Wellness Wednesday

April 15, 2020

We hope that week 2 of "Phase 2 of Learning" is going well and that you are settling into a routine. Remember to reach out to us, your teachers, or WHS administrators if you are having trouble accessing work, having difficulty with technology, or have questions. As a reminder, please check your email for information about course selection (grades 9-11) and scholarships (grade 12).

Be well and stay safe,

WHS Counselors

Take advantage of the free library/e-book resources that we have at WHS! Go to soraapp.com/library/masslibma -> Select Watertown from the dropdown menu -> log in with your school gmail.

Here are some recommendations from Ms. Piazza (if you are logged into Sora, you can click the title/link to get to the book):

American Panda, by Gloria Chao: a sweet and laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedy about a Taiwanese-American teen trying to balance her parents' expectations and her own dreams.

Payback Time, by Carl Deuker: a student reporter tries to uncover the past of the mysterious new star of the school's football team. Part mystery, part sports story, with lots of fast-paced football scenes.

And, for a bit of nostalgia and escapism, the first book in the Harry Potter series is available as both an ebook and an audiobook, in many languages, with no wait time!

Guidance Counselors will continue hosting office hours weekly. You'll receive an email on Sunday night with the Zoom information. Remember, we'll use the Waiting Room feature, so you may need to wait a little bit before we are able to chat. If you want to schedule a longer meeting, just email us! Here are office hours for next week (week of April 20):

Dr. Baker: Thursday, 10:00AM-1:00PM

Ms. Eaton: Wednesday, 3:30PM-4:30PM and Thursday, 9:30AM-10:30AM

Ms. Orpen: Tuesday, 3:15PM-4:15PM and Wednesday, 3:30PM-4:30PM

Ms. Leonard: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:30AM-12:30PM

Ms. Osborne: Monday and Tuesday, 3:00PM-4:00PM

Below is an excerpt from an article on TeenCentral, a free and safe prevention and intervention space for youth. Their site has lots of resources for students on a variety of issues related to mental health and wellbeing.

"Before all of this happened you probably relied heavily on the routines and support networks you have at school. Going from seeing your friends, teachers, counselors or coaches every day, to not having access to that all of a sudden, can be a shock to the system. And then to have that last for a longer period of time than expected is even more upsetting. It can feel very disorienting to go a substantial amount of time without having those supports in your life. Now many young people are seeing major events canceled or postponed, or wondering what will happen with them. These are extremely important concerns. They are concerns that need to be – that should be – discussed and validated.

Here are some ideas for coping with some of that stress:

• Know that it’s alright if you feel upset or scared. If you need help finding some positive ways to deal with your stress you can visit our TOOLS section at teencentral.com. There are some really great resources there to help clear your mind and remain balanced. You can also visit our HELP tab, which provides many helplines and hotlines that will connect you to immediate counselors available 24/7 who can interact immediately with you.

• While it is very important to remain up to date on the epidemic, make sure you are limiting your time on social media sites. Some media outlets can heighten your emotions and create fear where it does not need to be. The most reliable and well-researched websites in the world on the topic of COVID-19 are the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the World Health Organization (WHO). If you feel you must look up information please use these websites for the most reliable and up-to-date information and LIMIT information from other sources.

Click here for the CDC

Click here for WHO

Please avoid websites and articles that are not backed by reliable research for certain. Skip over all those posts you see on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites you use that you don’t know where the posts are coming from – please.

• Make a routine. Schools are closed. Sports are postponed. Clubs and activities aren’t running. However, it is still important to take time for the things you like to do, having fun and also rest.

• Get outside! While you still want to make sure you are taking precautions, nature is not canceled. Take a bike ride, go for a walk or hike. All of those things are beneficial to your well being and are safe to do.

• Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. How you feel physically can greatly impact how you are feeling emotionally.

• Remember it is still important to connect with friends and family. Those things can even be done during times of social distancing. Just remember to still be connected, whether that be through text, calls, facetime, Zoom or something like that. Positive relationships drive positive mentalities.

• Take this time to do the things you have been meaning to do but “never got around to it”. Write a story. Finish that painting. Put together a project. Do something every day that makes you smile and feel satisfied.

Above all and more than anything else – know you are not alone. "

For some of us, jotting down our thoughts and feelings can be a helpful way to take care of ourselves. If we're anxious, it might help us organize our thoughts and begin to identify why we're feeling anxious. If we're stressed, it might help us "get rid" of our stress by identifying it and helping us get rid of the negative thoughts, even temporarily. Try these journaling prompts created by Ms. Kim!

Do you have questions about college admissions? Wondering about Naviance? Want to get some information about SATs/ACTs? Ask your questions in the weekly survey and we'll try to answer them next week.

Also, be sure to get on Mr. Vitti's list for the next College Admissions chat (scheduled for next Thursday at 4PM). Two weeks back, we talked with college admissions counselors from Mount Holyoke, St. Anselm, UMass Lowell, and BC. We'd like to do it again next Wednesday, April 22, at 4 p.m. with some different colleges taking part this time. Would YOU like to take part? If so, please send me a note at john.vitti@headlinersineducation.org and I'll keep you in the loop.