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By Ve Group projects are terrible. Some of you may agree, while some may not and that’s cool, but I think it’s unanimous that no one likes it when a group member doesn’t put in any work. You might have already experienced this during school, and while it’s no fun, kids are still developing their work ethics. Encountering slackers during high school and college, however? That’s a whole different story and might require more intervention.
Recently, I’ve just finished a group project with not one, but two people who did not bother to contribute. No, there weren’t any good reasons, unless you count “I was watching a movie” or “read 5 hours ago” as an excuse. While such situations are already frustrating, going through this during online classes adds a whole new dimension of stress. On top of that, this project accounted for our final grades. How two college students were bold enough to trust their grades in other people’s hands, I do not know. It is baffling; I am both annoyed and in awe at the sheer audacity. I did end up giving in; the rest of the group and I covered for them because of the fact that we didn’t want to turn in a half-built project. By the time I wanted to complain, we had just turned it in and received our grades the next day. I figured there’s no point in bringing it up after that so yeah, they got a free ride. It’s not a great feeling, but on the bright side, we did end up with stellar grades. So did the slackers. It’s a cycle of hate but you learn to get over it sooner or later. To help you avoid feeling like a duped clown (me right now), I’ve come up with a few tips that might prevent the situation:
Hopefully you find these tips helpful! Next time a group member is slacking, don’t give in like I did and be confident. Communication and leadership is key, but if that doesn’t work, don’t hesitate to bring it up with a teacher. I get it, no one likes to tell on your peers, but in the end, your grades (and sanity) are on the line, so, prioritize yourself! International Mental Health Helplines: https://unitedgmh.org/mental-health-support
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By Camille As someone who is naturally awkward, I have too many moments where I am uncomfortable. However, nothing makes me more uncomfortable than seeing people my age. This might seem a bit odd, considering that I have seen people my age every day for most of my life. But after spending 1 ½ years in isolation, I have become accustomed to only seeing the people in my house. Because of this, I am unable to find comfortability around people my age, I can only look on longingly.
For most of my life, I have struggled with making friends. This is due to multiple factors: introversion, socially awkwardness, lack of shared interests, and essentially, making friends was not an easy task. But I managed because I had to spend a good chunk of my time seeing the same people, and friendships were inevitable. The entirety of my senior year was spent online, staring at Zoom profile pictures because nobody wanted to turn their camera on. Before quarantine, I would have hated to spend my last year of high school online, but once I realized how comfortable I was, there was no turning back. Within a couple of months into quarantine, I had stopped talking to most of my friends. I began to feel uneasy even talking to them because I had lost contact with the outside world. During quarantine, I rarely left the house, but sometimes I found the motivation to walk outside and get exercise. When I would go outside, I would have my headphones on in hopes that nobody talks to me. In the dreadful events that I saw kids my age, I would instantly become antsy, eager to put as much distance between us as possible. My body would tense up and I would tilt my head downward, in hopes that they did not pay me any mind. When it eventually became time for senior clearance and I had to go back to the school, I had a painful realization -I felt awkward around everyone. As I observed those around me, I also realized that I had minimal commonalities with them. I would be perfectly fine with my desire not to talk to them, however, I know that communication is a necessity, especially in the workforce. Since this is an issue that I actively combat every day, I am unable to provide evidence that worked for me. I can, however, share newly found advice I plan on using that could potentially help me overcome this uneasiness around kids my age. Ways that we can stop these awkward moments include:
When the quarantine first began, it was an amazing time for introverts or anyone who does not like socializing. There was no need to put ourselves into situations where we would be forced to socialize. However, as the world slowly opens back up and we find communication necessary, a lot of people have found themselves feeling awkward around others. I wrote this article to tell you that you are not alone, and I encourage you to take time to get used to being around people again. By Lana It is easy to define your self-worth through academic validation. With good grades, you feel as if you are worthy of what you contribute to your surroundings. While chasing for academic validation develops qualities such as determination and pride, it can also cause anxiety and make you feel drained. With this combination, it is difficult to get out of a rut when you are in a new learning environment. Thus, developing a growth mindset can help tackle these issues.
A growth mindset is a mindset that focuses on practicing and refining what you have learned. It requires patience as your past experiences and failures will let you reflect on what you need to work on in the future in order to succeed. Developing a growth mindset may be incredibly difficult if someone, such as myself, is a perfectionist that is sensitive to failure. Yet, it also makes you realize that the idea of “intelligence” can grow with time and practice. Here are some examples of having a growth mindset:
I believe that my one weakness in school was not having a growth mindset. Ever since I was a young student, I believed that my life was going well as long as I was successful. While this led me to want academic validation, it also caused me to antagonize school because I felt as if I was under pressure to have good grades regardless of my mental wellbeing. This was a toxic cycle, and it did not prepare me to learn that failure is a natural part of the process. I recently took a “weed-out” course, which is meant to fail students that are considered not as qualified in the subject. The course completely debunked my hopes of academic validation. My study habits did not benefit my scores, and I failed most of my exams due to intense anxiety. While I did not get the grade that I wanted, my experience in the class allowed me to develop a growth mindset. I reflected upon my experience by thinking about what I did wrong, what were my strengths in the class, and how I could refine my study skills in order to boost my performance. While I am more optimistic in my skills and what I have learned, I wanted to collect my thoughts on how you can have a growth mindset.
I hope that these tips help you! It definitely takes time to develop a growth mindset, as I am also working on it myself. However, I’m sure that everything will work out in the end with dedication and perseverance! By En Managing time can be tricky. Whether you’re trying to do work, plan your life or even trying to meet deadlines, time will always continue to tick away. There’s no way to stop this, meaning it can be hard to work with, especially if you have a lot to do. So, what can be done to help with this?
Time management is different for everyone. What might take five minutes for one person may take an hour for another. Following a schedule set by others might be tricky and can cause a lot of stress, so you need to be in control of how you spend your time. There are no set rules to how you spend your time; if you want breakfast at 3am, who’s going to stop you? You’re in control. Trying to conform to the idea of normal can sometimes make managing time harder, so do what’s best for you. As someone who has time blindness, procrastinates and hates structure, time management shouldn’t be my strong point. However, with my job and my studies, I’ve had to learn how to get time on my side and manage it efficiently and smoothly. Something that took me ages to grasp was that it’s not going to be perfect. You can’t predict how long somethings going to take, and that’s the hardest thing I find about managing my time. I set unrealistic goals for myself and get frustrated when I don’t meet them, and that’s something I’m still working on. Even though I’ve been doing this for three years, it’s still hard. Getting time to work on your side can feel impossible, but here are some of my tips and tricks to make it work. Add twenty minutes If I have to predict how long something might take to do, chances are I’ll underestimate it by quite a bit. My typical rule is to add twenty minutes. As someone who creates schedules, this is something I keep close to myself, and has definitely helped in those situations. Even if you don’t use the twenty minutes, it allows time to run over if you need it. Know when you need structure I hate structure; I avoid it any time I can. When I force myself to work under a structure, I find I lose focus faster than I normally would and I get very irritable. I find I work better if I give myself a night to do two or three things and as long as I get it done that night, it doesn’t matter how long it takes. Last academic term, I put so much structure into my time which didn’t work- not only because I didn’t like it, but because time is unpredictable and I couldn’t control how everything went. Even though I put the structure and management in place, I was still working on my projects last minute. This term, even though I have a month until my deadlines, I’ll set myself a goal in the morning with absolutely no structure to doing them, and I’m almost done with all my work. I’m letting myself enjoy it rather than forcing myself to do it. Know that things will go wrong No matter how much time you allow, something will inevitably go wrong at some point. It’s a very frustrating fact of life. Try not to get annoyed with yourself for things that are beyond your control. That’s something I found hard to get around, and I still struggle with it, but things go wrong and that’s out of your control. I tried printing a script yesterday and what should’ve been a ten minute job turned into around an hour full of stress. Technology is unpredictable, and mixing that with using a brand new printer meant that it took longer than what I expected; but on the bright side I got it done and I learnt how (and how not) to use the printer. Alarms Alarms are my best friend. I’m very forgetful, unless I have constant reminders then I forget everything. To help with this, I set alarms. If I need to do something by a certain time, I’ll set an alarm three hours before the set time, then one at an hour and a half, then ten minutes before it’s due. I’ll set an alarm when I’m working to remind myself to take a break. It’s not so much a time management skill but it helps me keep on track. Learn from your experience I know how long it takes me to do things, so I keep that in mind when I’m planning to do something. It normally takes me about an hour to make a cake, so any time I want to make one, I’ll set aside about an hour and ten minutes. Specific, but it allows for time to run over if I need it while sticking to how long it takes me on average. I’ll try to remember how long things take me to do and when I have to plan it out, I’ll give myself just a little bit more time, just like the first point on here. Time can’t be controlled, but it can be managed. It’s different for everyone, but I hope I’ve helped a bit. It’s a case of trial and error, but eventually you’ll learn what works best for you. Time management takes time, but that’s what makes it fun. By Lana Do you believe that you are good at reading people? While I would consider myself as a perceptive person that allows me to carefully notice how people act, I also realize that I come to conclusions pretty easily. Whenever you set your mind to how you view a person, it is hard to change your perception of them. When a person does something that we might not approve of, why do we automatically assume their whole personality rather than giving them the benefit of the doubt?
I recently learned about a term called the “fundamental attribution error.” This term is used in social psychology, and it describes how we tend to judge a person’s actions by their characteristics, rather than their circumstances. For example, if you are driving on the road and see another person driving fast and dangerously, you automatically believe that they are reckless. However, we dismiss their circumstances - what if they were running late to their work/school, or they had an urgent emergency? We do not validate a person’s experiences as we do for ourselves. If we automatically critique a person’s characteristics for their wrongdoings, how do we know if we are truly good people-readers? While judging people may be a normal and instinctual human quality, the fundamental attribution error puts things into perspective when we socialize with people. I consider myself as a person who thinks the worst of a situation. When I would talk to a friend and they seemed particularly snarky, I would automatically assume that I did something wrong to make them mad. I don’t consider their circumstances, such as them having a bad day that led to their mood. Sometimes, misreading a situation impacts how I act to fit my own assumptions, which creates a continuous cycle of misinterpretation between me and another person. However, learning about the fundamental attribution error has led me to be more open to understanding people’s experiences. I don’t jump to conclusions as fast as I used to, which ultimately minimized my stress when I socialize with others. As I had learned a lot from this, here are some tips that I can provide to you that may help as well: Give others the benefit of the doubt While it is easy to judge someone based on your first impressions of them, how you feel determines your overall impression of them in the future. Becoming aware of the fundamental attribution error allows you to assess your thought process about someone. It certainly eases thoughts for those who are overthinkers, such as myself. Considerately communicate your pet peeves Pet peeves may be considered as qualities that are irritable for most of us. For instance, eating food very loudly is a common pet peeve. However, we must be considerate of the person’s circumstances if they seem to be doing something considerate as a pet peeve. If they are a loud eater, it may be a cultural norm that they are accustomed to - rather than being ill-mannered. To communicate your concerns to others, it is best to be open-minded by their response and to not be too quick to judge. Be aware of comparing yourself to others We know ourselves the best, so this allows us to rationalize our mistakes whenever we experience them. However, when we subconsciously compare ourselves to the mistakes of others, regardless of how big or small their mistake is, we automatically feel as if we are better. Thus, we should be aware that just because we don’t know another person’s circumstances, we should not judge them for their mistakes. The fundamental attribution error is pretty helpful in these cases! These tips have allowed me to be aware of others, and have eased my overthinking as well! Being aware of the fundamental attribution error definitely opened up my eyes, making me more considerate of my actions when I am socializing with others. I hope that these tips will benefit you as well! By Ve Learning a foreign language is incredibly rewarding. Following the recent pandemic, many- including myself- have turned to studying a new language to pass time. It can be a daunting process however and requires a mix of good studying habits along with using high yield learning material.
Currently, I’m learning two languages- Korean and Tagalog. Although I do not have a set study schedule, it is highly recommended as consistency is key. Nevertheless, as I am fairly fluent in them, I tend to be more carefree but still try my best to incorporate these languages into my daily life. As mentioned earlier, learning a new language can seem intimidating, especially if you don’t know where to start. Fear not however- the solution is simply to start from scratch. Rather than diving straight into reading complex novels like I tried to do, start with treading the water and gradually building up your skills. Every language has a basic process that I like to split into 4 different parts:
Choosing the right resources to learn with is crucial. Moreover, depending on your preferred learning style, you might have to experiment to find what suits you best. Here are some of the most effective materials and methods that I’ve used:
We saw the basics of learning a new language and established that starting from scratch is the best way to build up fluency. In addition, we saw some effective study materials and methods that cater to different types of learners. With this in mind, why not learn a new language? Apart from personal satisfaction, the rewards are endless and opens doors to new opportunities. What language are you interested in and why? Let us know in the comments! By Kavy Welcome to the contradictory part of life. I believe that living life to the fullest is a myth created by fellow homo sapiens to make life seem easier when it actually isn't .
I used to "Live" life to the fullest according to what people made "the fullest", and to my surprise living isn't what we think it is. Living life does not refer to being happy all the time or being aware of your surroundings or whatever society taught you. Life is a rollercoaster, not only of emotions but everything you experience. Living life is experiencing everything without compromising yourself. This is what I believe. I sound very skeptical, and many of you would not agree with me but that's completely fine because not everyone has the same sense of "the fullest” My purpose of existing is different from yours, which makes our ideas of "living life to the fullest" different. And that is exactly my point believing what others say "LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST" is a myth but believing in your idea of living makes you unique. I am no saint or a life guru, this is what I believe and what I've learned so far in life. Life isn't just happiness and sadness, it's a whole bunch of emotions that make it worth living. Find your idea of living and live life your way. LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST and find your own FULLEST. By Meghna In today's digital age, teenagers find themselves increasingly attached to screens, grappling with the demands of academic standards and the judgmental views of social media. Amidst this hustle and bustle, however, lies a therapeutic remedy waiting to be embraced: nature. I want to speak about the wonderful effects of nature on the human body, especially in this article.
Referencing popular media, there is always a scene where a character is furious and everyone tells them to go outside and take a breather. Why do you think that is? Because of the calming energy that nature instils into our bodies, centering our mind, helping us regain peace and see the better side. Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress levels in teenagers significantly. Whether it's a nearby park, a hiking trail, or a tranquil beach; immersing oneself in natural surroundings offers a release from the pressures of everyday life. Furthermore, the outdoors provides a natural mood and energy boost, triggering the release of endorphins and serotonin through physical activity and exposure to sunlight (receiving that vitamin D). Nature also serves as the perfect space for practising mindfulness and inner reflection, allowing teenagers to be fully present and engaged in the present moment. By observing the natural world's sights, sounds, and senses, we can create a sense of calm and inner peace. Additionally, outdoor activities provide opportunities for teenagers to bond with friends and family. Sharing experiences with others not only helps your overall mood and energy but also strengthens your relationship. Furthermore, nature offers teenagers the opportunity to face challenges caused by weather and terrain, such as climbing mountains or sailing storms. Eventually, by overcoming these challenges, teenagers develop resilience and confidence in their ability to tackle adversity, both in nature and in their daily lives. Our mental health is only declining by trapping ourselves in our room and scrolling endlessly on social media or texting others mindless memes. When we could be hanging out with the same people, not even in nature but just outside with the breeze pushing all our negativity behind us. Making you feel present only in the moment with your closest companions. So, text your friends, family, or anyone close enough in your life to go out, ice cream date, bike ride through a park, or even just a walk, your mental and emotional health will only be strengthened with your newfound interest in embracing the outdoors. It’s important to be as eco-friendly as possible to preserve the world. At the moment, irreversible damage is being done so we must make the changes to save the planet. Things such as single-use plastic can be dangerous for the environment, but some products that don’t use that can be pretty pricey at first. As a student, I have a very strict budget but I’ve figured out some ways that work well for me, and hopefully, they’ll work for you too!
Those are my little tips for going eco-friendly on a budget! Hopefully, these can be of some use to you. These steps are important to take in order to preserve the planet. And they can help you feel so much better! There are so many different options you can take and it’s worth doing your own research on global warming and what steps we can take as individuals to do our part in preventing it. Though these might not work for everyone, they’re always worth a try. -En EnDear Experienced Drivers from a Newly Passed Learner,
Before getting on the road, I had no idea of what to expect from you. Would you be understanding? Considerate? Impatient? Intimidating? I quickly discovered that the answer was all of the above. I started driving when I was 17 years old and was terrified. The idea of being in control of a vehicle is scary. I did not need you honking at me to get a move on just because you have been driving for forty years and can pull out of a junction with a two second gap between you and the next car. You don't know whether this is our first lesson or our fiftieth. Either way, we are going to be much more cautious than you might be. You honking at us will not make us pull out any quicker, but instead stress us out and perhaps cause us to make mistakes such as stalling or wheel spinning which will in fact mean we take longer to get out of the junction than if you'd just had an inch of patience. The speed limit is a big thing when you're learning to drive. My driving instructor used to put a huge emphasis on the words 'only if it's safe to' when regarding the speed limit. 'Drive at the speed limit, only if it's safe to.' 'Pick your speed up, if it's safe to.' You overtaking me when I'm driving at the speed limit does not help me, Karen. You are being totally irresponsible and dangerous by overtaking me at 80mph on a 60mph road. I don't want to die just because you want to get home for your Friday fish and chips. I would understand you overtaking me if I was driving at 30mph on a 60mph road, but I'm not. Please be a bit more considerate and safe, if not for yourself then for everyone else on the road. Also, only overtake when it's safe. Emphasis again on 'when it's safe.' Don't overtake me in between two bollards or on a bend - I nearly crashed, thanks to you. Driving when it's getting dark is hard enough as it is. It's more difficult to see, my depth perception is completely screwed and I'm relying on headlights and street lamps to light the way. I hated driving in the dark. It made learning hard, because I had other obstacles to compete with than just controlling a car. One of those was inconsiderate experienced drivers like you leaving your headlights on full beam as you drive towards me. It is general courtesy, experienced driver or not, to dip your headlights as you drive towards another driver. But you, no, you just happily blinded me with your lights as you drove past without a care in the world. Being blinded and being unable to see for even two seconds when you're driving is terrifying and dangerous. So for crying out loud, just dip your headlights driving towards anyone but especially a learner driver - it makes the world of difference to us. Another really irritating thing that you did when I was learning and still do now I've passed is tailgating. I noticed an increasing number of people would be so close that if I slammed my brakes on, you would slam right into the back of me within seconds, causing a massive pile up of people having to force their brakes behind you. I hated and still hate people tailgating me because there is no need. You're not going to get where you're going any quicker and you're not going to encourage me to go any quicker either. In fact, I'll probably slow down to force you to drop back - it's more self sabotage rather than gratification. You aren't helping anybody in the end, not yourself and especially not me. Just have an ounce of patience and respect. You wouldn't get all up in my face if we passed on the street so why do you decide an appropriate time to get all up in my grill is when you're driving? It's not and if you could get that in your head, the road would be a much safer place and a lot less cars would be written off. I know this letter to you has been very negative, but I do want to stress that not all of you experienced drivers are bad. Thank you to the good drivers, the kind drivers, the patient drivers. Thank you to the ones who would stop to let me pull out of a junction while the other drivers were honking behind me. Also, thank you to those who would move over on the A1 so that I could get on without having to stop on the slip road (which isn't fun, by the way.) Thank you to the people who left plenty of room behind me to keep us both safe in the case of an emergency stop. Thank you to those who are patient and forgiving, when I make mistakes or take that bit of extra caution on a road that everyone else would speed down. It means a lot to know that not all drivers are bad words. Finally, next time you're on the road and you see a car with an L plate or a P plate on the back, think back to when you were a learner and how you felt. We were all learners once and it's important to treat other learners how you would have wanted to be treated.
Auditions can be tricky to get through. Whether you’re going through an agency or not, making a good impression in ten minutes can be hard. If it’s for a school production, professional production or one to get into university, it’s important to get it right.
An audition will normally ask you for a monologue, if you’re auditioning for a musical they’ll normally ask for sixteen bars of music, or if you’re going for ensemble or a dance heavy show then you’ll probably be asked for a small dance routine. No matter what the production is, you’ll always need a headshot and a CV. It’s important to know what you need before going. I’ve worked on the audition table a couple of times, I’ve seen what works for casting and what doesn’t, and even learnt some tricks from people auditioning. It can be intimidating walking into a room and having five or six people sat at a table taking endless notes on your performance, and getting used to that will only come with time. Getting used to auditions will take time, but here are my tips for when you’re starting out. I want to mention that these tips can be applied to other situations too! These can be used in job interviews or in any situation that you need to be ‘formal’, so although these are aimed towards auditions you can use these tips in any situation!
Those are tips I’ve picked up during auditions. These help to make a good impression. Keep them in mind when you’re auditioning. Preparation for an audition can be tricky too, and even though I don’t know much about that, here are some tips I do know -
The thing to remember with auditions is that not every one is going to be a success, and that’s nothing to do with your talent. Don’t let that hinder you. It sounds cliche but it couldn’t be more true. Take every audition with a pinch of salt and let yourself learn things from them. Embrace each lesson because no two will be the same, and I guarantee you can always learn more than what you already know. The most important thing is to never give up. ~ En Procrastination is vilified endlessly in the media. It’s generalised to be a character trait to overcome - something which holds you back from success. I, however, don’t believe so. Sometimes procrastination has more root in an underlying fear than of simple laziness. Exam season is almost upon us and, as students, the thing we are most guilty of avoiding is revision... so I thought I would share a few tips!
Ultimately, everyone procrastinates. Guilt and anxiety will only make things worse. Instead, try and procrastinate by doing other kinda-sorta useful tasks that you need to do anyways. You’ll get through them quicker and will manage to tick a lot off of your to do list which is often all you need for a flurry of motivation. I promise you’re not alone - we’ll get through it together! Keerthi 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 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 :) Work experience can range from lots of different things and reactions, from excitement to dread and nerves to downright fear. Well, I’m here to shed a little light on work experience as a whole and to hopefully reassure you that it isn’t as scary as you may think. In the UK, a lot of schools designate a week(or more) to enable their students (usually those in Year 10 or 11) to go out and practice helping out in a real-life workplace. My school was a bit stingy and forced us to do everything for ourselves- which was very daunting- but, I think that most schools that enforce work experience tend to help you out along the way. The first thing I’d recommend to do is think about what you are interested in. It can even be something that you’re partially interested in and want to learn more about, even if it’s a career path you are 90% sure that you don’t want to go into, you still can’t allow yourself to disclude it entirely. This opportunity is less likely to show you the exact career path you’re meant for, but it’s still important to keep your options open, and with this, it can also give you an insight into what scenarios you hate, don’t mind, and enjoy! Secondly, If you’re interested, I would highly suggest checking to see if any local businesses offer work experience placements to students like yourself. With this stage, I would also recommend asking around to all associates and people that you are close with. They’ll likely know someone who works at a place you’d be interested in working for, and you may even get the placement easier because of knowing this person. I struggled to find a placement, even though I started searching for positions super early, I just couldn’t find a place I was truly invested in that was close enough for my parents to drive me back and for every day for a week. Luckily, when I told my form tutor this, he told me about a friend of his who worked at a vet, and from there, I managed to get a placement, even though they rarely take in students, simply due to this acquaintance. Connections are important when it comes to student occupations. If you still can’t find any student placements, use any online resources that are available to you. My school gave us the link to a website which listed loads of businesses that were open to having work-experience students, and yours may do the same. Although most of these were too far away from us to be realistic, doing this search gave me a good insight into the range of job prospects there are in the world, even if I didn't take much interest in any of them. So, by this stage of the process, you should have a list of around 5-10 possible placements that you are interested in. Before contacting these businesses, I would recommend you talk with your guardian/parent about each of them, and do your research on these businesses, verify that they are all commodious to you. It’s also important to know that you will need to be able to get transport there and back for the entirety of your placement, and this is something you should consider at this stage. After the researching of these businesses, you will have a remainder of about 3-6 companies, the next step is to send an email to them. This should include your name, the name of your school, dates you would like your placement for, description of why you would like the placement (I know this sounds bad, but you can lie here- just as long as you don’t pretend you have any qualifications- but even if you don’t want a career in science, it’s fine to say: ‘I am passionate about science and am considering a future career in this field.’). Make it short but sweet. Then, you wait. If you get multiple companies responding with “yes” then you need to think about which would be the most beneficial placement for you. Don’t feel bad if you need to send an email saying you’ve been offered another placement which you have decided to take instead. I promise it won’t affect them in the slightest. Overall, getting a work experience placement is nowhere near as daunting as it may first seem after trying these steps, which will allow you to get the best out of your placement and will hopefully aid you in the future when trying to decide your career. I hope this helped, - Non NonEveryone has that moment in their life when they are given some advice by someone who cares about them and then they completely ignore that advice, only to regret it months later when it turns out to be exactly what they needed. Lord knows I've been there. So I've decided to compile some of the most amazing advice I've ever been given (and may or may not have ignored) in the hopes that it might help some of you. No.1 - You can stop anytime. What I mean by this is that you are never bound to a situation for the rest of your life. You are free to change your mind, make new decisions or stop doing something that makes you unhappy. Giving yourself permission to stop and take a step back is important to see the bigger picture and make the right decision for you. Stopping is not failing. Quitting is not a weakness. You are the one in control here and you are free to stop whenever you feel the time is right. You haven’t failed because you have stopped, you have just stopped and stopping means that you may start up again when the time is right. But it can also mean that this chapter of your life is over and you have stopped for good - but that’s okay too. No.2 - The only way to guarantee failure is by not trying at all. Everyone's a little bit scared of failure. I know I am. One of the reasons I hated maths lessons in school was because I wasn't necessarily the best at it and so I was scared of getting the answer wrong, or failing. But one thing that I have learnt is that getting something wrong does not equal failure, but giving up and not even giving it a try does. If you don't try, then you are guaranteed to fail. If you at least give it a go, there is a chance that you will get it right and even if you don't, you tried and that is the most important thing. Don't let fear stop you from succeeding because there is always a chance as long as you try. No.3 - Don't stress about what you cannot change. I can tell you 100% that I am the worst person in the world when it comes to stressing myself out and panicking about things. Not only that, but I have a persistent habit of stressing about things which absolutely are not worth stressing about. This doesn't help anyone. You can't control everything so if you are going to stress about anything, you should only stress about things you can control and things you can change, rather than things you cannot. Don't stress about if it's going to rain on your friend's wedding day - if it rains, it's going to rain and you can't change the weather. Don't stress about if there is going to be traffic on the way to school - if you're worried, just set off a little earlier. The point is that stress is pointless if you can't control the thing which you're stressed about. It won't change anything and will only harm you in the end. The saying ‘keep calm and carry on’ truly does apply in this situation. Control what you can and carry on with what you can’t. No.4 - If people don't like you for you, don't change to make them like you. Every human has an insatiable need to fit in and be liked. I'm a total people pleaser so I avoid confrontation at all costs and lie about stupid things just so that I fit in. For example, I used to tell people that I watched shows like Coronation Street or Eastenders because everybody else did and I thought it would be weird if I didn't watch those shows too. Truth is, I hate Coronation Street and Eastenders with a passion and have never watched an episode in my life and would be more than happy to never watch an episode. I used to think that lying about these things would make people like me but these lies meant that they wouldn't have liked me, but instead liked the version of me that I had created and that's not fair. You should be able to surround yourself with people who like you for being the real you and allow you to be your most authentic self. If people don't like you because of who you are, then they aren't worth it. Don't change to fit other people's perfect view. You are a pretty perfect version of what you are already. No.5 - Celebrate even the smallest achievements. One thing that I have always struggled with is thinking that something I have achieved is insignificant and unimportant or not meaningful enough to deserve celebrations or congratulations. But the truth is that even the smallest achievements are worth celebrating if it is something you have done well or something that was difficult for you to do. For example, on my hardest days when I’m feeling really down and unmotivated, it can be almost impossible to do everyday things like get out of bed, brush my hair, clean my teeth etc. These seem like easy things to everyone else, but to me, on that day, they’re near impossible. Even doing little things like that deserves to be celebrated because it was difficult for me to do, and though they’re small to everyone else, they’re big things to me. Something doesn’t have to be huge or life-changing to be recognised and acknowledged as an achievement. Anything can deserve a commemoration if it is important to you. No.6 - Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain. I absolutely love this quote with every inch of my being, so much so that I have multiple plaques dotted around my house all saying the same thing; life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain. What this essentially means is that you can’t spend your life waiting for the right time or the perfect time to do something because you would be waiting forever. There is never a perfect time or a right time. However, there is value in making the most of a bad situation i.e. dancing in the rain. You need to learn to take the best from a bad situation and turn it around instead of waiting for everything to get better before moving on. Life is filled with challenges and always will be. When you are facing these challenges and these difficult decisions I want you to remember that, despite everything, you can still be happy and things can still be pretty good overall. If I wanted you to take one piece of advice from this article, I think this would be my recommended one because it has helped me throughout some of the hardest times in my life. No.7 - People are far more focused on themselves than they are on you. As humans, we have this notion that everyone around us is watching us all the time and are focused on what we are doing and what we are wearing and are scrutinising our every move. One thing to remember is that they are humans too and so they are thinking the exact same things that you are thinking but about you and about themselves. They generally don’t care what you’re wearing, they’re too busy focusing on what they’re wearing to take up brain space criticising and scrutinising your fashion sense and believe me, this goes for pretty much everything. In reality, most people do not really care for you on a deep and meaningful level. They care for themselves and how other people perceive them. Honestly, humans are fairly selfish beings, even if only on a minute scale. When you live a life truly on your own terms and know that no one really cares that much about what you are doing, you will be able to enjoy your life secure in the knowledge that what you are achieving is what is important to you regardless of what you once thought others were thinking. No.8 - You don't need to have a plan. I think that school and society have perpetuated this idea that you have to know what you want to do at 16 and that you have to have a plan for the rest of your life. Actually, I don’t think this is true at all. I don’t see how you can be expected to have a plan for everything and for your future when you are so young. I did and, to be blunt, my plan went completely pear-shaped and I am now doing something which is completely off-piste to that plan I had at 16 years old. A plan can be useful and necessary for some things, like a birthday party or what you’re going to cook for dinner, but you absolutely do not need a plan for everything and you should not be expected to have a plan for everything either. Sometimes, being spontaneous and just following the path that life takes you can be the best thing to do for your mental health and well-being. So let the river run. No.9 - Your best is all that you can do. Here we go with yet another cliche piece of advice. I promise that there is a reason that this advice is cliche though and that’s because it is 110% true and there is no way you can deny it. If you have done your best and there was absolutely nothing more you could have done or said, then that is all you can do and you can’t blame yourself for what happens afterwards. Recently, I had a job interview for a job that I was super excited about. I really really REALLY wanted this job - and I didn’t get it. However, when I had that interview, I gave it my all. I put my best foot forward, made it insanely obvious how passionate I was about the role, gave them an extensive list of all my skills, related everything I said to a specific experience in my life and made sure to interact as much as possible with the interviewers. There was nothing more I could have done in that interview that would have made them give me the job. I gave them everything I had and came out feeling positive and knowing that I couldn’t do any more and what will be will be. Sadly, what ended up was a rejection but as I say, I did all that I could. If you do all that you can, then that’s all that anybody can ask of you and you can hold your head up high regardless of what comes next. No.10 - Push your limits but not too far. It is important to push your limits and take yourself out of your comfort zone every now and again. You won’t progress if you stay comfortable because you won’t learn to cope with the things that you aren’t comfortable with and the things which challenge you and scare you. This is something that everyone always says. But a very wise person once added something to this well-known piece of advice. Make sure to take yourself out of your comfort zone but know your limits. Whilst it is great to move away from where you feel safe and comfortable, don’t push yourself so far that it is damaging to you. There is such a thing as going too far out of your comfort zone and when you get to that place, then it is a good time to stop and turn back before you hurt yourself and end up doing more damage and causing more pain than good. Keep an eye on yourself and your limits and don't burn out. I’m sure there are lots more pieces of helpful advice out there but these are just ten of the ones which I have found to help me the most. You are now free to do with them as you please. What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given? Please make sure to let us know in the comments and share your wisdom with the community. If it only helps one person, it’s worth it. ~ Kenzie KenzieHandling your finances is something I think isn’t taught enough, yet it’s the path to leading a comfortable life. Capitalism, as defined by ‘Investopedia’ - a financial education website - is the economic state whereby property and industries that have monetary value are controlled by private owners. This system can greatly disadvantage the working class, i.e. people like you and me - so I wanted to write about ways in which you make this capitalistic system work in your favour without compromising your values. I’ll start by writing about how to budget, and later delve into more complex financial topics like savings accounts and investing. I want to preface that I’m by no means an expert, this is just what I have researched, and would like to spread the knowledge - so please do your own research as well! Budgeting is described by ‘Investopedia’ as a plan regarding the income and expenses for a particular time frame. This process, while tedious, will allow you to see patterns in your spending, and control it better in order to ensure that you are always on top of your finances. Finances have been a thing that I have been taught to fear. I can’t actually say that I’ve ever been at a place where money has not been an issue, and so it’s developed lots of anxiety around spending, receiving monetary gifts or loans from others etc. There may be times I needed to pay someone back but couldn’t until later on. This created a mentality that working is the only way I can create a sufficient and comfortable lifestyle for myself. A mentality that I have to work to survive. But I’ve tried to challenge that by taking control of my finances, rather than enduring conditions I don’t like, in order to keep my head above water. One way I was able to do this was through budgeting; I recently received my first paycheck from my internship and was able to use a budgeting technique to split up my income between needs, wants, and unexpected situations. Here’s how I did it:
‘Money Under 30’, another financial education website, suggests a common budgeting technique to use is the 50/30/20 rule. In this, you save 50% of your income on essentials like groceries, rent etc., spend 30% of your income on what you want, and contribute the remaining 20% on your savings (including retirement) and investments. So, hypothetically, if you brought in £1000 (with the consideration of tax): Essentials - £500 Wants - £300 Savings - £200 Money Fit’s 50/30/20 online budget calculator can work this out quickly for you, however, there are many alternatives online also. An important thing to note is that this is completely customisable to your situation, you can change how much you allocate to each section, so it requires a lot of self-discipline and awareness to understand how much you can distribute to each part. To practice self-discipline you have to be honest with yourself - I usually ask myself how beneficial a certain spend would be in the long run; could I possibly use that spend on something that provides me more gratification in the future? Here are some more ways to practice discipline:
One way to learn how to be more aware of your budget is to keep a basic excel sheet that breaks down your income and expenses. The Balance, financial education website, also has a simple template that you can copy and paste into a document and adapt to your circumstances. Alternatively, there are other free templates online that help keep an eye on your finances without the hassle of creating the template yourself (unless that’s your thing). I personally use ‘Aspire’, which tracks transactions as they are made - it’s a little technical but they have a Reddit account that you can ask questions on, and detailed instructions to get you set up.
Now you may be lost on what the “Savings” section of the budgeting technique might be made up of. Savings would constitute your emergency fund (saving if you unexpectedly lose your job, or something breaks etc.), investments, and retirement fund. Because of this, it might be easier to put your savings into a savings account. So far this technique has taught me that finance is not something to fear - granted, I’m not going to say it's not stressful, but budgeting has given my finances a lot more structure. I understand there is more to learn, but it's not something that has to control you, more so, it's the other way around. I think understanding finances is something quite empowering, especially when there has been constant worry about where your finances would go. However, it’s important to remember that your finances don’t have to define your life experience, especially because I found myself unable to do things I wanted due to financial constraints, like attending paid events, going on holiday, or simply eating out. When I had the time I looked for free activities I could do, and any financial support I could find online like grants or scholarships during university. I learned that with or without financial constraints, it’s still important to let yourself live, rather than just survive. I’m still learning how to do this, but it’s about ensuring that your finances don’t control you - both by learning about finance and by living in spite of it as much as you can. Unfortunately, not everyone is equipped to find out more about this topic. Some may not know where to start with researching, or just don’t understand the admittedly complicated lingo in some of these sites. Weeks ago I didn’t know any of this information, so I don’t blame you for being unsure. Its absence in our education system means that we interpret finances as something that lacks priority, or at least, is too complicated for anyone to understand, let alone teach. I hope that this information gives you an idea about where to get started. Here are some sites which can help you with this a little more https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1109/6-reasons-why-you-need-a-budget.aspx https://n26.com/en-eu/blog/50-30-20-rule#:~:text=The%20basic%20rule%20of%20thumb,money%20to%20work%20more%20efficiently. Stay Safe! - Rae References https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/budget.asp https://www.moneyunder30.com/percentage-of-income-should-you-save-every-month#:~:text=Many%20sources%20recommend%20saving%2020,at%20least%2020%25%20for%20savings. https://moneyfit.org/50-30-20-budget-calculator https://www.thebalance.com/budget-worksheet-income-and-necessities-453596 Aspire Budgeting RaeFocusing is my weakness. I’m barely able to maintain focus, especially when it comes to tasks I know will take more than half an hour. This is something I’ve struggled with all my life, and only recently have I found a way to work on it. Throughout school, I never really focused on my work. I got it done, but half the time I’d miss everything that was said. It was an issue in college, but I could still get work done in phases. Now that I’m in uni and drowning in work, I’ve realised that I need systems in place to help myself. Something else that I have difficulties with is procrastination. Mixing that with a lack of focus and a bad memory, especially when teaching is all online? You could say it’s a recipe for disaster, but it’s been a time when I can experiment with different methods to help me focus and tackle my work as soon as I can. When educational facilities are in person, it’s estimated that 1 in 3 students have issues with focus, leading to procrastination. 80 - 95% of students procrastinate, 75% consider themselves procrastinators and 50% procrastinate frequently and consider it a problem. Personally, I procrastinate to the point that it’s a problem. On the bright side, while trying to do my sound work, I do normally end up with a lovely clean kitchen by procrastinating. It’s safe to say that I’m quite the procrastinator, and it has started to affect my education. Online, I’ve found that my focus is getting worse. While on Zoom, I’m often distracted by the road outside, social media, or even what type of coffee I want to pick up from the local shop. I miss so much from lessons, which is a massive issue when it comes to assessments. When it comes time to work, I end up mentally rearranging my room, or even making a ground plan to move furniture about on it. So what have I found that helps me focus?
If you’re having a lot of issues with focusing, it could be worth going to your GP / Doctors / anyone in your educational facility. It can be a sign of an underlying condition, so it’s best to be safe than sorry. Just remember that you’re not alone in this, and talking about it can help. It won’t be easy to overcome it, and what I’ve said might not help, but it’s all about finding things that work for you. It’s all about trial and error, but you’ll get there in the end. You’ve got this! ~ En ENWhat is Sociology?
Summary Sociology is an exciting field of study that analyses human social relationships, politics, crime, religion, social class, and radical change. An endless study that examines all fragments of society, and how human actions shape these social structures. For instance, psychology examines the mind, the psychology of an individual, and Sociology examines the environment, in which humans live. In fact, you may have taken part in surveys conducted at school that may have been related to sociology, questions that ask your ethnicity, age, gender, and experience of schooling. Sociology emphasizes gathering evidence and conducting research, and the government has been able to use the data from these surveys or other forms of research to make policies and change. Importance of Sociology in society Sociology is an essential subject, a subject I hope will one day become a compulsory module in schools. It is a subject that would teach children about the society they live in, the challenges others face, and hopefully teach empathy and humanity. Putting those hopes aside, those who are in school or have completed their education should consider diving into this subject. Sociology is more important now more than ever. Since this generation is aware of the cruelty and injustice that occurs around the world and the inequality and unfairness of the laws and systems in place. Sociology offers a factual and logical explanation, arguments that can shape our society and make it a better place to live. Sociology shapes our politics, broadens our minds on the different economic systems that exist, challenges our comfort, our existence, and our purpose. You will find yourself exploring not just plain feminism but Marx feminism, intersectional feminism, communism, socialism, and critique of capitalism, helping you understand yourself better, not just society. In light of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Me-Too movement, the revolutions, riots, the impact of the pandemic on marginalized communities, and police brutality, sociology is essential. Without an open mind and an understanding of history and society, we cannot progress very far; we cannot begin to understand why people are rioting or why marginalized groups are calling for change. My experience with Sociology When I studied this subject at A-level, it validated my experiences as a South-Asian woman. Growing up, I had theories of my own, which I later learned had entire studies on, my experiences dealing with racism, sexism now had a name, a study, analysis, and an explanation. My experiences were no longer just my experiences, they were universal. It was enlightening to study something so personal and insightful. To learn sociology is to understand our values, where we stand in society, and how we can challenge the systems in place. To understand sociology is to want better for ourselves and others, to gain compassion, to gain another soul. Books and sources that may interest the reader: -Feminist Studies - A Guide to Intersectional Theory, Methodology and Writing By Nina Lykke -Essentials of Sociology by James M. Henslin -A Down-to-Earth Approach By James M. Henslin A website that shows you a list of great books to choose from to begin learning: https://bookauthority.org/books/beginner-sociology-books Wania “In case of a cabin pressure emergency, put on your own mask first before assisting others.” We always hear this sentence every time we take a flight. It is a good concept to apply to our lives. We need to remember the importance of helping ourselves first before helping others. Putting yourself doesn’t mean you’re choosing either your or another's life. It means putting yourself makes you function better and strengthens you to support your loved ones better. Even a therapist can ask guidance from other therapists. It doesn’t mean they’re not credible. It helps them prepare and recharge so that they can help clients as well. One way of self-help is self-love. Loving yourself is different from being a narcissist. A Narcissist needs professional guidance because Narcissistic Personality Disorder is characterized by exaggerated feelings of self-importance. They lack empathy and therefore rarely make friends with others. Different from being narcissistic, self love is an act to appreciate and care about oneself. Self-love is a journey and everyone should have a trial and error method to find the best way to love themselves. In order to help our self, here some ideas that I’ve tried and you can apply them too: No screen day Due to online situations, life is attached to the screen. Sometimes, I’ve gotten very anxious about things on social media. I couldn’t bear to look at notifications on my social media. So, reconnecting with nature instead of the screen, would be very relaxing. Hugging someone with no context This gives me another level of satisfaction. When hugging someone, I feel calm and relax. Also, my negative emotions go away. It may be because the stress hormone is released. Meditating I’m not sure with the actual method, but it is kind of staying still and being aware of nature’s sounds. Nature’s sounds help release my anxiety and stress. Those tips may work for some people but not others. Hopefully, they can help some of you guys. Enjoy your journey to a fulfilling life!
Do you have problems with studying or just need some advice in regards to studying? Well here I am to propose some options to change your study habits for the better. Study tips that I point out may not work for you or everyone else; you just need one study tip to work to increase your productivity. These tips build on note taking, time management and decreasing procrastination. Here are the benefits at a more detailed perspective.
Managing your time and trying to avoid procrastination is hard. Procrastination is the level that all students go to, some stay at that level for a while and others leave quickly. I advise you to learn that level as fast as you can. Procrastination increases mistakes, stress, mental illnesses, and more. It does not help to leave work for later when you just do not want to do it. You can start to reward yourself when doing work before the date because in psychology it is proven that positive reinforcement promotes the likelihood of that behavior of doing work earlier knowing there is a reward to stay with you. Managing your time is basically planning ahead, sometimes the plan will change, but it is just the thought of you planning what homework you will finish, when you will go to the gym, and more. Creating good habits is the most important thing. I struggled with studying growing up and I learned the hard way of the importance of efficiently studying. Only in high school did I start to take my own advice on my studying but every now and then I do procrastinate and life just becomes 100% stressful. Stress then takes over and ruins me emotionally and physically. Do not allow that to happen to you. Take the extra mile if you have to. The hardest path usually is the best outcome. Your studying habits is only something you can do and it will be hard to maintain it. But you can do it, just believe in your own judgement. Watching others studying on YouTube makes me personally feel the need to study. Sleeping well and working out makes me feel ready to take on the world. I prescribe you that, taking better care of yourself physically and mentally. Having and creating better studying habits will take time so be patient. Nobody in the world is perfect, we all struggle with things. Use your faults to bring you up and not down. Do you have a set of personalized study habits and do they work? Do you last and honestly are they worth it? That is up to you to answer since out of all the people in the world, you know yourself the best. So sit down and talk to yourself, which is not a bad thing to do from time to time.
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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.
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. |