Introduction 

Banned books are a taboo topic. Many probably don’t realize what it means to “ban a book,” or why they get banned in the first place. In this article, I will explore what it means to ban books, some commonly banned books, and why it is important to read them anyway. 

What does it mean to “ban” a book?

“Banning” a book means to remove it from a library because of content some consider to be inappropriate in them. There are several reasons, including racial, sexual, and violent content. Most often, books are banned in school districts due to backlash from parents. Despite this,  no book has been banned nationwide. Most book bans are left to the school district or institution that controls the library. 

What are some commonly banned books?

Here is a list of some familiar books that you probably don’t know have been banned:

1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

– These classic books have been challenged before because they contain coarse language and racial stereotypes.

      2. Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl

-This book, commonly read when learning about the Holocaust, has been banned for mentions of puberty and teenage sexuality. 

      3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 

-This classic dystopian novel has been banned for containing obscene language, references to smoking and drinking, violence, and certain religious themes. Some also argue that this book promotes terrorism. 

      4. The Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling

– Despite being the best-selling book series ever, these books have been banned for claims of being unsuitable to the age group, themes of witchcraft, religious viewpoint, anti-family, darkness/scariness/violence, and for setting bad examples to the children reading. 

      5. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 

-The Outsiders has been banned for numerous reasons, including gang violence, the portrayal of underage drinking, violent themes (including murder), and strong language.

This is just five books out of hundreds, if not thousands, that have been banned across the country. Among these are books you should be familiar with and might have even read in school. Hopefully, this shows you the magnitude of this issue. So what can you do?

Why is it important to read banned books?

Reading banned books is important for four key reasons. The first reason is that it helps stand up against banning them in the first place by showing libraries how important they are. Next, it opens readers to new and diverse perspectives they might not otherwise access. Third, reading these books does encourage challenging ideas, let them navigate real-world issues, and in some cases, get both sides of the story. The last and arguably most important reason to read banned books is that it fosters empathy by teaching readers about diverse cultures and ways of life that they probably have never been exposed to before.

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You have an assignment due at midnight. Suddenly, the urge to clean your room, read a book, scroll through Instagram, or do literally anything else intensifies, even if the other task isn’t more desirable. That is procrastination. It’s tempting to blame laziness, but this runs deeper. An essential component of overcoming hindrances is understanding why we procrastinate.

The Hidden Costs

Procrastination can be called an emotional coping mechanism because, at its core, it is the brain’s way of avoiding discomfort. Everyone’s reasons for procrastination are different, usually masking something more profound, which can be boiled down to one (or more) of the following:

● Fear: The fear of failure is one of the biggest reasons many prefer to avoid rather than commit. It’s easy to say failure teaches, but failure often demotivates people. Past failures, the thought that you could fail, or the constant feeling of doom all cause people to overthink rather than allowing the chance to try.
● Gratification: Small endorphin highs can be addictive, making them more desirable than
something that induces anxiety. Procrastination is linked to the brain’s limbic system, which craves pleasure, overpowering the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for planning and decision-making.
● Perfectionism: We want conditions to be “just right.” Instead of producing imperfect work, we wait for the mythical perfect moment– something that just never comes.

The real trouble is that procrastination rarely leaves you feeling fine once the gratification and rush of the other task subside. The guilt in the aftermath leaves you feeling worse than before. Delaying tasks creates a constant mental weight; even when we’re “resting,” the undone task is a continuous burden on the mind, causing anxiety and stress. The guilt accumulates every time we procrastinate, making the task seem even less desirable, as it is associated with feelings of self-hatred and self-blame. Ultimately, it can erode your confidence and ability to perform any task, making you less dependable to those around you.

Procrastination is not the Enemy.

Everyone assumes that procrastination is just inherently bad. There are times when procrastination serves as a way to protect you from losing a part of yourself or exhausting yourself. Creative people often procrastinate in search of the right inspiration. The body’s way of saying that it simply cannot go on presents as mental burnout and physical fatigue.
So while you battle procrastination, take a moment to ask yourself: “Why am I actually procrastinating?” Is it fear, or is it something else? There are parts of yourself you only discover when you question yourself at your most vulnerable state. Be honest with yourself, and only then will you actually succeed.

With Women, Yet Another Layer Emerges.

Many women struggle with perfectionism, driven by the hardships of their past and society’s endless expectations. Some say women put things off because we don’t care enough or care too much. The truth is, women have things to plan besides their tasks that are often procrastinated. Every activity can be mentally draining, so when we finally sit down to work on our own goals, our exhaustion takes over. So while the fight wages on, one really has nothing left to give.

Outsmarting yourself

Once you understand the root of your procrastination, you can effectively tackle it. The basis of most psychological solutions is to reframe the perspective, allowing yourself to challenge your mind and work around your problems on your own.

● Schedule breaks: Incentivizing your tasks with a break is a common tactic in most study methods or techniques. This tip enables you to schedule your breaks and time off, giving you something to look forward to. It gives your brain a time limit to work with, knowing that relief is just around the corner.

● Relief as motivation: Getting through a task you procrastinated can be hard. Try picturing yourself in the future: happy, relaxed, and proud. Strive towards making that your reality.

● Compassion over criticism: Allow yourself to procrastinate and tell yourself that it is okay to do it occasionally. The shame and guilt cycle reinforces the feeling of procrastination more than forgiving oneself and allowing for imperfection.

● Reward Progress: In any scenario, effort is significant and should be celebrated. Accepting and being proud of yourself for every step you take will create a sense of pride.

● Take Responsibility: Asking others to help hold you accountable, or training yourself to take responsibility for any past procrastination, will motivate you to prevent it.

There is no right or wrong approach; ultimately, motivation is a state of mind. Deadlines motivate some people, while they deter others. The freedom of time sparks creativity for some, while it makes it impossible for others to do tasks under the illusion of “there is still time.”

It’s not about time, it’s about trusting yourself.

Your brain is wired to seek comfort and avoid pain. Procrastination is a term applied when the “pain” is avoided past the point at which you can do the task well. It is not laziness in its entirety; it runs deeper. Even the tiniest step forward proves something powerful to yourself. You can start, follow through, and trust yourself.
So, remember to ask what’s wrong before beating yourself up. Then, ask yourself what the smallest possible step you can take is. Once you begin, you may surprise yourself at where you end up.

Need some more study tips? Read this!

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In these moments, there is a split second where one decides to conform or reject the pressure. The cycle goes, the more you agree, the easier it is to agree the next time. These tiny compromises slowly chip away at your sense of self as opposed to one big moment of weakness.

At its Core

Peer pressure, fundamentally, is a form of influence, whether good or bad. A spoken word or a silent nudge biased towards a specific action aimed to align with others instead of yourself.

We like to think that peer pressure is a teenage thing; it goes beyond that, and it becomes smarter, a lot more mature. From bad parties, bad people, and bad choices to overspending, overindulging, and overcommitting– peer pressure can influence anyone from any age group.

It’s not by definition a bad thing. For example, being around ambitious, intelligent people motivates someone to work harder and be better. Peer pressure becomes a problem when one action crosses a line, an action you normally wouldn’t do, an action that reflects what people want you to be rather than who you are.

The Subtle Art of Saying Yes (When You Mean No)

Peer pressure works because it preys on something deeply human– our need to belong. Our sense of belonging allows us to feel comfortable with those around us, but it comes at a cost. Think of the last time you said yes to someone reluctantly. The decision, though fleeting, had a sour aftertaste: resentment, guilt, regret.

The expectation to say yes when so many people are involved is what prompts responses, which eventually reduces down to one person asking. The trouble with saying yes to others is that habits stick. You start outsourcing your decisions, silencing your instincts, and eventually, you stop trusting your own judgment.

Your gut instincts are the ones you truly should always rely on. Even the slightest negative feeling should prompt you out of unsafe situations, as it is truly better to be safe than to deal with the consequences of giving in. Peer pressure never disappears. People will always have an opinion on how you should live your life because, in their eyes, it is the right way. The real change comes from trusting your inside voice, ensuring it doesn’t get drowned in the eruption of cheers when you say yes.

Questions to ask yourself before saying Yes

Do I wanna do this, or do I want to fit in?

Is the “Yes” from desire or fear?

If no one was watching or judging, would I still choose this?

Saying NO!

Rejecting an idea or action does not have to be dramatic or spiteful; it is simply not your place to be doing that action, so in your right, you can say no to the question. It also doesn’t need to be accompanied by an apology or promises to make amends. “No.” is a complete sentence. Refusing peer pressure should be done calmly and with confidence.

“No, that doesn’t work for me.”

“I have different priorities at the moment.”

“I don’t think I can right now.”

The world will not end when you say no to someone. In fact, because you are now given the freedom to do what you want, the world might just begin. Yes, not all peer pressure is bad. Oftentimes, it’s another person wanting to spend time with you. A true friend would ask you what you want to do instead of getting offended or throwing a fit and judging.

Redefine Belonging

At the end of the day, your oldest and closest companion is always yourself. Peer pressure challenges you, your identity, and your sense of self. Conforming essentially means betraying that. Does belonging really justify betraying yourself?

NO is never about conditional friendships and understanding. It’s about being understood for who you are. You do not really belong if you have to change yourself. Your life is not going to get bigger and better when you say yes to everything; it will definitely be more enriched if you say yes to the right things.

The best thing sometimes is smiling kindly at the crowd, saying a pleasant “No,” and making your way home safely.

Read more about how peer pressure can affect safety here!

The post Peer Pressure (& How to Not Fall for It) appeared first on GirlSpring.

This affirmation is one of my personal favorites, because it really helps me think about procrastination and what I should be doing instead. It’s also a great affirmation to start the school year with; it enables you to acknowledge and realize how costly procrastination really is. I want you to think of and visualize your dream life, your dream car, house, wardrobe, etc., and imagine the dream version of you who has all of those things. Did she procrastinate throughout the entire process of achieving those things? Look up to that dream version of you and try to make her proud by not procrastinating.

I’m the main character in my own story:

For me, this affirmation is just refreshing to hear, even if I am the one saying it. This affirmation is so powerful because it’s so easy to get off track in your own life. The “main character” doesn’t care what people think. She doesn’t care that someone said they didn’t like her outfit last Tuesday, because she understands that this belief makes her a side character in her own life. By valuing others’ opinions more than her own, she makes other people more important to her than she is to herself. It makes them the main character in her story, rather than herself. So, you need to remember that sometimes you are the main character in your own story.

Everything will be okay in the end, if it’s not okay, then it’s not the end:

Friend break-ups, getting a bad grade on a test, and worrying about what’s going to happen after your mom sees you on your phone after midnight are all things that feel like the end of the world. It is easy to get caught up in bad situations by telling yourself that it’s the end or that you cannot do anything to change the situation. This mindset does not help the situation and perpetuates the cycle. That mindset of “It’s the end!!!” prevents you from texting your friend saying you’re sorry, from retaking your test or studying harder for the next one, or asking your mom to be grounded from your phone for only a couple of days, not a week. Overall, it’s essential to remind yourself that everything will ultimately be okay and that you can always take steps to help yourself navigate your issues.

The post Three Affirmations to Tell Yourself When Feeling Down appeared first on GirlSpring.

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“Summer Child” by Conan Gray

“Amelie” by Gracie Abrams

“Grape Juice” by Harry Styles

“Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson

“dorothea” by Taylor Swift

“Wonder” by Shawn Mendes

“Must Be Love” by Niall Horan

“Together” by Sia

“Lovely Day” by Bill Withers

“You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home” by Hannah Montana

“Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” by Train

“Grace Kelly” by MIKA

“Silver Tongues” by Louis Tomlinson

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

“Breakthrough” from Lemonade Mouth

“What About Us” by P!nk

“I’m Still Standing” by Elton John

“Fifteen (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift

“Little Things” by One Direction

“September” by Earth, Wind, & Fire

“Sunrise” by Norah Jones

“Hey Lover” by Daughters Of Eve

“Hurricane” by Bridgit Mendler

“Generation Why” by Conan Gray

“Something That I Want” by Grace Potter

“Davy Crochet” by The Backseat Lovers

“Tongue Tied” by GROUPLOVE

“Glue Song” by beaba doobee

“When Emma Falls in Love (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” by Taylor Swift

“We’re Going To Be Friends” by The White Stripes

The post Back to School Playlist appeared first on GirlSpring.

Mindset Matters.

Here are some tips to transform your mindset into productive and self-care oriented.

Make a loose schedule and stick to it.

I’m not saying that you need to map out every single second of every day. However, I find it helpful to have a general idea as to how I want to go about my day. Tying into this point, make sure you have an agenda to keep track of your assignments! It is so easy to forget an assignment if you don’t write it down. 

My second tip is one that, until recently, I completely underestimated.

Get enough sleep!

Last year, I would go to sleep at 2am and get up for school fifteen minutes before I had to be out the door. Although I was able to push and make it through the week, it wasn’t sustainable and I was under a constant state of exhaustion. It was only until I had a healthy sleep schedule that I realized just how much more productive and energetic I could be. Go through the trouble of setting timers and sticking to them and have your day set up in a way so that you can get to bed at a good time!

This next tip is probably one of the most important

Challenge yourself, but don’t push it and don’t be a perfectionist. In school and life, it is important to get out of your comfort zone. Challenging yourself allows you to grow. However, there is a very thin line between a healthy amount of growth and something that turns stressful and implements perfectionism. It is important that you know your limits and that you don’t push them too much. Remember that your mental health is crucial to getting your best work done. It needs to be a priority. One thing that I like to do when feeling overwhelmed is host a little movie night with myself. I watch a comfort movie while eating whatever snacks are in my house at the moment. It helps me wind down and relax. 

Have a Balance – It’s Crucial!

This next piece of advice is crucial to having your best school year: have a balance. Don’t spend your whole day doing homework, but don’t spend the entire day avoiding it either. For the purpose of your mental health, you want to make sure you are getting in a little bit of everything in your day. Get in some time with friends, get in some time for homework and studying, and give yourself time for you and your hobbies (whatever they may be). 

What I have to say here is something that I never would have imagined coming out of my mouth, but get physical exercise. Now, I am nowhere near being the most athletic person in the room. In fact, sports and athletics are probably one of the things I am the worst at. However, I have noticed how getting some exercise, or even just a little bit of sun, has completely changed the course of my day for the better. I end up feeling much more energized and it always puts me in a better mood. It’s not like I do much exercise either. I go on twenty minute walks or do a ten minute workout. It is nothing special, but I always end up feeling better in the end. 

These tips are only the beginning.

While they will help you get your life together and prepare you for school, a lot of it has to do with your own mindset. When I look at my 8th grade self versus my 9th grade self, for example, that is where I see one of the greatest differences. When 8th grade had started out for me, I was unmotivated. I got all my work done, but it was never at its best and I found myself constantly dragging and exhausted. My mindset was in the wrong place. I was looking at school from a place of constant negativity and I was making excuses for myself to avoid working. When 9th grade rolled around, I decided that I would change things up a little bit. Even though it took some hard work, I turned my mindset around. I woke up earlier and I made time for myself. I tried being more balanced and it made me see both life and school from a more positive perspective. 

Mindset Makeover

To be able to do this, you have to know yourself. Knowing what makes you energized and motivated and knowing what (or who) drags you down are both extremely important. Being aware of these makes it so that you can be in more control of your life’s outcome. 

The post From Motivation to Mindset: Shift your Mindset from Summer to School appeared first on GirlSpring.

As an upcoming senior who has grown a lot over the last few years, here are the essential tips for surviving and thriving in your first year of high school to help you have the best high school experience!

1. Don’t stress about the increase in workload

It sounds easier said than done, right? Having to do more work can be scary because it means more stress and less fun. You might be rethinking how ready you are. However, it is be doable!

Remember, the workload assigned in high school is designed for your age group, so everyone else will be having the same struggles (whether they admit it or not). Think back to when you were in elementary school when you were so worried about going to the next grade – well this is the same!

Well, good news, you made it! This year will be very similar to the past few years. You might be thinking it’s going to be impossible, but all of the sudden you’ll be heading to 10th grade and realizing you made it through!

      2. Be prepared for your friends to switch around – it’s natural!

One of the worst feelings can be losing a friend. Whether that be abruptly or slowly, it hurts all the same. But remember, you’re growing up and finding yourself, which sometimes means outgrowing certain friends. Your personalities might have matched in elementary or middle school, but people change over time, which is totally normal.

People never stay the same their whole lives, especially as they mature. Although this might be tough at first, you will meet other people later on who you might get along great with. With this in mind, be open to creating friendships with all different types of people! Just because you have different hobbies, doesn’t mean your personalities won’t go great together!

       3. Don’t be afraid to say no – or yes!

Given the increased workload in high school, you’re now at the age when, “my mom said I have to stay home and study,” is the best excuse for saying no to an invitation.

High school can be hard, especially when your friends start partaking in activities you may or may not want to join in on. If you don’t want to do those same things and don’t feel comfortable telling people that, there’s nothing wrong with slowly distancing yourself.

Moreover, growing up comes with freedom, and if you feel comfortable with something and you know you won’t be doing anything wrong, then don’t feel guilty about it.

      4. Learn to cope with jealousy

As you grow up, you might encounter more complex or difficult social situations than you did before. Maybe your two closest friends are having a sleepover without you, or the friend group you thought you were a part of is having a group function without you. Maybe you can’t afford the new store everyone is shopping at, or you’re the only one of your friends without a boyfriend or girlfriend, so you miss out on the double dates.

Dealing with jealousy in high school is inevitable. Some people you know may leave you feeling genuinely left out, but if you feel comfortable mentioning it to them, then go ahead. It’s important to remember that these things will happen now and then throughout your life, and you might even make someone feel like this without realizing it!

Try to keep in mind that if you’re comfortable with yourself, jealousy doesn’t sting as badly. Also, if someone is purposefully leaving you out, they are clearly dealing with their own insecurities, which has nothing to do with you.

What if people left you out but not purposefully? Feeling like no one even thought of you can sometimes hurt even worse. In cases like these, those people clearly aren’t your real friends, but that’s okay. Be happy with people you click with, and it’ll feel so much better than feeling left out by the “popular” crew.

        5. Join those clubs

During my freshman year of high school, I moved to a new city to attend a new school. Being in a new setting without knowing anyone on the first day of school was possibly one of the most nerve wracking experiences of my life. I can still feel the crippling anxiety I felt as I got out of the car.

I sat by someone who looked nice and tried to start conversation by asking, “what homeroom do you have?” After the conversation picked up, I realized it wasn’t so bad. Over the next month, I joined every club my schedule would allow, and that’s how I met my people!

Clubs are the best way to find friends with similar interests as you. Plus, they look great to colleges – a win-win! I cannot recommend anything as much as getting involved. As long as you don’t overwhelm yourself, you won’t regret it!

Here’s a cute book about transitioning into freshman year! And don’t forget to check out Girl Spring’s advice on freshman year tips!

The post Essential Tips for Surviving and Thriving in Your First Year of High School appeared first on GirlSpring.

AP Tests seem intimidating at first, because they are lengthy college-level tests with lengthy free response sections and speedy pacing. Unlike the ACT, a stock standardized test, AP Tests rely on a deep understanding on concepts and knowledge. There are detailed processes to memorize, like the Krebs Cycle for AP Biology and vast historical movements for APUSH. However, this shouldn’t deter you from working to earn a high score. It will be worthwhile when you can skip prerequisite classes in college, graduate earlier, and save lots of money. 

Luckily, there are plenty of resources to help you with your cram. Test prep books like the Princeton Review or Barrons have concise explanations of the main concepts within each unit. They also have many practice problems and full-length practice exams. Khan Academy has good videos and practice problems on many AP subjects. CrackAP has even more practice problems for even more subjects- its worth it if you can tolerate the sketchy UI and survive the popup ads! CollegeBoard has the official websites of all the AP subjects. You can find past free response questions and the rubric for scoring your free responses. After taking a practice test, you can put your results into a score calculator from Albert.io to gauge your progress.

In addition to the right resources, you need the right study schedule. At the time of writing, there are 3 weeks until the AP exams. Most subjects have between 6 to 10 units, so you can learn the material from reading a prep book, watching Youtube lectures, or using Khan Academy in 2 weeks if you regularly study. Adjust your review schedule based on the time remaining before the exams. After reviewing all the material, reflect and find our your strengths and weaknesses. Brush up on your weak spots and spam full length practice tests in the time before the exam to refine your strategies. 

It is more challenging if you are taking multiple AP tests or self-studying. You might need to spend more time studying, but it’s definitely feasible to manage many tests. 

Here are some general strategies and tips to maximize your study time:

• Know what’s on test. Sounds obvious, but look at the Course and Exam Description from Collegeboard.
  • You need to be prepared to self-study if your teacher or textbook does not cover a section. They sometimes update material and have different units. 
  • Be familiar with the timings and structures for each test. Again, they may update the test format. 
  • Collegeboard lists out the percentages of questions on a particular unit per test. Study the more commonly used topics that are on 17-23% of your test.  
• Spam A LOT of practice problems. 
  
  • Get used to reading a lot for humanities tests and doing lots of math for STEM tests
• Make sure you actually understand the important concepts. Teaching it to someone else or writing your own study guide to find knowledge caps is a good strategy. Drawing diagrams helps with complex science concepts. Timelines help with history. 
• Sleep well before the test, of course.

Check out my ACT prep article if you procrastinated on that too: https://www.girlspring.com/hit-that-36-all-the-act-strategies-you-really-need/

Follow me on Instagram @TopGao720 for more study advice. DMs open.

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