by Opeletia H., Staff Writer 1. Establish a routine: One of the many responses to pressure is fear and anxiety. Vincent Ivan Phipps, a certified public speaking professional and professor at UTC, imparted the following principle: You must practice until fear is replaced with anticipation. The more you practice your routine, the more you anticipate things rather than fear them.
2. Be Efficient: Have you had so much to do that you did not know where to start? I have! I would recommend learning how to prioritize, delegate, and cut distractions daily. You may find it helpful to create a list of the top three things that you need to get done that day, select a time frame in which to get it done, and find your ideal workspace so that you can follow through with the plan. 3. Sleep: Many of us think we are more effective when we are burning the midnight oil. However, Dr. Robert Stickgold, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard states that “for every hour you are awake, you need a half hour of sleep to process that information” (“Sleep and Memory”). You learn faster in your sleep! 4. Boundaries: If you have been reading this column for a while, I’m sure you were expecting this one. There is a twist this time: boundaries are not only to be set around the things you do not want to do, but also around the things you like. For instance, if you burn the midnight oil watching Netflix, you may actually pay for it later by struggling to remember everything you studied for on that exam. 5. Avoid Comparison: Of course, when you feel the pressure, you all of a sudden see everyone else lounging around. We’re used to experiencing seasons together- fall, winter, spring, and summer. However, the seasons of the year are not the same as the seasons of your life! You may reap a plentiful harvest in the midst of snow because of the seeds you planted in the Fall. Comparing yourself to someone else distracts you from your process, your growth. Sleep and Memory. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2018, from http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/memory#
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by Opeletia H., Staff Writer “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
-Toni Morrison As an avid reader and writer, I admired the words of Toni Morrison, an African-American novelist who won a Nobel Prize in Literature, a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and more. I took her charge to heart and began to fill up every journal in sight. It was not until years later when I carried the physical weight of the journals and the mental weight of my interest that I realized I read the quote wrong. Toni’s words were not just a call to innovation, but a call to share and lead. It was no wonder as to why I was dissatisfied: what I created never left the page. From that point on, I made a decision to share a piece of myself with someone every day. What am I interested in? Social justice, holistic health, and leadership development. What did I talk about? Mass incarceration, urban gardening, stepping out of one’s comfort zone, etc. What I found is that I had some of the most fruitful and productive conversations that I had ever had in my life. Gone were the days of repeating my major as though it were my first name to people who were just making small talk. What is even more beautiful is that this deep connection was shared across racial, gender, political, class, and religious lines. We found a sweet spot where everyone belonged. And it grew. Into what? Fortitude, one of the newest student organizations on UTC’s campus whose mission is to connect and develop health-conscious and ethical leaders. Toni Morrison’s words motivated me to become an innovative leader, creating a space where people not only go, but belong. I challenge you to become vocal about your interest because you never know who is waiting on your voice. If you're interested, we meet Mondays at 6pm, biweekly, starting on Feb. 5th. Our first meeting will be in the Chickamauga Room. Contact us with any questions at [email protected]. |
Author's NoteWelcome to The Torch: Reborn, your multicultural newspaper. Archives
December 2018
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