As we are heading into March I think it is important to know the holidays. According to nationaltoday.com, there are many different awareness that March will represent. Some have days, weeks, or the whole month as awareness. 

One of them includes National Dolphin Awareness month. It states, “Dolphin Awareness month is an annual campaign commemorated in March to spread awareness about the merciless killings of dolphins”. This is important because dolphins are known as the smartest marine animal. It is believed to be their friendliness and trust to humans that makes it easy for them to be demised and endangered. They are killed for their meat or their blubber. Another factor causing dolphins to drop is pollution. Some steps you can take to raise awareness: Do your part in helping slow pollution and spend time thinking how we could conserve dolphins or do our part in it. There are also fundraisers that you can donate to. 

Another day in March to consider is March 26, 2023. This is a purple day. Or in other words, epilepsy awareness day. This day is celebrated annually. I have a personal connection with this day because we all wear purple for my cousin. This day was created to increase the public’s understanding of this brain disorder. Also, to eliminate the fear and stigma surrounding it. In the U.S, over 3.5 million people have been diagnosed with epilepsy. Over 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy. So keep this in mind on this day and WEAR PURPLE!!! Join a campaign, donate to researchers, or just show your support by wearing the awareness color. 

There are many more awareness days that are in March but these are important. Dolphins are one of a kind in my eyes. Epilepsy has taken too many lives and also brings havoc into others. The more awareness we share, it could help either of these. I hope you consider reading up on awareness this month if you have the time. You may find something you connect too and if you reach out you could find ways to help.

Welcome back! I hope everybody had a good holiday break and enjoyed their holiday’s. It was a much needed break for all of us. Yes, including your teachers. Go easy on them this last semester, they deserve it. This is the last semester ever of high school. How exciting!!! I am so ready to just peace out. I am excited to be able to graduate. With the help and support of a few teachers I might actually be able to make it. I am really looking forward to nursing school. Although I am kind of stuck on how to move forward I know I have help here at the school. Let’s take a moment to say thank you to our school counselors. They go above and beyond for the kids that need them. It is so appreciated.

After graduation, what do I plan to do? I plan on applying for heartland to take my prerequisites for nursing. Then, eventually I want to get my BSN. I plan on becoming an ER nurse, I want to get my RN. I also plan on moving most likely to Alabama or somewhere in the south. I used to live there and it was beautiful. So much better than Illinois. I plan on sticking it out and working hard to get through these 4 months. I feel prepared, but also nervous. To be on your own in the world is terrifying. But, if you’re like me who’s already living on your own since about 15/16 then you are more than likely already prepared. If you are nervous here are some tips to seniors: 

Dont act impulsively

Go out of your way to visit new places

Enjoy the present

Be nice to everyone, but choose friends nicely

Focus on a better you, not a better them

Good luck on venturing out!

 Welcome back!! December has just started and all the sickness is defiently making its way around. I wanted to talk about some measures you can take to help you and others stay healthy. If you have bad sinuses, like me, then you know this time of the year is rougher than others. According to the CDC, flu viruses typically circulate during the fall and winter during what’s known as the flu season. Right now our school has had many kids gone due to influenza. 

When is flu season? Typically occurs in the fall and winter. Even though it is spread year round, most of the time it peaks from December to February. What is the CDC? The nation’s health protection agency. How does the CDC monitor the progess of the flu? The CDC collects, compiles, and analyzes info. on influenza activity year-round in the United States. 

Who is at higher risk for the flu? There are multiple which will be listed below:

• Adults 65 and older
• Adults with certain chronic health conditions
• During pregnancy
• Young children: can also be at very high risk for RSV
• Asthma
• Heart Disease
• Cancer patients

What can you do to prevent the flu? 

• Avoid close contact with those sick
• Limit contact with others if you are sick
• Cover coughs and sneezes

When covering coughs and sneezes use tissues and immediately discard into the garbage.

• Wash hands frequently
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth
• Keep surfaces clean and disinfect frequently
• Stay home at least 24 hours. 

Keeping this in mind I hope everyone stays healthy as we are nearing Christmas break. Stay warm! I also wanna say take this time over the holidays with your family and friends and cherish them. Things happen so oftenly anymore that family is so needed. I believe that having your family around you and the comfort they bring, will also help keep sickness away. Merry Christmas!!!

Welcome back! I hope your thanksgiving was good! As November comes to an end I wanted to talk about how November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. According to Hopkins Medicine, Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive, deadly brain disease for which there is no cure, and is not a normal part of healthy aging. Researchers are still trying to determine exactly how it is caused. Damage is caused almost a decade or more before symptoms start.

Some quick stats are:

• There are over 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease with 3 million new cases diagnosed each year.
• Alzheimer’s is deadlier than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. 
• The disease is most prevalent in women and Black Americans. 
• 11 million Americans act as unpaid caregivers for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
• Fewer than 1 in 5 Americans are familiar with mild cognitive impairment, which can be an early stage of Alzheimer’s. 

The root of the disease is widely believed to be due to the buildup of misfolded proteins between nerve cells, which cause brain damage. It is important to monitor yourself and your loved ones for any signs of mild cognitive impairment. If you need more information about mild cognitive impairment, The National Institute of Aging will help you. It is important because these can proceed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. 

Signs of MCI: 

• Losing things often
• Forgetting to go to events or appointments
• Having more trouble coming up with words than other people of the same age. 

Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease:

• Memory loss
• Poor judgement leading to bad decisions 
• Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
• Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
• Repeating questions
• Trouble handling money and paying bills 
• Wandering and getting lost

There are more factors but real quick, I wanted to talk about how hard it is on family members who have to take care of their family with Alzheimer’s. Speaking from personal experience, my grandma couldn’t recognize who I was. She would keep telling me to carry her home, even though she was already at home. It hurts too not be able to make them happy because their brains are telling them the opposite. My grandma loved her country home. I wish she would have been able to know that she was already home, cause it was her peaceful place. Summing up, I just think it is important to keep an eye on yourself and family members because once they are gone they won’t come back. Also, it is good for them to get the treatment they can or need to help the process.

You know the place you go to be alone, to take some time to just relax by yourself and breathe? This is a tranquil/peaceful space. This could be a library- if you like to read, being outside, or maybe it’s just in your room. 

My favorite place to go is my great-grandma’s house. I lost her recently. I would say she was also involved in the tranquility that came from being there. But, now that she’s not here I spend my time that I used to sit and talk with her, outside in our favorite spot looking at all the beauty in the nature around us. 

Having a safe, calm place to go when I need to recollect my thoughts and feelings benefits my mental health as well as my overall well-being. According to Peaceful Soul, surroundings have a huge impact on mood and general well-being. If you are in a peaceful environment, whether it be a park, your home, your work, and/or your yard it can help you have a peaceful mind. Being free of clutter can also free your mind of clutter. The writer of Peaceful Soul, talked about 10 benefits of peaceful surroundings and I would like to share them with you. 

1. Keeps you in good health. 
2. Makes you more organized; whether it be in your house or in your education. 
3. Keeps you active
4. Helps you sleep better- calming the mind will then calm the body
5. Improves your mood and provides a sense of calm and peace.
6. Lowers sickness level
7. Makes you become more productive
8. Declutters the mind
9. Gives us contentment
10. Makes us more likely to be social.  

Keeping free of clutter can help save time and energy. Having to deal with all the mess that comes with clutter will not only stress you out, but will also heighten anxiety. I can vouch from personal experiences. I just want you to know that it is okay to have that place where you just feel at home, it actually benefits you. Rather than you just being called anti-social…I’m sure that is true as well. (Personal Experience)

This post is off topic but I wanted to start off the spooky season with a spooky post. I love reading during halloween time. It seems to make the books feel more realistic. I get more of a picture in my mind. Grab a cozy spot, nice weather, coffee, and a blanket with a good book just feels right. Can’t you imagine it? If you’re not sure of some good spooky books, keep reading! I will be writing about them and giving a summary. I hope you find one that you find interesting!!

First up, Prepare to be lost in the… ASYLUM – Madeline Roux.  A thrilling and creepy photo-illustrated novel. It is “ a strong YA debut that reveals the enduring impact of buried trauma on a place.” said by Publishers Weekly. Sixteen year old, Dan Crawford was in, what he thought was the chance of a lifetime, the New Hampshire College Prep program. But, when arriving he finds out that they are actually staying in the crumbling Brookline Dorm. Due to the usual summer housing being closed. Brookline Dorm was known as an asylum. But, not just any asylum, a last resort for the criminally insane. Dan and his friends decide to explore all the  long, twisty halls and basement. While doing so, they start to figure out the secrets kept there and some of those secrets don’t want to be kept buried. With pictures of real asylums. What do you think the secrets have uncovered?

Secondly, There’s Someone Inside Your House- Stephanie Perkins. This story is about a young girl who moved to live with her grandmother. Her name was Makani Young. They lived in rural Nebraska. While she is adjusting to her new life and new school, the town turns dark. There tends to be somebody on a killing spree for teens. They start getting picked off one-by-one. These kids all went to the same high school. Makani, Oliver, and other friends decide to check it out, but as they do, danger seems to creep closer and closer as they do. Who is this teen killer? Did they catch the person?

Lastly, is Five Midnight’s- Ann D`Avila Cardinal. This is about Vermonter Lupe D`Avila. They are visiting their family in Puerto Rico when her police uncle chief gets called to the scene of a gory murder. It is based along the lines of murder as well. Groups of five set out to find the murderer. It is based on the Puerto Rico of El Cuco legend, “a boogeymen and monster who preys on young people and makes them disappear”. Here is more info on the legend. Concluding this writing, I hope that one of these seems interesting. I also hope that you can find your spooky book this fall.

Studying can be difficult for everybody, everybody studies differently, especially as a senior. Being a senior means more responsibilities, handling more classes, or it could be a super easy year. It is all depending on how YOU understand the topics. My focus is for you to be able to find some study tips or tricks that work for you. I tend to overwhelm myself sometimes if I have to study for multiple classes. If you are struggling with finding study tips that work for you, maybe you can find one below. 

My first tip is to try to find a suitable environment. Which means finding where you work best because just the location will benefit your thinking. Secondly, try to create a study routine. That could mean before starting your homework you could clean off your work area, check to make sure you have everything you need, and create a to-do list. Lastly, there is something called The Pomodoro Technique. To do this technique you get your to-do list and a timer, set your timer for 25 minutes, once the time is up you can mark one of your tasks off the list, take a 5 minute break, return and do one more task than you did prior, gradually increase your breaks as you work harder. Those breaks are for your mind to think elsewhere and take a break. It is shown to help beat procrastination and improve your focus. 

If these end up not working, do not stress. There are hundreds of more tips and tricks. It can take awhile to find something that works for you and your brain. Just remember to breathe and it will be okay.

Welcome to my blog!! I want this blog to be open to young adults/teenagers that struggle with mental health disorders and self-image struggles. To start off I’m just gonna give some anxiety tips. Anxiety is a daily struggle, it can make it hard to do a lot of different things. Imagine this, you’re getting ready for movie plans that you have had for awhile when all the sudden you can’t bear the thought of going. You feel all tense, every part of your body. You feel as if everything bad in the world could happen at any moment. Anxiety is the feeling of being nervous, unable to relax, and feeling tense. Dealing with anxiety can be easy or it can be extremely difficult. There’s medications, coping skills, counseling, (etc.) Those who don’t have access to treatment could benefit from at -home coping skills.

A few are: 

Breathing exercises- they can help you feel more in control. 

Keeping a diary- keeping note of your triggers or what happens when you are feeling anxious can help you spot a pattern of what sets off these feelings. 

Talking to peers/ trusted people- It is good to speak to people who have experienced what you have. It can help make you feel less alone as well as they can share tips on what helped them. Some might work for you too. 

That’s all for today. Just remember having anxiety is more normal than you think it is and you are not alone. There are people there for you.

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