Author: Rochelle C. Pangilinan

When someone says the words “leader” to you, you probably then think of someone like a president or head of state in a country, a CEO or manager at a large corporation, or a team captain of your favourite sports team. However, a leader doesn’t necessarily have to be in a position of power, hordes of followers or fans, or a large bank account.

A leader can be someone right in your midst, it can be your student body president or your principal, or even better, it can even be you!

Developing leadership skills can start at a young age. You don’t have to wait to be a company executive to enhance these abilities. You don’t have to put off applying these strengths and wait for a $1M project. You can be a leader right now– in your school projects, volunteer engagements, or study clubs. So do you have the potential to be a leader? Let’s find out below!

You can motivate your peers.

A good leader demonstrates the talents to motivate others to work towards common objectives without being bossy or overly authoritative. He or she knows that for one to earn respect, you first have to respect others. They have a way of inspiring people and making sure that everyone understands their roles to achieve targets and become the best versions of themselves.

You can stay positive.

Striving for excellence as a group isn’t easy, and of course, there are obstacles that get in the way. However, a good leader is the one who knows that one can always overcome these challenges and they aren’t permanent. Therefore, a good leader is the one who can always look at situations through rose-coloured glasses when everyone else can’t. He or she knows how to stay in good spirits even when the situation is looking dire.

You can identify strengths and weaknesses.

A good leader knows that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This means that to be a truly solid team, he or she needs to recognize each of his or her teammate’s weakest and strong points and ensure the team remains to be a cohesive force so they can reach their goals. This means knowing how to delegate tasks or duties to the appropriate team members. For instance, if you have a class presentation that requires statistical studies, the best person for the job is someone good with numbers—you don’t assign the job to someone with terrific writing skills.

You can provide feedback appropriately.

Being a leader doesn’t necessarily have to end when the end goal is achieved. You can continue to display leadership qualities by providing feedback on things that they did well and didn’t do well. Making this effort can help them in the future and they will likely thank you for it because they learned how to become better teammates.

You can accept your flaws.

Being a leader doesn’t mean you’re without flaws. Like your team members, you have to keep an open mind for your own learning experience and that you’ll likely encounter hurdles along the way. A good leader knows he or she isn’t perfect but he or she knows how to identify shortcomings and areas for improvements and ensures that these are resolved in the best way possible.

You know how to give compliments.

There’s nothing worse than being a part of a team that realized their goals and the leader acts like he or she did it alone. A good leader knows no man is an island and that collaboration and working in harmony are key to accomplish success. A good leader should give praise where praise is due and make sure to chime in that the team has done a great job.

SOURCES:

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-signs-you-are-leader-and-dont-even-know.html

https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/10-signs-youre-a-follower-instead-of-a-leader.html

By Erin Rebello

Whether it’s a grilled cheese sandwich, a zesty bowl of salad, or a plateful of spaghetti (with meatballs, of course), lunch is a crucial part of every day! Though breakfast usually receives the title of “most important meal of the day”, lunch acts as a sort of bridge throughout the day, replenishing burned calories and fueling the body up with energy until dinnertime. Unfortunately, since it happens during school hours, this meal is often forgotten or neglected, especially since students usually have to prepare and pack their own food. But what if I told you there was a way to cook up meals that are quick, delicious, and even nutritious? By following the tips below, you’ll be well on your way to packing lunches fit for a king!

Factors to Consider

The first and most basic consideration you should make when prepping your lunch is the nutritional value of your food. Though gummy worms and graham crackers may seem appealing at first, they’ll eventually rot your teeth and give you stomach aches if you eat too much of them. Candy and sugar may give you a temporary rush, but before long you’ll crash and feel even more energy-sapped then before. By choosing healthy foods, you’re keeping your body and brain in tip-top shape to work effectively during the school day. It’s also good to note that healthy doesn’t mean bad-tasting! In fact, if healthy food tastes bad, you’re probably doing it wrong. Be sure to experiment with various foods that meet your nutritional needs and find what works for your tastes to have the best experience in the kitchen! A good way to determine what foods work for you is by reviewing the Canada food guide. This helpful resource offers both food options and amounts, giving you an idea of what to eat and how much of it to eat.

Other than taste and nutrition, you’re probably also concerned about the simplicity of preparing a meal. This is something really important to consider- especially when you’re the one who has to plan and pack the meal! It’s easy to ask your mom or dad to make you a complicated dish for lunchtime, but it’s way harder to do it yourself. Keeping this in mind, you’ll want to consider foods that can be prepared quickly and easily, such as sandwiches for lunch or fruits for snacks. Leftovers from the night before are also a great option since they’re already cooked and only need to be reheated. The more often you prepare your lunch, the more you’ll improve your culinary skills and soon you’ll be experimenting with all sorts of fancy dishes!

Getting Inspired

Though it can be rewarding, everyone admits that packing lunches can get boring or difficult at times. After a while, things may seem to get repetitive and you might feel like you’ve run out of ideas for lunches. Fortunately, we live in the 21st century and there are thousands of free websites, apps, and books available at your fingertips. The social media website Pinterest allows users to swipe through food and lunch recipes and photos, which is a great way to draw inspiration from the creations of others. You can also save your favourite posts to come back to later. There are also plenty of online forums and websites where real people can share their cooking tips and tricks and post their recipes for others to use. If you’re more old-fashioned, you might like to sign out some cookbooks or food magazines from your local library and search for recipes that suit your needs. Looking at other recipes and dishes for inspiration keeps you interested in preparing lunches, while also making your lunches better!

Overall

Though preparing and packing lunches may seem daunting at first, once you get the hang of it, it’ll become second nature. Not only will your cooking skills improve, but also your confidence and independence. The helpful tips in this article should set you on the right path to packing delicious, nutritious, and simple lunches for school! Before you know it, your parents will be asking you to prepare their lunches!

By Erin Rebello

Whether it’s an announcement on the PA or a poster in the hallway, you’ve probably heard about your fair share of extracurricular activities offered at your school. Maybe it’s a softball team, or a robotics league, or a perhaps a math competition club. Extracurricular activities are a great way to get involved with your school and make new friends, and also look great on any resume! Chances are, you’ll find something that you’re interested in, and you’ll probably join one or more of these clubs throughout your time in school. Extracurricular activities can be a lot of fun, but before you write your name on that sign-up sheet, there are a few things you need to think about.

Where to Start

It can be a bit overwhelming to choose a club, especially when there are so many great options available. The first things you should probably consider are your passions and interests. The more interested you are in a particular field, the more fun you’ll have and the better you will do. By doing something that you love, you’ll be able to meet with people who share the same interests. Another thing to think about when searching for an extracurricular activity is your future goal in terms of a career. A lot of the time, schools offer clubs that connect to certain fields, giving students a head start in preparing for their future.

Keeping Up with Commitments

Just like everything else in life, taking part in extracurricular activities is commitment. It’s easy to sign up and say you’ll do it, but it’s far more difficult to keep your word. When you join a club or team, you’re essentially promising to give that club or team your time. Almost all extracurricular activities happen in your free time, whether it’s recess, lunch, or after school. If you know that you won’t be able to fulfil your duties as a member, it might just be a better idea to hold off on joining until next year.

Tying right in with this, it’s important to understand the requirements that the club expects of you. This includes attendance at meetings, participation in activities, training/practice, and any mandatory fees. Most clubs offer info sessions to tell students about the club, and this is a great time to ask teachers or club leaders any questions you may have.

Some great questions to ask are:

• When does the club meet? How long are the meetings?
• Are there any important trips or dates? When are they?
• What are my specific responsibilities as a club member?
• Are there any membership fees?

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of extracurriculars with all the trips, activities, and fundraisers, but it’s important to remember that all these activities are “extracurricular”, or in addition to school work. If you do poorly in school, you might even end up being kicked off the team by your school! It’s important to properly manage all your responsibilities and create a healthy balance between clubs and your academics.

What’s the Magic Number?

Though clubs are a lot of fun, it can be easy to fall into a frenzy where you join too many clubs to be able to keep up with them! A lot of kids think that joining more clubs will help them get into better programs in post-secondary or help them with getting a job when it’s simply not true. Though post-secondary institutions and hiring managers do care about your extracurriculars, they look into your contributions to your clubs rather than just the number of clubs you’ve joined. Quality is ALWAYS better than quantity, so that’s why it’s better to make a lasting impact on a few teams, rather than joining 7 teams that you can’t even keep up with!

Another good way to think about your extracurricular involvement is to use the rule of four. This rule states that you only really need to be a committed member of 4 clubs to have a well-rounded resume. The first club you join should be something you enjoy or are passionate about; this club gives you a break from a busy school life and helps you de-stress. The second club you should join is something related to the field you are interested in pursuing as a career. For example, someone interested in technology might join the robotics team. The third club you should be a part of is something that keeps you active. Proper physical activity is the key to a healthy balanced lifestyle, and a sports team is a great way to do just that! Your fourth and final club should be something philanthropic, meaning that it helps others. Volunteering is a great way to do this, and there are lots of volunteer options available for people of all ages! Keeping the rule of four in mind when joining clubs is a great way to make sure that you’re not overwhelming yourself.