Mar 1st, 2021
Vol. 12
BELFIELD BANTER
THE
Th e S t . Anne ’s -B el fi el d S choo l S tud en t New s l etter
In This Issue:
NEWS: THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT A GUIDE TO MANAGING STRESS SENSE AND SENSIBILITY & FLEABAG A BRIEF LIST: SHORT STORY RECOMMENDATIONS SAINTLY READS [SERIES]: COOPER LOWELL FACULTY FEATURES: MS. HA AND MS. SINES
THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT by Emma Brown – As of January 2021, the United States of America has officially begun the process of rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, just over three months after formally withdrawing. Following former President Trump’s decision to withdraw in 2017, this decision fulfills one of Biden’s key promises during his presidential campaign. The United States first committed to the Paris Climate Agreement in late 2015 under the Obama administration, along with almost two-hundred other countries. In addition to this announcement, Biden has declared his intention for a carbon-neutral U.S. economy by 2050 while also unveiling a plan to set aside $2 trillion to increase the application of clean energy in the next four years. Historically, the United States has been responsible for a great deal of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, which underscores the importance of our dedication to the fight against climate change. Even with the measures pledged in the Paris Climate Accords, however, our eff-
-orts domestically and globally will likely not be enough to curb global warming. Many countries are not on track to meet their goals, and some of the world’s biggest economies are expected to increase their carbon emissions further in the next decade. While rejoining the Agreement is a start, we need to ensure we push for more robust climate policies and more concrete solutions if we can expect to make a true difference.
MANAGING STRESS by Sasha Rinkevich – Stress and I are not strangers. As an always-anxious perfectionist, I find this time of year especially tough, and I know I’m not alone! Between the slew of extra work that comes with the end of the quarter (hi, junior research paper!) and the gray days of February, school can quickly become overwhelming. On top of that, we’re living in the midst of a pandemic! I’m no expert on managing stress, but I thought I’d share some of the ways that I’ve been getting through this last bit of winter in hopes that they might help you. Everybody is different, however, so please take this advice with a grain of salt, and do what works best for you! -------------------------------1. Start by making a to-do list. You can always make adjustments! Before I start my work for the day, I make a list of everything I need to get done, and organize the items by priority. If I have some work that’s due the next day and some that’s due later in the week, I’ll start with what’s coming first. Once I finish my more urgent tasks, I’ll do what I can to work towards my later goals, but I always try to listen to myself and adjust my schedule accordingly. 2. If working with others motivates you, FaceTime or Zoom some classmates! It can really help to work with company around, especially during the pandemic when you can’t really study in a coffee shop as you might have last year. [cont p2]