Balancing School and Dance

     This week, for my county at least, is spring break!! Spring break is a time for us to relax and give our minds and bodies a week off of strenuous activities and assignments, but remember to keep stretching. Spring break can also be a time for you to gather your thoughts and get a plan for the rest of the school year. Enough about spring break, this post is about how you can make your load of balancing school and dance easier for the rest of this year and next.


                   1.Get a Planner
              Planners are so helpful because they help you keep track of when your assignments are due and when you have important things for dance. Once a week try to sit down and write everything down in your planner that is coming up, and then everyday check back to see what is happening that day or in the near future.

                2. Make To-Do Lists
       Making to-do lists always help me get things done. Writing these things down will give you a visual to see which things are the most important. *TIP-Try and complete the big things first, so that if you get to a day where you are running out of time you already have the big things done.

            3. Do Your Homework
            This one seems obvious, but you should do your homework right as it is given to you. Now you are going to have to look over it before you review it in class, but it will be worth it when you can take that 5 extra minutes sleeping or doing whatever else. Another tip is to get a ahead instead of behind. If your teacher gives you a homework schedule for the next few weeks, try to do some everyday so that you will be ahead. If you are ahead and need to work on something else, you will not fall behind.

    3. Keep Your Room Clean
    Keeping your room clean will help to keep your mind clean. Imagine that you wake up in the morning and you can't find your six page paper that you have been working on all week. Odds are this probably won't happen if you have been working on this all week, but if you just put that pair of shoes up as soon as you take them to your room, it will help you, and your mom, stay sane.

        4. Do Your Homework While Stretching
        I cannot stress enough the importance of stretching everyday, see my post about it here, but school does come in front of activities. So if you need to, stretch while you are reading or stretch while you are studying for that test if you want. Just remember to not get distracted and stay focused on your school work.

       5. Eat Healthy
   I know everyone says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it is because you are getting your body ready for the day, but I think that every meal is important because it is fueling your body for the next few hours. No it doesn't hurt to eat that small piece of chocolate every once in a while, but doing that everyday is only going to tear your body down instead of building it up. So remember to eat your fruits, veggies, and proteins to not only help your body, but to also help your mind.

    6. Sleep
     I know sometimes you just have to stay up to read that last chapter or study those vocab words just one last time, but when you have the chance to sleep you need to take it. I try to set my phone on airplane mode, and put it on the charger before I read so that I can let my mind begin to wind down and not be thinking about that post that someone made on instagram.

   7. #Goals
  My last tip is to have some goals. Don't set them to high and to far out that there is no way for you to be able to accomplish them, but set them day by day so that you will be able to accomplish them and you'll be able to accomplish them well. Instead of thinking of the grades you are going to try to make in college, which is great everyone should try to aim for college, you should think about the grade that you want to make on the test next week. You should also keep your dance goals in mind because that will keep you to keep driving and fighting everyday.


                             These are someways that I try to do to help myself get everything I need to get done done in a week. If you have more suggestions leave them in the comments below. Remember to keep dancing and keep studying.
                                               Hannah

The Importance of Stretching Everyday

      I think everyone hears the same phrase "Stretch everyday", and maybe you are thinking I don't have time to stretch or not stretching one day will not effect me but it will. Stretching everyday will help to lengthen your muscles and help them to stay flexible. My dance teacher tells us that our muscles are like a hair tie, they start off tight, but over time they begin to stretch out and then stay stretched out. As dancers, that is what we want to do to our muscles. Stretching everyday will allow our muscles to stretch a little bit more and get a little bit more like that stretched out hair tie. Overstretching is also a great way to stretch out your muscles, but just make sure that you are warmed up and have done your splits before you try to overstretch them. 

*Disclaimer- Tap Shoes and Textbooks is not responsible for any injury that resolves from stretching or overstretching. Precautions should be used before overstretching. If a dance teacher, guardian, or doctor, has recommended not overstretching or resting from dance or this activity for any period of time please respect and ask permission before doing this. Overstretching with an injury may result in making the injury worse or even permanent. 

    Some people use the excuse of not knowing any stretches, but here are a few of my favorite.
                                    -child's pose
                                    -frog/open frog
                                    -butterfly
                                    -lunge
                                    -pigeon
                                    -splits/oversplits
                                    -middle lunge/squat ( wide second position)
                                    -wall stretch- lay on the floor with your bottom on the wall and open your                        legs into your split making sure that your butt stays and legs stay flat against the wall

               Another excuse people like to use is that they don't have time, here are some ways to                      incorporate stretching into your everyday life.
                       -stretch while you are waiting for something like food in your microwave or toaster
                       -make a playlist of how you want to stretch for and stretch the entire length of the                                 playlist. When the playlist is over then you are done stretching.
                       -stretch while you are doing your homework or reading, but don't get distracted
                       -stretch while you are watching t.v. or stretch on t.v. commercials


              The final excuse that I think people use is that they don't have the motivation to stretch, and to be honest there are some days where I just don't want to stretch. Those are the days that you need to the most. Stretching or strengthening on the days that you are tired or the days that you don't want to are the days that make you stronger. Here are some tips to motivate you!!
                -make a playlist of music to only listen to while you are stretching listen to mine here
                - look up inspiring quotes or pictures online, but be careful not do overdo it when you                        are stretching
                - if it is pretty outside, stretch outside so you can get some fresh air
                - if all else fails just remember that stretching that day will make you feel better and                               accomplished 

                                    Remember not to overdo it or stretch to the point of severe pain, but do                                   push yourself because if you don't push yourself no one else will. 
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                                                                                Hannah