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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Teen Voices- Autumn Gatherings

by Isabella Dussias

We’ve all heard that before, and autumn seems like a good time to reflect on this time-tested adage. Now, I must admit, I am a procrastinator. Yes, to the chagrin and frustration of my parents, I often leave things to the last minute. I don’t have the foresight that my parents have when planning out tasks and scheduling. I assume that comes with life experience, but it is also probably just being very human.

I assume there are many people that put off doing things because they are too difficult, they feel overwhelmed or they are just plain exhausted. The self-help book or gym membership may be purchased with good intentions, but the follow-through is the trying task. Teenagers, I feel, have the market cornered on this behavior. There are so many distractions in our lives, especially with the prevalence of social media in modern society.

There are many excuses as to why we don’t get to things in a timely fashion or know exactly how to prioritize at this time in our lives. My priorities of communicating over social media with my friends are much different from my parents’ desire for me to spend some free time on SAT prep work. So back to my procrastinating… I didn’t exactly prioritize things like SATs over the summer, and I am taking them this fall for the first time. I have to say that my procrastinating is catching up with me. I do feel a little overwhelmed, but in those summer nights, this autumn seemed very far away.  

Today seemed distant back in July, but not now, and several academic due dates feel too close for comfort. I guess we’ve all been there, putting off today and doing it tomorrow. If you do this often, you become overwhelmed, as I am learning. So, it is better to plan, to have vision and anticipate the time it will take to get things done. “You reap what you sow.” I get it; I’m learning. Please don’t tell my parents they were right.

Isabella Dussias is a 16-year-old singer-songwriter/composer from New Jersey. She enjoys writing about issues that are important to today’s youth, and she believes music is an important outlet to connect people and share messages through the creativity of lyric and melody. For more information, please visit IsabellaDussias.com.

In-Print Local Insights New Jersey October 2019 Autumn Reflection Teens Yound Adults Author Song Writer
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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