The College Experience

Staff Writer: Orian Johnson

University Of North Texas

I’m a freshman in college who’s recently finished his first wave of exams for all five classes, and I feel like I’ve seen and done enough to give a bit of advice to anyone wondering whether or not they want to go to college. First off, it feels amazing not having anyone telling you to wake up or constantly reminding you about anything. The only downside being that it is your job now, and it’s an important one. Personally, I don’t have an issue with getting things done on my own, or making my own routine, but it’s something to consider. The syllabus is, above all else, the most important document you will receive in classes, and there are no exceptions to the rule: read the syllabus. In terms of the workload, I feel it’s more manageable than what I had in high school. If you stay on top of it, you won’t feel the need to worry about anything. There will be students, and even professors, you absolutely can’t stand, but that’s to be expected anywhere you spend a large chunk of your time. Conversely, you’ll meet people you immediately connect with and feel right at home, as if you’ve known them your whole life. Also, depending on the size of the campus, you’ll meet a lot, and I mean a lot of people who share many of your interests, and they’re refreshing to talk to from time to time. Parties are exhausting in any capacity when it’s not just a kickback, but that’s just me. Overall, I feel like I’ve made the right decision coming to college. Being productive is rewarding.

Tips to Being More Productive

Writer: Kyle Pearson

With the school year right around the corner many young adults will find themselves with too many things to do in one day. There are some simple adjustments one can make to their lifestyle in order to be more productive and organized. Being more organized allows for more control in your life and eliminates potential stress. However, everyone is different and reacts in their own way so find out what works best for you. Here are some shared routines among successful people that help keep them organized and productive.

Waking Up Early

A cliché as it sounds waking up early in the morning can be very beneficial as long as you still get the required amount of sleep. Waking up early simply gives you more time in your day to handle everything you need to get done. Waking up early is also a good way to build self-discipline sticking to the same time every morning will help you be more level headed.

Keep a Schedule

Actually making note of an event or appointment will help you remember it and also keep you committed. Keeping a schedule helps be punctual and allows you to realize what time of day works best for you to ensure all your tasks are completed.

Live Healthy

Ensuring that you are eating right and exercising on a regular basis will allow you to have more energy to finish your day. Overconsuming sugary foods and drinks will result in being lazy and procrastinating most tasks. It’s always best to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and to stay hydrated with lots of water.

Keep a Clean Room

Coming home to a mess is unsettling and causes stress. By making your bed and keeping a clean room you will have a nice place to rest at the end of a long day. Keeping a clean room is a healthy habit and can be relaxing to not have clutter.

Everyone is unique in how they accomplish their day so experiment and figure out what works best for you. Developing these healthy habits will set you up for success as you grow further in life.

A Complaint and A Possible Soultion For English

Staff Writer: Orian Johnson

 

I came across a tweet a while back complaining that English as a class, isn’t a subject that should be be graded. Though it’s not inherently difficult to understand why, as I’ve seen other posts on Twitter and Tumblr like it, and even heard the complaints in person. Now the explanation and solution I have hinge on the students being in high school, as there are already creative writing classes in college.

What I believe students are trying to get across is that English is conceptually, the one subject that technically shouldn’t have any wrong answers, especially when it comes to writing, where creativity is truly allowed to flow aside from art. Even more so when a writer has their own vision and target audience in mind. That’s not to say creative writing can’t be graded or gauged on a specific or accurate scale. Concepts like character depth, purposeful symbolism, dialogue and how it exemplifies character identity, consistency/continuity in characters and environments are all taken into account when considering the quality of a work. For example, The Great Gatsby, a book most read in high school is widely accepted as a classic and lauded as a great book. The story is mostly carried through symbolism which seeps into every aspect of the story. Character names tell the reader the gist of their personalities, colors are used to convey motives and emotion, etc. The characters are consistent and their depth comes from the reader making analysis of them, and in a surprisingly simple way. I’m not trying to write a review of the novel though. Qualities of a work like that aren’t necessarily down to a perfect science as every writer is different as well as every reader, but each aspect could theoretically be broken down into tiers that could be given some kind of rating. Though not in the sense of your superintendent wagging his finger and telling you that your vocabulary wasn’t strong enough.

This isn’t something I plan on trying to implement as I’ve already graduated and will be majoring in English with creative writing, but perhaps somebody reading this with more influence than I have and more free time to give this idea more thought could come up with a more sound solid solution.

Bry’s Declassified School Survival Guide

Writer:Bryanna Houser

Image: The Odyssey

With school just right around the corner, the question of what to expect comes up a lot. So I decided that I would share my senior wisdom and give my version of the hit Nickelodeon TV show Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide and give you all my top 5 rules to survive high school.

5. Do your work

Image: wikiHow

Now this one might seem like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised how many people get themselves stuck in a bad situation simply because they didn’t do their work. Sometimes it’s easier said than done, but if you just read that book, takes those notes, or turn in the calculus assignment on time your life will be so much easier.

4. Don’t get caught up

Image: Debate.org

High school is a point in your life where a lot of things change, you’re going through puberty, having more responsibilities, maybe even getting your first chance to drive. The idea of dating can be appealing to a high schooler, but it can be a dangerous game. You have to be careful not to get too deep into these because most of them won’t last more than 4 months. Now I’m not saying never date, or that it’s impossible to fall in love in high school, I’m just saying remember why you’re there and protect your heart.

3. Use your connections

Image:JPEG

High school is a whirlwind of emotions and new experiences that can be tough to deal with, but one way that you can help manage that is by using the connections that you have. Those teachers that you hate are there for a reason..to help you. If you ever don’t know how to do something, go to tutoring and ask your teachers for help (Bonus Tip: teachers are more likely to boost the grades of students they like and that try). The emotions of school can also be hard to handle, sometimes you just need to talk to someone that’s been through it (i.e not your friends) for their advice, that’s what your counselor is here for. Using the people around you to help you get through these four years is probably the smartest thing you could do.

2. Make relationships

Image: Smoch

I know earlier I said don’t get caught up in the relationships you have in high school, which you shouldn’t, but also don’t be afraid to make them. Not just romantic relationships, but friendships as well. These friendships will last you a lifetime, you’ll remember them forever, even if 20 years from now you don’t continue to talk to them, they will be in your life. And those friends don’t just need to be the kids in your grade, make friends of the teachers, cafeteria ladies, and principals, pretty much anybody can be a friend to you, and those are the relationships you should hold on to.

1. Enjoy your time

Image: Autodo

We’ve finally come to the last one, and thankfully it’s the easiest. All you have to do…is have fun! It doesn’t matter how you choose to do this last tip as long as you enjoy it. My favorite option is to simply get involved in school organizations. Do this by joining band, student council, cheer, debate club, whatever it may be, just get involved. Also going to sporting events are a great way to spend your time in a positive, fun manner. Graduation day will be here before you know it and you don’t want to look back on high school and realize you spent all your time stressing over class.

These are simply my top 5 rules to make high school just a little bit easier. Feel free to take these tips and tweak them to fit your situation. If you think I missed something, leave a comment down below and let me know what your top 5 would be.