5 ways junk foods affect the brain, according to Dr Amy Reichelt, Neuroscientist

• Junk food reduces cognitive ability and eventually IQ.

• Junk food reduces the growth of new neurons.

• The perfect mix between sugar, salt and fat in junk food – also called the bliss point – is designed to connect instantly to the reward circuits in our brain and hence makes junk foods so hyper addictive.

• Junk food creates a instant sugar high which can lead to impulsive behaviour.

• The main junk food culprits? Burgers, hotdogs and French fries (sigh).

Life Skills

• All the cool stuff happens when you do things that are not the automatic next step.
• Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone, to have a healthy disregard for the impossible and to turn well-worn ideas on their head.
• People at the top work harder than those around them.
• The primary barriers to success are self-imposed.
• Quitting something can be very empowering.
• You don’t have to figure everything out yourself. Observing and learning from others can significantly reduce your failure rate.
• The harder you work, the luckier you get.
• Know how to apologise; it allows for immediate damage control.
• Only pick 3 priorities at any given time.

Source: What I Wish I Knew When I was 20. By Tuna Seelig 2009

Reading Stats

• The older teens get the less they read. In the UK today only 17% of 15-to-17-year-olds read regularly for leisure.
• Some regions in the world have significantly more teen readers, such as Germany where 38% of teens read regularly (meaning a few times a week).
• Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region for teen literature.
• American teens read on average about 8.4 minutes per day, which is about the lowest in the world except for….
• Wales, in the UK, where 44% of teens have never (ever) read a book, compared to 35% globally (source OECD).

But, some good news:

• 51% of teens surveyed (Literacy Trust) in the UK said they would still read to learn new things…

Top tips from teens on revision and coping with exam stress

• Make good notes.
• Make a realistic schedule and stick to it.
• Drink tons of water.
• Lay-off burgers, they slow you down!
• Take scheduled breaks.
• Get fresh air.
• Study with others if you can. It motivates.
• Sleep 8 hours a night.
• Put your phone away. Too distracting!
• Have a dedicated study space (not your bed).
• Don’t talk to your peers just before an exam. Get into the ‘zone’.

Fast Facts Conversation: 5 Tips for Small Talk

• If you are shy, we get it, but do not assume you are the only one. So reach out!
• When starting a conversation, keep it simple. Don’t immediately discuss controversial topics.
• Make yourself easy to understand. No mumbling.
• Do not talk too much about yourself.
• Do not look over the shoulder of the person you’re talking to see what others are doing. Be present in the conversation.
• Remember that every relationship in the world started with small talk.

Toolbox Trivia

• Teenagers have different sleep rhythms than adults and children. Their clock is about 3 hours behind. Making early school starts difficult.
• A lack of sleep affects memory. The night before an exam, the best thing to do is sleep, not cram.
• The teenage brain represents the second (and last) major development phase in brain development.
• US colleges cost almost 4x as much as UK universities for a bachelor’s degree.
• UK and US student debts are amongst the highest in the world.