Guest article by Nicholas Randall of StudentSharp Stress while studying can affect all of us to the point where we pace like a wound-up toy, nervously gulping coffee and browsing Facebook in an attempt to run away from it all. Luckily, that doesn’t need to be the case. Learn these 5 ways to reduce stress while […]
Guest article by Nicholas Randall of StudentSharp
Stress while studying can affect all of us to the point where we pace like a wound-up toy, nervously gulping coffee and browsing Facebook in an attempt to run away from it all. Luckily, that doesn’t need to be the case. Learn these 5 ways to reduce stress while studying and you’ll be on the right path to a relaxed, focused, productive workflow.
#1 Way to Reduce Stress: Green Tea
Green tea has been touted by many as a panacea for stress reduction, weight loss, cancer defense and more. One study found that participants exposed to l-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, had lowered blood pressure compared to placebo and caffeine groups and also reported lower Tension-Anxiety scores. Also, a study from Japan showed that drinking five cups of green tea a day might reduce the incidence of psychological distress by 20 percent. The l-theanine amino acid in green tea helps promote alpha brain waves, which contribute to a relaxed, alert state of mind. Also, there’s much less caffeine in green tea than competing drinks like coffee, which make it a good choice if you’re trying to reduce caffeine for stress as we’ll cover later.
Green tea makes you feel like this
#2 Way to Reduce Stress: Meditation
Another great way to shift your brain wave patterns toward the slower, calmer alpha and theta states is through meditation. Lighter meditation practice results in alpha waves, which are a sign of deep relaxation. More advanced practice can result in theta waves, which increase a feeling of connectedness with the universe and well being. Also, meditation can decrease self-centered thinking and depression and anxiety, which can certainly help promote more focused studying. Meditation doesn’t need to be hard: all you have to do is sit or lie down comfortably, and attempt to clear out all thoughts from your mind as they come in for as little as five minutes.
Just relax like this cat
That’s mindfulness meditation- there are other types, too. So take a short break from studying and meditate to “sharpen the saw” i.e. become more efficient.
#3 Way to Reduce Stress: Exercise
Add exercise to your weeks for a stress-busting effect. Exercise releases endorphins, which basically make you feel good and reduce pain, similar to morphine. It also reduces inflammation in the brain and promotes the growth of new blood vessels and brain cells. It can improve memory and concentration, as well. Exercise can be as simple as taking a walk, or can be as involved as swimming or lifting weights. Choose what works well for you.
#4 Way to Reduce Stress: Reduce Caffeine
Some people may feel that caffeine makes them more productive, or puts them in a better mood. Actually, it’s a drug with identifiable peaks and valleys of mood and concentration, and once hooked, you rely on the drug to even feel normal. Too much caffeine increases anxiety, which is why downing those espresso shots while studying isn’t such a great idea. Also, it increases cortisol (the stress hormone)’s levels in the body, which can lead to weight gain among other complications. The common advice is to drink four or fewer cups of coffee a day, but even that much is enough to cause dependence, so be careful. I try to stick to at most two cups a day and might switch over to green tea for the long haul.
Does caffeine make you feel like this?
#5 Way to Reduce Stress: Use Fewer Technology Distractions
Do you find yourself checking your phone or your email constantly, not wanting to miss out on any notifications, likes, messages or updates? This behavior may be contributing to your stress level. A study referenced here found that students who were the most used to using their phones were the most anxious when deprived of it after only 15 minutes. Another study said about the same thing, and a large percent of responders said they didn’t like the way they were attached to technology. Besides that, being accustomed to funny/shocking/interesting material can make studying seem almost unmanageably boring, so you might consider reducing the time you spend online to promote good study habits. Check out this video that explains technology distractions and the Attention Economy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50R21mblLb0
That’s all! Did you like the list? Did you find yourself relating to any, or maybe all of it? These behaviors tend to go in tandem with each other, but the more you start establishing healthy study habits, the easier it’ll get. For my personal wellness and productivity, I follow all of the suggestions I wrote about and I know they definitely help me. Share your thoughts in the comments, or share this article if you liked it or you think it could help someone! If you’re looking for SAT Prep, check out StudentSharp’s Ultimate SAT Guide.
Recently, Long Island Regents Prep teamed up with PrepIT, an online test prep platform and marketplace where students and teachers can purchase and sell review materials. We’re licensing our AP US History, AP Macroeconomics, APPsychology, AP Calculus AB, and AP Biology material to PrepIT, and they’re available for purchase at prepIT.io. Their Product PrepIT is […]
Recently, Long Island Regents Prep teamed up with PrepIT, an online test prep platform and marketplace where students and teachers can purchase and sell review materials. We’re licensing our AP US History, AP Macroeconomics, APPsychology, AP Calculus AB, and AP Biology material to PrepIT, and they’re available for purchase at prepIT.io.
Their Product
PrepIT is a web based test preparation platform that serves students, teachers, and course authors. Gathering meaningful data on student performance is a time consuming task for any teacher. With the PrepIT platform teachers can create review courses for any subject and share it with their students. As students interact with the course, data is aggregated and shared back to the classroom teacher and students, providing guidance on areas to focus more attention. In addition to these features, teachers and students are able to buy pre-made courses for a variety of subjects. These courses have been written by approved authors. Last year we tested our data tools with 4,000 AP Government students and 150 teachers.
Their Team
Mike Clancy
Mike Clancy is an AP Government and AP US History teacher in Muscatine, Iowa. He has been teaching for nine years and has experience at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. His idea for PrepIT was inspired by his students love of class trivia games and the teachers need to prioritize review time on student weaknesses. Before teaching in Iowa Mike taught internationally in Vietnam, and also served as a Teach for America corps member in Kansas City, Missouri. Mike received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and a Masters in Education from Rockhurst University in Missouri. Mike also completed a graduate certificate program in educational technology from SUNY, Buffalo.
TJ
TJ McDonaldhas been working in education since 1999 after earning an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa. He
moved to North Carolina in 2001 and worked in the training group for high tech companies such as IBM and Lenovo. Eventually he became a certified program manager, PMP, at Global Knowledge which is the world’s largest learning solutions provider. During this time his client list included Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Citibank, and the New York Stock Exchange. While in North Carolina he also earned an MBA from NC State with a concentration in entrepreneurship and technology.
We Write Code
We Write Code builds outstanding digital products, but we’re more than just a good software development company. We’re passionate about helping our clients bring their ideas to life.
Our team has spent years shepherding clients and their ideas from “napkin sketch” concepts to scalable, leading-edge products. We believe the best technical solutions start with collaboration and trust. We believe in the power of well-written code, but technical excellence alone is not enough. We believe good development is interactive, flexible, and highly-personalized, with clearly defined checkpoints and frequent iterations to provide feedback and value along the way.
Based in Des Moines, Iowa, we partner with companies worldwide, both large and small. No matter the size or scope of your project—from startup product planning and early demos to ongoing development and product support—our goal is to help you define the technical challenges and build a product that best suits your business needs, both now and in the future.
We love building innovative products for our clients, and we have a lot of fun doing it. When we’re not crafting creative code, you can find us brainstorming at the nearest taco stand.
When we ask ourselves what students can do to prepare for standardized testing, there is one simple answer: “Read, read, read.” Here follow four pivotal questions students should think about, attempt to answer, and make changes in their reading life to be better prepared academically. Why do I need to read to do better on […]
Reading for Pleaure…and for Test Prep
When we ask ourselves what students can do to prepare for standardized testing, there is one simple answer: “Read, read, read.” Here follow four pivotal questions students should think about, attempt to answer, and make changes in their reading life to be better prepared academically.
Why do I need to read to do better on standardized tests?
The single most important thing you can do to prepare yourself for all standardized tests is to spend a reasonable amount of time, every day reading!Why?Reading definitely increases your vocabulary; it builds and improves all your language skills; it adds a great deal to your ability to analyze any problem in any content area.It has the ability to provide you with important background knowledge for any subject. Reading also builds your own confidence by empowering you to talk about people, places, and events.In addition, it’s great to read language as it is used by authors.Furthermore, reading the writings of others is an excellent way to help you improve your own writing!Developing a reading routine—meaning spending a reasonable amount of time reading everyday is truly the daily vitamin that will make you a stronger test-taker in every subject.
What should I read?
Novels can definitely be great reads.They can stimulate your imagination.They can give you insight into the human condition.They can help you understand conflicts and resolutions.And there are so many types of fiction that you can read—historical fiction, science-fiction, detective and mystery fiction, horror fiction, romance, etc.And those genres are not restricted to novels.There’s an entire universe of short stories out there on every possible theme!
But when considering becoming a better student and preparing for standardized testing the best answer to the question, “Should I just read novels?” is, “Absolutely not!”Biographies, autobiographies, and non-fiction are under-appreciated for their excellent value to us.For one thing, they are among the richest source of factual information. Biographies expand our content knowledge when we read the lives of figures in any field of life’s endeavors—figures in history, explorers, scientists in every scientific field, mathematicians, musicians, artists, athletes and so on.There is no better way to understand these fields than through those whose lives have been dedicated to them.And in biographies and non-fictions, we may come to understand how others have overcome obstacles, dealt with tragedy, faced handicaps, fought for human rights, etc.These works are loaded with extremely valuable life lessons.Through these works, you can also increase your own self-discovery; you will likely see the world in new ways; you will come to new understanding of current affairs, history, politics, and physical and mental health.Biographies, autobiographies, and non-fiction have the capacity to make you a better, more knowledgeable, and more aware individual. They are a treasure trove of knowledge which can only help you be a better student and be better prepared for standardized testing.
How can I make myself more likely to read regularly?
Whether you’re reading books electronically or in print, there is something to be said for owning your own personal library at home.It doesn’t have to be large.It just has to be yours.That’s what makes it rich!It will help you remember the great books you’ve read—and their authors.It will motivate you to pick up a book and read.It will serve as a resource for your writing and other assignments.Although there are no rules for a personal library, here are some suggestions of what it could consist of:
Books you’ve read, loved, and want to hold onto, or hand off to a brother or sister.(Think of it as your own personal collection!)
Books you want to get around to reading one of these days.
(If the books readily accessible, it greatly increases the likelihood of your reading them.)
Books on a favorite topic of yours.
(They don’t have to be masterpieces.They may be books on music, sports, animals—whatever you’re interested in.)
Books you can refer to.
(A few textbooks and reference works can be very helpful in doing assignments and projects.)
Once you have your own personal library, you’ll be amazed how easy it’ll be to grow it.
How do I know if I’m reading enough?Should I read a certain amount every month?
There probably isn’t one answer to this question; if you can list your five favorite books as well as name your favorite author or authors, you very likely have an excellent reading background.If not, it’s a sign that you need to read more books and discover authors who speak to you!This can become an academic and intellectual goal.It won’t take long, and it will make you a more intelligent individual who is better prepared academically.
There may even be a more practical reason for knowing your favorite books and authors.For a college interview, will you be able to answer such questions as, “Who is your favorite author?” “What are you reading these days?” “What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?”The interviewer will learn a great deal about you from that answer!
Long Island Regents Prep Announces 2015 Regents, AP, and SAT Review Classes Long Island Regents Prep, which offers Regents, Advanced Placement, and SAT review classes in all major subjects, has announced its 2015 course schedule. Their courses are designed and taught by certified and experienced teachers who understand how to prepare students for their exams […]
Long Island Regents Prep Announces 2015 Regents, AP, and SAT Review Classes
Long Island Regents Prep, which offers Regents, Advanced Placement, and SAT review classes in all major subjects, has announced its 2015 course schedule. Their courses are designed and taught by certified and experienced teachers who understand how to prepare students for their exams and how to reduce the anxiety that comes along with high-stakes testing.
Over the past five years, Long Island Regents Prep has helped nearly 2,000 students in New York prepare for their Regents, AP, and SAT exams. In other words, their teachers have provided approximately 12,000 hours of class instruction. Because Long Island Regents Prep offers exceptional test preparation, their course registrations continue to grow at rate of almost 200% each year, largely due to word-of-mouth recommendations.
Since 2009, Long Island Regents Prep has offered one-day Regents review courses for each of the major subjects, including Living Environment, Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics, Global History and Geography, United States History and Government, Integrated Algebra, Algebra 2/Trigonometry, and Geometry. Each class covers essential subject matter, offers test-taking strategies, and reviews practice Regents questions.
In 2013, Long Island Regents Prep decided to expand its course selection and begin offering Advanced Placement review classes in AP United States History, AP World History, AP European History, AP US Government and Politics, AP Psychology, AP Calculus AB, AP Biology, AP Physics B, AP Chemistry, and AP Environmental Science.
Last season, Long Island Regents Prep introduced SAT Crash Courses, one-day review classes offered the weekend before each spring SAT exam. There are three courses to chose from: SAT Critical Reading/Writing, SAT Math, and SAT Math/Critical Reading. All SAT Crash Courses will be taught by certified teachers who attended elite universities and excelled on their standardized exams. In addition, courses will include a custom SAT workbook that students will use during the class and bring home with them.
Long Island Regents Prep Long Island Regents Prep was founded in 2009 by Michael Graziosi, Brad Seidman, and Dr. Dennis Urban, full-time social studies teachers on Long Island, New York. After preparing hundreds of their own students for NY State Regents Exams and AP Exams, they realized that students sometimes needed review beyond what was offered in the classroom. So they have created clear, concise, six-hour review courses that provide students with the content, skills, and confidence they need to excel on their standardized exams. Finally, all classes are taught by experienced, highly-qualified, New York State-certified teachers in comfortable, state-of-the-art classrooms on the campus of Farmingdale State College, a State University of New York (SUNY) institution of higher learning. Students can register online quickly, easily, and securely by visiting http://liregentsprep.wpengine.com.
AP Review Classes –May 3 & 9, 2015 (9:00AM –4:00PM)
Long Island Regents Prep is excited to be participating in the Suffolk Spring College Fair, sponsored by Western Suffolk Counselors’ Association. The College Fair will take place on Monday, May 5, 2014, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Students will be able to visit representatives from dozens of colleges and register for SAT and Regents review courses offered by Long Island […]
Long Island Regents Prep is excited to be participating in the Suffolk Spring College Fair, sponsored by Western Suffolk Counselors’ Association. The College Fair will take place on Monday, May 5, 2014, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Students will be able to visit representatives from dozens of colleges and register for SAT and Regents review courses offered by Long Island Regents Prep. In addition, we’ll be offering on-site registration discounts and raffling off a free SAT Crash Course and Regents Review Course! Please stop by our booth to find out more about our courses! Here are the details:
Suffolk Spring College Fair
Monday, May 5, 2014
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Huntington Hilton Hotel, Melville NY
Directions: Take Long Island Expressway East to Exit 49S (Rte 110 South / Broadhollow Rd.) Turn Right at end of ramp onto Rt. 110 S / Broadhollow Road. Proceed 2 miles to the corner of Spagnoli Rd and Broadhollow Rd and the hotel is on the right.
We are excited to announce that Long Island Regents Prep will begin offering SAT Crash Courses in spring 2014. Due to the success of our Regents and AP review programs, and in response to the positive feedback we’ve received from parents and students, we are expanding our review course catalog to include one-day SAT review classes. We […]
We are excited to announce that Long Island Regents Prep will begin offering SAT Crash Courses in spring 2014. Due to the success of our Regents and AP review programs, and in response to the positive feedback we’ve received from parents and students, we are expanding our review course catalog to include one-day SAT review classes. We will be offering three options:
– SAT Math
– SAT English (with Writing)
– SAT Math and English
As with our Regents and AP prep classes, SAT Crash Courses will be one-day, six-hour sessions held at Farmingdale State College. In addition, students will receive a custom Long Island Regents Prep SAT workbook. Classes will be taught by certified teachers who attended elite colleges and excelled on standardized exams. Registration will begin soon. In the meantime, visit Long Island Regents Prep for more information and to join our email list. Also, find us on Twitter @RegentsPrep and on Facebook.
