Katie Jayne Tutors-Senior Blog March 2022

Covid hit hard in February and March and with the easing of social restrictions, the follow on meant that many more people caught the virus. However with teenagers now having their vaccinations and the older and more vulnerable receiving vaccine booster number four, it is clear that the vaccination programme is here to stay.

We all hope that you and your families have managed to get through this period well.

Seniors are now in the thick of exam prep or university applications; it can be quite a stressful time with deadlines looming, but a good clear schedule always helps to keep you on track. We chat to a friend of the Katie Jayne team to find out how you can help yourself stick to timescales, hit deadlines and live the next few months a little more stress free.

We had to comment on the recent report on how social media is affecting the happiness of our seniors and what can be done to limit exposure to vulnerable feelings amongst 13-19 year olds.

As always we love to hear from you and would really appreciate feedback on what is helping you with the juggling act of being a young adult and what you would like help with. Our team are a great resource and often know a great life hack which could really help.

Thanks for taking the time to read the blog this month.

See you next time.

Katie and the team

Nature in Communications recent UK study on the affect of Social Media on happiness for teens

The BBC recently reported on this latest study highlighting the affects of social media. This is not the first time Katie Jayne has reported on this topic, with it being one of the most controversial aspects of today’s world for our younger generation. The report suggests that the more time girls aged between 11 and 13 spend on social media, the less likely they are to be satisfied with life a year later. This is scary news but also something that we can all do something about.

The UK study, in Nature Communications, shows that there is a similar pattern for boys aged 14 to 15, and 19-year-old boys and girls.

Vulnerability has been pointed out as the catalyst with Scientists speculating that social media at these ages could be directly linked to brain, hormonal and social changes during adolescent development. Research continues and more work needs to be carried out in this area, but researchers at Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, say social media companies need to share more of their own data with scientists to allow further research.

This sharing of data has been an issue since the beginning of social media; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram to name a few, have been in the press many times, with ex members of staff coming forward to highlight how social media is used to create an addictive usage, with teens talking about the feeling of vulnerability, the feeling of having to compare yourself to others and feelings of inadequacy.

But these feelings can be controlled by the subtle change in how you use your social media. Gradually weaning yourself away from the constant posting of an event or reading and keeping up with those that you are following is controllable. Our experience has shown us that it is possible to do the following to help you manage your own social media usage so that it makes you feel good about who you are without feeling as though you need to keep up with friends, or that you do not need to have hundreds of friends.

So our life hacks are as follows:

Remove notifications from your social media channels

Move your social media apps to a page on your phone which is not front screen

Choose the times that you are willing to spend on social media, say from 5-6pm so that social media is not interrupting your real life

Don’t follow anyone that is not of interest to you, makes you feel sad or have feelings of depression

Remind yourself that real friends are the people that you see, care about, spend time with and that make you feel good

Remove anyone from your social channels who makes you have feelings of low self esteem

Remind yourself about your own personal security and that of your family and friends, do not add personal information

Try to go a couple of days without posting

Go on a nice day out with friends and don’t post pictures of your day

Giving some or all of these life hacks a try will help you to control your use of social media. Do not let the use of social media take over your life. Remember you can pick up the phone and speak to someone rather than messaging them, it is always nice to hear a friendly voice rather than to read a quick message.

There are helplines for anyone suffering with feelings of low self-esteem or depression due to the use of social media – you can contact:

Anxiety UK

03444 775 774 (helpline)
07537 416 905 (text)
anxietyuk.org.uk
Advice and support for people living with anxiety.

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

0800 58 58 58
thecalmzone.net
Provides listening services, information and support for anyone who needs to talk, including a web chat.

Hub of Hope

hubofhope.co.uk
A national database of mental health charities and organisations from across Britain who offer mental health advice and support.

NHS Go

nhsgo.uk
NHS app with confidential health advice and support for 16–25 year olds.

Keeping Fit:

This keep fit advice comes from one of our favourite websites – WebMD (Doctors use this site, so we know it is good) – Thanks to WebMD for this entire piece on helping teens to keep fit.

Teen Fitness Tip 1: Build Slowly

Children who aren’t used to exercising may only be willing to tolerate a little physical activity before wanting to quit. So start with small steps, such as a 10-minute walk every day after school. If the thought of exercising every day seems overwhelming, start off with walking every other day. Add a minute more of walking each time, and have them track their progress.

Setting small goals like this is important with kids. Seeing the minutes add up can help boost their motivation. You might also set up a contract with them that offers rewards for racking up more minutes.

Teen Fitness Tip 2: Make Screen Time Count

All the time you spend in front of a TV or computer is time you are not being active. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours a day of watching TV or playing video or computer games. So set a limit on screen time.

Teen Fitness Tip 3: Make Workouts Enjoyable

The best exercise program is the one you will actually do. Do you like nature and animals? Check out local outdoor clubs or organizations that sponsor outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and bird watching. If you like martial arts, dancing, or gymnastics, look for classes that would interest you at your local YMCA, school, church, or community center. Even activities such as drama can get you out of your chair and off your bed.

Remember, any movement away from sitting counts. That includes chores inside and outside the house. Schedule a cleaning hour, pulling weeds, trimming hedges, or doing volunteer cleanup at a local park.

Teen Fitness Tip 4: Consider Weight Training

Strength training, or resistance training, may be a good activity if you are not yet used to aerobic exercise. A 2009 study showed that doing resistance exercises three days a week can significantly lower body fat and increase muscle, strength, and power in obese children.

It’s not necessary to join a gym to do strength training. You can do push-ups and crunches, lift weights, or do exercises with resistance bands at home for little or no cost. Just be sure to talk with your doctor before you start a strength training regimen.

Teen Fitness Tip 5: Encourage Participation in Sports

If you enjoy watching sports, your family and friends may want to join in. If you are not used to exercise you may benefit from joining a sports team that is grouped by skill instead of age. If you find team sports uncomfortable try a sport such as cycling or running.

And it’s a good idea to talk with the coach to get a feel for your style. A good match can mean a win-win situation for everyone.

In the end, remember that developing an active and healthy lifestyle is not a race. You are more likely to get there by taking it one doable step at a time.

Educational Activities

ICT KS3

Saving your work

Physics KS3

Energy in the home

Maths KS3

Working with Fractions

Drama

Joining the National Youth Theatre

Keeping you on track…

It is such a busy term, the summer brings with it; summer balls, sports day, end of year drama productions, exams, UCAS applications, revision to name but a few. Many of these events seem to all happen with days or weeks of each other so what can you do to help yourself?

Our life hacks may help…

Try to organise yourself before time, so if you are going to the summer ball, go and buy that new suit or new dress now, don’t leave it until the last minute, or take your outfit to the dry cleaners so that it is hanging in the wardrobe all ready to go.

Utilise your time well, use our two for the price of one idea; if you have lines to learn then record them and when you are taking a shower or travelling in the car use this time to rehearse.

Listen to revision podcasts on the bus or whilst doing your ironing.

If you are struggling with a topic at school or exam prep go to your teacher now, ask for help, join in a revision club to motivate you, don’t leave it until the last minute.

Your support network are all there to help you; ask parents, siblings, friends for their help when needed.

How To Stick To Deadlines

Look At The Big Picture. … get a good calendar, know all of your deadlines so you don’t get caught out.

Take Care Of The Little Things. … buy those birthday cards, pay those bills, ensure you have the right equipment around you.

Prioritise Your Tasks. … What must be done and what would you like to do – two very different things.

Make That Deadline Famous. … write the deadlines down, put them in your phone, tell others so they can remind you.

Count Backwards From The Deadline Date. … give yourself plenty of time, even give yourself a few extra days or a week so that you can put the item down and come back to it after having had a few days break, you will surprised the difference this makes.

Work Little And Often. … with plenty of breaks and water, exercise and snack breaks.

Know when you are procrastinating and stop … it sometimes helps to stop, walk away and come back a little later on, refreshed.

Have A “No Excuses” Mentality…… nothing else needs to be said here.