Don't Let Finals Be Frustrating

Let’s be honest. Every student from every school HATES final exams. You spend all semester trying to keep up your GPA and in the fate of a single test it can be knocked down. So if you have test anxiety you’re probably freaking out, studying your face off, and screaming into your pillow. The nightmare will begin again before you know it. But listen up, especially all you freshmen, because I present to you tips to make finals less stressful.

Tip #1: Don’t Cram

Studying all of a semester's information on one or more subjects the night before a test is the best way to fail your finals. There is no way, unless you’re superhuman, that you can retain all of that information in a couple of hours. Do you know everything? Stop lying to yourself. We’re talking eighteen weeks of learning. You will probably forgot at least one thing.

Tip #2: Revise and Plan

Find out the final exam schedule, and figure out what tests you’re taking on what day. Once you know, you can write out a study plan. You know that your math test is the day before your science test, so you have less time to study for math. Decide what subjects you’re going to study each night. Make a goal for each study session. For example: Tuesday night I will study chapters 4-6 for science. Also, consider which tests are going to be harder for you. You should spend more time on the subjects that are difficult for you.

Tip #3: Catch some Z’s

Don’t stay up all night studying. Studies show that sleep deprivation results in memory loss and lack of focus. Not to mention, you’re sitting in a quiet room for quite some time. It would be easy to tell yourself that you’re only going to rest your eyes for a moment but fall asleep the whole time. The exam will be incomplete, and you’d be lucky if your teacher allows you to retake it. Try to get at least a good eight hours of sleep.

Tip #4: Breathe

Before your teacher hands out the dreaded test, take a moment to breathe. Close your eyes, take some deep breaths. Relax! If you are trying your hardest and followed the above tips, you’ll do fine. Worrying can only make matters worse. It could cause you to over-think problems, rush the test, or make stupid mistakes.

Recap: Remember that no matter what you get as long as you put in your best effort--that’s all that counts. One test does not define who you are. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t do well on test, it’s not the end of the world. Grow from the experience. Learn what you did wrong and how you can improve next time. Don’t let finals frustrate you!

By: Junior Adriane Schoonover, Journalism staff

The Art of Pursuing

By: Senior Katie Schwanke, Journalism editor

I’ve often heard that chivalry is dead. Is it really... or is it just out of practice? Love story after cheesy love story where the guy gets the girl have distorted how to truly be a “ladies man.” Now when I say ladies man that term is used loosely. I’m not encouraging gross, chauvinist, “filled with swag” pick-up lines, to develop a true ladies man mentality you need to take a step back and be transported to the forgotten world of pursuing.

Asking a girl out is easier said than done. The act usually leads to sweaty palms and shaky, nervous, incohesive sentences that end the asker in the same position he began with, dateless. So fellas, here is an inside view on what girls really want.

1. Girls want to feel special so do not i repeat DO NOT ask her out over social media. This will make you seem like a uninterested typical male who will spend more time on the new Battlefield 4 video game than making an effort to ask said girl out.

2. Go out of your way, prior to the official ask out, to show the girl you care about her. Opening the door, giving her a compliment, being invested when she talks to you, make time outside of where you usually see her to talk to her. These things might seem simple but they will make a difference TRUST ME!

3. Care about what you do. The new fad these days is to be as disinterested as possible, but if you’re not passionate about what you do then how are you going to be passionate about a relationship.

4. Remember, asking a girl out is a processes, so don’t just one day be like, “man she’s FINE, I want to date dat” and talk to that special girl for the first time about how you should date. Form a friendship first. If you just ask her out you’re more than likely just going to end up freaking her out.

5. Be a gentlemen. Don’t talk like you would with your guy friends. She’s special so talk to her like she is.

6. Be confident without coming off as cocky. Go out of your comfort zone and own it, she will notice!

Each girl is different, so these tips may not work for everyone, but if you keep these few rules in mind you’ll find yourself with a girl on your arm and a relationship in your future.

The Moon and More book review

By: Senior Marissa Dingledine, Journalism staff

Sarah Dessen has done it again; The Moon and More is another hit novel to be added  to the copious amount of others. We return to the small beach town of Colby, which Dessen has created in so many of her past books, and we meet 18 year old Emaline. It's the summer, Emaline's last summer before she goes off to college and her life changes from the comfortable routine she's lived in her whole life. Included in that routine are her job at her family-owned rental company and her boyfriend, Luke, who is in a word, perfect. To fill the rest of Emaline’s “perfect” life are her loving mom, step-dad, and sisters.  All of the relationships she has, she has had her entire life... until one day everything changes when an out-of-town filmmaker and her younger sidekick, Theo, come to Colby. When Emaline and Theo meet, her summer is flipped upside down and puts Emaline and Luke's relationship on the rocks. But one thing compels Emaline to Theo--he thinks she's too smart to be stuck in Colby. To shake up her summer even more, Emaline’s father (who has been absent for the majority of her life) comes to Colby. He shares the same views as Theo and starts to obstruct the plan she has had for her life. The future they are seeing attracts Emaline, but the relationships she’s established hold her back. True to the title of the book, Emaline wants “the moon and more,” but will she be able to balance where she comes from and where she’s going?

I personally am a big fan of Sarah Dessen and have read all of them. The Moon and More is definitely one of my favorites from her. As well with this being a great teen “romance” novel, it deals with a  lot of the pressures and obstacles I’m dealing with now. Emaline is 18 and about to start college, and much of the book is about that. It’s refreshing how the book focuses on real world problems that deal with a relevant topic such as school and the leaving your family, not just a summer love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed Dessen’s previous novels or dealing with your senior year and moving on.

Deep Tunes

Just imagine you’re driving down the road listening to 104.9 The Wolf and the most beautiful voice starts singing. You look down, desperate to know who this voice of an angel belongs to and see that it is Josh Turner. Josh Turner is a country artist who has one of the most unique voices. It is deep, soothing, and catchy. His soulful, traditional country voice never fails to have you trying to sing along in a deep country voice. I went to one of his concerts in Arizona last week and decided it was the best concert I have ever been to.  He chooses venues that are small, so it feels like a personal concert. His tickets are cheap, and his concerts are well worth your time. He has been nominated 24 different times for multiple awards and has won the Inspirational Country Music Award and the American Country Award. The best part about Josh and his voice is that it sounds exactly the same no matter if you are listening to him on the radio or at a concert. He is a christian man who loves to show his love for God through his songs. Surprisingly, I learned that not many people have heard the name Josh Turner. If you are interested in country music, I strongly recommend listening to him, for there is no song that will turn you down!

By: Junior Abby Shoemaker, Journalism staff

Here Comes the Sun: How to have brighter days

When did pessimism become the newest fad? Joyfulness, kindness, and optimism have been traded for apathy, sarcasm, and fret. People have forever planted themselves under the cloud of worry, stress, and dilemma and are living monotonous, miserable lives. It’s time to let the sun shine on you and have brighter days. Having brighter days is closer to your reach than one might think.

1.       Remember the Golden Rule: Treat others how you want to be treated. Not only will this brighten another’s’ day, but you’ll find yourself surrounded by people who will lift you up and set your eyes to optimism.

2.       Love what you do, and do what you love. Don’t do something that is going to force you to have a bad perspective on that day; instead chose to do things that give you joy.

3.        Wear clothes you feel confident in. Try wearing brighter colors on the days that you know will bring along difficulties.

4.       Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. If you focus on the present, more often than not, tomorrow’s problems will work themselves out.

5.       Find time to laugh at yourself. You are going to make mistakes; YOU ARE HUMAN. Learning to laugh at yourself and at the situation at hand enables you to not take life so

seriously.

6.       SMILE! God made it a lot easier on your face to smile than to frown for a reason!

7.       Listen to uplifting music. If you listen to sad, depressing, “I-hate-my-life-” music all the time… shocker… you’re probably not going to have the best day.

The sun will come out tomorrow. So make today your tomorrow, and start living a brighter life.

Written by: Senior Katie Schwanke, Journalism editor

Oz the Great and Powerful Film Review

After recently viewing Oz the Great and Powerful, this reviewer discovered… well, it wasn’t as great as its title claimed. The movie starts by introducing Oscar Briggs (James Franco), a mere carnival magician and a top-of-the-line con artist with a dream of being great. Due to an angry muscle-man, a ragged hot air balloon, and a wild trip through the middle of a tornado, Oscar finds himself landing in the wonderful land of Oz. Once in the foreign world he is greeted by a sweet woman named Theodora (Mila Kunis), who claims that she is a witch- and that Oscar is the wizard that will save them all. Suddenly Oscar is thrust in the midst of a war between Theodora and the other witches--her sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams)--and is forced to come up with his biggest trick yet: fooling the most powerful creatures in the world that he truly is the Wizard of Oz. If he succeeds his quest will transform Oz into a better place for all of its inhabitants… and with a little help from his friends, Oscar may become the great man he always dreamed of being.

While this movie is teeming with spectacular animations and witty actors, there is something lacking in its plot. Whether it’s the less-than-frightening wicked witch or lack of musical aspects, this movie veers far away from the classic charm of the original Wizard of Oz. Some may venture to say that the script is incredibly cheesy and downright uncomfortable to watch at moments. In conclusion, Oz the Great and Powerful may be worth a few hours of your life if you are in desperate need of entertainment, but it isn’t going on anyone’s need-to-watch list anytime soon.

Buzz Worthy? Z Z z (that means 2.5 out of 5)

Written by: Ashton Mathews, Journalism editor