With unlimited time and very few priorities, it’s easy to get into a slump—sleeping until 1 in the afternoon, watching TV all day, getting on Facebook all night. So keep active, and occasionally force yourself out of bed in the morning to call your friends. Don’t get me wrong, take advantage of opportunities to sleep in and relax, but not so much so that you live in sweatpants and rarely leave your house. To avoid waking up with a day completely void of plans, try making plans in advance. It’s easy in the summer to forget how to do anything in an organized fashion, so most likely this will be tough. But for your own sake, take a little initiative, and don’t wait until you’re at home for the third day in a row to attempt to do something.

Step Two: Do Something Relatively Productive

This goes hand in hand with step one. Exercise. Work. Do something creative. Do anything to keep yourself feeling vaguely accomplished at the end of the summer. Set a goal for yourself, and try to accomplish it. This will keep you from feeling like you’ve wasted three months of your life doing absolutely nothing.

Step Three: Get a Job

Instead of making summer a time where your job is spending money, why not make some?  Let’s face it, you have unlimited time, but there’s not much to do in Bel Air without spending at least a little money. Get a job. This will  allow you to indulge in all that summer has to offer. Plus, you’ll feel productive.

Step Four: Relax and Smell the Roses

Take the time to put away all distractions, and just soak up what it means to be on summer vacation—no pressures, no school work, no classes. One day, in the real working world, we won’t have summers off. Let’s appreciate them while we can.

Step Five: Don’t Procrastinate (too much) on Summer Reading

If you’re a senior, then appreciate the first summer in a long time that you won’t have any summer work to do. If not, then try not to leave it until the last minute. Summer reading can loom over your head, and you’ll be surprised how relieved you’ll feel when you’ve made a little progress. Still, don’t finish all the reading in June—you won’t remember anything about the books in September.

Step Six: Go to the Beach at Least Once

The beach is the cliché summer vacation spot, and you’ll probably regret it if you don’t spend at least a little time there. Somehow, a summer is incomplete without beach time, and in order to have a well-rounded experience, you just have to go and enjoy the shore.

Charlotte Hagerman can be reached for comment at chagerman@jcpatriot.com.

Pack Light

If your camping trip involves hiking to your campsite, this means that you will have to carry everything you bring on your back.  Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that you bring with you the bare minimum of necessities, especially if the hike is on a rocky path up a mountain.  Every little thing you pack in your bag will start to add up, so choose wisely when packing.  Otherwise, the hike will be extremely miserable and your back will be sore for a few days afterwards. 

Water, Water, Water

Our campsite didn’t have any accessibility to water.  That meant we had to carry all of the water we’d need with us.  And it didn’t help that it was almost 90 degrees and there was high humidity.  If you are camping under similar circumstances, you must make a conscious effort to conserve water.  While hiking, sip your water instead of gulping, and when eating, drink once you are finished instead of in between bites.  Also, make sure all lids are on bottles tightly to prevent leaks and beware of spills – two problems we faced on our trip.  Furthermore, beware of dehydration – be sure to balance conserving water with simply not drinking at all.  

Push Through the Pain

Let’s be honest.  Hiking up a mountain is tough, especially if the path is steep, covered with large rocks, and if it’s 90 degrees and humid.  Depending on how much stamina you have, after a little while, you are bound to get pretty worn out.  But, if you just keep pushing through it, once you get to the top, you’ll feel so accomplished and it will all be worth it.  Plus, once you’re up, the climb down is a piece of cake.

Expect the Unexpected

To have a successful camping trip, prepare for the elements that you’ll encounter and be ready to take them on.  On the weekend of our camping trip, there was absolutely no forecast for rain, so we didn’t bother putting the rain tarp over our tent (which had some screen portions on the roof).  But, at 4:30 in the morning, we woke up to the dreaded splash of a few drops of water.  Yes, it had started to rain.  And yes, we had to get out of our tent in the dark and put the rain cover on our tent.  

Erin Hanratty can be reached for comment at ehanratty@jcpatriot.com.

STEP ONE: GET A JOB (OBVIOUSLY)

There are plenty of jobs out there, but don’t wait until the summer to apply for one. In fact, don’t even wait until the late spring to apply for a summer job. They go fast.

Waitressing makes a lot of money. “On an average Saturday night, I usually make about 200 dollars,” Allie Greig said, who graduated in 2006 and currently waitresses at Looney’s Pub. However, the most money is made at places which serve alcohol, and you must be at least 18 to work there legally. “When people buy alcohol, their check averages are higher. When their check averages are higher, their tips are higher,” Greig explained.

STEP TWO: MINIMIZE THE MILEAGE

If you have your license and have to pay for some or all of your gas, you know that’s where most of your money will go. So, to avoid draining out your wallet, carpool with friends.

STEP THREE: STICK WITH WATER

In Disney World last week, every drink (including water) was $2.50. As we were walking around in the heat, we were all bound to get thirsty. But who wants to waste $10.00 a day on water? Instead, buy one water bottle at the beginning of the day, and refill it throughout the day. It saved me tons of money on the trip. At restaurants, order water. At places which sell bottled drinks, ask for a cup of water. Most of the time, they’ll give it to you for free.

STEP FOUR: BARGAIN HUNT

Don’t go on shopping sprees. Instead, shop frequently and look for bargains. You’ll save a lot of money by getting one new cheap thing, rather than blowing all your money at once. Also, shop on the clearance racks. This means bypassing the new releases at the front of the store and heading to the back. Or you could simply try going to cheaper stores. You’ll be surprised at what cute things you can find in Target.

STEP FIVE: CHEAP DATES PAY OFF

It’s tough to find something to do without spending money, but don’t give up so easily! Try planning a scavenger hunt with friends or just hang out at a friend’s house. In the summer, go to a friend’s pool or make dinner instead of going out.

STEP SIX: KEEP THE CHANGE

Don’t lose your change! When paying for something, use exact change or pay in quarters. It will make you feel like you didn’t spend anything because you didn’t touch the bills in your wallet. Most people count their money by counting their cash only, while coins sit in the bottom of their pocket unused.

Charlotte Hagerman can be reached for comment at chagerman@jcpatriot.com

Next stop: McDonald’s. We experience walking through a drive-thru as we mime driving a car with our hands. Walk through a drive-thru: four points. The car behind us finds this entertaining, so we decide to combine our tasks. My friend hands the laughing woman in the front seat of the car a bouquet of flowers. Give flowers to a random girl: three points. After getting our fries as a reward for our strenuous walk, my friend and I jump into the car as our team heads to our next destination: our opponent’s house to steal something from an opposing team member’s house.

“Are you busy this Saturday night?” my friend from work asked me last Monday. “My friends and I are getting a huge group together to do a scavenger hunt around Bel Air. Wanna be on my team?”

It had the potential to be completely lame and uneventful, but maybe I could make it fun. And with a nod of my head, I joined Maria McFadden’s scavenger hunt team of former C. Milton Wright graduates. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into.

With two teams of five, we set out from Maria’s house at eight on Saturday night. Each team received a list of forty tasks to complete by 10:45, worth a different amount of points depending on the difficulty. We weren’t sure where to begin, but time was limited, so we drove on and decided where to go as we read the list aloud.

COME PREPARED

Running shoes, a few extra dollars to buy supplies, and a positive attitude are a must. Don’t forget one of these three things.

PLAN YOUR TASKS

Typing out a list of tasks for both teams was a great idea. Giving each task points by difficulty made it even more fun and gave us motivation to go through with the most embarrassing stunts. Part 1: Wear Depends in public, 4 points, Part 2: Tell five strangers about how you wet your pants, 6 points (Yes, I was the lucky team member that got to complete both parts of this task).

FORM TEAMS

Stuffing a bunch of people into a small and barely accommodating car makes for a long trip. Make sure your team has variety and is made up of people who are daring, along with people who can be the brains behind the operation.

GET INTO IT!

Be competitive! Even if you’re typically a shy person, the motivation to win should help you get outside of your comfort zone. The entire point of a scavenger hunt is to make an adventure out of an extremely boring town that we’re all a little too used to. So embarrass yourself, or at least have the guts to embarrass others. That’s the energy that makes a scavenger hunt worth it.

PROVE IT

Remember to take a camera along with you so that you’ll have proof for the opposing team. Pictures and videos are also great mementos of an amazing night.  

Alex Bahr can be reached for comment at abahr@jcpatriot.com

STEP ONE: DON’T SLACK OFF (TOTALLY)

As much as we would like to pretend it doesn’t, senior year matters to colleges. The most important aspect of senior year which colleges take into account is the classes you will be taking.

STEP TWO: APPLY TO ALL AP AND HONORS CLASSES YOU’VE BEEN INVITED TO

It doesn’t matter if you know that you won’t take the class. If you’ve been invited, apply. That way, when you get to your guidance appointment, you’ll have dozens of options. For instance, say there is NO way you want to take AP Chemistry because you’re already taking AP Government. But when you get to your guidance appointment, Mr. Hensley tells you that AP English is going to conflict with AP Government. You need another AP class. So be prepared with backups before you encounter problems like these.

STEP THREE: DON’T OVERLOAD

Because of senior project and applying to colleges, senior year can be overwhelming.  So if there’s a class you absolutely hate, like science or foreign language, opt out of it. As long as you don’t plan on going to Harvard or Yale, not taking a seventh class won’t make a glaring dent in your resume.

STEP FOUR: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ELECTIVES

JC offers many electives which might not be available to you in college. You don’t want to miss out on opportunities to be creative or find something new that you really enjoy. Plus, looking at your schedule and seeing a fun elective later in your day is always a mood lifter. From personal experience, Acting 1 with Mrs. Brueggemann was one of the best classes I’ve taken here. Ceramics, TV Production, and Photography have also gotten rave reviews.

STEP FIVE: TALK TO UPPERCLASSMEN

Which teachers are awful? Which ones give a lot of work? Talk to students who have taken the classes you’re signing up for. It’s a great way to learn how difficult your schedule will actually be and will give you the chance to visualize your work load for next year. If a teacher is notoriously difficult and you already have a tough schedule, we won’t blame you if you decide not to take that class.

Charlotte Hagerman and Erin Hanratty can be reached for comment at chagerman@jcpatriot.com and ehanratty@jcpatriot.com

1. Phone off, Computer off.

I can still think back to the old days of my freshman year when I did not have the constant inquiry of who posted on my Facebook wall, who was texting me, and what was the new drama on television, on my mind. For most of my freshman and sophomore year, I swore off the Internet, deleting all Facebook, MySpace, and AIM accounts. The minute I sat down to tackle a mountain of homework each night, I made sure the phone was not within earshot or shut it off. I got my work done and fell asleep at a reasonable time. In fact, because you won’t be distracted by your own happenings in the extremely artificial Internet world, you will be more aware of what’s happening around you, actually finding more time with friends and more REAL interaction.

2. Reward Yourself

Maybe you just need a little bit of motivation besides “getting good grades.” I prefer M&M’s or Skittles. Throw a handful on your desk and reward yourself one M&M after you complete each math problem. You’ll feel motivated to do the next after tackling around 2 pages, you may associate math with something a little sweeter than silent boredom.

3. BALANCE

Although it’s certainly important to get your work done, it’s just as important to get some relaxation in. Breaks are essential to working efficiently, but make sure that they are at reasonable intervals: a five-minute break every 15 minutes or a ten-minute break every half hour.

4. Set Goals

According to certified Executive Coach and owner of From Dreams to Reality Success Coaching Norma Reid, statistics show people who write down their goals have over an 80 percent higher success rate of achieving them. That is why planners are spectacular. Write down what you need to do and cross off each assignment as you finish it. This little task will help in so many ways.

5. Prioritize

You may want to listen to the voices in your head, that reassure you of all the hours you have left. Ignore them. Do what you need to first. Stop assuming you can guesstimate how much time you’ll need to complete your work, and actually start on it. Leave yourself extra time, because you’d rather be safe than sorry. 

Alex Bahr can be reached for comment at abahr@jcpatriot.com

Anticipating your day together, you text your significant other: “What would you like to do this Saturday?” A few minutes later, you pick up your phone and read the answer: “Idk. Movies or something?” Movies. You can already feel your relationship plummeting, and it hasn’t even begun.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the occasional movie date. It’s nice to be able to sit next someone you like, steal their candy, and enjoy a horribly bad movie together. You have probably seen over hundreds of movies in your lifetime, so why waste your first date on something like that? We’re not in middle school anymore. Let’s actually spend more than two minutes planning our dates.

Step 1: Save the money, spend the time.

Bel Air consists mainly of restaurants. However, even at a Chili’s, you can get stuck paying over twenty dollars for a meal for two. As a lover of food, all the restaurants in Bel Air just make choosing a place to eat even more difficult. So, why not go to them all? Food Network first gave me the idea of “appetizer-hopping.” Go to various restaurants and order one appetizer from each place you visit. That way, you can both get what you want, taste all different types of food, and not pay as much as you would if you stayed in one place and ordered two full meals. Or if you two have a sweet tooth, why not go dessert hopping?

Another alternative to dinner could be a quick trip to the grocery store. Cook or bake something together. As cliché as it sounds, if at least one of you knows how to boil water, it could be fun.

Step 2: Celebrate the season!

Fall: Visit an apple orchard or corn maze during the day. If you’re up for a late-night date, you can’t go wrong with a trip to a haunted hay ride.

Winter: Enjoy the cold weather by sledding or skiing together. If you’re missing summer, have a picnic inside.

Spring: If you are into sports, go to a baseball game. If you feel like digging through peoples’ treasures for the day, going to a flea market would be a nice change. Although it may sound excruciatingly boring at first, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA (less than an hour away from Bel Air), only costs $6 for a day venturing through over 1,000 acres of 20 indoor and 20 outdoor gardens. In addition, Longwood has ponds full of lily pads so large you could sit on them, different types of flytraps you can watch getting fed, and various mazes.

Step 3: Enjoy a free walk.

This is the best way to get to know each other and offers little room for distraction if you want to have some good conversations. The Ma and Pa trail is close and although not as scenic, has an easy to walk trail. If you’d like to venture to Street, the Rocks have a trail leading to the King and Queens seat where you can enjoy a nice view. Gunpowder State Park has over 100 trails to pick from and nearly 18,000 acres of park. If it’s after school and you don’t feel like walking far, there is a small trail behind Rockfield.

Step 4: Find some common interests. Then, find a place to experience them.

Do you both…

Love animals? Take a trip to the zoo or aquarium. If you don’t feel like driving far, the ducks are very hungry at the duck pond next to JC (of course, be aware that there is a sign asking you not to feed them).  Or take a trip to your nearest pet store. Pick out your favorite animal and pretend you’re buying it so that an employee will take it out for you to hold (you can also find out if your significant other is really as brave as they look by choosing a naked rat), or just browse the weird-looking fish.

Enjoy being immature? Playgrounds aren’t just for kids and there are tons around Harford County. Even if you just want to go after school, Rockfield Playground next to JC has the best spinny red thing, providing hours of fun.

Like sticking to your daily routines? Do something in your daily routine together, like running errands for your parents or even going to the gym. Being with your significant other will make these ordinary events feel like something special.

Step 5: Be original!

Try to spend time coming up with some ideas of your own that fit your and your date’s personalities. I promise, it will be worth your time to think outside the box.

Alex Bahr can be reached for comment at abahr@jcptriot.com

STEP ONE: PICK A BOY

With so many rules in the “girl code” and everyone establishing “dibs” on the boys they like, we’re not going to lie, your choices are limited.

1. The crush of your dreams: This boy, should he say yes, could make all your Sadie Hawkins dreams come true. He’ll look dapper in all the pictures, dance like a god, and make all your friends wish they were you. Still, we’ve got to warn you, asking your crush is risky, and if he’s especially good-looking, he’s bound to be taken. Check the girl code and ask around.
2. The friend: While entirely mundane, asking your “just friend” can guarantee a great night. He’ll be a stable option with few opportunities for disaster. Still, this date can get a little bit awkward if your “just friend” gets the wrong idea. Be very clear in your delivery.
3. Back-up underclassman: If all your friends and crushes are currently attached to someone else, you might have to resort to asking a younger man.  Ask someone from the grade under you. Ok, so your pictures probably won’t be that great, and it might be a little weird dragging someone younger to the dance, but at least you won’t be dateless!
4. Outside of school: Let’s say that EVERYONE at JC is taken or you just don’t feel like dealing with the in-school drama. Bring a friend from outside of school. But be warned, he won’t know any of your friends, so you’ll be forced to “babysit” all night.

STEP TWO: DON’T BE OBNOXIOUS

Once you’ve picked your boy, don’t go around telling people how obsessed you are with the situation. The boy will probably find out and be creeped out. Also, rumors will fly and create way more drama than necessary.

STEP THREE: HOPE FOR THE BEST, PREPARE FOR THE WORST

This is pretty self-explanatory. Mentally and emotionally prepare for if your date says no. It’s not the end of the world. He’s just not that into you.

 Charlotte Hagerman and Erin Hanratty can be reached for comment at chagerman@jcpatriot.com and ehanratty@jcpatriot.com

 I heard her call out and turned around to see her on the ground. Laughing, I helped her up, apologizing for not informing her of the presence of the curb. I continued leading her into La Tolteca, where, unbeknownst to Hagerman, over a dozen of her friends were waiting in a huddle to yell, “Surprise!”

I still wasn’t sure if this would work. What if she removed her blindfold? The surprise would be ruined. Anxiously I pulled her towards the restaurant. Only a hundred more feet to go…

STEP 1: PICK THE DATE

Charlotte’s birthday was that Monday. I told her that I wanted to take her out to dinner later that week, and we decided that Thursday would be a good night.

STEP 2:  MAKE PLANS

 It was as we were making dinner plans that the idea for a surprise party came into my head. I mean, why not?

The good-intentioned lies began there. When Charlotte asked me where I wanted to take her, I told her it was a surprise.

STEP 3: PICK A PLACE AND INVITE FRIENDS

I thought about good restaurants in Bel Air where we could fit a bunch of people at one table comfortably. La Tolteca happens to specialize in accommodating large groups. Plus, it gives the birthday guest a sombrero to wear. I called La Tolteca that night, and even though they do not take reservations, I told the manager about the surprise and he agreed to push a few tables together around 6:30.

Now how to tell everyone? Three words: chain Facebook message. Most people check their Facebook daily, and that way I wouldn’t miss anyone. If you have talkative friends, make it clear that the party will be a surprise.

STEP 4: PULL THROUGH

After making the plans with everyone, I had to decide how I would carry the surprise out. I had Charlotte meet me in the JC parking lot. As she pulled up next to my car, I sent a text to my friend at the restaurant: ten minutes. Every second counted now. Charlotte got in my car and I put her blindfold on. On the way to the restaurant, I made lots of unnecessary turns, just to confuse her.  When we finally got to La Tolteca, I encountered my first obstacle. Since everyone was already there, the parking lot was entirely full.

STEP 5: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION

As I did a three point turn in the parking lot, I decided to have a little fun. I began to beep the horn loudly. Then I informed a panicky Charlotte that I was three-pointing in the middle of the road as cars were zooming past. I made sure to sound scared and confused.

I ended up having to park two parking lots away from the restaurant, so we would have to walk. I led a blindfolded Charlotte only a few hundred feet, but to her it seemed like a mile. To make it interesting, I told her that we were crossing a busy intersection. We were walking through an empty parking lot, but the sounds of the cars from Route 1 were right next to us.

STEP 6: YELL “SURPRISE”

As mentioned earlier, Charlotte did end up tripping over a curb, and—one hundred feet later—falling into the lap of a middle-aged stranger as she blindly stumbled into the restaurant. But it was worth it.

 I led her to the middle of the restaurant, where all her friends had sat waiting for about fifteen minutes. I removed the blindfold. And I’m not sure who was more surprised: Charlotte, at the fact that she was standing in the middle of her first surprise party ever, or me, at the fact that I actually pulled this off.

Alex Bahr can be reached for comment at abahr@jcpatriot.com

Erin Hanratty, Charlotte Hagerman, and Alex Bahr, the blogging trifecta of how-to knowledge, will be working together to help you discover things from how to have fun in Bel Air to how to get an A on your next paper.

We will find examples from students and faculty, as well as our own experiences, to create a How-To guide on making the most of high school.

How-To: Survive Physics

Let’s face it, Honors Physics with Lyle Brennan is notorious for being one of the hardest classes in school. Last year, 50 percent of our section received notes asking them NOT to take the class second semester. This year, nearly 100 students have voluntarily agreed to submit themselves to a year filled with vectors, position-time graphs, and boat problems.

STEP ONE: SHOW UP TO CLASS ON TIME

On the first day of school, and every day from there on out, do not enter room 212 after the tone begins. Yes, that means BOTH feet across the threshold or you will have a hot date after school with Brennan. Instead of handing out real detentions, Brennan gives late or unprepared students “dates.” Basically, you come after school to clean. And do not stand Mr. Brennan up—he is very sensitive. But there’s nothing to fear. He will happily give you a second chance with another two dates if you forget to show up for the first.

STEP TWO: BRING ALL MATERIALS TO CLASS

Remember “the big three:” notebook, textbook, and calculator. A graphing calculator is acceptable for classes, but on tests you must use a specific physics calculator. You will also at times be required to have your straight-edge ruler, protractor, and graph paper. If you forget one of these essential items, it’s a date for you!

STEP THREE: ATTENTION TO DETAIL

On physics homework, for every 1,000 things you can do right, there are 2,000 things you can do wrong. And Mr. Brennan is sure to catch every one of them. The main reason students struggle with physics is not because they don’t understand what’s going on, but because of stupid mistakes. So to avoid this, call a friend after you do homework and check it over.

STEP FOUR: MEMORIZE FORMULAS

Another problem with physics is memorizing a variety of formulas. On the exams and quizzes, you will not have the luxury of a formula sheet. Use songs, acronyms, etc. Just make sure that you know those formulas like the back of your hand. Forget more than one, and you’ll bomb the test. Guaranteed.

STEP FIVE: DO THE HOMEWORK

Every homework assignment is collected and graded. Not doing your homework in physics is unheard of. If you forget a homework, expect to be mocked by Mr. Brennan (who will encourage the rest of the class to mock you) for the rest of the year. If that’s not enough punishment, one failed homework will cause your grade to plummet and stay that way for the rest of the quarter. Also, he doesn’t accept late work. It’s pretty simple: turn work as soon as you walk into the classroom, or don’t turn it in at all.

STEP SIX: DON’T STAND OUT

Last year, I twisted my hair in class, a nasty habit I’ve always had. I was given an ultimatum—bring in a hairnet or get a date for my wrongdoing. I chose to bring in a hairnet, which Brennan kept in his desk and threatened to make me wear if I ever touched my hair in class again. Needless to say, I didn’t. Do not do anything in class to provoke Brennan. Sit quietly and do your work.

Follow these steps, and you’ll be sure to succeed in the treacherous journey through Honors Physics. Despite all of the formulas, dates, and tests in the auditorium, you will be happy that you took it. Brennan is a quirky, yet very effective teacher, and you will not leave that classroom in May disappointed.

Charlotte Hagerman and Erin Hanratty can be reached for comment at chagerman@jcpatriot.com and ehanratty@jcpatriot.com