What to Do During Social Distancing

By: Angelina N.

What is social distancing, and why is it important right now? 

Social distancing refers to going out minimally, avoiding physical contact with others, and refraining from large gatherings of people. It is used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The contagiousness of a disease is measured based on the R0

"R Naught Ebola and Flu Diagram" by Kiera Campbell is licensed
under CC BY-SA 4.0

(pronounced “R naught”) value, or the average number of individuals that an infected person transmits the disease to. For diseases exceeding an R0 value of 1, such as COVID-19 (which has an R0 value of about 2.2), the number of infections can multiply rapidly because each infected person will infect more than one other person. In addition, COVID-19 has an incubation period of between two and 14 days, with the average being five days. This means that after contracting the disease, an individual will not exhibit symptoms for an average of five days but will still be contagious during this time frame. Since many infected people do not realize they are infected, they can unintentionally transmit the disease to people that they come into contact with. Actively social distancing is therefore necessary to prevent people from unknowingly infecting those with compromised immune systems or older individuals, who are much more likely to experience severe and possibly fatal symptoms. By taking precautionary measures, the number of infections can be reduced significantly. This also alleviates the burden on hospitals, which may experience a shortage of supplies, equipment, or staff otherwise. 

Although practicing social distancing is beneficial to the community at large, spending most of your time at home may seem like an incredibly difficult and dull adjustment. However, instead of viewing it as a major impediment to social contact and various forms of entertainment, you should view it as an opportunity to accomplish tasks you normally wouldn’t have the time for. Below is a list of ideas of how to spend your period of social distancing in both fun and/or productive ways. 

Find a fun mental stimulus 

Doing a mentally stimulating activity is a great way to combat boredom. 

• Play a board game: Options include Monopoly, chess, Scrabble, etc. — the choices are endless! 
• Go old-fashioned: Try your hand at Sudoku, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, brainteasers, or crafts (online DIY videos are a great source of inspiration). 
• Write a short story or poem: Brainstorm ideas that you could turn into a piece of writing. 
  

Take time for self-care 

Since most events have been cancelled, your schedule is most likely cleared right now. Instead of sinking into boredom, you should see it as a calm refuge from the chaos and incessant hassle of normal life. Now is a great time for you to reflect on your mental and physical health. 

• Practice meditation: Meditation is focusing on being more present and aware in all aspects of daily life through techniques such as mindfulness. It has been scientifically proven to be conducive to both mental and physical health, with some of its benefits being lower blood pressure and stress levels, improved sleep and memory, and a stronger immune system. There are numerous meditation apps that can be downloaded with the press of a button (Waking Up, Headspace, Calm, and many more), so meditation is a practice that can be conveniently incorporated into your daily routine. 
• Self-reflect: Oftentimes, we get so caught up in seemingly endless tasks, whether that be

  

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  schoolwork deadlines or upcoming exams, that life seems like a ceaseless “this, that, this, that” and so on so forth. During social distancing, it may seem like everything has suddenly come to a standstill, which is a chance for you to look back on the past few months and plan for the future. Take some time to reflect on your personal growth and accomplishments, as well as what you are still working towards. Set goals for yourself and determine how you will reach them. Jot these ideas down in a notebook, or type them on your computer for future reference. 
• Do what you enjoy: This last one is simple — spend time doing activities that you love! This may be different for every person; it could be spending more time with family, having a movie night with popcorn, or reading a book that’s been on your to-read list for some time. 
  

Start good habits 

It can be hard to incorporate new habits during most of the year because we are often too occupied to feel motivated to do so. Now is the time to pick up good habits that can have a positive impact throughout the rest of your life. 

• Stay active: Staying at home all day makes it easy to fall into a sedentary routine. However,

  

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  social distancing does not necessarily mean refraining from leaving the house entirely; in fact, it’s a great idea to go outside for a walk or a run in a park or other uncrowded areas during the day. There are also many great at-home workout videos online that provide fun and engaging ways to be active. Learning creative ways to exercise and experiencing the rewards of being physically active may motivate you to include it as a regular part of your routine in the future. 
  
• Eat healthy: A great way to use your spare time is to learn about nutrition and creative healthy recipes. Experiment with various dishes, and determine what works best for you. This may help elevate your consciousness about healthy eating habits in the long-term, which will beneficially impact your life in countless ways. 
  

Do some extra studying 

Since after-school events, most extracurriculars, and transportation time have probably been taken out of your schedule, there is now plenty of extra time to study, even if your face-to-face school is requiring you to attend virtual sessions. 

• Study for AP classes: AP exam season is coming up, which means that it’s a good time to start

  

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  reviewing information from last semester. It is also a good idea to keep up with College Board’s updates on modifications to the AP exams this year. College Board has already posted the changes to every AP course curriculum, along with the general structure of the altered exams. Make sure to check their website to avoid studying material you are no longer responsible for and to be prepared for this year’s test format. 
• Do some SAT and/or ACT practice: Use this time to read some SAT/ACT prep books, as they contain helpful techniques for succeeding on these standardized tests. Once you’ve reviewed these techniques, take a few practice exams; these are lengthy and typically difficult to fit in with other obligations, so now is the perfect time to try them. 

Learn something new 

If you’re still having a hard time deciding what to do, it may be a good idea to try something completely new and possibly discover new interests in the process. Ideas include learning some magic tricks, trying out calligraphy, or learning a new language through Duolingo. If you’re still having a hard time choosing, there are great sources of inspiration all over the Internet. 

Donate for a good cause 

Taking social distancing seriously is already a great way to protect the well-being of those around you, but you can take it a step further by donating during this time of need. 

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attribution required

• Donate blood: Due to the ongoing pandemic, blood drives have been cancelled, meaning that there is currently a severe blood shortage. If you are interested in donating blood, check out the requirements for a student blood donor using this link: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/info-for-student-donors.html 
• Donate to a food bank: Families who face food insecurity are especially vulnerable during this time, with grocery store supplies being depleted rapidly. If possible, consider donating even small instant food packages, candy bars, or personal hygiene products; although it may be difficult to donate in bulk quantity right now, even the smallest contributions can make a difference. 

Social distancing may seem extremely monotonous, but it is actually a great chance to try fun at-home activities, take time for self-reflection, and get ahead in schoolwork and studying. So take advantage of this time to plan out a list of to-dos and start checking it off! 

Works Cited 

Caddy, Becca. “Best Meditation Apps: Practice Mindfulness with Headspace, Calm and More.” 

TechRadar, TechRadar, 21 Mar. 2020, www.techradar.com/news/best-meditation-apps.

Cascella M, Rajnik M, Cuomo A, et al. Features, Evaluation and Treatment Coronavirus 

(COVID-19) [Updated 2020 Mar 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): 

StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/ 

Hersh, Erica. “Coronavirus Incubation Period: How Long Before Symptoms Appear?” Healthline, 

Healthline Media, 19 Mar. 2020, 

www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-incubation-period. 

“185_factsheet_social_distancing.Pdf.” Santa Clara County Public Health Department. 

“What Is R0?: Gauging Contagious Infections.” Healthline, 

www.healthline.com/health/r-nought-reproduction-number.

Vongkiatkajorn, Kanyakrit, and Laura Daily. “How You Can Help during the Coronavirus 

Outbreak.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 21 Mar. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/21/how-you-can-help-during-coronavirus/?arc404=true.  

A Writer's Toolbox

By Louisa C. 

It’s pretty safe to say that Stephen King, renowned American author of a plethora of best-selling suspense novels, knows a thing or two about writing. That being said, I decided to read his memoir, On Writing, in the hopes of learning some of King’s tricks of the trade that I could incorporate into my own pieces. Luckily, this task was made abundantly simple for me, as King dedicates an entire section of the book to what he calls the writing “toolbox”, or his personal collection of rules that guide him on every one of his writing endeavors. 

According to King, these “tools” are extremely important for a writer to develop for their own use when crafting a literary piece, as they provide a consistent, solid base upon which one’s work can always begin. These handy mechanisms can be anything from simple grammar reminders to complex sentence structures and are unique to every author’s individual style and voice. To illustrate what this “toolbox” should look like, I’ll give you a second-hand peek at the contents inside a few drawers of King’s own. From the many examples of “tools” provided, I selected five that are especially compelling and important and elaborated on what they really mean to King when applied to his writing.

Rule #1- Do not consciously attempt to “dress up” the vocabulary featured in your writing: In my opinion, this rule is just another way of suggesting that one should throw away his or her thesaurus. What King is trying to convey is that upon a reexamining of your writing, you should never attempt to change a word you previously selected just for the sake of finding a longer or more impressive term to replace it. Though it may seem like an intelligent choice at the moment, altering your naturally chosen vocabulary will completely interrupt the flow of the work.  In doing this, the piece of writing is no longer your own craft, but also the work of a co-author known as Merriam-Webster.

Rule #2- Every time you go to write a sentence, it does not always have to be complete: Bang! Crash! Splash! These common onomatopoeia terms provide just a few examples of an instance when the creation of a complete sentence is not always necessary. In this rule, King is actually suggesting it is okay for a writer to break the age-old statute: in its true form, a sentence must consist of a noun, verb, and complete thought. In his opinion, if a specific stylistic effect can only be achieved through the use of fragments or incomplete clauses, it is acceptable to leave your sentences hanging. Boom. Stephen King has spoken.

Rule #3- Taking any noun and placing it with any verb will form a complete sentence: As stated in the explanation of the second rule, the true form of a sentence must include a noun, verb, and complete thought. That being said, no matter how abstract the thought may be, according to King and every English professor that has ever lived, adding any verb to a noun will constitute a complete sentence. Grapefruits sing. Rocks rejoice. Pigs fly. Rationally, these sentences may not make sense, but all is fair in the game of grammar.

Rule #4- You should avoid using the passive tense: In describing this personal pet peeve of his, King explains how the use of the more “safe” passive tense makes timid writers feel their work has gained some sort of authority. This, however, is not the case. In order for a writer to achieve success, they must rid their work of this weak and torturous practice. Timmy will be pelted with rocks by the children on the playground. Not only does Timmy need to gain some strength, but so does this pitiful passive sentence. Timmy throws rocks back at the children on the playground. Now that’s more like it.

Rule #5- The best form of dialogue attribution to use is “said”: This practice may actually feel wrong because of the familiar and safe feelings it evokes, much like using the passive tense, but according to King, it is the proper way to address characters who have spoken. While adding intense detail and imagery to your writing is a very positive practice, using dialogue attribution as your channel for doing so is not the best choice. Simply stated, using the word “said” should be your go-to when attributing dialogue. “If you want to see this put stringently into practice, I urge you to read or reread a novel by Larry McMurtry,” King said.

After taking a look inside Stephen King’s toolbox, I began to wonder what types of rules would be stored in mine. The following five tools I created are comprised of guidelines I have been taught in school, tips I have stumbled upon myself, and lessons that I have had to learn the hard way.

Rule #1- Use exclamation points sparingly and only when truly needed: The first time I cried in school was the fourth grade. Upon recovering an essay back from my teacher, I was horrified to have discovered a big red sixty percent circled at the top of the page. Through teary eyes, I was able to read the single note scrawled next to the unsatisfactory grade: “Too many exclamation points-- no research paper is that exciting.” Though it may seem cruel to dock a nine year old forty whole points on a paper about the history of dogs because of exclamation point overuse, Ms. Robinson’s note has surely stuck with me when crafting any piece of writing ever since.

Rule #2- Use italics, underlines, or quotes to distinguish certain words within a piece of writing, but never use more than one of these features at once: These three forms of editing have the same effect, so using any combination of them is unnecessary. Additionally, there are guidelines for the specific situations when these certain features should be utilized, such as the rule that states chapter titles should be put in quotation marks. Especially for academic works, the importance of this rule truly cannot be “stressed ” enough.

Rule #3- If writing on a computer, do so on one that is disconnected from the internet: This tip comes straight from the mouth of an amateur procrastinator. If you ever expect to make a good amount of progress on your work, I would recommend cutting yourself off from the worldwide web. Succumbing to the temptation of the Internet Explorer icon on the bottom of the computer screen is a lot easier than even the most disciplined writer believes. If you expect to get any sleep the night before an unfinished piece of writing is due, your best bet is to either stick to pen and paper or unplug your Internet router.

Rule #4- Never rely on built-in spell or grammar checks to catch all of your mistakes: This tip is another one I have had to learn the hard way. After landing the most difficult English teacher in the seventh grade, I learned the practice of rereading every work of writing at least three times before turning it in. Mr. Brown would deduct a whopping five points for every spelling or grammar mistake made, so after receiving subpar grades on my first few papers of the school year, I quickly learned that the autocorrect supplied by Microsoft Word could not be trusted. If you want to receive a grade that rewards all your hard work, one must utilize the old-fashioned grammar and spell checker known as your own two eyes.  

Rule #5- When making a list, use the Oxford comma: This rule may be one of the most controversial topics among grammar geeks. Many consider placing the additional comma before the word “and” at the end of a list an incorrect stylistic guideline. However, to a vast amount of prestigious organizations, such as the Oxford University Press, and in my own opinion, the use of this comma is the only correct way to format a list.

In summary, creating a special “toolbox” when writing can help anyone, from a budding author to a Pulitzer Prize winner, craft a compelling piece of work that presents their unique voice and stays true to their respective style. If you’re looking to take a shot at designing your own now, feel free to use the rules above as some inspiration. So, that being said, there’s only one question left to explore: what can be found in your toolbox?

Standardized Test Preparation

How to Make Summer Productive

By Marco A.

Summer is often regarded as a time to relax, sleep in, and be with friends and family. Recently, however, summer has become a time for many high schoolers to learn new things, improve college applications, and prepare for the future.

In reality, summer should be a combination of both relaxation and productivity. Summer is a time to relax and unwind after the stresses of the recent school year, and it is also a time in which students should seek ways to improve themselves. It is important to find the right combination of both, while not spending too much time on either.

Effective use of time, especially in the summer, has become increasingly important in college admissions. Many colleges seek to understand if their applicants make good use of their time. With that being said, here are five ways to make your summer more productive and beneficial:

1. Study for the SAT/ACT

Although this may not be the most popular option, it may be the most beneficial one. Either way you go, it's a good idea to study for these tests at some point. Many studies have shown that a significant amount of studying for the SAT or ACT correlates to significant score increases. I can personally attest to this, as my SAT score increased 200 points after studying during the summer. These score gains will be well worth your time when it comes to applying to college.

Furthermore, Many colleges report that besides GPA, standardized testing is the most important factor when considering admissions. This means that you should be putting significant time into these tests!  Additionally, there are many low cost options for study materials, including websites, books, and videos. A simple search for “how to self study for the SAT/ACT” results in millions of resources.

So not that you know you should study, why study in the summer? Well, summer is the time of year when most students do not have to worry about other classes, extracurriculars, or  homework. As a result, students can spend much of their free time on the SAT/ACT without detracting time from other important events.  

2. Volunteer or Get a Job

One of the things colleges love is volunteer work. However, this should be something more than just another thing you can list on your resume. Volunteering should involve something you are passionate about and want to help others with. Find this activity for you, and pursue it over the summer while you have time. If you are truly passionate about it, it guarantees to be a rewarding experience (so rewarding that it may even make a great college essay!). It is also important to make sure that while you do this, you keep track of how many hours you volunteer as it may be asked later on.

Getting a job can have both personal benefits as well as monetary ones. Work can help you gain experience in the professional world, a skill that colleges will appreciate. Also, working in a professional setting will teach you the value of hard work. This will give you much more respect for those who work everyday of the year. Finally, the money that comes from the job may come in handy later down the road.

3. Learn Something New

School may be out, but that does not mean the learning should end! With all the free time you now have on your hands, use it to learn something you have always wanted to know. Many websites such as Coursera and edX offer free classes on interesting topics from top universities. If you have ever wondered how to code a website, write great poetry, take breathtaking photos, or how chemistry affects cooking, the summer is the time to learn it do it. Not only will this be enjoyable, but it could also help you discover what you are passionate about. If you think you may be interested in being a journalist, taking a journalism class on edX could let you know if it’s the right fit for you. Furthermore, this will keep your brain active so you’re ready to learn when school starts up again in fall.

4. Take Some Time to Read

Reading can be extremely enjoyable and relaxing if you find a book you are passionate about. Time spent reading has also been shown as the best way to increase standardized test scores in reading. In order to do this, try to pick out books that you enjoy, but are also well written and respected.

Reading can also expose you to new ideas and can subsequently cause you to change your world outlook. As an added benefit, reading will keep you thinking throughout the summer months.

5. Discover What You Want to Do in Life

Although this may sound cliche, summer is the opportune time to find out what job you want to pursue, or what college you want to attend. Research the possible career fields you are thinking about, and the colleges you are interested in. Don’t hesitate to contact someone in these positions to ask them about their personal experience. More often than not, people are willing to help you learn more about their career field. If you are really interested in one, see if it's possible to spend a day on the job or if there are any related internships available. As far as college goes, try to figure out what each university wants to see in an applicant. Additionally, consider visiting a campus if you are interested.

Keep these 5 things in mind during the summer! They will be very helpful and beneficial in making it more productive. But remember that it is also important to relax over the summer, as we all need some down time. Don’t let any of these activities consume your whole summer! Be sure to enjoy it while you can.