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April Activities Highlights
T.S. Elliot wrote “April is the cruellest month” and
while this may have been a modernist commentary on the
cyclical nature of life, for those of us trying to
balance extracurriculars, classes and responsibilities,
not living a healthy lifestyle during the
pressure cooker that is April can quickly turn our own
lives into a cruel cycle of negative reactions. Spring
brings more than blossoms, plant allergies and prom.
Spring blows in college acceptances and better luck
tomorrows, tax bills, high demand sports, and students
and teachers try to prepare for the large periods of
testing coming at the end of the month and in May.
Standardized tests are at the end of April, and SATs,
SAT subject tests, and Advanced Placement tests are in
early May. The best defense for the crazy demands of
April and May is a life in balance. Check in with
yourself regularly to keep yourself healthy and well
during this month of high demand.
For April Destressin’: Concentrate on your own
levels of health and well being, check in with yourself
and look for the signs of distress that Denise Pope and
Jim Lobdell discussed with us at our SOS events.
Studies say that students can see a 15-20% drop in
scores and grades during high stress periods. For young
athletes and performers, struggling to balance school
and being an athlete and/or star performer can be a
profound struggle. Take care to not get injured, to set
limits on yourself and your time and make choices that
protect yourself and your team or cast mates.
My daughter runs track and field, but this year she
is trying to get back in shape following back surgery.
Like the old Nike slogan, her instincts and desire are
to get out there and "just do it," but coaches, athletes
and trainers caution us to exercise smart, set goals,
and follow a plan that will meet those goals. Lance
Armstrong spent less time physically biking in his
training regimen than many other of his competitors, but
he had a more effective training regimen that worked for
him and made him a champion. While our next meet, next
activity, or next play may not be the Tour de France,
the choices we make to live a healthy, effective
lifestyle are fundamentally important. Your mind and
body work at peak efficiency if you are healthy. Take
care of yourself: eat foods that build your health and
spirit, make some time with friends, build in time for
something you love, and restore your energy through
exercise and sleep.
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