Ways of Staying Safe in College
If you plan on attending a university in a large city, please follow these tips.
Whether you live in the countryside or live near the school, you will want to know the weather so you can be ready for the day.
Carry a little extra cash
Chances are if you go to school in the city, you will be taking public transportation almost every day. The last thing you want is to lose your bus or train pass. Carrying some extra cash is great for feeling secure. It also allows you to buy lunch if you need to or get last-minute supplies while you’re out.
Unfortunately, crime is more likely to happen in the city. Be aware of your surroundings. Keep an eye out for any strange behavior. Plus, you should be paying attention to walking traffic. Don’t embarrass yourself by running into others. Keep your head up! Keep this in mind when you are on public transportation as well.
Oftentimes people will decide to walk across the street even though the crosswalk sign says not to. However, not all of these people have the best judgement. A car may be moving much quicker than it looks or there may be a car you just don’t see. Don’t be in such a hurry. It’s not worth getting hurt!
A. Check the weather.
B. Don’t ignore crosswalks.
C. Get around now and then.
D. Don’t bury your face in your phone.
How to improve your eyesight
Since we live in a world that requires your eyes to stare at small type and images on cell phones, computers, and televisions, it’s important that you take steps to improve your eyesight.
Eyes are like any other part of the body - they need nutrition to function well. So, a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar and fatty foods will go a long way in maintaining healthy eyes.
Adjust the lighting
Keep your room softly lighted. When reading, try to keep your light source located behind you and keep the light directed on the paper or the task you’re working on.
Exercising your eyes daily will help you maintain healthy eyes. Plan to exercise your eyes when you wake up, before going to bed, or when your eyes are tired. Make sure your hands are clean and your mind is relaxed before doing eye-protecting exercises.
Examine your eyes
See your doctors regularly, based on age, health and risk of eye problems. If you have nearsightedness or farsightedness, you need treatment as soon as possible.
Since you use your eyes every waking moment, give them lots of rest and relaxation by taking breaks throughout the day and getting enough sleep every night. A lack of sleep will weaken your vision health.
A. “Feed” your eyes
B. Exercise your eyes
C. Limit computer usage
D. Rest and relax your eyes
Scientists say that hobbies can make kids smarter, healthier and even more successful when they grow up. How?
When you have a hobby, you learn new things. You have to read instructions. You look at websites, magazines and books to get more information about your hobby. More reading makes you a better reader and a better learner.
They Help You Be Creative
For many hobbies, such as building model cars and making pottery, you have to use your brain as well as your hands. We learn by doing things and by touching things. These kinds of activities make people more creative.
Having a hobby makes you feel good. Scientists say, “When you make something, the ‘feel-good’ part of your brain gets a message. It makes you feel happy.” When we feel happy, we have less stress. Too much stress can make people sick.
People with hobbies learn how to set goals and solve problems. Learning these skills when you are young can help you when you grow up. For some kids, having a hobby can be the first step to finding a satisfying job in the future.
A. They Help You Be Relaxed
B. They Help You Be Confident
C. They Help You Learn
D. They Help You Build Skills
How to deal with anxiety before exams? Here are some dos and don’ts that might help you with your exams.
Don’t arrive too early.
You probably arrive early before an exam, but getting there too early is not a good idea. When you’re reviewing with friends you might get more anxious. Instead, try to get there five to ten minutes earlier and keep yourself from talking about the exam to anybody.
Lack of sleep is a huge factor in increasing anxiety. When your nervous system is not rested, it’s too late, and this will make you anxious. Also, you will have a harder time concentrating. So, instead of studying deep into the night, you should work on getting a regular sleep pattern.
If you’ve worked hard, and you are ready, you don’t need this. Reviewing on the day of the exam might make you feel like you’ve missed out on some topics. And to be honest, if that’s the case, it’s too late, and this will make you anxious. So you had better just be rested and relaxed for the exam and do your best.
Do eat well.
Don’t forget to have a good meal. We tend to forget to eat when we’re too anxious, but eating is essential. Your brain needs sugar to function properly. You have to eat something before attending an exam. It will give you more energy and lower your anxiety level.
Before and during an exam, don’t think about the result. Stay focused on the present. You should not, think about your grades, your chances of getting into college, and your family’s opinion, etc. The only thing that matters is you and the exam. Try to separate yourself from anything else.
A. Do sleep well.
B. Do listen to your teachers.
C. Don’t think about the result of the exam.
D. Don’t review on the day of the exam.
5 . Do you want to learn something new? The following advice might be helpful to you.
● Just start!
Learn a new skill can be exciting. Sometimes the scariest thing can be simply the beginning. You may think too much, but that will make you nervous. Just throw yourself in without much thinking.
●
You don’t need to master every aspect of your new skill right away. Break it down into parts!
●
It may take you a while to improve, and it might seem like others are learning faster than you, but keep looking ahead and soon you will see results.
●
See if your friend will practice with your or ask a parent for advice. Learning from others is a great way to develop your own skills!
| A．Keep trying! |
| B．Ask for help! |
| C．Break it down! |
| D．Continue learning new skills! |
6 . How to Improve Your Focus
Studying is a skill you can improve, just like any other. In fact, your focus plays the most important role in it. Here are some effective ways to improve your focus.
Make sure the TV and radio are off. Turn your phone on silent. If you don’t need the Internet for your studying, turn your WiFi off so you won’t get distracted (分心).
Study one subject at a time instead of multi-tasking
Studies have shown that multi-tasking is not only ineffective but also stressful. You can get much more fun out of a task if you focus on it and do a good job.
Reading to study isn’t like reading a novel for fun. You have to make sure you are actively focusing on and remembering the information. As you read the material, ask yourself about what you’ve just read to check your comprehension (理解力). Take notes by writing down the chapter headings and then make a few bullet points for each one with key information.
Take an active break at least every hour.
After an hour of sitting and studying, get up and take a little break. Try to make the break last about 10 minutes so that you can go back to studying better.
Sleep is the best ingredient (要素) to help you focus. Staying up late studying on school nights is not a good idea for long-term success. Lack of sleep prevents you from focusing and reduces your ability to remember what you have learned.
| A．Stay organized with a study schedule. |
| B．Make sure you get enough sleep every night. |
| C．Ask yourself questions as you read and take notes. |
| D．Avoid distractions by limiting electronics (电子产品). |
7 . If you want to become open to different ideas, beliefs, and backgrounds, you’re in luck! There are plenty of fun, simple ways to exercise an open mind.
Listen to new music. New music can help you emotionally connect with new people, places, and things. Read more novels and short stories. A good story can put you in the shoes of someone from a different place and time. Learn a new language can also help. A new language can allow you to communicate with new people and help you appreciate new cultures.
Work on listening more than you talk. You can meet all the people in the world, but you’ll never learn anything about them if you do all the talking. Start conversation with new people whenever you can. Seize opportunities to visit new places. You don’t need to go far to get the benefits of travel. Just look for a place where the way of life is different than your own.
Ask yourself how you formed a belief. Take a look at the beliefs you hold and ask yourself, “How did I come to believe this?” Try to notice whenever you make an assumption (假设). Assumptions are a natural part of thinking but, left unchecked, they can lead to close-mindedness. When you meet new people or find yourself in new situations, pay attention to your expectations. Ask yourself if your preconceived (预想) notions shape the way you act.
| A．Meeting New People |
| B．Listening to New Music |
| C．Trying New Things |
| D．Challenging Your Beliefs |
It is bad for your health to get angry in life, but how can you control your anger? Here are some ways to deal with it.
If you expect too much and can't get it, you will be disappointed. So change what you want and need, and you are less likely to become angry.
Think of the other person—try and understand his or her position.
Why are they behaving like that? How would you feel if you were in their shoes? Can you agree to their reasons for being angry? Once you see things from their point of view, your anger many be replaced by concern (关心).
When you get angry, take a deep breath and stop the thoughts that are making you angry. Think of something happy instead, something you like and enjoy. Your anger will gradually become less.
Surround yourself with positive people.
The more people around you show that they are calm and happy, the calmer and happier you become too.
Imagine doing something terrible to the person who is annoying you and change your anger into your imagination. Then you are free to act calmly and reasonably on the surface.
| A．Change what you expect. |
| B．Think of something positive. |
| C．Read books about controlling anger. |
| D．Use your imagination, not your voice. |
