The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) are inviting young people aged 15 to 30 to attend their Young Voices event on International Youth Day on August 15th.

The event is taking place in Pearse Street Library, Dublin 2, from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.

At the event, attendants will have a chance to:

You can register to the event at this link. In order to attend the event, you must register.

If you are under 18, you must fill out a consent form. To attain a consent form, you must email [email protected].

For more information, visit: https://www.youth.ie/youngvoices

Most people, at some point, will have to deal with conflicts and fights in relationships. Running into conflicts and having fights is natural because no two people are the same, no matter how much they have in common with each other. However, fights and conflicts can be at times frustrating and difficult to deal with, especially when your partner and you are on opposite sides of the argument. If not careful, fights can lead to prolonged periods of frustration, hurtful things said, and dismissed feelings.

How to resolve fights in relationships

Here are some tips on how to peacefully and productively resolve arguments and conflicts to avoid a messy fight or conflict.

Let the small things go

Try not to turn every small bump in the road into a huge problem. Instead, try to question the importance of the issue at hand—if you find that it is small and irrelevant, it is probably best not to make a big deal about it. Remember, we’re all human, and we all make mistakes, so there will be times when your partner, and even you, will slip up.

Be an active listener

When dealing with fights in a relationship, try to actively listen to what your partner is saying. In other words, ask clarifying questions after they are done talking and try not to interrupt when they are sharing their side of the argument. It is often easy to forget the importance of taking people’s feelings seriously when we are fighting, so try to be conscious of this.

Be honest

If you don’t understand what your partner is saying, don’t pretend that you do. Instead, ask them for clarification. If you are truly angry about a topic, avoid brushing off the issue and pretending like it’s nothing. It helps to tell your partner how you really feel.

Set boundaries

It is important to recognise when an argument or fight is getting out of control or too heated. It is also equally important to allow time for a breather if you get to that point in an argument. Arguing when both parties are extremely angry is not beneficial – so be sure to take a break and then go back to talk about the issue again once you both have calmed down. If you do take a break from the argument, come back to it later – you don’t want to just sweep it under the rug as that could cause problems later on down the road.

Have patience

Not all conflicts and fights can be solved in 15 minutes, some may take some more time to address. Having patience also refers to being patient during the argument as well – allow time for the other person to fully disclose what they are feeling, and they should allow the same for you.

Remember that you are trying to solve the problem, not win the argument

At times during fights we all forget that our main goal is resolving the issue rather than winning the argument. If your goal of the argument is to win, you will most likely leave the argument on worse conditions then when you began, which can lead to more fights in the future.

Stubbornness is never the answer – try to be open and listen to what the other person has to say because you are trying to resolve a conflict, not win a fight.

Leave it in the past

Once you both have worked together to resolve the conflict, mutually agree to let it go. If you both decide to leave it in the past, try your best avoid bringing it up again, unless you feel your partner has not changed or if they are falling through on what you agreed on at the end of the argument.

Show kindness during fights in relationships

At times it can be very hard to look at your partner and let them know that you love them, especially when you are fighting and are feeling extremely frustrated with them. Try to walk away from the argument having made up and leaving on good terms. Even if you plan to revisit the discussion again, it’s better to get on with the rest of your day on a positive note if it’s possible.

Learn about healthy relationships and how to know if you’re in a toxic relationship.

I was always one of those people who felt things strongly, I tended to get worked up over little things and overthink. However, recently, I believe something in my mindset has changed. Out of nowhere, something in my mind made me realise something, life is so short and the world is so big. Honestly, it is like something in my head has clicked and I am ready to chase my dreams, chase adventure, and get muddy along the way.

Right now, at 21-years of age there is nothing I am craving more than something new. As a girl who was always nervous about everything and not very confident in herself, I have started to embrace the little things more. While I used to worry so much about the negative, I now try not to let it absorb me. If I know there is a situation I don't feel comfortable in, I will no longer put myself into it, because why should I? And if I feel there is someone close to me who is not on my side or building me up, I let them go, because I cannot settle for half hearted love and care. I don't want to live my life surrounded by negative people and the people who don't make me feel secure and alive. I think you meet several genuine supporters in life at different phases, but it gets to that stage where you have to go out and find them on adventures because they're no longer waiting for you on your doorstep. The greatest people are worth the risk of the journey and I think this realisation is all part of growing up and valuing yourself. I can not expect others to respect me if I don't respect my own happiness.

Life is not here to be lived in fear or unhappiness, of course that is a part of living and learning but surely life is meant to be lived to the full with people by your side who fully support you while you're doing everything you can to feed your soul. Recently I have tried to see my glass of life as half full and have been benefiting as a result – it appeared that as soon as I opened one door to let in good vibes there was a whole hallway of doors beginning to open for me – this is what I would call the power of positivity. The universe is recognising my longing for greater things and giving them back to me.

21 isn't an age where you need to be worrying about your career in 30 years or why you don't have a boyfriend. 21 isn't an age to feel defeated in life before you've even begun living it the way you want to. 21 is an age where I am free as a bird, I am young enough to have the opportunity and ability to do so much and old enough to do it simply because I want to. Your passion will find you and so will the person that is ready to love you.  When I started thinking more positively and freely, the world suddenly seemed much bigger because there weren't so many boundaries and restrictions to make me doubt myself.

We seem to think we need something drastic to happen to make us realise we need to start living, but you could wait forever for someone to give you a nudge and awaken your soul or you can wake up in the morning and do that yourself. This is your drastic moment, right here, right now. You can't just wait for the rain to arrive before you start thinking about your plans for the sunshine. You are your number one supporter, no one will get you further than you can with your own self belief. We could have ten lives, but as far as we know we only have one, so isn't it time to start living it? You are the person walking in your shoes, so you need to be the person in your life who is holding the map."

 

Drinking too much on nights out

 

I was 17 when I first started drinking on nights out, bar from having the odd sup here and there as a young teenager. When I began drinking early on I would say to myself beforehand to only drink to a certain point where I knew I had enough. That point came and went and with a few more shots later I’d be on the dirty floor of the club bathroom, barely able to walk and covered in my own vomit.

Getting into a state like that well, it’s not unheard of and is a pretty normal sight to see on a night out so I didn’t care. I wasn’t embarrassed and it was probably a good thing I remembered nothing from the night before.

The worst situation I’ve been in while drunk was while at a huge night out in town. I was anxious and hated the thoughts of having to see people I knew so I decided to drink as much as I could before hand. That night was… I don’t know, I can’t remember and I’d rather not. What I did gather from coming in and out of consciousness was that I was on the floor of the girls toilets with my friends next to me panicking not knowing what to do. I remember someone shouting “She’s not breathing!”.

I also remember not caring if I was breathing or not. I thought I was dead, or dying and I didn’t care.

 

Looking at my drinking habits

 

Thankfully I didn’t have to get my stomach pumped but I was close. I hope that I will never be in a situation like that again. I felt terrible, not just physically but I felt ashamed and guilty that I had put my friends through something like that. They didn’t know what to do and were scared and I don’t blame them, it was my own fault.

I knew there was something not right with the way I was behaving and I saw the signs that if I were to continue on like this I could develop a serious drinking problem. I was using alcohol as a way to escape, to stop my mind from over thinking and just to forget everything. There are psychological issues there that I know would progress further if I kept going the way I was.

 

Moving forward

 

I now know my limits and I’ll pace myself on a night out. I still have those moments though where I’ll think ‘F*** it’ and have more but they have been few compared to all the great times I’ve had just enjoying myself with friends without getting blackout drunk. I am lucky though and I know other people have struggled worse with alcohol.

I’m just thankful that I can recognise the roots to my problem and from there work on improving my relationship with alcohol.

 

Sleep deprivation is a condition where the body is not getting the required amount of sleep needed to feel rested the next day.  It can be classified as either chronic or acute, chronic being the more severe out of the two and possibly leading to serious health conditions.  It has been reported that 6 out of 10 people who live in Ireland are not getting the required amount of sleep needed every night.  

Symptoms of sleep deprivation

Causes

The overall cause of sleep deprivation is lack of getting the recommended number of hours of sleep per night.  However, lack of recommended hours of sleep can be due to several factors, such as:

How to fix the issue

Are we becoming addicted to our smartphones?  A recent study on student’s attitudes conducted by Studyclix.ie shows that many young people are concerned about becoming addicted to their smartphones.

The survey’s results show that nearly half of the students in Ireland believe that they are addicted to their smartphones, and that 60% of them believe that they are using their smartphones too often.  

The survey also found that 54% of students have checked their phone during class while the teacher wasn’t looking in the past seven days.

Although several students are concerned about using their smartphones far too often, a lot of them believe that smartphones are great for educational purposes, with 80% of them saying that phones are useful educational tools.  

So overall while many of the students surveyed believed that they are addicted to their phones and fear that they are using their phones too much, the majority also believed that phones are a great resource in the educational setting. 

With the lazy summer months sometimes dragging by, the incentive to stay lean and healthy can sometimes get thrown aside in favour of yet another episode of Netflix. I myself live in the middle of the countryside, ten kilometres from the nearest gym. That means a longer car journey just to work out, plus gym memberships can be expensive. Here are five easy ways to plan your workout programme at home, be that in your back garden, a local park, or in your bedroom ( provided there are no distractions nearby such as that tempting iPhone). Let's check out these five diy gym pieces of equipment and a ready to go work out exercise that will add interest to your day.

Exercise: Reverse Fly

Don't have kettlebells? Fear not, all you need is two empty plastic milk jugs. Fill with the required amount of water and you're good to go with two makeshift weights to work arms, back or whatever type of abs you wish to do. Just remember to keep a straight back and minimal slouching to correct your posture and avoid any potential injuries or pulls to your muscles. You can also use sand if available, some find that this provides added weight for more advanced muscle training reps.

Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Bend forward at the hips and let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, palms facing. Raise both arms out to the sides as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. Return to start. That's one rep.

Exercise: Lateral Band Walk

Though resistance bands can be relatively inexpensive, it's always handy to have your own one ready to go at home. Use a simple, long belt – one that will stretch easily under the pressure of your arms or feet. Or a towel. Resistance bands are so fantastic for almost every muscle in your body.

Don't sidestep the benefits of sidesteps to that lower glutes and leg area! Step into a resistance band or tie the strong belt around the lower legs, just above both ankles. Place feet shoulder-width apart to create tension on the band. From a half-squat position, shift your weight to the left side, stepping sideways with the right leg. Move the standing leg slightly in, but keep the band taut. Take 8 to 10 steps before heading back the other way. This is a handy one to do out in the garden if you've got a nice flat area of grass.

Exercise: Single Leg Lunge

oning up your glutes and quads? Dig out a low garden bench. Benches are the best for exercises as you can use them to lie on for pectoral/chest work and also squat to your heart's content off them. I like to use a bench which doesn't have the arm rests at the side these can get in the way when you're trying to do elevated jumps onto and off. Instead, why not find a sturdy wooden plank in good condition and line it up between two flat barrels. Make sure it's secure before you start working that lower body.

Exercise: Forward Fold for Hamstring and Back stretching

Yoga Fan? Why splash out on those foam blocks that can cost as much as a tenner when you can use any amount of soft books off your bookcase. Blocks are used in this muscle strengthening workout to further support your neck and spine which can cause strain of not properly adjusted. They also open up the pose to allow even more oxygen into your body.

Using a yoga block in forward folds is a way you can find better alignment when the flexibility isn't there yet. Sit on the edge of the block and make sure that your bum is centred and your spine is in a an even line to your glutes. Notice that the pelvis tilts forward a bit. Keep this tilt as you exhale and come forward. Hands can be on the shins or the feet.

Finally, for those of you that live on a farm like me, borrow two buckets from the yard and fill each with half amounts of water. Balance one in each hand and just walk up and down, the extra strength required to carry the heavy liquid is super great for the core and your upper shoulder muscles. Have fun!

As a girl that has just finished up two years of academic exam revision in the name of the leaving cert, one thing that really struck out to me was how much I needed to practice this technique to get me through long tough days. This was especially evident in sixth year, particularly around the time of the mocks. It's a bit of an exotic word this 'mindfulness', a word that gets thrown around in society from adult colouring books spilling over the shelves in easons, to a vast supply of yoga retreat getaways to far away places.

The thing about mindfulness though is that is doesn't need to be 'far away'. Sure, none of us would likely turn down the offer of a bliss weekend away in Thailand or Bali, but when it comes to reality, stress is something that is very much encountered in everyday life. Thus, I believe that it is very important to learn how to accept it in the here and now, not somewhere else.

Everyone interprets the word mindfulness differently, but for me, I like to lay it out in five simple steps. The following five are, in my views, the easiest and most popular places that I find help me take a step back without wasting too much time out of a busy day. And here's how you, can do it too.

1. Five minutes when you wake up

During my school mornings, I have got to admit that committing myself to a small mindfulness session proved extremely hard, especially when the pressure was on to get showered, dressed and ready for a deadline time. In summer, we often have more time in the mornings. Since finishing, I've taken the time to do things differently to start my day on a productive and clear headed note. When I wake up, before eating I pull on some clothes and go for a brisk walk outside up the road. Sometimes I listen actively to a podcast or the radio but mostly I like to just leave my phone at home and just go. I find it really relaxes me, when you get out in the early morning sun and appreciate the sounds going on around you, whether living in the city or country, it truly switches your brain to a more productive start to the day.

2. In the car

Cars are another situation that I often feel myself getting frustrated in, particularly when waiting on a parent or sitting stuck in rush hour traffic. This is where mindfulness comes in. Instead of sighing and checking the time, or even scrolling aimlessly through social media on your smartphone, put your hand on your chest and breathe slowly in and out. Fix your gaze on some thing like a light in front of you and really focus on that as you deep breathe. Give your shoulders a tension release by rotating them gently up and down.

3. On the Luas/bus/train

We all know that sticky feeling of being crammed on public transport. When you're slightly claustrophobic like me, it can feel hard to stay calm and collected most of the time. You might think the idea of practicing mindfulness absurd on public transport, but trust me, it's not. It is actually the most convenient place. All you need is a pair of good earphones and patience. I like to choose playlists that are pretty zen off my Spotify. When you put music in on the bus, the city can start to seem a lot prettier. I feel that I really start to notice people with my music in, how people act, what people are wearing. The birds on the street. The ways the roads diverge over a bridge. This my friends, is mindfulness. I like to focus on the music too, bass and chords and the ways that lyrics are portrayed. When you really listen to a song with intention, it's a great escape to take your mind off a stress or a tension.

4. In the water

In sixth year I received a membership for a local hotel pool and to be honest, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I swam almost every second day, into the water to do laps up and down, focusing on my breathing, pounding away the stresses of the day to pure pleasure. Being in the water was my life. I found that as soon as I hit the pool, my mind would instantly calm and focus on just that. If you don't have access to swimming, take a bath at least once a week. When you have a candle lit and stare at the flame for the duration of your soak, your brain will completely zenned out afterwards. Trust me, it works wonders.

5. End your day on a positive note

It goes without saying that as young people we often fall asleep with something negative playing on our brain or we reply something that happened in the day over and over again. When I spend too much time at night thinking over stuff, I feel my body struggling extra hard to sink into the sheets and just relax. I now try to take more time to wind down naturally, by reading a book or making myself a tea while trying to stay completely in the present. It's true that if you think of three things that you were grateful for in that day before sleep you'll wake up much more at peace. I like to write it down in a journal.

Whatever you choose to do, whether that be thinking about happy thoughts to yourself, hugging your dog or watching a chill out funny comedy, don't ever go to sleep fussing over the day that just went by. This day will never come again, and as they say, tomorrow will always always, be a new day.

People always seem to try and base their happiness off how happy others 'appear' to be. As a generation of young people living in Ireland, it is quite blatantly obvious that at the best of times the act of 'seeming' to be happy is even more superior to actually 'being' happy. We do it though habit. Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, all these social media based mediums are unsurprisingly, our addictive release.

Yet how many people actually know what it is to have love and compassion for your own self? To keep a small box of TLC aside for the times when the pressure of society just gets a little too tough? Mental health is such a huge topic in our generation and we are ever so slowly improving our support platforms through contained awareness. Yet I believe that support is parallel to another important fact. It all comes down to how you treat yourself, how much you let the world influence you and how good your skills are at recognising the dangers that can in time emerge when things get too low.

Feeling low is one of the most normal aspects of our lives. Let's face it lads, being one hundred per cent joyful and delighted with the world all of the time would most definitely be both annoying and un achievable. When we become down and lack motivation to do anything in a day, it helps to just accept it. Don't kick yourself over it. We are all most certainly allowed days off when the daily treadmill of a busy academic life balanced with a social appearance and keeping healthy gets too much to bear. It is here that the recognition comes in. Anxiety, hopelessness, feelings of failure, these are all factors that we often seem to label ourselves with when times get tough, yet we forget that these are just mere projections of our resilient and strong internal personalities. They are feelings. They do not define you, no matter how much you feel like they do.

Happiness is achieved through your mind and your recognition of life around you. It is not true that you cannot be happy without another special person by your side. I had to personally learn that the hard way. So many young people end relationships and struggle to come to terms with the fact that they themselves must have the strength to build themselves up again. That your happiness was never a lock and key belonging to the other person. Friends are important but they don't complete your happy state, they aid it. Whether you choose to talk about a problem or just have a giggle over a stupid YouTube video with the girls, chatting in itself often works wonders in taking your mind off something. Very often our subconscious states tend to big up an issue to end up hurting you more than it actually should. I personally always try to remind myself that if it ain't gonna matter in two years time, not to let it matter now.

Keeping yourself in a good mood takes a plan. You have to be conscious of your personality and how exactly you tick as an individual to keep that maintained. Personally, I feel that my levels of happiness are strongly influenced by technology and fitness. When I don't work out, I get cranky and can brim with low self esteem. Staying fit is one of the most important things you can ever do for yourself. When you get out there in fresh air, when you're working progressively on your body and seeing results, when you force yourself to go for a long calming run in the icy winter wind, you see the world in a different way. Me, I love to swim, just getting in the water in general instantaneously gives me that feeling of beautiful serenity and calm that we only dream of. I feel like a different person after a swim, revived and fresher to get on with whatever type of day I may be having. I like to run. Anywhere really. Get out in your local park with a buddy and create a route to pound when you're both feeling pent up with stress. I feel that with starting college this September, running and swimming are going to be stable forms of evasion to keep me balanced and happy in myself. Use the facilities that your college provides.

On the technology side, I'm an awful one for looking at my social media straight away as soon as I wake up. Be honest, how many of us do this? A lot, is the answer. As a sufferer of bad anxiety at least once every few months I have learned that technology impacts so greatly on your mental state. Most of that stuff isn't real. It's not the true way of the world. Always remind yourself that people posting projections of their lives in a constant optimistic state is never the truth. It makes me laugh sometimes, so many youth just do not realise. Recognising that technology can sway your entire mood of a day is where you start. Limit it. Do something that makes you an 'educated consumer'. Read news articles. Listen to podcasts. You can't gain happiness from looking at a mind numbing Facebook screen filled with ads and boring, unnecessary time-consuming yokes.

Another way that I keep myself happy is by dedicating one evening of the week to myself. For most people, that's a Friday night. The joy of running a hot bath to soak tired muscles in, the smell of that hot chocolate you make yourself combined with a nice smelly candle or two makes my week. It beats every blue possible.

Volunteering is another thing that can open your mind to balance. With a dream to study nursing I'm well aware that stress is something I'm going to encounter on a daily basis. But it's a challenge and I like to think of completing that challenge, walking out with a fantastic degree knowing that I got through it with a balance of looking after my own mental health. When you help people and get something back out of it, it helps natural happiness and contentment. I feel that you learn to be more grateful for life, and that you gain a realisation that having your health and the ability to see the world is so much more important than everyday materialistic objects.

To conclude on a, eh, happy note, just all in all do what makes and gives you alone a feeling of passion. Write something. Keep a journal. Sing. Don't treat people nasty. Buy flowers. Buy those donuts or that burger. Smile at others. Don't spread rumours. It all works out in the end, if you just focus on the recognition.

Shopping for new clothes is always fun, that is until you find out that the shirt you just tried on is way out of your budget.  We’ve put together a list of things you can do in order to save money while shopping.

Tips for saving money while shopping 

Only bring the cash you need

Shop around

Don’t impulse buy

When it comes to clothes, stick to the basics

Go thrift shopping

Always ask for student discounts

Use apps

Need more information?

We are here to answer your questions and talk through your options. Our online chat service is for 16 to 25 year olds and is available Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm. Chat to us now about your situation.

If you need some support with saving and budgeting, there are some free and helpful apps available. Learn more about these apps and how they could help you to manage your finances.

Free saving and budgeting apps

With so many money-focused apps available, it can be difficult to know what one is right for you. By learning more about what they offer, you can choose one that suits your needs.

Spending Tracker

Spending Tracker can help you to budget and monitor your spending. Every time you spend money or you get paid, you are asked to put said money in a category such as income, food, fuel, clothes, entertainment, or another category created by you. This allows you to see where most of your money is going. Available for: iOS and Android

Splitwise

Splitwise allows you to split bills with multiple people, such as housemates, roommates, or partners. It allows you to log all bills so that everyone can see it, and then it will give you a notification when each person pays their part of the bill.

The app also gives you the ability to:

Available for: iOS and Android

Smart Receipts

The Smart Receipts app is suitable for both individuals and businesses. It allows you to store receipts all in one place. Other features include:

Available for iOS and Android

Revolut

Revolut is a digital banking alternative that you can set up directly from your phone. The standard plan is free and includes features such as:

Available for: iOS and Android

Wise

Wise (formerly TransferWise) is used for sending, spending and receiving money internationally. It will use a standard exchange rate instead of high charges that often come with your bank’s exchange rate.

Available for: iOS and Android

Money Lover

Money Lover keeps is a simple app that allows you to track and categorise your spending and incoming money. It also allows you to set budgets, get notified of recurring bills and transactions before they’re due and scan and organise receipts. The app can predict future spending based on your spending history, then give you advice on how to stick to budgets.

Available for: iOS and Android

Spendee

Spendee allows you to better manage your spending by allowing you to create different ‘wallets’ for different spending purposes such as food, travel and savings. You can also connect Spendee with your online banking, E-Wallet (such as PayPal) or crypto-wallet (such as Coinbase) to see your money all in one place.

Available for: iOS and Android

Between classes, studying, socializing, and everything in between it can be difficult to eat healthy at college.  Not only does the busy lifestyle keep you from eating healthy, but constantly being surrounded by unhealthy options for food can also cause difficulty with trying to eat healthy.  This is why we have come up with a list of things that you can do to make sure that you eat healthy during your terms at college.

Stock up on healthy options

When ever you go grocery shopping be sure to get loads of veggies and fruits and other healthy options that way when you do get that late night craving in your dorm room the following night you will have something healthy to eat instead of binging on pizza.

Also having healthy options stocked in your fridge and in your room will make it easier for you to choose to eat healthy rather than eating unhealthy.

Hydrate all day long

Be sure to drink water all throughout the day! Drinking water not only keeps everything in balance in your body but it also keeps you full so you are less likely to eat unhealthy snacks during the day.

It is recommended to drink around 2 litres of water a day, that is roughly 8 glasses of water a day.

Listen to your body

If you’re hungry, you’re hungry- so don’t deny yourself of food! It helps to make sure that you have healthy snacks always on hand for when your stomach starts to grumble. Many times when your stomach is growling it may be because of mild dehydration, so always try to drink water before eating any food.

Check out healthy food accounts

Go on social media and find some healthy food accounts for inspiration on new nutritious things to eat. There are a lot of healthy food accounts that have easy recipes that you can make even in your dorm room.

Treat yourself

Every once and awhile be sure to treat yourself- it’s okay to indulge a little and have some ice cream or candy every so often. Don’t completely deprive yourself of things that you enjoy eating. Keep in mind that treating yourself is always good, just make sure to maintain a healthy balance of eating healthy and unhealthy things.

Make a routine

Try and have a routine of when you are going to eat and what you are going to eat, below you can find an example of a day of eating healthy food.

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