EOC relaxation

Being in class all year then having to take a test over everything you’ve learned since the beginning of the year takes a toll on people. Not taking the time to have fun and relax has been known among students to cause extreme mental breakdowns and a complete lack of a social life. Having some ways to escape the reviewing can be a lifesaver.

            Slip N’ Slides are a very easy way to have a great time. Making a Slip N’ Slide is very easy. Simply spread a tarp out over a grass yard and douse it with soapy water. That’s all it takes. Just whatever you do don’t put the tarp on top of rocks.  Gather friends and spend the day launching yourself down the path to happiness.

            As cliché as it may seem, exercise through sports is one of the best ways to let of some steam. Wall-ball, dodge ball, and street hockey are ways to passively aggressively get out anything that might get in the way of doing the best you can on your tests. The elbowing, jostling, and all around belligerence of sports will drain you of your anger.

The most obvious thing to do would be to sit outside and listen to some of your favorite music. What’s great about music is that you can listen to it while playing sports and sliding around. Whether you like smooth jazz or heavy metal, music can take the edge off a rough day.

EOCs can be rough, but don’t let them get you down. You can fight back by just taking a break. Get out there and have some fun.

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference

             The NBA postseason has officially begun and the NBA playoffs are about a week into play. Both conferences have boasted great bouts between teams all battling for one common goal; that goal being the 2013-2014 NBA Champion. The Eastern Conference of the NBA has showcased games of toughness and defense between teams such as the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards. The first round games have been entertaining so far and are sure to become more entertaining as the weeks go on.

         The #1 seeded team in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers, start the first round off playing the #8 seeded team, the Atlanta Hawks. The Pacers and the Hawks met four times in the regular season and split the games 2-2. Both teams hit slumps in the final stretch of the regular season, but both managed to get it together when it counted. The Hawks took Game 1, 101-93 behind Jeff Teague’s 28 points and Paul Millsap’s 25. The Hawks lead in the series would not last as the Pacers won Game 2 on Tuesday night, 101-85. Pacers forward Paul George had a double-double in Game 2 by scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while Pacers center Roy Hibbert continues to struggle shooting 1-7 from the field, scoring only 6 points.

         The Miami Heat, the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, plays the #7 seeded Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats have been irrelevant for the past few seasons. The last time the Bobcats made it to the playoffs was in the 2009-2010 season and the Orlando Magic swept them 4-0. The odds of them knocking off the 2-time defending NBA Champion Miami Heat are slim to none. Heat forward LeBron James has averaged 27 points and 7 rebounds in the series so far. This has been one of the many factors of why the Heat are currently up 2-0 in the series.

         Like the Charlotte Bobcats, the Toronto Raptors are another team that has been irrelevant the past few seasons when it comes to playoff basketball. The last time the Raptors made it to the playoffs was in the 2007-2008 season and they were bounced out in the first round by the Orlando Magic, 4-1. The Raptors made it to the playoffs this year as the #3 seed and are currently playing the #6 seeded Brooklyn Nets in the first round. In the regular season, the Nets were plagued by injury. Nets players such as Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Deron Williams all missed multiple games in the regular season and Nets center Brook Lopez suffered a season-ending broken foot in December. The series is currently tied at 1-1 and is expected to go to at least six or seven games. Can DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors take a series lead over Joe Johnson and the Brooklyn Nets in Game 3 on Friday night? We will see.

         In my opinion, the most intriguing first round playoff bout in the East has been the #4 seeded Chicago Bulls and the #5 seeded Washington Wizards. John Wall and the Wizards have taken a 2-0 lead over the Bulls. Both of the Wizards’ wins have taken place on the Bulls home court and could potentially go for the sweep, as Game 3 and Game 4 will take place in the Nation’s capital on the Wizards’ home floor. Most analysts have the NBA Defensive Player of Year, Joakim Noah, and the Bulls taking the series in seven games, but the Wizards have been playing on another level. The Wizards have been so great that I have predicted them to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals to play against the defending champion, Miami Heat. 

Twitter: @OddKingz

Summer Trip Preparation

   1.    Do Your Research- You have to know where you are going and if they have certain guidelines or traditions. For example, during certain months in Paris, France, they close many shops and attractions. Before you spend money and time traveling, you want to know if all the attractions are closed. This will also help you plan out some things you want to do while you are on your vacation.

   2.    Pack Lightly- This is hard to do, especially if you are a girl, because you want to be prepared for anything and everything. What might help is knowing what the weather will be, knowing what you are going to do there, and knowing if you are going to dressy or casual places for meals. Try just packing the clothes you will wear. It can be hard to decide what you would want to wear, but if you have to pack lightly. If you are taking a plane or riding with several people, you have to pack lightly.

   3.    Update on Travel- You have to be updated on all the construction detours, so you are not shocked and lost when you see all the signs. Also, if you have a GPS you need to make sure it is updated because sometimes they do not update on their own. If they are not updated, they might lead you down a closed road or a road that does not exist anymore.

Alex Warner

How to Stay Focused In the Last Weeks of School

When the last weeks of school approach, the two things on everyone’s minds are EOCs and summer vacation. Since these are the main focuses of the last month or so, it is important to not get stressed, but also to not be consumed in thinking about what is going to happen over the summer. The best thing to do is prepare for tests wisely, and to think about summer after tests are over and done. Here are some tips for staying focused on school during these final weeks.

1. Get Lots of Sleep- This is probably the most important thing to do during “test season.” When taking tests, it is important to be alert and focused. It is easier to concentrate when you are awake and not thinking about how tired you are. Also, make sure that you get in bed at a reasonable hour (not 2 in the morning) so you are energized and well rested.

2. Eat Healthy- It is always important to eat healthy, especially when you need to be extra focused.  When you are doing homework or studying for a test and you get hungry, grab something healthy instead of junk food. Eating healthy offers many benefits, such as having more energy and being more alert. These advantages are helpful when taking tests because they allow you to focus more on the schoolwork than the feelings of being hungry or tired.

3. Relax – Don’t stress! The key thing to remember during all of these tests is to not freak out. These assessments are important, but they are easier when you prepare for them. Stay calm! Don’t completely shrug them off, but don’t get so worked up about them that you make yourself crazy. Stressing only makes things worse, so keeping a level head makes it better for everyone involved. Good ways to relax are listening to music, and taking short study breaks. Studying gets harder as time passes, so take some breaks in between topics to clear your head. 

Ashlee Holtzclaw

@acoleslaw98

                                                             

ROTC

South-Doyle High School’s JROTC program provides a way to further self-discipline, gain responsibility, and give back to the community. People of all kinds can join JROTC and find camaraderie and a sense of pride they didn’t know they had.

            Colonel Bill Woodcock has taught ROTC at South-Doyle High School since 2003. “Most of what we learn in ROTC is life skills.” Life skills including financing and insurance are taught. Community service is a key aspect of JROTC. Students recently attended the Kids Run and Knoxville Marathon, handing out water to runners as they passed by. The students in JROTC are given uniforms and taught about the military’s creed. Recently at s Mountain Lake League competition South-Doyle’s rifle team took first place. Freshman ROTC member Warren Carnes said, “Its fun, getting to compete against other schools and seeing who’s the best is something I really enjoy.” Students enrolled in the class are given the opportunity to move up in rank and compete for medals against classmates and other schools.

            ROTC isn’t just a military class that gets you in shape. It’s a class that teaches about respect, loyalty, and discipline.