Whenever people see sophomore Al Saker, people always spot her sketchbook and pen in one hand and all of her other art supplies in the other. Whether it is in the halls, in class or in the commons, her creativity is as active as the city that never sleeps.

“I basically just draw anything and everything I possibly can, I feel like it helps me very much in class,” Saker said.

The older students get, the more they are told to not doodle on papers and practically grow out of the habit of creating the coolest princess-ninja on history notes. But recent studies have shown that doodling actually increases the amount of brain activity in students while listening to a lecture or just any audible information in class, and can even become a helpful tool in the classroom. Saker completely agrees with the psychological conclusions behind the concept of doodling.

“What it provides is focus for the mind because it’s hard for us to just listen,” psychology teacher Sean Fowler said. “You’re less likely to daydream. Even though it looks like a visual representation of a daydream, it often keeps you more cognitively engaged. It also provides another part of your mind to synthesize what comes in and bring together ideas, you make the connection with what you were doodling and what you were listening to at that time.”

Saker has experienced the advantage of doodling and learning at the same time. She has an abundance of notebooks filled to the brim with original characters but still has a focused mind to go along with it.

Friends and classmates agree that Saker can doodle or sketch on any medium with any writing utensil and make something fantastic.

“Her art style is beautiful and elegant,” friend of Saker sophomore Savannah Rose said. “She can draw almost anything and make it look pretty.”

Saker has been doodling and drawing ever since she can remember. Inspiration for Saker has also come from the iconic illustrator Dr.Seuss. She has also adopted different skills and styles such as animation, from when she lived in China for some time in the past.

“I’ve learned that life is like drawing,” Saker said. “If you change only a little bit, you can make it or break it.”