DEAR NANCY

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​Preventable Predicament

Dear Nancy,
I have been an art student at school for a couple of years now and I keep running into the same problem. I am assigned a project, procrastinate, rush to turn it in late, my art looks like crap, but by that time I am already assigned a new project that I’ve fallen behind on, because of the previous project and the cycle begins again. What should I do?

Sincerely,
Suffering Artist

Dear Suffering Artist,

I’m sure if you ask around there are a lot of people in the same boat as you. This is a common problem students have in all classes. There are some easy steps you can take to defeat the enemy known as procrastination, create quality work, and have a better relationship with your art class.

1.) Make the Most of It
Most art classes are given studio time. This is your opportunity to work on the assignment with the materials that are available to you in class such as your teacher and the art supplies. Instead of talking with your friends or working on other class work you should be focusing on the task at hand.

It is also important to keep in mind that artwork can not only be done at school, but it can be done at home as well. If there are any projects you can transport to and fro it would be a wise decision to do so. Don’t be afraid to ask if you can borrow some of the materials to take home. Use your resources!

2.) Set Expectations for Yourself

To make sure you are keeping up to date with your current projects and future assignments, record it. Write down the due dates in a agenda, an online calendar, or whatever else you use most frequently. If you do not using something similar, it is best to start now, because organization is key to being on top of your life in the future. Once you have these dates written out write out small goals you set for yourself throughout the duration of the project.

These goals should not be huge, like paint a whole canvas in two days, but they should start small and build up. If you miss a date does that mean you should give up hope for ever turning it in on time? No! It only means you’ll have to work a little harder. Sit down at a table, blast your favorite tunes, and get crackin’ for a couple of hours. Art is just as challenging as any of your other classes and it requires the same amount of effort and commitment as the others.

3.) After the Fact

Let’s say you follow the other two steps, but you still fell behind and missed the due date. It is all alright. Talk to your teacher and explain what actions you were taking to complete it. You should also tell him/her why you believe your work is late. If they seem understanding feel free to ask them for an extension on the due date. If you are given the extension work on the newly assigned project in class and the previously assigned project at home or vise versa. This way you will be able to keep up with the new and the old. 

Do not rush your work, because turning in quality pieces will be rewarding and will give you a sense of accomplishment. It always feels better to turn in something you are proud of!

In summary, succeeding in art class is as easy as…

1. Working when it’s work time.
2. Setting goals for yourself

                             &
     3.   Keeping your head in the game till the final bell rings!

Bringing Luck to my life

Dear Nancy,
How can I bring luck to my life?

Everybody wants to feel lucky -  people avoid walking under ladders and walk away from mysterious black cats, wear rabbits feet and wear lucky clothing, but do any of those really work?

We can’t just take a take a swig of felix felicis (the luck potion from Harry Potter) and win every sports game we play. Here are a few tips on how to really be lucky:

• First of all, be nice to people. This may sound like a bit of a selfish way for being nice, but if you’re nice, people will be nice back. Help people out once in awhile and help make people that seem down to have a better day.Of course some people may not be super fond of you anyway, but then you’ll be more likely to be happy, get friends, and maybe even get new opportunities to open up to you!
• Next, think optimistically. Being a student can kind of break you down with work piling up on you, but if you just moap about the work, it will weigh you down even more. If you get stuck doing a project or a paper, unless if you just absolutely have no time, just take a decent break. If you clear your mind, it​
  

           will be much easier to get it finished. Your brain is like a knife;              not very effective if used too much unless you take time to                    sharpen it. This will lift weight off your mind, making you at                  least a little bit happier. While it may not be “lucky”, it will                      make you feel like you could be.

• Finally, if you’re going to present something or going for a job interview, there is a really weird thing you can do. Just do a “hero pose”. Think of a stereotypical superhero posing. If you puff your chest out with your fists on your hips and your arms out, it actually releases hormones that relieve stress and make you feel more confident. This was studied by Amy Cuddy from Harvard University. Of course don’t do it right in front of the crowd or employer, you might not get the job or present well then. It’s weird but it can really work!

So this St. Patrick's Day, try these tricks to be at least just a bit luckier!

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Afterschool Programs

Dear Nancy,

I am a freshman here at Ronald Reagan High School, and I have an issue that I’m a little uncomfortable about. My friend yesterday came up to me after-school and confronted me about joining a program that starts in a few days: The Husky Howler. I’m a person that has a lot of ideas that I could express on the school’s website, but I also am shy and feel a little rushed with the proposal. I don’t know what I should do, so could you give me a couple suggestions on what I should do? Thank you,

-Sincerely,
Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for allowing me to help you through this conflicting issue, and I have thought over and come up with two solutions to help you here at Reagan.

My first and immediate suggestion would be to actually join the afterschool program with your friend. I make this the suggestion because I think that being able to express your ideas out on a public website is a huge opportunity, and is something that you clearly express in wanting to do.

One way to get over your shyness and discomfort about being around others is to stick with your friend that invited you to not push your boundaries yet, and then later go and talk to others in the program when you’re comfortable enough. Although this option I think would benefit you, you do mention that you do feel rushed about the topic, which brings me to my second option.

​This option would be to not join the club yet, and wait until you feel comfortable enough. If you’re too worried about how others will look at you and your ideas, then maybe don’t yet join the program. Wait until you feel like you are in the position where you are okay with putting yourself with other people with their own ideas and opinions. You could also use the time to plan out what you want to do on the school’s newspaper, so when you’re ready to join you are also prepared for the projects you have in mind.

These are the solutions that I have come up with myself, and I hope that they help you in deciding whether you join The Husky Howler or not.

Sincerely,

Nancy