Life Advice

Q1: This Saturday we had a comedian and an a capella group come to campus, and I can’t say all the reviews I got were positive. Similar to the assembly proposal by Student Council (StuCo), do you guys think we should have some type of student input to decide some of the school-wide events that happen on the weekend? Yoosk: Definitely, I don’t think it would hurt to have a few assemblies a term where students can vote on the assembly speaker. This would not only prompt more students to attend assembly, but also allow Exeter to host a wider range of assembly speakers. The majority of assemblies are on serious topics and while I do think those are both educational and important, it would be nice to have one or two assemblies a term geared towards entertainment. Q2: I have had a lot of my friends come talk to me about troubles and pressures they’ve been experiencing here at Exeter. I feel like people here rely too heavily on their friends for advice and feel uncomfortable talking to faculty on campus. What are some solutions to this? Polkadot_: I think it’s extremely important to establish strong relationships with at least one faculty member on campus, whether it be a teacher or an advisor. Personally, I have a coach and a dorm affiliate who, if I am stressed or overwhelmed, I know I can talk to about anything outside of sports and academics. Also, I think people underestimate the power that a student listener or an upperclassmen friend can have on your lifestyle. Having someone that has your back and will listen to you talk about your issues can really help relieve some stress. Q3: With my 333 approaching, I’m having a very difficult time balancing working on my papers, finishing my homework, studying for standardized tests, balancing relationships and having fun. When do you guys find time to pull everything together? Mason: If you feel overwhelmed and like you have no time for fun, one thing I do is start a movie during one of my frees, watch some after lunch and finish it before I do my work. It sounds very time consuming, but if you are able to finish your work ahead of time, during your frees or during sleep-ins, there are ways that you can fit in some fun in a short amount of time. Also, studying a little bit for standardized tests before you go to bed each night will go a long way. Yoosk: To be completely honest, it’s going to be very difficult to manage all of these aspects of your life at once. However, I also understand that these things are crucial for a lot of people. I would recommend prioritizing your tasks. For example, if you have the 333 due in a couple of weeks, go ahead and put some serious effort into it when you have the time, for instance during a weekend. Make sure to be efficient, instead of walking around and checking twitter, you can probably knock out an easy subject in a half an hour or so. Once you have the 333 finished, you will have more time for other activities. The key here isn’t to stress out about all your responsibilities, but rather to prioritize and focus on what's most important at the present.~Have any life problems? Submit your questions to Mason and Yusuke at exonianaf@gmail, or slip them into P.O. box #1897.