Month / November 2014

by Shuters House

Responsible Raging!

If you have finished your matric exams, you may be thinking of heading out for the KZN coast for the Matric Rage 2014. Even if you are not, but are planning on partying over the Christmas holidays, look at these hints and tips to keep yourself safe.

Alcohol

Be responsible and enjoy your freedom to have a drink and socialise. BUT… Students make a Toast in Bar

Remember, if you are under 18, you are not allowed to consume alcohol. Even if you are over 18, it is not cool to get so drunk that you start acting stupid, and forget who and where you are!!

Make sure that you never drink and drive and choose a responsible driver or use the Rage transport to get safely back to your accommodation.

Do not drink on the beach, in vehicles and on the street as this is not permitted and you could get into serious trouble.

Drugs and weapons

This is a message that you have heard many times before, but it still stands – say NO to drugs, even if your friends are encouraging you. Not only are drugs bad for your health, they could seriously damage those dreams that you have for your future. Remember that you will be searched for drugs and weapons at all Rage events, and if the organisers find these on you, you will be handed over to the authorities. If anyone offers you drugs at a Rage event, report this to the authorities immediately.

Safe Sex

Image of a couple kissing on the beach

During this exciting time it is difficult to abstain from sex, but it still is the most sensible decision. If you have made the decision to have sex, please be responsible. Don’t be promiscuous, carry contraceptives and know your own and your partner’s status.

Transport

While at Rage 2014, make sure that you know the route to your accommodation after an event, know the person you are travelling with, and try to make use of the official transport provided.

For more information about Rage, have a look at their website at ragefestival.co.za.

The Red Frogs Support Network is there to help you with pretty much anything you might need while at Rage, in particular any emotional support! Check them out at redfrogs.com

BE RESPONSIBLE, KEEP SAFE AND HAVE FUN!

by Shuters House

Keeping Positive

Keeping-PositiveWhether you are at school or on holiday, with friends or with family, sometimes things can happen that get you depressed and down in the dumps. Here are our top three inspirational websites that you can check out this week:

  1. Psychology Today has an interesting article titled Stay Positive – changing your way of thinking can change your life. This article by Dr Cynthia Thaik gives you eight easy ways in which you can keep positive, happy and healthy.
  2. Often we find obstacles in the way of our goals and our success. Many people let these obstacles stop them from achieving their full potential. Life Coach Life has a short article to help you take a positive approach to obstacles in your life. The article suggests that you should:
    • Accept that obstacles are going to happen;
    • Deal with the negative little voice in your head that says that you will never overcome the obstacle;
    • Take action to move past the obstacle and progress.

    For more details, have a look at the full article on lifecouchlife.com.

  3. Dr Margaret Paul, bestselling author and relationship expert has written an article in the Huffington Post, titled 9 ways to love yourself. This positive article highlights how important it is to love and accept the person you are. Only when you are able to love yourself, will you truly be able to give love to others in your life. Her article can be found on Huffingtonpost.com.

Our favourite quote for the day…

A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you!

– Anonymous

by Shuters House

Coping with Exam Stress

We are reaching that time again when schools go into overdrive, and learners start preparing for exams. Here are our top five handy hints and tips to make exam season just that little bit less stressful!

Don't Panic

  1. Don’t panic!! Try to keep a clear head. Getting into a panic is a sure recipe for disaster when you are preparing for an exam. Try meditating for 10 minutes every morning and evening to help you relax and think clearly.
  2. Plan your time carefully. Draw up a revision schedule so that you can have enough time to revise, but also enough time to spend with friends and family. (Spending time relaxing with your friends can help reduce stress, but you must make sure that you keep on top of your studies!
  3. Exercise helps. Getting plenty of regular exercise not only helps you to keep healthy, it also has been proven to lower stress levels and leads to better sleep. Have a look at this article from Harvard University in the USA.
  4. SnacksEat a healthy diet. It is extremely tempting to keep snacking on chips, sweets and chocolates while studying, but these snacks won’t help your body in the long term. Try to eat foods that will keep you fuller for longer. Aim for a balanced diet, with lots of fruit and vegetables.
  5. Drink plenty of water. Your brain and your body need water to function properly. Make sure that you drink plenty of water while you are studying. Research in the United Kingdom suggests that drinking water can help improve exam results and lower anxiety. (Have a look at http://www.bbc.com/news/education-17741653 for more details.) If you don’t like the taste of plain water, pop a slice of lemon or orange into the water to give it more flavour.

Remember

If you are feeling deeply depressed and anxious at this stressful time, make an effort to seek help from a parent, teacher or counsellor. There are plenty of people out there who are willing and able to help!

Keep an eye on this blog for more tips and interesting information.

by Shuters House

Lenovo Tablet Winner

Lee-Ann Marnitz receiving her prize!

Sibonelo Mkhasibe of the Shuter & Shooter e-learning team hands over the Lenovo to Lee-Ann Marnitz, winner of our first Twitter/Facebook competition.

Those of you who have been following us on Twitter and Facebook, will know that we have been running a competition over the month of October.

All our friends who liked our Facebook page and retweeted our tweets stood to win a Lenovo tablet.

The draw took place at Shuters House on Monday 03 November 2014, and a lucky winner was drawn.

An excited Lee-Ann Marnitz of Clarendon, Pietermaritzburg came in to Shuters to receive her Lenovo S6000 Android Tablet which came pre-loaded with the amazing Shuters edu-Reader app.

If you missed out on this competition, don’t despair! We will be giving away a second S6000 tablet  to the value of R3 700.00 in our next competition. Visit our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter (@shuters), for more details.