TEST ANXIETY

I�m in Matayom 6. In a few months, I�ll be taking my university admission exam. I�m taking it very seriously.

I read books as much as possible, but sometimes I feel depressed. Nothing encourages me to read. I feel tired all the time.

I worry about everything. I�m afraid that I won�t pass the exam, and maybe I�ll disappoint my parents. I want to do my best in everything, and I�ll try harder.

Thank you for reading my nonsensical letter.

Mintra Gosathong, Khon Kaen

First of all, your letter is not nonsensical at all, Mintra. You�re at a very stressful point in your life right now, and it�s not surprising that you�re feeling depressed and worried. It sounds to me like you�re on the right track, although it may seem overwhelming for you. Don�t forget that even though you have an important test coming up, you need to make sure to take some time out for yourself, too. Do something every once in a while that takes your mind off of studying. Get some exercise. Hang out with your friends. Play some elephant polo. If you give yourself a chance to have fun � and eat right and get enough sleep � you�ll probably find that your stress level goes down, and you�ll be able to crack the books with more focus and energy. Good luck. � Editor

EASY EXCRETION

I have some advice about how to have good health. The first step is to eat the five food groups. If you eat all of them, you will have good health and a slim figure. Remember to eat fewer fatty foods and more fibre. That will help you to excrete easily.

The second step is to exercise every day, or at least two times a week. This will give you a strong body that can resist disease.

The last important step is to be happy and not too serious. I think that if you follow these steps, you will have good health.

Thanarat Fungthotasatham, Songkhla

Thanks for the great health advice, Thanarat. You�ve given us some good tips. In fact, I think you�ve inspired me to stop eating the chicken-fat sandwiches and deep fried butter that I love so much. I know I�ll be excreting more easily in no time. � Editor

GIFT OF LEARNING

Hello, Student Weekly! My nickname is Gift. I�m in Pratom 6 at Pattanavach Suksa School.

I like your magazine because it has many interesting columns. I read Student Weekly in my class every morning. I read it to my friends.

Your magazine helps me to improve my English.

Natthaporn Hoonprayoon, Chon Buri

Thank you for the great letter, Gift. Reading letters like yours helps everybody here at SW remember why we plug ourselves into the Matrix every day � even though it gives us terrible headaches. Keep right on reading, and we�ll keep dodging agents and taking aspirin. � Editor

TAKING CHARGE

My name is Belle. I have to face a study problem next year. I�m in Matayom 3 at Woranari Chaloem School, and I�m thinking about changing to a new school.

Many people want to go to the best schools. I worry seriously that I may not be able to go to the school that I want.

I have a problem with reading because I find it boring and I prefer to listen. My parents want to send me to a school in another province because they think it will help me to take charge of myself. But they�re still unsure about what to do.

Do you have any advice about how I should change my behaviour?

Kittaya Kittiprapanan, Songkhla

Well, you haven�t really told me much about what your behaviour is like, Belle, but I�ll give it a shot. Sometimes reading is boring � mostly because when you�re in school, you don�t always get to read the things that really interest you. Unfortunately, that�s part of being in school, and you�ve got to do your best to stay focused. Switching schools might help, but there�s no guarantee that a change of scenery will do the trick. All you can do is keep working hard, whether you stay in your current school or move to another one. Good luck. � Editor


	depressed (adj): very sad and without hope nonsensical (adj): ridiculous; with no meaning overwhelming (adj): so powerful that you cannot resist it or decide how to react fibre (n): the part of food that helps to keep a person healthy by keeping the bowels working excrete (v): to pass solid or liquid waste matter from the body focused (adj): with your attention directed to what you want to do

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