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By Kherunisha Just imagine.
Imagine having to look after a younger sibling, or one of your parents while balancing your studies. Your friends. Your life. Some of us could share the same experience, but most of you can't. There are over 700,000 carers in the UK, according to the BBC. This is a significant amount. But, we're not just defined by a statistic, but, rather our responsibilities as carers. Being a carer means having to stay at home instead of going out with your friends. It means staying up throughout the night, finishing your homework that was due yesterday. It means having to prioritise. I, as a young carer have had to make SEVERAL sacrifices, but I can’t say that they haven't helped me to be the person I am today. I became a young carer at the age of 11. I had no idea that such a thing existed. I honestly thought it was the norm. It wasn't that difficult at first. It didn't seem like a chore. It seemed almost enjoyable. This is because my litter sister was a baby. They're not THAT problematic at that age. As we both got older, my responsibilities seemed to become more challenging. I came home from school every day, changed my sister and then put her to sleep while I had two hours’ maximum to complete my work while helping my mother. Year 7 seemed chill to me and everything was fine. I developed a routine where I could manage everything. I did not know that I was a young carer and only found out when my sister was around 2-3. When she signed up for nursery, I spoke to the social worker and she informed me that I was a young carer. I did not know what that meant, but she soon explained and got in contact with Barnardo’s which is a young carer’s charity who help those who have had their life affected by the role. I had my first meeting with a lady in school. She had come to fill out some forms that assessed to what extent I needed help and what exactly my role meant to me. This was the first of many meetings in school. Although everything seemed fine, I was beginning to get overwhelmed. Sustaining that balance between school and home seemed too great of a task. I couldn’t talk to anyone at that point; I just felt the need to “keep calm, and carry on.” This all changed however, when one night, I stayed up till 2-3 AM to complete a science project that I just could not finish. Everything seemed to go wrong. After finally completing the project, going to sleep felt like a difficult task. I gave in my project the next day with relief, knowing the effort I had put in. When I received my result, I almost burst out crying. Although my grade was sufficient, my efforts did not seem to pay off. I stayed behind to talk to Mrs Patel, and then I burst out crying. I could barely hold a sentence together. Mrs Patel could not have been more understanding. This was one of the times that being a young carer was overwhelming. As my student life became more challenging, being a young carer became a chore, a routine. It was almost balanced. I had specific times for specific things. Although, I did have to learn to prioritise. There were days when I had late nights. Where I could not hand homework in because it was not physically possible for me to do so. There were days when I had no idea what went on in lesson, because I was too tired to pay attention. However, I did not want to disadvantage myself either. So, I did as much as I could at home, and pushed myself so I could catch up. In year 10, I sat my first GCSE. The revision was difficult but I did manage. Being a young carer can be a very disadvantageous role. But, it is also a very meaningful role. I learnt to be patient, tolerant and gained a very close relationship with my sister. Even at 16, I have not fully learnt what it means to be a young carer. Now, my sister has started school, I’ve begun to experience the stress of finding a costume for ‘World Book Day’ and getting everything ready before the very first day of school. This meant thinking on my feet. To this day, I know that being a young carer will never be easy but I do know that it will teach me many things in my years to come. What exactly is a young carer? A young carer is someone aged under 18 who cares for a relative with a disability or who cares for a younger sibling. What is the hardest aspect of being a carer? The hardest thing would be balancing student life and caring for my sister. This is because I do not want to disadvantage my studies, or my sister. What advice would you give to another young carer? I think it would be to create a schedule that would help you maintain that balance between student and work life. Another piece of advice would be to know your biggest obstacles and face them by preparing for them. This would save time and further frustration and stress. How has being a young carer impacted you as a whole? As I mentioned, it has allowed me to be patient and tolerant. It has impacted me, confidence wise. This is because, being a young carer means that you gain skills earlier than expected. It can be overwhelming, physically and mentally but it does prepare you for life’s challenges. How has it impacted your faith? It has significantly impacted my faith, positively of course. There are times when you just cry and everything seems pretty hopeless, but life is a test. When times are tough, I don’t hesitate to pray and describe my problems to Allah. If anything, it has guided me towards Allah. HUmaira DEsaiThe Spirituality Prefect Being a student in Year 11, means that you have an immense amount of pressure, stress and of course, a mountain of homework and revision. During this, you make feel like you are still lacking that complete contentment and inner peace. You may feel like that connection that you may have had previously with Allah is slowly burning, and you are experiencing one of those low Imaan days. But fear not, because we have some tips and helpful advice that can InshaAllah lead you to a much better state.
1. Our ultimate goal in school, is to achieve the best possible results. Yes, we achieve that through constant revision and full focus within school. However, the ultimate and best tool is to ask from Allah. Remember, Allah loves it when we ask from him! He is the most merciful and is there to help and guide us. A few simple tips are: - Making Dua constantly and consistently. It’s no good making dua one day and making the next a month later. Asking from Allah is the best tool you have, therefore sincerely asking from him every day after every Salaah will InshaAllah allow you have your prayers answered. Remember! Ask from him with a clean and sincere heart. Don’t make Dua for the sake of making it, and expect it to be answered. - Following on from making Dua, the best times to make dua is immediately after every Fardh Salaah. Once you have finished, raise your hands to him in submission, and ask and pray to him. Thank Allah for all the favours bestowed upon you. - Now, it’s quite obvious that revision will take a toll on you, and it will lead to some sleepless nights. You will fall asleep at 3 or 4 in the morning. This time, during the early morning, is the best time for prayer. Pray Tahajjud! You are alone, it’s quiet, and there are no distraction coming your way. This is the best time when you will feel closeness with Allah. The hadith, “the closest you can get with Allah is in Sujood.” Grasp this moment! You will feel such peace and contentment like you have never felt before. You will feel the closeness with Allah and no such feeling can be described . 2. Now you must have all heard of “the first thing you will be questioned on is regarding your Salaah.” This emphasises the importance of Salaah so clearly. It means that Salaah is so important. Therefore, if your Salaah is being missed then clearly Allah will not be happy with us and everything that you hoped will go well, will actually go quite the opposite. So pray your Salaah with full sincerity – remember you’re bowing your head to your Lord. If you can spend endless hours on revision then surely you can spend about 20 minutes praying your Salaah. Remember, Salaah is your leeway to those grades. - Now, one of the most important Salaahs that should not be missed is Fajr Salaah. A hadith says when a person prays Fajr, he/she comes under the protection of Allah. - Along with praying Fajr in the morning, Surah Yaseen in the morning is a must too! Surah Yaseen should be read without fail in the morning for a successful, peaceful, and trouble-free day ahead. Surah Yaseen solves your problems and abolishes your fears. - Furthermore, Allah loves those acts of worship which may be small but consistent. Even if that maybe reciting 1 page of the Quraan a day or a quarter of a para of the Quraan a day. It’s these types of Ibaadah that will enlighten your heart and soul, and brighten and build that connection with Allah. It’s these types of Ibaadah that will spark love for Allah. It’s these types of Ibaadah that will develop a closeness between you and Allah. Finally, it’s these types of Ibaadah that will be the reason for your grades. 3. Remember, when you feel like you are experiencing a ‘low Imaan day’ turn to Allah, pray to him, and he will solve your problems. You will realise the mercy and Barkat in your life. You will sense that solace in your heart. You will automatically feel a change in how you are working and the work you are producing too. - When you can feel like your Imaan is weakening, recite the first Kalimah over and over again. You will spiritually feel stronger and develop a sense of strong belief, once again. 4. However, make sure you are fully committed, and putting that 100% into everything you do. Revise hard, and listen to your teachers. They are one of the best sources you have. Just like the hadith says “Tie your camel and put your faith in Allah” I hope these few tips help you thrive both spiritually and academically. Ammaarah James. E-sports, are a form of competitive online gaming where gamers from across the globe gather to compete within a series of matches of their given game. E-sports has currently been on the rise in popularity with over 120 million fans and counting. Over recent years, it been debated as to whether it should be allowed to become an established sport as a part of the Olympics. You may be thinking, they are just sat down playing on games doesn't that juxtapose the idea of sports itself? Physical sports, yes, but have you considered the possibility of it being a mental sport?
A dictionary definition of a sport is 'an activity that exercises a muscle and in which an individual or team competes against another for entertainment'. What better muscle to exercise than your brain! Many E-sports such as League of Legends involve a high percentage of brain power were they have to tactically play and outsmart their opponents within the span of a few seconds whilst keeping in mind their specific character abilities and the whereabouts of their own team members. Similar to traditional sports, e-sport gamers must undergo physical training so that they are able to adapt and facilitate to their pro gaming lifestyle this is done by using typing programs that time how fast they can type specific words so that they can keep their reaction times at their peak which will enable them to play an effective game. It has been theorized the E-sports has the possibility of joining the Olympics as soon as the 2020 Olympics as it has already been proposed by the International e-sports federation IeSF, a South Korean organisation to the IOC (International Sports Committee) on February 19th 2016 What are your opinions on this subject? Do you agree with the acceptance of E-sports in the Olympics? Kherunisha ABdussamadRevising can be a difficult task with so many obstacles, this guide might help you to revise efficiently. 1. Give your phone/device to your parents
When it comes to revising , you have to understand that the distraction you call your phone, will not get you anywhere. Even if you put your phone to one side and start revising, sooner or later the temptation will be too great to ignore. Putting your phone away sometimes isn't enough. Giving it to your parents under strict instructions will not only give you actual, productive revision time but may also show just how hardworking you are to your parents. There are also apps where you set a timer and your phone will not let you access your other apps till the timer has run out. It will only help you succeed. 2. Take regular breaks Maybe continuous revision might work for some people, but breaks are time to focus on something other than revision. Have something to eat or go for a little walk. This can help you calm down in the midst of the chaos. After your break, it will help you stay focused and be calm. There is the 20 - 5 minute revision time which works for the majority of people. This is when you study for 20 minutes and take a 5 minute break. This method ensures you can maximize your learning and stay calm and relax your brain in the process. 3.Don't revise at the last minute Needless to say, we have other priorities. This doesn't mean that you can't make some time to revise at the right time. When finding out you have got a test, make sure you note down when it is and when you have time to revise. Although, sometimes we have the mind-set of "because it's not tomorrow, I'm not going. To revise". This mentality will not at all help you in your GCSE's or further on in life where exams will be the norm in your student life. Not only will nothing stick in your brain, but the stress won't help either. 4.Find the right learning environment This is crucial for the amount of revision you get done and how long you revise for. Being in an environment where there is too much noise or too many distractions will not help you. If your home is a place where you cannot revise then go to the library |
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