UPDATE!

Hey everyone! How is everyone's year going????

I just want to let you all know that I am still alive and I still love getting emails so don't be afraid to hit me up :)

Anyway, about me... SO I just sent in my first college application and I'm beyond nervous. These feelings are finally starting to set in, I cannot believe that in a few months I will packing up and moving out! It's INSANE!

Chat Now!

Hey Everyone. This is a link for my new forum- I created it so that you could get opinions/ advice from other high schoolers just like you! Come Check it out and post away!

High School Forum link CLICK HERE

Q & A

Alyssa from Yahoo! Answers asked:
"Beginning Freshmen year with horrible teachers!!?"

~I just recently receiver my schedule for my freshman year in high school. I honestly thought I would get good teachers but knowing my luck I get the absolute worst. My math and Spanish teacher are the two most difficult. I talked to the upperclassmen about them and they said "good luck, she's though" and "get a tutor asap" I have freshman orientation on August 23rd to meet the teachers and get a feel for the school. Do you think I should go to guidance and simply ask for another teacher or wait till the school year starts? I'm so confused and I'm in such a sticky situation. I need help please!

My Answer:

You suck it up and deal with it. A guidance counselor WILL NEVER switch you out of a class because "you heard the teacher was horrible" and it's not because they're unsympathetic or because they are unaware of the teacher but because if they do it for you, they have to do it for everyone and at the end of the day the teacher has to teach. You need to try your hardest to stay focused and ask a lot of questions. If you feel that you are not understanding the material you ask another teacher. Keep your Guidance Counselor updated and if you do that then they will decide whether or not you will do better with another teacher.

~Remember just because someone else did a bad job in a class doesn't mean YOU will. Everyone has different learning styles and different things work for different people~

Q&A

Mariluz asked: What are some ways that I can calm myself on the way to my first day as a freshman? Should I be worried about not making friends?

Well for any grade the first day of school is a mixture of feeling from nervousness to anxiousness to excitement. Ways to ensure that you are as calm as you can be ( within reasonable limits; I.e you WILL be nervous no matter what)is to have a stress free morning and night. The night before the first day of school be sure you get a good nights sleep some tips to make sure that you get a good nights rest and a good morning are:

• Don't eat anything an hour before bed
• have a cup of warm milk ( no chocolate, the sugar will keep you up)
• Pick out 2 outfits the night before so you aren't running around in the morning
• Wake up extra early so that you can have a slow paced morning
• be sure to rinse your face with a moisturizing element to help you look your best ( I recommend morning burst from clean & clear)
• Have your bag packed
• Leave your house with a lot of time ( if you rely on transportation)
• Have a good breakfast with protein and fruit
• Most importantly remind yourself that this is only another first day of school you aren't on your way to the Olympics but just to a new school building so it's important to keep your head!

As far as the friends situation goes I'm not goin to lie and say that you will have a friend as soon as you sit down in a class but it's important for you to make yourself approachable as in say hi to the person sitting next to you and make casual conversation this is always the start to new friendships and within a well you should your first friend or a Lear an acquaintance. So long answer short, I don't think you should worry about not having friends it will happen!!

Best of luck!

Oh and everyone be sure to keep me posted on how your first days went! I'll post them, send your stories to

Thethingstoask@gmail.com

MY TOP 10 DO's and DONT's

DO

1.  Make an effort to be friendly, it's important to become cohesive with the people whom will surround you for the entire year; doing otherwise may lead to a very drama filled and miserable year.
2. Become familiar with teachers expectations. 
3. Get the number of a fellow classmate and get the teacher's email and use it!
4. Create a professional Email account- preferably with Google- this allows you to use all of the cool features such as Google docs, which is more convenient than the "old school" Flash drive/ USB drive
5. Stay Organized! Find what works for you and keep at it!
6. Get involved in clubs/ sports/ community service
7. Explore options while in high school as for what you want to do when you "grow up"
8. Maintain your grades- even freshmen year counts!
9. Look at your school's/ State's graduation requirements and make sure you fit in your classes so you can graduate on time.
10. CREATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR.

DON'T

1.  Fall into peer pressure- trust me there is a lot, you need to create a positive group of friends
2. Take freshmen year as a joke, yes it is the easiest but it is also a crucial time for you to establish what is going to help you throughout the next 4 years.
3. Be afraid to ask for help in any class
4. Do something that you would be embarrassed to tell your parents (or any trusted adult whom you have a good relationship with)
5. Depend on your teachers to hold your hand and let you know when you're failing, or missing assignments- that is on you.
6. Post your whole life on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram etc. What goes online stays there forever. 
7. Brag about what you have, it's a good way to make enemies fast!
8. Keep your enemies closer than your friends- it's a surefire way to cause pointless drama
9. Try to make a name for yourself as the bully/jock/etc. its a good way to have people not like you- including upperclassmen.
10. Lose a friend because of a relationship, you may think you're in love or that your significant other is your world, but you need to make time for friends and time to be alone, to much togetherness is the quickest way to being torn apart.

If anyone has other ideas, you know what to do! Drop a comment or email me!

More Q&A

This one from Rosa- Yahoo! Answers asks
1)what if you don't have an orientation and start the year knowing nothing about the location of the school

2) what are some sites available for sat and act studies?

3) what could you do at the beginning of the marking period to have a s?

Question number 1 is a very interesting question, honestly had never thought about it, glad she asked! This is a tough question to answer because everyone will handle it differently and there really isn't a way to get around the fact that you don't know much. Luckily the first day you will more than likely have a map of the school so that is going to have to be your bible, you get used to the school after a few days. Also, despite those whom do go to orientation, everyone will be a little lost because schedules change, classes change etc. If you get lost be sure to ask security or a teacher. As big as my school is (4000 plus students) I was fine without a map or directions after 4 days.

Question number 2 is easy to answer! There are several websites that help with both ACT and SAT prep, as long as you use these websites to your full benefit you should have a good idea on SAT/ACT type format.
SAT:  The College Board I suggest making a profile on this website ASAP, it will quickly become one of your best friends because not only does it offer a full SAT test (which will give you an idea of your official score), but it has all the resources you need for when you begin your college search.
Another website with practice SAT questions is Pro Profs
For the ACT The Official ACT Website  this is the only website I have personal experience with, if anyone has used another please share!

• Other than these a quick google search should turn up results; also a quick side note, if you have an Android or Apple mobile device (iPod, iPhone, iPad etc) you can download the collegeboard's official SAT Question of the Day app

Question 3 I am not sure what and S is (I assume its satisfactory??)but to earn good grades the biggest things are to be sure that you are organized and ask for help. I cannot stress how important these two tips are for academic and lifelong success are.

CONTACT ME!

IF there is something that you would like me to write about in a post please email me at:

TheThingsToAsk.gmail.com

Hello again! Q & A with Jazzi! :)

Hey everyone so I know it's been almost a year since I posted but of course now that my year is over I have more things to share with you, in hopes that I can help. Again, if you know from my other postings I spend a lot of time on Yahoo Answers which is always where I get the inspiration for new postings. However, this time around I'll be posting questions from around the web and answering them. If you have questions others than those which I have addressed please feel free to email me or drop a comment! Thanks guys
First question, Asked by Tawny from Yahoo! Answers
Should I graduate high school early?
My answer is no. I personally believe that skipping your senior year will be something that you will come to regret for a long time. Think about everything that you'll be missing, senior trips, senior skip day, senior appreciation day, graduating with your friends, and prom. Aside from all of those amazing thing I feel that as a junior one simply does not have the mentality, knowledge or capability of living by oneself. Think about it, a lot of people can't even drive let alone be trusted to completely make your own schedule, get your own job, etc. And finally on top of that you aren't even LEGAL; how much would it suck if you could never go to a party, a bar, or if your boyfriend/ girlfriend got arrested because they are legal, ya know? So personally I would willingly opt to stay in High School all 4 years.
Second Question, asked by Rosa on Yahoo! Answers Also, tell me more about the college admissions and important tests such as sat and act
The SAT and the ACT are tests that high school students in the US take in order to help with the college admissions process.
"The SAT is the most widely used standardized test for college admissions. The exam is created and administered by CollegeBoard. It covers three subject areas: critical reading, mathematics and writing. Students have 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete the exam. Each section is worth 800 points, so the highest possible score is 2400. The exam is offered seven times a year: January, March, May June, October, November and December. The SAT is designed to measure critical thinking and problem solving skills that are essential for success in college. The average scores for different colleges vary widely. The other standardized test accepted by most colleges is the ACT."
I took the SAT this June, and I went in cold, had not opened the book, had not reviewed, had not done anything I wanted to see how I did. Unfortunately I only got a 1470 on it, and now I am reviewing for both 
The Collegeboard's Big Blue SAT book  and the Kaplan ACT Super Busy Student's review are both good choices
The difference :
ACT questions tend to be more straightforward.
ACT questions are often easier to understand on a first read. On the SAT, you may need to spend time figuring out what you're being asked before you can start solving the problem. For example, here are sample questions from the SAT essay and the ACT Writing Test (their name for the essay):
SAT: What is your view of the claim that something unsuccessful can still have some value?
ACT: In your view, should high schools become more tolerant of cheating?
The SAT has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary.
If you're an ardent wordsmith, you'll love the SAT. If words aren't your thing, you may do better on the ACT.
The ACT has a Science section, while the SAT does not.
You don't need to know anything about amoebas or chemical reactions for the ACT Science section. It is meant to test your reading and reasoning skills, based upon a given set of facts. But if you're a true science-phobe, the SAT might be a better fit.
The ACT tests more advanced math concepts.
The ACT requires you to know a little trigonometry, in addition to the algebra and geometry you'll find on the SAT. That said, the ACT Math section is not necessarily harder, since many students find the questions to be more straightforward than those on the SAT.
The ACT Writing Test is not required.
The 25-minute SAT essay is required, and is factored into your Writing score. The 30-minute ACT Writing Test is optional. If you choose to take it, it is not included in your composite score—schools will see it listed separately.
The SAT is broken up into more sections.
On the ACT, you tackle each content area (English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning) in one big chunk, with the optional Writing Test at the end. On the SAT, the content areas (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing) are broken up into ten sections, with the required essay at the beginning. You do a little math, a little writing, a little critical reading, a little more math, etc. Will it distract or refresh you to move back and forth between different content areas?
The ACT is more of a "big picture" exam.
College admissions officers care about how you did on each section of the SAT. On the ACT, they're most concerned with your composite score. So if you're weak in one content area but strong in others, you could still end up with a very good ACT score."

How's everyone doing???

How's school treating you?? This is my first year where I have aNy type of anything. Actually this is the first year where anything is real. It's not even because of me :0 my wonderful loud mouthed friends are the cause. But hey, what can I say, gotta love them! :)

Anyone have stories they'd like to share??

Gettin Ready

Hey Everyone! I know I haven't posted in a while but I've had a lot going on, I'm starting to look at colleges so that takes up a lot of time, plus I had school shopping to do!!! Anyway I don't know how many of you have started yet, but I start this tuesday, September 6. Some tips to get you up and ready ON TIME and tips to make sure that you have a good day are:

1. Do a test run of your morning routine once or twice. So if you're like me and you start Tuesday do your test run Sunday and Monday. Now I am not saying that you should wake up at 5:30 AM to do everything but just wake up whenever and go from there. So if you wake up at 11, get up, shower brush your teeth, do your hair etc. Look at the time and see how long that takes and then add 15 minutes to that so that you can eat breakfast in the morning.

2. Make time for breakfast! Yes it is cliche but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and having the right breakfast is essential to a natural energy boost for your day. If possible try to avoid caffeine such as coffee Early in the morning.

3. Eat a fruit with your breakfast and your lunch. Fruits have natural sugars that give you energy boot durin the day. Also be sure to keep a snack or two in your bag to get you through the day.

4. Don't over eat during lunch because then you will just become full and tired. Eat what you can and when you feel full you need to stop eating.

5. Keep a pack of gum in your bag and pop it in when get to a boring class because it'll help you stay awake.