How's life?

I don't know about you (no, I'm not feeling 22) but springtime from January-March is always THE busiest time of the year. Everything happens to culminate during these months- exams, auditions, tests, applications, and what not. And it doesn't help that your teachers pile on more homework and essays and final exams and science fair. As for me, I've been struggling with all this homework (including this blog which I'm writing at 12:48 am right now), an essay due, and a couple of tests. But thank the science fair lord that science fair is over now. Yes, it was interesting and I learned a lot about arches, but it took a lot of time. To deal with all of this work and not crumble under stress, you must learn how to manage your time management. Here are some basic tips to help you survive the cruel spring months:

• Prioritize what you need to get done. Ask yourself questions like: When is this due? How long will it take me to complete? As for me, I complete the most urgent things (aka it's due tomorrow I can't procrastinate anymore) that take the longest time first. Complete short and easy assignments between long assignments as breaks.
• Organize yourself. When you have time, organize all binders, folders, books, backpacks, pencil boxes, lockers, and any other place where you happen to cram junk in. 
• Write yourself a schedule. Plan out how you will spend your afternoon, distributing the required time for each assignment or task. Don't spend too much time on one assignment and make sure you do not forget anything. Also, try to stick with one schedule. For example, if I play piano, do homework, and eat dinner every day, I would stick to one schedule with an allotted time for each task.
• Time yourself. Make sure you stick to your schedule by timing yourself. Don't use your timer to pressure yourself into finishing an assignment quicker, but take note of how much time you've used for an assignment. If you have a similar assignment due the next day, learn from the previous day to allot the correct amount of time for each assignment.
  
• Work on self-discipline. I know it sounds crazy and irrational and you're probably thinking that I'm not your mom and I shouldn't be treating you as a little kid, but self-discipline is very important. The average middle-aged person spends 3.2 hours a day on social media. Not counting Youtube, TV, and all the excess time wasted at dinner. I know it's hard to stay away from Facebook and Instagram, but just think that once you're finished with all your homework, you can Facebook and Instagram all you want or get some extra sleep. (I'd go with the latter, but that's just me). 
• Don't procrastinate. This is pretty hard to avoid but don't put off your homework until the last minute. The last thing you want is to be cramming it the morning of or studying for a test the lunch before your class starts. Gain peace of mind by trying to complete your assignments a day or two before the deadline. Also, you tend to remember more information (as for a test) if you sleep on it, not figuratively.
• Write deadlines. The other last thing you want is to miss a deadline and pay a late fee or $20 for postage. This also goes with organizing yourself- make a journal or write on a whiteboard all the deadlines for applications for summer programs, high school, and college. This helps you remember and be prepared for deadlines that seem to come too quickly.

So how's your life going this spring? Are you busy like me, or relaxing? Post a comment below- I would love to hear how your lives are. I hope these tips help :)

Best,

Liv

Really, Sochi?!

Now that the 2014 Winter Olympics is in full swing in Sochi, Russia, let's have a nice little recap about all the ups and downs and upside downs of it. 


Hotel Rooms...

You would think that with $51 billion, Sochi could at least get itself some good hotels, pillows, and a well-equipped Olympic Village. But no, you thought wrong. Sochi's hotels for journalists and athletes alike are still un-finished, bursting with construction noise day and night. There's potentially toxic water flowing from the hotels, and water that's almost yellow. There are no curtains, no floors, no Wi-fi, no heat, no safe drinking water, no hot water (or water that's clean for that matter), and no extra keys. There's a lack of beds and even the world's best and richest athletes have to squeeze onto twin-sized beds or share a bed. And then there are the broken lifts that strand Olympians in the middle of the building, double-toilets, and doors with doorknobs that don't work. And the extreme shortage of pillows for unexpected athletes at the Winter Olympics. Here's a nice little tweet for ya: "Most people lay their head down on a pillow and dream of someday being an Olympian. Olympians lay their head down and dream of someday having a pillow." And who can forget the American bobsledder Johnny Quinn who pushed down his bathroom door because he was trapped inside without a phone that could call? (3 days later, he got stuck in an elevator, the poor guy). C'mon Sochi, at least get your Olympians somewhere nice to sleep. 

Johnny Quinn stuck in an elevator & his broken bathroom door

Stray Dogs?

I really did not expect this, but Sochi has a problem with stray dogs. As these strays wander around Sochi, they have wandered into the Opening Ceremony and barked at visitors. The City Hall even ordered the killings of the strays so they "wouldn't bother visitors." However, many athletes have taken a liking to the pups and have ordered vaccinations, medical appointments, and kennel space for them. A few are even trying to bring them home, and so can you! (visit http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/how-to-adopt-a-sochi-stray-dog--tips-from-the-humane-society-international-155456535.html)

Strays at Sochi's Olympic Park

The Opening Ceremony:

Overlook a few small yet drastic failures, and the Opening Ceremony was pretty amazing. The Russians, very proud of their heritage, put on a spectacular performance celebrating their history. Happily, little inflated onion domes like those St. Basil's Cathedral dance around.

Dancers in front of the onion domes of the Russian Orthodox Church.

After, some of the world's best ballet dancers from the Bolshoi and Mariinsky come together to perform Tolstoy's "War and Peace".

Ballet at Sochi

And then a little disturbance from the hijack attempt to Sochi from Ukraine. Then, the usual parade of athletes, an Austrian who fell on his face on his way down the ramp, and Bermudans in their Bermuda shorts in 6 degree weather. Completely normal. Real snowflakes and 5 large digital snowflakes float down over the performers, and the 5 are supposed to transform into the Olympic rings. A neat idea, and pretty cool, when it actually works. (Only 4 transform, but they photoshop-ed it in the Russian broadcast). 

4/5 snowflakes transform into the Olympic rings...

A 10-year old girl named Lyubov (Russian for "love") recites the Cyrillic alphabet with the name of an influential Russian for each letter. She then floats through her dream, suspended by wires hung from the huge Fisht Stadium. 

We are shown a beautiful snow scene, with an impressive choir. Then, the Russian army sings their rendition of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky". I'll just say it was interesting...
Overall, the Opening Ceremony was spectacular- with great dancers, actors, singers, and performers. (just overlook that one snowflake ;) 

Sochi's 3 cute-yet-creepy mascots

Have fun watching the 2014 Winter Olympics! Leave a comment below on how you think the sports or anything from the Olympics are going.

Thanks for reading,
Liv