ask-annie

Prioritizing a Crazy Schedule

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:41:59 +0100

Anna Goodman,
Columnist

Dear Annie,

Help! I have so much do and seem to be behind in everything! Do you have any tips that might help me prioritize and make better choices?

Sincerely,
Going Crazy!

A: Dear Going Crazy,

It sounds like you have a problem that is fairly common among students today. There are so many fabulous opportunities out there that it can be extremely hard to choose between them. If you are really serious about reducing your load and getting a handle on your crazy schedule, there is a formula called the Three R’s that will help you do this, and no, I’m not talking about reading, writing, and arithmetic. The first ‘R’ stands for review. In the midst of your busy schedule, try to find a half hour to an hour block to sit down and write out a schedule of all your activities. Having a master list of all your obligations can really help you evaluate your commitments more effectively. This will come in really handy during the next ‘R’ step, which is rank. Look over all the activities that you have on your schedule and start two lists. First, make one list with your top 5 priorities (i.e. what is more important to you? Dance or sports? Choir or theater?). As you do this, keep in mind that you need to be realistic. For example, although you may dislike doing schoolwork, it is an important part of your life, and it needs to be on your top five list because you do spend a significant amount of time doing schoolwork each day. When you have completed that list, look again at your schedule. Make another top five list of the five activities on your timetable that consume the most of your time. Do the two lists line up? What is on your time consumer list that is not on your priority list? It is time to compare and starting cutting out. This brings us to our third and final ‘R’: reduce. Anything on your

list of most time-consuming activities that is not on your list of high priorities should be the first to go. Depending on how crazed your schedule really is, this might be more than enough to cut your work back to a manageable load. If not, start cutting any activities that did not make your high priorities list. Everyone can handle a different amount of activity, and you will have to decide for yourself when you have accomplished your goal of getting your schedule back under control. I hope this helps you in your pursuit of better time management!

Now, go get organized!

Sincerely,
Annie

Would you like to see your question in an upcoming issue of the Brighton Star?? Submit your thoughts and questions to Ask Annie @ askannieatbrighton@gmail.com▲

Spotting Good Recipes

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:50:56 +0100

Dear Annie,

Winter is here in full force, and I’m quite delighted. I love the brisk cold weather, and snow-days are amazing. Every year, all the cold weather makes me hanker to start baking something sweet. I love to cook, and my mom is always more than happy to buy any supplies I need. I have a problem, though. There are so many mouth-watering recipes out there that I can never decide which ones to try. Do you have any tips on how to spot a good recipe?

Sincerely,

Indecisive Baker

A: Dear Indecisive,

Creating in the kitchen can be a fun and productive way to pass the time. As you said, there are tons of fabulous recipes out there, and you can’t make them all. You need to narrow your options a bit. First, decide how many recipes you want to realistically bake during a normal week. Make it a goal to have the next week’s recipes picked out on the Sunday before it starts. That way, you can spend your free time during the week BAKING and not worrying about what you should make.

When it comes to actually deciding on a recipe, you can run any dessert that catches your fancy through a series of questions to help you determine whether it really is one that is worth making or if it is one you should probably pass up. Here are a few examples of the types of questions to ask:

How Long Will It Take? If you are planning on spending six hours during a week baking, and you plan to make three recipes, anything that would take more than two hours to prep, bake, and clean up is out of the question for that week.
Will It Be Difficult to Make? Especially when you are starting out, don’t try to do more than one really complicated recipe per week. If you do, you may end up exhausted and burnt out on cooking. (No pun intended.)
Who Will Eat It? If you go to all the trouble of making a lovely dessert, you want to make sure it gets eaten. Check with your parents, siblings, and friends to see what kind of sweets they enjoy. This is guaranteed to help narrow your options. Remember, not everyone has to like everything you make, but it is always better if at least SOME of your family and friends will enjoy your sweet creation with you.
What Are Your Favorites? Are there any recipes that you have tried at a restaurant or a friend’s house and then wished you could make at home? The Internet is a great resource for finding recipes, but if you do not know what you are looking for, it can be a little overwhelming. Try googling the name of a favorite dish. It will narrow your search field, and you may find a way to create your favorite restaurant dessert at home.

I hope that these tips help you with your recipe selection. Happy baking, and I’ll see you next month!

Sincerely,

Annie

Do you have any recipes or baking tips for our readers? Would you like to see your question in an upcoming issue of the Brighton Star?? Submit your opinions and questions to Ask Annie @ askannieatbrighton@gmail.com▲

Beginning Christmas Traditons

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:27:39 +0100

Dear Annie,

Christmas is coming, and all my friends are talking about holiday traditions that they have with their families. My family really has never had any traditions, though. I think it would be wonderful if we could start some, but I have absolutely no idea where to even begin. Do you have any ideas for fun family holiday traditions? I would love suggestions.

Sincerely,

Tradition-Less in Kansas City

A: Dear Tradition-Less,

Family customs and traditions can be a lovely and unforgettable part of the holiday season. I think it is wonderful that you want to help your family start some of their own! In response to your question, I want to give you five holiday traditions to help you start brainstorming.

1) Begin Celebrating Advent—If you are looking to start a family Christmas tradition that last for the whole holiday season, Advent is perfect. It starts four Sundays before Christmas each year. There are a variety of different methods for celebrating it. Some suggestions would be reading an advent book (with daily chapters), keeping an advent calendar, or lighting advent wreath candles.

2) Christmas Flicks—During the holiday season, life gets very hectic. This next idea is a way to combine starting a new family tradition with getting a little break from the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Over the years, a variety of delightful Christmas movies have been made. Try planning a family movie night each week in December.

3) Create with Cookies—Christmas baking is a common and well-loved tradition. Why not making it one of your own and put a spin on it? For example, there is information online about how to make a cookie manger scene or a series of cookies representing the story of Christ’s life.

4) Share the Cheer—Plan to have a yearly Christmas party. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate and create a tradition that includes more than just your immediate family.

5) Reach out to others—Make it a family custom to get involved with a program such as Angel Tree or Operation Christmas Child each year. This type of tradition can help turn the holiday focus from getting to giving.

I hope these suggestions help get you started! Remember, though, part of what makes a family tradition so special is its uniqueness. So, feel free to expand and fine-tune these ideas. In fact, as you spend more time thinking about it, you may realize that your family already does have some “un-official” traditions that you could take and build upon. I hope these suggestions come in handy!

Hope you have a merry and blessed Christmas!

Sincerely,
Annie

Note on Last Issue’s Column: Congratulations to Caleb DeWolf, the first reader who submitted the correct answer to last month’s reader question. Thank you to everyone that responded. Keep your eyes open for new contests coming soon!!

Answer: 10,992 legs on the bus (including the driver)
Prize: $5 Sonic gift card

Have a comment on this month’s column? Would you like to see your question in an upcoming issue of the Brighton Star?? Submit your opinions and questions to Ask Annie @ askannieatbrighton@gmail.com▲

Being a Better Friend

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:12:38 +0100

Dear Annie,

Brighton is a very interesting place to observe people. When I am there, it’s easy to see all kinds of friendships around me. Some are obviously very deep while many seem more casual. This has made me think a lot about what it means to be a really good friend to someone. Got any thoughts?

Good Friend Wannabe

A: Dear Wannabe,

     What a great question!!! It is wonderful that you want to be a better friend, and I think a lot of other students probably feel the same way. So, let’s talk about some ways that we can improve our friendship skills. When people talk about someone being a really good friend, the traits that they often mention are loyalty and empathy. To be a good friend means that you’ll stand by your friends through thick and thin. Of course, we need friends to laugh with too, but we need our friends even more when life gets rough. We all have difficult times in our life, and sometimes having a faithful friend by your side can make all the difference during those periods.
     The Bible says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes 6:9-10, NLT). The true test of friendship is whether someone will come along side you when things in your life get messy. A true friend will listen to your woes and really try to understand what you are going through. At the same time, though, true friends will be the first ones to celebrate with you when you succeed and your life is going great. We all need this type of friend, and we all need to be this kind of friend to others.
     So, how do we become a really, truly great friend? Let’s start with one of the simplest yet most important ways to develop better relationship skills: learn to listen. In a world and culture that is increasingly ME-centric, it is very important that we don’t get so caught up in our own opinions, troubles, joys, etc., that we are always the talker when we are with others. People who only talk about themselves don’t have friends; they have audiences. We need to remember that our friends have just as many ideas and experiences as we do, and there is a lot we can learn from them, if we just stop and listen. True friendship is give and take, and we cannot treat our friends as if they exist only to listen to what we have to say.
     Another important aspect of being a good friend is to really get to know your friend. Sometimes, we can spend hours and hours hanging out with people, and yet, we never really get to know them. Start making the extra effort to learn about your friends. What are their likes and dislikes? How about their favorite type of candy? What’s their favorite sports team, and why that team? If you set out to really get to know your friends inside out, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you learn about them.
     Friendship skills will be important to you for your entire life and making the effort to develop them now will make developing relationships much easier down the road. I hope this gives you some helpful tips on ways to become a better friend. Friends are a gift. Cherish them, and you’ll never regret it.

Dear Readers: In this issue, we have a question for YOU! This was submitted by a reader who wondered how many people could solve it. Here is the question: There are 7 girls who get on a bus. Each girl is carrying 7 backpacks. Each backpack contains 7 mother cats, and each mother cat has 7 baby cats. How many legs are on the bus? Do you know? Submit your answers to askannieatbrighton@gmail.com. Answers will be published in next month’s issue.▲

Getting Better Grades

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:26:29 +0100

Dear Annie,

It’s time for school again, and I really want to try to get my grades up this year. I can usually understand most of the information in my textbooks, but I just can’t seem to remember it all. Also, when I try to study for a test, it seems like I just read the material again and again, but when I actually take the exam, I still can’t think of the information. Help! Do you have any tips on how to get better grades on assignments and tests?

Sincerely,

Worried in the Classroom

Dear Worried,
Almost everyone, even the best students, could improve their study habits, and it is great you are making the effort. Here are a few tips that may help you earn better grades:

The due date is not the do date. If you put off your work until the day before it is due, it is almost guaranteed that you will not do your absolute best on it. Give yourself plenty of time to complete a project. You’ll be more relaxed, and your work quality will be better.
Environment can be everything. You need to have a quiet place where you can study without interruptions. If you study for 2 hours, but get distracted every few minutes, your studying will not be nearly as effective as if you sit down and study for an hour without any interruptions.
Music can make the mood. For many people, music is key to helping them study. It helps them think and retain more information. If you have found a quiet place to study, try putting on some slow, classical music. For fans of rockier music, it has its place, but it will rarely help you study.
Schedule it! If you have a big test coming up, make sure that you plan for time to study, and do not try to squeeze it in at the last minute. This is probably one of the simplest yet most important study tips EVER.
Go to bed. Most high school students tend to think that the later they can stay up, the better. When it comes to getting excellent scores on tests and assignments, however, this simply is not the case. Undoubtedly, you have heard the quote, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” (Benjamin Franklin) That quote is so true!! You’ll study much better after a good night’s sleep.

I hope these tips help you as you attempt to improve your study habits. Now, hit the books!