Dear Gina is a monthly advice column for Regina students. If you have a concern that you would like Dear Gina to answer, submit your question by clicking under the Dear Gina tab on Crown’s homepage or send us an email at crown@rdhs.org

Dear Gina,

My carpool in the morning is silent! No one talks and it is very awkward. How do I get my carpool to be more fun? 

Dear Mute-Mornings,

Carpools are a great way to save money and make new friends! However, if you drive a lot of night-owls, the mornings might be very silent and even a little awkward.

One way to get your carpool fun and talkative in the morning is to create a playlist that everyone likes. You could use a streaming service, like Spotify, or even go old school and burn a CD. Music is a great way to bring people together and a great way to start conversations between people. Now your carpool can “jam out” in the mornings and the music will put a smile on their faces for the whole day.

Another way to have fun with your carpool is to play a few road-trip style games with them. Maybe start up a quick round of “I-Spy” or the license plate game. If you put in the effort to have a great carpool, then hopefully everyone else will see that, and start to become better friends.

Dear Gina,

I have so many gifts to buy this holiday season, and I am having trouble deciding what to buy for everyone. Also, many gifts are expensive, so how can I give affordable gifts to my friends and family?

Dear Gift-Giver,

I understand your struggle because there are so many people to buy gifts for. All of the holiday cheer can add up and break your budget, so here are some tips to have an affordable and generous holiday season.

If you are have trouble deciding what to buy for everyone on your list, head to Pinterest! The website is great for finding DIY gifts (which can save you a lot of money) and also tips for what kind of gifts you should give to each person. For example, you would not want to give the same gift to your boss/coach that you would give to your significant other. You can also save yourself a lot of trouble by giving all of your friends/family the same type of gift. For example, you could give all your friends matching fuzzy socks and pajamas to make the decision easier, and that way no one thinks they received a more generous gift than someone else.

Another way to make the holiday season easier on your wallet is to make homemade gifts. Everyone says “it’s the thought that counts,” and I agree! It’s important to remember the real reasons behind the season and not just worry about spending a lot of money.

I have found that Pinterest has fun DIY projects and easy instructions to follow. My personal favorite DIY gifts are the Sharpie mugs and the homemade peppermint-chocolate bark. Or if you are talented with different art forms, you could make something from that to give to those on your list.

Hopefully these tips will help you have a jolly and affordable holiday season!

Dear Gina,

Finals are approaching and I am nervous for exams. Do you have any helpful study tips or test-taking tips that would help me? 

Dear Final-Focused,

Finals are definitely important in terms of semester grades. They are 20% of your final grade along with the 80% of both quarters. However, they are not the end-all, be-all of your future. My study tips will ensure your success for your finals.

My first tip is to do some real and productive studying. Do not merely open a book while sitting in front of the computer or television. You will end up getting too distracted to study and focus on the material.

Another tip is to complete the study guides that your teacher gives you. Usually the material on the study guide will be the only material on the exam, so they make it easier to focus on what you need. Along with that, you should really take advantage of the notecards or help sheets that your teachers allow during the exam. Make sure to put material that you do not understand on the notecard first so that you have everything you really need on there.

As for test-taking tips, I have already written down some helpful advice in another edition of Dear Gina. Here is the link to view those tips! I hope these help!