Grip - Spring 2014

G 2014 SPRIN

Digital Letdown How does constant distraction change the way we live?

Overachievers Club

Let Them Eat Cake

How one Calgary teen brings birthday parties around the world

Doing it all without doing yourself in

Wordle t tunes tha u help yo study

55002004# MP

Jesse and the Dandelions take Alberta by storm

PLUSs:s

Grip magazine is currently seeking writers, journalists, illustrators

and photographers between the ages of 13 and 18. Join the conversation and help Grip cover issues that are important to you. Send questions and samples to creative@griponlife.ca. You will be paid. Really. Not a lot, but it’s still money.

17 what’s inside

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS 4

The Distraction Issue:

We’re living in the Age of Distraction: From text messages to Snapchat, tablets to Netflix, it’s easy to let your mind wander – but so many distractions at our fingertips can become overwhelming. This issue of Grip looks at good, bad and deadly distractions: if we’re constantly connected all the time, can we learn to disconnect?

Are you addicted to the Internet?

Take our quiz to find out

Eyes on the Prize Too much on your plate? Try these tips for focusing on getting the job done

BY JOANNA TRAN

Driven to Distraction The message is clear: texting and driving is a fatal mix

BY ERIN EMILY ANN VANCE

Anti-Social Social media is how we keep in touch – but are we too connected?

BY ANN LEE

All in the Game The lost art of board gaming

BY DANNY LUONG

Scroll... scroll... scroll...

How to deal with Internet burnout

BY GABRIELLE MCKINLEY

Overachiever’s Club How to do it all without doing yourself in

BY ERIN EMILY ANN VANCE

Debate: Is technology keeping us together or driving us apart?

BY ADOOFAN TOR-AGBIDYE AND ANN LEE

Unplugged One brave student goes a full day without using technology

BY TIFFANY DIACK

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Welcome to Grip A message from a Grip contributor, plus an introduction to three of our writers.

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News and views Province-wide summer fun; apps to help you shut off; a new writing space; a camp to rock out at; music, book and video game reviews!

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Off the Wall A really important collection of must-know trivia. Trust us.

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Fan Fare Jesse and the Dandelions spread across Alberta

COVER ILLUSTRATION: STOCKWELL COLLINS

BY DARCY ROPCHAN

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This Is… Sheliza Kassam One Calgary teen is dedicated to spreading birthday party cheer around the world.

BY JESSICA HIGHSTEAD

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Portfolio The creative spirit thrives in Alberta!

Check out photography, art and words submitted by teens across the province

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Dodge Britney lets texting get in the way of driving safe When the lights go out After checking into a hospital, one teen sees how her phone had been dictating her mood

BY J.M.M. LEWIS

Carrying Your Friends (in Your Pocket) These days, our friends live anywhere and everywhere. How has the Internet changed our relationships?

BY LOUISE FOURNIER

Listen While You Work Wordless tunes to help you concentrate

BY GRIP CONTRIBUTORS

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Last Word The fictional character friendships of our dreams

Find Grip on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/GripMag griponlife.ca

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04 From a Grip Contributor

W

elcome to the wonderful world of Grip.

Inside, you’re going to find an array of articles – everything from new and exciting books and CDs, to interesting debates and first-person essays. Grip is always striving to bring you stories on interesting topics, all related to your life and how you live it. But what about the rest of the world?

With every passing day, teenagers are granted a variety of brand new inventions. From music and books, to cellphones and computers, everything is being produced and improved upon at an increasingly fast pace.

So how does one stop oneself and smell the roses?

This issue of Grip is here to talk about the distractions that life can bring: work, relationships, school, friends, family and more, and how we all work to keep ourselves sane and in line. Life can get hectic very quickly and too much buildup leads to stress.

Distractions can be hard to overcome. Often our days get so filled up that we simply look to quit everything all at once, looking for more interesting activities. It leads to procrastination and the inability to get things done.

Alternatively, we take on so much that the bigger picture gets hard to see and we are soon drowning in much more insignificant things.

As for myself, I’m an avid participant of Scouts Canada and the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts, but with every passing school year, my ability to stay involved in these activities slowly slips away, and I’m stuck juggling school and family in the balance.

Growing up I was always very active and I strived to join any sort of club or team that I could. Soccer, field hockey and the school newspaper were all on my list, but once I hit junior high I had to drop most of these until I was left with Scouts, Epcor and soccer.

It was nice to have a bit of extra free time, but with less structure I also started to drop my other responsibilities – like homework, for one. I had to figure out what was most important and where I was headed. In the end, I eventually found a safe place to upkeep all of my life endeavours, but even today I struggle to keep up between tests and friends, work and school.

Remember to check out each article and to stop and pick a flower in between paragraphs. Life can get busy in the blink of an eye and it’s important to remember to breathe.

Jessica Highstead

GRIPMagazine

Contributors Spring 2014 | Volume 7, No. 3 PUBLISHER

Ruth Kelly

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Beth Evans

MANAGING EDITOR

Lyndsie Bourgon | creative@griponlife.ca DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM CONTENT

Mifi Purvis

EDITORIAL ADVISORS

Beth Evans, ZAnne Harvey-Jansen, Mae Kroeis, Taryn Pawlivsky, Jennifer Basler, Trevor Vezina, Roxy Thomas ART DIRECTOR

Charles Burke

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Andrea deBoer

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Colin Spence

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Betty Feniak Smith

PRODUCTION TECHNICIANS

Brent Felzien, Brandon Hoover DISTRIBUTION

Karen Reilly | getgrip@griponlife.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Madeleine Beaulieu, Tiffany Diack, Louise Fournier, Megan Ganley, Thomas Ganley, Jessica Highstead, Ann Lee, J.M.M. Lewis, Danny Luong, Gabrielle McKinley, Darcy Ropchan, Marlee Salas, Adoofan Tor-Abigdye, Evan Tran, Joanna Tran, Erin Emily Ann Vance CONTRIBUTING CONTENT EXPERTS

Jessie De Castro, Lindsay Hope-Ross, Katherine Jarrell, Eden McCaffrey, Michael Rich, Deborah Walchuk.

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Stockwell Collins, Eric Gravel, Danny Luong, Leslie Ohene-Adjei, Robert Propp, Evan Tran, Erin Vance Grip is published by Venture Publishing Inc. for Alberta Health Services

The content of this magazine is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultations with your doctor or to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any personal medical and health questions that you may have.

Printed in Canada by Transcontinental LGM Graphics Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40020055 Contents copyright 2014 by Alberta Health Services. Content may not be reprinted or reproduced without written permission from Alberta Health Services.

Venture Publishing Inc. 10259-105 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3 Tel: 780-990-0839 | Fax: 780-425-4921 | Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 circulation@venturepublishing.ca The views expressed in Grip are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Alberta Health Services or Venture Publishing

Tiffany Diack grew up in a small farming community with her awesome mom, who taught her that creativity is the key to individuality. She loves scrapbooking, decorating, fashion and writing, and her favourite songs are Disney tunes. Her best friend describes her as “sparkles and dynamite” because she loves to have a good time with friends and family!

Erin Emily Ann Vance is an English student at the University of Calgary with a passion for teaching, learning, languages, special education and open communication through literature and creative writing. Erin is a social recreation companion with the Autism Aspergers Friendship Society, and the coordinator for the University of Calgary’s Dr. Seuss in the Park literacy program. An advocate for accessible and inclusive education, world literacy, disability rights, eating disorder awareness and the empowerment of girls and women, her writing focuses on family, travel, ability, gender, body image and equality. She hopes to be a teacher in an integrated classroom in the future.

Read her blog: www.erinemilyann.wordpress.com Madeleine Beaulieu is a 13-year-old writer, currently attending Branton School in Calgary. She writes science fiction, fantasy and general fiction short stories, as well as the occasional poem. She’s an avid reader of Shirley Jackson’s short stories and a lover of Thomas Wharton’s books.

In her free time, Maddie plays the clarinet in her school band, and is in a professional children’s choir. Check out her review of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, on pg. 7. griponlife.ca

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News

Summertime, fun time

By Joanna Tran

Looking to embrace those long (and sometimes dull) summer days? Why not explore the amazing summer activities Alberta has to offer!

Edmonton Edmonton, known for Wayne Gretzky and the largest shopping mall in North America, is also one of the best places to catch some sun!

Through the heart of Edmonton runs the Saskatchewan River Valley, which hosts more than 22 major parks and over 150 kilometres of trails for you to explore. Parks like William Hawrelak Park offer sheltered pavilions with indoor plumbing and picnic sites that can be reserved for family barbecues, birthday water fights and bonfires.

Calgary Wanting to check out some new music this summer? Check out the Calgary Folk Music Festival! Stretched over four amazing days, Prince’s Island Park will be jam-packed with a huge celebration of the arts, and will be the centre of a cultural and musical jamboree.

The folk fest attracts people from all over, and helps to promote local favourites while attracting new talent every year in its annual song contest.

Lake Louise, Banff If you’ve ever wanted to discover your wild side, then there’s no adventure better than whitewater rafting at Lake Louise in Banff National Park. Between the peaceful Rocky Mountains and the surging rivers that run through them, you’ll find it hard to experience another place as thrilling as this! There are expert river guides to accompany you and your friends if you decide to take the challenge, and maybe cross something off that bucket list too!

Jasper National Park Want to expand your appreciation for the great Canadian outdoors?

Plan a road trip to Jasper National Park. As the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, it includes the Columbia Icefields Parkway, where there is snow year-round, in case you start to miss it! Or why not take a dip in the natural Miette Hot Springs, and relax as you take in the beautiful wildlife that roams the park including caribou, mountain goats, grizzly bears and coyotes.

Don’t forget your sunblock!

GRIPMagazine

MY DUSTY BOOKSHELF The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

By Douglas Adams

Reviewed by Madeleine Beaulieu It all starts in the West Country, with a middle-aged man named Arthur. He’s tall and dark-haired, and very irritable in the mornings.

After a late night at the pub the day before, his hungover brain is unable to grasp the fact that there is a yellow bulldozer outside his house. As he suddenly remembers why it was that he was at the tavern in the first place, he rushes out to his front lawn and very promptly lays down in front of the huge bulldozer meandering its way up the garden path. The council was building a bypass and had, of course, neglected to mention it until the day before it was set for construction.

Arthur is having a bad Thursday, and Earth is about to be destroyed as part of construction for a new “hyperspace bypass.”

Escaping the destruction, Arthur and Ford, an alien from Betelgeuse stranded on Earth, hitch a ride onto a Vogon Constructor Fleet to escape the smoking ruins of Earth. Here, Arthur is taught the impor-

tance of a towel, the gruesomely painful sound of a Vogon poem and the general unpleasantness of being launched out into deep space.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is oddly interesting. It’s a perfect and potent mixture of funny, more than a little bit odd and difficult to understand, and political to keep the readers interested.

Arthur Dent is an extremely ordinary man, one of the most ordinary I have ever met in a book (and I mean this as the highest of compliments to his creator). He isn’t brave or smart or dashing. Arthur is a man, human and simple. Average, one might say, and the most extraordinarily ordinary person ever. I believe this to be one of the reasons that The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has been so popular for so long.

Grade: B+ Readers of this novel will be thrilled with the humour and adventure that this peculiar book offers. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy strange and richly told, light-hearted tales of a perfectly normal man in the world of aliens.

POWER OFF

Even if you know it’s bad to drive and check your phone at the same time (OK, we all know this), it can be hard to actually shut down when we get behind the wheel. Lucky for us, there’s an app for that! Force yourself to shut down by using these apps that take over your phone when you’re in the car: DriveOFF: This app detects when you’re moving at more than 10 miles per hour and automatically shuts off other apps that might be distracting. It’ll also stop incoming calls and text messages, and gives you a static landing screen so you’re even less likely to check your phone. For: Android

DriveScribe: This makes your phone “drive safe,” which means it’ll track your speed (and tell you if you’re going too fast) and prevent your apps from distracting you. It’s up to you, though, to tell the app to “start your trip.”

For: Android, iPhone tXtBlocker: This app lets you pick certain locations and times of day where your phone will shut off. So for your car, or during class, or when you’re sleeping can all become off-limits. For: Android, BlackBerry, iPhone

DriveSafe.ly: Instead of blocking your phone’s functions, this app just reads out loud your text messages, app notifications, emails and messages. It’ll also send an auto-response, saying you’re driving right now and can’t reply.

For: Android, BlackBerry TextBuster: This one’s a bit more complicated because it requires you to install some hardware in your car. But once you do, the hardware notifies your phone when you’re driving and temporarily disables your phone from texting, emailing and other apps. But your phone will still work, as will your GPS system. For: Android, BlackBerry For more on distracted driving, check out pg. 22.

griponlife.ca

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Sleep Right Teenagers need more sleep than adults because we’re still growing at a pretty rapid rate, and our bodies can’t keep up. If we don’t get enough, we’ll feel like walking zombies at school. Still, getting enough sleep is hard to do, with homework and sports and clubs taking up all our time after the bell rings. Giving your brain and body the rest it needs (teenagers need somewhere between nine and 10 hours of sleep per night) can be almost impossible during the week, but when you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll be happier, healthier and more active.

throughout the day, meaning you won’t have to pull an all-nighter. A day planner and schedule is your friend.

Avoid caffeine: Especially before bed.

Give yourself a few hours before you head to your room, and drink herbal tea or water to help your body calm down.

Keep your room cool and dark: Which means turning your computer, tablet and phone off right before you go to sleep and

even keeping them out of your room altogether. Power down your brain!

Don’t toss and turn: If you can’t sleep, get up and do something – but read a book instead of watching TV, because a screen’s light will wake you up even more.

Try not to worry about sleeping: If you’re stressed that you can’t sleep, you likely won’t be able to fall asleep, and the cycle will go on and on!

Here are some tips to get a better night’s sleep: Set a budget: You shouldn’t consider sleep a waste of time. Budgeting for enough sleep in your schedule will help you work efficiently

Study Snacks:

BRAIN FOOD

There’s nothing worse than being hungry while you study. Instead of reaching for greasy chips or a chocolate bar, try one of the treats below: Granola and Nuts with Yogurt This recipe is simple: all you need is some yogurt, granola and nuts. Nuts like walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts are full of vitamin E, which helps to prevent cognitive decline. Add your favorite yogurt, preferably Greek, because it’s higher than regular yogurt in protein, which promotes fullness, letting you eat and remain full longer.

Mix it all together and enjoy!

GRIPMagazine

Feta, Sage and Prosciutto Rolls This recipe is a little more work, but it’s definitely worth it. Feta cheese is high in minerals like B12, which promotes red blood cell production and helps keep your brain functioning at tip top shape. You’ll also need prosciutto, which is like a really fancy ham. Prosciutto is full of iron, which helps maintain your energy. Lastly you’ll need sage. Sage is known to improve

memory, surely helping you while you study.

Take a strip of prosciutto and lay it flat on a cooking surface. Put a piece of feta cheese at the top of the meat, lay a leaf of sage on the feta and then carefully roll up the feta and sage “pigs-in-a-blanket” style. Now eat!

LOFTY IDEAS

By Erin Emily Ann Vance

Loft 112 (that’s pronounced Loft One-Twelve) is a new venue in Calgary’s burgeoning East Village that organizes art workshops, classes and a creative space for teens (and adults, too). “Before the Loft I made use of public spaces,” says founder and coordinator, Lisa Murphy Lamb, “but I wanted to make noise, leave materials behind, take risks, and ask others to take risks without an audience.”

Together with writers Christian Bök and Derek Beaulieu, Murphy Lamb dreamed up the creative space, which has a kitchen, couches and a Wi-Fi connection. They set up shop in a recently emptied storefront, and opened in early 2014.

“Our hope is that our programs, lectures, readings and special activities are varied enough to support, motivate and educate writers and artists of all abilities and educational

backgrounds,” says Murphy Lamb. The loft is wheelchair accessible and available to all ages.

“Loft 112 is a wonderful experience and a great place for people to come together and appreciate Calgary’s art scene. It has a very positive atmosphere and a lot of wonderful people involved,” says Madeline Longman, a young writer who uses the space.

There are several regular writing groups available to teens that take place at the loft, and upcoming events include a spoken word workshop, homeschool multimedia writing classes and a 12-hour write-in.

Loft 112 is located at #112-535 8 Ave SE. Find the Loft on Facebook and at loft112.org. Keep checking back, as more events are added all the time.

For inquiries, comments and bookings, email loftonetwelve@gmail.com.

Almost Famous Being in a band is the coolest – and now you can spend your summer honing your rock star skills at Girls Rock Camp. This week long summer day camp teaches girls between ages eight and 18 how to rock out, whether you’re a musical instrument novice or experienced lead singer. Girls Rock Camp participants spend a week with mentors and friends who help them learn instruments, write songs, edit music and even perfect a stage presence.

Right now, there are Girls Rock Camps taking place in Lethbridge and Calgary, though the concept for the camp originated in Portland, Oregon, and has spread around the world. “We take everyone,” says Silvana Campus, who runs the camp in Lethbridge. “We’ll teach you no matter where you’re at.” Last year, the Lethbridge Girls Rock Camp (LGRC) was so successful that they are expecting more kids to apply this year.

Even after the camp is done, LGRC holds events throughout the year – including an open mic “Family Jam” at a local café, which has participants hit the stage, sometimes with their own family members as backup!

If you love music and want to try something new, visit lethbridgegirlsrockcamp.com to see how you can sign up for this summer’s camp. You can also find Girls Rock Camps taking place in cities across Canada, like Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. info@lethbridgegirlsrockcamp.com griponlife.ca

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Beachy summer reads Beta

By Rachel Cohn REVIEWED BY MARLEE SALAS

Rachel Cohn’s 12th book, Beta takes place on an island called Demesne, a breathtaking utopia. Demesne is home to the world’s wealthiest people, who are served by clones designed to please their owners and are modelled to have no feelings. The book follows a clone named Elysia. Elysia is a Beta, one of the very first teen clones ever produced. Her life begins when she takes on the role of being a companion to two kids, and in the beginning, Elysia is pleased with her life. Things begin to change when Elysia has visions from her First, the human girl she was modelled after. Elysia realizes she is able to feel human emotions and must choose between keeping her newfound emotions a secret and continuing to perform her clone duties, or fighting for the life she could have.

A sequel to Beta will be out soon, unlocking more secrets about Elysia’s life. As Beta nears its end, Cohn throws multiple curveballs, leaving cliffhangers that make readers want more.

The book is a little slow and tough to get into but the twists and turns leave readers highly anticipating the next book.

Grade: B- Rachel Cohn’s book is a fantastic read about a girl growing up in between a rock and a hard place in a world full of beauty and perfection. Though the book is hard to get into and develops slowly, the unsuspected plot twists make it worthwhile.

GRIPMagazine

Grim A collection edited by Christine Johnson REVIEWED BY JESSICA HIGHSTEAD

Grim is a collection of classic fairy tales, but each comes with its own sinister twist. Edited

by YA author Christine Johnson, she and other writers have taken the stories we all love and dragged them through the mud, spikes and thorns – allowing the tales to become equal parts wonderful and terrifying.

Each story will have you on the edge of your seat and always end in a way you never expected. Whether it’s a futuristic version of The Adventures of Pinocchio and its warped love story, or a poetic tale of surviving love when all seems frozen and cold, Grim challenges the tales you once knew. The book contains renditions of 17 classics, including “Puss in Boots,” and the famous “Beauty and the Beast.” The book even manages to make “The Three Little Pigs” more horrific than it already is.

Grim is magnificent and macabre. Some tales leave you reeling, and others need a reread, but each one is so well put together you start to think they’re how the originals were meant to be.

Grade: A I would recommend this book because it managed to raise a whole new array of questions and still keep you turning the pages. Another plus is that, while interesting, it’s nothing close to a hard read, and the stories are all exciting, whether you know the tales beforehand or otherwise.

eviews Just because you’re about to pack away your textbooks doesn’t mean it’s time to quit reading! Check out these Grip-endorsed summer page turners.

Undark

By Sandy Pool REVIEWED BY LOUISE FOURNIER

Rewind to the early 1900s, when radiumbased paint was amply applied to items in order to give them a glow-in-the-dark effect.

Can you imagine never having to scrounge around in the dark for your favourite pair of slippers? While radium-based paint seemed like the perfect solution at the time, it proved to have lasting consequences. Through the voices of the young women who smeared the radium-based paint onto objects, and themselves, Undark shows us the disturbing legacies of this seemingly wonderful invention.

Sandy Pool’s short but powerful book aims to represent not only the voices of these women, but also the opinions held by the inventor, Sabin, and the media. Through the excellent pacing of Undark, Pool recreates

the early 1900s and pulls the era into the story through poetry and prose. The reader must be open to interpreting the different forms of poetry, and at times must be willing to pause and contemplate what they’ve read in order to come to an understanding.

Grade B+ The hybrid nature of Undark means the book can become confusing at times, but overall the story of the painter-girls is excellently represented by this book. The way the book includes many characters who have differing views paints a broader picture for the reader to explore instead of the story being a one-sided account of events.

I Am Number Four

By Pittacus Lore REVIEWED BY THOMAS GANLEY

I Am Number Four begins when John, the main character, is only four years old. His family, his planet and most of the members of his species (the Loric) were all lost in a huge invasion by a species from another planet, the Mogadorians. But he and eight other children fled their planet, and on the year-long trip to Earth, each was assigned a number. Earth is a safe haven to rescue their species from the destructive Mogadorians.

Now 15 years old, they are hunted, and the only thing keeping them alive is a charm cast on them, only allowing them to be killed in numerical order. As the story opens, numbers

One, Two and Three have all been hunted and killed. John is next in line. John’s life is defined by running and hiding.

I Am Number Four was an intriguing read, eventful and creative. Not a single chapter passed without suspense. John is constantly asking himself questions about hope, trust and love, and struggles to understand who he is and what he lives for. This book is full of wonders from the fantasy world and is a very good fantasy novel.

Grade: A Definitely worth reading twice. The book is full of twists and turns in the storyline.

Every page makes you want to read more.

griponlife.ca

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Cool beats for hot summer days Need a soundtrack for your upcoming summer holiday? Try these Grip-approved albums.

Shakira Shakira REVIEWED BY TIFFANY DIACK

With a pop-Latino feel, Shakira’s self-titled album was released in March this year and is her 10th studio album. ”Loca Por Ti,” one of two completely Spanish songs on Shakira, shows her remarkable talent and range we often don’t get to hear. Her more catchy upbeat songs like “Cut Me Down” and “Dare (La La La)” will be sure to bring back fond memories of her previous iconic songs “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka.” Shakira brings a unique spin to country music, with her song “Medicine,” which features Blake Shelton, and it ends up becoming a sound that we don’t often get to hear

Every Kingdom Ben Howard REVIEWED BY MARLEE SALAS

Every Kingdom, Ben Howard’s first album, pleases ears with melodic and tempo-varying tracks, a sound that has kickstarted his soaring popularity and propelled him to join the ranks of other popular indie-folk bands. Howard and his team spent a year-and-a-half recording this captivating album in a barn in Devon, England, where he grew up.

Howard began playing guitar and writing songs from a young age, so it’s no surprise he grew up to be a singer/songwriter.

Every Kingdom is a collection of Howard’s work from the past three years, molded seamlessly into a calming album. It includes 10 songs and one bonus track, all featuring Howard’s tremulous, hollow sound and ranges from popular tunes GRIPMagazine

like “Only Love” and “Keep Your Head Up” to undiscovered gems like “Black Flies” and “Diamonds.” In an interview, Howard said that he tried to keep the album quite simple, so the lyrics could have a solid foundation of melody and guitar. The album is perfect to play quietly in the background or to belt the heartfelt lyrics out loudly. The news of Howard’s next album, said to drop in early to mid-2014, promises more spectacular music from this easygoing artist.

Grade: A+ Howard’s indie-folk jams leave listeners pleased and pensive, making it easy for anyone who hears Every Kingdom fall in love with Ben, his enticing lyrics and mesmerizing tunes.

on the radio. Sadly, and despite the wonderful beats, something is lacking in her music on this album: heartwarming lyrics. Even though the album gave me an overall satisfaction only the queen of Latino-pop can give, I was left wanting something more.

Grade: B+ Overall, Shakira was an amazing album with decent songs but it certainly isn’t her finest work. It mostly just left me wishing to replay her older songs to get a feel of what made her who she is. Still a great listen to crank up on the car radio this summer!

views GIRL Pharrell REVIEWED BY EVAN TRAN

After an eight-year-wait, Pharrell Williams’ G I R L presents us with a collection of 10 joyous and upbeat tracks – a far cry from Pharrell’s solo debut In My Mind in 2006, and his rap alter ego Skateboard P is nowhere to be seen. Mixing funk, soul and R&B, Pharrell’s new album is concise, peppy and brings his own brand of energetic flavour to the pop genre. The first single, “Happy” (which may be familiar to you if you’ve watched Despicable Me 2), is contagious, spirited and currently sweeping the nation. Other highlights of the album include the fantastic strings of “Gust of Wind,” the soothing textures of “Know Who You Are” and the duelling falsettos of “Brand New,” each showcasing an ensemble of guest artists featured on the album like Daft Punk, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys. Though most songs have infectious beats, some selections

suffer from repetition and feel too minimalist in their approach. As well, Pharrell’s falsetto seems out of place, like in “Hunter” where it lacks the tenacity needed to make it effective. That said, some great instrumentation and clever beats makes G I R L an album that will brighten your day after a long day at school or add some colour to a long ride on the bus.

Grade: B Pharrell’s G I R L invades the pop charts with a bouquet of 10 pop songs all ready for summer. Though some tracks outshine others, there’s no doubt this album will be played continuously throughout the upcoming summer season.

Baptized Daughtry REVIEWED BY LOUISE FOURNIER

Season 6 American Idol contestant Chris Daughtr y says that while recording Baptized, the band realized they needed a change from their typical style. Baptized combines high-energy pop tracks with some slow-paced, ballad-like melodies.

This record is unlike any of Daughtry’s other albums in terms of the different instruments used, but the lyrics remain honest, open and relatable.

The single “Waiting for Superman” takes a different spin on the concept of superheroes. Daughtry states that this song does not focus on the Man of Steel himself; rather, it is about “waiting for that someone in your life to step up.” This is not just another cliché superhero song. Instead, it is a song that expresses the

deepest desire of the human heart: to have someone else in our lives who will stand up for us when no one else will.

Unlike the first three album covers, that all featured a photo of the band, Baptized features a blue watercolour effect backdrop and a cluster of abstract red flowers with the band name, emphasizing the band’s change in direction from a harder rock sound into a rock pop combination.

Grade: A For willingness and fearlessness to experiment with new sounds, while keeping the quality of the lyrics and vocals intact. The new sounds found on Baptized have captured the attention of many who are unfamiliar with Daughtry’s music. griponlife.ca

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Game Time

Off th

Here are Grip’s game picks for summer

Title: Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360 Rating: T for Teen REVIEWED BY EVAN TRAN

Lighting Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is the third and final instalment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis trilogy. Five hundred years have passed since the events of Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Lightning has finally awoken from her crystal slumber. Tasked with saving the world one last time, she has 13 days to recover as many souls as possible to bring to the new world that will be created by the God of Light, Bhunivelze.

This time around, Square Enix has done a complete overhaul of the combat system, crafting a more active time battle system than ever before. With an emphasis on action, Lightning stands alone for most fights, though her different abilities come from a trio of schematas, or combat styles, at any given time, all of which are entirely customizable and smoothly accessible on the fly. It’s a little disappointing then that Experience Points (XP) aren’t earned from battles this time around, and levelling-up is only accomplished through completing different quests.

For fans who loved Final Fantasy XIII, it may not have the bang feature that the end of the trilogy warrants. That being said, any fan who has been awaiting more from the Final Fantasy XIII universe will be pleased.

Grade: A- Though the storytelling that we’ve grown accustomed to from Final Fantasy games is lacking, the last instalment in the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy brings a great revamp to the battle system and a host of luscious environments, culminating in a solid conclusion to XIII’s saga.

Title: Zoo Tycoon Platform: Xbox 360, Xbox One Rating: E for Everyone REVIEWED BY MEGAN GANLEY

Zoo Tycoon is an Xbox game in which you own a zoo and have to keep the animals and guests happy. You make money if your animals are happy (which also makes your guests happy). You also get to interact with your animals using the Xbox Kinect, which helps your animal recognize your voice and react to your movements. You have to feed your animals, keep their food full and get enrichments, which are items that make the animals happier, like a scratching post for a tiger. You can also breed your animals to have tiny, cute babies.

I really like the game because it’s realistic and makes you feel like you are interacting with the animals. There are four different modes: training, freeform, challenge and campaign.

Challenge mode and campaign mode are the difficult ones. Training mode teaches you how to run your zoo and keep the animals happy. In freeform, you have unlimited money so you don’t have to worry about costs. In challenge and campaign modes, when you unlock animals as you rise in the rankings, you have to research the animal’s habitats and food preferences before you can buy them Grade: B+ The downside to this game is that you have a zoo limit. When it’s full you have no choice but to sell animals and habitats or start a new game to get new animals.

Still, I would definitely recommend this game to animal lovers!

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HELP wanTeD

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Got a question that no one can answer, or that you’re too afraid to ask your parents, teacher or best friend? Send it to us at Grip.

We guarantee anonymity, and we’re beyond embarrassment.

We’ll find an expert to answer the most persistent question you have related to any topic: relationships, school, sexuality, puberty, drugs, love, life and the pursuit of happiness.

So … what are you waiting for?

This month, AHS clinical therapist Eden McCaffrey takes on your questions:

check in with yourself or others to arrive at a more realistic and helpful thought.

I’m in high school, and I’m really worried about not being accepted to college or university. What happens if I’m rejected from not just my first school but my backup schools as well? How can I learn to manage my stress while I wait?

I know it’s important to eat healthy but I’ve found that recently I’m preoccupied with cutting junk food out of my diet.

It’s making me stressed when eating at a friend’s house or out at the food court.

How can I make sure my relationship to food is healthy?

Worry, which some people call stress or anxiety, is like a roller coaster. Likely, “worry” in the past has served you well (i.e., trying hard in school to get good grades), but if “worry” is affecting your day-to-day life, then it has gone too far. One sign that it’s getting too big is when people think in terms of “what if.” The “what ifs” really rob us of our present.

Most people who worry a lot make two thinking errors: first, they overestimate how likely it is that bad events will occur (i.e., “I just know I won’t get in to any of the schools I want”) and, second, they assume that the consequences of those events will be catastrophic and unbearable (“I will have no future.”) Does this sound familiar? To manage your stress while you wait, try to challenge these thoughts by looking for evidence to support or dispel your “worry thinking.” Ask yourself: Are your thoughts sensible? Can you control what happens? When you find those “what if” thoughts creeping in,

When people become overly focused, preoccupied, stressed or obsessed, with regards to any topic (even a seemingly healthy one, like good eating habits), this is problematic.

While it’s a great idea to educate yourself about healthy choices and how to make them, this doesn’t mean that food is something to fear, or fight against, and you want to avoid feelings of deprivation, guilt or obsession.

Are you avoiding situations, feeling stressed about food choices, putting pressure on yourself, thinking ahead about food, focusing on weight or calories or labelling food as “good” vs “bad?” These are signs that your relationship with food is problematic, and that you should

GRIPMagazine

make efforts to speak with a medical professional like a physician, therapist or dietitian.

Healthy eating means having a good relationship with food. Just because someone has a healthy diet does not mean that they have a healthy relationship with food. Food is much more than calories or fuel. It’s an emotional connection, a bonding experience and a relationship that needs to stay healthy for the sake of both our minds and our bodies. A healthy relationship with food means understanding that food is not your friend or your enemy, it is not your boss or your entertainment and, most importantly, food is not your life.

A good place to start is to understand your goal in eating healthy. Your plans ought to be made of flexible guidelines, not rules (i.e., “I can, I can’t” or “good” vs “bad.”) Realistic and healthy plans include food for performance and health as well as pleasure, and a good motto is “All food fits.”

Help Wanted is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultations with your doctor or to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any personal medical and health questions that you may have.

Email helpwanted@griponlife.ca or mail Help Wanted, c/o Grip Magazine 10259-105 St., Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3

THE DISTRACTION ISSUE We’re living in the Age of Distraction: From text messages to Snapchat, tablets to Netflix, it’s easy to let your mind wander – but so many distractions at our fingertips can become overwhelming.

This issue of Grip looks at good, bad and deadly distractions: if we’re constantly connected all the time, can we learn to disconnect?

STRUNG OUT ON THE INTERNET

TAKE OUR FUN QUIZ TO HELP YOU DECIDE IF IT’S TIME TO UNPLUG.

ADHD: EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER PUZZLES A LOT OF PEOPLE.

EYE ON THE PRIZE

TRY THESE FOCUSING TIPS FOR GETTING THE JOB DONE.

DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION

TEXTING AND DRIVING IS DEADLY; CAN WE LEARN TO STOP WHEN WE’RE BEHIND THE WHEEL?

IT’S ALL IN THE GAME

REVIVING THE LOST ART OF BOARD GAMING.

SCROLL … SCROLL … SCROLL …

WHY INTERNET BURNOUT IS A REAL THING, AND HOW YOU CAN AVOID IT.

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Strung Out on the Internet We’re all online – but some of us are more connected than others. Sure, it’s easy to joke that we’re addicted to Facebook or that computers are ruling our world, but maybe we actually do need to snap back to reality.

Take our quiz to see where you fall in the cyberspace continuum:

1.

A B C

2.

A B C

3.

A B C

4.

A B C

5.

A B C

6.

A B C

7.

A B C

8.

A

The first thing you do when you wake up is: Stumble out of bed and into the shower Check your phone for messages Make the rounds through your social networks How often do you tweet, Snapchat or update your Facebook status?

Almost never Once a day All day, every day Your friends tease you for: Being a Luddite when you keep your phone in your locker Not being allowed to use Snapchat Showing up in their news feeds throughout the day The last game you played was: Hopscotch A board game, like Settlers of Catan On an app, like Candy Crush Saga, and linked to all your friends’ scores through Facebook You’d prefer to talk with your friends: Through a string and tin can!

Via text Through Facebook chat How many hours do you spend online on the weekends?

None! Weekends are for disconnecting A few hours here and there to make plans with friends You’re online all day Saturday and Sunday, catching up on what you missed during the week You’re stranded on a desert island. You wish you could have: A notebook and everlasting pen Your phone, so you could phone home An iPad, solar charger and Wi-Fi signal booster When you’re offline, you’re: Hanging out with friends GRIPMagazine

B C

9.

A B C

Hanging out with friends and taking pictures to post online when you get home Scrolling through your phone in your friend’s basement Your online experiences: Are mostly linked to schoolwork and making plans with friends Help you stay in touch with friends Often stress you out, and you think about them all the time

10. When your parents ask you how long you’ve been online, you: A B C

Tell them the truth: none!

Tell them the truth but hope they don’t go snooping on your Twitter feed Barely look up from your when lying through your teeth

If you answered mostly As: Looks like you’re pretty old school!

You use the Internet sparingly, and mostly to arrange hangouts with your friends in real life. You don’t often use social media, and are cautious about what you update when you do. This is good, but don’t forget that some sharing online can be fun! And be sure to respond to your friends in a timely manner when they send you emails, texts or messages.

If you answered mostly Bs: Looks like you’re pretty connected.

You know what’s going on around you, but you also like to transfer the fun stuff in your everyday life online, through status updates and photo albums. It’s a good balance to have, as long as you make sure you know the boundaries of what stays offline.

If you answered mostly Cs: You’re super connected to the digital world – so connected that you might prefer to exist online than in the real world. Social networks are for keeping touch with your friends, but you have to make sure they are still your friends in real life too! Take a step back from your phone or computer and enjoy the world around you, too.

The content of this quiz is for information and awareness purposes only, and is not intended to replace consultations with your doctor or to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor, parent or a trusted adult with any questions you might have.

Everything You Need to Know About ADHD Dr. Geraldine Farrelly, a developmental pediatrician at the CanLearn Society in Calgary, gives us the lowdown on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The proper name is ADHD: It’s not called ADD, even though everyone calls it that. The proper term is ADHD (which stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). It puzzles a lot of people, the difference between ADD and ADHD, but it’s just that there have been numerous name changes over the years … ADHD is now the term experts use.

It’s not just a kid’s diagnosis: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects people of all ages, so it’s not just a child’s disorder. It’s basically a pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, but it’s often thought of in terms of a hyperactive little boy. If you’re smart and have good social skills, with a caring family and good teachers, you might not be diagnosed until middle school or high school. Sometimes, the squeaky wheel gets noticed first – young adults might not be diagnosed with ADHD until senior high or the first few years of university, when schedules are flooded and they need to be more organized.

We all forget things: But for people with ADHD it affects their everyday life significantly. For instance, they’re often penalized for being late, they forget important appointments and their marks suffer. Friends and family can get annoyed or mad when someone with ADHD is always late. People with ADHD struggle to keep up with work and life responsibilities.

Some symptoms: Here are some core symptoms of ADHD: Making careless errors, like rushing assignments, forgetting to turn over your exam sheet and missing questions, or handing in homework that’s not completely finished; difficulty following step-by-step directions, and getting sidetracked or distracted by internal thoughts; and becoming externally distracted by things like the outdoors or pets. This can make it hard to do things like get ready for school in the morning. In class, students with ADHD might blurt out answers to questions without putting their hands up, or they are hyper-talkative or fidgety and can’t sit still.

If your friend has ADHD: The first thing you should know is that your friend is not being disorganized or forgetful on purpose. Sometimes, people with ADHD might seem self-centred or annoying, and if your friend hasn’t been diagnosed with ADHD, he might suffer from poor self-esteem because he thinks he’s not as good as other people. You can help by reminding him to make lists in his phone, by offering to pick him up for weekend trips, and by helping him manage time now so he doesn’t suffer later.

If you think you might have ADHD: Start by talking to your parents or a trusted teacher or adult. They can help point you towards a medical professional who can talk you through the disorder and help you manage your concerns. griponlife.ca

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Eyes on the Prize Think you’ve got too much on your plate?

Try these tips for focusing to get the job done

By Joanna Tran

GRIPMagazine

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n a single day, a typical teenager has a lot to do. Not only do we have to keep up with schoolwork, but a social life with friends, extracurriculars like volunteering at the local library or playing on a sports team, and sometimes even managing a part-time job while keeping up with the newest trends. It’s a lot to handle, and most of the time it can become overwhelming. So, what can we do to help manage all these activities? Focus.

By directing our attention more efficiently, we can kiss those long allnighters goodbye and welcome back some beauty sleep into our lives!

Easier said than done, though, right? Kathy Jarrell, a clinical consultant for Alberta Health Services and a professor at Mount Royal University, has a few pointers to share to help us concentrate more effectively.

Focus is a really broad topic, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where we might be struggling. This year, Jarrell taught a course about learning strategies, discussing the challenges that students have in focusing when there are so many competing demands on our attention. Although we might have a hard time cutting back on using social media sites, Jarrell suggests that by using simple strategies, we may be able to maximize attentiveness when it comes to schoolwork.

When it comes to things like deadlines, it’s always best to plan ahead. By creating a timeframe, we are able to not only motivate ourselves throughout assignments, but also allow ample time for any mishaps and corrections.

Break up study times with quick refresher breaks, which not only help you memorize the content better but also increase your capability to retain information. Jarrell also notes that we tend to remember the first and last items of a list most easily, a tactic known as the Primacy-Recency Effect. By taking short breaks, there are more first and last items to remember, which make them easier to recall.

Ever notice how on a road trip, while going to a new destination, that the trip home always feels quicker? Jarrell explains that this is because you recognize familiar landmarks along the way and chart the progress you are making. This is comparable to studying. When reading a chapter of new material, before beginning a thorough reading, it’s best to skim through the entire chapter, noting important headings or subheadings, and prepping yourself by asking questions. This technique cues your brain to recognize specifics, like landmarks, and helps to more actively engage you.

Another suggestion Jarrell shares to help keep focused while engaging in work is the elimination of distractions like cellphones,

which encourage our tendency to do more than we can. Goodbye multitasking! Cellphones, TV and other technologies take away our attention, encourage our divided attention and decrease our motivation.

An effective way to keep yourself driven is studying tougher subjects first, when you have the most energy for the task, so as you work your way further in, it’ll get easier, keeping your determination level up.

Different ways to keep you going strong involve setting the mood for your study session, like selecting and setting aside a designated quiet place to study. Jarrell suggests refraining from studying in bed, as it slows down your reading time, and has a sleeping association that interferes with your concentration.

Jarrell also shares some proven methods for improving our focus when in the classroom, including writing notes by hand while the teacher is talking, versus using a laptop or not writing any notes at all. The physical act of writing notes helps us keep focus, and doesn’t allow for distractions.

Through writing notes, we are forced to listen to every word the teacher says, in case we might have missed something. When listening to the teacher present material, we are able to think faster than someone can speak, so within those few spare seconds, instead of letting our minds wander off topic, there’s time to predict what the teacher will say next, which helps the brain develop important analytical skills, by asking possible questions that relate to the content, or what we already know.

These skills can be further developed when we study using simple strategies, such as reading key points out loud, or using memory techniques such as mnemonics to jog our memory.

Quickly reviewing class notes after class, and the next day, assists in moving material from our short-term to long-term memory.

This way, less cramming is needed before tests, lowering stress levels and paving the way for a more enjoyable learning experience.

By maximizing our learning capability through these strategies, students are able to more effectively focus on completing projects at hand, instead of wasting time.

It also helps us balance hectic schedules, which will pay off in the long run, especially during stressful times like exam season. Not only does improving concentration improve work quality, while decreasing the time required to complete work, it also helps to improve mental health through the eliminations of the challenges we face when we allow ourselves to become distracted.

For more information, Jarrell recommends contacting Health Link Alberta at 1-866-408-5465 or albertahealthservices.ca, or checking with your school guidance counsellor for further resources.

“By directing our attention more efficiently, we can kiss those long allnighters goodbye and welcome back some beauty sleep into our lives!”

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Driven to Distraction The message is clear: texting and driving are a fatal mix

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olling up to a stop sign late after a Brad Paisley concert in Calgary, Sasha Noval, a 19-year-old from Olds, was struck from behind by another vehicle. Her truck was a bit scratched on the rear bumper, but the front of the other vehicle was crunched.

The driver had been texting behind the wheel, and drove right into her hitch. Luckily, neither she nor the driver of the other vehicle were hurt, but Noval couldn’t help but feel shaken. “I knew distracted driving was an issue, but I still did it because it’s tempting for me to look at my phone when I hear it beep for a text,” she says.

Noval is not alone in that temptation. “Research indicates the three most risky driving situations amongst teens are impaired driving, distracted driving and emotional driving,” says Jessie De Castro, a spokesperson for Alberta Health Services’ adolescent injury prevention program.

“In 2012, teenagers between18 and19 were the group of drivers with the highest rates of casualty collisions [in Alberta]. Teens aged 16 and 17 were the second highest group.”

It’s no secret that as teenagers and young adults, we carry a psychological attachment to our mobile devices, whether that’s to our smartphones, GRIPMagazine

tablets or even laptops. Having your phone die when you’re away from a charger can be very anxiety-inducing. But it should come as no surprise that the psychological effects of being in a collision are far more damaging, according to De Castro. “Involvement in a collision as a driver or passenger is often a traumatic event and those involved may experience immediate or prolonged emotional shock, driving anxiety and social withdrawal,” she says. Survivors of car accidents can even experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, like intrusive thoughts and stressful dreams.

“After [the accident] I avoided texting and driving at all costs,” says Noval. “I still occasionally check my texts at red lights, but I keep my phone on silent to avoid the urge of looking at it and I use the Bluetooth in my truck as much as possible. I think the police should be stricter on the distracted driving law. I know I’m guilty and still haven’t gotten a ticket after passing police officers numerous times while talking on my phone.

I know sometimes it’s hard for them to do their job and pull someone over for such seemingly small issue, but people need to have consequences

By Erin Emily Ann Vance or the issue is going to get worse. People need to be aware of how dangerous the issue of distracted driving can be. Not only for yourself, but for other drivers as well. We have MADD and so many drinking and driving campaigns, why can’t we do it for distracted driving?”

Of course not everyone would agree, and as young adults it isn’t easy to hear these things being constantly drilled into us. When we see our peers driving and texting, or making a call at the wheel, it eases it into our perception as a way of life, something normal. Our dependency on our mobile devices further ingrains this. Molly Brown, a 19-year-old from Okotoks, changed her views on distracted driving after nearly being hit crossing the street, by a man visibly texting and neglecting the road: “No phones, no electronic devices of any sort should be accessed within a moving vehicle,” she says. “Not only do I feel like the drivers should not have their phones, but also the passengers as they sometimes are the initiators of distraction.” Brown thinks we should always pull over first to respond to a text message, or phone call, if it’s important. “It’s frustrating, because not many people acknowledge the outcomes of distracted driving, and continue to text or call every day while driving.

A few weeks ago, I saw someone actually having their laptop sitting across them and, surfing the web! The fact that distracted driving is such a big issue makes me a very nervous driver and I still have not gotten my full licence because of the fears that I have on the road.”

Still, our drive to connect-and-drive is also hard-wired into us by science. “Parents, teachers and professionals working with youth should bear in mind that teenagers have a strong need to be socially connected to their peers,” says De Castro. “Additionally, teens are more likely to take risks than adults. Both of these facts can be attributed to teenage brain development, in particular, the higher levels of reward neurochemicals released when teens take risks and are connected to and validated by their peers. In other words, teens are more hard-wired than adults to use their cellular devices or be distracted by their friends who are passengers while they are driving. They are very likely to take risks.”

What should we do, then, to stop distracted driving? First, it’s important to acknowledge that distracted driving is a problem, and why it is a problem. A number of Alberta organizations are trying to tackle the issue head-on, including the Alberta Motor Association, which recently

launched a pledge against distracted driving. You can sign the pledge online and, while there, check out some of the student-produced movies made by Alberta teens about the issue.

De Castro says the AHS’ P.A.R.T.Y. Program is also targeting distracted driving. “The program is delivered to [some] Grade 9 youth [in Alberta], because many of them are just beginning to drive. It involves distracted driving education, focusing specifically on texting and driving. Videos and activities on this topic are geared toward educating youth about the harsh and often fatal consequences of distracted driving. The concept of switch-tasking is introduced, and the youth are informed that when we say we are “multi-tasking” we are actually “switch-tasking,” which in the context of texting and driving, is very likely to result in collisions resulting in injury or fatality.”

One of the biggest issues factoring into distracted driving is the fact that we think we are multi-tasking, when really we are switch-tasking. At best, we can shift our concentration from one task to another, meaning we’re switching our concentration rather than multi-tasking. For example, while writing this, my concentration is shifting from Netflix to my word processor and back again.

Do you find yourself reaching for your phone on the road? The most common and effective strategy to combat distracted driving, employed by both Sasha Noval and Molly Brown, is to turn your phone on silent and place it out of reach.

Another organization that De Castro suggests is Parachute Canada, a national injury prevention organization formed in 2012 by bringing together former injury prevention organizations, Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK and ThinkFirst Canada.

Their “Project Gearshift” mission statement says that accidents among teenagers and young adults are astronomically high compared to other demographics, and that this issue needs to be addressed. Project Gearshift aims to bring people from all over Canada together on common ground to address this pressing issue and advocate for a solution. There are weekly community organized meetings, as well as a National Teen Driver Safety Week in October.

In the end, the most important thing to remember is that no text or phone call is worth more than your life – drive safe.

SAD STATS One in every five car accidents is at the hands of a distracted driver.

In 80 per cent of collisions, distracted driving is at least a factor.

When you use a mobile phone while in the driver’s seat, you are immediately four to six times more likely to become involved in a car accident.

Your chances of getting in a collision increase 23 times when you make the choice to text and drive. –Stats from yourpledge.ca

TAKE THE PLEDGE I’m sure you’ve received a text from a friend stuck in traffic, or even sent one to your significant other to say “I’m almost there!” And we’ve all seen those obnoxious “Just driving in my new car” selfies or “Look at this crazy snowstorm I’m driving through” photos on Instagram.

On www.yourpledge.ca, you can pledge to avoid talking on a handheld phone, texting, emailing or Instagramming while driving.

“Teens are more hard-wired than adults to use their cellular devices or be distracted by their friends who are passengers while they are driving.”

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ANTI

Social A

n average day for me goes like this: wake up, check

Facebook, get ready for school. On the way to school, I check my YouTube subscriptions (don’t worry, I don’t drive yet), and in between classes, and whenever I have a spare moment, it’s off to Facebook or Twitter for more. At home, if I’m not sleeping or doing homework, I will go through Facebook once again and catch up on Twitter or YouTube.

Does my day sound familiar to you? Maybe it’s the school and homework part that rings a bell, but more than likely it’s my constant presence on social networking sites. I am almost always checking up on my favourite personalities. My dependence on social networking is ridiculous, even in my opinion.

What’s even more concerning is how I feel when I forget my phone at home – I will be on edge all day. I will pace more often, swing my legs and be more miserable than a penguin without ice. I’m sure that many teens are sympathetic to my cause, since everywhere I look, I see teens and adults with their eyes glued on their screens.

Psychological dependence on the Internet and apps is an increasing trend affecting people of all ages. Frequent use of these magical inventions has led to increased drama in our lives, more antisocial behaviour and increased sitting time (which some say can lead to serious health issues regardless of overall activity level).

There would be definite benefits to reducing our use of social networks, the Internet and applications like Candy Crush by 30 per cent.

On average, Canadians spend four hours and 30 minutes per day using

By Ann Lee

Social media is how we keep in touch – but are we too connected? social networks – spending that time doing something else would come chock-full of positive effects. If you were to enjoy the great outdoors, paint, read a book or play with a pet, you could be happier, and it would reduce eye strain that you may have from staring at a tiny screen for an extended amount of time.

Some of my friends who have taken extended breaks from their gadgets or reduced their time on them by up to 75 per cent have encouraged me to do the same. They report that they have much more time now and have also told me that they have an easier time sleeping. Those who bravely went cold turkey on one or more forms of social networking claim they feel less stressed now, and the relationships they have with their friends, family and significant others have improved dramatically. Of course, every action has drawbacks. Exercise makes you sweaty. All-nighters at a sleepover leave you exhausted. I am happy to report that those who bravely gave up their electronic time didn’t have many negative effects to disclose. You may feel nervous, a little bit stressed and agitated at first, but all that goes away after a short period of time, as long as you stick to your goal. Besides that, you only have to worry about missing a few tweets and Facebook posts, and the trade-off is a feeling of liberation.

For those who have gone completely Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter or Tumblr-free, they said that they missed their addictions but don’t regret their decision. Are you ready to take the plunge and call it quits? If you do plan to leave some of your addictions in the dust, just remember: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Frequent use of these magical inventions has led to increased drama in our lives, more antisocial behaviour and increased sitting time.

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It’s All in the Reviving the lost art of board gaming

By Danny Luong

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n this day and age, it’s extremely difficult to escape our technology.

Smartphones, tablets, consoles and computers provide everyone with all kinds of entertainment. So what is it about board games that can still keep people entertained despite all the different mediums we have today?

One answer is that they create and promote an awesome social setting for you and your friends to enjoy each other’s company offline.

To help with what people call the “digital detox,” we’ve got some awesome board games that everyone can enjoy:

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SETTLERS OF CATAN – MAYFAIR GAMES – AGES 10 & UP No board game list is complete without Settlers of Catan. Deceptively simple, easy to learn and addictive, Catan is a game that anyone can get into. At its core it’s described as a ‘Euro’ board game, which means that in Catan, you will be focusing on worker placement to try and gather as many resources as possible. Catan is best played with four players, and will have you and a group of friends at each other’s throats to see who can collect the most resources or build the fabled ‘longest road.’

RISK LEGACY – HASBRO – AGES 13 & UP Who doesn’t love a good game of Risk? While many imitations exist, Risk is the original war game and Legacy is its best iteration.

Legacy combines the best elements of the many variants of Risk such as a fair and balanced reinforcement system as well as a card exchange system that’s not inherently broken. With these features alone, Legacy is a big improvement over the Risk board you have at home, but here’s the catch: Risk Legacy changes as you play the game. Win the game once? You get to name a city on the actual board itself after yourself, or whatever else comes into your head like “YOLOswag.” The entire board and armies included are customisable by you and your friends after every match. Risk Legacy is best played with four or five people who are dedicated to having an awesome and ever-changing experience.

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KING OF TOKYO – IELLO – AGES 8 & UP With Godzilla out this summer, King of Tokyo is the perfect game for people looking for big monsters to smash each other while rolling lots and lots of dice. King of Tokyo was created by Richard Garfield, the mastermind behind Magic: The Gathering, the card game that is still going strong today. With a pedigree like that, King of Tokyo is everything you need to break the ice with a new group of friends, or to duke it out for supremacy with longtime rivals. King of Tokyo is extremely fast-paced and very easy to pick up and learn.

Like every other board game, it’s best to smash Tokyo with at least two other friends.

X-WING MINIATURES GAME – FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES – AGES 14 & UP Ever wanted to take command of your own squadron of Star Wars space fighters? If the answer to that is no, you’re on the wrong page! The X-Wing Miniatures Game lets you duke it out for space supremacy between the Empire and the Rebels by using various different ships. The game comes packaged with two TIE Fighters and one X-Wing Fighter with many additional fighters available like the B-Wing, TIE Interceptor and even the Millennium Falcon.

The rules are quite easy to learn but hard to master. You’ll need a bit of space in order to vanquish the enemy’s fighters in this two-player board game!

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Living online can burn you out. One teen shares how she kicked the online fix

By Gabrielle McKinley

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ou’re staring dead-eyed at your computer screen, mouth slightly ajar, your brain half-fried. You’ve been mindlessly clicking away at your computer, browsing Facebook and watching YouTube videos for hours, starting a third cup of your favourite caffeinated beverage, hoping to stay awake so you can complete your homework assignment or watch that funny video of a cat playing the piano. And after you’re done all of that, after you’ve shut down the computer and brushed your teeth and put on your pajamas and crawled into bed, you realize how completely and utterly drained you are after a full day on the computer. When you wake up, the first thing you do is reach for your com-

puter, and start your zombie-like cycle all over again.

These are the symptoms of “Internet burnout.” You’ll start to notice that you’re fatigued all the time, you’re angry and irritable, your grades are slowly declining, you lose interest in hobbies and activities that you once loved.

You might also notice that your muscles start to hurt, you have eye strain from staring at the computer for so long, and a massive headache.

I have grappled with Internet burnout. Since I am home-schooled, I am constantly on the Internet, working on my courses and homework.

It used to be that when I was done with all that, I would sit for hours browsing Facebook and watching YouTube videos. After a full day griponlife.ca

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28 of non-stop Internet, I used to feel completely drained. And I hardly ever went to bed early – it was always somewhere around 2 a.m. when I fell asleep to a video that was playing on my computer. I was always so stiff and sore, because that’s all I was doing – just sitting there. I gained weight, my eyes were constantly sore from eyestrain and I gradually lost my friends since I never hung out with them anymore. I was a hermit with my computer, living in a fool’s paradise. I never took time to go for a walk or hang with my friends. I just became completely consumed by the Internet.

Then one day, I just burnt out completely.

I knew I had to stop. I knew my love for the Internet wasn’t healthy, that it was going to take me nowhere good.

I lay in bed for a solid week, just sleeping and regaining strength and mental clarity that I didn’t have.

My mom took me to see a doctor, who suggested what I already knew: that I needed time off of the Internet. And so I did what he said.

Well, almost. I only went online for school, and that was it. My mom monitored me for a while. And it was hard at first, don’t get me wrong. But it felt good to be in touch with myself again. Eventually, I was allowed online again, but only in 10-minute increments. And finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, I was allowed free will over my Internet usage, although this time, I knew how to manage it.

I’m not alone in experiencing symptoms of Internet burnout. It’s actually quite common in a lot of teens. The Internet is an integral part of the academic and personal lives of teenagers, and excessive use can negatively impact physical and emotional health, relationships and academics.

But why? Why do we feel the need to be on the Internet 24/7?

‘The Internet is not only readily available and accessible, but its use is essential in schools as well,” says Deborah Walchuk, a registered psychologist. “Instantaneous accessibility to information and people, while convenient, can also be stressful, as it creates a sense of urgency with an expectation to always be available and receive and respond to messages, posts or notifications.”

I completely understand that. The Internet

HERE ARE SOME TIPS: Know it all: Walchuk encourages teens to estimate the amount of time they think they currently spend online. Then, spend a week tracking your use, recording the amount of time you spend online, when and where and how you access the Internet, what websites you visit and for what purpose. Then review your log and compare it to your predictions and reflect upon the results.

Invite input from your friends and your family of their perception of your Internet use.

Start small: Let’s be honest. Some of you probably aren’t going to do all that, and that’s OK. Start with the little things, like taking a break. Writing a 1,000word essay and feeling tired? Go outside for 10 minutes and sit in the sunshine and breathe in the fresh air. Experts say that stale air (air that hasn’t been regularly circulated in a closed room) may cause headaches, so getting away every half an hour or so from your computer to go outside and breathe in some fresh air can leave you feeling happier and healthier.

Ask for help: Parental supervision and monitoring can provide external limits. So the next time you go on your computer, ask your mom to set a time limit and kick your butt off in 30 minutes, or set up your own time limit on your computer, which you can access through your settings.

And I know it’s really hard to do sometimes, but try and not stray or click on distractions when you use the computer for a clear purpose, like school. Software like SelfControl can help you block certain websites from use for a set period of time. If you get all of your stuff done, then you can browse Facebook for five.

This all may seem like a huge leap, and that’s OK! If you don’t want to do a complete 360 of your lifestyle like I did, then I encourage you to take baby steps. Start by setting yourself a half an hour break from the Internet, or taking a 10-minute break to read a book or go outside. Tell yourself to literally “Get a life!” whenever you think that your current life is getting consumed by the Internet. Call up a friend, take your dog for a walk and enjoy the little things.

The Internet is adept at luring us into its web by enticing, distracting and entertaining while consuming vast amounts of our time.

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is a pretty magical place. The quantity and speed that information you can acquire is amazing and overwhelming. The Internet is adept at luring us into its web by enticing, distracting and entertaining while consuming vast amounts of our time.

“The Internet can be used also as a means to escape problems, negative feelings or avoid tasks that are boring or difficult,” says Walchuk. Don’t we all know that feeling? But escaping constantly into the Internet can “possibly develop into an unhealthy coping mechanism,” she adds. “Many online sites provide high levels of stimulation, pleasure and immediate gratification which may lead to preoccupation, compulsive use. This is an emerging issue with online gaming and some social networking sites. While Internet addiction is not a formal diagnosis, the term is used to refer to problems emanating from overuse of the Internet.”

But how can we cope with the Internet?

Is it possible to manage our usage and maintain good grades and a social life at the same time?

There are many ways to avoid Internet burnout while still using the Internet and hanging with friends.

Some of us thrive when we are on the go.

Can you do it all without doing yourself in?

By Erin Emily Ann Vance griponlife.ca

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y entire life, I’ve taken on a plentitude of side projects. I started a class newspaper on top of running for student council, being on the lacrosse team, figure skating competitively and being in the chess club when I was only in the sixth grade. Now, almost eight years later, I divide my time between two demanding jobs, a fuller-than-full course load, several regular volunteering projects, a steady boyfriend, a jewelry business, a writing group, blogging and a hopeless addiction to Netflix. I don’t feel like I’m doing enough until each day of my calendar is filled with at least one obligation, colour-coded to which area of my life it belongs in: work, school, volunteering, creative projects, family obligations and social life (pink, yellow, blue, purple, orange and red).

In high school, there is a lot of pressure to get good grades, do well on your exams, volunteer, have some extracurricular activities to use on college applications, hold down a part-time job, get a boyfriend (or girlfriend) to take you to prom and have a bunch of friends to take enough selfies with to plaster your future dorm room. The pressure is on. When I was in my final year of high school I literally made myself sick with stress. I spent hours in the hospital, and I vomited during my French diploma exam, all because I didn’t know how to handle stress properly. Now I can offer some insight, with the help of an expert, into managing stress and anxiety.

“One in four adolescents identify that anxiety interferes with their sense of well-being,” says Katherine Jarrell, a clinical consultant, and learning strategies instructor at Mount Royal University. “The rates of diagnosed anxiety disorders are rising, and professionals are attributing the rise to more than just better awareness and screening for mental health disorders.” According to Jarrell, the rise is related to distraction: “As a society, we are increasingly being deluged by a barrage of stimulus in our environments. [These] prompt our primitive brains to go into ‘high alert’ and trigger the body’s stress response … This keeps us in a stressed-out state and interferes with our learning and sense of well-being,” she says.

It’s not hopeless, though. “The good news is that we can retrain our brains to respond in ways that are healthier and serve us better,” says Jarrell. Some of her strategies for teens are below:

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• Practise realistic self-talk and problem-solving. Ask yourself if there is any evidence for your anxieties, and consider what you might do to change the situation.

• Practise mindfulness exercises to “be here now” instead of worrying about the future (exercises like deep breathing, progressive relaxation, meditation and yoga can be really helpful).

• Use techniques for exam stress and anxiety, including emotional freedom technique or tapping (there are YouTube videos to learn about how to do this).

• Practise good sleep habits, like having a regular routine and keeping electronic devices out of the bedroom.

• Exercise! Physical activity helps regulate our stress hormones, raises our dopamine levels and teaches us that our behaviour matters!

These tips are invaluable to high school students, but they go far beyond diploma prep: “It’s wise to develop good time management habits in high school because this is even more challenging in post-secondary education, when students have to plan out their time and manage completing large assignments more independently,” says Jarrell.

I would be lost without to-do lists. When you’re taking classes, learning to live on your own, volunteering, working and trying to maintain a social life, prioritization is key: Jarrell suggests the ABC method of prioritization.

“Mark an A beside tasks that need doing right away and are most important, and B for those that are still important and can wait a while. C is for those little tasks that are of little importance. We all know that we need to begin on the A tasks; however many students suffer from ‘C Fever’ which means busying themselves with tasks that are distracting and not as important.” I think anyone who has ever taken time out of their day to write a to-do list is guilty of this. It’s so tempting to put things like “paint nails,” “floss,” “clean under the bed,” “call Grandma” and “clean out Facebook friends” on your list along with “term paper on the industrial revolution” and “study for French diploma,” just to feel a sense of accomplishment.

“Sometimes we overestimate the degree or difficulty of a task, so we avoid it. The problem with this strategy, besides it not getting done, is that our anxiety levels rise and we worry, not even enjoying the other activities we do to distract ourselves.” Have you ever binge-watched something on Netflix, or beaten a video game, unable to enjoy that time to yourself because your stomach is slowly inching towards the floor, dreading the moment of realization that your paper is due in less than 24 hours? I definitely have.

“Another common reason for procrastinating is having perfectionist tendencies. We think ‘I can’t do this perfectly,’ so freeze and have trouble beginning a task.” Have you ever built up a vision for a project or a paper that seemed so amazing and unique and worthy of an A++ that you couldn’t even get the title down? Jarrell, thankfully, has some strategies for tuning out our inner perfectionists.

• Aim to realistically plan your time, by knowing yourself well and setting yourself up for success.

• Know if you work better in the morning or late evening, and plan the most challenging tasks first.

• If you have trouble beginning assignments, trick yourself into beginning. Just start writing any ideas down on the page, for example, or make a deal with yourself to write non-stop for 10 minutes without editing your work, so that you have overcome the barrier of beginning.

• If you underestimate the time required for things, begin doubling the time and noting carefully what time is actually required, to adjust your plans in the future accordingly.

• Be honest with yourself. If your self-talk goes something like “I’ll have more time tomorrow” or “I’ll feel like it more later,” chances are this is not true. Look to use small amounts of time effectively, by starting on bigger tasks, and breaking big tasks into manageable chunks.

• Plan fun stress-reducing activities that recharge your batteries, like getting together with friends or watching your favourite TV show.

If you follow through with your plan of doing some schoolwork, then watching TV after, you will really enjoy it a lot more.

• Recognize that we are not actually very good multi-taskers. It’s better to study or work on a project in a quiet, designated space without music or television or Facebook to distract us. We can turn off our devices and text notification signal and focus on the task at hand, then plan breaks to catch up on messages.

• When professional athletes are in a slump they sometimes “go dark,” which means they unplug from social media for a time to recalibrate themselves. This is a very good strategy for students as well, to lessen our distraction and to focus on our goals.

• Try focusing on three positives for every one negative thought we have. This doesn’t mean we don’t recognize negative information.

However, we can filter the onslaught of information to focus on stuff that is meaningful to us, and that can prompt us to act towards achieving our goals.

“In the end you need to focus on being the best person you can be in order to perform well in school and live life to the fullest.”

What I’ve learned, after struggling with procrastination, distraction, and anxiety is that there is never a “right time” or a “right mood” to complete a task. You either finish it, or you don’t. Still, we’re only human, so above everything, be kind to yourself, and look after yourself. In the end you need to focus on being the best person you can be in order to perform well in school and live life to the fullest. You’re not going to do well on an exam if you’re so overwhelmed that you’re pulling your hair out and crying on the floor. You won’t do well on a paper if you make yourself sick with stress and spend the day before in urgent care. But if you find a balance between the things you love, the people you love, and all of the things you need to do in order to succeed, you will find happiness and accomplish everything you set out to, while staying away from major anxiety.

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She Said

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Two Grip contributors go head-to-head, over whether technology is a distraction, or a social connection.

By Adoofan Tor-Agbidye HER OPINION: “BAD.” It’s just a distraction: We as teens have been gifted with the biggest distraction ever brought to humanity: technology.

I would not say that electronics themselves bring on the problem but the content in the device does.

Over time, we have updated the old models and brought forth new applications (apps) and just a bundle of useless things that we don’t really need.

For example, an app that recently came out is the Hot or Not App. This is where you basically rate a person on their “hotness.” Obviously, this makes people feel insecure and causes our feelings to distract us. People are so busy trying to make themselves look presentable and have the highest rating, when really they shouldn’t be caring what other people think. Especially since they don’t even know most of the people who are rating them.

When our minds are always on our electronics, we start to neglect other aspects of our lives that need a good amount of attention and concentration. For instance, if we’re distracted by what someone said online, we might find it hard to focus at school. This also brings a failure to focus on things like our homework. Not only can it harm your academic life but also your social life. You might think that since you’re texting a bunch of people that you are socially well balanced, but this isn’t true. You are just socially active. During this time, you might not notice that some of your relationships are dwindling. Tech just ends up consuming time unnecessarily and hurting your chances of doing well in things that actually matter.

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Honestly, it probably would not be that hard to reduce the impact of technology if we all just made an effort. We can easily fill up empty spaces where we might be tempted to surf the web or scroll on our phones with activities outside of electronics, like playing sports or doing a hobby.

Finding the willpower to shut down your device is quite hard (I know from experience), but it can be done. It’s never bad to ask someone to help in keeping you account-

When our minds are always on our electronics, we start to neglect other aspects of our lives that need a good amount of attention and concentration. able, and if you really want to fight for your own well-being, your perseverance will probably end up overpowering your distraction.

I actually think that it’s possible for us as teens to resist the distractions that come with technology. We have let ourselves fall into the void of mindlessly wasting our time away in front of a screen and, with effort, we can also pull ourselves back up and have balanced lives. I actually really appreciate what electronics have to offer nowadays and find all the updated activities put on them quite enjoyable. But I do have to make sure I watch myself and not let myself be dragged down to the point where my only priority is messing around on my devices.

With perseverance, this can be done.

d She Said “Technology plays a huge role in our lives – is this for good or bad?”

By Ann Lee Snapchat some amusing selfies, or team up with someone over the Internet to defeat a villain in a video game. Technology offers us access to more information than you would find in your local library, assistance in connecting with friends and family, entertainment and can be a huge timesaver.

In my opinion, technology is no more a distraction than other things in everyday life, like new novels, social events and siblings. Before computers, people had plenty

through an important or tedious task.

The age of information that we live in is most definitely thanks to the invention of telephones, the ’net and social media, and that is what I believe to be their most positive effect. There are forums discussing the ethics of animal testing, several YouTubers creating how-to videos and blogs that are dedicated to articles about childcare, writing techniques and education of important topics often considered risqué, such as gender orientation. The Internet allows people to gain uncommon knowledge that may not

There is definitely a way to utilize all these wonderful tools available to our world without them becoming a distraction. The best way to avoid the distraction is by building up our willpower and owning up to the excuses.

HER OPINION: “GOOD.” It connects us to the world around us: During the last hundred years, new technology has been popping up like flowers in springtime.

Our generation has grown up with video games, Internet and social networks, and many of us, including myself, have also become extremely dependent on these innovations. There is good reason for this; if you need information for a project, you can Google it. Do you want to catch up with your friend’s life? All you have to do is browse their Facebook page for a few minutes.

When you are bored, you can explore YouTube,

of distractions, too. Instead of focusing on homework, cleaning one’s room, or menial tasks at work, the attention spans of “old-timers” were diverted by sporting events, dedication to their celebrity crush, and new films. Of course, these interferences are still around today, and the smartphones, laptops and video game systems just add to the list, but these electronics are not to blame for decreased productivity, especially in youth. Loss of concentration is really just mind over matter anyway. Whenever we pause a homework session to keep up with the Kardashians or put down the broom to watch kittens bat around a ball of yarn, we shouldn’t point fingers at Netflix or the Internet.

Other distractions, for instance good weather, can also beckon when you are working

be otherwise available because it makes people feel uncomfortable, or it may just be something that most individuals wonder about or are unaware of. Best of all, all of this is readily available at all hours of the day, and can be easily found and accessed.

There is definitely a way to utilize all these wonderful tools available to our world without them becoming a distraction. The best way to avoid the distraction is by building up our willpower and owning up to the excuses.

Some audiobooks, music and podcasts can help keep you motivated when you feel like you’re ready to crack, and may give you tools to reduce distraction.

It’s time we stop acting like we have less selfcontrol than a dog, and stop making excuses.

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I

f you’re looking to uncover the origin story of Alberta band Jesse and the Dandelions, the (slightly embellished) legend of how the group came into existence takes the form of a strikingly illustrated comic book that can be found on the band’s website. But for band leader Jesse Northey, the story of his musical journey starts with figure skating and a desire to be cool.

“I used to be a figure skater back in the day, and I used to get made fun of and beaten up for it. That was partially why I started playing music,” Northey says. “I was in Grade 7 at the time and I lived in Fernie, B.C., and it was just more socially acceptable for me to start playing guitar.”

Jesse and his family made the move from Fernie to Lethbridge, Alberta, when he was in Grade 10. It was in Lethbridge where Jesse met friend and fellow Dandelion bandmate Nick Verdes. The two began making music together when an invitation to play a show presented itself and Jesse and Nick were forced to recruit bandmates quickly. So they had a band but didn’t have a name. The band was bouncing around some potential names but nothing was sticking. Jesse gave the rest of the band an ultimatum: they had a day to come up with a name or they would be labelled as Jesse and the Dandelions. Nobody put forth a suggestion and the band name stuck.

Despite the mellow melodies the band puts out, Northey says it was heavy metal musicians Metallica that first influenced his playing style.

“When I [started] playing guitar, I thought ‘I need to get really good at guitar really fast. What band should I listen to?’ I guess Metallica was a good place to start so when I was younger, I listened to a lot of their stuff,” Northey says. “Now my music is extremely far removed from it, but other bands that influenced me growing up were bands like The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse.”

Although a smaller town when compared to Edmonton, Northey explains that Lethbridge was a welcoming town for a young performer

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to be in. The band initially found support from campus radio station CKXU and quickly started playing fundraising shows around town – which was a great way to gain exposure in playing music live and raising the band’s profile. In addition, Northey explains that two main venues, The Slice and The Owl, are staples of the live music scene in Lethbridge. With bands playing almost every night, it’s a wonderful way for local bands to hone their skills.

The band’s latest album, A Mutual Understanding, contains songs with blissful lyrics about small town life – a sentiment that Northey wanted to convey. “A lot of what I wanted to put in that album is that I’m proud of that city and there’s a lot that you can get from it. It treated me really well while I was there.”

Around six months ago, Northey made the jump from Lethbridge to Edmonton. But the rest of the Dandelions didn’t make the move with him. It has turned the Dandelions into a flexible, open band with some members living in Edmonton and others in southern Alberta.

“I write most of the songs and I come up with most of the parts,” Northey explains. “So what I’ll do is that I’ll make a demo of the song, record all the parts and then give it to the band. None of the other members moved up to Edmonton when I moved. There’s one guy in Calgary named Tyler, who plays bass with us when he

PHOTO BY LESLIE OHENE-ADJEI

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can, but I also have a guy here who plays bass.

So I have some Edmonton people playing with me now.”

Northey is the chief songwriter for the Dandelions, and he points out the songwriting process can take many forms. Sometimes it comes easy and, at other times, it can be a struggle to just to write a riff. Northey explains that he always looks at the full picture when it comes to writing songs. He’s constantly thinking about the different layers of the song – how each instrument will accompany each other and how the song will be recorded and mixed.

When it comes to penning the lyrics, “I’m trying to hold myself to a higher standard,” Northey says. “Let’s not use words like ‘love’ or ‘heart’ because they’re cheap. It’s an easy way out when I can be challenging myself to write songs about being in the desert and wanting a glass of water, for example.

“A friend and I did this songwriting challenge where we picked a random movie from iTunes, and the name of the movie was going to be the name of the song. Then we got a word generator to pick 10 random words, and we had to use those 10 words in our song,” he adds.

It can seem like an incredibly daunting task for a beginner to pick up an instrument, start a band and play shows. But Northey explains that no matter what your situation is, everybody has the opportunity to go out and make music.

Money and experience should not be seen as a hindrance.

“People have all the resources they need to go out and make good music. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money,” Northey says.

“In that sense, I really think that people should keep the bar high but also not to get discouraged by the fact that maybe you don’t have the gear you need or you think you don’t have enough experience. You can take your time with an album.”

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Sheliza Kassam cuts into a cake prepared for kids who otherwise might not have a bir thday par ty.

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She’s out to make sure that kids everywhere get a birthday party

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or most of us, volunteering is an easy and awesome way to help out in the community. But for Sheliza Kassam, helping out means more than just shovelling walkways and weeding flowerbeds. For the last several years, doing her part equates to doing whatever she can – even helping out in four other countries.

At just 17 years old, Sheliza has been at the helm of two very successful charities – all while attending school and becoming a leader in her community. Now in her senior year of high school, life for Sheliza is filled with events and school, travelling and meetings, dancing and parties. Sheliza’s taking it all in stride, though, and raising the bar for everyone in the meantime.

Sheliza first realized that she could help other people when she was very young. She was diagnosed with astigmatism and she needed glasses, but her family wasn’t able to afford the glasses she needed. “Once we were able to afford the glasses, I realized how hard it was for others to afford them, too,” she says.

She immediately got to work, setting up Sight Night boxes around the city. At 11 years old, she was visiting funeral homes and local businesses, collecting donated eyeglasses (she’s collected 2,800 pairs to date), which would be

sent off to developing countries where people needed them.

Only a year later, when she was 12, Sheliza had an allergic reaction to her birthday cake.

The negative experience had her complaining to her parents – that is, until they sat her down and explained to her (while she was still Benadryl-induced) that she was fortunate

By Jessica Highstead Inn from the Cold, a local homeless shelter, to discuss her idea, and eventually it morphed into a charity that now brings birthday parties to children around the world.

Sairose Kassam, Sheliza’s mom, volunteered a lot as a kid, and it played an important role in her life, so seeing Sheliza take an active interest in helping others was very uplifting.

Now those birthday parties are held once a month in Calgary.

Along the way, Sheliza has garnered the help of many – including Coca-Cola, which donated $35,000 to send 200 teens to Calaway Park for an all-expense paid birthday party. Many of these recipients were autistic children who can’t normally go to Calaway Park, because of crowds and noise. The charity has also worked with McDonalds Canada (whose founder Sheliza met at the Canadian Business Hall of Fame), which donated money and four boxes of Happy Meal toys. Sheliza also raises funds by speaking at events, where she often meets impressive people, like Prime Minster Stephen Harper.

Sheliza’s life isn’t just about her charities, though. “I’d describe myself as a fairly organized

Sheliza is sometimes forced to choose between her hobbies and work, but she says at the end of the day, it’s always a choice of what matters most in the moment. enough to even have a birthday cake, and that some people weren’t able to celebrate their birthdays. “At that point I decided that, for my 13th birthday, I would use the money I got to feed people breakfast at the homeless shelter,” she says. Soon, she was hooked on helping others, and started researching more ways to help out.

Sheliza decided that for her “Sweet 16” party, she would try and think of something to really make a difference. One night, at around three in the morning, the idea for Children’s Birthday Miracles (CBM) came to her. She contacted

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38 Thisis Sheliza Kassam

Children’s Bir thday Miracles volunteers help decorate school buses for one of the charity’s monthly bir thday par ties.

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person,” she says, but that’s probably an understatement. She also happens to have a variety of hobbies, including Bollywood dancing, which she says is her “number one passion in life.” She also enjoys writing poetry and singing.

With her hectic schedule (charity events, school and travelling), Sheliza is sometimes forced to choose between her hobbies and work, but she says at the end of the day, it’s always a choice of what matters most in the moment.

It only seems natural, then, that Sheliza would become involved in politics. Last year she was selected to be part of Calgary’s Mayor’s Youth Council, and she was active at the city’s Youth Central, an organization that promotes youth leadership in Calgary. Becoming a part of Youth Central means taking initiative and looking for ways to contribute, both traits that Sheliza has mastered. Youth Central is a stepping stone into the “real world.” Its participants are given countless opportunities to meet with people and get an insider look into the business world. Often people who join Youth Central are participants for life.

The head of Youth Central, Ros Doi, says Sheliza is always very committed and takes a leadership role wherever she can. Doi also describes Sheliza as a very fun and open person.

With CBM now operating in seven different cities, it’s hard to stay on top of it all. That’s why

she has other people to help her out in each city. Even still, earlier this April, Sheliza and her mother left for Africa so they could go and oversee their upcoming birthday parties in Kenya and Tanzania. Their trip is about more than just presents and parties though – a lot of the things

would have meant sticking with the status quo, and therefore never starting CBM. Sheliza has been accepted at the University of Waterloo, for its mathematics and charter program, which she’ll enter this fall. She’s even managed to graduate early so she has more time for her charities.

Sheliza’s plans for the future include becoming a CA, travelling internationally and helping start new companies. She wants to be able to get more youths involved with creating and managing their own charities. Her family would also like to be able to set up CBM across Canada.

“It’s been a really great journey, with a lot of opportunities,” she says. Sheliza believes you’re never too young to make a difference, and that you shouldn’t let other discourage your dreams. Even if you fail, there’s always success in failure.

Children’s Birthday Miracles is looking for supporters every step of the way, from people to volunteer, set up their own parties or donate money, gifts and other needed items.

Their website is www.childrensbirthdaymiracles.com and you can find them on Facebook at Children’s Birthday Miracles or cbmyyc.

Sheliza believes you’re never too young to make a difference, and that you shouldn’t let others discourage your dreams. they’re bringing are going to be products that are vital to health and comfort, but aren’t as easily accessible at orphanages.

Sheliza says one of the best parts about running CMB is the Party it Forword program, which encourages other children to donate their presents and money to a less fortunate child.

Just like the rest of us, Sheliza still has to go to high school – she graduates this year.

Sometimes, she has to miss school for events, meetings and travel, but she has found it easy to catch up. Still, high school hasn’t been without challenges – she found it difficult to transition between middle school and senior high, and she was forced to remove some clubs from her rigorous schedule. Despite the challenge, Sheliza wasn’t sure if staying at her old school

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Our intrepid reporter goes cold turkey for a day without tech

By Tiffany Diack

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echnology is everywhere.

Whether it’s our cellphones, computers, televisions, tablets or any other source of electronics, technology is a humungous part of our day-to-day lives. As a 15-year-old girl living in the 21st century, I fully admit that I have become somewhat dependent on technology.

When I was asked to take the ever-intriguing challenge of giving up my beloved technology for a whole day, I just couldn’t refuse. On Tuesday, March 25, 2014, I put away all my electronics and vowed not to use them – any of them – all day. Little did I know how difficult that task would become.

My morning wasn’t too hard, despite a late wake-up call. I woke up late because I asked my mom to be my alarm, instead of my phone. That, however, was only one of the many difficulties I would face throughout the day. Heading to school was easy, if a little boring and silent without the music from my iPod blasting. My CTS and P.E. classes were a breeze, but English was a challenge considering we had to work on our computers. I had to break the rule and use the computer for a total of 10 minutes. Those 10 minutes would have been much longer on any other given day, but I tried to do only what was vital on the computer.

I had to adapt to my situation, since I didn’t want to have to explain why I couldn’t use technology to my teachers, and I did the best I could. Lunch was extremely perplexing, though. I always play games on my phone during lunch. The hardest part was seeing everyone else on their phone and not being able to be on mine. It gave me a new perspective though, by showing me just how dependent we really are on our phones.

During Math class, I can’t use any technology anyway, so that was a piece of cake. But my last

class of the day, Forensics, includes computers as well. I used the computers there for a bit longer than in English, and for 35 minutes I typed incredibly fast to finish my presentation, and got my partner Rhiann to do most of the research.

Later, when I arrived home, I finished my homework right away instead of procrastinating (like usual) as a way of putting off the inevitable boredom-by-homework. Instead of going on Instagram or watching Netflix, I found other things, like playing with my dog Trixxie and writing short stories to fill up my evening. I even made supper, which if you know me is a huge feat considering I am usually too busy watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I actually had a great evening, even though I couldn’t use any technology.

Going without technology for a whole day taught me so much: I depend so much on my tablet to entertain me, computers have replaced good ol’ pen and paper in my life, and I check the time on my phone way too many times throughout the day. I love my phone so very much; it is my pride and joy which I use all throughout the day to play games, check my email, post to Instagram, or watch YouTube. Sadly enough, I probably spend at least three hours of my day on my phone and I know that doesn’t sound too bad, but considering I also have a computer which I spend about four hours a day on, and a tablet which I spend about six hours a day on, combining all three electronic devices together adds up to a whopping 13 hours a day spent on technology. Some of those hours are a combination of all three devices, so the total is more like eight hours, but eight is still a fair chunk of my day spent doing virtually nothing. When I was younger I spent most of my free time outside or playing a sport, but now that

I am older all I seem to do is go on my electronics.

I know now how truly sad that is, and I vow to change my ways, to start spending more time outside and less time inside on my phone.

I learned so much during my day with no tech.

I learned that people need to realize that there are more entertaining things to do than sit alone in your room playing Flappy Bird. The outside world is pretty cheery and wonderful beyond one’s own phone screen. Conversations are even better in person. Food tastes even better than it looks on Pinterest. Everything really is better in person than it looks on a screen. The most important thing I learned is that the majority of negativity and conflict in my life is based around technology.

People are so much crueller behind a tiny screen. I learned that the hard way, that night when I turned my phone on for the first time to set my alarm for the next day. I was surprised and quite happy to see how many missed messages I had. That is, until I realized how many of them contained rude, awful things. One of my friends, who I thought wasn’t mad at me anymore, sent over five mean, crude, hateful messages to me, things she would never say to my face, but through technology she said them despite how they would make me feel. Since then I have used technology less and less, and I have found my life to be much happier. Less distraction and hate fill my day. What my day without technology has taught me is that even though living in the 21st century gives us great advantages like being able to text anyone in the world on our cellphones, it also gives us great disadvantages like cyberbullying. With that being said, I challenge you to go one day without technology and see if it changes your perspective like it did mine. griponlife.ca

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After forcing herself to check into a hospital, one teen sees how her phone – and social media – had been dictating her mood

By J.M.M. Lewis

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n August 2013, I sent a text to those closest to me, telling them that I was being admitted to a mental health facility. I didn’t know when I would get out, what was wrong with me, or when I would be able to speak with them again. Then I looked at my Facebook for what I thought would be the last time in a very, very, long time. I didn’t announce my hospital stay in a status update – I didn’t want anyone to know how “crazy” I was.

That month, I had experienced a psychotic break. I wanted to hurt myself and others. I figured this was my “point of no return.” If I wanted to end up dead, all I had to do was keep my mouth shut and make a plan. On the other hand, if even the most infinitesimal part of me wanted to live, I would need to tell someone. I knew, in my heart, that I wanted to live – and I also knew that I needed to be institutionalized.

My first step was to visit a mental health worker at the Lacombe Hospital. I sat down with her, explained how chaotic and crazy I felt, and she acknowledged that something was wrong. She referred me to a doctor, who agreed with both of us. I was given a certificate, which meant I was the property of the province for 24 hours, and told that I could get to the hospital via ambulance or my mother’s car. I went with my mom.

When you are first admitted to the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury, you are placed on the highest “code” in the adult psych ward. This means that you are not allowed any “privileges” – otherwise known as “privs.” The nurses on unit take away all of your belongings and give you some pajamas to wear. Depending on the time of day, you will be interviewed before you’re allowed onto the unit. Either way, you’re completely cut off from the outside world. No music, no books, no hairbrush – and no phone. I was really glad I’d sent that “goodbye” text.

Phones are prized possessions in the hospital. They’re one of the mostsought after privs, and one of the first ones to go if you mess up. Phones are only allowed off-unit, and you can’t use them in classes or therapy sessions.

The rules designate that you must sign your phone in and out with a nurse at the front desk before leaving the unit. People tried to sneak their phones in and out, but I never saw anyone get away with it. It’s not the actual telephone calls that draw people in, and it’s not the games or the apps, either.

It’s the social media. It’s texting and Facebook. It’s the opportunity to connect with the outside world, on your own terms.

I wasn’t banned from that outside world as long as I expected to be. Since I wasn’t a physical threat to anyone, my code was downgraded and I was allowed off-unit without supervision for short periods of time. The first time I went online during my treatment, I didn’t check my e-mail or any other

websites. All I wanted was to see what was happening on Facebook.

I was shocked by how mad I felt. How dare the world continue without me?

I thought. How dare my friends laugh and joke like nothing bad has happened? Of course, none of them knew that anything bad had happened.

The worst part about that first login was talking to my sister. I felt she had betrayed me before I was admitted to the hospital, so I went into the conversation very angry. I remember that I wanted to jump through the computer screen and throttle her. I tried to make her feel as terrible about herself before logging off. I didn’t want to talk to anyone else online after that.

Thankfully, the Centre gave me the help I needed. Daily group therapy really helped, as did my diagnosis. I finally knew what was “wrong” with me. I have traits associated with Borderline Personality Disorder, which essentially means I feel too much. At the time, I had no coping strategies to deal with all those emotions, but I was learning.

As I was allowed off-unit for longer periods of time, I used my phone a bit more. As time passed, I didn’t feel such overwhelming anger when I went online. Instead, I became keenly aware of what I was saying. I became aware of the way I had used social media to self-sabotage and hide. I could be whatever I wanted to be online, good or bad. Back then, I had simultaneously wanted to be forgotten, and the centre of attention.

I also kept an eye on the other patients. It became obvious that social media pushed them back toward bad habits, toxic relationships, and painful memories. They would sit in therapy stewing over a Facebook post by their ex, or a text from their parents, and let these things dictate their emotions. I had seen that in myself too many times. I had been letting the virtual world dictate my reality.

I decided not to bring that negativity into my life any more. I deleted the people and messages that I knew weren’t good for me. I made a promise to myself: social media would no longer manipulate my reality. It would be a place for me to share positive things, and keep up with the people in my life who made me truly happy.

While being at the Centennial Centre was a life-changing experience, one of the most practical things that I learned was to let go of social media.

Let go of the distraction, give up the addiction. You don’t always need to be “Liked” or “Followed,” and you don’t need to create an alternate reality for yourself.

The weeks I spent in there were some of the longest, hardest weeks of my life. But I emerged a healthier person. And when I got out of the hospital, I didn’t text people – I called them, or visited them in person. Because social media is fun, but it sure doesn’t beat a good hug from an old friend.

“You don’t always need to be “Liked” or “Followed,” and you don’t need to create an alternate reality for yourself.”

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S D N E I FRIn Your Pocket These days, our friends live anywhere and everywhere.

How has the Internet changed our relationships?

By Louise Fournier ichaela Olsakova immigrated to Canada from Slovakia with her family in 2002, and since then her connection to her home country comes almost entirely through Skype.

“It’s the only reason I have a relationship with my extended family, and can actually say that I ‘know’ them,” she says. So often we hear about how social media is damaging our relationships, but as time goes on it has become apparent that our relationships are also thriving where they may have fizzled out, and that’s thanks to technology.

In an age when media and the Internet penetrates every area of one’s life, it is hard to completely grasp the effect this new and improving technology has on one’s interactions with other human beings. If used correctly, the evolving technology can create a bridge between countries and continents. Without the pathway of social media, these residents would be cut off from their relatives. Of course we should use care with social media, but it can provide a good means for

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communicating with friends and family abroad. Ingrid Ulrich, a high school student in Calgary, thinks that,“In the case of long-distance relationships or friendships, it is the only way that they are successful.”As I grow up, it becomes more difficult to keep in touch with everyone I like, and at times the only news one will hear from friends is sent in an e-mail or a Facebook message. As an adult, the chance of meeting in person with one’s friends becomes more complicated as they begin moving out of the city, province or even the country. Social media outlets like Facebook, GChat and Twitter allow friends to witness each other’s growth and milestones from miles away.

Still, if used improperly, or relied on too heavily, social media presents a force to be reckoned with. Many sites allow users to remain anonymous, so it becomes easy to detach from what you say online. Anonymous messaging disconnects the user from the repercussions of negative behaviour. It is all too easy to forget that any information, comments or messages sent via the Internet are no longer private matters and that the Internet is forever.

Cyberbullying is a prevalent issue in today’s culture, and this bullying isn’t always between two strangers. It can also infiltrate friendships in the form of negative messages, which a person would never have the courage to say to a friend in person. Without being able to see how the comments are affecting their friend, it becomes easy to ignore your actions. At times, something as simple as a statement of opinion on social media sites can turn into heated debates between friends. While it is healthy to express

your perspective, sometimes people can get out of hand and end up becoming condescending or rude to others. On the Internet, it’s hard to evaluate how the other person is reacting to your thoughts because we often can’t physically see the other person. And even though it’s great for Olsakova, even Skype is not the same as face-toface communication, because it lags at times and doesn’t produce the best quality image. When media is used incorrectly, it becomes a dangerous weapon which has the potential to destroy relationships and friendships.

Not all social media interactions are harmful, but it’s up to you to help monitor the benefits and consequences. It’s all about balance between media-based and IRL (in real life) relationships. Be careful not to limit your

in-person interaction, because such exchanges help you evaluate body language, tone of voice and facial expressions in other people. That doesn’t mean your pals on YouTube, blogs and other forms of media aren’t important – they provide a place for you to explore your thoughts and ideas without being rejected, which sometimes happens in person. Most of the time, it’s far easier to accept a stranger online saying an idea is stupid than to hear the same message from family members or friends. “Hopefully, once we master social skills, we try them out IRL, moving into more risky, but ultimately more satisfying face-to-face interaction,” says Dr. Michael Rich, a “mediatrician” from the Boston’s Children’s Hospital and Harvard University. In the end, we can’t hide behind a keyboard for the

rest of our life, so it’s important to develop social skills now so that you’re prepared to gain highquality employment and successfully navigate new friendships and relationships in the future.

“I much prefer talking in person, if the option is available,” says Olsakova.” It’s a lot more genuine, and I prefer seeing body language and facial expression instead of emoticons after a wall of text.” It’s OK to prefer one mode of communication over another, but face-to-face interaction is still better than the Internet, and we’re lucky that keeping in touch with friends or family members on a regular basis is so easy thanks to social media. It’s important to remember that when we’re behind a keyboard, we don’t have free rein to say absolutely anything we want, especially when talking to friends.

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Listen While You Work A guide to studying with music

By Grip Contributors The Science: Listening to music has an effect on your brain. The first few chords of a song push a little mind button, affecting everything from your mood to your feet. Think you’ve heard this song before? That’s your hippocampus saying so. Tapping your toes? Your motor cortex says it’s time to get dancing. Not to mention that scientists say music releases dopamine into your brain. Dopamine is the same hormone that helps you briefly enjoy junk food; it’s what they call “the pleasure chemical.” Music boosts your mood because it releases dopamine when you plug in and cue up your favourite song. That dopamine helps your brain form memories around music, and it’s why songs can instantly remind you of events or people.

So it only makes sense that music makes studying and homework a bit more bearable. Last year a scientist at Montreal’s McGill University found that music can even have a positive effect on our work – if we use it right.

The right kind of music can calm us down, and it really helps to drown out the distractions all around us.

Tune in: Upbeat music is best when doing things like playing sports or doing chores, or when you need a quick caffeine-free pick-me-up, but it can actually lessen your ability to concentrate on things like reading and writing.

This is because your brain can’t comprehend two sets of words at once. This is also why you get a headache when too many people talk at once!

When it comes time to buckle down at your desk, pick songs without words or some cool music from another country, sung in a language you don’t understand. This will help you stick to the task at hand, and don’t worry: it doesn’t mean you have to settle for ancient composers like Beethoven or Mozart (though those dudes are awesome). Here are some YouTube-able songs and artists, suggested by Grip writers, to keep you in the study zone:

The Playlist:

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“Montana” - Youth Lagoon

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“Your Hand in Mine”

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“Going Home” - Explosions in the Sky

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“In the Night of Wilderness” - Blackmill

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“Hymn for the Greatest Generation”

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“Wizards of Winter”

- Caspian

- Trans-Siberian Orchestra

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“The History of Light”

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“Other People”

- Capillaries

- Beach House

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“White Keys”

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“Luv Letter”

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“You Got Me”

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“Better”

- Chilly Gonzales

- DJ Okawari

- Generationals

- TEEN

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“Sigur 3” - Sigur Rós

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“Counting Stars”

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“Comme des Enfants”

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“It’s Alright”

- Nujabes

- Coeur de Pirate

- Young Man

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Portfolio In each issue of Grip, we feature creative works from our readers – poetry, personal essays, short stories, illustrations, comic strips and photography.

The Giver: Response (written from Jonas’ perspective)

Running from sleep MADDIE BEAULIEU

BY ADOOFAN S. TOR-AGBIDYE

3:31 a.m. the table in the corner

My eyes have opened, cleared of the smoke that was planted at birth.

I see and feel, not like I once did, but with a new perspective, of the world I once knew.

There’s a man in the corner of the dingy café. He nurses a latte with weary hands and waking eyes.

This man is running from sleep.

3:32 a.m. the house up the street

It is like a weight has been lifted, yet double was added, and my heart is troubled, for what was and what is.

A girl tosses and turns in bed, frightened and confused. She’s dreaming of Julia, the girl who teased her in the hallway. Again.

3:33 a.m. the table in the corner

How much can I take?

Surrounded by those who do not know, of what they’re deprived.

The beauty, the love, and the warmth.

With the hate, greed, anguish, and death.

His fingers are tapping against the table in a nervous pattern. His body is falling back asleep, fighting for the desire implanted in him. Adrenaline pumps through him as the fear of sleep spikes through him. His heartrate goes up and his palms are sweating and his breathing is laborious, like he’s about to fall off a building. He supposes that he is, a metaphorical building he’s built inside his mind; one that he has fought to stay on for his whole life. He’s scared of falling off and he always has been.

Could it really be that choice, is a struggle for all?

Yet it brings an aura of freedom and life.

It adds risk and adventure, lethal events, And loving times.

3:34 a.m. the house up the street

We had emotion.

She’s woken finally after enduring nightmare 167.

She’s been counting. She counts everything. The stairs she walks on, the cracks in the sidewalk, the words she speak and the steps she takes. It’s a comfort somehow, having control over something for the first time in her short life. She doesn’t sleep enough but she knows that when she falls asleep the dreams will come back. The pain and the anger and the heartbreak she felt when she was eight will come back in a vivid swirl of fear. She can always feel the whirlpool, almost always. There are those moments of relief that she cherishes.

We need emotion.

3:35 a.m. the table in the corner He hasn’t fallen off yet.

BUTTERFLY LEAVES EVAN TRAN GRIPMagazine

Winning submissions are awarded $50. They are also featured in the magazine and on the website at www.griponlife.ca. Send in your submissions to creative@griponlife.ca

TINY HOUSES GERARDO ORTIZ JR & ADAM HASSAN

UNTITLED NOUR ELTAWANSY

SPLAT TE

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VENICE, ITALY 2 ERIN EMILY ANN VANCE

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ORIGAMI RESHMA SIRAJEE

DOG ING P E E I SL ANGY K YR A

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Portfolio

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SUMMER WILDGREENS EVAN TRAN

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Last Word Humour

Friends For(n)ever The fictional character friendships of our dreams

By Danielle Roberge Katniss Everdeen and Merida (from Brave ): For obvious reasons – who better to practise your bow and arrow skills with than another angsty girl? It could prove dangerous, should they get into a fight …

Darth Vader and Arthur Weasley: These two might seem like polar opposites but they have a lot to learn from each other.

Arthur’s a great dad, something Darth really needs to work on. And Darth can help Arthur learn how to stand up for himself a bit more.

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Harry Potter and Tris Prior: It’s lonely being an orphaned chosen one, but at least Harry and Tris can commiserate together before they go save their respected worlds.

They both know what it’s like to be labelled.

Frodo and Captain Jack Sparrow: Both of these guys are out on grand adventures and they need a friend to keep them company. Jack can help Frodo get over his shyness, and maybe Frodo can help keep Jack out of trouble.

Introducing the next stage in total connectivity...

GLASSES Framing a new, connected you!

Unlike fixed-mounted systems, Googley Glasses have 2 spring-mounted cameras for a complete 360 degree viewing area.

Googley Glasses come springloaded with apps to keep you connected and up-to-date!

Stand out from the crowd and be on the cutting edge with the latest in wirey information technology.

WARNING: Side effects may include: blurred vision, headaches, nausea, tripping over obstacles, bumping into things and overall general clumsiness. Some users reported night sweats, apocalyptic dreams with pop up ads and loss of jealous friends. Do not wear Googley Glasses to bed. Discontinue use if you find yourself alone in strange surroundings with no idea how you got there.