The Wise Old Jayhawk: Advice Column

Charlotte Shamia:

How do you build a snowman?

This is a tough one because the last time it snowed in Oakland was in 1976, and I don’t think we’ll be getting snow here anytime soon. But, summer is coming, so you could go to the beach and build a sand-man! Instead of rolling snowballs, make some beach sand balls like you’re building a sandcastle but cooler. I’d recommended accessorizing with some sunglasses and seashells to give it that Californian vibe.

How do I parallel park?

If you want to practice your parallel parking skills, you should first find a spot with plenty of space on a street that isn’t busy. Pull up next to and a little bit behind the car in front of you. Don’t forget to signal! Turn your wheel all the way and start backing up. Once your car is about to hit the curb and you’re mostly in the spot, pull forward and center yourself. If you need to, you can always pull out of the spot and try again.  

Everyone seems to always be doing so many things at once (straight A’s, sports, volunteering, being the lead in musicals, publishing essays/articles/novels, etc.). What if I haven’t done anything remarkable?

In the high-achieving environment at the School, it’s definitely easy to feel the pressure to excel in every area. I think that most people ask themselves “am I doing enough?” or compare their accomplishments to their peers. But, the truth is that not every path to success involves a specific checklist of accomplishments. Focus on doing what is meaningful to you and what makes you happy, and try not to compare yourself to others’ “highlight reels.”

What is the best way to balance free time/breaks and school work?

I think that it’s important and helpful to separate break time and school work time. Trying to do your homework and watching a movie at the same time is just going to make the homework take longer than it should because you’re distracted. I would recommend setting aside time to just focus your attention on only work (for example, free periods) and to also make sure you give yourself time to take breaks and do things that you enjoy.

Dillon Hong: 

How do you build a snowman?

Asking this question as a high school student is somewhat concerning, but I’ll still explain. A snowman will consist of 2 or 3 snowballs, different in size, with rocks and other things around you as extra decor. What you need to first do is to tightly pack snow into a ball and then start scooping snow from your hands and make the snowball’s outer layers bigger. If there is snow on the ground, you might be able to start to roll around the snowball on the ground which does the same thing as packing snow with your hands. If it doesn’t seem like it’s working and when you roll the snowball it breaks, it means that you haven’t packed enough snow on the outside. After the snowball building stage, once you have your 2 or 3 snowballs, you need to stack them in order with the biggest on the bottom and building up. It can be optional if you want to add decor but highly encouraged. 

How do I parallel park?

I would avoid parallel parking at any cost, but as an elite car park-er, I’ll still give you my guidance. First, you need to first drive your car and align your window with the car that is in front of the parking spot you want to park in. Once you are aligned, you should turn your wheel all the way to the right and then start to back into the spot. At this point, looking into the right-side mirror is key. How close your car tires are to the curb will determine when you need to turn back left so your car can straighten out. If you are trying to park into a tighter spot, you may need to go forward again and then backward and may have to repeat this process a couple of times. Again, if there is a spot open that doesn’t require parallel parking, you should just go for that one. A little walking doesn’t hurt.

Everyone seems to always be doing so many things at once (straight A’s, sports, volunteering, lead in musicals, publishing essays/articles/novels, etc.) so what if I haven’t done anything remarkable?

First off, don’t devalue yourself and your purpose because you’re not doing anything remarkable unlike some of your peers. It’s important to know that in the future, everything done in high school most likely won’t really be important or matter as much as you think. Comparing yourself will only do more harm than good. Remember everyone like you is on their own path. Also, know that you don’t have to be a part of everything and don’t stress about it too much. If you want to do something and you feel that you are kind of lacking in extracurriculars or anything school related, try to find an activity, organization, or movement that you feel very passionate about or simply just become an academic weapon and step up your game. Keep in mind that giving your 100% energy and effort to two things is better than 50% effort on six things. 

What is the best way to balance free time/breaks and school work?

The best way is to plan your days out on an online calendar or just any calendar that works for you. You also need to know yourself and your work habits. If you are a night owl then plan work for later in the night and have a nice 1+ hour period after school to decompress. There is no reason for any student on this campus to only do work every single time they are not doing something. I like to plan my work on a google calendar so I know what and when I need to work. I also like to give a 15 minute cushion in between assignments so I can have a transition period between assignments.