By Hannah Hemingway and Morgan Greene
Q1. I have no idea what I’m learning and exams are quickly coming up. What do I do???
HANNAH: Don't worry! Take a deep breath, and don't panic! Your first step is easy. I will give you a few suggestions to help you improve your grades and study habits.
Asking for help- You need to reach out to your teacher or teachers and let them know that you are struggling. Your teachers will be more than happy to reach out to you through email or even hop on a Google call and walk you through it. If your teacher knows you are having a hard time, they can adjust to help you.
Study- Your second step is to schedule time to study. This may seem silly, but life can be so busy that we forget to set aside time to study. Set aside thirty minutes to an hour to study whatever you're struggling with or for an upcoming test/quiz.
Stay organized- Next, make flashcards of what you are struggling with and review them often. Someone once told me that if you color code your flashcards or use colors, you are more likely to remember the information. I know that this seems like something a crazy, over-organized person would do, but if it helps, I recommend it. You can also make a checklist of everything you need to complete for the week/daily. Staying organized is very beneficial and allows you not to feel stressed.
Be involved- Another thing that can help is getting involved in your classes. Don't just sit there and listen to your teacher talk. You should be taking notes and asking questions if you need clarification. It's hard to stay focused when the weather turns warmer, and we're so close to summer, but it's worth it! We're just a few more weeks away from summer, so don't give up!
*DISCLAIMER: This will not automatically make your grades better. These are just a few options to help you improve in your classes and get ready for exams.
Q2. I just got braces, and they hurt! What should I do?
MORGAN: Hopefully your dentist has walked you through a brief lesson on how to cope with braces. Sometimes, though, you can still feel unprepared on this particular topic. Don’t worry; I will advise you on what I find helpful to bring down the ache in braces.
Medicine- If you are not a huge pill-swallower, it’s time for yet another change. However, pain-killers like Ibuprofen or Tylenol are worth the glugs of water. Ibuprofen is stronger than Tylenol, meaning that it can knock out the sore feeling in your mouth quicker and keep it that way for a longer period of time. However, I did mention “stronger”, which isn’t always a good thing in medicine. Yes, these helpful little pills can cause long-term issues with your stomach. So make sure you are limiting your intake. Tylenols are less harmful to your stomach, thankfully, and do provide some relief to your teeth. I would suggest taking Ibuprofen before bed, and tylenol during the day. After all, I find that teeth adjusting to new braces hurt worse overnight.
Cold substances- Drink ice water, eat ice cream, popsicles, and yogurt, etc. Cold on your teeth can be very soothing while they are still adjusting to new braces. Another pro is that foods like ice cream and yogurt, as mentioned above, are also soft to “chew”. With sore teeth, it can be painful all the more to try and chew hard foods.
Soft foods- Yes; I’m sure you saw this one coming. Eat oatmeal, soup, refried beans, etc.; if possible; just as long as they're not too hot, since your adapting teeth are more sensitive now than before. Not only can hard foods (Carrots, granola bars, crispy toast, etc.) be painful to crunch into, but they can also be dangerous. Dangerous how, you ask? Well, you may break your brackets. Yeesh. That would not be good. On that note, be wary of sticky, chewy candies like Jolly Ranchers or Skittles or caramels that could surely break a bracket or two. Peanut butter candies may also be a bit too sticky to eat. Plain chocolate is better-tasting, anyway :).
I hope this helped you gain some understanding of what to do in case of feeling uncomfortable with your braces. NOTE: Eventually, usually after the first week of wearing them for the first time, your braces will feel completely painless. However, do not throw away this advice… your braces will have to be tightened again and your teeth will feel sore again just the same, even if it is for a couple of days rather than an entire week… :)