Hit Top Marks in Exam with These 10 Killer Tips

Hit Top Marks in Exam with These 10 Killer Tips Exams are nightmares for many students and many panic on the exam day so as to score poor marks. Despite your hard work, you may not secure top marks that will make you wow with happiness. Your dreams about higher studies and attractive career may remain unaccomplished. Follow these 10 tips to avoid anxiety in the exam hall and do your best to hit top marks in your exams. 1. Concentration is the essence of success in exams Don’t lose your concentration when you are sitting in the exam hall. You are there to attend your exam and come out successful. Other things are of no significance. So, concentrate on your question paper, choose the questions you know well and write on time to complete on time. Don’t divert your attention and the success is yours. 2. Impress through handwriting in exams First impression is the best impression in exams. Your handwriting attracts the eyes of the examiner before anything else. Write neatly and legibly and do not strike out answers very often. Your first page should be very neat to impress the reader to the maximum that he is going to award excellent grades to your paper. 3. Precise answers to the point is important in exams Verbiage and circumlocutory answers do not fetch marks. You should hit the nail on the head when you answer a question. Write to the point and score well. Quality instead of quantity matters in writing exams. It is easy for the examiner to grade your answers as he gets what he wants at the first glance. Check Out: Top 15 Free Math Websites for Parents and Kids 4. Presentation is the soul of answering during exams Neat presentation with highlighting, underlining, writing point wise with numbers makes your job easy. You present the matter in a clear and doubtless manner and the examiner understands your message for sure. 5. Flawless language is essential when writing exams Despite your presentation and neat handwriting, if your language is faulty, you will lose marks as it irritates any reader. Practice to write error free language so that you do not leave room for     less marks. 6. Using paragraphs for long answers When you write long answers, split the ideas into paragraphs so that you make an impressive presentation with good coordination of ideas. Every paragraph should contain three to four points and if there is an association of ideas, you can link them in a paragraph to make your viewpoint clear. 7. Write exactly what you need to write Suppose a question demands a lengthy answer, write it out. If it is a short question, cut short the answer and present point wise. 8. Illustrate your answers with diagrams Wherever it is possible, add flowcharts and diagrams to illustrate answers. Make your diagram neat and not shabby. Your answers become impressive and gain more marks. 9. Check your answers Checking the answers before submitting the paper is necessary for assured marks.You might have missed one question or answered wrongly. So, check and recheck your answers before submitting the paper. 10. Write all answers Allot time for each question. Do not take much time for short questions nor do you miss points for a long question. Make sure you have time to answer all questions. If you approach online tutoring centers, you get many more tips to ace your exams and score high to realize your goals.

What Kind Of History Should You Study

What Kind Of History Should You Study What Are The Different Types Of History? ChaptersMedieval HistoryModern HistoryArt HistoryHistory is a science in and of itself and like most if not all scientific fields, History is divided into many more sub-categories, each specifically studying a period of Human history or a specific region of the world.If you are studying for a History degree or you are already an undergraduate aiming for a bachelor, you will most likely study many though not all, aspects of History.With the rise of civilisations, not in one unique location on the planet but everywhere man had settled, many different cultures emerged across the globe. Each of these cultures possesses their own history, often written down by local historians but frequently passed from a generation to the other through oral tradition.Not only history is divided chronologically and geographically, but some fields of history also study specific subjects of Human culture, such as:Political history, which studies the story of government, political leaders, elections, policie s and the interaction between the different branches of governmentDiplomatic history, which studies the relations between countries, ambassadors, and ideas of diplomacySocial history, which studies the ways and customs of a people, of families and children, education, as well as demography, and social institutions such as churches.Cultural history, which studies languages and their uses, the arts including literature, sports and   other entertainments and the way they participate in constructing cultural identitiesEconomic history, which studies how a whole system of production and consumption (or of any of its parts) works, of businesses, industry, banks, and working classes at all levels of the systemIntellectual history, which studies ideology and epistemology and works to analyze how ideas affect human lives and how the material world influences human ideas.There is much more than that still. There is even a field of History called Historiography, which is  the history of histor y. Instead of subjecting actual events - say, the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy - to historical analysis, the object of historiography is the history of the  history  of the event: how it has been written, the often conflicting bias pursued by those writing about it through time, and the way in which such circumstances shape our understanding of the actual event in question, and of the nature of history itself.Questions of historiography include the following:who writes history, what was their agenda, and towards what goal?how reliable can a historian ever aspire to be, interpreting past events from the point of view of the historian's present?what about the sources a historian choose to include in their work or purposefully exclude?To keep it simple we will only look at the main groups of history, Ancient, Postclassical and Modern as well as Art History.Ancient HistoryThe History of humanity starts when the first civilisation emerged and historians defined everyt hing that came before as Pre-History.Commonly, Ancient history is accepted to begin around 3000BCE with the apparition of early writing system in Mesopotamia. It extends up until the 6th century CE when the Western Roman Empire collapsed following a succession of invasion and the death of the last Roman Emperor,  Romulus Augustulus.Archaeology has been at the centre of any research regarding Ancient History. It has played a huge part in our knowledge of early civilizations, from the excavation of the Terracotta Army of the First Qin Emperor in ancient China to the exploration of the Mayan Pyramids in South America.Even though, most of our current knowledge of Ancient time events relies on the writings and accounts of antiquity historians (Herodotus,  Thucydides,  Arrian,  Plutarch,  Polybius,  Sima Qian,  Sallust,  Livy,  Josephus,  Suetonius, and  Tacitus), those records were often produced decades if not centuries after the events they described occurred and they are always to tak e with some precautions.Egypt, as the birth place of one of the earliest civilisation on the planet, is full of historical sites that have fascinated historians for hundreds of years. (by  Retlaw Snellac Photography)In the East, Japan's medieval period is commonly accepted to start with the Nara period (when  Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijo-kyo) in 709 and ended with the last battle of Sekighahara in 1600 when  Tokugawa and his allies defeated the Toyotomi regime and unified the country.At the same time on the continent, China's different historical periods did not follow the same pattern and the Imperial Era of China began in 221 with the Qin dynasty and only ended with the Qing Emperor in 1911.In the Middle East and North Africa as well as the Iberian Peninsula, Medieval times were marked by the ascent of Islam and the creation of powerful Empires.As studying and following history courses requires a lot of critical thinking skills as well as research skills, many u niversity alumni who graduated from a scholar institution with a degree level in History turn to the law after completing their undergraduate tuition and become lawyers.Why not hire a History tutor?The Vikings left far more than just a few casks in England (by Arthur_ASCII)Modern HistoryThe Middles Ages slowly faded in Europe as Renaissance was making its way to a full-blown social, religious and economic change. Even though the Renaissance movement started in Italy around the 13th century, with the rediscovery of Antic philosopher and the contact with the scientific knowledge of the Middle East, Medieval History only ended around the year 1500 following a few major events:The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1439The discovery of the Americas by Christopher Colombus in 1492.The globalisation of the world and the acceleration of the exchange of ideas, goods and money through Europe, the Middle East and Asia.Academics commonly split Modern History into two periods, Earl y Modern History and Late Modern History. For students who have successfully past the admission stage in their undergraduate degree, Modern History will probably be studied over more than one semester along with other humanities discipline, some elective and some mandatory.Early Modern History includes:The Renaissance, marked by a new school of thought, Humanism, and the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophyThe Reformation (the split in Western Christianity launched by Martin Luther and sustained by Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin and other Protestant Reformers in 16th-century Europe)The Counter-Reformation, was the Catholic resurgence launched in response to the Protestant Reformation, starting with the Council of Trent (1545â€"1563) and ending at the end of the Thirty Years' War (1648). It was initiated to protect the power, influence and wealth held by the Catholic Church.The Age of Discovery, spanning from the 15th century until the end of the 18th century and was marked by ex tensive overseas exploration which led to a profound change in European diplomacy and was the inception of globalization.The Rise of capitalism,  based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.The Golden Age of Piracy, which spans from the 1650s to the late 1720s and includes three separate upheavals of piracy:The buccaneering period of approximately 1650 to 1680, characterized by French and English sailors based in Tortuga and Jamaica and targeting Spanish ships and colonies throughout the CaribbeansThe Pirate Round of the 1690s, marked by long-distance cross sea voyages from the Americas to rob Muslim and East India Company possessions in the Indian Ocean and the Red SeaThe post-Spanish Succession, from 1716 to 1726, when English and American seamen and privateers, turned to piracy after the end of the Spanish Succession war and roamed in the Caribbean, the North American Eastern Coasts, the West African seaboard, and the Indian Ocean.Hist ory is such a vast and interesting subject that most universities and school institutions offer the possibility to pursue a History degree or to study history in an interdisciplinary bachelor of arts degree for example. You could even look past your graduation and continue on getting a doctoral degree in History.Commonly accepted to start at the end of the 18th century and was marked by major events such as:The American Revolution, which ended the dominion of the British Crown over its American colonies.The French Revolution, which ended with the abolition of monarchy and initiated a democratic government system.The Colonization of Australia,  driven by the need to address overpopulation in the British prison system, and the fact that the British Crown had lost the Thirteen Colonies of America in the American Revolution.The Revolutions of 1848, which were a series of political upheavals across Europe in 1848 (France, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland and Ireland were all affected). It continues to be the most widespread revolutionary wave in European history.The Russian Revolution, which was not one but two revolutions in Russia in 1917 which struck down the Tsarist absolutism and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. The Russian Empire fell with the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II.The First World War and the Second World War, from 1914 to 1918 and 1939 to 1945 involved all the main powers of the time and almost all countries on the planet. Those two conflicts resulted in the death of tens of millions of soldiers and civilians and changed the world order forever.If you study civilization and societies, time spent in the classroom will mainly focus on historical research and analytical and critical thinking, all research skills being the requirement for journalism or a career in sociology.Laocoon and his Sons' was one of the first piece of art to be describe by an Historian, Pliny the Elder (by Kartlyn Earth ArtKN)Art HistoryOne of the sub -categories of History is the History of Art. While the main focus of Historians has mostly been to study and analyse historical, religious, social and political events through different periods, Art History has been focused on something different.Art Historians have been studying the visual, aural and oral expression of humanity. Scholars scrutinising Art History have been trying to interpret visual art, music and fictional writings through a thorough investigation using  different approaches and methodologies.One of the earliest Art Historians that we know of is one of the most Antiquity Historian, namely Pliny the Elder. During his time he was considered to be one of the most famous Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher and even served as a naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire.If you are studying liberal arts, it is very likely that your coursework and curriculum will include some Art History before the completion of your degree programs.There are many mo re fields of History that one can spend their life to study, from Western civilization to Latin American History, African History, anthropology, American History or even African American History. The different history  degrees that you can earn are many if not endless.Check out the cost of private History tuition on Superprof.

What is it Like to Attend Walla Walla University

What is it Like to Attend Walla Walla University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well.Dan received his Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Walla Walla University. He is currently a tutor in Portland specializing in Accounting tutoring, Economics tutoring, Finance tutoring, and several other subjects. See what he had to say about his experience at Walla Walla University: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or rural is the campus? Did you feel safe on campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Dan: Walla Walla University is located in southeast Washington near wheat fields and wineries. Being in the country, it felt pretty safe there. The Tri-Cities in Washington (Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland) are about 45 miles away when you need to get off campus. I was fortunate to have both a car and a bike during my college years. I did not use public transportation during that time. VT:How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Dan: I found professors at Walla Walla University to be readily available when needed, and I made sure to do the same for my students when I taught accounting courses a few years back. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Dan: I lived in the dorms during my first three years, and we had a cafeteria and a smaller student lounge where we ate. I enjoyed playing sports and socializing with others, but I got tired of dorm life and was able to get an apartment near campus my senior year. I enjoyed being near campus and having a place to get away from school. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Dan: Business was one of the top five largest majors on campus. After I graduated, they moved the Business department into a new building, which is a huge improvement over being on the fourth floor of an 80-year-old building. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Dan: We did not have Greek life at Walla Walla University. I made friends playing sports and participating in activities. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Dan: I did not find them very helpful. In my case, I moved to Portland on graduation day, and I found a job shortly thereafter and began my career in accounting. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Dan: There were libraries where we met for study groups, as well as student lounges, but I found studying in my room or at the dining table to be my best study place because it was quiet and offered few distractions. However, we did have many study groups at Merchants Coffee Shop in downtown Walla Walla. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Dan: Walla Walla was a relatively quiet town come sundown when I attended the university. We went to a lot of movies. A highlight was going to Tri-Cities once every month or two for dinner and a movie, as well as to the water park during the spring and summer. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Dan: Our student body was about 2,000 students, but most of my Business classes were 20-30 students. General classes could have 60-70 students in a class in an amphitheater setting. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Dan: I had one professor, Ann Gibson, who was the most amazing teacher. I had taken a course taught by her mother in high school, and she was a fantastic teacher, as well. I took every class Ann taught in my last three years to gain the knowledge she offered. She was hard, but I learned so much about business from her. I modeled my teaching and tutoring from her example. On the other hand, I absolutely hated it when a teacher came to class unprepared. I had a couple of professors that came to class and opened the textbook for the first time in front of the class. I consider those wasted lectures. I learned that preparation was the key, and, as a teacher, you owe it to your students to come prepared to answer their questions. Check out Dans tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Write a Winning MBA Personal Statement

How to Write a Winning MBA Personal Statement GMAT MBA Admissions Blog If you’re in the process of applying to business schools, you already know that there’s so much that goes into a successful MBA application. You need strong GMAT or GRE scores, good work experience, great references and a compelling, effective MBA personal statement. Your MBA personal statement tells the admissions committee who you are as a person, why you should be admitted into an MBA program and how the degree will shape your career plans. It’s one of the most important pieces of your application, as it gives you the chance to address weaknesses in your materials and present yourself as a well-rounded person. A well-crafted MBA personal statement allows a school’s admissions committee to see the person behind the resume, but how can you use a brief written statement to show admissions committees who you are as a person and professional? Tell a Story Your MBA personal statement shouldn’t be a dry recitation of your career progress to date. It should tell a story about who you are, what you’ve been working toward in your career and how you think an MBA from the specific school to which you’re applying will help you reach that goal. Remember that admissions committees at some schools read hundreds, if not thousands, of these essays, so you want yours to be memorable and stand out. Think about what makes you unique, and seek to craft an essay that reflects your personality and voice. The story you tell should be about what you’ve already done in your career, but it should also go on to show admissions committees what you hope to achieve in the future and why their program can help you achieve it. Show How the Program and School Are Right for You Whether you’re applying to traditional or online MBA programs in California or across the nation, admissions committee members are going to want to know why you chose their school. Does the program offer a concentration that suits your career goals and the interests you’ve already developed through prior experience? Does the school offer resources that appeal to you? Is it located in the region where you hope to work? Do you have personal connections to alumnae, faculty or current students? Did you form a good impression of the school and program during a campus visit? Answering some or all of these questions can help admissions committees determine whether you would be a good fit for the program, and vice versa. Express Confidence You don’t need to waste precious space in your personal statement pointing out that no one can predict the future or know whether you will achieve your goals. This is obvious; admissions committees know that not some graduates will come up against obstacles they can’t surmount. While it’s a good idea not to seem too proud of your current achievements, you should express confidence in your ability to reach your stated goals. Show that you have a realistic, solid plan for your career, and give the committee confidence by showing what you’ve already accomplished. Address Shortcomings Do you have weaknesses in your application, like a low undergraduate GPA, less-than-ideal GMAT scores or fewer years of work experience than the admissions committee requires? That doesn’t mean you can’t apply, but you can use your personal statement as a place to address those shortcomings and show the admissions committee that you’ve moved beyond them. Address your shortcomings head on, and explain how you’ve worked to overcome the obstacle. Reassure the committee that you’re capable of recognizing your personal weaknesses and taking action to overcome them. Writing a successful MBA personal statement can mean the difference between getting into the school of your choice and having your application tossed into the garbage with the dozens of others who didn’t make the cut. You should focus on making your personal statement as well-written and compelling as possible. Let your personality shine, so admissions committees can get a sense of who you are and what you’ll bring to the program as a person, professional and student. Admissions committees want to make sure that each member of a given cohort is a good fit for the program and the school, and your personal statement is your chance to show them that you’d be an excellent candidate for their degree.

An Introduction to Grit A Key to Academic Performance

An Introduction to Grit A Key to Academic Performance Improving Academic Performance Over the past five years, I’ve done a fair amount of secondary research (reading articles, books, etc.) on academic performance. Two of the most interesting and actionable discoveries I’ve made are that A) a student’s mindset is far more important in explaining academic success than I would have imagined and B) a concept called Grit is what seems to power the performance of a student with the right mindset. The “Growth Mindset” is a concept invented by Dr. Carol Dweck, a Standford Psychologist. Her research shows that individuals can generally be placed into one of two buckets: a) those that have a growth mindset and b) those that have a fixed mindset. Here, briefly, are the key differences between the two mindsets. If you have a fixed mindset, you believe your intelligence, for example, is a “fixed’ trait that you inherit. You can “make the best of it” of course, but you’ll be “capped” at performing at a certain level, because you just don’t have the genes or intellectual horse power to succeed in certain academic situations. If you have a growth mindset, however, you believe your intelligence is something you build over time. Instead of thinking about your intellect as an inherited trait, you view it as a muscle that grows the more you use it (i.e., study, take difficult courses, etc.). An individual’s mindset might shift when considering academic performance, personality traits, or athletic ability. One might have a fixed mindset in some areas, and a growth mindset in others. For example, you might think you are shy because it’s just your personality, but be more growth oriented when it comes to intelligence or learning new athletic skills. All else equal, Dweck has shown that individuals with a growth mindset outperform those with a fixed mindset in an academic setting. The reason for this is, in some ways, very simple and intuitive. Most people would probably not argue that success in school comes from a mix of “IQ” and effort. You can make up for lower innate intellectual horsepower by working hard. In fact, there’s even research which suggests that intellectual horsepower itself is not as “fixed” as most people believe. For example, increased levels of education have been shown to improve IQ scores, and getting the right amount of sleep and eating right has been shown to improve cognitive function. So, if you have a Growth Mindset when it comes to academic performance, you’ll be better off. In part, this is simply because with more hard work, you’ll improve and learn more. But what is it exactly that drives the growth mindset-oriented individual when the task at hand is particularly difficult? To perform well in school, you must put forth a lot of effort, solve problems, pay attention, ask question, work with classmates and teachers, etc. A mindset sets the stage for success, but how is that mindset actually implemented? In Grit: The Power Of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth suggests a combination of passion and perseverance - or, as she calls it, Grit, explains why some people are successful, and other people are not. . What is Grit? To make it through West Point at the United States Military Academy, one must survive the Beast Barracks â€" a training program designed to filter out those without the mental and physical stamina to succeed. During the admissions process, West Point calculates the Whole Candidate Score; a combination of SAT scores, high school rank, appraisals of leadership potential, and physical fitness measures. It is designed to find the people who will succeed. Remarkably, Duckworth found that the Whole Candidate score didn’t predict who made it through Beast Barracks. Actually, those with the highest Whole Candidate Scores were just as likely to drop out as the those with the lowest. What did predict success in Beast Barracks, however, was a score on what Duckworth calls the “Grit Scale.” According to Duckworth, people who are relatively “gritty” are resilient, work very hard, and know on a very “deep” level what they want to achieve. Her “grit score” measures those factors. Duckworth has found that, in almost any domain, the grittier you are, the more successful you will be. Why? Because you simply keep practicing, keep learning, and keep trying different approaches until you succeed. In an academic context, I have come to believe that students place far less importance on focused effort than they should. Students incorrectly assume that a certain innate “talent” for a subject is required to succeed at what they consider “advanced” courses, when in fact it’s the Grit to engage in sustained practice that matters. For example, do you think getting a PhD in Physics requires a certain innate talent or IQ level? If you do, you are probably wrong. In fact, it is probably grit, not IQ, that explains why one person obtains a PhD in Physics while another does not, even though they’d like to. This might not seem intuitive, because after all, getting a PhD in Physics requires mastery of some extremely complicated concepts, but let me explain. Students seem to observe the best student in class easily answer questions, or the teacher, graduate teaching assistant, or professor breeze through discussions of complicated subjects, and assume there must be some natural ability that underlies their knowledge. What they don’t see is all of the time spent practicing and studying, likely in a very deliberate way. It’s practice, not innate talent, that almost always explains knowledge and understanding of a subject. And, the gritty person is more likely to practice more and stick with difficult concepts until they fully understand them. Now, I’ll grant you, if you are going to earn a PhD in Physics from Harvard or certainly if you are going to earn a Nobel Prize in Physics, your IQ is probably going to matter. But even then, there is no Physics “gene.” Your effort and your work ethic combine to explain your performance. For an interesting exploration of these ideas, read this article by Cal Newport, a Computer Science Professor at Georgetown University, who was asked “To what extent does intelligence matter in college success?” Newport begins his response by saying “I don’t believe that intrinsic intelligence plays any significant role at the college level.” Read the full blog article about why intrinsic intelligence doesn’t drive academic success here. In my next post about grit, I’ll cover why effort matters twice, and discuss some ways to become grittier

6 Tips For Working Your First Part Time Job

6 Tips For Working Your First Part Time Job Via (Flickr) Lets say youve landed the job. Now, here are some tips to be the best employee your company has ever seen while not falling behind on your schoolwork, and what to expect from the work field. Strategy is your ultimate goal. Your first part-time job will teach you what it means when people say, Every second counts. Time management will be a skill that will benefit you both in the short and long term. Plan a schedule of your day, week, and month. Keep your planner updated so you dont forget a homework assignment or work meeting. Color coding is a great way to keep your agenda organized. You may want to mark things down in pencil since a multi-tasking semester tends to be full of tentative plans. Start your day off right with brain food. Making sure you start your day off right can do wonders for you. If your job is in the morning, make sure to prepare a healthy meal that will wake you up and boost your energy to get to the office with a positive, ready-to-work attitude. If eggs every morning do not sound appealing to you (to who, really?),  these 21 recipes will help or inspire you for a quick, healthy fix. If you attend classes during the day and work late hours, make sure to have a meal or snack before going into work. Your body will have tackled a big part of your day, and your brain will want a break. Boost your energy and productivity levels by drinking lots of water instead of caffeinated drinks or increasing your heart rate with some jumping jacks. Dress to impress. Via (Oscar Falk) It couple Olivia Palermo and  Johannes Huebl are some serious business casual inspiration. Your image defines who you are. You represent the brand you work for now, and dressing well communicates your personality and confidence. My go-to idol is the lovely and trendy Lauren Conrad. Her expertise on style and fashion not to mention, her clothing lines give women a respectful and chic example that works well in all types of environments. Her Business Casual and Casual Work Attire guide are follow-worthy. I will admit that her wardrobe is not a one-style-fits-all, so Pinterest  has a wider scope of outfit examples to try. For a straightforward solution, take inspiration from any female coworkers and employers. My dear gentlemen, I did not forget about you. While I dont personally follow many male bloggers, I always recommend Effortless Gents How-To Guide as a starting point for all my male friends. Its got the basic rules, seven different style options, and even links to where to find the pieces for the look you want. While the post is a bit outdated, men dont have to go for a flashy or extreme look. Keeping it neat and tidy is the safest way to go. Your time is invaluable. Dont neglect your grades; study time is important too. Many employers understand that full-time students will struggle with time management issues for the first few days or weeks. However, do not take advantage of this and turn it into an excuse. As I mentioned before, time management is your best bet for a good GPA. Scheduling short study groups with classmates outside of work and class hours helps me refresh my memory on lectures and prepare for exams and quizzes. If youre not sure, ask questions. Theres nothing wrong with not knowing. The only way youre going to learn is by asking for help so look to your boss for advice on how to get a task done. Even simply asking somebody how their weekend was can be a helpful way to get to know your coworkers and employers at a personal level and to build relationships. Here are other questions you might have and how to ask them. Stick it out. Via (Flickr) While no one likes being stuck with a boring job, it is better to try your best and excel than quitting when the going gets tough. Most employees find that their work becomes stagnant after a while, so come up with small ways to excite your shift. As a waitress, I liked to ask people what their day or weekend plans were. It may seem like an intrusive question, but many people actually appreciated the sociable and casual conversation. Many interviewers ask about a challenge youve had and how you overcame it. A persons first part-time job is one of the best examples of a challenge. It shows your interviewer that youve learned about commitment and perseverance. These are just some tips on how to be successful at your first part-time job. You shouldnt have to feel overwhelmed and stressed. Find what works for you, your grades, and your occupation. Make sure to prepare for a healthy, stylish, and above all productive work day.

St. Paul American School

St. Paul American School St. Paul American School St. Paul American School serves the educational needs of international students from approximately 23 countries across Pre-Kindergarten to 12th-grade levels. Located in Hanoi, Vietnam, one of Asia’s fastest developing countries, the school is home to a diverse student study of just under 300 students. St. Paul American School opened in the fall of 2011 and graduated its first senior class in the spring of 2013. St. Paul American School holds membership in the College Board. St. Paul American School Hanoi aims to prepare students for professional success in the global community. Their internationally-focused curriculum equips students to become culturally literate by developing critical thinking and communication skills as they gain a strong sense of personal and social responsibility. St. Paul American School St. Paul American School St. Paul American School is a member of the Nacel International School System based in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. Nacel is affiliated with several private, college-preparatory high schools and K-12 schools, which educate students in an international setting to prepare students for study in the U.S. The mission of our school is to meet the needs of all students while preparing them for success within the global community and equipping them to become culturally literate by developing critical thinking and communication skills. St. Paul American School, Clark is a K-12 school which enrolls a diverse student body.

9 Killer Tips for Learning Two Languages at Once

9 Killer Tips for Learning Two Languages at Once Do you  like living life on the edge?Are you  a person of extremes?Do you do  everything at 200%?Then I bet youre  learning two languages at once, arent you?For those of you whose appetites for language learning are so voracious that one language at a time simply isnt enough to keep you satisfied, or those of you just looking to add some spice to your language learning, here are nine tips to help you get started learning two languages at onceâ€"without having your brain explode. Why Learn Two Languages at Once?Some people might suggest that you would only ever want to learn two languages at once if you have a healthy streak of masochism in you. There is a grain of truth to this: If you approach learning two languages simultaneously the same way youd approach learning a single language, you are asking for trouble (remember, the worst case scenario here is that your brain explodesâ€"not a pretty outcome).However, if you begin with a game plan that takes advantage of the fact that you re learning two languages at the same time, you will not only prove the skeptics wrong but actually find that learning two languages at once is a uniquely rewarding experience.Learning two languages at once stretches your mind in a totally new way. Having to frequently switch back and forth between new languages keeps you alert and ultimately provokes you to be more proactive in the way you approach learning languages and organizing your time. And meeting the challenge of learning two languages at once head on isnt just exhilarating in and of itselfâ€"it hones your language learning skills in a way that will make learning future languages faster and easier.If theres one thing that sets successful language learners apart, its knowing that language learning is a skill that can be developed. And nothing makes you a better language learner than tackling two languages at the same time. If learning a language makes you better at everything down the road by making you a more flexible think er, learning two languages at once makes you doubly better at everything by making your brain downright elastic.So the challenge of learning two languages simultaneously is a double-edged sword. If you wade haphazardly into two-at-a-time language learning, you may find yourself throwing in the towel before too long. But if you tweak your language learning strategies by using some of the tips presented here and commit yourself fully to doubling down on language learning, youll find that youre capable of things you never thought possible.9 Killer Tips for  Learning Two Languages at Once1. Learn Languages That Are DifferentOn the surface, learning two similar languages at the same time might seem like a good idea. After all, if two languages share a lot of vocabulary and structure, isnt learning both languages at once sort of just like learning one language?The truth, though, is that it is never, ever, ever a good idea to study two mutually intelligible (or even moderately similar) lan guages at the same time unless your life depends on itâ€"and even then, you may want to take a good look at your options. When learning two languages simultaneously, the first order of the day is to do everything you can to minimize what Ill call the confusion factorâ€"the chance of getting words and grammar from the two languages mixed up.This is your mantra when learning two languages side by side: minimize the confusion factor. Most of the tips here are essentially ways to minimize the confusion factor. And learning two languages that resemble each other at once ensures that confusion is all but inevitable. Learning two highly similar languages at the same time is like dating identical twins at the same time. Its just not a good idea.So if youre already learning Spanish, put the Italian on hold and go for the Finnish. Or if the two languages youre learning use different scripts, all the better. Spanish and Chinese are a great combinationâ€"they have absolutely nothing in common, and if you learn them as an English speaker, youll have the worlds three most common languages at the tip of your fingers (but hopefully not the tip of your tongue).For the same reason, learning two “easy” Romance languages at the same time generally isnt as clever a plan as it sounds. If you go the route of learning Spanish and Portuguese together, you might find that your language learning more closely follows the five stages of grief than the ten stages of Spanish grammar learning.But if you opt for two languages that have little in common, youll paradoxically be gaining a broader perspective and making your life easier at the same time.2. Pair More and Less Familiar LanguagesOne way to simplify the process of learning two languages at once is by choosing one more familiar and one less familiar language to learn. If you already speak some Italian, for example, French and Russian might go well together.The idea here is that much of the structure of Italian and some of the voca bulary will transfer over to French, so youll be learning Russian from scratch and learning another Romance language rather than learning two languages from scratch. Notice that this approach is different than learning Italian and French at the same time since it involves building off of a language youve already internalized. It also helps minimize the confusion factor since the two languages youre learning become “the one like Italian” and “the weird one” rather than just two unknowns.If you dont know any languages other than English and youre choosing to study two languages simultaneously as your first go at language learningâ€"you daredevil, youâ€"there is a variation on this technique that involves learning one language thats easier for English speakers to pick up and one thats generally harder. Like Dutch and Korean, for example.Check out this infographic to get a sense of the easiest and hardest languages for English speakers so you know what youre getting into.3. Choo se a Priority LanguageIf you still arent sure about taking the leap and going for two languages at once, you can set a “priority” language. That way, you can shoot for two languages at once but know youll at least come away with one new language under your multilingual belt.Even if youre absolutely sure that youre in it for two languages, setting a priority language is an effective way of minimizing the confusion factorâ€"just like its easier to eat one entree and one dessert, youll find your appetite for language learning expands when you have one “priority” and one “side” language on the table. And progressing more quickly at one of the two languages youre working on will help stave off the feeling of running in place that can occasionally creep up on two-at-a-time language learners.4. Plan How Much Time to Spend on Each LanguageLearning two languages at once is an exercise in time management. Its a tightrope act that only works if you do some planning in advance.The f irst step is to accept that if youre taking on two languages at once, youre in for a bigger learning curve than you would be if you were targeting a single language. Things will just take longer. Although learning a second language is definitely easier than learning a first language, learning two languages at a time really can be twice as hard as learning one.If you have a need for speed, two languages may not be the way to go. But if your goal is to challenge yourself and expand your horizons, its best to preface your double shot of language learning with a healthy dose of patience so you can be prepared for and power through the times that seem like slow going.Once youre ready for the different pace that two-in-one language learning entails, its also more than worth it to plan out exactly how youre going to divide your time between the two languages youre tackling. If you can write out a daily schedule, all the better. And make sure youre getting in regular practice on both langua ges. If you do one language for a week, then do the other language the next week, and so on, youll likely find yourself in a one-step-forward-one-step-back dance that ends exactly where you started!Planning ahead can be mixed and matched with the two techniques mentioned aboveâ€"pairing more/less familiar languages and choosing a priority languageâ€"in different ways. For instance, if youre aiming for Dutch and Korean, you might set Korean as your priority language and spend 85% of your time on Korean, leaving Dutch as the cherry on top of your language learning.Or you might opt for a more balanced approach by dividing your time 55%/45% between Dutch and Korean respectively and progressing more quickly with Dutch. However you decide to do it, youll want to (1) make sure you arent just winging your tightrope walk day-to-day and (2) have a solid idea of what your goals are and where exactly you want the tightrope walk to be taking you anyway.5. Give the Two Languages Separate Identiti esA big part of minimizing the confusion factor essentially boils down to giving the two languages youre learning strong, clear identities in your mind. In the end, perhaps the best way to do this is through immersionâ€"the more you use a given language in real-life situations, the more you internalize it as something with an identity unto itself. Putting the languages youre learning to practical use will do wonders for helping you keep them distinct.One way to immerse yourself online is with  FluentU, an immersive language learning platform.  FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.You can also try color coding your language learning materials to reinforce the separate identities of the two languages. For instance, if youre learning Spanish and Chinese, try making all your Spanish flashcards red and all your Chinese flashcards blue. Then, optionally, remind yourself ev ery day:Spanish is red, Chinese is blue, I will learn both, If its the last thing I do!6. Practice Both Languages at Once by Translating Between ThemOne of the best reasons to study two languages at the same time is that doing so opens up new, more efficient learning strategies. When you learn one language at a time, you run the risk of relating everything back to your native language and making the language youre already fluent in your permanent point of reference, so the new language becomes an “extension” of the language youre familiar with rather than something you internalize on a deep, intuitive level.But when youre learning two languages at the same time, you can practice translation by cutting out the middleman of English: Simply translate between the two new languages youre learning! Besides giving you a chance to work on both languages at once, this exercise helps get you “thinking” in the languages youre learning rather than constantly returning to your habitual l anguage.You can even up the ante by translating across different languages and linguistic mediums. If youre learning Spanish and Chinese, for example, try writing a passage in Spanish and then verbally translating it into Chinese. Of course, this is a bit like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time, but the difference is that youll learn a lot and probably have more fun.7. Mix Up Your Flashcards to Learn Both Languages SimultaneouslyHeres another way to mix things up (literally) with some multilingual multitasking. If you like your language learning with a large side of flashcards, take some of your flashcards for both languages and mix them together so youre quizzing yourself on both languages at once. Besides letting you practice the two languages simultaneously, this technique gets your brain quickly switching back and forth between the different languages youre learning, a skill that will make you a more effective two-in-one language learner.Now, if youre th e skeptical type, you might be thinking: But didnt you say its important to minimize the confusion factor and keep the two languages separate? So arent exercises like mixing up flashcards and translating between the two languages bad ideas?Well, I submit to you that although its important to pick two very different languages to avoid confusion, going back and forth quickly between the two languages youve picked paradoxically helps you keep them separate. Practicing switching from one language to the other at the drop of a dime will help you build the flexibility necessary for keeping the two languages separate and alternating back and forth without getting overwhelmed.8. Try Learning the Same Topics in Both Languages at the Same TimeSince youre probably already planning your two-in-one language learning schedule out in advance (if youre not, dont say I didnt warn you!), experiment with taking things a step further and actually plan to do some of the same topics in both languages at once.Why go to the trouble of doing this? The answer comes from a psychological effect known as “priming.” Priming has to do with how the things you think about now affect the things you will think about in the future. For example, if I were to say the word “cat” and then ask you to immediately list ten words that come to mind, its more likely that “dog” would be one of those words than “potato”â€"youve been “primed” to think about things related to cats.Similarly, if you learn the word for “cat” in Spanish and then go to learn the same word in Chinese, youll find that you already have cats on the brain, so the word in Chinese “sticks” in your memory more easily. Going from Spanish “cat” to Chinese “potato,” on the other hand, requires a bit more overhead because you have to shut down the little part of your brain that thinks about cats and fire up the section of your brain that deals with potatoes. Switching from Spanish “cat” to Chinese “d og” is less work, since dogs are associated with cats.On the other hand, if you really want to learn Spanish “cat” and Chinese “potato” at the same time, just make the two words more closely associated in your mind by taking a look at this picture (or this or this)â€"youll never again be able to think of cats without also thinking of potatoes!9. Be AdaptableRemember that ultimately, only you can judge how well your learning strategies are working for you. Take note of how things are going (a journal is a great way to do this) and adjust your language learning roadmap accordingly. The more adaptable you are, the easier it is to learn languagesâ€"and, happily, the more you learn languages, the more adaptable you get! This is, well, doubly true when youre learning two languages at once.Maybe the most exciting aspect of learning two languages at the same time is being on the cutting edge of language learning. People have often shied away from doubling down on language learning because, approaching two-in-one language learning the same way theyd approach one-at-a-time language learning. They come to the conclusion that the challenges of studying two languages at once outweigh the benefits. As a result, there is less information out there on learning two languages at the same time, simply because fewer people have done itâ€"which means you are in an excellent position to discover interesting new language learning techniques along the way.So take the tips listed here, go for it, and let us know if you find any cool new tricks while youre at it! And One More ThingIf youre digging these strategies, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has intera ctive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website  with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the  iTunes  or  Google Play  store.