Pittsfield Prevention Partnership

The official youth blog of the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership.

[pittsfieldpp]

Gifts of Volunteering with the Berkshire United Way and Pittsfield Prevention Partnership

My name is Jetter White. I started volunteering with the Berkshire United Way my sophomore year of high school when I was approached by April Nutting about joining the Taconic chapter for Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). Through my work at Taconic with Students Against Destructive Decisions, I decided that although making changes in my school community was satisfying, I wanted to do something that impacted not only my fellow students, but the families and and institutions of my broader community. I approached Berkshire United Way searching for more opportunities and ways to contribute to a greater movement and to impact the community at large. Of course, at this point, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and certainly never imagined how profoundly it would change my life.

Volunteering with the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership through Berkshire United Way has taught me valuable leadership skills, and has helped me to grow as a person. Today, I am a proud intern of the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership, and my passion for helping others grows stronger every day.

The connections I have formed and the opportunities I have been blessed with since I began working with the Berkshire United Way are outstanding. From being given the opportunity to work and speak with the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, to meeting and advocating with United States Senators and Congressmen, the rewards of my involvement in this organization are immeasurable. This work has become a huge part of who I am.

I would like to take a moment to share a quote that I carry with me everyday to remind me of the value and importance of the work we accomplish every day at the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership. I received this quote in a private message a few months ago. It says,

“I am interested in volunteering...I just want to support your efforts. You saved my life.”

This simple, yet powerful statement perfectly summarizes why I continue my work with the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership. Every day I find myself facing a world full of new opportunities and new lives that that can be changed by this critical work. Next year, I am headed off to college, and I am confident that the skills I have gained from my work with Berkshire United Way have prepared me to be successful. In college, I will be pursuing a degree in Social Work that will allow me to continue my work in prevention for the rest of my life.

Organizations like the Berkshire United Way are essential in our community. Every day they are changing the lives of youth and adults alike. I could not be more grateful for everything they have done for me. Before my involvement with this organization, if you had asked me where I wanted to be in the future I would have been speechless. Now however, I can not only answer this question, but I can tell you with strict confidence, not where I want to be but where I WILL be. I will end by saying thank you once again to the Berkshire United Way for the opportunities that have been given to me throughout these past few years.

-Jetter White

[pittsfieldpp]

Graduation

Being a high school graduate is great.  You get to sleep in, there's no homework or tests to worry about for the first time in what feels like forever, and you have a piece of paper validating all the work you've put in for the past twelve years.  But what do you do with all that free time?

I've been keeping busy, and you can too, whether you're a graduate or just approaching summer vacation.

Camp NaNoWriMo is a month-long writing extravaganza.  Unlike real summer camp, it's free.  For the month of July, you are placed into a "cabin" with other writers and you write 50,000 words. Or at least that's the goal.  It can be stressful having a deadline, but it also promises fun.  Whether or not you reach the goal, you can say you tried.

Learn a new language.  If you have time, this a skill that can only be beneficial.  Pick up some phrases in Spanish, French, German, etc.  It uses up time in a useful way.

Brush up for school.  Even though it's summer, it helps to retain all those topics you spent the past few months putting in the effort to learn.  You can ace the pre-test your teachers given you when you get back.

Practice cooking/baking.  Start simple and work up.  Or stay simple.  Or start at something complicated.  Learn what you like to eat and how to make it.  Share it with other people or don't and enjoy the fruits of your labor alone.  This site will recommend recipes based on what you tell it you like.  And the recommendations don't stop, so prepare to be busy.

Project Gutenberg has thousands of free books online.  You may find your summer reading books here, or just something to try.  I personally love Oscar Wilde and William Shakespeare, but can't stand Charles Dickens.  I only know that because I took the time to read something by each of them.  Give it a whirl.

Stay busy this summer.  That doesn't mean don't take days to stay in your pajamas and watch Netflix marathons; just don't make it all you do this summer.

[pittsfieldpp]

High School Movies

With the last day for high school seniors here, it seems an appropriate time to discuss high school.  Or, at least high school movies. (Click the titles for trailers)

Mean Girls

This one seems to be everyone’s favourite, making it a must-see.  It’s quoted more than you can think a movie could be.  It’s good for a laugh and a lesson.  It’s about a girl who transfers into a high school from Africa and falls in with the popular crowd.  She struggles with balancing who she is against what she has to do to be popular.

The Breakfast Club

Again, this one is very popular and oft-quoted.  A cult classic.  It has funny moments, but overall has a more serious message.  The movie is about five kids from different social groups in the school who end up in Saturday morning detention together.  Forced to spend time together, they realize more about themselves and the others in the room they had prejudged.

Easy A

My personal favourite, of all the ones on this list.  It’s about a girl who is labelled a tramp when she lies to her best friend about losing her virginity and is overheard.  Her fake sexual exploits explode over the school.  Meanwhile, she uses her new notoriety to help “loser” guys rise to popularity by allowing them to lie about what they’ve done with her.  This movie is funny, but also points out a huge double standard.

All of these movies are alike, and not just because they are all about high school.  Each of them follows teenagers struggling with their identities and reputations, trying to moderate between the two.  In the end (*spoiler*), all of them choose their identity over their reputation.  That seems to be the message of most high school movies.  They aren’t on the list, but think about High School Musical, Grease, Pretty in Pink, or 10 Things I Hate About You.  They all teach the same thing, with different storylines.

Form your identity before your reputation, so that they both reflect you for who you are.

[pittsfieldpp]

Upcoming Events

With school almost over, most people will be looking for things to do with their time.  Although sometimes it may seem there isn’t anything going on, Berkshire County has many events offered.  Here are three.

Third Thursday

May 15 is the first Third Thursday on North Street in Pittsfield.  For those of you who are unfamiliar, Third Thursday is essentially a street fair with live music, food vendors, shopping, art, and performers.  The event goes from 5pm to 8pm.  The theme for May 15 is “Creative Youth”.  For more information, click the picture.

Objectify

The Berkshire Museum is currently hosting the “Objectify” exhibit.  This exhibit is compiled of items in the Museum’s holding, in celebration of its 110th anniversary.  For more information, click here.

Bousquet

Bousquet in Pittsfield is offering the following deals this summer:

$10 Mondays - Enjoy all day access to our waterslides and activity pool and throw in a round on our 18-hole mini-golf course for $10 every Monday all summer long.

$20 Tuesdays - Now you can enjoy our Adventure Park every Tuesday for only $20 per person! 35 elements “high in the sky” for just twenty bucks on Tuesdays.

There are more deals available on their website here.

[pittsfieldpp]

Staying Focused

With the school year coming to a close, it can be difficult to focus on the tasks at hand.  Summer is fast approaching and everyone is ready to run towards it.  However, this frame of mind doesn’t seem to click with the homework and early mornings and classes.  Focusing on work can seem almost impossible when there’s so much more to be doing with your time.  But it is necessary, so here are some tips to help.

Block your time.  Saying “I’m going to do this for half an hour and then I’m going to stop for half an hour” is often a more effective way to use my time.  If I try to work straight through, I end up distracted and unproductive.  Being able to reward myself with break time is critical to my focus.

Do the work in the same place.  Sometimes it’s impossible to do homework in the same place-it gets done as opportunity arises; but, having a designated “homework” place can greatly improve concentration.  It could be a desk, a couch, a certain section of the floor -it doesn’t matter, as long as you establish the habit.

Put your phone and other electronics on “do not disturb”.  No matter how well-intentioned your goals, it’s impossible to focus with a phone dinging with each text and email.  Just shut them off for the time you need to work -you can always answer during the break time.

Make sure the people in the area know you will be working.  Just like you don’t want your electronics to interrupt your work, you don’t want other people to either.  It would be awful to be in the middle of an English article and have your mother pop in to talk about plans for later in the week.

Don’t worry about what else you have to do.  If you spend the entire time worried about other work, than it’ll be hard to focus on any of it.  Making sure your attention is on the assignment at hand will help get the work done more efficiently.

Good luck with the rest of the school year, and don’t feel downtrodden. Every day is one step closer to summer vacation.  Just don’t lose track of what needs to be done now.

[pittsfieldpp]

AP Season

Your teachers put the countdown on the board. Suddenly, you're bombarded with essays, FRQs, DBQs, and multiple choice questions. Drowning underneath practice tests and scoring guidelines, you search for the correct answers. It seems there will be no surviving.

Welcome to AP test season.

It sounds awful and is the dread of every student that participates. However, it's never too late to try to grasp that last minute concept or practice something your teacher hasn't clarified for you. In addition to giving out money for a review book (which you should consider), try these links and resources.

This website provides notes for some AP classes, including European History, US History, and Psychology.

This website isn't specifically designed for the AP tests, but it does provide note and examples for most subjects taught in school.

This website has downloads of practice tests for some of the AP subjects.

This app (for Apple devices) has flashcards for every AP subject. And not like one set -several sets for each subject. It also has the option to create your own card sets.

Search for AP review videos on YouTube -you should get several hits and one of them is bound to help.

Ask your teacher if they have study materials that could help you. More often than not, they already own review books and will share them with you or make copies of pages you need.

The CollegeBoard has several resources from old exams. Even just glancing at them can give you an idea of what may be on your test.

Perhaps most importantly, don't let the test-taking get you down. Focus on the material; the test will cover all of it and you can only strive to know as much as you can as thoroughly as you can.

Good luck.

[pittsfieldpp]

411 in the 413, a set on Flickr.

On behalf of the Berkshire Youth Development Project youth conference planning committee, we would like to thank every one of the 111 students that attended this year’s “411 in the 413 Youth Conference: Journey of Discovery”! The goals developed by the planning committee are to foster relationships between youth, raise awareness around issues, present options for involvement, and provide information about current youth-related topics. The theme of this year’s conference is “#Get Connected”. All Berkshire County public high schools were invited to send up to 10 students each to participate at no cost. The conference featured workshops that were facilitated by local professionals, artists, students, and youth groups from the area. There was a wide variety of workshops planned such as: healthy cooking, yoga, DIY projects, outdoor activities, break-dancing, meditation and much, much more! On behalf of everyone on the Youth Development Conference Committee, we thank you for your involvement!

[pittsfieldpp]

Be Brave

The definition of bravery is “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear”.  (Definition from dictionary.reference.com)  That is, the ability of some to go headfirst into stuff others are terrified of without flinching.  In my experience, only a few people have this trait as an existing part of their personality -the rest of us just fake it.  By forcing yourself to be brave, it becomes less and less stressful to show that courage.  It becomes a part of who you are.

Forcing yourself to even just act brave can be emotionally and physically draining.  Shaky knees, sweaty palms, twisted words -it happens to me all the time when I step outside of my comfort zone.  Dealing with those first is important; it certainly makes me feel braver when I can control my own body.  Focusing on breathing and checking in with yourself can help.  Breathing for seven seconds in and then eleven seconds out with breaths that push out your belly will help calm you down.  “Checking in” entails registering what you are feeling and thinking about:  are you nervous? excited? was traffic bad? is there anything else chipping away at your attention?  Once you have it registered in your mind as a distraction, it will be easier to let go of.

If you know that you hate public speaking, drawing attention to yourself, or something else entirely, baby steps may be better.  If it’s public speaking, memorize a poem or a speech to recite to yourself in the mirror and then your friends or family; if possible, finalize it with a presentation in a talent show or showcase.  This baby step strategy also works with learning to say “no” to people (start with little decisions and transition to bigger ones), as well as any other fear you may have.

With this in mind, I have a great event to recommend.

Barrington Stage Company and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency investing public dollars in building creative communities and inspiring creative minds, in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the YouthReach Initiative, are collaborating to host Acts of Bravery Youth Open Mic Night on May 2 from 7 to 9 pm at Barrington Stage Company’s Mr. Finn’s Cabaret Thtr. located downstairs in the Blatt Center at 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield, MA.  Anyone aged 13 to 19 is invited to perform; send an email to [email protected] by Wednesday April 30th if you’re interested in performing or just want more information.  If you aren’t in the age bracket to perform, you are still invited to attend this FREE event.  The doors will be open from 6:30 to 7 pm on May 2 for those who wish to attend.  Refreshments are provided.

Force yourself to be brave and come support those who are showcasing their bravery.

[abovetheinfluence]

They’re the simplest little words in the world. Use them to voice your own decisions, and they become POWERFUL!!

[pittsfieldpp]

Validity and Shakespeare

This seems to be a common problem, so I thought I would do a brief post on it.

Just because you see something on the Internet does not make it true.  You know that.  I know that.  Everyone that has had to do a report in elementary school knows that.  But sometimes, it takes more than that.

Do a quick Internet search for the information.  For example, if someone says “30% of people who did that died” a search of “how many people die from the cinnamon challenge?” will yield several thousand results.  A quick look at a few can often confirm or deny the validity of what they are saying.

If you cannot find many sources with the information you are looking for, it may be necessary to do a background check on the sources.  Searching the author and the host can often reveal “trolling” pages and inaccurate information.  Also, look at the date of the sources you could find.  If the information is outdated for what you are looking for (give about a five year buffer zone on your topic, smaller or larger depending on the information in question).

NOT RELIABLE

RELIABLE

Could the author or company be biased?  In your search on them, look for information that could change the validity of their message.

Check the comments on the information you have found, if there are any.  Do they sound trustworthy?  Remember that authors write to their audience, and a dishonest or ignorant audience will contort the information presented.

This is only four steps -all of which can be as simple as typing them into your search bar or as complicated as going through past newspaper and Internet articles.  However, it will guard you against falsified information and trolls.

One last thing before the end of this post.  I have posted about Fall Festival of Shakespeare on here before, but in case you never read this post, I’ll summarize quickly.  Ten schools from Massachusetts and New York put on a show at their school under the guidance of directors, tech coordinators, and costumers from Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA using resources such as set, weapons, and costumes from the organization.  Each school does performances at their own buildings, but the best part comes after that.  There is one weekend when all ten schools get together at Shakespeare & Co. to put on their shows.  The energy during those shows is high and passionate; the audience will hiss, boo, cheer, laugh, and support every show that is done on the stage.

For the past twenty-two years, Taconic High School has participated in this.  However, for the past three years, we’ve been horribly short in paying for it.  This year, we were told that if we could not pay the price of participation we would not be able to do a show in the fall.  That cost is $13,000.  Currently, a GoFundMe has been created.  Anything that can be done to help this cause will be greatly appreciated by all of those who ever have been or ever will be involved with the program.

[pittsfieldpp]

Top Five High School Complaints

“Math is hard.”

This is number one for a reason.  Of all the subjects in school, math seems to get the most hate.  Online resources can help a lot with that feeling of dread.  In addition to that, teachers and tutors are almost always available and more than willing to help.  If your math teacher confuses you too much to ever seek out their help, try a different teacher or try hiring a tutor through the school.

“I’m so tired.”

Rest is the most important thing -we’ve all heard the speal.  The problem is juggling enough sleep with homework and sports and work and actual enjoyable activities.  Brown University outlines how to get a good night’s sleep.

Relax! An alert mind may make it difficult to sleep. Try to slow the pace of your activities in the evening. Do some light reading or watch TV until you become drowsy, and then try to fall asleep naturally. If there's a lot on your mind, try writing down a detailed list and then forgetting about it.

Avoid or limit caffeine and nicotine, which are stimulants, and alcohol, which can cause unrestful sleep and frequent awakenings during the night.

Exercise and stay active. Twenty to 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity enhances deep  sleep, but avoid exercising in the 6 hours before bedtime since it increases alertness.

Avoid long naps. Naps of less than 30 minutes can actually be quite refreshing during the naturally occurring mid-afternoon slump, but napping for much longer than this can make you drowsy and interfere with a good night's sleep.

Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. A regular sleep pattern reduces insomnia, and increases your alertness during the day.

Source and more information here.

“I’m just really stressed right now.”

Everyone destresses a little bit differently.  Finding what helps you the most can often take a lot of time and be stressful in itself.  I love television and movies -they help me calm down more than anything.  If that works for you, Crackle has a collection of movies and television shows that are completely free.  Some people need to calm down.  Calm is a website that plays spa-like music and offers guided meditations of different intervals.  There are lots of ways to destress, you just have to find what works for you by trying out several.

“I didn’t know we had to do that.”

Keeping homework organized can be difficult.  The best way to keep track of what you have to do is to write it down when you are assigned it.  For some, carrying a small planner or notebook that homework assignments can be put in is the best way to do so.  I personally use the note feature on my phone to keep track.

“I couldn’t write that essay.”

Essays can be tedious and difficult.  There are several different resources on the Internet (see here and here, for some).  Overall, the best essays can be written in four steps

Know what you’re answering.

Research the material you’ll need to use to write the essay, be it for science or English.  If you only vaguely know the topic, it will show.  Prepare quotes that could be useful on one sheet of paper and just think through how you would answer the question.

Write your outline.

Because the essay will be graded, it needs to be written in a certain style.  The five-paragraph essay format can be applied to most essays you will have to write in middle and high school.  Your outline should include your main thesis, with the supporting body paragraphs and the evidence they will contain.  This will be the skeleton of the paper, on top of which you can build the essay.

Write the body paragraphs.

You have the outline done -this is where you expand it into an essay.  This just makes it “fluffier”, but compromises the bulk of the work.

Write the introduction and conclusion.

Writing the introduction and conclusion last ensures that your paper is on topic and does not stray.  Make them interesting by using “hooks” and allow them to mirror each other without being identical.

[pittsfieldpp]

Math is Hard

"Math is hard."

Probably one of the most common sentences I hear at school. I understand the feeling -frustration mixed with the threat of failure. However, I've always been able to find resources that make it a little easier to understand.  Here are five of what are -in my opinion- the best.

Wolfram Alpha

This website has probably been the most useful tool that I've ever used. It does everything. Need to factor or integrate something? It'll not only give you the answer but show you how to do it yourself step-by-step with brief explanations. It also graphs, does statistics, and solves for variables. Treat it like the ultimate calculator. This doesn't have to do with math, but it also does science (chemistry, physics, biology, you name it), finances, history, and culture questions.

Purple Math

This website has wonderful notes on math up to basic trigonometry. There are examples for virtually every problem you could run into. In addition to that, there are articles on how to format your homework so that your teacher likes it and how to do useful math.

SparkNotes

I'm sure your already familiar with SparkNotes and have used it for English at one point or another. You may not have known that they also have notes for other subjects -one of which is math. The notes cover from prealgebra to calculus BC. There are brief examples included with each topic.

Brightstorm

This website has videos covering math from algebra to calculus. In addition to that, they also have videos that cover English, science, and standardized tests (SATs, PSATs, and ACTs). I've used it for both chemistry and calculus in the past two years. Helpful if you need to actually see the steps done out to understand the concepts being tossed around in the notes. Basically mini-lectures that you can watch over and over. The videos are also available on YouTube.

Vi Hart

This last website won't help you in school, even though it covers all kinds of math. Instead, it will show you how math is applied to other topics like music and fractals. My particular favorites are the "mathemusician" videos and the tau videos. They are all also available on YouTube.

Math can be confusing but it doesn't have to be hard. The Internet provides great resources, if you can find them. So here are five.

[pittsfieldpp]

Random Acts of Kindness

At Taconic, March has been the "Random Acts of Kindness" month. This has been accompanied by music playing on the way to class in the morning -"Happy" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", for a few examples- as well as some "challenges". These challenges have included writing thank you letters to other people in the building, giving compliments in the hall, holding doors for others, and writing about what we're thankful for.

The hardest part will be getting students to continue the practice after this month is over. Ideally, we'll be inspired to be a little outwardly nicer than we were before, approach people who feel sad, and avoid being unnecessarily rude. The second best outcome would be just keeping to ourselves instead of saying something offensive or mean. I think a majority of people already practice the "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all" rule in their life; and some will be deeply touched and achieve the ideal effect. However, there are some who will refuse to participate in any of the activities, brushing them off as stupid or a waste of time. There isn't anything to do about them except to include them all the same.

I found the thank you letters very hard to write. I don't actively think about people or actions I'm thankful for. Now that I've done it, I can think of three people I should have sent letters to- my math teacher, who tries to teach a class that can be very demanding, a friend of mine who is really smart, but hides it, and another friend of mine that could cheer up anyone.  But at the time, I couldn’t think of any of them.  It seems silly -after all, I do appreciate them and I am thankful for what they do.  Because of this, I'll try to be more aware of what I appreciate about the people in my life. Also, I'm paying more attention to who I help.

So keeping with the spirit of a Random Acts of Kindness month, here are some websites that'll cheer you up or at least give you some entertainment.

Gives you compliments

Teaches you something new

Brings a little music into your life

Entertaining comics

Get some good news

[pittsfieldpp]

Books

A large portion of English class is spent reading classic literature.  Most of it seems boring, so its good to balance it out with what you enjoy.  But sometimes it is necessary to read it -for essays in school and for discussions in the real world.  So this is a list of books of “literary merit” that I would recommend. Feel free to add on.

A comedy, a tragedy, and a history by William Shakespeare

So this one is vague, but I thought it would be a good starting point.  For comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a short but good choice.  It follows lovers lost in the woods and the confusion that develops when they fall in love with the "wrong" people. For the tragedy, Hamlet is my personal favourite, but Othello is just as good. Although both. Hamlet and Othello are put into situations where they need to access what they are being told by someone they trust, Hamlet responds by overthinking it to insanity and Othello responds with rash action.  And for the history, my favourite is Henry IV pt i. It has humor, romance, tragedy, and war.

A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

This one can seem slow at points, but overall its got a strong message about beauty and art. In fact, the forward is on the technical uselessness of art. The books can be interpreted as the argument for or against beautiful objects.

Night by Elie Weisel

This story is an autobiographical account of Weisel’s time in Auschwitz. It’s heart wrenching, but has an unique outlook on humanity.  It is followed by Dawn and Day, which cover Weisel’s recovery after being freed. Because this one is nonfiction, it may be a bit too graphic and emotional for some. However, I highly recommend it.

V for Vendetta

This is a graphic novel; but, even if those aren't your usual thing, you should make an exception for this one. It's a classic and often referenced in other works. It doesn't get dull or monotonous; in fact, it has an engaging plot line filled with mystery questionable ethics. Where is the line that separates patriotism from terrorism? Well, that's what this book looks at.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Of all the John Green books I've read, I found this one to be the best. It's sad, but with a positive message about people. Aimed at a teenage audience, the style is definitely lighter and easier than the above. All the same, if you go in not knowing what is going to happen, the story will take you by the hand and show you what it stands for.

[pittsfieldpp]

High School Masterpost

This post is a collection of links which provide what they promise.  Even though it says "high school", they could be useful to anyone in college or just in life in general.  I am unsure if they will work on mobile.  If there is anything you feel should be added, you can contact me and I’ll try to find it for you.  Enjoy.

School

Flashcards

For when your teacher didn't quite explain it right

Another for when you still don't get it

Download a graphing calculator

When you know the word, but can't think of it

Practice AP questions

Various generators for writing

Take notes

Take more notes

How to write an essay

How to memorize the unit circle

How to memorize for English

Organize your backpack

Look at a different text

Look at a different different text

How to email a professor

How to analyze literature

Time management for life

Stressed Out

Yoga

Listen to music

Make something sweet

Make something yummy

Watch some penguins waddle around

Puppies more your thing?

Read a book

Start a new show

Create your own space

Just write

Play word games

Create your own tea

Laugh

Draw something

Plan an imaginary vacation

Fun Things to Do

Cookie Clicker

A Dark Room

Learn a new language

Gold and Gems

Choppin Wood

[pittsfieldpp]

Extracurriculars

A lot of high-schoolers feel pressured to participate in after-school activities. "You can't get into college without them," or "You need to be involved," are common urgings. Some people can jump into multiple clubs and sports with no repercussions; others find joining extracurriculars to be difficult to get into or they just have no interest in them; others overextend themselves in an effort to be involved and end up not being truly a part of anything.

So how do you find a good balance?

My first recommendation to is realistically map out your schedule, including everything. Put in school hours, work, homework, your favourite tv shows -anything you need or want time for in your schedule. If you leave out the fun things, you will most likely end up miserable. This website will let you print out a schedule template with the time and day intervals you need. Once you have your schedule written out, look at where your free hours are. Do you have an extra two hours on Tuesdays? Are your Saturdays basically empty? Those are the times you can look at filling with extracurriculars.

Choosing which extracurriculars to get involved in is the next step. You want to match your interests to your available time. Maybe you really want to join the soccer team, but you don't have the two plus hours after school to do so. No matter how much you want to join, if you don't have the time, don't put yourself through it. Find another way to express the same interest. Running with the soccer team idea, maybe volunteering in an elementary school after-school sports would be an easier activity to fit in your schedule. Looking through your school website, talking to your guidance counselor, and exploring opportunities on city websites are the best ways I can think to find activities to participate in.

But if none of what you find works for you, then you can always try to start something that does.  Choose what kind of club you want to start -newspaper, poetry, sewing, whatever- and then talk to your teachers.  A lot of teachers are willing to start clubs with students; even if the first teacher you talk to is uninterested, they may know another faculty member who is interested.  This is where being persistent and dedicated will be invaluable.

Once a club gets going, there are many ways to get involved on a state and national level, as well.  For example, the National Forensic League is composed of speech and debate clubs from across the United States.  

This link shows a couple possibilities for clubs, if you’re stuck on what you want to do.

The most important thing to remember is that you don’t need to give up what you enjoy or settle on an activity you hate.  Chances are you will find something you enjoy that fits your schedule or you can make it.  Don’t settle for something you really don’t want.  Make the best of your time.

-Veronica

[pittsfieldpp]

Vacation

Somehow school vacation week seems to be a source of happiness and dread. For an entire week the stress of waking up to go to school is alleviated. I know that I often spend the days before imagining all the wonderful things I will accomplish in the free time -finishing books and shows, writing a novel, even learning a new language. Of course, this is an overestimate of the amount of time I actually have.

Some people go away for the week, which is both enviable and a little frightening. They get to escape the routine of home but they also carry the responsibility of assignments with them. For, of course, homework does not stop just because of vacation. Some teachers avoid assigning large amounts of work during the period of "rest" but there are others who make up for it.

This vacation, I'm trying to balance the work and the free time the best way for me.

Obviously, the schoolwork has to be done at some point before we go back, but an assignment a day is the best way I have found to get it done. Some people like to do it all in the beginning or at the end, but I find that more stressful than helpful. Doing it in the beginning makes the quizzes some teachers give on the material more difficult and cramming at the end is just a frightening prospect to me. So, every day, I do an assignment.

Apart from writing for you and household chores, my only other current responsibility is getting permit driving hours over with. I'm going to be honest with you, it's weird being in the car with a driving instructor. I get to the school, find out who I'm going to be riding with, pop in the car, and then I'm off for two hours. It's like the first day of school but in a confined space. I have to hand it to the driving instructors -riding in a car with newbie drivers and remaining calm cannot be easy. I'm a decent driver and I make me nervous.

The rest of my time is left to do things I actually want to do. For me, this happens to be the most difficult part. I want maximum fun, which often leaves me indecisive. I'll bounce from reading a book to watching a show to trying to draw something. Do not do this if you value your free time. It's a waste.

If you are looking for some things to do over vacation, I've found a couple events that look like fun.

The 10x10: Teen Ten Art Show at City Hall is going on until February 28 at 70 Allen Street in Pittsfield. The show consists of the top ten of all art pieces submitted into the show as chosen by online voters. It's free to go, but if you have any questions about it you can call [phone].  The official promotional image is here, if you're interested.

The Winter Olympics are ongoing and well worth watching. My favorite events to watch are th figure-skating ones. I can hardly walk across the ground without tripping over my own feet but they can do a triple lutz while balancing on blades attached to their shoes on ice. This is the official site for the games; you can find the schedule of different events or watch highlights.

Bosquet has a Night Owl Special on Thursday, February 20. If you ski or snowboard, a lift ticket from 3pm to 9pm will be available for $10. If neither of those is for you, a two hour tubing ticket is available for the same price.  This is a link to a video if you're wondering what tubing entails or what their track looks like.

I hope you guys enjoy your vacation and aren't indecisive about how to spend your time.

-Veronica