Tag Archives: tips and tricks

Tips for Running Track

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Track season is almost here, and that means a lot of meets right around the corner. Track can be a challenging sport, here are some things that I have learned for running during track season.

1. Get in a proper warm up and cool down.

Getting in a proper warm up and cool down is one of the most important parts of track. I find that getting a warm up and cool down before and after a workout makes running much easier. It can also help you to do better in races and can help you to avoid injury. Stretching before and after workouts is also very beneficial.

2. Wear the right shoes.

Wearing the right shoes is also important while running track. This can help you to improve your times for a race and it can also keep you from getting injured as well.

3. Keep the right pace.

One thing that I found very useful for running track is keeping the right pace. This is especially useful for distance events where you will need endurance over a longer distance and period of time. I found it helpful to keep a pace and maintain it throughout the race and then speed up closer to the end.

4. Get the right diet.

Having the proper diet and eating the right foods is very important for running track as well. It’s important to eat and hydrate before you run, especially before races. I also found it helpful to have a snack for after a race or a hard workout, as it helps to replenish some of the energy that you have lost.

5. Do a variety of workouts.

Doing a variety of workouts each time you train is also helpful for running track. Running the same workout every day can slow your improvement in running. Instead, it’s helpful to incorporate a variety of workouts when training, such as long runs as well as harder workouts. This can help with improvement and can be very useful, especially if you are running distance events.

6. Get good sleep.

Getting good sleep and proper rest is important for running track as well. Getting good sleep can help you to do better in a race, and being well-rested is one of the most important parts of running track.

7. Mentally prepare for races.

Finally, one of the most important parts of running track is being mentally prepared, especially before races. A large part of running, especially in track, is mental, and I found that a large part of running is being able to mentally ready yourself, especially before a race. I found that visualizing success and focusing on goals for the race was very helpful in doing better in a race as well.

Tips for Incoming Freshmen

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It’s fall again, and the school year is starting back up again. If you are a freshman as I was last school year, here are some tips for the first year of high school.

1. Use a planner-One of the things that I would recommend doing in the freshman year of high school is using a planner. I found doing this helpful because it helps you to keep track of your homework and activities and tests and it is a great way to keep organized in general.

2. Another thing that I would recommend doing during freshman year is to join sports and clubs. Joining a sport is great for making new friends as well as keeping in shape, and it also looks great on college applications. I would also recommend joining clubs during freshman year, since it can help you to pursue the things you are interested in outside of school as well.

3. During freshman year I would personally suggest looking into some of the more challenging courses if you are interested in them. I would recommend taking math, science, and English courses, and look into AP classes if you are interested in them. I would also suggest looking into the electives that are related to the things that you are interested in.

4. Another skill that I found helpful for the freshman year of high school is making good study habits. For example, try not to only study the night before a test, but try to start studying a while before a test. I also found it helpful to make study guides to review which also makes it easier to study for finals. It can also be helpful to review your notes regularly to make sure you know all of the material.

5. Another thing that is great to do during freshman year is to get involved in the community and start doing community service. This is great for making new friends as you will meet many people as you serve in the community. Getting involved in the community early in high school also looks great on a college application and will help you to stand out as well.

6. Finally, don’t worry too much. High school can be challenging sometimes, but one of the things that can be helpful in in getting through your first year is not stressing out too much and still giving yourself time to relax and unwind. Be patient with yourself and don’t stress out too much about mistakes, and keep on doing the things you enjoy. Good luck and have a great first year!

Tips for Incoming Sophomores!

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Hey everyone!

The new school year is coming up in a couple of weeks and if you are an incoming sophomore as I was last year, I have some quick tips for you to make sure you get a good start!

  1. This year I would focus on taking more of the harder classes, and making sure you get a good grade in that class. Whether it’s a humanities, math, or a science course, you need those courses as a sort of pre-req into the classes for junior year. For example, at our high school, people who take AP European history sophomore year is oftentimes more prepared for APUSH junior year because you have the foundation of not only history knowledge, but also how to outline (* which is super important btw!!!).
  2. Also, this is the time of year for you to start getting to know which sort of courses you like? Are you into more of the science classes, math, maybe English? Or perhaps it’s an elective course, like AP Seminar/AP Research/AP Comp Sci, etc. Colleges like to know what you are interested in, so it’s time to dive deep and find which courses suit or interest you!
  3. The SAT requirement is starting back up at a lot of the UC schools and Ivy league schools as well! This means you should start prepping for the SAT early on, preferably starting in sophomore year summer! The information presented in the SAT may look easy at first glance, but they test you on a wide range of knowledge, so be prepared!
  4. It is also time to get the extracurriculars in order as well! If you want to suceed and make your own path through high school, it’s crucial to start building a strong extracurricular profile. Whether you’re passionate about a sport, a club, volunteering, or perhaps something more unique like starting your own initiative, now is the time to dive in. Colleges appreciate commitment, so sticking with an activity and taking on leadership roles can really make your application stand out.
  5. Lastly, don’t forget to also have those moments to destress. High school is tough, but it’s important to find a balance. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and setting aside time to relax and enjoy your high school experience. Especially sleep!!! I know we all pull all-nighters from time to time, but sleep is important for you to function!

Good luck sophomores! Junior year awaits you 🙂

Freshman Year

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An increased amount of overwhelming workload, less time for self, and a brand new environment with lots of unfamiliar faces. These are some things that teenagers usually face when jumping from middle school to high school. Freshman year of high school is a very BIG leap from middle school and this can be very overwhelming for some, but don’t fret. As a student who just finished my freshman year of high school, I will be sharing my personal experience and some tips and tricks!

I do not know what your middle school teachers have told you about high school, but if they tell you that high school is going to be difficult, then they are completely right. Well, at least for me. For me, moving from 8th grade, where everything came easy and I had little worries, to 9th grade with barely any time for anything. It was very hard for me to adjust but do not worry, it might be a lot at first, but you’ll get used to it. 

One thing to keep in mind is that whether you like it or not, you have to socialize. In middle school, I was able to pass without making many new friends, since a lot of assignments and projects allowed independence. However, now in high school, most things require socializing, whether it be for participation or for a group project. However, this isn’t so bad! Through these forced interactions with new people, I gained new friends. These new friends have definitely impacted me lots, both positive and negative, but most of these impacts were positive. I am really glad to have made all these friendships this year.

Speaking of friendships, it is also very important to remember that people change and that’s alright. There’s a saying that “The people you enter high school with might not be the same people you leave high school with” and I did not believe it at first, but it already is the case for me. The people I got into high school all separated and went our own ways, so if you stop being friends with your friends during freshman year, then do not worry. There are tons of other people and amongst them, there is definitely someone who you can really connect to. 

Another important thing that is very useful, especially if you plan on taking hard classes during your freshman year, is to make sure to turn in your work on time and be responsible. Grades actually matter in high school, so fooling around is not the best idea. Once you get your homework assigned, do it immediately if you can. Procrastination is not the best because if you have lots of workload, waiting to do it last minute is a very bad decision and you will definitely regret it later. Stressing about turning in your homework before 11:59 is not worth it!

Since grades matter, the way you study matters as well! Think of the phrase “Study smarter, not harder.” It is best to find a good grade through a study technique that works for you rather than getting the same amount of grade but with more workload. A few study methods you can try are pomodoro technique, Feynman Technique, active recall, and more. Keep in mind that it’s not the same for everyone, so one method might work for someone else, but not for you, which is why you should try testing out many study techniques to find the best one for you. 

However, grades don’t really define who you are, so if you don’t get the best grade, at least you tried your very best! So if you’re as nervous for high school as I was last year, I just wanted to let you know that you will be fine. Yes, it will be hard at first, but it will get easier! I wish you the best of luck!

Reading Slumps & Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

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I like to call myself an avid reader. I enjoy reading, I read all the time, and I find a lot of joy out of it! I know some people aren’t like that, but I personally really enjoy it. Sometimes, I find myself getting into a dreaded reading slump. 

A reading slump to me is a period of time where I don’t read because I can’t find any book appealing to me, or when I just can’t bring myself to pick up a book. If there are times I don’t have time to read—I don’t call those slumps. Just times where I don’t feel like reading, most likely because I can’t find a book to read. 

I really hate getting into these slumps. I want to read a book, but I just can’t. Recently, I’ve gotten myself out of a long slump—and I got out of it by reading outside my comfort zone. 

Over the course of quarantine, I didn’t read. I mostly read online—short stories, comics, but not a long novel or a published book. It really confused me, because I had a shelf filled with books I have yet to read, but I couldn’t bring myself to sit down and read. I attempted to sit down and try, but I just couldn’t get into the story. The genre of the book was Young Adult fiction—a genre I always found myself reading. Yet, I just couldn’t get into the story. I wondered why. 

It honestly really concerned me. I feared I lost my love for reading, and that I couldn’t find happiness in it anymore. That was until I found myself reading another genre—poetry and prose. 

Most of my life, I’ve found myself staying in one genre—young adult fiction or children’s fiction. It was the genre that made me the happiest, and one of the easiest genres to read. I never really dabbled in historical fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, or poetry. It wasn’t that I didn’t like reading it, it was just that I didn’t feel comfortable reading those genres. I tend to get confused or bored—and once I get confused and bored, I just never finish the book. 

That was until I discovered The Waves by Virginia Woolf. 

I became very intrigued very quickly—the way Woolf wrote her characters and her style in The Waves was confusing, but I found myself enjoying it! It felt like reading poetry, or really flowery prose. It was beautiful, moving, and I found myself getting teary-eyed throughout. I had never read a book like this before, and it surprised me when I found myself absolutely falling in love with it. 

The Waves is what made me start to branch out of young adult fiction. Don’t get me wrong, I still read a lot of young adult fiction—but now, I feel comfortable reading other genres. After The Waves, I decided to read more older books, which meant I had to try harder at understanding the language. I decided to read Russian classics—Dostoyevsky, Pushkin, Chekhov. It felt good to read those. 

I also started to read plays, like Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Coriolanus, Betrayal. When I found myself understanding the messages and getting really into it, I felt really good. Then, I started branching out into fantasy—Ender’s Game, American Gods, and The Gilded Wolves. 

That is what got me out of my reading slump! After The Waves, I ended up reading eleven books in two weeks. Yeah… it really shocked me how one book can get you out of a year long stump! And a book outside of my comfort zone, nonetheless. 

Reading out of your comfort zone can be daunting, but I promise it reaps so many benefits. You are able to talk to more people about the books you read, expose yourself to new themes and new styles of writing, and you never know—you may be able to expand your comfort zone to a wider range of books.

– Claire C.

You CAN Handle that Workload!

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Now that most high schools have returned to in-person school everyone is feeling the academic and social pressure. The teachers were not hesitant to give a large workload for all students. I want to share some tips for time management that helps me manage my time while still taking 8 classes. 

My first tip is for those procrastinators out there taking many AP classes, feeling the work pile up faster than imaginable. This first tip is very helpful but may seem crazy to some. Personally, I set screen time on my phone from 5pm to 10pm. I get home from school around 4, I give myself a little mental break but once it hits 5 my phone blocks entertainment. I first thought this idea was going too far, but after several months it has really helped my procrastination. If I want to open instagram or tiktok I get a reminder that I should not be on my phone. This way I have a 5 hour window to sit down at my desk and simply work.

My next tip is to create a google sheet to plan both your homework and reminders for the day. Make a column for each of your classes on the top. On the right put each date and fill in the homework for each class. Whenever you finish an assignment turn the cell block green to show that you completed that task. This is a simple way to keep organized that does not require buying a planner. Also, personally I find motivation to turn all of the blocks green as soon as I can.

My next tip is to know your limit of classes. Some people, especially as they enter their junior and senior years, attempt to take as many AP, IB, and honors classes as possible. But, I would recommend taking the workload you know you can handle while still pushing yourself. This way you are not overexerting yourself to a point where you are not doing well in any classes.

My last tip is to take advantage of given class time and homework times during class! Oftentimes teachers leave 10-15 minutes to work on assignments. Many people tend to spend that time talking to their friends. I say get as much done as possible, your future self will thank you for it. During this time you are often more productive, have the teacher to ask any questions, and can get some of that work done before you even reach home. 

Overall my tip is find the best time management plan for yourself, as it differs from person to person. Once you find that schedule that fits your workload and personality perfectly, you will find dealing with all of the assignments will no longer be as daunting.

-Lilly G.

Ways to Stay Creative

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Many of us have probably experienced a creative block, whether it be for writing or art, at some point in our lives. Often, such blocks can be difficult to break out of, and can lead to us abandoning the task altogether. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Here are five tips to stay creative and get rid of artist’s block!

1. Create Distance

When you hit a block in your work, it’s actually a better idea to step away than to continue struggling. Create some distance between yourself and the task- go for a walk, talk to a friend, or even just step away from your desk and eat a snack. For bigger blocks, take a day or two off, and push the thought of the task to the back of your mind. That way, when you come back to it, you will feel rejuvenated and re-inspired.

2. Let Yourself Get Bored

Rather than try to chase down inspiration on the Internet or social media, let inspiration come to you! Put down all your devices and mental stimuli, and feel yourself get bored and start to daydream. Daydreaming, with no support from a stimulus, has been found to boost creativity.

3. Surround Yourself with Blue

It is exactly what it sounds like. Whenever you feel a creative block, try surrounding yourself with blue objects- sit in a blue room, or go outside so you can see the sky. Studies have shown that blue, being linked to peace, calm, and nature, can help us feel more creative and explorative!

4. Get Emotional

Inspiration most often tends to strike us when we are highly emotional. So do something that excites you! Go to a theme park or organize an outing with friends. However, negative emotions can also help stir up creativity- so you can even watch a sad movie or read a sad book!

5. Meditate

Meditation has long been used as a process to calm the mind and help shake loose new ideas from your brain. You should try it! If you feel incapable of sitting still and quiet for ten or fifteen minutes, try it in increments of three minutes. It will relax your mind and really help get your creative juices flowing!

-Vaidehi B.

Writing Tips!

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Creating things can be difficult.  Frequently, writers develop a lack of motivation or good ideas, known as writer’s block.  When in one of these moods it can feel impossible to begin writing, like your writing is no good, or that you will never finish on account of not finding the perfect synonym for “yesterday”.  

My brain’s most frequent writing issue is that I ramble.  My ideas come so fast, my fingers don’t have time to get them down on paper, and before I know it I’ve forgotten what I was writing and moved on to a completely different topic.  This leaves my writing sporadic, confusing, and without purpose.  

A tip to cope is letting go of your standards when you first start writing and entering a “brainstorming” mindset where your fingers can get down the most important parts of your ideas without having to worry about grammatical errors or better word choices.  This allows you to get more work done and gives you more material to work with during revision later.  You’ll also feel more satisfied with how much you were able to write and express yourself.  

This brainstorming mode can even take the form of a list or other grammatically incorrect forms.  Long run-on sentences branching out your ideas or even sketchy, bulleted outlines of stories all work to combat writer’s block, give you more motivation and satisfaction, and help you become a more confident and efficient writer.  You’ll be surprised how much more you’re able to get done!  Happy writing! 

-Giselle F. 

Ways to Increase Productivity

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As the school year continues in earnest, many of us may find ourselves struggling to keep up with workloads and stay productive, especially after online school for the last year and a half. So here are five tips to help you boost your productivity and keep accomplishing great things!

1. Write It Down

No, you will not ‘remember it.’ Write every task you have to do down somewhere, like a calendar or daily list, and check it often so you don’t forget anything!

2. Habits and Patience

Start creating productive daily habits for yourself. This way, you won’t have to consciously think about doing tasks- your brain will go on autopilot and get things done. For example, you could get into the habit of studying for two hours every day after school by setting a timer while studying for at least one month. Stay patient- habits take time to develop, but they’re great tools to keep you productive!

3. Take Care of Yourself

You can only be productive if your body is physically equipped to work. Eat well, hydrate all day, and get the recommended amount of sleep every night. This will do wonders for helping you feel more ready to tackle the day!

4. Inspire Yourself

Be cautious about what you choose to fill your mind with. Take some time off from your phone and hang out with your friends, read a book, or go for a walk. This will help recharge you and inspire you to get work done!

5. Reward Yourself

Don’t be too harsh on yourself! Make sure to give yourself a little reward, or mental pat on the back, after each successful day. This will help you keep your momentum going throughout the year!

-Vaidehi B.

Ways to Avoid Procrastination

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As the school year ramps up, many of us are still trying to get back into the school ‘zone’- and figure out how to kick bad procrastination habits that may have formed over the last year and a half of quarantine. Below are five ways to avoid procrastinating during the school year!

1. Get Organized

If you don’t have set goals or an idea of what you want to accomplish every day, it’s easy to forget things and procrastinate things until the last minute. Invest in a planner or a calendar to track all your assignments and extracurriculars- it will provide a strong framework to work with.

2. Eliminate Distractions

Procrastination happens mostly when we have easy distractions in front of us. Make sure you have a quiet, set place where you work, and put away your phone and other devices while studying. This will help you get everything you need to do done.

3. Set Goals

Many of us procrastinate when the work ahead of us seems overwhelming. By breaking the work into sizeable chunks and setting a measurable goal for yourself, you can make your work more manageable and eliminate procrastination.

4. Positive Reinforcement

Make sure to keep rewarding yourself for completing your goals or tasks. Even something as simple as “after this assignment, I’ll take a five-minute break” can help reward you and create a positive feedback loop.

5. HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE!

None of the above tips will work unless you hold yourself accountable! It’s easy to find excuses to go on your phone, check texts, or take an extra-long break, but you have to catch yourself before these thoughts take hold. An easy rule to avoid this is- start working or doing your task no more than 5 seconds after the thought pops into your head. Any more than that gives your brain time to come up with excuses.

-Vaidehi B.