I have a new addiction. You see, here at the Ojai Valley School we can’t access youtube.com and many other partially essential websites for teenagers due to “sonic wall” blocking for random reasons. Photography, writing, self-expression has always been an interest, and I finally found a way to curb my cravings here.

Some people call it tumbling, some call it self-expression, but Tumblr is the new MySpace.

It may not include things such as a “profile revealing personal information,” but if desired users can make that information accessible. The gist of it is posting anything you want, and having people who subscribe to you, and even guests, see your work or what you have “reblogged” from other users. I can say that I’ve found the most inspiring and entertaining things through tumbling. It’s awe-inspiring entertainment those who have an eye for art or a good sense of humor.

Go make an account now.

It’s time to start thinking about those New Year’s resolutions. Yes it may be to far in advance but there are intense preparations we need to make. We need clear our heads, hearts and minds in order to find those simple changes that will benefit us in the following year.

Start by doing a “spring clean” around the house, get rid of old junk, clothes and bits and pieces that no longer relate to your life. Maybe donate old property to a local charity. After all why not start the end of the year by helping someone else and doing something charitable. You should find this spring clean also helps clear out the cobwebs in your own head as well as improving the appearance of your house.

Next, do delayed tasks. Remember all those tasks you put of to do another time, but never do? Well it’s time to rid yourself of these burdens and clear that list. For example fix that light that’s never worked. This should contribute to peace of mind and allow you to progress further with new tasks next year, maybe helping your motivation for the future.

Finally make a list of those negatives and positives you see in yourself including bad and good habits. This movement will allow you to acknowledge those bad traits as well as praise yourself for the positives.

Although it is important for you to focus on the positives it is essential that you look at the negatives in order to determine the best new years resolution/resolutions for yourself. Think about how you can improve these negative aspects in order to benefit you and your life next year.

You can now make a final list of new years resolutions. Now it’s up to you to make the changes.

Lately I’ve been becoming more and more stressed. Not only are finals coming up, but college apps are due.

As a California resident, my dad has me only applying to four schools, all in California. However I’ve seen people applying to maybe even 15 schools. To be honest, I question how they do it.

Here at the Ojai Valley School we use Naviance, a program that allows college counselors, teachers, and students to access the same program in order to lessen confusion and stress of the application process. Faculty can easily input their letters of recommendation and student can manage all their different applications. I haven’t really used Naviance to be honest, but I’m sure that I will in the near future. I’ll let you know whether or not I find it to be useful, because you care so much.

But really, college apps aren’t just stressful because of the application itself, it’s also the idea of going away, leaving home, and finally being independent. At least for me it is. I’ve been at boarding school for five years and having as much free time as college gives you sounds rather terrifying. What do you do when you only have maybe four hours of school a day? Here we’re booked solid from the time we wake up until the time we go to sleep on the weekdays and plan days in advanced what to do on the weekends. Isn’t OVS supposed to be a “college prep school?” If so, it only prepares us for the academic side, not the real side.