Final Stress
School almost out, meaning that finals are right around the corner. Finals week can be stressful and overwhelming. Disorganization is the main source of stress. Misplacing notes, assignments, and misusing time, are all contributors to the stress factor during this time of the year. Students need to learn to handle this type of stress but the needed information is often unknown to them. Here are four ways to deal with school-related stress.
- Writing stuff down is a simple way to stay organized and prevent forgetting important stuff. Sticky notes and whiteboards are good.
- Taking breaks in between study sessions is important. Setting specified time periods to study, and others for breaks gives a sense of control and may lower stress levels. Squeezing in some time for fresh air will restore energy and uplift your mood.
- Eat healthily. This may seem unrelated but non-sugary foods are filled with nutrients that boost concentration.
- Getting a good night’s sleep is vital during finals week. This can be hard to do because of all the studying and stress fogging your mind but, once well-rested, work will be much easier.
Dating on a Budget
Dates don’t have to be expensive.
Photo by: Maya Hernandez
Freshman Elise Pope poses with her salted caramel and coffee flavored frozen yogurt, topped with chocolate chips and chopped peanuts.
Coming up with ideas for fun dates without spending too much money can be a challenge, especially during a global pandemic. Here are some fun date ideas and locations that won’t break the bank and will still set the mood. Skating, whether it be on the ice or in the roller rink, is a great way to keep the fun factor in dates. Visit Springfield Skateland on Cambell Ave. for roller skating or Jordan Valley Ice Park for ice skating.
Hot weather is rolling in, meaning ice cream and frozen yogurt dates are back. This may seem pretty basic, but with the right company, this simple date can be memorable. Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, Andy’s Frozen Custard, and Pineapple Whip are affordable and casual places to enjoy a frozen dessert. Cold Stone Creamery also has great reviews but it is a bit pricier.
Bass Pro Shops brings all the wonders of a museum and outdoor store into one huge building. Be it a scavenger hunt or a stroll throughout the store, Bass Pro Shops is sure to make the datetime fly with its many attractions.
At-home dates have grown in popularity during the pandemic, and why not? Spending quality time with your partner in a cool, air-conditioned house with free food sounds like a great idea. Movie marathons, karaoke, and making couple Tik Toks are a few ways to spice up at-home dates.
If staying indoors isn’t your jam, try going out for a hike or picnic. Wilson’s Creek Greenway Trail has many positive reviews about its beautiful view and long hiking distance. Four dollars (per person) could get you into Springfield Botanical Gardens, where you can enjoy a picnic or visit the local gift shop.
Taking a stroll in the mall is another popular idea. It is free, until you pass by the pretzels and the boba tea. The good thing about this is that you get to decide how much money you spend. As long as you have some degree of self-control, you should be okay.
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Freshman Elise Pope poses with her salted caramel and coffee flavored
The Dreadful Bathroom Rule
Students should be able to use the restroom whenever they want. It’s only natural to need a bathroom break and unfortunately the urge sometimes comes within the first 20 minutes of class and the last 20 minutes of class.
Since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, the school has enforced a rule stating that students may not use the restrooms the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes of each class. This rule is mandatory for all SPS schools operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The school is taking precautions in order to keep our four days a week schedule and to prevent a major COVID-19 breakout, but is this rule really making contact tracing easier or is it just causing unnecessary problems for students?
Take me for example. There I am, sitting in class at 1:20 pm on a Monday, completely absorbed by the fact that I really need to pee and ignoring whatever it is my teacher just said about Picasso.
Unless science proves that COVID-19 only spreads within the first and last 20 minutes of class, which it hasn’t done, students should be able to use the restroom whenever they need to.
Removing this rule, or even changing it from 20 minutes to 5 minutes, would be better than wasting away a class period trying to hold in whatever it is that needs to be done in the bathroom.
Environmental Club Is Back
The Environmental Club is up and running. Being back four days a week has allowed the Environmental Club to start meeting once again. The club is meeting on Thursdays after school in room S101. “It is going well, we have our officers selected.Our next meeting is next Thursday.We will be voting on posters and recycling routes next week.” Ms. Linke, the club’s sponsor, said. The elected officers for this club are as follows: Connor Dalan- President, Max Keltner-Vice President, Trinity Massey- Secretary, and Liam Karp- Treasurer.
Boys’ Golf Starts Their Season
After three days of tryouts, Boy’s Golf finally has their 16 member team for this year. The first 3 days of March were spent narrowing down the team in order to fill in the empty spots. The players’ abilities were tested by playing three, nine hole rounds at the Oscar Bloom Golf Course. They were then ranked off of how they played.
” I hope that as a team and as an individual we can get to state, I think that the team will get along well because we all have the same goal and that is to get to the state tournament!” Senior Hayden Wiggins said. The team will be meeting for practice everyday after school at varying locations and will work hard to reach their goal.
