Being a senior in high school, I know how hard it is to get motivated to wake up for school or even do my assignments. I have always been the person to do everything super last minute or sleep in until the last possible second before having to get up for school. Now, I am here to tell you my tips and tricks on how to get motivated to do the things that need to get done.

Tip #1: Get Sleep
We all know that school starts at a very early time. We all have those nights where we stay up late. Whether it be finishing your homework or binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix. However, going to bed at a reasonable time has significantly improved my motivation. Not being tired and worn out really increases your chances of becoming more productive.

Tip #2: Do NOT Procrastinate
I know this is a hard thing that we all struggle to do, but procrastinating is a bad habit that we all need to break. You should always try to do your work as early as possible so you do not have to worry about doing it last minute. Doing it early assures that you got it done and it will take a huge weight off your shoulders. But, in order to do that work, you have to get motivated. My tip is to reward yourself after you do your work. For example, eat your favorite snack or watch your favorite show after you have done your work.

Tip #3: Set Goals
If you set a goal that you want to meet, it will give you that motivation you need to want to do it. Setting goals and meeting that goal gives you the sense of accomplishment that can give you more motivation to keep on excelling.

School. What do you think of when you hear the word? Some may think of friends while others think of homework. When I hear the word school, I think of it as something that I have to do but don’t want to. I think of stress and anxiety and group projects with people I don’t know. I think of homework that I don’t understand but I am too afraid to ask for help. I think of it as knowing the answer to your question but too afraid to be wrong. I think of waiting for someone to turn their test in first so I’m not the only one standing up by myself. I think of the gut-wrenching feeling of having to stand in front of the class to present something. I think of not wanting to speak up for fear of being judged. I think of waking up and wanting to go back to bed because I don’t see the point. But there is a point.

School. It’s what gets you from point A to point B. It’s what starts the next chapter in your life. It pushes you to have the confidence to do what you want, to be who you want to be. At school, you form bonds with people that may last a lifetime. At school, you learn to get along with people you never thought you would. School is the place where you want to fit in but know it’s OK to stand out. School is the place where people are all there for the exact same reason. School is the place where you might excel in one class while others excel in another. School is the place where it’s OK to feel anxious, it’s OK to be afraid of something because you have others who are going through the exact same thing we can help you through it.

School. It’s that one point in your life where you always want but can’t go back to. It’s the years that you’ll miss the most when all is said and done. School is where you meet the people who you know will always be there for you and leave behind the ones you know won’t. Your school years are something you will always cherish. School dances, football games, field trips, lunch conversations, these are the things that you always remember. Even after we graduate and we start our new lives on our own we will always have those memories to fall back on. This is the one experience that you know that everybody has to do but doesn’t always want to do. But we do anyway and in the end, we’re thankful for it because we formed those bonds and made those memories.

We have all been in a place where our binders are a mess and taking notes are boring and hard to read. It’s more likely for a student to read their notes to study if it’s something more than just a bland piece of paper with words. Try highlighting sections and important information. Having sections colored or highlighted makes it easier for the eyes to find important information when needed quickly.

So you’re probably asking how would I do this? First, you want to designate a color for a certain part. For example, blue for the titles and dates, green for definitions, and yellow for examples. You can pick any color that is suitable for your tastes. I recommend darker colors for longer text as to lighter colors for shorter text. This method will put less strain on your eyes while reading.

If you are a messy writer you can take the notes, color code them, and then put them into a slides or on a different sheet of paper. PROTIP! If you erase a lot, do not use pen. It might be more work but editing notes like this will help you understand the information better. Research says going over information you don’t understand fourteen times will make it stick. Furthermore when you’re listening to it being thought over and over, writing it down, color coding it, then putting it in slides. You will know your information better when using this method.

We have all been in a place where our binders are a mess and notes are boring to read. It’s more likely for a student to read their notes to study if it’s something more than just a boring paper. Having sections colored or highlighted makes it easier on the eyes to find important information when needed quickly.

So you’re probably asking how would I do this? Well first, you want to make sure you have colors dedicated to certain things. For example, blue for the titles and dates, green for definitions, and yellow for examples. You can pick any color that is suitable for your tastes.

Hello class of 2018!! Graduation is getting closer and closer, and I’m sure most of you have the very serious condrition that causes you to miss a lot of school and slack on your assignments. It takes away your motivation and makes you do the bare minimum on your work. Do these symptoms sound familiar? You probably are suffering from. . . Senioritis! I know I’m seeing signs of this condition as we come upon the last few months of high school. Did you notice three very important words in the previous sentence? “Last three months”, high school is almost over. We may not feel like coming to school, and most of us are probably ready to be living with our bffs in college. However, we need to try to push through senioritis!

As of now, three months seems like three years away. With the many snow days, delays, spring break and the days we have off, three months will be over in a blink of an eye! While we are all still in school together we need to end those grudges, forgive and forget, and become close. These last few months we need to attend as many  sporting events as we can to support our class as they compete for the last time. If you’re playing a sport make sure you push as hard as you can, enjoy going to practice, and getting that nervous pregame feeling. Get closer with your team and make memories you will cherish for a lifetime. Go to the dances!! Especially prom, I promise you, it is worth it! Don’t spend your weekends laying around at home, get out and enjoy time with your friends. Now is the time to make amazing memories.

When May 18th rolls around, it will be our last time waking up at 6am to get ready for high school. It will be the last time we park in our “claimed” parking spots for school. As you walk through the doors it will be our last time walking into a Highschool. We walk down the halls and enter our classrooms for the last time. Most of us will be excited to finally be done but inside we will feel lost knowing this is our last time as a high school student. We will eat lunch together, possibly have a cookout, enjoying our last day. And as the day comes to end, we will have to put on our red caps and gowns to walk through the school and show off our accomplishment. The tears will roll down our cheeks between laughs. Songs such as “see you again” or “Time of your life” will be playing over the loudspeakers. We will all realize that our time at Beaver Local is up.

Class of 2018, after graduation when we all venture out and choose our own paths, I wish every one of you the best of luck. Thank you for being an amazing class!!

The Beaver Local Beavers wrestling team is set to travel to their rivals, East Liverpool High School, in a wrestling dual this Wednesday. The Beavers have prevailed in victory in the last 19 years. Their last lost to the Potters came in 1999.

The Beavers have gathered a 19 year streak that isn’t planning to be broken. The Beavers are boasting a very impressive varsity squad including, 5 wrestlers ranked in the top 20 of the State. The starting line up includes:
106: John Woodburn
113: Cole McComas 4th ranked
120: Nathan Cox
126: Devon Salsberry
132: Skylar Lasure 5th ranked
138: Noah Smith
145: Beau Smith 9th ranked
152: Jared Wright
160: Logan Krulik 16th ranked
170: Chad Mays
182: Andrew Solansky
195:Sam Lowe
220: Daniel Wirth
285: Zach Thomas 7th ranked

The Beaver Local girls basketball team will be hosting an ovac game tomorrow,February 8, against John Marshall. They are not playing for a place, but they are playing in consolation games in this tournament. So far the girls have a winning record of 9-8.  They are coming along decently with the little number of players they have this year. Past games the jv team has had to play only two out of the four quarters because they have no substitutions. Also with the lack of players, the varsity team has been needing help from the jv players in their games because they are limited in subs as well. As the regular season is coming to an end, they will be playing in the tournament coming up soon. The first sectional game is February 21, at home against Steubenville. They hope to see everyone there!

Hey Beavers, guess what’s around the corner….HOMECOMING!

Beaver Locals Winter Homecoming is February 17th!

The Homecoming dance is something that most people to look forward to – especially the girls. They love to get their makeup, hair, nails, and a glowing tan. But most importantly they LOVE to go shopping for dresses. Dress shopping is crucial to every girl because they want to find the perfect dress. Something that isn’t too risky but definitely makes a statement. But how much are girls willing to spend for this “perfect dress”?
Most of the girls at our school like to go shopping for their dresses at “Henris”. This store might have some “perfect” dresses that might steal the eyes of others, but also empty your wallet. On average Henri’s dresses that these girls wear can be anywhere from 250-500 dollars. Now, which would you rather do? Spend up to 500 on a dress that’ll be worn for 3 hours, or go to “Dillard’s” or “Macy’s” and find a dress just as nice for less than half the price?
I’m one of those girls who wants to have that “perfect” dress but doesn’t want to empty my parents’ wallet to have it. I have always been a bargain shopper, especially when it comes to homecoming. I encourage everyone to go to the dreaded sale rack. The majority of my homecoming dresses and everyday outfits come from the sale rack. I was always told to go straight to the sale rack because that’s where you get good clothes for less!

There is a story behind this red dress! Freshman fall homecoming I wasn’t planning on going until I got asked a week before the dance. I told my mom and she was panicked. We knew it was going to be hard to find a cute dress that short amount of time. My mom came home with dresses, in which she found them all on the sale rack at Macy’s. They were a quality dress for less. I fell in love with the red dress. I ended up getting the dress for $40 dollars! What a great buy. Most loved the dress and when they asked where I got it and for how much they were all shocked because it didn’t look like a $40 dress from Macy’s.

This next dress is super nice! I found this dress at Dillard’s and at first, I didn’t like it until I tried it on. It was the “perfect” dress for me. And even better, my “perfect” for under $100 dollars.

This last dress I purchased for this upcoming homecoming. I wasn’t even planning on dress shopping and I just happened to find this dress. I always made this purchase at Dillard’s. I absolutely hated this dress when I first saw it. But after my mom begged me to try it on, I fell in love with it! This is my favorite homecoming dress I’ve bought. This dress looked way different on then it did on the hanger.

Now after seeing what you can get for half of the price, let’s give you some dresses that are from “Henris.”

Now after reading this column, I hope you have discovered that price isn’t everything and that you can have a beautiful dress for half of the amount, and no one would know.

As the winter season comes into full swing, many people struggle to cope with the frigid temperatures, snow, and ice. There are also many new drivers in Beaver Local, who will experience driving in the Winter for the first time this year. So, in order to help those who struggle, here are my top three tips for surviving winter.

1. Bundle Up
I know bubble coats might not be the most attractive piece in the world, but it will insulate your body and retain heat better, keeping you warmer longer. So, take a fashion sacrifice and wear the big, chunky coat. Also, do not forget about hats, gloves, scarves, and socks! These accessories tend to be forgotten by many, but they are some of the most crucial. Keeping your body warm by putting a protective layer between you and the elements is extremely important to reduce cold and sickness.

2. Drive Slowly
Waking up early is one of the most dreaded part of any student’s life. Getting up before dawn is one of the last things anyone wants to do, but, as the nights get longer, it becomes inevitable. There are many students that sleep through their alarms and find themselves scrambling to make it to school on time, speeding down the road. This is one of the worst things you can do in the winter. In the winter, snow and ice are a staple. They can be pretty, but not when they cause your car to spin into a ditch. Many people get into serious accidents during the season due to speeding. So, to help lower this risk, allow yourself more time to drive to school. Wake up ten minutes earlier. And, if you are running late, do not speed. It is better to be late and alive then speed and not be. Teachers and administrators will be understanding about your tardy.

3. Get a hobby
With worsening weather and shorter days, many of us find ourselves in a slump. It is almost like our lives get put on hold until spring. One way to help lessen your boredom is to pick up a hobby. Hobbies can include a plethora of things, not just boring old stamp collecting. Drawing, sewing, cooking, reading, yodeling, anything. The possibilities are endless(especially now that you have all the time in the world since your parents don’t want you out in the bad weather) and are waiting to be discovered! So, try something other than just sitting on your phone and complaining how bored you are and how much you hate winter.