SENIORS! Time is flying! First quarter is over… You know what that means? You’re already shaping your future!

A lot has happened: You’ve probably already applied to some colleges, retaken SAT/ACT, request-ed letters of recommenda-tion, turned in community service forms, rehearsed, performed, displayed art work, attended class…. I hope you’re feeling accom-plished. You’ve done SO much!

This issue is designed to help you stay focused. With so much going on, time is going to seemingly pass before your eyes. What happens when “time flies”? We tend to look so far ahead that we neglect what is right in front of us. Have you felt as though you’re neglecting some-

thing or someone in your life? What is the one area where you could be more focused? Take a moment to reflect on your senior year so far….

With so much happening, the School Counseling Office wants to remind you to focus. What is your number 1 right now? What should be your number 1?Take some time to write down your priorities:

1) ____________________

2) ____________________

3) ____________________

4) ____________________

5) ____________________

You’re probably thinking this part is a little silly…It can really help to write it out! Give it a try!

It’s time to FOCUS!

Stress and Time Management

Stress can affect us in ways that we don’t always recognize. Think about how you personally handle stress. Do you handle stress or does stress handle you? Inside

you’re going to find some tips on how to handle your stress! You’ll also find tips on time management. I am sure that we have all wished for more hours in the

day… Since we can’t create time, let’s fig-ure out how we can effectively manage the time we do have!

Fall Senior Points to Ponder

What are your academic goals?

What is the one class that you dislike the most? Contact that teacher and ASK how you can be more successful!

What is your next application deadline?

What is your favorite way to relieve stress?

Stress Management 2

Time Management 2

Decisions, Decisions 3

Transition to College 3

Your School Counselor’s Contact Information 4

AP Scholars Program 4

Things to remember 4

Inside this issue:

Cla

ss

of

20

18

Volume 1, Issue 2

Fall 2017

Page 1

Studying at the same time every day can help. Set an effective time for yourself and stick to it!

Study for a focused 40-50 minutes. Studying for 10 minutes here and there isn’t going to cut it. Set your-self up for success.

Make use of your traveling time to and from school. Could you be stud-ying?

Prioritize. That subject your strug-gling in should be your top priority! Focus there first and then move on. You’ll feel better once that work is out of the way!

Choose carefully what you do in your down time. Be sure that you are giving your brain the much needed break that it deserves!

Eliminate distractions in your study space. Yes, this means you should turn off your phone and step away from the internet and tv!

Change up your study space so you don’t get bored! Make sure you have good lighting and a chair that isn’t TOO comfortable

Music is OK, but make sure it is helping you and not hindering you!

1. Identify the sources of stress in your life.

2. How do you currently cope with your stressors? Take some time to think of your thoughts, emotions and behaviors at times when you are stressed. How is this different from when you are not feeling stressed?

Once you’ve identified these things, remember the 4 As:

Avoid the stressor :

Learn how to say no. Being a “yes” person can be stressful. What is one area where you are comfortable saying no?

Avoid people who stress you out. Are you hanging out around “drama”? Try spending less time around those indi-

viduals.

Try writing down your to-do list as “shoulds and musts”. This could help save you some time and relieve the stress of having so much to do!

Alter the stressor :

Express your feelings instead of bot-tling them up. Find effective ways of communicating your feelings to those around you.

Be willing to compromise. Be flexible. Take a step back and ask yourself how you can change to make a situation better.

Adapt the stressor :

Look at the big picture and try to re-frame the current problem. How does this fit into your big picture?

Focus on the positive. Choose where you spend your energy. Refocus onto the positivity in your life!

Accept the stressor :

Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. We can’t control the behavior of people around us, but we can control how we react.

Learn how to forgive those who have hurt you. Holding onto a grudge can cause ripple effects into our daily lives. Resentment can build up quickly — be sure that you are expressing yourself and communicating with those around you so that you aren’t stuck stressing over some thing unnecessarily!

Most likely, you will be accepted to mul-tiple universities. If that’s the case, I’m sure you’re wondering, “Which one do I choose?” We talked about self reflection in our classroom visits… it’s that time again. As people, we are always chang-ing. Maybe you’ve changed from the time you submitted your application. Take some time to really reflect on the next steps in your life. Is this the best school for you? Will it fit all of your

You may have heard back from some of your college applications already… Good news, I hope! The main type of decisions that you will hear are:

Accept—You’re IN

Defer– They need more info. Updated transcript or a new test score.

Deny– You’re not in… Time to reflect on your Plan B (thankfully you’ve talked to your counselor and have a Plan B)!

needs? Try not to base your decision on where all of your friends are going. This is an individual decision. This is YOUR future. Make sure that you are focused on what really makes sense for you. If you feel like you need to talk it out, come see your Counselor!

Make sure that you update acceptance information and your final decision in your Naviance account.

Page 2

Time/Homework Management tips! www.timemanagement.com

Stress Management www.HelpGuide.org

Decisions, Decisions

“Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world.”

Nelson Mandela

CLASS OF 2018

V OLU ME 1, ISS UE 2 Page 3

Transitioning to College blog.campussplash.com

People often refer to the transition from high school to college as the beginning of a new chapter in your life, but it is a task that requires much more effort than the simple turning of a page. From choosing the right roommate and dorm room decorations to planning out your first semester schedule, there is plenty to stress about. But, by following a few simple tips, the process does not need to be all that stressful.

Branch Out Whether you are going to college in your hometown, or several states away, don’t be afraid to branch out from your high school friends. While sticking with what you know often seems more comfortable, expanding your network of friends never hurts. It may even lead to finding your future spouse or business partner.

Surprises Aren’t Always Bad Especially when going to an in-state university, high school friends have a tendency to want to room together. Some find success going this route, but it is not always the ideal setup as living with an old friend can place undue stress on the friendship. Choosing to be placed with a random roommate avoids complicating old friendships, and while there are plenty of roommate horror stories, they really aren’t as prevalent as they may seem. Another alternative is to utilize so-cial networking and roommate-finder websites to find a roommate that you do not know, but has similar interests to you, and you can even chat with them before agreeing to list them on your housing contract. Regardless, choosing to room with someone you do not already know is a great way to start building that on-campus network.

Know Your Limits Throughout high school, many people find themselves partaking in as many extra-curricular activities as possible, from sports to service organizations, in an effort to build that college application resume. While getting involved in activities and causes that you feel passionate about is great, remember that college courses tend to demand much more of your time outside of class than high school classes, even those that granted college credit. As such, try to focus on one or two student organizations until you get adjusted to how much time you will need to dedicate to coursework. Being involved outside of the classroom should never interfere with your grades.

Balance Your Course Load The worst way to begin a college career is swamped with too much work, so be sure to take advantage of the many re-sources available for gauging the requirements of a course before registering. While at orientation, the upperclassmen that serve as your leaders are often the best source of information on classes. They applied to lead orientation groups be-cause they want to help, and they love to talk about the courses they have already taken. Many websites, such as ratemy-professors.com, also provide grade distributions, professor reviews, and estimated work loads of courses for most major colleges and universities, which can be great indicators of how enjoyable a course will be.

If You Need Help, Just Ask Many people always talk about how many students’ college professors have and how they really don’t care who you are or how you are doing in their course, but in many cases that is not true. Professors are there to help you succeed, and are paid by your tuition and fees, so they are generally willing to work with you if you reach out to them. The best way to do this is by going to their office hours. Many students fail to take advantage of this time professors set aside each week for the sole purpose of discussing issues with their students, and taking this initiative often makes them much more receptive to assisting you with whatever you may be struggling with.

Eric Pait is a member of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s class of 2014. Double majoring in Photo-journalism and Peace, War, and Defense he interns for reesenews, a digital news publication powered by students at the UNC-CH School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and serves on the Lobbying & Advocacy sub-committee of Advocates for Human Rights, a committee of the UNC Campus Y.

Your School Counselors

KATHY ANDERSON School Counselor, 9-12, A-F, ext. 119

mortensenk@duvalschools.org

ALLIE ARMSTRONG School Counselor, 9-12, G-M, ext. 117

armstronga@duvalschools.org

SHANEKA FERRELL

School Counseling Department Chair School Counselor, 9-12, N–Z ext. 116

ferrells1@duvalschools.org

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

2445 San Diego Road

Jacksonville, FL

Career and College Search Tools

bigfuture.collegeboard.org

Floridashines.org

Naviance.com

What is the AP Scholars Program?

The Douglas Anderson Advanced Place-ment (AP) Honors program is a rigorous academic program where students take at least six specific AP courses: World His-tory, US History, English Literature, Eng-lish Language, one AP science and one AP mathematics course.

All students in the AP Honors program who complete the required courses will get a special seal on their diploma.

Students who earn a passing score of 3, 4, or 5 on six (6) AP Exams will earn the District Advanced Placement Honors Certificate.

Students who score a three or higher on three or more AP Exams will be granted the AP Scholar Award by the College Board.

Interested students should pick up your application today from a counselor and return to the school counseling depart-ment as soon as possible.

Things to remember: Keep Senioritis at bay! Don’t let your-

self lose your motivation. Keep your eyes on the prize! Colleges can re-scind college admissions.

If you have received a college ac-ceptance offer or scholarship award letter/email, turn in a copy to your Arts Director.

Naviance: Update final decision in-formation (accepted, denied, de-ferred) in your Naviance account

Apply for Bright Futures if you have not done so already. You can lock yourself in for the scholarship if eli-gible now and you apply before end of the semester. See your counselor for help.

Scholarships: Contact prospective college/university Financial Aid offices to inquire about any in-house scholarships they may have. Visit the counselor’s corner blog for scholar-ship applications and links

Phone: 904-346-5620

Where Art and Academics meet in

excellence!

Follow our Blog!

douglasandersonguidance.blogspot.com

Page 4