STRESSED OUT

          Do you ever have a day or days where you just want to pull all of your hair out from the insane amounts of stress and frustration? For me, this whole month has been endless days of these moments on replay. Now you may ask, "Why are you so stressed out? All you do is go from home to school, and from school back home." That's just the thing. The most stressful part of my life is school. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to have an education at the amazing school I attend and seeing my friends everyday. But sometimes all of the homework, practices, and everything in between can almost become too much to handle all at once.
       
          One major piece of stress this past month has been the planning and preparation of PROM 2017. This year it is my class's responsibility to put on the prom. This includes dinner for all of the guests, the dance, decorations, invitations, and anything else that the word 'prom' entails. Going into this crazy and hectic journey with an open mind was the most important thing that I needed to keep reminding myself. It was super easy to be able to go in with an open mind, but now with all of the stressful aspects of this whole thing, it's hard to keep the same cheery attitude that I once had about prom. As prom creeps closer and closer, tension gets high at some points, but we all manage to stick together to get things done. For instance, I'm not the craftiest person in the world. So when my classmates and I decided that the invitations were going to be handmade, I wasn't too thrilled. The invitations, once finished, were absolutely stunning, but the process of making them was not. Cut, score, glue, tape, cut, score, glue, tape was definitely not how I wanted to make them. The stress aspect of this whole rant comes from the fact that the invites were due to go out on March 1st, and on February 27th, we hadn't even finished all of the envelopes. This all stress me out because I didn't want to have to rush the crafting process of the invitations and have them turn out sloppy. We managed to get all of the invites and enveloped finished by March 1st, thank the lucky stars! They turned out beautiful.
       
          Even though this was a very minute blip on the stress pile I like to call Mount Neverrest, prom doesn't even come close to some of the stupid things I tend to stress out about. What jeans to wear today, to the question of what if I don't get enough points on a quiz to pass play roles in my ever rising stress level. But the thing that tends to keep me level headed and down the right path to not blow over the top is that I won't have stress like this my whole life. The stress of having to decide the best pair of jeans to wear to school, or stressing over that important athletic game, to even stressing about graduating high school. Through it all I remind myself to take a deep breath, sit back, and cherish these moments, because one day I won't have them ever again. This is just one more little taste of the crazy ride I like to call "high school."

Collaborative post

When School and Fashion Collide: What To Do…

​A lot of times in a high school environment, teenagers get in trouble or sent home because of the clothing that they wear while trying to look trendy. We know how tough this can be, but working around these guidelines can help you avoid trouble as well as maintaining a respectable image. We decided to get together and collaborate on the struggles and strict guidelines of high school dress codes. With both of us attending the same high school, we know the rules and regulations of our dress code, and how to stay fashionable while meeting those rules. 

​Trust us, with our school having one of the strictest dress codes around, we know the struggles of following dress code, but changing the rules is nearly impossible. Working with your school is beneficial in many ways, that's why the author of the blog Simply Chic and I have decided to co-write this blog post on the topic of dress codes. To begin, one tip we have for you to still look fashionable is layering. Everyone hates the "three-inch wide" straps rule. Tank tops or shirts can’t be spaghetti straps and if they are they have to be covered. If you have a favorite summer tank that you absolutely adore but are hesitant to wear it to school, pair it with a complimentary jacket, cardigan, or wrap. 

        Attending a school with a strict rule against shorts can be a tough one, but wiggling around it isn't impossible! When Spring comes around capris and a loose tank top are your second option in solution to a "four-inches above the knee" rule. To all you other lucky ducks that have the old "finger tip" rule can get by with some cute shorts and sandals. Wearing your favorite Daisy Dukes is never a good idea when it comes to school, but keeping them a reasonable length will keep you out of trouble. 

​Do you ever find a super cute pair of jeans, but refrain from purchasing them because they have holes that show your leg skin? Another trick we have for you is to jazz those jeans up! Buy some black tights, or have grandma sew a couple pieces of lace underneath, while looking good but still following school rules. An alternative option to that is to get an old pair of jeans that you don’t wear anymore that are similar to the wash of the new jeans with holes. Then, cut some patches to fit the holes on your new jeans and glue the patches to them with some fabric glue or liquid stitch. If you're on your very last resort, try looking for some ripped jeans on the lower half of the leg while shopping. 

​We know high school can be tough sometimes and dress codes just add to the stress, but with these tips and tricks we hope that you can at least show up to school feeling confident, looking super chic, while still following the rules specified to your school. 

Surviving School

As a student in high school, I can say for myself and many others that working out times to study and ways to pass your classes can become very difficult with a hectic schedule. Different functions such as sports, extracurricular activities, and family time can restrict the time I have to study. Passing my classes is very important to me, for I want my grades to exhibit the hard working student I am. College admission also plays a big role in why I strive to keep my grades nearly perfect. Below I have composed some graphic organizers to help students with ways to study, some note taking strategies, and how to get straight A's.

The "Ways to Study" Flowchart
In the picture inserted below is a flowchart I have made to help any student exploring the option that they have in the field of studying. The chart explains the ways you can study from being in the classroom to the comfort of your own home. I, myself, perform at my best on tests and homework when I take what I learn in class and, through the help of my notes, transfer that to help me study at home. It is important when studying in class to keep your notes short and sweet and easy to navigate. It is also important to listen and not just write the whole time. There are no dumb questions, so just ask!

The Cornell Note Taking Method

The Cornell note taking method is a method on how to take nice, neat, and efficient notes to use for studying and organization. The Cornell method is a note-taking system that was devised in the 1950's by Walter Pauk, a professor at Cornell University. The Cornell method is done by splitting your note paper in three columns or sections: the cure column, the note taking column, and the summary section. Here is a basic break-down of each section. The note taking column includes the why's and how's of the lesson. Main points, diagrams, and bullet points are housed in this section. Next, we have the cue column. The cure column houses the what's, who's, when's, and where's of the lesson. This section is usually completed after the lesson, made up of certain words that you want to research. Key words or phrases, vocabulary, people, or general things can be included. Lastly, we have the summary section. The summary section is made after class is over and you have had time to really digest the information you were just taught. The summary section should contain a basic summary of the notes in the cue column and important details of the main notes.

How To Get Straight A's

Straight A's can be difficult to maintain at times. Some different tips and tricks have definitely helped me in the process. I have learned to avoid stress and do not be afraid to take study breaks. Studies show that not taking breaks for a long period of time can make you become tired and not retain the information as well as if you were to take breaks after certain amounts of time.  Also stay proactive about your studies. Find something interesting in the subject you are studying and use that to help motivate you to stay studying. Being organized, paying attention in class, and even enough hours of sleep can help you in getting straight A's and passing quizzes, tests, and homework. 

I really hope that this installment of "Once A Panther, Always A Panther" becomes beneficial to you for your time in high school, or even college. I know these methods of surviving school really help me!

     Once a panther, always a panther...the motto I've heard and seen practically my whole life. Having been a panther since preschool, and now almost halfway through junior year has been a wild, and at times, a not-so-easy ride. I've had the best and worst times of my life in high school, and have learned from every experience and mistake. From super inspiring, crazy, quirky, and flat out mean teachers who I now know had their best intention in mind, to all of the hardships experienced with athletics, friendships, and outrageous schedules that come with high school, I have learned so many life lessons, tips, and some tricks in surviving the wild roller coaster ride they call "high school." I would never trade being a panther for anything. Seeing, hearing, and saying the motto "once a panther, always a panther" will always have great meaning and fantastic, unforgettable memories that go along with it. Elementary school and junior high are behind us. Graduation awaits us. And so my friends, the adventure begins...