The Greener Grass
A Blog by Jessica Nino
Tip of The Day: Take a moment to stretch<3
Although states have refused to close again, many people have continued their quarantine habits because of the second wave and increasing cases since public places reopened. Here are some cool things you can do while staying safe!
Activities You Can Still Enjoy Without Being at Risk
Friendly Reminder: It\’s okay to have a bad day and feel unproductive, it happens to everyone. Don\’t beat yourself up, just try to do something you like the next day!
Observe animals and planetariums
I\’m not even going to hide my excitement for this one, this is probably something I watched for hours at a time and found to be amazing. Many zoos, aquariums, and oceans have cameras that livestream or pre-record for long amounts of time. There are also some online planetariums that let you look into the sky and click on stars/planets that are visible and change your view and location. This is something I find very interesting and time consuming so I would definitely recommend giving this a try.
Research a new Interest
Take some time to read or learn about small interests you have. I recently came across an article about the best preserved mummies, and it was a good read and distracted me for a while. I encourage you to search for things you like, constantly wonder about, or make you curious. There can be a lot going on right now on the news, and in our families so it\’s refreshing to wander away for a minute and read about something you like and absorb the information available from it.
Go outside
To gain a better perspective on effective activities that keep you entertained, I asked a couple of my friends what they\’ve been doing to help them steady throughout these months. Many answered things like: skateboarding, gardening, exercising, going for walks, sitting outside, and meditating. They all said they choose to do these activities outside because they get a bit of fresh air, and it calms them down a bit. I spend much of my time inside, but I agree that sometimes inside can be too much. When I feel anxious or my head hurts I go outside and am quickly relieved to find I enjoy it.
Observe the Outside
Let\’s be honest for a moment, many of us ruined our sleep schedule as being inside grew longer and longer. If you find yourself up very early or late I recommend setting a time to watch the sunrise or sunset. If you somehow haven’t ruined your sleep schedule, I’d recommend doing some star gazing. You can either take a blanket and lay it on grass and watch them from outside or watch them inside from a window. I really like this idea because it doesn\’t require much effort and can be done at your comfort.
Try a New Sport or Exercise
Like mentioned before, I asked my friends what activities they were doing. One of my friends began to skateboard, and my friends who regularly play are continuing to by themselves. If you’re serious about a sport or regularly play i’d say this is more like normal practice or avoiding rust from months of being inactive. If there’s a sport you’ve always wanted to learn, now is the best time to start it due to all the free time.
Pick Up Photography as a Skill
My friend who recently got injured from his last sports season mentioned he\’s trying out photography. I think this is a cool thing to pick up because it\’s so easy to do. All you need is a phone and a target or item to shoot. If you do become more serious about it, you can buy a camera. Even if you’re not interested in it you’ll most likely improve the way you take pictures which won’t hurt. The least you can take away is a better angle for you to post with.
Learn a New Language or Sentence
I\’ve heard multiple people mention they started learning a new language because it\’s something they never had time for before. Learning a new language can be a new challenge for you to take on if you feel like your brain is mush (I know mine is).
Escape Your Comfort Zone
A lot of people have found themselves in a constant state of boredom because they feel as if they’re not being challenged. I\’d suggest doing something you wouldn\’t normally find yourself doing and even avoiding. Being open to something like this will open you up more, and make you tolerant of this you aren’t familiar with. It will also add a challenge and you might end up making it a new hobby.
Communicate With Others
Because groups of people are still limited, and many of us have gone months without seeing our friends in person, calling or facetime them is a great idea. It will distract you more the longer you\’ve gone without seeing them because it’s our nature to want to catch each other up. Call, text, facetime, or game with your friends, family and loved ones. Being around the same people can become irritating so being able to talk to others you miss can make you feel better, distract you, and keep you caught up with them and vice versa.
Try Out a New Look
Whether you try new outfits, makeup, or hairstyles, its a great way to speed time along and conforms with any gender! You can paint your nails different colors, try new clothing combinations, wear things you normally wouldn’t and embrace them to learn if they suit you. Whether you identify as a woman, a man, non binary, etc. it\’s a good time to mess with your look and discover who you are through it without being scared or worrying about being judged, or deciding what you do and don’t like.
Find Your Birthday Comic
The Garfield website releases new comics every day, and you can also search the one released the day you were born or any other day. If you’re not into Garfield, you can find websites to find different comics related to certain days, genres, and authors. (here\’s mine:))
Give Art a Try
Personally, I\’ve spent much of my time these past months painting, drawing, coloring, clay molding, and outlining many things. Don’t be afraid to try and do any of these things because Art Is Subjective. Your art is whatever you believe it to be, it can be secretive, it can be bold, it can be scribbles, or a portrait. Your art will only be good if you believe it is good and it can carry meanings only you understand. It can free up tensions and when I do it, time seems to fly by.
Write a Journal
Another thing I started right before spring break was a journal. I suggest this if there\’s things you only trust with yourself, if you’be been feeling anxious, depressed, alone, or daydreaming like crazy. Writing can be such an outlet if you let it be and if you feel stressed or anxious it can be the release of emotion you need it to be. Writing is also subjective so no one has to understand it or like it but you. It is something that can become more personal with time, but also help you grow as you let things go with it.
Read
If you’re into that sort of thing, reading can be a relaxer and take things off your mind with ease. I find myself to be a picky reader and sometimes have difficulty finding books but thats the beauty in looking for one! Books are everywhere and honestly still pretty accessible if you’re looking for a paper copy. I recently found one of my new favorites at a Dollar Tree for A DOLLAR. (It was a signed copy and hard cover that retailed for about 30$ online). I do recommend taking the time to look for a book that interests you because it helped me a lot when I took the time to do it. Free Comic Book Day is having a summer event where through July to September comic books will be issued out to those who sign up for them. (link down below) Books i recommend: Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith, I Know Why The Caged Bird sings by Maya Angelou (Autobiography) , The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Novel), Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (comic), Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Novel), The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner (Adventure Fiction Novel), Looking for Alaska by John Green (Novel) and The Flowers by Alice Walker (DARK poem).
15.Play a Challenging Game
If you find yourself not being challenged (once again), try finding a challenging game you\’d like. Whether it\’s a puzzle, word game, or those games where it’s really hard to control your character (I am bread, octodad, heart surgeon simulator, goat simulator) it will sure take you some time to figure out the controls and what to do in order to beat the level.
Listen to Calm/White Noise
Listen to calm songs. (No not CALM by 5sos) (Ok yes CALM by 5sos)(If you know you know). Listen to music and songs that will help you relax when you feel your anxiety is starting to rise or become irritated. You can meditate, make mental notes, or just vibe. This will help you get your thoughts and ideas out and can trigger your creativity. You can also listen to music if you’re having trouble sleeping. For my fellow Harries/Stylers there’s Dream With Harry by Harry Styles, and if you\’re looking for something else there\’s apps like the Calm app that have specific sounds for your trouble.
Contact me
Hi! I would love to hear your ideas, suggestions, and feedback on the content I am regularly publishing! I believe it is important I stay connected with yall and am able to positively connect and learn from yalls criticism and suggestions to help me improve as a writer. I encourage you to send me ideas and suggestions based on what you’d like to read about so that I can regularly connect with you all as well as better understand your interests, and help y’all destress, learn, and enjoy my content. -Love, J
You can contact me through the following links and medias:
Gmail: jessicanino2004@gmail.com
Twitter: 1andxnlynino
And
Instagram: jjessicaninoo (also found at the top of the page next to the title, you can reach my profile by clicking the IG icon or looking it up through the username)
The best way to reach me would be through either Email or instagram, I am constantly checking both. Don\’t be shy! Even if you don’t have suggestions, if you need a safe space, feel emotionally/mentally stressed, are feeling anxious, depressed, or just need a friend, I am always available!
FAQs
Who Am I?
My Name is Jessica & I am a blogger for the CPSB (college prep student bubble) I was given the wonderful ability to create content for you all as a way to relax or entertain/learn while you prepare for AP/college.
What Are My Interests?
My interests include painting, volleyball, discovering music, reading (mostly sci-fi or romance), writing about absolutely anything and interacting with new people! I believe having hobbies and consistently participating in them helps you mentally and physically destress, so if you haven\’t done something you enjoy today, take the time to do it :).
What Do I Intend For This Blog?
This blog was created for you as a student to get some daily reading in on something that interests you. This became a resource because AP and college can very often be stressful and a handful, my purpose is to entertain you and help you stay motivated. My writing can be seen as a brain break or relaxer to those who are interested in it. I intend to make this a very chill spot for you all and to bring weekly content on any topic imaginable you suggest/want.
What Grade Am I In & What Courses Am I Taking?
I am an incoming Junior for the 2020-21 year, and will be graduating with the class of ‘22. I am an Early College High School student, so half of my classes are highschool and the other half are college. My classes this year will include: English 4 dual credit, Geometry PAP, Environmental Systems PAP, US History, (high school). For my first semester in college I am taking College English, Texas Government, and Philosophy.
More About My Writing: How did I come up with ‘The Greener Grass’? Very often I heard the saying “the grass isn\’t always greener on the other side” I decided to name my blog after this to give it a positive connotation: it doesn’t matter what side of the “grass’’ were on, sure it may not be the greenest, but I think that by being positive & interacting we can make our grass greener. To me this means we can help each other out, we can teach and learn from each other; we will all eventually feel stress, pressure, & frustration, but together we can make the most out of it and encourage each other & grow.
Cites used, referenced and helpful related to this content:
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