheaval, in some cases leading to depression, anxiety and trust issues. Usually, when a relationship turns negative it can feel sudden or surprising, and we may not even notice a change at all until it takes a toll on our own mental state. Regularly we can feel like asking “how did I not notice this sooner?” and even blaming ourselves. The true question is, what makes a good relationship? And how can we tell the difference between a positive and a negative one? Psychologists believe that humans need seven things to stay mentally healthy. These seven things are known as The Seven Human Basic Needs. One of these is connection and love. You’d think that we would all follow these basic guidelines as they’re the equivalent to a fast-track pass to happiness, however, in this day and age many of these needs aren’t met, and can seem almost impossible to reach - especially for teenagers. In the modern world it can be easy to feel lonely, unnoticed and unloved. In fact, all of these feelings are extremely common in people with severe depression and loneliness, highlighting further the importance of connection and love to the human psyche. Upon hearing the word “relationship” our minds probably travel to the idea of a life partner, however, close friendships are just as important as a significant other. Close relationships can be formed within your family, or with school, college, uni or work friends - you may even form them online! Having people who you can rely on to be there for you - even when you don’t even want to be there for yourself - can be the most relieving thing, and even help you to manage and understand yourself better. I’ve been through my own fair share of bad friendships, but one has always stood out to me as a primary example of a problematic one, riddled with ‘red flags’ that I can now recognise as ‘Problem Points’, and have used to recognise bad friendships ever since. These Problem Points started off small at first, little things such as questionable compliments - “well, you look... nice?” - or ‘constructive’ criticism - such as “I mean this in the best way possible, but I don’t think that shirt was a good idea” . These are harmless enough, but a bad friendship will progress past this point, moving into the ‘negative comments’ phase - with “You talk a lot, could you just be quiet?” or “Your shoes look like a pair my dad used to own.” - which on their own are easily ignored, but when repeated can slowly chip away at your self-confidence, and lead you to rely on their praise to make you feel better, leading into the next Problem Point. The next is recommending their own ‘fixes’ to your ‘less desirable’ traits or aspects, such as changing your style through “oh, but this would look so much better on you” or “smile with your mouth closed, it looks better on you”, and after going through the negative comments you’ll end up craving their praise, so slowly your style, traits and even your personality may shift to accommodate them. I didn’t even notice that I was really changing, it was only my mum’s comments on how ‘different’ I looked and ‘odd’ I was acting that made me aware of the changes I was putting myself through. After this phase of ‘praise’, the negative comments come back in force, and this is normally the stage where family and friends start saying things such as “why are you letting them treat you like that?” ect. These negative comments can be things such as “are you TRYING to embarrass me? Is that your aim?” or “be quiet, I’m speaking now” or “what did we say about smiling?” If the friendship reaches this point, then either the ‘friend’ moves on and leaves you, or a family member or friend may intervene. However, very rarely will family or friends intervene if you don’t reach out first. When I went through this I ended up extremely depressed, anxious and socially withdrawn. Whilst being friends with this person a lot of family issues had also kicked off, so when I came out the end of it, everything hit me like a tonne of bricks, and I was in a very dangerous state. However, I’d been lucky enough to have one of my closest friends stand by me through the whole situation, and she helped manage to carry me through. I was also lucky to have a mum and dad I could confide in, so even though I felt alone I wasn’t. The best thing for you after coming out of a friendship like that, or even when trying to get out of a bad friendship, is to lean on your family and friends who are concerned for you. They care. And even though you’ll feel like you can’t trust anyone, they’ll be there for you. If you’re still stuck and want more advice, here’s a few websites I recommend you have a look at: For identifying an abusive friendship - https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/how-to-recognize-abusive-friendships#2 For getting out of one - https://www.canadianliving.com/life-and-relationships/relationships/article/6-steps-to-ending-a-toxic-friendship Esme |
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Teenagers With Experience is an online organisation created to provide teenagers worldwide with an online platform to share their own experiences to be able to help, inform and educate others on a variety of different topics. We aim to provide a safe space to all young people. You can contact us via email, social media or our contact form.
Please note that the content on this website is created by teenagers. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, it is important to remember that we are not professional experts. If you are experiencing a crisis or need professional advice, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional or a helpline. |