January Updates from the AHS Counseling Department!

Happy New Year!  We hope everyone enjoyed a much needed break and hopefully you are excited to what this new year will bring.  I think we can all agree that 2021 had its challenges, but with a new year comes new possibilities and prospects.  We are excited to be back at school, and we hope you are too!  Here are our January updates.  Welcome back!


  • As we start the New Year, be sure to make positive mental health a priority! Develop skills and habits that will help you be mindful, calm, and feeling good! As a reminder, here are good practices to have good mental health!


    1. Get plenty of sleep.  Lack of proper sleep can lead to poor mental health. Try to get             those ideal eight hours, and try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.


    2. Eat good foods.  Yes, you can have treats when the mood strikes, but make sure your diet is primarily foods that are good for you!


    3. Find time to do those things that you LOVE and that relax you.  These things are different for everyone!  Listening to music, exercising, yoga, Netflix, singing - whatever makes you happy!


    4. Get involved in your school or your community!  Find an activity that you are passionate about (or even a little bit interested in) and get involved.  Here is a list of AHS based clubs: https://www.ashland.k12.ma.us/domain/160.  And here is a list of community organizations: https://www.ashlandmass.com/328/Community-Organizations. Find your passion!


    5. Get outside.  Turn off the electronics, bundle up, and go outside.  The fresh air, sunlight (what little we get of it in the winter, anyway), and yes even the brisk cold can be good overall for your mental health.  Extra bonus points if you are able to get into a (friendly) snowball fight, do some ice skating (safely; be careful with ponds), and even do some skiing or snowboarding.



  • Sign up for your X-block with the Counseling Office!  Below are our current offerings. Also keep in mind that X-block is an excellent time to request time to see your counselor!
             Tuesday, January 4th: Bridgewater State University

        Thursday, January 6th: Framingham State University

        Friday, January 7th: State University of New York, Binghamton

        Monday, January 31st: Career Exploration: Business Management


  • Term two is coming to an end!  The term ends on Friday, January 28th, with midyear exams running from January 25th to January 28th.  Your teachers will review with you in class what will be on the exam and how best to prepare. 


  • The National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) have announced their college fair schedule for this year.  College fairs are an ideal way to visit and learn with lots of colleges at once to find different opportunities.  NACAC is offering both in-person and virtual fairs. Particularly helpful are the fairs for performing arts students, visual arts students, and STEM students.  https://www.nacacattend.org/fairs

  • Westfield State University is hosting a program for parents and students with disabilities for a program on how to best prepare high school students for college.  Students don’t necessarily have to be interested in attending Westfield State, but the Banacos program at Westfield State is particularly excellent at helping students with disabilities be successful in college, so the program is sure to be outstanding.  For more information and to register, go to: https://secure.blueoctane.net/forms/6SCHNXYC2D8H


  • For those of you who are looking for good resources on learning about college, here are some really good books on the topic:

The Truth About College Admission by Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark

Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be by Frank Bruni

The Price You Pay for College by Ron Lieber

Who Gets In and Why by Jeff Selingo



SENIORS: Another reminder that if you are planning on attending college and need financial aid for college, it all starts with completing the FAFSA form.  You can find the form at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.  If you need help attend the FAFSA Day program at https://masfaa.org/fafsaday/.  The next program is on Tuesday, January 18th from 6:00pm-8:00pm.  


SENIORS: We want to celebrate your successes!  As you get acceptance letters sent to you, bring them in so we can make a copy and put it on the wall!  We want all of your acceptances, not just to the school you plan on attending.  For those students who have good plans for yourself that does not involve college, let us know about them - we want to celebrate you too!


JUNIORS: On Thursday, February 17th at 7:00pm the counseling department will be hosting College Knowledge Night for Juniors and Families.  This program will review all the information juniors and their families need as they start (or continue!) The college research process.  It is a particularly helpful program for those families who are going through this process for the first time.  This will be a virtual event and registration for the program will begin on February 1st.




As always, we hope this information is helpful!  


- The AHS Counseling Department

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