Mrs. Law's Lexington Junior High Blog

I recently watched a live Q&A with Dr. Laurie Santos. Dr. Santos teaches courses on the psychology of happiness and well-being at Yale University. In the video below, she shares a lot of useful and practical information regarding these strange times.  Click HERE for the video! Here is a description and outline of the topics covered (complete with time stamps if you do not have time for the entire video).  "We’re living in an unprecedented time as COVID-19 impacts lives everywhere. As we navigate and adjust, how can we manage the many emotions we’re feeling? Dr. Laurie Santos hosted a Facebook Live Q&A to help us all find ways to cope and process. The video covers the following topics: Reducing tension in a relationship while sheltering in place (1:11) Consuming news without increasing anxiety (3:24) Supporting healthcare workers and helping them prioritize self-care (5:19) Remaining positive when living alone (8:51) Staying focused and producti...

This is not your typical holiday post. For many people, there is a dark side to the season of hope, joy, parties, presents, food, etc. It comes in the form of memories, guilt, anxiety, loneliness, stress, and grief. Lately, I have seen the quote "It's okay to not be okay". No one is happy all of the time. No one is grateful all of the time. We have bad days, bad seasons, bad years. And that is okay! It is okay to be sad, it is okay to not want to listen to holiday music, it is okay to not put decorations up, and most importantly, it is okay to seek help. This season, love yourself and take care of yourself! Local Resources 33 Forever Richland County 211 Resources/articles (some fun, some serious) for dealing with holiday grief! Everything You Wish You Didn't Need To Know About Holiday Grief 64 Tips For Coping With Grief At The Holidays

Music and Mood Music has a great deal of power.  Sometimes the right song can put into words just how we are feeling when we can’t find the words to express it on our own.  Other times it can transport us to another time in our life as a vivid reminder of a person, place or significant memory.  Music can even help boost learning and memory.  Think about it – when you were little you learned how to memorize information by singing songs – like the ABC song to memorize your alphabet. Music has a proven, physiological effect on your brain.  Music can bring comfort, relief, understanding, and enjoyment.  It can help relieve stress, reduce anxiety, celebrate successes, and build enthusiasm.  (There are so many examples of the impact that music has in our lives, but think about a big sporting event and the music playing before the start of the game… it definitely serves a purpose beyond just adding noise!)  Sometimes it is the tone, beat, or rhythm...

Procrastination Procrastination doesn’t mean you are lazy or incapable, but it does often result in increased stress levels. If you have been fighting procrastination, there are no quick fixes and, as with most things in life, what works for one person will not necessarily work for someone else so it is important to find a strategy that will work effectively for you. I doubt that any of these suggestions will be ideas that you have never heard of before, but it comes down to deciding that you want to try to make a change. So, reward yourself for progress made because it does take time to improve. Some ideas to help combat procrastination: •Plan ahead. •Break your big projects, assignments, or responsibilities down into smaller, more manageable tasks. •Commit to spending at least 15 minutes working on something that you have been avoiding. •Remind yourself that there is not going to be a better time – not tomorrow, not next weekend, and not...

Testing Tips!  We had a wonderful speaker a couple of weeks ago. His name is Bruce Boguski and he taught us all kinds of weird and fun tips on how to perform better! I would love to share some of his wonderful advice! Scent! Some scents are shown to help us perform better in specific areas. You can use this while studying, during class, and during exams! English/Language - LEMON! Burn a lemon scented candle while studying and eat lemon candy during class or the exam. Math/Science - PEPPERMINT! Not only is peppermint helpful during math/science, it also makes us alert and gives us energy. Feeling a little sluggish? Eat a peppermint! Before the test! It is important to get yourself in the right state of mind before taking a test or entering a stressful situation. Here are some things you can do that might help. Take a deep breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Your stomach should expand! Stretch. You can discreetly stretch calf muscles before and during...

Procrastination   is one of the more common problem areas that students battle. Every year I meet some students who are "master procrastinators." The reality is that some people don't mind putting everything off until the last possible second and then working like crazy to get everything accomplished before the deadline, but this can result in a lot of unnecessary stress. Procrastination certainly doesn't mean that you are lazy or incapable, but it is often a sign that something is getting in your way of completing your tasks and responsibilities. If you are interested in learning strategies for gaining control over your tendencies to procrastinate, it is important to remember that there are no quick fixes. As with most things in life, what works for one person will not necessarily work for someone else so it is important to find a strategy that will work effectively for  you . I doubt that any of these suggestions will be ideas that you have never heard of bef...

Stress Management Stress levels have been running extraordinarily high over the last few weeks.  I assure you, at some point in the near future, we will eventually have a "normal" day. The pressure and stress of enduring endless PARCC tests has been making an impact. The different lunches and weird schedules take a toll on everyone. To add to that, you are taking tests!  While the recent testing schedules is certainly not ideal, the reality is throughout our lives there will be bumps and unexpected circumstances that cause difficulties beyond our control.  It is not realistic that you will have a stress-free life, so it is vitally important that we find ways that help us to manage the stress which comes our way. What is a stress reliever for one person may not work for someone else so you will need to think about strategies that tend to work best for you.  One suggestion is to think back to other stressful times in your life and consider w...