"The Creatives" March 2019 issue

The

Creatives

March 2019 Issue 2 Vol.2

Teen Vibes

Life is Precious

YOUNG POET’S CORNER 5!

at 1 t s i l Voca

!

5 1 at t s i Vocal

Upcoming Competitions

Recipes

Whats yout Talent?

Is it too late to follow your Dreams?

Accountant turned Singer!

Lead a Stress-Free Life A Column by Dr Momina Salman

The Creatives is a publication by Ray Academics for children and young adults.

Learn to Reimagine your Future Upcoming Competitions!

Contents 3

Editor’s Letter

4

Student Editorial Board

5 8

Talent Found

A Vocalist at 15!

Is it too late to follow your dreams?

10 Accountant turned Singer

Pakistan Day Competitions!

On the Spot Creative Writing Competition Subscription Countries

Print-on-Demand

Pakistan

Rs 700

eMagazine is available worldwide

To place an order for Print-on- Demand visit: https://www.rayacademics.com/print/

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12

Stories of the Month

15

Fun Activities

16 Young Poet’s Corner 20

Life is Precious

22

Upcoming Competitions

24

Top Picks of 2018

25

Kiddies in the Kitchen

26

Momi Talks!

Just Relax!

A column by a practising physician in the US

EDITOR’S LETTER Patron-in-Chief Dear Readers,

Parveen Akhtar

We are especially excited about our current eMagazine issue since it provides live links that will directly take you to the videos. In this issue, we are featuring Rania Jawad Khan in our “Talent Found” section of the magazine. The links in the eMagazine are live and hence will directly take you to the video by National Academy of Pakistan. National Academy of Pakistan is dedicated to nurturing the musical skills of young adults. It has been recommended by many if you are looking for a place to develop your musical abilities.

Student Editorial Team

As you enjoy the mesmerizing vocals of Rania Jawad, it is important to realize that dreams do not have an expiration date. It is everyone’s right to pursue their dreams. Irrespective to the stage you maybe in life, it always takes great courage to face so many people and expose your abilities to criticism. Mehru Syed, a working mom from New Jersey, also followed her passion alongside her profession of being an accountant. We have featured Mehru Syed to encourage all those who think that they have to let go of their dreams with the passage of time. The truth is that the only person who will decide not to pursue your passion is you.

“The Creatives,” is essentially a student project in which students from all over the world participate and contribute. We have selected two more members for our Student Editorial Team who have proved their dedication to this project.

We would like to welcome two student from Lahore to our team of Creatives; Maheen Salman from SCIL and Zainab Imran from LGS 55 Main. If you are interested in being an integral party of “The Creatives,” please contact us at info@rayacademics.com We truly appreciate the enthusiasm of all our participants in our recent online Creative Writing Competition. We will be announcing the results on social media after two weeks. Shortlisted and winning entries will be punished in “The Creatives.” All participants will receive a certificate and a token of appreciation from us.

Amn Zain Ryaan Mirza Damia Nauman Zainab Imran Maheen Salman Aaiza Zafar

Distributed by Ray Academics 21 Bank Square Market Model Town Lahore, Pakistan Ph: +92-302-8556771

Email: info@rayacademics.com

Printers RN Digital Printers

Enjoy the beautiful spring in Lahore while it lasts!

Bushra Ehsan Editor-in-Chief CEO of Ray Academics

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Editorial Board Members

My name is Zainab Imran, but everyone calls me ‘Zem’ because it rhymes with the word ‘gem.’

Let’s just say I’m an extremely bland person!

As far as my interests go, I read a lot. So much, that my parents have to tell me to stop and to interact with someone other than the characters in my books. If you don’t find me reading, then I’ll probably be writing poetry, which was something I used to do for fun. But thanks to Ray Academics, this hobby has turned into a passion and motivated me to into writing my own book. I dream of giving a voice to all the oppressed women in my society through my writing. But don’t get me started on that, you’ll just bore yourself. Furthermore, I’m currently studying sciences and English literature at 55 Main Gulberg. Other than that, I’m just a sleep deprived sixteen-year old, with big dreams and a mug of coffee in my hand all the time.

And like all good things this also comes to an end.

Until next time...

Zainab Imran Assalam u Alaikum!

I am Maheen Salman Ahmad, aged eleven, a student of grade six, at School for Contemporary and Islamic Learning (SCIL), Lahore, Pakistan. My hobbies are reading, writing and crafting. Books are the core of my life. I’m working on the first book of a trilogy I intend to write, The Crown of Fate. I also love studying.

The mere prospect of gaining knowledge -of any kind- makes me feel excited and eager. I have a lot of dreams and am rather an ambitious person. It’s honestly quite exhilarating to be a part of the Editorial Team, and I think of it as an honor. I look forward to meeting you through my words!

Till later,

Maheen Salman Ahmad The Creatives|4

Lis ‘To ten t o ori o Go Ran Samginal od a ia Kh t Sm ly pe Goo an s in ith rfo rm dbye g, . ed s by ,”

Meet Rania Khan

A Vocalist at 15!!

Link for the video: http://bit. ly/2OkFGM1 Follow their YouTube channel!

Talent Found!

Click to play if you’re reading eMagazine or visit http://bit.ly/raniakhan Credits: National Music Academy Pakistan

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Since when did you have an interest in music and what made you pursue it?

My interest in music began when I was about three years old. My mom put me in a ballet studio and it was the first time I had properly been exposed to music. After doing it for five years, I did a little bit of contemporary because I was sure dance was my passion. This was until I took piano at the age of seven. A year later I started doing musical theater and I decided to quit dance but it’s definitely still something I thoroughly enjoy doing. Through musical theater, my singing voice was showcased. I had always liked singing but performing was a completely different thing!

From then on, I’ve been taking vocal lessons. Music has been apart of my life for so long and it’s been there in many different forms.

A Rendez-Vous Did you receive any formal training in singing and playing music?

Yes! I’ve been taking piano for seven years and vocal lessons for three What do you love the most about singing?

It’s my coping mechanism, my form of expression, my passion, and much more. The list of reasons for loving it are endless. My teachers constantly tell me about how I sing all the time during class.

Whether I’m focused, stressed or just happy; it’s just become my lifestyle.

Do you prefer Western vocals, or Eastern, and why?

I prefer Western vocals because English is my first language and above anything else, empathizing with the lyrics of the song is the most important thing to me.

What advice would you like to give to all those young dreamers out there in the world?

I would make sure to tell them that you’re not born perfect at anything. It takes drive, determination and hard work to perfect something. You can always improve.

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Would you like to showcase your talent by going to different singing talent shows (like Coke Studio or Nescafe Basement)?

Yes, I would love to.

Why do you think people are reluctant in showcasing their talent in their youth?

What stopped me was the fear of being judged and criticism. It’s important to understand that not everyone’s going to recognize your talent. But, as long as you’re passionate about something, the love and support will follow.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

I really hope to be attending either Princeton or Yale because of their strong astronomy programs. Both of those colleges also have great music programs.

Who is your greatest influence?

I don’t have one influence. Many people inspire me every day. For now though, it’s my parents and my brother. Also, a couple of YouTubers who put out covers like Audrey Mika or Lynnea M.

with Rania Khan Do you feel that you chose your passion or do you think it chose you?

I chose my passion. Over the years, my passions have varied. First it was dance, then acting, piano, and singing was the final thing I decided to take up.

Which famous musicians do you admire? Why? Currently, Ariana Grande is my vocal role model. Her riffs, range and technique are what I strive to have someday.

Does musical intelligence run in the family?

Yes, I believe it does. My nana is a self-taught singer and he’s amazing. Music is a huge part of our family.

Have you created a YouTube Channel to reach audiences and fan following? If not, would you like to?

I’ve created a YouTube channel and I do plan on posting covers/original songs once I get the time.

-By Amn Zain, 12 years old, Lahore, Pakistan

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Is it Too Late to F

Follow your Dreams?

Is It Too Late To Follow Your Dreams?

E

veryone, no matter how old or young, has dreams, goals, motivations ambitions.

Something that you just have to achieve or your life just doesn’t feel complete. For example, all my life, I’ve wanted to be writer; to write my own book. I’ve put it off so far, thinking that the time is not right. Maybe I’m too young or busy, or ‘what will people think?’ But last year, I finally faced my dreams.

You could be diagnosed with a fatal disease with not much more time left, but there’s still something that you desperately want to do. You think it’s too late. Again, it is not. It is never too late to follow your dreams; you just have to get up and get going, then sooner or later, but slowly yet surely, you will end up successful.

There’s a particular quote that always consoles me that I can pursue my dreams, that it’s never too late, and that I have time. It goes, ‘If you have a heartbeat, there is still time for your dreams.’ –Sean Stephenson.

It can never be too early or too late to fulfill your dreams. Dreams are what make life worth living. They give us determination, hope and something to look forward to. Besides, we only get one life. So what’s stopping you? Follow your dreams, they will make their own know way!

By Maheen Salman, 11 years old, Lahore, Pakistan

Ever heard of Martha Stewart? She was forty when she finally achieved her goal; publishing her first book, Entertaining. Did she give up? No, she didn’t. Even though it was very late in her life, she still managed to fulfill her dreams.

Accountant turned Singer A Message from Mehru Syed

M

y message for all you stellar little minds is - work hard, believe in yourself and never let go of something that you are passionate about. Don’t ever let anything or anyone mar your creativity.

I know everyone thinks creativity is only represented through liberal arts and physical forms of expression but believe it or not science is the most magnificent form of creativity. You can create the universe through Physics, Biology and Chemistry.

Unfortunately, our schools don’t focus much on application and research. But don’t let that stop you from exploring yourself. Today you all are lucky that you have Professor Google by your side.

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Never be afraid to think outside the box and voice what you discover. I used to be a nerd back in school, I still am. I loved to write poetry and sing. I still do. And now after years of collecting degrees I have launched my first song “ Jaani Jaani” which is a favorite of students like you all. Hope you like it.

Talk to you soon - in the meanwhile learn, explore and create!!

e, hop nge er lle v a e h c “N His the in e k e ta ev eli b and .” ing n n pla e los

ed

u Sy r h e M

Click to play if you’re reading eMagazine or visit http://bit.ly/MehruSyed

Q&A singing?

What inspired you to start sic/ songs since a very I just loved listening to mu d to sing songs to us etc. young age. My mom also use ties should a good singer In your opinion, what quali possess? t make a good singer are; a The two key ingredients tha good voice and passion. in this field?

Do you face any hardships ch to that for now.

I don’t think I can speak mu gs?

Do you write your own son Yes, I absolutely do!

By Damia Nauman, 15 yearsold, Lahore, Pakistan

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Stories of the Month

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Super Junk Girl

By Manal Idrees, 8 years old, TNS Gulberg, Lahore, Pakistan.

A

s I was shopping in the supermarket I noticed a girl and her shopping cart. It was full of junk. I asked her why she doesn’t want some fruit or veggies.

“No Thanks,” said the girl.”I would rather eat at chips and other junk!”

“

I could see that as her cart was filled with Crisps, juice, Coca-cola, Sprite, and Miranda, Kinder eggs, candy, biscuits, cupcakes, Milo, bubble gums of different flavors….. You name it!!!

“Ok! Haha! You can’t stop me I am going to give it to my kids Junky and Munky. I hate Munky because she eats healthy and Junky eats junk like me and junk is good but…”

I interrupted, “No buts!”

“ Junk is better than healthy stuff, then take Munky with you if you like healthy!”

She shouted.

“ Ahh! That women sure doesn’t look healthy,” I told all the people around me. I also told everyone to tell her not to eat too much junk. Everyone was very helpful and told her not to eat all that junk. Her head started to ache from all the commotion.

She said, “fine,” and then she tried healthy for the first time.

“WOW! This is good! Yum!!!” she exclaimed after the first bite. And then she learnt her lesson and decided to switch over to healthy eating habits.

I said, “Yaahh! Thank you everyone!”

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The Magic Door by Ayaan Azeem, 10 years old, LGS JT, Lahore, Pakistan

O

nce upon a time, there lived a family in Moscow, Russia. The poor family comprised of seven members. Three children lived in that family along with their grandparents and parents. The boys were named Kipper, Sam and the girl was called Biff. They had to live with their grandparents because their mom and dad had died in a fatal accident. The accident took place on a rainy day and the car unfortunately slipped on the slippery road. Their car plunged deep down into the river. The parents died but the driver survived because he had jumped out of the car in time.

Surprisingly, the children turned out to be very responsible and good caretakers of their grandparents. One early Saturday morning they called their friends to dig up their lawn because they wanted to plant artificial grass in it. When their friends arrived,the grandmother served them spaghetti followed by some peanut butter sandwiches. After that they went to the lawn and started digging up the mud with their shovels.

After sometime they heard a sound, “Ping!” Sam’s shovel got hit by some metal object. They tried to pull it out but it was too heavy and they were already feeling tired after all the digging. They went in the house and drank some water to revive themselves. They tried to pull the metal object out again and this time they were successful. They saw a wooden solid door and it’s handle was made of gold. When they saw this door, they were astonished to see the marvellous structure.

Some kids guessed that it could be a great room filled with gold and money but some kids thought that there could be a beach waiting for them on the other side of the door. When they opened it, they were all surprised to see that it led them to a waterpark.

There were three types of waterslides in the park. All the kids ran towards them. The first slide was named, Space Hole, it was a long slide and half of it was filled with water. The second slide was known as, “The Spiral”. It was not a very long slide but it was spiral in shape. It was a lot of fun taking that slide. Last but not the least The Wiggy-Waggy-Woo slide was the most adventurous slide with a funny name.

Finally when the children took all the slides and they were happy and content. They all thought that they would throw a birthday party over here. But, when they went out of the door, the magic door disappeared. They thought that it was very strange that they could no longer see the door! They went home and told their family about this exciting trip. They said that their trip was fascinating, amazing and engaging. Nobody believed them but they all knew it was nothing but the truth.

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Jokes Q. Why was the birthday cake as hard as a rock?

A. Because it was marble cake!

Q. Why is Cinderella so bad at soccer?

A. Because she always runs away from the ball!

Q: Why didn’t the sun go to college?

A: Because it already had a million degrees!

Q. Why couldn’t the astronaut book a room on the moon?A. It was full!

Q: What did the grandma cat say to her grandson when she saw him slouching?

A: You need to pay more attention to my pawsture Q. What do snowmen do when they’re not feeling well?

A. They take a chill pill!

I tell people I’m on a low-carb diet. But in reality, I just eat pasta while lying on the floor.-Stephen Colbert Never trust math teachers who use graph paper. They’re always plotting something.

Biryani Vs Halwa Poori

By Amn Zain, LGS 55-Main, 13 years old, Lahore, Pakistan

Link for the video: http://bit. ly/2OkFGM1 Follow their YouTube channel!

Polls!

We took some time this month to question people about their most favorite desi foods of all time, and more than 200 people were eager to answer. With the choices of Halwa Poori and Biryani, it sure was a hard decision! But the result is as following:

13% Halwa Poori Fans 87% Biryani As we expected biryani won the day! With a small group for halwa poori of course. Reasons people love biryani, the tantalizing combo rice chicken and spice, is mainly because they can gratefully eat it all day long, it’s incredibly spicy, and introduces all the different wonders of the desi kitchen in one dish. Wow! Pakistani’s do adore spice!

Halwa Poori on the other hand had milder comments, such as waking you up in the morning, and that the sweet and warm taste is very luring. But spice won over the sweetly sweet paradise!!

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Emotions! Emotions!

We all have different feelings.

Like the time when I felt laughter when my cat got stuck up high on the ceiling!

We all feel fear, disgust, joy, sadness and much much more, Like the time when I felt anger when my mom told me to do my chores.

All living things feel feelings whether they are humans, animals or plants, Like yesterday I posted a funny video of my sister doing her chicken dance!

The best feeling of them all is the feeling of joy, Its the feeling I feel when I get a new toy!

Emotions! Emotions! we all have different feelings , Like the time when I looked at my test in which I got a C and I was reeling

-Zahra Abbas Khan, 9 years old, Lahore, Pakistan

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Hope There is a light, an illuminating candle, When the world is dark and each scene is a scandal, There is a beam of radiance and it fills me up, Fills me with cheer and lifts me up, I forget about the dark and worried times, I have hope; it takes me away from unforgivable crimes, I need not cry anymore, I need not fear anymore, Hope, the mere word is enchanting, it lets me soar, Away to the stars, I climb with a rope, A rope, I call fortune, a rope I call hope, It’s blinding with light, and gleaming with trust, Hope carries away people’s sorrows and all the fatal dust, If it fills me up, and can lighten the earth, I have one wish, that it can give birth, To good deeds, happy people and the power for us to cope, Hope, it fills the world with lights, all we have to do is hope……..

By Amn Zain, 13 years, Lahore, Pakistan

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Emotions Anger, love, fear, joy and sadness, Oh! All these emotions fluttering in our hearts, So, so much more than what meets the human eye, They are patterns of swirling colors, yet, a dark empty abyss, Show a bit too much and you’re fake, Show a bit too less and you’re unnatural, Oh, you wake up to realize- you live in a society, where you are forced; You are forced to wear an emotion, So many to choose from; which one today?

The hopeless hope or the cheerless cheer, The hated love or the loved hate?

These emotions, so bittersweet, so restricting, so claustrophobic, Caging your mind and mine too; like caging a free bird in spring time!

By Unaiza Farooq, 13 years old, Lahore, Pakistan

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Teen Vibes

Life is Precious

by Zainab Imran, Lahore, Pakistan Inspired by a speech by Kevin Hines

L

ife is a journey of pain and pleasure; well that’s what I’ve learned in these sixteen years. I’ve seen some of the most hardest times of my life but at the same time, I never stopped to recognise the beauty that is in every high and low moment. In eight grade, I had my first panic attack in the school bathroom.

I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down my face. I was so broken. I wanted someone to look at me in my eyes and tell me, that this phase is going to end and when it does we’ll celebrate it’s goodbye with a scoop of ice cream. Throughout out these years, I’ve become so strong, so brave. Two years ago, if someone would have broken my heart, I would have started crying. But now, I accept life as it is because I know one thing, it doesn’t just get easier, you just become stronger. In every single way. That’s when I realised you will have to fight all your battles. But with the strength that God has provided you in your heart. It’s when I came to the conclusion that I deserved better. So much better. And so, I fought. I fought with my insecurities as they shoved me to the side. I narrowed my eyes and punched them in the face. I saw them fall down, one by one, panting breathlessly.

Because you know I deserved better. Life had just so much to offer me. And I was not going to let it go to waste. I remembered all the times, I had cried on my prayer mat, asking my God for a better life. All the times, I had been furious with my parents, when they wouldn’t let me go out with my friends. I was speechless because I had been so ungrateful for all my blessings. I had been ungrateful for the two eyes, two hands, two feet that God had gifted me. I had been unthankful for the blessing of speech, hearing, smelling and tasting.

In this vast universe, God created 750 species of a butterflies and you think you are insignificant? Open your eyes look around you. There is just so much beauty that you can only see when you accept life as it is. Get out of your comfort zone, revive that sense of lost hope. Smile. Because you know you look the most beautiful when you do.

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Inspirational Video

Pick of the Month Speech by a Survivor Kevin Hines

Mental Health Awareness

Click to play if you’re reading eMagazine or visit http://bit.ly/PickMarch2019

Credits: GoalCast Videos

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This competition is open for all children and young adults who can send us a digital image of the art that they have produced. The artists are encouraged to use their creativity in depicting the theme from any perspective within Islamic etiquette.Please note that submissions sent can be used in print and electronic publications such as The Creatives and other web publications

by Ray Academics. Please note that plagiarized work (eg. copying from internet, claiming as someone else's work as yours etc.) will result in banning from all competitions and publications at Ray Academics.

CATEGORIES: -Calligraphy- Arabic -Calligraphy-English -Floral -Motif/Geometrical Pattern -Abstract -Landscape DETAILS: AGE GROUPS: Young Artist: 6 years SubJunior: 7-9 years Junior: 10-12 years Senior: 13-16 years PRIZES: Several Winning participants outside Pakistan will be delivered prizes through Amazon. com or by our representative

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CERTIFICATES: Winning entries will receive gifts and certificates. Participation certificates will also be given PUBLICATION: Winner and shortlisted artists and writers will be published in our monthly magazine, "The Creatives", social media of Ray Academics and in our website ENTRY: Rs 500 for Pakistan All other counties: $5 (US) NO. OF ENTRIES ACCEPTED PER PARTICIPANT (PER CATEGORY): 2 RESIDENCE OF PARTICIPANTS Worldwide TYPES OF WORK ACCEPTED: The competition is open for any artistic medium including but not limited to: digital art, pastel, oil painting, water colors, charcoal, pencil.

1. Medium (materials used): Any 2. Size of Art work: Not smaller than 5”x7”and larger than 11”x17” 3. Submission is in digital form (send us a clear image of your work-file type: JPEG)

SUBMISSION: -Submit image of your work online at info@rayacademics.com (Image must be high resolution) -File format: JPEG -One email per participant is accepted (if you are sending 2 images then you must attach it in one email) -Subject line of the email must be as follows: Artwork by -------You must fill the online form below to be accepted.

-You must email your submissions to info@rayacademics.com Please note that your work will be checked for plagiarism. All submissions must include the following information: Name, Age, Contact Phone and Email, Postal Address, School and Country.

Artists are encouraged to show the artwork in person to the representative assigned for that specific region/country LAST DATE OF SUBMISSION: May 20th, 2018 ANNOUNCEMENT OF PRIZES: Winners will be announced on Facebook and Instagram (@rayacademics)All information and online form is available at https://www.rayacademics.com/islamic-art-competition

Pakistan Day Competitions!

On the Spot Creative Writing Competition

Stories, essays, poems, true stories, art are welcome on the following themes: 1. Pakistan 2. Independence 3. Pakistani Leader or leadershop Special Prize for Interview a senior citizen who has experienced a Pakistani War. Entry Fee: None Prizes: Various Competition is open from ages 6 to 16 years old

Come to Ray Academics on April 13th to write your story.

All details will be given on https://www.rayacademics.com/on-the-spot-competition-2019

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Top Picks of 2018 There is a wonderful list of books based on votes available from Good Reads website (https:// www.goodreads.com). Here are the top 6 books for middle graders and children. This website is highly recommended if you are looking for good books to read with reviews,

42,529 votes Ranking #1

35,781 votes Ranking #2

15,674 votes Ranking #3

13,872 votes Ranking #4

8,698 votes Ranking #5

8,021 votes Ranking #6

Click on any book or visit http://bit.ly/6goodreads2018 for more information and details

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Credits: goodreads

Kiddies in the Kitchen A Perfect Treat for Pakistan Day!

Pakistan Flag Cookies!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup Unsalted butter 1/2 cup Sugar 1 egg yolk 1 ½ cup Flour 1 ½ tsp Baking powder 1 tbsp Milk 2 tsp Vanilla essence A pinch of salt Green food color ( a few drops) Whipped cream to make the star and crescent Note: This recipe makes 20-25 cookies

Method: Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, beat butter until it is creamy and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat it until it is lightly fluffy.

Next add in the wet ingredients and beat until it reaches a creamy consistency.

Now at low speed of the electric beater (or by the use of hands) add in the flour-baking powder mixture to the butter mixture. This will result in a smooth dough.

Divide the dough into two parts. Add green food coloring to one part of the dough and knead it till the color is fully blended in.

Roll out the white and the green dough and cut the green dough into rectangles (thickness should be lesser than half an inch) On a baking tray lined with butter paper, place the green rectangles. Cut thin strips of the white dough and place them on the left side of the green dough.

Heat your oven to 162 C for 5-10 minutes. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes. The cookies will be done once the white strip turns golden brown and the bases of the cookies are slightly crispy Once the cookies are cooled, use the whipped cream to make a crescent and a star on them, just like the flag of Pakistan.

Share them with your friends and family and enjoy!

Contributed by Damia Nauman, Lahore, Pakistan

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Momi Talks!

Relax!

How many times have you heard people say, “Just Relax!” It’s as if they think that there is a switch that you could just turn on and off on a whim. Teenagers today are facing a tremendous amount of stress on a daily basis.

That is old news!

The new news is that there are ways to counteract these stressors without using medication. I would advise, however, that if you are having thoughts of harm to others or yourself, please seek professional medical help. also, some techniques have to be taught in person and some people with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) should not be taught unsupervised. So the exercises below are the absolute basic ones. They are in no means a complete list of all kinds of relaxation techniques available. However, they are the most easy to self teach and all have been proven to have beneficial effects.

RELAXATION EXERCISES: So, we discussed spirituality, mini meditation and mindful prayer to improve the quality of life in the December 2018 issue of The Creatives. And last month we discussed how to create healthy habits in detail. In this issue, we will discuss how to do relaxation exercises and integrate them effectively in our daliy lives Breath awareness: This is one of the most important steps towards learning relaxation and is relatively easy to do as well. Just concentrating on your breath, being mindful of your breath, is a type of relaxation exercise. You can count breaths, and while doing so, feel the air enter through your nose going down your windpipe and into your lungs, and then feel the air coming out as you breathe out. You can also imagine air going through one nostril and then going out the other. if you are a mouth breather, you can breathe through your mouth and feel the air moving over your tongue. This exercise brings the wandering mind into focus. It is advisable to close your eyes during this exercise. If your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your breath. Do not be judgmental and upset with yourself if you can not concentrate at first. With practice your mind will wander less and your focus will improve.

Guided imagery: imagining a vision or expectation of a positive change. Slowly you will begin to believe and that produces positive emotion and thus relax you. this is relatively harder as people sometimes can not come up with a positive future event. So it is easier to use an older image and transform yourself to that time. An example would be of a vacation day that was a pleasant experience. Just close your eyes and imagine that day again. If it was a day at the beach, use your senses to recall the memories.

The sound of the water, the feel of the breeze, just imagining, will take you to that place and time. In a way, you are tricking your brain into a mini vacation.

Repeating a word or phrase (this was mentioned in December edition) a mantra/rosary/tasbeeh/zikr. It is a repetitive stimulus that turns off your “inner dialogue”, lets other thoughts go.

Next, is the practical aspect of incorporating these into daily routine. The key to this is in goal setting.

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And we have to be SMART about it!

S: Specific M: Measurable A: Attainable R: Realistic T: Time based Now, the decision is all yours!

SPECIFIC: You have to pick which relaxation technique to pick (maybe you pick one, or two or may be all of them). Also be specific when you are going to do it and for how long. This may appear like a no brainer, but it is the most important element in goal setting. It is very easy to say, I will do an hour every week, but it is much more effective when you be SPECIFIC, i.e., I will do 5 minutes every day before sleep, then you have a time and a day and NO EXCUSE! MEASURABLE: I mean you keep a log of how long and how often you do it. This will give you encouragement as you are able to measure objectively your success. If you happen to miss a day or two of the relaxation exercise, do not stress about it. let it go and resume your relaxation exercises. You can also aim to increase by a few minutes every week, if your schedule allows. Be persistent, use the techniques explained in the “habit forming” column. You can keep a diary, or log into your smartphone. It will help show you how you improve over time.

ATTAINABLE: Aim for something you think you can attain, eg. if you feel you cannot do imagery, go for the breath counting. Trying to do something that is not ideal for you will frustrate you.

REALISTIC: Keep realistic goals, do five minutes daily only if that is realistic and attainable for you. if you can do half an hour everyday, then do that. Either way you will have achieved relaxation, and even one minute of relaxation produces long lasting positive changes in your brain.

TIME BASED: You can use timer on your watch or phone. The advantage of exercise being time based is that it helps with all the above 4 techniques, i.e. it makes the exercise specific, measurable, attainable and for what is realistic for you.

Now, how are you going to use this in your regular life? Once you have a regular practice of relaxation exercise, you can use it in your time of need. You can use these exercises in stressful situations that may be causing anxiety for you. This could be when you encounter a tough question during exam or have an argument with a family member or even issues with friends, and many other stressful situations.

Just chill out!

DISCLAIMER – THE MATERIAL PRESENTED IN THE MAGAZINE,“THE CREATIVES,” IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO PRACTICE MEDICINE OR GIVE SPECIFIC MEDICAL ADVICE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ADVICE CONCERNING THE TOPIC OF MENTAL HEALTH. The information contained in this magazine is for the sole purpose of being informative. Links to other websites are provided solely as a courtesy and references are not sponsored by Ray Academics or The Creatives.

The Creatives|27

stan Amn Zain, Lahore, Paki

Damia Nauman,, Lahore, Pakis ta

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kistan Ryaan Mirza, Lahore, Pa

Student Editorial Board

Aaiza Zafar, C on

nect icut , USA

kistan

re, Pa Maheen Sal man, Laho

Zainab Imran,, La

hore, Pakistan