By Falon Veccia '18 It’s that time of year again. The period consisting of late nights, stress, and migraines. It’s none other than the beginning of the midterm season.
But there are ways to ace that midterm exam without all the stress. Getting enough sleep, nutrition, and time management all serve as an aid during the study process. Studying overnight is a main strategy students take in preparing for a midterm. But this studying habit will hardly get them where they need to be. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need at least 8-10 hours of sleep. The time spent sleeping is just as vital to their health as eating and breathing. The concentration needed in order to study would be completely thrown out the window without just enough sleep under the belt. For freshmen, the round of high school midterms may be very different. They’re in a new environment and should expect some harder work. At Fontbonne, students should expect rigorous courses that challenge their abilities. Studying one whole night would not help them absorb the information in the long run. Before birth, the fetus needs the proper nutrition from the mother in order to have proper brain development. Being properly nourished during the teen years are incredibly important for cognition. Ever noticed getting a headache while trying to study? Well, that can be a lack of food in your system. It’s a way for your body to tell you to take a break and eat more. Midterms consist of an incredible amount of information to retain, and with one element of your day nagging at you, concentration would be lost. Dr. David Just says, “Deficiencies in other vitamins and minerals, specifically thiamine, vitamin E, vitamin B, iodine, and zinc, are shown to inhibit cognitive abilities and mental concentration. Additionally, amino acid and carbohydrate supplementation can improve perception, intuition, and reasoning.” Time is independent of both sleep and nutrition. Therefore, time needs to be made for these important factors throughout your daily routine. After everything is taken care of, make sure you make time to study for these midterms. After all of the information you had to learn for past exams, it would be a shame to let it all go to waste. Looking it over every now and then to refresh your brain is only a positive activity. When we learn new information, we remember it the best immediately after we have learned it. We then forget details as time passes. Even after a few days, we may be able to recall only a little of what we initially learned. Review activates the knowledge you already know. The best way to study for midterms is to be in tune with what you body is telling you. If there is anything you physically need to take care of, that is the priority. Studying comes after the essentials, and in the long run, will better your study habits.
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By Gabriella Agliata '19 If you’re anything like me, anxiety is a daily struggle. Most of the time, it feels almost impossible to overcome. You must realize that you aren’t alone. Over 40 million adults in the United States suffer from this constant state of apprehension. This is about 18% of the population. People all over the world are looking for solutions to reduce this overwhelming stress we constantly face. Hopefully, some of the following will make your day-to-day life more relaxed.
You can not cure anxiety, and it is definitely not easy to cope with. In fact, finding a way to control it is just half the battle. Find a way to build upon these ideas, and create your own mechanism to not let doubt get in the way of seizing opportunities and living life to the fullest. Never forget, positive thoughts lead to positive outcomes. By Emanuela Gallo '19 1. Grammarly
This app is immensely popular and well known as being a powerful and helpful tool for all your grammar and spelling needs. It works well as an extension on Chrome, and isn't as intrusive as other spellcheckers. It does require an account to use though. 2. Writefull This extension specifically gives you feedback on your writing and assists with many grammar and writing issues. It pops up in practically any window, and offers many suggestions on how to improve on writing, be it on multiple subjects such as research or fiction. 3. Toby This extension essentially works as a webpage saver, but it's true ingenuity lies within its easy to use filing system. You can color code and folder specific tabs you'd like to save for later at any time and can be transferred over multiple devices via the login account. It also now has a mini version for convenience. 4. Strict Workflow If you have issues in time management, this extension might just help. It is a timer that works in frames of 25 minutes with strategic breaks implemented for an even work and rest schedule. It also block specific sites that you know suck up your time and attention, such as Facebook and Instagram. 5. Dictanote For times when you need to dictate your notes, this app works well in many regards. It helps categorize your notes into documents with a built in word editor to format your text as you please. PDF and .docx files are supported. It requires permission to use the computer's microphone. 6. ReadLang Web Reader If foreign languages give you trouble, this Web Reader can give you real-time practice. It can translate webpages you don't understand, and later create flashcards and word lists for you based on what you struggled with. 7. Taskade This is a simple and distraction-free todo list and task manager. It is well organized and you can instantly share lsts you've created with your friends, family, and team. 8. Noisli Many students complain of noise distractions and the lack of focus in noisy areas. This website extension brings calming sounds and simple ambiance to help center your thoughts and attention. 9. Readism A simple tool that helps your productivity time. It simply scans webpages for example, long articles and other readable content, and tells you how long it will take to read them. It works well for times when you are rushed and need an approximate reading time estimate. 10. Confetti! A simple extension that when clicked, shoots bright confetti over your screen. Especially useful in bringing a smile to your face or celebrating a good grade! |