PATENTPENDING

School starts for me tomorrow...back to reality.

So while the chaos begins again - AP classes, SATs, volunteer work and clubs - I am looking forward to the music that keeps me as sane as possible.

Of course, this includes the basics - Coldplay, The Fray, TSwift, David Guetta, Jack's Mannequin, Eminem, Simple Plan and blink182 - the list goes on and on, and on.

While on YouTube I stumbled upon a band from New Jersey, Patent Pending. They're pretty cool.

Here is a link to their website and a YouTube video of one of their really awesome music videos.

http://www.patentpendingmusic.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQkOhQjcW4Y

PatentPending is definitely a band to watch. And it is also going to be the band that keeps me sane until summer.

I Think the Worst is Over... Maybe?

My first quarter of high school was gruesome, filled with gut wrenching tests, unexcpected pop quizzes, and the occasional "bring your grades up or say goodbye to UF" speeches from mom. Overall, it wasn't that terrible, but I ended up not getting as many As as I would have hoped on the report card.

However, we're smack dab in the middle of the second quarter, and my grades are much better the second time around. In the first quarter, everything was so new, teachers included. It took me a while to adjust to such a big atmosphere, let alone the school work itself. I think I adjusted well, I've learned how teachers like certain things, and now, in the second quarter, have done a much better job than beore. (So far.)

Although, I have no idea how the next two quarters will be like, and I'm dreading Mid-Terms and Finals (just thinking about the AP Exam makes me sick), I'm proud of myself, and enjoying my grades as they are now, because you never know how things will end up.

Dear Awkward Middle Schooler...

What's small, eats a lot, and can't find its place in the world?

That's right. A middle schooler.

I personally prefer not to look back upon a time where I thought wearing big skater shoes would make me look cool (how wrong I was; they only made me trip on my own two feet.) This post, however, is inspired by a project I am doing with a club at my school which involves making "good luck" cards for the graduating eighth graders at a local middle school. Four years later after my own adventures in middle school, I am no longer that bundle of horrible fashion choices (at least I think) and awkwardness who was afraid of high school. Here's what I learned and what I wish I would have known:

1. The cafeteria food is better. There are way more options, but that also means you can choose to have chicken fingers every day. By last period, you'll find yourself struggling to fall asleep as your body digests all the fat chicken fingers has to offer. Try bringing a sandwich every once in a while.

2. There are tons of clubs to join. Pick three that really interest you (okay, and maybe one that just looks good on college applications) and stick with them. You may be president of a club within a year or two if you choose to be.

3. Don't stack up on AP classes your freshman year. Transition into sophomore year with one or two max, but don't over-do it. You want to enjoy high school outside of textbooks, too.

4. Know which teachers to be friends with. When it comes to recommendation letters, teachers will write killer letters if you've made an impression on them.

5. Get involved. It makes you feel like you're a part of the institution that keeps you locked up in sub-zero classrooms 35 hours, 5 days a week. In other words, being involved makes it less painful.

What advice would you offer to an eighth grader? What advice do you wish you received in middle school?

staying out of drama...

When you think high school, you think tests, quizes, homework, and DRAMA. & I'm not talking about the drama class, I'm talking about the "he kissed her while he was going out with that other girl"drama.

And lets face it drama, it's not all that great.

Especially if you're in the middle of it, but you will be.

How do you stay out of drama?

It's not possible.

Just remember, don't let what other people say get to you.

Goodluck!

Stress 101

Hey Stress, how are you?

Speaking about stress as if it is a person is just a symptom of high school overload. By now, we've all learned that things don't exactly go as planned. Sometimes, you just want to pull at the ends of your hair and yell into the dark, vast universe: "Just give me a break!"

Before you rip your hair out, here are some quick ways to calm down. Intense stretches and breathing techniques are not necessary.

1) Think to yourself: Will this matter in five days? In one year? In ten years? It usually won't, and when looking at the big picture, the problem will not seem like the end of the world.

2) Instead of dwelling on why it didn't work out, dwell on how you can fix it.

3) For a quick pick-me-up, check out www.thingstobehappyabout.com. Seriously. You will be surprised at the little things in life that can make you smile.

4) Go outside. Sure, a jog can relieve stress, but just fresh air can make you think straight.

5) Call a friend and plan something for the weekend. Having something to look forward to will help you get through the rest of the week and whatever problems may arise.

6) Chocolate. It's scientifically proven to boost your mood...need I say more?

7) Take a fifteen minute break and do something that takes your mind off of things. Dancing like a maniac to Lady Gaga, watching a funny Youtube video, or looking through old pictures are good activities that don't let your mind wander back to the problem.

8) Assume that even though the situation sucks, maybe there's a reason why it happened the way that it did. Maybe in two weeks, you'll look back and think: Thank goodness that ______ happened, or else _______ wouldn't have happened!

9) Think about the problem, but don't complain about it. Write down the problem and then reread it to see if you can get a perspective on how to overcome it. Or, talk to someone about it to get a different opinion.

10) Lastly, just breathe. Smile confidently at your reflection in the mirror. You're strong enough to overcome whatever life throws at you (even if it's lemons.)

So, how about some lemonade?

A reaction to the Broward County Schools lockdown

A little fishy.

Those are my thoughts after reading about the lock-down that occurred today, shutting down all Broward County Public Schools. The original threat is believed to be made through an email sent to a local radio station as opposed to the police department.

Anyway, after hearing about the news online, I contacted some Broward County students, since I go to school in Dade, to gather some information which I wrote up below:

On the day before guns were to be shot respectfully, an unidentifed man threatened to shoot his own gun, as all schools and government buildings in Broward County and Pembroke Pines were placed on lockdown around 9:45 am. "My mom texted me, it was a state of panic," Sebastian Padilla, 16, of Flanagan High School said. Students remained in their classrooms for the rest of the day amid concerns from parents and relatives. "I hoped it would be nothing serious," Stephanie Padilla, 18, of Broward College said. A crazy day indeed, does anyone have a similar story?

Backpack or Trashcan? QUIZ

Is your backpack a trash can?
My backpack is like a walking trashcan.
To maintain being a very unorganized-organized person I have to clean out my backpack almost every other day.
So, is your backpack a walking trashcan?
1. Do you walk to the trashcan to throw away loose leaf papers and handouts you don't use?
a. Yes b. No
2. Do you leave the empty bag of chips you were sneaking as a mid-day snack?
a. No b. Yes
3. Do you have a different folder or notebook for every subject?
a. Yes b. No
4. Do you have a pencil case?
a. Yes b. No
If you answered mostly A's you have a backpack.
For those of you who answered mostly B's have a trashcan. =p

Reading(:

Reading is awesome.
Some teens take advantage of books because they view them as a requirement that teachers force us to read as punishment.
There are many goods teen books out there.
These are just a few of my favorites:
1. Sarah Dessen books are always good.

2. "Party" by Tom Eveen is a really cool book about how lives are interconnected.
3. Susan Colasanti books are also very good.


Those are just a few of the MILLION out there.
Comment if you've read those books or if you want me to give you more book suggestions!(:

It's 2:00 am... is your homework done?

You blew it. You kept telling yourself that you would finish that project early this time, but now it's 8:00 pm, the night before it is due, and you're freaking out. Don't worry, I'm not here to scold you about procrastination; instead, I'm here to help. Take a deep breath, and follow these steps.

• 8:00 pm- CHILL OUT. Calm down. You won't get anything done if you're running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Chill out, and tell yourself that you're not going to get distracted or do anything else until you get this done. (Get off of Facebook!)


• 8:00 pm- Examine. Take a critical look at the assignment. Is it an essay? a poster? a power point? a model? Determine what supplies you need to finish this project, and clear your working space to get started.


• 8:15 pm- Break it up. Break up the project into small, easy-to-swallow pieces. A bunch of small steps look much more manageable than a massive assignment. Make a checklist, get comfortable (you may be here for a while), and realistically plan out the time it will take, to keep you on track.


• 8:30 pm- Start. What are you waiting for? Dive head-on into the assignment. Focus on content as opposed to small things like decorations and color. In the end, the content is what will scrape up points for you, not the clip art.


• 12:30 am- Evaluate. After you have worked for a good few hours, take a step back and analyze. How much do you have done? How much do you need to do? If you can reasonably finish within the next hour or two, go ahead. If not, skip down to the next step.


• 1:30 am- Go to sleep. If you just can't take it anymore, and find yourself getting easily distracted, go to bed. Chances are, by this time, you're cranky, you're frustrated, your productivity level has tanked, and you're cursing your teacher's name. My internal limit is usually around 2:00, but it varies from person to person. Go to sleep, and put your alarm on for early in the morning so you can finish then (Depending on when your school starts, this could be anywhere from 3:00 to 5:00).; you'll be surprised how much just one or two hours of sleep can change your outlook on the project.


• 7:30 am- If you still aren't done... Hopefully, you've finished by now. If not, take it to school, and work on in every spare second you have, whether it be before class, after class, or during lunch.


• DEADLINE- Turn it in... or talk. If you feel moderately satisfied with what you've completed, just turn it in. Even if its incomplete, you might be able to scrape up a passing grade. If what you've finished is nothing close to done, talk to your teacher. Some teachers, if you are completely honest and sincere, will give you an extra day to finish, albeit they might take a few points off. If they don't let you, just turn in what you have (hey, it's better than a zero), and learn from your experience. And keep your ears perked for extra credit!

How to Stay on Your Teacher's "Good Side"

• Act interested. Try to honestly be interested in what your teacher is talking about. (That means no sleeping in class, unfortunately.) If you go into class with this mentality, not only will you enjoy it more, your teacher will appreciate your enthusiasm.


• Go the extra mile. Teachers have plenty of students who try to scrape by, by doing the bare minimum. Small steps, however, can set you apart from the rest. Type, instead of write, an essay even if it's not specifically required. If you find a news article on something relevant to the class, bring it in and share it with the teacher. It won't require much extra work on your part, and your teacher will take notice.


• Ask questions...wisely. Yes, ask questions. Teachers are there to help, and you really shouldn't hesitate to ask... after you've tried to answer the question yourself. Ask questions if you honestly don't understand something, not if you're just too lazy to find it out for yourself.


• Do your homework. This goes hand in hand with the "acting interested" part. Consistently completing your work proves to your teacher that you are a hardworking individual.


• Use your manners. This may sound obvious, but you'll be surprised how much simple please's, thank you's, and good morning's can make a teacher's day.


• Follow basic class rules. This means putting your cell phone on silent, coming to class with your supplies, and raising your hand to talk. Yeah, it may sound like too much effort right now, but it definitely pays of really well in the long run. This shows your teacher that you respect them enough to follow their classroom regulations.