By: Olivia Knafla

A common issue with distance learning that I’ve noticed, in both my life and the lives of others, is having a messy room. You would think that since we spend so much time in our rooms now that they would be cleaner, but sometimes the opposite seems to be true.

I believe that having a clean space to work, and think, is a great first step to making distance learning, and homework in general, a bit easier. So, in this article I will be sharing the ways that I have found to be the quickest, and most effective, when it comes to cleaning up my room.

1. Make your bed. Considering your bed is often the focal point of your room, making sure that it looks neat and orderly makes all the difference. Start by taking off your sheets and blankets (and washing them if necessary) and then put them back on in a way that looks organized. After that, add your pillows, or whatever else you like to put on your bed, and your room already looks ten times better.

2. Pick up clothes from off the floor or other surfaces. I can’t speak for everybody, but I know that when my room gets messy, more often than not, there’re clothes all over the floor. If you can relate to that, start by picking up the clothes that you know are dirty and putting them in some sort of pile or bin. When you have enough, you can wash them (and if not, you can at least have them separate from your clean clothes).

After you have picked up your dirty clothes, take your clean clothes and hang them up or fold them (depending on how you organize your clothes). Once your clothes are all put away, you’re ready for the next step.

3. Get rid of food or drinks. If you have snack bags, plates, water bottles, or any other related items piling up in your room, this step is essential. Depending on what you actually have to put away, take care of it appropriately. For example, take old plates and cups to the dishwasher or sink, and take snack bags or leftover foods to either be thrown away or put back in their place.

4. Clean up trash. For all the food wrappers, old papers, napkins, and other disposable items in your room, get yourself a plastic bag, or a garbage bag, and get to work. If you have recyclables in your room as well, separate them from the trash and dispose of them as you normally would once you have collected all of it.

However, don’t get rid of that trash bag just yet. I’ve found that keeping it until you’re sure you’re finished cleaning your room helps avoid extra trips to your nearest trashcan, which means you can clean much more efficiently.

5. Put back misplaced items. Do you have school supplies all over your desk? Do you have random items from around your room scattered across your floor? If that’s the case, now’s the time to put them back in their spots.

Personally, I like to go around my room in quadrants, focusing on one section at a time so that I know everything is cleaned thoroughly. I also find it’s easier for me to focus on one section as opposed to an entire room.

6. Vacuum or sweep the floor. By now you should have your floor cleared enough to be able to clean it, and that’s exactly what you’re going to do. Of course, the way in which you do this will probably differ depending on if you have a hard floors versus carpet, but the idea still remains the same.

Even after picking up and putting away the bigger things, little crumbs or tiny pieces of trash are easy to miss, and on top of that, hard to pick up with your hands. It’s crazy how much of a difference this seemingly little step can make, but I promise that it can make worlds of difference.

7. Wipe down surfaces. You’ve reached the final step! Yay! To finish everything off, take a wet paper towel, or some sort of disinfectant wipe, to clean off the surfaces in your room. This step is especially important in the midst of the pandemic, so make sure that you’re disinfecting your room as regularly as you can manage.

If you want to take it a step further, you could always dust or clean your windows to make your room look that much better. Once you’re satisfied, sit in your room and admire your hard work! Maybe grab a snack or drink some water! You earned it.

This has been my complete guide on cleaning your room quickly and efficiently Of course, everybody’s room or living space is different, but I feel like this is a decent baseline when it comes to organizing your life. Now, go clean get your room cleaned!

By: Joxery Mezen Camacho

Meditation is one of many ways that people are able to relieve stress. Daily meditation helps lead to a clear and energized mind. So, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of meditating! 

Be open-minded.

When you go into meditation, it may take a while for you to find what works for you. There are different types of meditation, with different types of positioning, or sometimes even movements. Try to stick with what makes you comfortable. 

Be patient. 

One of the hardest things to do is to stay patient. It may take time for you to truly begin to feel as though you’re benefiting from meditation. This is normal, and expected, because you can’t always get everything perfect from the get go. 

Slowly ease into it.

In order to get the best out of your meditation session, try to slowly relax into it. This will raise relaxation and allow you to focus better as you meditate. You can try to relax into it by taking a few deep breaths to wind down your body. This will cause your body to feel safe, secure, and ready for meditation! 

Limit your movements.

As you are meditating, try not to move too much. Moving may be distracting and can take away from your experience. If it’s your position that is making you restless, you can try readjusting it and get comfortable. But make sure not to let your position become too much of a distraction! 

Acknowledge thoughts and feelings.

Meditating can help you get a good grasp on, and better understand, your thoughts and emotions. So, when you’re meditating you can acknowledge that you are having these thoughts and then try to bring your focus back to your breathing. 

Ease back into your day. 

At the end of your meditation, try to slowly get back to your day. Slowly begin with moving your fingers, toes, and then your hands and feet until you’re able to get up and move about. Easing back into your day will help you feel better throughout the day. 

By: Anna Hisle & Lizzy Woxland

What is the LOA/Manifestation?

According to Psychology Today,’ The law of attraction (LOA) is the belief that the universe creates and gives you what your thoughts are focused on, or what matches your energy/vibration levels.

Everything in this world has atoms that are vibrating and producing energy.

That being said, we ourselves are vibrating and putting out energy as well. The higher your vibration/energy level is, the happier you’ll feel. If you’re feeling more down/sad, your vibration and energy levels would be lower.

It is said that “like attracts like.” Positive thoughts result in positive consequences, but negative thoughts result in negative consequences.

Basically, you attract what you feel. You are going to attract events, circumstances or things that align with your energy levels. Therefore, if you are feeling super happy and you feel like things are going super well that means that you are vibrating at a high energy level and are most likely attracting positive things at that higher energy level. And vice versa, if you are feeling really sad or angry, your vibrations will be moving slower and more negative things will be attracted.

If something or someone makes you happy, you’ll want to focus on that energy and surround yourself with it because it will raise your vibrations which will lead you to attract more and more positive things.

The law of attraction is always going. Even though you might not realize it, your smallest thoughts are attracting things.

How to practice manifestation

You practice the LOA through manifestation. Manifesting is what lets you achieve your goals/thoughts. When you manifest something, you are attracting it to you.

Manifesting is turning your thoughts into real life.

– Journaling

One of the main ways to attract things into your life is by journaling.

By writing down your thoughts and feelings, you release good energy and attract good things. Not only is journaling healthy for the mind but also helps uplift your mood and raise your vibration.

Also, by writing things down you are putting them out into the universe. By putting thoughts into the universe, you will receive back what you sent out.

Some great ways to start journaling is by creating a routine. Maybe you journal in the morning when you wake up, or before bed at night. Just create a routine that works for you and it will be much easier.

Some journaling exercises to make yourself feel more positive are writing things you’re grateful for, your affirmations, or even just writing your thoughts.

– Affirmations

An affirmation is a statement where you declare something to be true. When said in the present, saying positive, uplifting statements into your subconscious mind will make you feel empowered.

By repeating these affirmations everyday or as a routine, you will eventually attract what you want.

– Visualize

Another great way to manifest something into your life is simply by visualizing it. Think of what you want to attract, close your eyes and imagine it like it is happening right at that moment. You’ll want to focus on your emotions and let them take over you.

By focusing on your emotions and focusing on how you’re feeling, you are putting a signal out into the universe. The signal saying that you already have what you want will actually attract it.

– Meditation

When you meditate, you take time to focus on yourself and your thoughts. This raises your vibration. Meditating helps you visualize and have your vibration align with the vibration of your goals.

If you’re not sure where to start, there are many guided meditation videos on youtube, and apps that you can use.

– Be positive

Speaking to yourself positively and having a positive mindset not only makes you feel better, but also releases a positive energy and vibration out into the universe. This leads to others attracting your positive energy.

Having a positive mindset will make you, as well as your peers, more positive. This will not only allow you to attract good things but also the people you surround yourself with.

There are so many resources to help you get started with manifesting. You could go on Youtube, find books to read, go on Pinterest, and so many other websites. Most of all, have fun with it!

There’s no wrong way to manifest. Just be casual. Overthinking, or thinking about your desires 24/7, will delay them. Don’t overfocus.

Examples of how its worked for others

Celebrities who use the law of attraction:

A lot of celebrities have recently become verbal about their success stories with the law of attraction. One of the most well known, and prominent, celebrity that talks about the law of attraction is Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah openly talks about how she believes she has attracted many things she’s wanted into her life. She also more specifically believes that it was her using the law of attraction that got her, her very first film role. Oprah said in an interview, “We create our own circumstances by the choices that we make and the choices that we make are fueled by our thoughts.”

Another celebrity who advocates for the law of attraction is Jay-Z. He says he focuses on the law of attraction a lot when he talks about his future in his lyrics. This is actually very common in songwriters, specifically rappers.

A lot of rappers will talk about their future saying that they’ll become famous and have a ton of money with the intention that the universe will give back those positive vibrations. Jay-Z is very vocal about the law of attraction and states how, it changed his entire life and he strongly believes you create your own luck.

For more information, please visit:

• “Celebrities And The Law Of Attraction Success Stories”
• “Journaling for Manifesting”
• “The Truth About the Law of Attraction”

By: Jimmy Somerville

Today I am asking the question: Is it worth owning an in ground pool in 2020?

Having a pool in your own yard is something many people desire and want. It can cool you down, give you something to do, you can play in it, exercise, chill, and there are many other things you can also do with a pool.

But everything comes with a cost, and pools are rather expensive, and are a pain to take care of. You also have to close the pool up and open the pool in the different seasons and other annoyances.

According to Homeadvisor.com the average cost of an in ground pool is an astounding $51,509, with basic maintenance needs of the pool adding on an extra $1,200-$1,800 yearly. Other utilities and repairs can also be an extra $2,000-$3,000 yearly. As you can see by these statistics, buying a pool isn’t cheap, whatsoever.

Now, what may surprise you, is that actually, my house does have an in ground pool, so my family does own one. In Minnesota, we use it from late May-early September, so we get around 3.5 months of use. During those months, we use it pretty regularly and often have pool parties.

Now, I don’t know how much of a financial burden this on my family exactly because I don’t know my parents salaries, and other things, so as a kid I obviously like having the pool and I think it’s worth it. But if you were to ask my mom if it’s worth it, she may say “No,” and if you were to ask my dad if it’s worth it, he’d probably say “Yes.”

To answer my title question then, it really depends on your own family because if you guys really like water and swimming, and you have a lot of money, then it’d probably be worth it. But if you aren’t into swimming, and don’t have as much money, it probably isn’t worth it. It all comes down to preference.

Quite a simple answer.

-Jimmy Somerville.

By: Grace Blumer-Lamotte

I asked a freshman, a sophomore, and a junior what is the difference between mental health and mental illness.

The freshman said mental health is taking care of all 3 areas of your health, physical, mental, and emotional health. They said they weren’t quite sure what mental illness was.

The sophomore said that mental health is your emotional state, and how you feel at that specific time. They said mental illness is different from mental health because it is a problem that may need therapy or medication.

The junior said mental health is you being able to control everything that is going on in your head. It is focusing on yourself internally. They said that mental illness is ADHD, ADD, and more that they’re not aware of. 

What is the actual difference between mental health and mental illness? According to ‘Heretohelp,’ mental health is “Our emotions, our thoughts and feelings, our ability to solve problems and overcome difficulties, our social connections, and our understanding of the world around us.”  Mental health is allegedly just how you are feeling in the given moment. Ways to maintain a healthy mental health are to: exercise regularly, stay positive, get 8-12 hours of sleep, stay connected with others, and eat a balanced diet.

Also according to ‘Heretohelp,’ a mental illness is an “Illness that affects that way people think, feel, behave, or interact with others.” There are many types of mental illnesses such as depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, plus many more. Mental illnesses usually need a lot more attention, and they need a diagnosis from a medical professional. The people who struggle with a mental illness may go and see a therapist and get prescribed medication. Ways to cope with a mental illness are to: educate yourself about it, stay connected with friends and family, and seek support from a health provider.

As you can see, the students didn’t quite know what the difference between mental health and mental illnesses were. When I was done interviewing them, I asked them to educate themselves and others about the difference. They did so.

Now, after reading this, do you think you know the difference between your mental health and a mental illness?

By: Jimmy Somerville

Today I am asking the question: Is it worth it to get a waterbed in 2020?

I have slept in a waterbed for around a year, pretty much every night, so I will be telling you if it’s worth it or not from my own personal experience (so this will be pretty much all opinion based).

First off, I got the water bed in Christmas of 2018 because I wanted it after randomly getting the idea of wanting one. My dad thought it was a cool idea and we never really told my mom until it arrived, which she was not happy about. We found a waterbed on Amazon for, I think around $50-$60 bucks, so pretty cheap for a bed.

Filling the waterbed up was no easy task, as my dad had to buy supplies from Home Depot in order to get the water from the bathroom sink into my bed which are probably around 15 feet away from each other.

Once it was set and situated, it was very comfortable, and felt really good, although it felt strange at first lying on it as water was moving around and I could hear it.

I believe it is noticeably comfier than a normal mattress.

One complaint I had is that we didn’t want to buy a waterbed heater because that would get expensive, so I layered the water bed up with a couple blankets and I still got slightly cold by the chilly water.

Eventually, I wanted to move out of my brother’s room into my own room, so I had to leave the waterbed, but part of the reason I moved was because my lower back started hurting, which I thought could be because of the water bed. Once I switched beds, my back did stop hurting after a month. It could’ve just been a coincidence, because it was never any serious pain but I think the water bed was at least a partial cause of the back pain.

To answer my original question, I do believe it can be worth it to get a waterbed because it is very comfortable and surprisingly cheap, but it can get annoying easily and it may have caused back pain for me, but actually, many websites say it is supposed to help relieve back pain, so who knows.

At the end of the day, I’d rather sleep in a waterbed over a regular mattress 4 times out of ten, so technically, I prefer a normal mattress. And we never bought a frame for the waterbed, so it sort of rounds at the side of it which I imagine made it less appealing and perhaps less comfortable.

Thanks for reading!
-Jimmy Somerville

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.laspine.com/waterbeds-for-back-pain-pros-and-cons/

By: Grabe Blumer-Lamotte

According to MentalHealth.gov their definition of mental health is, “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act.”

If you experience certain mental health problems over the course of your life, your thinking, feelings, behavior, and mood could be changed. There are many factors that can lead to mental health problems, including: biological factors such as genes, and the way your chemicals in your brain work; life experiences, like trauma and/or abuse, and finally, any past mental health problems in your family. 

Some early symptoms, according to MentalHealth.gov, can consist of, “Eating or sleeping too much or too little, pulling away from people and usual activities, having low or no energy, feeling numb or like nothing matters, feeling helpless or hopeless, smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual, feeling angry, upset, worried, or scared, yelling or fighting with family and friends often, experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships, having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head, thinking of harming yourself or others, inability to perform daily tasks.” If you have any of these early symptoms I strongly suggest talking to a trusted adult about making an appointment with your doctor to talk about them. 

Everyday people that struggle with mental health problems are often told: that they are “faking it,” “it’s just a mental thing,” “that is something you decide to have,” and many more little comments that are very degrading to the mental health community. Making those comments not only hurts the person you said it to, but it also makes the mental health community less important. You are stating that everyone that has a mental health problem is just faking it and they can just fix it right away.

If you are in need of help the numbers given below could help save a life.

• National helpline, 800-662-HELP (4357)
• Child abuse, (800) 422-4453
• Suicide Prevention hotline, (800) 273-TALK (8255)
• Rape, Sexual Assualt, Domestic Violence, and Incest helpline, (800) 656-HOPE
• Eating Disorder helpline, (800) 931-2237
• Planned Parenthood hotline, (800) 230-PLAN (7526)

By: Joxery Mezen Camacho

Our brain is full of many different chemicals that control and impact our nervous system. There are over 100 chemicals in your brain and every single one is important for your brain to function! I am going to talk about four important chemicals in our brain that can lead to an increase in happiness and how to increase them to help you get in a better mood! 

Dopamine 

The first chemical is dopamine. This chemical is meant to help motivate you to go forward and complete big goals and tasks! Dopamine is a kind of reward chemical and these are just a few ways to increase it: 

• Completing a task (big or small)
• Eating food
• Filling in a checkbox 
• Celebrating small wins 
• Doing self-care activities 

Oxytocin

The next chemical is oxytocin. This chemical is what causes humans to be such social creatures! The feelings of happiness it releases during positive social interactions is something that drives us to be social! It also helps fight stress and improve your relationship! Here are a few ways to increase oxytocin: 

• Playing with a baby
• Hugging your family and friends 
• Playing with a dog
• Giving a compliment 
• Opening up emotionally 

Serotonin

The next chemical is serotonin. This chemical is known as a mood stabilizer which can also lead to feelings of happiness! A few ways to increase it are: 

• Getting bright light from the sun
• Meditating 
• Exercise
• Massages 
• Spend time in nature

Endorphin

The final chemical is endorphin. This chemical works to relieve pain and stress! A few ways to increase endorphin chemicals are: 

• Watching a comedy
• More exercise 
• Eating dark chocolate 
• Laughing exercises 
• Essential oils

These four chemicals are very important and play vital roles in our brain. The ways listed to increase these chemicals are all natural and things anyone can try. Some may work better than others, so give them all a try and see what works the best for you!! 

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.happyfeed.co/research/4-brain-chemicals-make-you-happy