RANTS

Sam ~ Why are students no longer allowed to eat in places other than the cafeteria? I understand avoiding peanuts and tree nuts because of allergies, but an entire ban on food is just ridiculous! As long as the teachers are willing to let students eat in their classrooms, why should students have to wait until their lunch period or until they get home to eat next?

Rachel ~ The first day of school always has a certain vibe about it. It’s super stress-free, and all you have to do is go around school, collect syllabi, and chat with friends! Even the second day of school is nice, too. But now that we’re past the opening days, I feel slumped and totally over it. School no longer is something to be looked forward to — it now feels like a chore. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind school, but the fall from the first-day high is hitting me hard.  

Sam ~ Has anyone else heard about how NA is now giving out iPads to first graders? What happened to face-to-face communication, especially at such a young age? The world might be changing, but elementary school kids need the chance to grow and learn and build friendships without screens being shoved into their faces.

Rachel ~ It’s always so awkward greeting friends that you haven’t seen all summer. The reminders of having once said “we should totally hang out over the summer” bring up the guilt of actually not making the effort. Seeing them in school does bring back a sense of normality, but it is still so weird.

Sam ~ Why did NA Technology Services decide to switch to the Tiger ID system? The new email addresses are hardly any shorter than the old ones, and they cause more confusion when trying to send emails or share documents. They also cause a password reset on many school accounts that I’ve been using for years. While the idea of having all of my accounts linked is practical, I worry about the ease with which my accounts could be hacked.

Rachel ~ I’m pretty sure summer was about two minutes long this year. Summer needs to be longer in order for people to actually get a full break.  People wonder why students are so stressed all the time .. maybe they should all go look at the school calendar! I was feeling stressed about school about two weeks before it even started. I felt pressure from my AP classes and midterms in the middle of August. What type of teenager should feel this way?

RAVES

Rachel ~ During the summer, the common outfit for me is a t-shirt, athletic shorts or jeans, flip flops, and a messy bun. I am comfortable with myself in these clothes, but getting to dress up for the first day of school really boosts my self-confidence and makes me feel really good. I’m really not a huge shopper, and I have a particular style of clothing so finding stuff can be hard. But when I find a good outfit, I feel amazing.

Sam ~ Coming back to school from the summer means catching up with old friends and making new ones, too. Being able to eat lunch with friends every day is something small that most of us don’t realize we miss until we’re back in school.

Rachel ~ Near the end of the summer, my day consisted of cello practice, chores, and cross country practice. I was trying to make plans with friends, but since everyone was just plain stressed about school, we didn’t really go out or do anything besides just talking and watching Netflix. Now that school has started, I feel like I have a purpose. I have new conversations with my friends and we work together on school projects.

Sam ~ Although they are still learning the tricks of their new technology, NASH teachers finally got updated smart boards and laptops, making lessons more interactive and easier to see. In just the time it’s taking for me grow through NA, the technology has improved so much.

Rachel ~ As a kid, I used to hate buying new school supplies. As I got older, I began to love it. Browsing the aisles of Target and Walmart for school supplies puts me in a big mood. Whenever I buy new pencils, I make a pact with myself to not lose a single one all school year … but we all know how that goes. It makes me feel important when I buy a planner and such. I also love pulling off the stickers on binders, until I pull one and it only comes of half way and leaves the weird paper-y residue on the plastic. Annoying.

Sam ~ Finally, the first few weeks of school are always the best. There’s still one last breath of summer in the air, but the school work hasn’t gotten too intense yet. After school, community pools are still open, but on Friday nights, you can go to the football games.