Be Studious - by Chloe

My parents are both educators, so school was always an important part of my daily life. They always stressed that it is a privilege to be able to afford a good education and that my brother and I should work hard and do our best. My parents have instilled in my brother and I the importance of being studious.

Being studious is not necessarily about getting straight A’s or graduating with honors, and studious people are not always the smartest or the “nerdiest”, they are just people who work hard and have a successful work ethic. As I have worked my way through high school and have just recently finished my first year of college, I have learned that being studious has much more to do with personal standards. I have learned that procrastinating and stress prevent me from being studious because they disable me from being able to turn in my best work. Being studious has everything to do with never settling for less than your personal best work and allowing for the time to create it.

            Here are just a few tips for how to BE STUDIOUS:

1. Work ahead: Do not procrastinate. Sometimes it may feel necessary to work on things until the very last minute, but it will save you a lot of stress and earn you a lot of sleep if you develop a system of always being a few steps ahead. Getting behind is like GPA murder, so staying ahead gives you a little bit of wiggle room if one week is especially stressful.

2. Set goals: If you have a grade in mind or a certain percentage of improvement it will help motivate you to work hard.

3. Never settle for less than your best: If you turn in something that is sub-par because you ran out of time at the last minute you risk doing as well as you could have.

4. Sleep is not a waste of time: Getting enough sleep helps you to do your best work. No one works well on 2 or 3 hours of sleep, so don’t feel guilty about taking a nap if you are too exhausted to think. I have had to learn that naps can be a good use of a half hour, because they can make you much more productive later.

5. Don’t compare yourself to others: Being studious has nothing to do with anyone else. Do YOUR personal best and know that is good enough. It doesn't matter what anyone else can do or what grade they got. Focus on your own improvement.

      Chloe McLaughlin is a college freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana majoring in Church Music and Christian Worship. Originally from Frankfort, Indiana, Chloe was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Indiana for 2012. Learn more about Chloe here! 

You Are Your Number One Priority – by Sierra

There is one word that just about everyone on this planet fears being called: selfish. Growing up, we’re taught to do the selfless thing and to share, share, share. We’re always to think of others first and to never do something out of our pure pleaser. Of course there is nothing wrong with this; however, sometimes we are so scared of being selfish, we forget to put our own happiness into the equation.
 
It is so easy to get caught up in the motion of making sure our family is happy, then making sure our friends are happy, and then sometimes even making sure our teachers/professors are happy. By the end of the day, we find ourselves exhausted and indifferent. Overtime, we realize that just about everyone else around us and doing wonderful, and we’re still not truly happy.
 
This usually happens when we overexert ourselves, and to be honest, if this happens to you, there is nothing wrong with that. If more people had the issue of being “too selfless”, the world would be a better place. On the other hand though, you must always remember to only act in what will have the best outcome for you mentally, physically, and emotionally. This means that sometimes we will have to say no to going out with our friends just so we can get some “me time.”
 
Don’t be ashamed to have to tell people that’s what you need. Needing some “me time” is not a sign of weakness or having a nervous breakdown; at some point everyone needs some of it. I will admit, that I find myself wanting to be alone so that I can dance in front of the mirror or so I can belch out every word to my favorite Beyoncé song. Laugh if you want to, I find it very therapeutic.
So find whatever makes you happy and not necessarily what makes everyone else happy. Don’t forget about them, and always be there, but remember: you are your number one priority.

Sierra Terrell is a college freshman at Troy University in Troy, Alabama majoring in Psychology. Originally from Waldorf, Maryland, Sierra was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Maryland for 2012. Learn more about Sierra here!

Boston Strong – by Emily

The events that took place two weeks ago in Boston were devastatingly close to home. I go to school less than a half hour away from the shootings and knew people both running and volunteering at the Marathon, some of whom were within walking distance of the attacks. The initial onset of it all was truly heart-wrenching, but what myself, my peers, the city of Boston, and the nation saw during and after the events were truly inspiring.

Last Friday, five days after the events in Boston took place, the police were still hunting for the attackers. That night also happened to be the night of Merrimack College’s annual Spring Concert and The Band Perry was on their way to perform. The campus was antsy and anxious as they kept checking social media for updated news reports, but the show was sure to go on.

And then something so powerful and triumphant happened. I was sitting with my friends in the arena waiting for The Band Perry to take the stage when my friends phone went off. It was a text from her mom saying they had captured the final attacker. The battle was over. I turned to my other friend and told her the news and she turned to her friend and within seconds the entire crowd of 3,000 plus people had heard the news.

And within a few more seconds the entire crowd was chanting “USA! BOSTON STRONG! USA! BOSTON STRONG!”

And then The Band Perry took the stage and joined in our rejoicing. They sang Sweet Caroline in honor of our city, and we all took a moment of silence to reflect.
In the past decade we’ve seen school shootings, movie theatre shootings, terrorist attacks, and now these attacks on the Boston Marathon. I think the most devastating thing was how sacred and honored the Boston Marathon was. It was a day for people to take pride in their accomplishments and show that they can succeed in something that they put their mind too. The bombings and attacks was a chance for someone to take away that honor.

But they didn’t succeed.

We are Boston Strong, We are notorious for our headstrong ways and our Boston pride. These attacks didn’t take that pride away from us, in fact it made it stronger. People now more than ever are motivated to run the Marathon and for those who couldn’t finish. There are people in this world that are going to try and break spirit. But just like the 3,000 of us at that concert, the good in this world surely outnumbers the evil. It may not seem that way in these dark and confusing times, but if we can all stand together and appreciate the good in life, we can all be Boston Strong.

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

National Be Your Best Self Week - Be Studios - a video from Christina

This week, April 22-26, is National Be Your Best Self Week! Christina Maxwell, Distinguished Young Woman of America shares her thoughts on being studious, one of five elements that make up the Be Your Best Self program. Check back throughout the week for more videos from Christina!




Christina Maxwell is a college freshman at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan majoring in Musical Theatre. Originally from Asheville , North Carolina, Christina was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of North Carolina for 2012 and the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2012. Learn more about Christina here!

National Be Your Best Self Week - Be Responsible - a video from Christina

This week, April 22-26, is National Be Your Best Self Week! Christina Maxwell, Distinguished Young Woman of America shares her thoughts on being responsible, one of five elements that make up the Be Your Best Self program. Check back throughout the week for more videos from Christina!




Christina Maxwell is a college freshman at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan majoring in Musical Theatre. Originally from Asheville , North Carolina, Christina was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of North Carolina for 2012 and the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2012. Learn more about Christina here!

National Be Your Best Self Week - Be Involved - a video from Christina

This week, April 22-26, is National Be Your Best Self Week! Christina Maxwell, Distinguished Young Woman of America shares her thoughts on being involved, one of five elements that make up the Be Your Best Self program. Check back throughout the week for more videos from Christina!

Christina Maxwell is a college freshman at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan majoring in Musical Theatre. Originally from Asheville , North Carolina, Christina was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of North Carolina for 2012 and the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2012. Learn more about Christina here!

National Be Your Best Self Week - Be Ambitious - a video from Christina

This week, April 22-26, is National Be Your Best Self Week! Christina Maxwell, Distinguished Young Woman of America shares her thoughts on being ambitious, one of five elements that make up the Be Your Best Self program. Check back throughout the week for more videos from Christina!





Christina Maxwell is a college freshman at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan majoring in Musical Theatre. Originally from Asheville , North Carolina, Christina was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of North Carolina for 2012 and the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2012. Learn more about Christina here!