Q: Dear Simone, how do I deal with anxiety? What kind of mechanisms could help with avoiding it or dealing with it? – Jane Doe
Answer: There are a variety of options available to help people deal with anxiety. The main thing is to make sure you don’t deal with it alone.
Everybody is anxious sometimes. Ways to deal with circumstantial anxiety include meditation, writing your feelings down, setting achievable and measurable goals, or talking to someone. If you cannot leave the situation, deep breathing or the 333 rule can help in the moment.
If you have long or short term anxiety, think about exploring talk therapy, exercise, and dietary changes. If your anxiety symptoms continue to persist, consider talking to your doctor to explore your options in medication.
Q: Dear Simone, one of my classes is using Writable to have an AI to grade our essays. As a result my motivation, and therefore writing quality, has plummeted. I just can’t get myself into a good writing groove when nothing I make is actually going to be seen by someone else. Unfortunately this was apparently a department decision and not something my teacher can change. Is there any way I can give meaningful push-back against this? – C
Answer: While teachers may use Writable as a tool to help them grade, as students might use Grammarly as a tool to help them write their essay, they most likely go over your essays and grade them personally. AI isn’t always reliable; teachers know this better than anyone. Just like any AI-based tool, Writable is mostly used to save time finding obvious mistakes. EC teachers make final grading decisions themselves.
Since this is a Department Policy, if you end up disagreeing with your final grade, I would kindly address your individual teacher about this. Make sure to approach him or her with an “attitude of gratitude.” Our teachers work extremely hard to make sure that we have the best possible opportunities through the school. If you make sure to approach him or her knowing they will do everything they can to help you get a high grade, I’m sure your conversation will go in a positive direction.
Q: Dear Simone, what is there for me to do once baseball season is over? – Arturo Flores
Answer: Watch Hallmark Christmas Movies! Baseball is the thinking man’s game, so when the season is over you can finally turn your brain off and wind down with a predictable storyline. Grab your hot cocoa and your fuzzy socks to curl up with a blanket, popcorn, and a cheesy Hallmark Movie.
If you aren’t into Hallmark Movies, you can enjoy winter activities such as a Fall Festival, ice skating, or watching the football playoffs. Carve a pumpkin, go on a hayride, try Fanta’s New Halloween Mystery Flavor. Get involved in a school club so you can find new things to do. Indoor Percussion and Basketball seasons are sports that start in the Winter.
If none of these interest you, go watch Gladiator 2 coming to theaters near you on November 22 and write a review for ECHS Smoke Signals.
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