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Easier said than done right? Wrong. While the inherent nature of a test is anything but a walk in the park, it doesn’t have to mean pulling out your hair and weeks of sleepless nights. Exam stress can actually set you back instead of putting you on the road to success. While they may be less than conventional and definitely not all scientifically proven, we’ve come up with a few tips than will help you ace that next big exam.

Say “AHHHH!”

If you can without looking like a nut, then hey, scream, shout, vent at the top of your lungs! We don’t know if it’s scientifically proven to work, but there’s nothing more satisfying than a good old shout fest. If shouting isn’t your thing, tune in to a way you can release your stress in a fun, unconventional way. FYI, swings are great stress releasers.

Switch Personalities

Just like your “Miss Outgoing” takes over when headed to the club or on a date, you need the disciplined and studious you at least two weeks before test day. What does ‘model student’ you do? Set up a study timetable outlining set time periods for each subject. Find a study partner to bounce questions and answers with, and most importantly, stick to it!

Hit the Road

Literally, put your feet to the pavement. Take 10 deep breaths and stretch. Walk your stress away on a track or better yet, a stroll around your neighbourhood. Light exercising with added stretching will get extra oxygen flowing to your brain, keeping you alert and more retentive of the incoming information. Now that your body’s moving, and your brain is geared up to study, what you fuel them with can also make all the difference.

Brain Food

Stress can mess up your eating habits, making you miss meals leading to poor energy. You know that ‘beppy’ feeling you get right when you decide to start studying? Most likely you’re lacking proper nutrition and rest. Your day should consist of at least 3 balanced meals with 3 snacks in between. Stock up on fruits and drink lots of water to keep you refreshed and hydrated. If you’re on the go, Mario’s is the perfect place to study with free Wi-Fi and a piping hot slice when hunger kicks in.

Gold Star

You deserve one and so much more after weeks of preparation for the big exams. What do you want for all your hard work? A new pair of shoes? A day at the beach? Decide what you’d like as a reward for doing well and use it as motivation every time you feel a drop in energy during your studies. Hard work deserves big rewards so get started and stay focused!

Good luck in your exams! We do hope you’re stressing less and pumped up to achieve your desired goals. We do hope our tips work for you and if you’d like, comment below and tell us how you did on your latest test.

One of the joys of living on a Caribbean island is the great weather we experience during Easter time. Nothing brings back childhood memories like kite flying on a perfectly windy, sunny day during Easter holidays. On hills, beaches, even right on your own street, the sight of a kite rising higher and higher into the air until it’s floating high above can’t help but make us smile. For most of us, it’s been a while since we grabbed scissors, thread and copybook paper to make our own kite, so we decided to research the best techniques for making a boss kite. Follow our tips and take your kids out to test out your own beautifully crafted masterpiece! It’s a wonderful, low-budget way to spend quality time with the family.

Size

First you’ve got to decide if you’re making a little kite, like a “cheekie chong” or you want to take over the skies with a “mad bull”. Deciding the size will determine how much materials you will need, how strong your kite needs to be and all other details such as the length of the tail. We decided on a traditional diamond-shaped kite or “cheekie chong”, as it’s affectionately named here in T&T as our model kite. So what’s next?

Material

Back in schooldays kites would be made with any sort of paper you could find, most commonly being tissue paper or pages torn from an exercise book. But if memory serves us right, they never lasted that long and while some expert makers could achieve great heights with this common construction, we thought we’d suggest a more sturdy material for your kite project. Cardboard is a great alternative but it can be a little weighty and would require sturdier supports for the body. If you have brown paper handy, you’re halfway there. Brown paper has notable durability while maintaining a lightness that’s important to a superb kite. Besides the brown paper, cocoyea broom sticks will be needed for the structural support. For the tail, colourful ribbon or any decorative shredded piece of cloth will do. You’ll need tape or glue and finally, a spool of thread that is strong and won’t break easily in a strong wind. You’d hate to see your newly finished project take off without you!

Construction

Lay your brown paper on a flat surface, mark a diamond shape to your desired size and cut it out. Next, take your cocoyea sticks and lay them crossways on your shape, from tip to tip. Use glue or tape to secure your sticks to your diamond shape, paying attention to secure where the sticks cross one another in the middle and on each corner of the kite. You’re almost there!

Using more glue or tape, secure the tail to the lower end of the diamond. Note: your tail is essential to how your kite flies so the longer the tail the better, especially if it’s a big kite. Once the tail is secure, tie your spool of thread to the top part of the diamond. If you decided to use tape, gently pass the thread under the cocoyea frame and secure it. Pass your thread through a couple times to make sure you’ve got a firm hold.

That’s it! Time to take your kite out for a test run!

Flying your kite

Flying a kite should be like riding a bike: once you start it all comes back to you, but here are a few pointers. Start with about a foot or so of slack on your thread, and start a gentle run with your kite chasing behind you. As the kite starts to rise, loosen the thread for more give and allow it to pick up height. Gently tug on the string if your kite should start to dip, coaxing it back into the air. If you’re lucky and it catches a breeze immediately, give it lots of thread and run a bit to give it speed and height. Once it’s at a certain height your kite will fly on air currents and will only need gentle coaxing to maintain its height.

We wish you all a “Happy Easter” and happy kite-flying!

Hey you! 2013 is still fresh and new and it’s the perfect time to re-evaluate your hopes and goals for the New Year, take account of areas that may need improving and jump start again. If you’re observing Lent, you’re in the perfect frame of mind to let go of bad habits and welcome in a new and improved you. While the task may seem daunting, the following tips will not only get you re-energised but help you stick to your new, New Year’s resolutions.

 Write it Down

Sounds simple right? Well, it is! Take an hour (or more if needed) and make a re-resolutions list. However, don’t do it in a private journal or on a piece of paper that might easily be misplaced. Make a fun, loud, colourful list on a piece of Bristol board and hang in a visible place that you’re sure to see first thing every day.

Read it Out Loud

Each and every morning, read your list out loud to yourself. Envision yourself accomplishing each goal and how such an accomplishment would make you feel. Do this for at least one month so it eventually becomes part of your daily routine. Now, go out there and start doing!

Make it Fun

Weight loss is #1 on most people’s resolution list but that doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym every day. Make it fun! One day, try roller skating or Zumba. The next, replace your normal meals with some interesting juicing recipes you’ve always wanted to try. Switch it up and it’ll make your resolutions more of a lifestyle change and less of a task.

Measure your progress

Are you stronger? More fit? Measure your success with activities that test how far you’ve come. Sign up for that aerobics marathon or go hiking over the weekend. When you finish that hike, or last an hour longer during that marathon than you thought you would, it will give you a true idea of how far you’ve come and the much needed encouragement to keep going.

Share your milestones

Switch your status updates on your social media feed from random musings to exciting progress reports. As you progress with your goals, your friends will cheer you on, you’ll receive welcomed advice and you might even inspire someone to make a much needed change in their own life. When you’re feeling a little down or you’re tempted to quit, your cheering squad will give you the encouragement to keep going.

Celebrate your success

Each and every month that passes, find a way to celebrate your successful progress toward your goal. If it’s a weight goal, buy that outfit in your desired size. A new hobby? Go, do, make something to mark your growth!

It’s an exciting time as you’re slowly but surely growing into a better person than you were before. Celebrate it!

Take a photo of yourself in Carnival regalia in front of a Mario’s Pizza Restaurant and win a trip for two to Tobago.

Tweet it to @mymarios with the hashtag #marioscarnival2013 to enter!

Entry Criteria: Must be in mas Costume.

Prize: A trip for TWO to Tobago’s Magdalena Grand Beach Resort for TWO nights. Prize includes airfare. Trip must be made within 12 months.

Submission Dates: Mon 11 – Thu 7 Mar
Winner Announced: Fri 8 Mar @noon

Contest Conditions Apply: Read conditions.

Must be 18 years and over to enter. Must be a resident of Trinidad & Tobago. Entrants must not have won a Mario’s online competition in the last 6 months.