Starting a new school by Cheyenne (Desert) Starting a new school can be one of life's hardest and most awkward experiences. You moved for whatever reason — parents started a new job or they just felt like a change of scenery. Now, you’ve unjustly been expected to leave all your friends and start over completely. It sounds utterly impossible, doesn’t it? The good news is that it doesn’t have to be! Pretty much everything depends on your outlook. If you go into this new school thinking...

Finding and applying for a job By Nostalgia (Lydia) Given the current recession, finding a job has been incredibly difficult. Many countries all across the world have high numbers of unemployment; unfortunately, unemployment affects all ages and walks of life. This means that there is a lot of competition for jobs, and that you will be competing against adults who may have more experience than you. However, employers won't just be looking for experience. Employers will also look or other...

Stress free tips for going back to school By Hollie (Belle.) Going back to school after a break is definitely something that can be very stressful. Whether the break has been short or very long, returning after it is long dreaded and often unhappy for many reasons. The last minute dash to get decent school shoes when most other people have the same idea, trying to find a big enough school bag to fit all the necessary items , trying desperately to finish all the holiday homework you’d...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010). Maintaining Professionalism By Katrina (AppleTini) As we hit our later teenage years, many of us begin to hold job positions at local movie theatres, aquatics centers, restaurants, or stores. Whether you are currently working at your first place of employment for the summer, or have started working full time at your forth or fifth place of employment, it's important to maintain an air of professionalism regarding work at all...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 12 (June 2010). Which School is Right for You? by Brittany (.Brittany.) and Sabrina (Sabrina.) As we approach the end of the year, many of us face a new, and huge, decision: how to choose a college or university to attend in the upcoming year. Choosing a university to attend is not going to be easy, but if you go about things in a healthy way, it also doesn't have to be as stressful as many people make it out to be! Even if you're not...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 2 (August 2009). School and College: Being Prepared By Jessie and Katrina Starting, or going back to, school! Whether you're starting upper level school or going back for your fourth and final year, school is all about what you make it to be. If you throw yourself into learning and making friends, you'll be prosperous in school. With that said, know that now is not the time to slack off! There are a few different things about going back...

Improving and Maintaining Good Grades By: MechanicGodCreation and Katrina There comes a time in every teenager's life when their grades begin to slip below what they would like. This is completely normal, so try not to let it be too discouraging when it happens to you! The cliché of school in general is that grades do slip as one hits puberty and could be a result of several different things. Becoming a teenager can be confusing and definitely stressful; the teenage years are when all the...

Help For Writing Argument Essays By TheDragon This just is mainly advice I want to try and hand out for writing a good essay. These are just some points I've picked up along my learning journey. 1. Know Your Story or Question It's actually been proven that about 3/4 of children doing higher education (not college or university) do not actually read questions. Always make sure to read the question and to understand what they are asking. If they want you to construct an argument then...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 10 (March 2008). Exam Planning by Chazzz It’s just that time of year when all of your examinations are flooding in and you’ve got a heap of work to get done. With little time to get it all done, things can get quite stressful. It’s true; most of us procrastinate. We leave our work until the last minute, then have a mad rush to get it all together in time. This only results in stress and possibly suffering grades. While work can begin to...

Surviving Tests and ExamsBy Hyper Sonic This is written as a guide for how to cope when you're actually doing a test or exam, rather than when you're preparing for it. For a more detailed guide on coping with exam stress and preparation, please see Shaz's article. (Article found here.) Before the Test or Exam