Birthday Haul 2017!!!

     DISCLAIMER: I do not mean to brag, boast, or hurt anyone by sharing these presents with you guys.

     Hey, Candies! I had my birthday party recently, and these gifts are from my amazing friends. Can't wait to show you guys, so let's get into it!

My friend got me 27 nail polishes, remover, nail vinyls, and sponges; all nail essentials. Thanks so much!

These cute pencil cases will be very useful!

Eve though I don't blog about fashion, this sequin-flippy shirt and matching leggings are so soft and comfy that I wore it to school!

Lip glosses will be very useful for the performances and recitals I have coming up.

Can't wait to prank my dad this summer!

Very fun; like charades, but better.

This fancy coat is warm and looks great!

I need this in my life; my desk is an absolute mess.

This Coconut Orchid bath set smells so good I almost don't want to use it; I said almost.

These Cardiff skates are very unique since I can wear my favorite pair od shoes inside them. Thanks, Dad!

     I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who celebrated my birthday with me. I had a ton of fun, and every one of you made it so special. YAY! If you can't see the photos, I am terribly sorry. I can't reupload them because I lost the pictures, so oops! again, sorry.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Your's Truly

     Hey Candies! Here are 10 things you didn't know about me!

1. If I could rename my dog I would call him Toto from "The Wizard of Oz".

2. I am bilingual - I speak English and Malayalam.

3. My room is the exact color of Pepto-Bismol.

4. I use Canva to make my blog graphics and it works great - all my fellow bloggers have to try this too!

5. I play the piano and clarinet so I'm biinstrumental - is that a thing?

6. My favorite color is pink.

7. My favorite smells are fresh mint, cilantro, vanilla, or orange juice. I know, weird.

8. "Looking for Alaska" is my favorite book.

9. I am vegetarian but haven't always been.

10. I have a terrible memory.

     Sorry this post was short but hope you enjoyed it anyway. Bye!

Extended Day School - Yay or Nay?

 

     Hey, Candies! A few days ago, in a magazine our teacher gave us, there was an article on extended day school. If you were wondering, the magazine is called "Scope". Basically, extended day school is exactly how it sounds; making the school day longer to spend more time on challenging subjects. Although some schools have already implemented this new curriculum, should we all?
     Some studies show that extended days do improve scores. For example, in Massachusetts, a few public schools have started to lengthen their school days. Besides showing 44% higher test scores in math, students got to spend more time on art, music, and gym. More time spent learning means less time watching random videos and playing video games that have been proven to hinder brain development.
     However, countries in Asia that consistently outperform the U.S. in math and science usually spend less time in school than we do. This means that it is not the quantity of education but the quality that affects test scores. Kids are already stressed by the amount of schoolwork they have, and if students are too tired to pay attention in class, what good would more time at school do them? Plus, if our school days are longer, when will kids learn karate, or play soccer, or blog? There are so many things that individuals are talented at that should be explored, but it is almost impossible to offer all of that at school. Funding would also be an issue. For schools to be able to pay teachers to work overtime, they would need more money, which comes out of our taxes. If it is a private school, tuition rates would go up. Besides, teachers work very hard beyond school hours writing lesson plans and grading papers. Do we need to stress them out even more?
     What do you think; Yay or Nay? Comment down below and make sure to follow this blog to become an official Candy! See you Friday!

Writer, Leaf Group. "The Disadvantages of Longer School Days." The Disadvantages of Longer School Days | Education - Seattle PI. Seattle PI, 29 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 May 2017.

Schachter, Ron. "Extending the School Day." Extending the School Day | Scholastic.com. Scholastic, n.d. Web. 07 May 2017.

Ways to Stay Cool

     Hi Candies! Where I live, this week has been in the high 80s (Fahrenheit). For those of you who speak metric, let's just say it's really hot. Therefore, this post will be about how to stay comfortable, day or night.

1. Use cotton sheets and cotton blankets. Cotton is cooling and natural, so it's the way to go.

2. Stay hydrated. When it is warm, you lose a lot of water to sweat. Plus, being to hot can make you feel stressed or short tempered if you're anything like me. 😓😓😓

3. Eat small portions of cold, easy-to-digest foods. This way, you re not using as much energy to digest your meal. Examples of good foods include cucumbers, watermelons, and similar things.

4. Wear thin, light clothing. Synthetic fibers can sometimes feel heavy, but not always. A good rule of thumb is that if you can see through it, it is a good choice.

5. Make a "Swamp Cooler".  Put a bowl of chilled water in front of a fan and there ya go!

     Hope this helps! Also, it's my birthday tomorrow! Make sure to follow this blog and come back next Friday! Bye!
     Wow. Too many exclamation points.