Are You Stressed Out?

A Study in Academic Pressure and Intense Studying. School blog: http://kristinapacifico.blogspot.com/

[areyoustressedout]

Upload 3 of Overachiever's Discussion Group: Session 4

Links and Chains!

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Upload 2 of Overachiever's Discussion Group: Session 4

Links and Chains!

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Upload 1 of Overachiever's Discussion Group: Session 4

Links and Chains!

[areyoustressedout]

Take a Load Off

March 20, 2014

The last and final session of the Overachiever's Discussion Group was today and for starters I would like to thank all the participants for coming out to as many sessions as they could. Those who were able to attend at least one session brought a new perspective and change to what I'll call the "meeting norm". It was great having all of you on board with each session and I hope that each of you learned something!  

This last session was split into two parts. In part one, participants were guided in a revised version of the Privilege Chain activity. The statements were based around schooling, stress, pressure, and etc to fit the Overachiever's Discussion Group.

In part two, we watched Accepted. Which, in summary, is a movie about a high school senior who didn't get accepted into any colleges so he and a bunch of his fellow classmates in the same situation create a college. Their experiences are insanely weird and are in that typical college party mode. 

Last but not least, I'd like to thank the CLP Teen librarians for allowing me to use their meeting room and their other utilities to accomplish my graduation project action plan. I know a lot of them were in high hopes for my discussion group and I really hope I did my tasks well!

Signing out--

- Coordinator Kristina

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Upload 1 of Overachiever's Discussion Group: Session 3

Game Day!

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Patience is Key.

March 13, 2014

The third session of the Overachiever's Discussion Group has been adjourned and the final meeting will occur on Thursday, March 20, 2014 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm.

This week was game day!! The point of this day was to allow students to blow off some steam and have some fun and friendly competition with some of their peers.

We played Apples to Apples and I intended it to be played for only a half an hour but the game continued until the end of the session. For the most part, participants enjoyed themselves and played till they had to leave. 

This week's post is short and sweet but I hope everyone had fun! 

Till next time!!

- Coordinator Kristina

[areyoustressedout]

Accurate. 

[areyoustressedout]

Upload 2 of Overachiever’s Discussion Group: Session 2

Movies, movies, movies!!

[areyoustressedout]

Upload 1 of Overachiever's Discussion Group: Session 2

Movies, movies, movies!!

[areyoustressedout]

The Beauty of Knowledge

March 6, 2014

The second session of the Overachiever’s Discussion Group has been adjourned and will resume next Thursday, March 13, 2014 from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. 

This week, we viewed videos pertaining to Academic Pressure in both the United States and South Korea.

This is the Race to Nowhere trailer.  After this clip we discussed: 

Pressure (by parents, teachers, colleges)

How we're told to perform, not learn deeply

Students dreading school

How not making enough $ = something went wrong 

Doing well now to get into good colleges

No room for mistakes?

Be smart, involved in the arts, sports, & homework

Message is to "keep producing"?

Love of learning?

Economy? Jobs?

Then, the Documentary Preview of Korean High Schools. After this clip we discussed: 

Intense studying and why it is the topic of my Graduation Project

Studying about 16 hours a day (8 at school, the rest in a Hagwon)

No hobbies, just studying

Studying to reach your dreams

Suicide (attempts and unfortunate successes)

Mental health

Flaws in their system

Pressure caused by education

"Beauty" and being of "value"

Finally, we watched Differences Between North American and South Korean Students. And discussed the differences between all the videos watched during the session and this more lighthearted video. 

Afterwards, we did a speed round covering our own pressures. What’s been bothering us and what we’ve found can help us get past the stress, a share of un-stressing tips.

Food for Thought: Watch An Ordinary Day at a Korean High School for more on Korean high school culture. There are also more videos on my school blog!

I hope everyone enjoy themselves and got something out of what we talked about!

Next week is board games week! SEE YOU THEN!!!

- Coordinator Kristina

[jeans-beans]

[jeans-beans]

[areyoustressedout]

Tired

"High school is better" they said,

But before then I stumbled out of bed

And all of this hurts,

I can't do the work

So I'm gonna go sleep instead

I have an agenda to do

With written down plans and tasks that are new

Between every class is a block

An hour or two but most of it's mock

I can't get my stuff done on time

I'm up from 7 to 9

I'm lying... the hours will climb

And sometimes I go take a nap

For an hour or two, more like four

... I can't help it.

And then I stay up until 5 

With two hours left I feel fine

But alas I am not

Because I rush lots

And I end up late and then tired.

-KP

[areyoustressedout]

Upload 1 of Overachiever’s Discussion Group: Session 1

Intro... intro.... take a slip!!

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When the weather takes over.

February 27, 2014

First session of the Overachiever's Discussion Group has been adjourned and will resume next Thursday, March 6, 2014 from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. 

This week, a PowerPoint was shown introducing the topic of Academic Pressure and Intense studying. With it we discussed the following subtopics:

Meaning of Intense Studying/Academic Pressure

Negative Effects

Reasons for Intense Studying

Influences for studying so intensely

Ways that studying becomes too intense

Effects on different age groups

Knowing that you suffer from Intense Studying/Academic Pressure

During the presentation we broke into conversations covering our own pressures. What's been bothering us and what we've found can help us get past the stress (even if it's something temporary). 

I'm sure the present participants found some sort of help regardless of the small turnout this evening! That's all I really hope for, to be able to help in anyway that I can!

Here's to a better turn out next week!

- Coordinator Kristina

[areyoustressedout]

What I've been...

Obsessing Over: Everything that is going on wrong in my life. Also sleep. I've been choosing sleep over homework.

Working On: The Graduation Project work that should've been done last week or even a few days ago but didn't happen.

Thinking About: Why I can't seem to figure out what I want to do as a career, what college I should attend, what major I want to take part of, or why I'm slacking so much in my schoolwork.

Anticipating: The bad grade that I'm going to get this week in my Graduation Project study group because I'm not doing well at all.

Listening To: Partially paying attention to the conversations around me instead of doing work.

Drinking: Nothing, but I wish I had some water. 

Wishing: That I could be sleeping... or in a world where time froze so I could get all this work done. 

[areyoustressedout]

RSVP at: [email protected] with your name, grade, and the high school you attend!

P.S. This is open to high school students in the Pittsburgh, PA area

Disclosure: Not guaranteed to rid of student's stresses completely but it serves as an alternative outlet.