5 Ways High Schoolers Can Wrap Up the School Year Right

5 Ways High Schoolers Can Wrap Up the School Year Right With summertime in the air, the last semester of the year can be the most exciting: theres warmer weather, end-of-the-year celebrations, and often lighter, more creative final projects. For this reason, its often the busiest time of year. Despite all the craziness, here are five ways you can wrap up the school year right. 1. Make the most of your classes Its easy to start slacking off this time of year. To wrap up your year right, though, youll want to keep going strong until the end. Grades often depend on final exams or projects, so you dont want to loosen up earlier in the semester only to scramble, or to have your grade suffer, in the last few weeks. Some teachers account for this by assigning more hands-on or creative projects; take advantage of those that are offered! In any case, stay on top of important dates, including final exams, project due dates, presentations, and/or AP exams by marking them clearly in your planner or phone. Break down larger assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks, and be sure to plan your schoolwork around any other extracurriculars. 2. Set up summer plans Depending on your school or community, theres often a lot of pressure around how summer is spent. The downside to this is that you can start comparing yourself to others, especially if you dont have a fruitful job or prestigious internship lined up. The upside to this, however, is that it can serve as motivation for finding summer plans that best suit you. Is it a job or an internship? Are there summer programs that would deepen your skills or interests? Is there a camp youd like to attend, or a test to start studying for? Dont forget to consider traveling or taking on a personal creative project. There are many ways you can make summer memorable and productive, and it doesnt have to be the typical 9-5 internship. Counselors, teachers, and other community members can have great resources and contacts for these types of activities. [RELATED: What I Wish I Knew When Graduating High School] 3. Schedule next years classes Some schools allow you to sign up for classes during your spring semester, while others may have you sign up in the fall. Regardless, now is a great time to speak with your guidance counselor or academic counselor about what classes are required for you to graduate, and which you can take as an elective. Scheduling out your classes noweven if you dont have to formally sign upcan help you plan out your summer also. You might find out theres a course you want to take over the summer or a subject youd like to be tutored in over the summer. Or, you may just want to take out a few books from the library or do some online research to stay fresh in a subject over the summer. 4. Enjoy end-of-the-year activities There are so many ways schools celebrate the end of the year, including banquets or dinners for clubs and teams, class gatherings, field trips, and of course, prom. If youre an introvert who may wish to shy away from some of these things, take a moment to select which activities will be most meaningful to you and your friends. If youre more of an extrovert, on the other hand, who would like to be sure to make it to all of these occurrences and more, take the time to carve out space in your schedule to ensure you dont miss these things (in addition to other important commitments related to academics or perhaps finding a job). Now is a great time to push yourself, in terms of your own personal standards, to enjoy end-of-the-year activities. Dont feel any pressure, however; pick the events that are right for you! 5. Thank your teachers, counselors, and/or coaches Take the time to thank your teachers, counselors, coaches, and any other school professionals in a way that feels most comfortable for you: verbally, with a card, with a small gift (handmade gifts are great, as well as baked goods, small mementos, or gift certificates), etc. You may even choose to go in with friends or with the whole class to put together a gift or small celebration for one of your favorite teachers. If you particularly liked a certain book or assignment you did in class, tell your teacher specifically; he or she will really appreciate the kind feedback! Its also a great way to start building a rapport with someone who will more than likely be able to write you a college recommendation letter in the future, act as a job reference, or simply be a great mentor in your life. As both summertime and end-of-the-year tasks approach, keep in mind the above ideas to wrap up the school year right. Make sure that whatever you do helps you appreciate the end of the year not only academically, but personally as well.

How to participate in a Conversation in English

How to participate in a Conversation in English How to have a Conversation with Someone in English ChaptersWhat Is A Conversation In English?What Are The Gestures Of Conversation?How To Meet New PeopleWhat Are The Commonly Used Words And Phrases In Social Conversations?How To Practice Conversations In English?How to have a conversation with someone in English? The English language is essential if you want to have conversations in English, travel or live in an English speaking country and it becomes vital when you need it to work. So how can you progress in the English language?Speaking English is not about pronouncing English perfectly or losing your accent, the key to having a conversation in English is to be able to communicate. To be vulnerable enough to try to speak even if you aren't confident and to listen enough to others so that you can understand and be understood. Here are some tips to help you have better conversations in English.Politeness is quite crucial in the English language. Photo Source: UnsplashFor a more efficient language exchange, do not hesitate to go to bi lingual cafes or bars. Many offer informal moments where native English speakers are present to discuss and support your progress.Also, think about Skype which makes a great virtual environment to learn a   language with people from anywhere in the world. Many English people are also looking to learn your native language. Find an English speaker on a language app like Babbel or social network like Facebook groups and make an appointment to meet once or twice a week to speak partly in English and partly in your mother tongue. This kind of exchange is precious, and everyone wins.Using some or all of these techniques can take you from a beginner or intermediate level to advanced level very quickly. Further, you will make lots of new friends on the way.So are you ready for a to have a chat or improve your oral test skills or if you want to learn how to communicate in an English interview.

How to Decide Which Medical School is Right for You

How to Decide Which Medical School is Right for You By Michelle Finkel, MD Insider Medical Admissions The following piece was written byDr. Michelle Finkel. Michelle has been featured in ourAdmissions Expert seriesand is a former Harvard Medical School faculty member. She is the founder ofInsider Medical Admissions. Managing the medical school interview day requires stamina, poise, and know how. Please look for my other guest posts on the Varsity Tutors blog where Ive covered both prominent and subtle aspects of the interview day. Check out my July entry for advice on how to let your story show your glory and how to fake it until you make it, and my August entry emphasizing that you can run; you can hide; but you cant escape the weaknesses in your application. Septembers piece reviewed geographical issues how to persuade programs that you are willing to relocate to a substantially different location and solid strategies for demonstrating interest in schools. Octobers entry included advice on how to tactfully navigate interview days social events shiny happy people holding hands and how to manage illegal questions with poise youve got to hide your love away. Novembers unforgettable highlighted how to leave an enduring impression after the interview day is over. As weve seen through these entries, the medical school interview day itself is complicated and imposing, and managing it graciously is critical. Having successfully navigated the hazards of the interview day, many applicants find themselves ill-prepared to make decisions about the institutions that will play such a major role in their personal and professional lives. It was the heat of the moment Ive written before about a psychological principle called reciprocal attraction, or reciprocal liking. The phrase refers to the phenomenon of peoples tending to like more of those people who like them. This idea can be used to a candidates benefit by preparing in advance to launch a charm offensive: Demonstrating a strong knowledge base about an institutions curriculum, geography, and faculty can transform an underdog candidate into an enthusiastic match. The problem with reciprocal attraction is that it can bite you in the butt. In the heat of the moment, interviewers may make promises they cant keep. As the saying goes, kisses arent contracts; although flattery feels good, never assume that any comments about your prospects are accurate. Take what is said with a grain of salt and certainly dont make decisions like foregoing an interview at another institution based on what you have been told about the strength of your candidacy. At most institutions, one interviewer does not have the power to single-handedly determine the course of a candidates application. Also, and perhaps most importantly, make sure that you dont inadvertently judge an institution as a better fit for you because someone has stroked your ego a bit. Destiny's Child Making decisions about where to go to medical school also depends on understanding and valuing your personal happiness. I received really bad advice from a well-meaning faculty advisor when I was applying for residency: I was interviewing around the country, and one program really stood out as a strong one, but I had major qualms about the residencys location. I had no friends or family in the city, and the weather was not to my taste. I was concerned about my future social life and my ability to do the outdoor activities I enjoyed in my free time. I approached a dean I knew and laid out my dilemma, hoping for insightful advice. The well-meaning dean told me that I would be working so hard during my training that it wouldn't matter where I lived. He said I should choose the most competitive program regardless of location. Fortunately, I ignored his advice. In applying to medical school and choosing where youll be, it's essential to think about what will make you happiest. Usually, that means being near your significant other, family, and friends. It might mean being in weather conducive to activities you enjoy, near a supportive religious community, or in a place where you can pursue your favorite hobby. Experience shows that many medical students end up matching for residency near the location where they went to school. This trend also continues after residency, for completely understandable reasons: Because theyre a known quantity to faculty, standout residents are offered local jobs after training. Because its a pain to move, and they have developed local support systems during residency, many doctors accept jobs near where they trained. None of this means that your choice of medical school will determine your destiny, but understanding how short-term decisions can have long-term consequences will help you choose the best location for the next four (or more) years of your life. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

College Search Tip Narrow Down Your Application Choices

College Search Tip Narrow Down Your Application Choices What is a search without knowing what youre searching for? Sure, you are searching for the right college to attend, but how can you really make that selection if you dont know exactly what it is you want? You've been working with that ACT tutor and perfecting your GPA - but additionally, no college search should commence without a precise understanding of the kind of experience youre looking for. The details are infinite and require a lot of attention. Applying to a bunch of schools just because you feel like you should is not a fruitful plan, because just knowing that you want to go to college is not enough. It is not enough for your future and is certainly not enough for a worthy selection of applications choices. Moreover, the ultimate way to land on a worthy selection of application choices is to learn how to rule out certain options. This college search is a long and important process; you dont have time to waste on schools that you wouldnt really be happy attending or dont legitimately want to go to. While it is smart to put together a wide collection of schools you are interested in at the very beginning, you must weed out the less fulfilling options as soon as possible. Do this by going through the different aspects of the college experience that make up a school. Identify one by one what you want out of each particular aspect and once you have determined them successfully, you can see how they apply to your wide, initial selection of applications. You may also want to check out this college search tip on how to keep and use a calendar. The various elements you should evaluate are: Distance from home: Are you okay with being hundreds of miles away from your family? Or do you need the safe comfort of your parents being just a short, safe drive away? Think hard about this because it will be one thing you definitely cant undo once you move away. If you easily get homesick and are already nervous about living on your own, try to keep your selection of schools in a close radius. On the other hand, if you want nothing more than to get out of your hometown and be somewhere completely different, exploring colleges on the other side of the country could be great for you. If a school doesnt match the criteria you set in this category, it can easily be pushed aside. Programs offered: Think about what youd like to study and double-check that every school youre applying to offers a good program for it. Never assume that all schools teach everything. Especially if your field of study is a little more off the beaten path, it would be wise to thoroughly go through the course catalogs and lists of available majors, just to be sure your intellectual curiosity can be satisfied. No student should have to settle for a field of study theyre not crazy about just because their first choice wasnt offered. If a school does not provide sufficient learning opportunities for your intended major, move on. Clubs available: Colleges are widely known for having an insane amount of clubs/organizations on campus. In fact, youre likely to be overwhelmed with the things offered that you never saw at your high school. However, maybe an extracurricular from high school was really important to you and it would be painful to give up your regular schedule with it. This activity will probably be available at most of the colleges youre looking at, but it may not be as prominent. For instance, it may not be as popular in a particular city or type of university. It may not receive a lot of funding or get participation in a lot of events. If you see this exhibited at a certain college and the thought of it makes you unhappy, cut that school out and find ones that do give your activity the attention you believe it deserves. Furthermore, if you never really hooked onto any extracurriculars in high school, go through these club lists at your various college options and see which places have organizations that jump out at you. Joining groups like these is one of the best ways to meet people and get acclimated in college, so do not lessen its importance. You may also want to take a look at these tips on how to choose your extracurricular activities. Transportation: Are you bringing your car to college? Make sure the parking situation isnt a nightmare and make sure you can afford it. Find out which schools require freshmen to park in a lot that is four bus rides away, or which schools reside in towns with especially unsafe street parking. Maybe youre not bringing a car and this isnt an issue, but are you bringing a bike as many college students do? Check to see if the campus is too hilly or if bikes get stolen a lot. Finally, examine the public transportation those schools offer in general and determine how effective the systems are. Take note if bus routes confuse you or if walking everywhere drives you crazy. These are things to consider when eliminating schools due to the transportation aspect. Student body size: Some students get intimidated by large schools, some get bored out of their minds by small schools. Which category do you fit in? Perhaps youre like most people and are a mix between the two. In that case, medium-sized schools work, too. All in all, school size makes a huge impact on a specific college experience, so pay attention to it and decide what atmosphere you want before you apply to a place with a student body that will frighten you. By answering what you want about the most basic elements of college, youll have a much easier time narrowing down your choices. Decide on the things that are most important to you that you just cant live without and watch how they so simply factor into your choices. Having only the best schools (for you personally) to choose from when going into application mode will start to seem a lot more possible.

Ocean Decomposers Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace

Ocean Decomposers Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace Decomposers is a component of an ecosystem composed mainly of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi etc. They are known as micro consumers or saprotrophs or osmotrophs.They act on dead bodies of plants and animals and are responsible for breaking down of complex materials of dead protoplasm into simpler ones. The substances liberated during the decomposition are released into the environment to be reused again by the producers. The micro consumers decompose the complex dead bodies of plants and animals and convert them into simple forms. They play a vital role in the return of mineral elements into the medium. When temperature conditions are favorable, decomposition occurs more rapidly.70% of the earths surface is occupied by oceans. There are a large number of decomposers in oceans. The ocean is divided in to many zones based on the depth and the light availability .Two major divisions of the oceans are recognized-pelagic and benthic zones. The pelagic zones include the sunlit surface waters while the benthic zone includes the ocean floor. Different types of decomposers are found in different zones. Some of the decomposers in ocean include bacteria, fungi, Sea slugs, brittle star, hag fish, sea gulls, sea worms etc. The decomposers break down the dead remains making it into nutrients for the ocean. If there are no decomposers, the producers wont get any nutrients and hence they become extinct. When producers are not there, the primary consumers wont get food and they become vanish. The secondary consumers in turn wont get food and finally the whole organisms dies and thus the food chain become collapsed.

Can YOU Handle the Truth About You and Your Personal Brand - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Can YOU Handle the Truth About You and Your Personal Brand - Introvert Whisperer Can YOU Handle the Truth About You and Your Personal Brand? Your personal brand is totally in your control and its how people come to experience you because of what you do consistently. Do you know what your personal brand is?   If not, you need to get feedback that is objective and specific.   While your perception of you is important, it’s also distorted to a degree by your history and worldview.   That’s why you need to calibrate your perception against how others view you. Getting honest, open feedback can be tricky but let me tell you what the trickiest part happens to be:   Hearing it. I’ve yet to know of a person that doesn’t over react to anything negative (or suggestions for improvement).   There is a fairly common wave of reactions that happens afterward.   The first wave is to feel crushed or hurt.   The next wave is to feel defeated followed by denial and rationalization.   I hear things like “I don’t like that person anyway.   Why should I listen to them?” or “I know they said that about me but I don’t believe it. (or don’t care)” None of those reactions is helpful if you can’t or don’t move past them or try to find a reason why it’s wrong. Keep in mind that feedback is a gift as it is so rare. I think the best thing you can do when you get feedback is to pursue a balance in how you react to it.   Swinging from hurt to denial is not balanced.   You first need to recognize that there may be some tough messages for you so be prepared to stay as objective as possible.   Look for themes or trends in what is being said.   Test for things that ring true.   Don’t pick apart specific words as words usually have a broad meaning for most people.   Use your judgment about what feedback you will actively address and what will you revisit at a future time. The main thing you want to do is to think through the behavior that you need to modify in order to shift how others view you.   It’s been my experience that most people need to tweak a few things but rarely is a major overhaul needed. Your goal is to craft a personal brand that supports your next career step and figuring out what it is today may take some courage.   You got this! Go to top Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.  I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook â€" The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.  In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression. Get your copy now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Exam stress and the science behind it

Exam stress and the science behind it Most of us have, at one time or another, sat down in front of an exam paper and experienced a ‘mind blank’, sweaty palms, the panic setting in and the loud incessant ticking of the clock on the wall as the minutes begin counting down. This form of stress is called exam anxiety, and some of us are more sensitive to it than others. Stress is a natural response that evolved to protect us from danger. When we are faced with a stressor, a hormone is released which causes a few physiological changes; our heart pumps faster to supply our muscles with more oxygen; our blood pressure increases and we begin to sweat, preventing us from over-heating due to the body’s increased metabolic rate. Although this evolutionary advantage is superb at preparing the body to tackle a bear (or run from one!) it’s not the most conducive when it comes to sitting exams. According to findings by psychologist Martyn Denscombe, teens suffer exam anxiety for four reasons: The consequences associated with the outcome of the exam e.g. educational or occupational. Their self-esteem with regards to the outcomes of their grades. (Students who have higher grades are more likely to have higher self-esteem.) Family and friends judging their performance. Fear of disappointing their teachers. So, what can you do? If you are feeling the effects of exam anxiety, breathe slowly and deeply, and have a drink of water. This can help stop the stress response and rehydrate the body. Try and remember that a test is never worth the physical strain you are putting yourself through. Teachers, family and friends sometimes forget the effect of saying; “You need to get ‘x’ in this exam, otherwise it will be difficult to ‘xyz’.” These kinds of statements and advice can increase the pressure on a student. It may be helpful to sit down with your friends, family or teachers to discuss the realistic outcomes of your upcoming exams to alleviate the pressure you may be feeling. Why does our mind blank? How can we prevent it? When we are under excessive stress or experiencing exam anxiety, our body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. As part of our evolutionary response, it helps us adapt in ‘fight or flight’ situations. Studies have shown that cortisol impairs the speed of our memory recall, causing that mind blank before or during an exam. Research has shown that there is 50% more cortisol in the blood stream if we only manage to have 6 hours of sleep, instead of 8 hours. So,  it is vitally important to head to bed earlier during revision and the night before the exam. A healthy nutritional diet, regular meals and plenty of water can also help keep your cortisol hormone at a natural level and help you to concentrate during revision and on the day of the exam. Exam anxiety before the exam As humans, we learn from past experiences. Those who endured an incredibly stressful test in the past can build up expectations of how they expect future exams to be, causing lots of stress during the lead up. This more chronic form of exam anxiety can cause high blood pressure, and weaken your immune system, leaving you to feel very run down. If you feel as though you are more susceptible to exam stress, it is useful to identify this early on (easier said than done!). With the help of your family, teachers, friends and tutors, identify your stressors (areas that are difficult and cause you stress) and make a plan for your final weeks of revision. We wish the best of luck to all students with exams coming up!

Personalized Learning and its Benefits

Personalized Learning and its Benefits Improving Academic Performance You can walk into any classroom today and see that different students struggle with different things. Some students at the elementary school down the road might have a hard time doing fractions during math class while others might struggle with remembering the capitals of all 50 states. Maybe a college student is in an Intermediate Accounting class, but her previous professor from Intro to Accounting only went over straight-line depreciation and never mentioned double-declining depreciation. She lacks that foundation she needs to succeed in her class. It is not her fault. Her previous professor just decided to emphasize a different topic of accounting instead. Personalized learning is important because each student has his or her own individualized needs and focus areas to reinforce. Students learn in different ways. They come from different backgrounds. They even have varying academic foundations. When it comes to a student’s education, one-size does not fit all. More effort will have to be put into identifying topics and subjects that each student individually struggles with. Maybe it is a teacher, a professor, or a tutor explaining it to them in a different way by using a visual graphic instead of writing it out on a white board. Maybe it means going over that biology material a few extra times to make sure the student understands it. Maybe it comes to a few extra hours of studying those GRE vocabulary words to guarantee you really have them down. Thankfully there are many great opportunities, services, and tools out there to help personalize the learning of each student. Professors have office hours that students can attend and ask questions. Teachers are normally in their classrooms during lunch. Both of these options are both a) remarkably underutilized by students and b) completely free. These two options should be considered step one to improving your academic performance. Private tutoring is, in many ways, the gold standard of customized instruction, but it can be expensive. However, there are also great online learning tools out there to help personalize the learning experience for each student. Kahn academy is perhaps the most popular. It’s free, and has a fast growing library of high quality, on demand video content in a wide variety of subjects. It allows a student to build their own study plan around the concepts they might be struggling with. Magoosh, ePrep, and Leanerator offer low cost, video-based, adaptive test prep environments for the ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and many AP tests. Most of these solutions offer content and unique technology solutions to allow a student to customize their learning experience with varying degrees of structure. Administrate has a great video on personalizing education using technology. Our Memory Science platform is a different type of online learning tool. It uses key tenants of neuroscience to deliver Byte-Sized chunks of information that help students learn and retain anything that they might struggle with. A student can create a supplement herself to help her remember the process of a reaction in O-Chem, or purchase premade content on macroeconomic theories. The Memory Science platform is a place for you to spend time on the topics and materials that matter to you. About the Author Memory Science is a neuroscience-learning platform that utilizes Byte-Sized Learning to help students learn efficiently, retain more, and perform better. You can find us at https://marketplace.memoryscience.com/marketplace/ hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, 'f08a3c58-464f-4164-a82e-313b7951bbb2', {});