The SPAN Youth Hub

Time seems to go by faster and faster each day. There is always too much to do and not enough time. How do we make the most of the time we have? We can take the first steps to get organized. Let's see what the youth from the SPAN youth chat have to say about how they get organized with their time.  We featured the video, "How to be Organized for School, College or Life [The 6 Habits of Highly Organized People] from the Memorize Academy. These six habits are essential for organizing your life and explained how it can benefit you. These habits included setting up routines and making sure everything has a place to be stored. Check out the video below Resources at the end of this post.  Challenge yourself by checking out the scenarios in the image below and answering the question. The first scenario on procrastination and distraction. The second is about the struggle to start a weekly plan The youth in our chat responded with some great tips. We would like to hear your answer...

Treat yo'self! Have you ever heard this saying? Maybe from watching TV, family, or friends. That saying refers to a very needed practice, self-care. It is hard to practice self-care with all the chaos in today's world, but you can start with a promise. The self-care promise activity is six questions for you to take your first steps in treating yourself.  If you are living in a stressful time at home, work, or school. Either too much on your plate like a busy work schedule or a rough assignment due tomorrow. There needs to be a moment to unwind. This is where the self-care promise activity can help you.  A 6-set of statements start with a personal mantra, "I promise myself that..." Then finish it off with 1 of the 6 sentences, "the next time I feel anxious, I will ..." or "I will strive my hardest to..."   For example, "I promise myself that...I will strive my hardest to...be honest to my friends and family, no matter what." The Self-Care...

"There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti We are never done learning, but how we learn is different for everyone. And there is a tool to help you find your learning style. As featured in the chat with a short video overview on "Discover Your Learning Style." In the video, "Discover Your Learning Style," there are four styles that are taught. For example, visual learners prefer drawings, posters, or any visual media to help them learn.   Auditory learners prefer listening and hearing information to learn. They work better in groups and benefit from recorded lectures or audiobooks. (NOTE: recording any lectures or lessons in school require asking for permission). Reading and writing learners use the traditional study method of taking notes. They remember information easier if it...

2021 is here! We are back to business as usual. January is known as the month of New Year's Resolutions and February is usually the month of the end of those resolutions. All of us are guilty of starting goals and not going through with them. But we can help you. The Habit Loop is a way to keep those goals going strong, and create not a mission but a habit of it.  The youth chat featured a Tedx youth talk with Adithya Chakravarthy who shared a short lecture on how setting high expectations and goals can lead to never completing the resolution. But keeping smaller expectations and goals by completing a small part of it each day will lead to completing it.  The Habit Loop is a method that will help you develop your resolutions into goals. The three-part method starts with a cue that kicks the brain into an automatic mode (tells it which habit to use). Then the routine, a physical, mental, or emotional response. Lastly, a reward which is the prize telling your brain "this loop is...

Merry Christmas! Today is the day. Here at SPAN, we wanted to reach out and interact with everyone supporting us through the Hub and on the Zoom chats. Amidst the celebration of the holidays, we wanted to share a shortlist of Christmas activities that are easy, safe, and lots of fun for yourself, family, and friends. Enjoy them in the comfort of your home. These activities were sourced from the website www.minted.com , a site that excels at making cards and gifts created for the holiday season. Here are 6 examples of Christmas activities from the Minted website. 1. BUILD A GINGERBREAD HOUSE (Can be done from home!) Trying to figure out what you can do for Christmas from home this year? Nothing beats a craft that you can eat when you’re finished! Many supermarkets will sell a gingerbread house kit around the holidays. The kit will usually include the bare essentials to build four walls and a roof. Head to the candy aisle of the supermarket and select a few custom treats that will add to...

The first snowstorm of the season is here, so heat up some cocoa, sit back, and let's dive right into it! With low temperatures but high spirits, the youth participated in an open discussion about coping with the holiday stress. If unchecked, holiday stress can lead to damaging habits or actions like overeating or lack of sleep. But there are ways to handle holiday stress and prevent the side effects. We reviewed the "Coping with  Holiday Stress Worksheet," and there are nine questions in total that help to reflect on your stress levels during the holidays. The youth chat focused on four of the nine questions that all the participating youths reflected on and shared their answers with the whole group. The first point is to let go of unrealistic expectations. For example, there is no such thing as a perfect holiday gathering. Then we spoke about honestly expressing your emotions to loved ones during the holiday, so you don't bottle up negative feelings. The last two po...

We asked a question in yesterday's youth chat, who is ready for 2020 to be over? And the youth answered with a resounding yes! This was a year of resiliency testing and the troubles for many families and youth are not over, but we can look for a silver lining. The Rose, Thorn, and Bud activity helped the youth reflect on their highlights, difficulties, and look forward to future opportunities that excite them.  The Family Dinner Project. ORG was featured on the chat, a website that promotes dinner projects, activities, and easy recipes for families to cook together. This is a great resource, near the holidays! (link listed under resources). The youth continued to participate in an interactive activity - Mindful Reflection: Share your Rose, Thorn, and Bud. Like a  rose, this activity has 3 parts: the rose is a highlight, a success, or something positive that has happened, the thorn is a challenge you experienced or something you can use more support with, and a bud is a new ide...