Sleep deprivation: My life as a homework zombie

As you walk into the high school in the morning, it seems as though you’re entering a world of zombies. Everywhere you look, you see kids still half asleep wishing that they were back home in their warm comfy bed. Why is this?

Generally, most students go to bed late and wake up early, like junior Katie Scott. “I go to bed at 12 and wake up at 6,” she said.

Even so, others are like junior Elbek Abasov, and have a weird sleep schedule to get the work done in the day. “I probably get 5 hours of sleep each day,” he said “I come home, take a one to two hour nap, then work until 2 am and get up again at 6:10…”

Too hot, too cold, or just right?

For the past couple of years, many students and faculty have found their classrooms less than comfortable when it comes to temperature. Some classrooms are hot and some are cold. Why this inconsistent pattern?

Sean Killelea, teacher at NCHS, described his classroom temperature, “It’s definitely warmer than last year. Last year, I would need to come in a parka and a knit hat…”

Stressful senior year calls for… shopping?

Whether students are applying to college or waiting to hear back, senior year is a stressful time. A majority juggle their schoolwork, after-school activities, and college applications all at once. Anxiety about college and stress about schoolwork tends to overwhelm many kids. While most senior students look forward to second semester when things lighten up, the beginning of the year can be pretty nerve-wracking. Here are some ways that seniors deal with stress:

Turner Baty: “[I deal with stress] by playing football because it gets my mind off of everything. It releases me…

“Posture Perfect?”

We are always told to “sit up straight”, “throw our shoulders back,” and “don’t slouch,” but is it really necessary to have the seasoned posture of a drill sergeant?

“Some of the health benefits [of good posture] are proper organ function, because if you’re stooped over, all of the organs cannot function,” local chiropractor Dr. Maryanne Ducey explained. “With bad posture you can have headaches, dizziness, pain, and difficulties with activities of daily living.” [These activities can be as simple as tying shoes and washing your hair].

Skipping class: an inside look at the issue

As school moves into its second month, students get accustomed to the persistent rhythm of courses, homework and extracurricular activities. Though students are expected to be present in class, New Canaan High School’s Attendance Guidelines expect absences to be caused by personal illness, death in the family, court appearance, religious holiday, college visits, or emergency medical appointments may be excused. The problem, however, arises when students take advantage of attendance policy, and skip class for other reasons.