Tips for de-stressing yourself

As the school year progresses, the workload continues to increase causing Baruchians to stress.
Freshmen: overwhelming amount of classes and work
Sophomores: multiple regents
Juniors: experiencing an AP class for the first time or college now
Seniors: the end of the college process and the beginning of FAFSA
Whatever it is, stress can be unhealthy and although its inevitable, it's the way that you deal with it that makes the biggest difference. Stress can turn you into a completely different person; causing you to snap at family or friends. It's important to know how to relax especially when there's so much on your plate.
Here are some tips that I have personally used over the years that I have found truly effective:

• Close your eyes and breathe. It sounds silly but this little moment of silence in all the chaos really does help.
• Light a candle. Scents like lavender are proven to calm the mind. However, make sure that you have experience with lighting candles as they can be dangerous if left unattended. Light, soft scents are recommended. 
• Chocolate! A little Hershey's kiss here and there never hurt anyone! We all know that chocolate releases endorphines which are basically happy hormones!  
• There are sites which you can use that will restrict your access to sites such as facebook, tumblr, or whatever you want for a period of this. This ensures that there are no distractions! 
• Music! I personally can't concentrate while listening to music but I know many people who actually focus better with music. 
• If you're in the middle of your work but feel like you are unable to continue, simply take a break! No one saids that you needed to finish all your work within an hour! Time management is the key to staying stress free. 
• If you are given an assignment ahead of time, set goals for yourself every day. This way, you are more less likely to get lazy and procrastinate. It's also a great time management method. 

Just to reiterate, it's super important to pace yourself and not leave a bunch of work last minute! That's the number one cause to stress. 

Good luck & stay stress free. 

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Confidence

Self-confidence is the kind of quality that many people lack due to the 7 billion people in the world. Knowing that there’s always someone better than you in something and there’s always someone more attractive looking than you, it’s depressing when you start to degrade yourself. This all goes back to idea of perfection. Everybody has flaws and everybody makes mistakes. That’s kinda cliché but it’s true. Everybody starts from somewhere. You see that body builder in the gym working out? He was once guns-free, if you know what I mean. That supermodel walking down the runway with the flat stomach? She once was toothless. I’m not trying to point out the flaws of people. My point is that your idea of perfection is really distorted and if you find someone perfect, you either 1) acknowledge their flaws and accept them as they are or 2) you do not acknowledge how much your perfect idol went through to get to where they are now. “The idea of perfection is really imperfect.”
What does perfection have to do with self-confidence? It’s simple. You lack in self confidence because you’re not satisfied with yourself whether it be in academics, physical appearance, or just you in general, that’s alright. You’re not stuck at a dead end. People tend to dwell mainly on the negative aspects of themselves rather than the positive. You can try to change all the things you don’t like about yourself but at the end of the day, does that really make you happy? You’re changing yourself little by little and with every new person you meet, they meet less and less of you. Rather, they meet the kind of person that you want them to meet. It’s okay to be yourself in fact it’s so good to be yourself. To be in your own skin, to have the kind of thoughts your mind freely wanders to, and to just be the person you truly are, it’s really great. Don’t be too pressured by society to be perfect. You are one of a kind, so preserve yourself. Don’t let originality die out.

Yei Ling Ma
(Sophomore)

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Definition of Team

Well, it has been a while since I've posted and I just felt inspired to write. First off, I hope everyone is doing well after being hit by Hurricane Sandy. Sandy is the first hurricane I’ve experienced and honestly, I didn't expect it to be this bad. (I don’t consider last year’s hurricane tropical storm Irene a hurricane.) Over 8 million people lost power and many homes were destructed. My heart goes out to those that have been affected by this natural disaster and I pray that all the destruction will be attended as soon as possible.

I don’t really know what my main point of this post is, but let’s see where this goes. Over the summer, I joined a church volleyball team and not only did I get stronger physically, but I also grew a lot mentally. Being a part of this team made me realize that team means family. You look out for one another, you all share the same passion for a particular sport, and you advance with one another.

In the gym, we practiced and practiced. There was little to no room for socializing. We had to make the best of our time to quench that thirst to play. That’s the sole reason why we joined in the first place. That family bond in the team only came with it as a bonus. At the end of the day, it wasn't skill that mattered. It was enjoying the moment with the team. I don’t know where I’m headed at this point, but I’m gonna keep on writing.

One day after practice, I was walking back to church with my team. I sat down at the table lost in my own thoughts. I couldn't figure out why this team was so successful compared to my school team. I knew it wasn't only because this team excelled in skills and had many wonderful coaches. I started to think about how family-like this team felt. The insiders, the teasing, all of the fun everyone had—it was so obvious that one didn't even need eyes to see it. The fact that this team didn't lack in communication was also a plus. Communication is essential to anything that involves 2 or more people.

So why couldn't my school team be just as successful? I’m sure the fault doesn't just lie in the fact that every year, skilled players leave the team as seniors. I've actually learned quite a lot from my evaluation on my season.

•         No matter how angry or frustrated you may be from a loss, you don’t ever have the right to take it out on your teammates. They’re a part of the team and they wanted the win as much as you did.
•         However, if you are on a team but you aren't willingly devoting yourself to the sport, you should really escort yourself out. No one forces you to stay and it’s not doing any party any good. You might not feel the need to improve, but your teammates might. It isn't fair to your teammates that are working hard every day just to get better.
•         Talk. Your team is just about as good as done if there’s no communication. Trust me on that one.
•         Encourage your teammates when they need that spiritual and mental boost. It helps more than you think it does.
•         A team is only as strong as its weakest player.
•         Accept your teammates and learn to bond with them. You’ll be playing with them for a while, so you might as well maintain a good relationship with them. Don’t pounce on every one of their flaws. Either work at it or accept it.

By Yei Ling M. 

**Personal note from writer: I originally began this post wanting to talk about how any team is a family but I ended up noting the mistakes my school team made. This is such a bad post but I didn't regret writing this.

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It's October!

 Time to Make Goals for ourselves-

September is officially over which means October is here!!!  I'm excited for Halloween this year and the lovely three day weekend.  October also means that there are not as many days off so we will not be having as many days off.  As bad as it may seem it is also exciting because Septembers make it so difficult to get used to the school year.  With days off every other week, some find it difficult to get adjusted to school and all the work.  Octobers represent the first month with very little days off but don't let it get the best of you!  It may be tiring but it is also nice to finally get into the flow of things.  

So each month I am going to write my goal for the month and what I want to accomplish, you guys should do the same.  Making goals is a fun way to keep active and it feels good to be able to say you completed what you wanted to.  If you have an interesting goal or would like to share what your goal for October is then post a comment.  It would be really interesting to see all the different types of goals people have!!  I will also be posting my quote of the week.  

My goal for this month is to complete everything that needs to be done for my college applications and not completely stress myself out about everything that is going on.  

This weeks quote is from the great Walt Disney "All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them."  So go live out your dreams and stay focused in school.

Brittany W. (Grade 12)

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It Is Getting COLD!!!

Photo: Google Images (loveandfat@Wordpress)

I hope everyone is prepared for fall, because it is already fall! Aren't you guys excited? As far as I know, the weather for the past few days were and for the future days are going to be between 50s and 70s. So wear more weather appropriate, and better not catch a cold during season change. Because being sick really will kill you when you have SOOOOO much homework due the next day, and let's not forget those notes you missed the day you were absent. Sad life. :(

PS: However, always keep in mind that you go to the school, Baruch College Campus High School! A school where you better wear layers, which means you should be prepared for sudden changes between cold and hot/warm environments. Again, WEAR LAYERS. Do not risk your health for convenience or to look "good", it is not worth it, take my advice- I'm a little old (<--oxymoron?) junior!

Here are some tips for you guys when you are having a tough time adjusting...

Freshmen: Relax! You are still enjoying the early stages of BCCHS so don't complain. Get some snacks and rest for a bit, then keep working.

Sophomore: Too much notes? Start considering what is truly important and train your brain to take notes only on that!

Junior: Let's fight!

Senior: Good luck!

-Shimin L.

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Getting Involved!

I think we can all agree that the new school year has officially begun and therefore, I ask everyone to become involved! As a freshman, I didn't want to spend even an extra second at school when the clock struck 2:50. Over time I have come to realize that since Baruch is such a small school, everyone needs to become involved in order for our events to actually be fun. Now as a senior, I would be more than willing to stay a little later because the team I joined has practice or the club I'm in requires a meeting. As part of the wonderful Baruch community and as students, we all have a responsibility to keep what we want alive. For instance, everyone would like the soccer team to stay afloat but thats difficult when we're lacking members.
There are huge pros to going to a small high school. One of the greatest perks is probably being able to join what you want with less competition, thus increasing your chances. For example, trying out of the basketball team would be much more difficult in a high school with 4,000 students versus a school with only 400 something.
I know that many teachers have put emphasis in the importance of involvement but it couldn't be more true. I wished I would have listened earlier because I only truly got involved my junior year. I then realized how much fun it can be and now, I only have one more year left to enjoy it.
And for everyone who has become involved and loves it, i commend you for your dedication as well as your time.
Just try it and if you don't like it then fine, but give it a chance.

- Kristin Liang

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Tips for the New School Year

A new school year is just like New Year's Eve/Day, it may not be as fun but we can still make changes in our life! This year make plans to stay organized and no matter how much work we may get don't forget to find time to do the things that we enjoy.

Some tips for the school year:

-use your school planner (and if its too small find another) to write down everything that needs to be done, like homework, appointments, games, birthdays etc. to help you stay organized. It also feels good when you are able to check off something when it is completed.

-Keep your backpack organized and the notes in your folders/binders together.

-FOR SENIORS: This is the most stressful time. It is helpful to have a college notebook to write down anything that needs to be done for each college you are applying to. Also, keep a folder for any handouts that the college office hands out and anything that we may need to print.

-Be aware of deadlines given by both the college office and the colleges you are applying to and make sure everything is ready.

-Reread everything you write and make sure to stay on top of your applications.

-Make sure you are signed up for any SAT/ACT tests and don't forget to put the code of our school which is 333803

But most importantly, enjoy the school year. It is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives and we are the one's who shall write it. Reach for the stars and never stop believing in your dreams.

-Brittany Waldren

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Baruch has a reputation of being rigorous and hard on it's students, that's probably been the case since forever. Although we are a small school, we pride ourselves off of community and high standards. Transitioning into Baruch's standards is no easy task but it can definitely be done. The number one thing that everyone has to remember and all seniors will warn you about is procrastinating. I personally have a habit of finishing everything early but even I fall into the habit of pushing work off to the side. It's going to be a long school year and staying organized helps you stay on top of things. Hit up Staples and those colorful paperclips and cute binder clips will sure motivate you to use them.

Have a wonderful year everyone. High school only lasts so long and although it can be quite difficult to manage sometimes, we'll never get these four years back so mind as well make the best of it.

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