Stop, Take a Breath, Relax

By: Verda A.

You just remembered you have to finish a math project that’s due tomorrow. Speaking of homework, you have to finish that five page English essay on statistics due in two days. Come to think of it, you also have to finish reading chapter 12 in your AP US History book all while noting only the important information. Oh no, now your mom is asking you to take the dog out for a quick run! So much to do, so little time! How are you ever going to be able to finish all your work? Your head is spinning. Your heart rate is quickening. You feel yourself slowly falling…

STOP. TAKE A BREATH. RELAX. 

First figure out what's most important. Begin with assignments due tomorrow and then use any additional time to work on those due later in the week. Set the less pertinent assignments away out of sight. Now, approach each item of homework one at a time. Don’t attempt two different assignments at the same time. Doing so will cause you to mix up your thought process for each. Spend a reasonable amount of time working on this assignment—30 minutes to an hour. If you feel yourself losing your train of thought at any point, stop working on the assignment. Set it aside, take a breath, and relax your nerves. When your head is at ease again, take a go at the next assignment. You can come back to the first after spending some time with this one. Rotating assignments avoids running the risk of over-analyzing something. 

In between rotations, have some “me” time. Get a healthy snack to give you some energy (this means avoid junk food), or exercise for about half an hour to get the blood circulating into your brain. Then sit down and resume working. 

Like I said before, work on each assignment in half-hour increments because rotation is key. Every 30 minutes, get up and move around a little. Go get some water, go to the bathroom, walk around the house --the point is to rest your brain for 10 minutes while exercising to keep your blood flowing. Then, back to it!

Remember, whenever you feel yourself dazing off, stop and take a breath. Relaxation is your ointment to stress. 

You should be able to put in good time for each assignment if you stay clear of distractions. This means no computer or video play-time, no chatting or IMs, no cellphones, and no loud music (you can softly play music if it does not distract you from your work). 

And always remember this while working on a large amount of homework: it’s not the end of the world. It may be important, but try not to lose that all important perspective.

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger...

By: Stephanie Pawlyszyn

You can describe poverty. You can depict every physical aspect of it. You can talk about the filth, the hunger, and the social ostracism. But you can’t feel poverty unless you have lived through it. Dawn Loggins felt poverty as I am sure some of you have. She spent her childhood squatting in buildings that didn’t even have running water or electricity. Her parents were drug addicts and every few months, they would pick up Dawn and her siblings and force them to move to another “home.”

I first heard about Dawn at a summer enrichment program I’ve been attending this summer, Governor’s School East. Just last year, Dawn attended this same summer school in Raleigh. But while she was there, her life took a dramatic turn. She phoned home hoping to reach her parents but the phone line was disconnected. She later found out they had moved to Tennessee, leaving her homeless.

Dawn Loggins did not simply give up. In fact, she worked that much harder to keep her head above the water. During the school year, she adopted a grueling schedule. She would wake up at 5:20 a.m., travel to her high school, and work as a custodian. Following that, she would take vigorous classes, including AP U.S. History, AP Calculus, and Honors English. Following the dismissal bell, she would stay at school an additional two hours cleaning. At 2:00 a.m., she would finally blow out her candle after completing her homework.

Despite numerous financial and emotional hardships, Dawn Loggins was just offered a full ride to Harvard. Everything in her life tried to knock her down. But when she fell, she got right back up. And every time she got back up, she was stronger. She never allowed her circumstances or her negligent parents to define her. Dawn Loggins told WBTV, “If there is anybody at all who has a dream, then they can definitely make it happen. There are no excuses. It depends on you and no one else.” Regardless of the struggles you are facing, work hard academically and they will dissipate. Your education is your pathway to a better life. Take full advantage of that.

So as you start your NCVPS course this year, I ask that you make two pledges to yourself. First, promise yourself that you will work diligently right up until the moment you press submit the afternoon of your final exam. Don’t do it for your teachers or for your parents; do it for yourself. Second, dedicate yourself to following through on this endeavor. There will be those nights when it’s past midnight and you have been working on assignments for hours, but remind yourself that those are the moments that really make a difference. Those moments of unyielding ambition are the ones that craft your future and set you apart from other individuals. Dawn went from homeless to Harvard because she pursued her dream. Define the future that you want and strive to bring it to fruition. Good luck as you begin the 2012-2013 school year!