How to improve grades when you are under performing

How to improve grades when you are under performing 0SHARESShare The importance of having good grades throughout the year especially since middle school needs no stressing upon. Good grades lead to a good GPA and improve one’s chances of getting into prestigious colleges. If you are not performing well, there is a dire necessity to improve your grades right away and we have collected a few tips and tricks from teachers and online tutors to help you do so. 1: Analysis is the key to success and good grades Finding out where you are lacking or what is causing your low GPA is important. Are you consistently doing poorly in all subjects or is one subject pulling your grades down? Similarly, finding out why you are performing poorly in certain subjects when compared to others could help you improve. For instance, if you are missing classes or finding some subjects difficult or having problems with the teacher or not faring well because of lack of practise â€" whatever the reason, arriving at the root cause of it is important and this is why you should analyse where you are going wrong. 2: Time management is important This is true with everything in life and especially important when you are a student. When you are in college, you could be working part time and will find it increasingly difficult if you don’t learn it now! Studies suggest that doing things regularly at the same time is very important. Set aside time for homework and assignments everyday and manage to stick to your schedule. Beat the laziness in you and work diligently every day. In fact, when you study every day, it won’t seem like too much as opposed to when you pile it all up and try to do it in a day or two. 3: When in doubt, seek help If you aren’t clear with something, get your teacher’s help. If you still find it difficult, get a friend’s help and if all else fails, hire a personal tutor and get your doubts clarified. Today, online math tutors and science tutors are available round the clock and you can get your doubts clarified as and when you need help without having to pay a bomb! Also, with such tutors, you get personal attention which isn’t very easy to come by in today’s classes. Staying organized, being disciplined and simply doing your homework and paying attention in classes can help you get back on track! Good Luck!

What is it Like to Attend University of Washington

What is it Like to Attend University of Washington The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Sebastian is a 2012 graduate of University of Washington and currently specializes inOrganic Chemistry tutoring in Seattle. He acquired his Bachelors degree in General Biology. See what he had to say about his school: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Sebastian: Overall, the transportation was very good. If you were to travel there by car, there are plenty of parking places, but you do have to pay for them, so travelling by car is a bit expensive. People who live nearby (and there are plenty of options for that, ranging from dorms to apartments) are able to bike, or just walk. Personally, since I lived in Edmonds, which is about 20 minutes away from UW by car, I chose to take the bus. And living pretty far from the campus was actually not too bad. There were a lot of bus options to get there, whether I had to be there early or late, and it took me about an hour to get to school. In terms of safety, there are always a few reports every now and then, regarding stealing or some other violent acts, but never anything that led to fatal or severe consequences. To solve this issue, UW has implemented a policy, where you can contact a service that will personally pick you up and get you to where you need to go, within reasonable limits. A nd this service was completely free and often a good idea to use during the evening. Therefore, in terms of transportation and safety, the campus was really good. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Sebastian: For me, this really depends on the class. The larger, more general classes did not have too many office hours, since the professors were usually involved with other activities, such as research. The smaller classes, however, had plenty of one-on-one opportunities with the professors, so you could easily find extra time to catch up if you are falling behind. Personally, in the larger classes, if you are having trouble, I would recommend trying to set up a study group or find a personal tutor that would be able to work with you at a convenient time. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Sebastian: This is where I cant really answer the question, since I lived at home, with my parents. Therefore, the dorm life is not really familiar to me. However, in terms of socializing, there are many clubs available to students that post regular events that vary from parties to simple movie nights and various other activities. The clubs serve so many different purposes, ranging from representation of specific countries to different hobbies; you would always be able to find some place to fit in. Aside from that, there are opportunities for various parties that happen closer to the weekend and other events that are specific to the university, such as sports games, parades, etc. As for dining options, that was one of the best things about UW. Very close to the university, there is a street that is full of restaurants and bars, and there is always a place to get something to eat or to just have a few drinks with friends. The places are usually filled with people, and so are pretty en ergetic and have a good atmosphere. 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? Sebastian: I majored in General Biology, and therefore, am not too familiar with other majors. As for mine, it was pretty well supported. There were certain tutoring groups that were available to help out, and the advisers were also extremely helpful in setting up a working schedule for you. I definitely made use of the advisers in the Biology department, and was easily able to set up a class schedule that worked really well with the jobs and other extracurricular activities that I had going on at the time. 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? Sebastian: Im not sure about Greek life (I honestly dont really know what that means exactly), but in terms of making friends, I met a lot of people in my classes, with whom I still hang out today, even after I have graduated. I met a lot of students who I studied with at first and then ended up hanging out with, after our classes ended or I finished everything at UW. As I mentioned previously, attending clubs or signing up for various events or parties is a great way to meet people, since everyone is relaxed and not worrying about homework. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Sebastian: This one I cannot answer at all, since I never used the Career Center. During UW, I had a really good job of being an Organic Chemistry tutor, and when I graduated, I found a retail job and still continue with tutoring. Therefore, most of my financial matters were solved personally. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Sebastian: The libraries are very good. There are many libraries that are available to study at, and also plenty of study rooms that you are able to reserve. The study rooms were a perfect place to gather study groups in, since noise is not an issue, and everyone is able to participate in discussions, without worrying about bothering the people next to you. The libraries also have very helpful staff, if you are writing a research paper. There were multiple times when my starting point was to simply go to one of the main libraries, and talk to the staff there about where I should begin with my research. The only negative thing that I could mention (and it is not too big) is the availability of computers. There is only one library that has a large computer section, and if you are planning on getting together with a few people and need to find several computers next to each other, that could be pretty difficult, especially during the day, when the libraries are pretty full. If you only need one computer to do some work, however, it is not a problem. 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? Sebastian: UW has a small town called the U Village, located very close to the campus. The place has a few restaurants, grocery stores, and shopping centers. However, the place where most people go is the street right next to the university, commonly called The Ave. As I mentioned above, the street is filled with amazing places to eat, bars, coffee places, and just a lot of really cool places to relax after school. Furthermore, UW has one of the best fitness centers I have ever been to. The IMA contains a large pool, multiple basketball/volleyball/tennis courts, an inside track, weight rooms, and more. The place is absolutely amazing and definitely worth using, if you are a student at UW, since it is completely free for those who are enrolled at the university. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Sebastian: This really depends on the class you are taking. If you are taking a general class (such as general biology or general chemistry), there will be a lot of people there maybe around 500 or 600. However, once you finish the general classes and begin taking the more specific ones (the courses that really belong to your major), the class sizes decrease dramatically. Some of my smaller classes contained only about 20-30 people, which was a really nice change. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Sebastian: My most memorable experience was with my Organic Chemistry professor. When I began taking the class with him, I really enjoyed his teaching method, and would often stay for office hours, just to discuss certain things or to study with friends. After a while, we got to know each other pretty well, and he allowed me to be a TA for the first and second quarters of his Organic Chemistry classes. This briefly introduced to the world of teaching and I truly enjoyed the experience. I began making connections with the various students to whom I was explaining the many concepts of the class, and thus, private tutoring came up as a possible job opportunity. It is from that point, that I began tutoring and gathering students, some of whom I am still in contact with today. Check out Sebastians tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Study Tough Physics Topics

How to Study Tough Physics Topics Physics is a subject that suits students with high caliber and intellectual capabilities. Still, many students want to choose the subject for the avenues it open ups in the career world and lucrative offers they can gain thereby. Learning Physics involves understanding of very many tough topics along with related formulas, theorems and problems. Thus it proves to be a Herculean task to sit for Physics homework, assignment and test preparation. Following techniques help you learn tough Physics topics with ease Focusing on physics as a whole All the important points and ideas in a tough topic should be linked together and imagined as a whole.   For this, you need to bring all the details of your lecture notes, text and other sources together in a logical order. Then, you go ahead with terms, vocabulary and applications you need to memorize in the topic. College Grade English Tutor-Why Is He Worth Searchi https://t.co/yqRFUBxWsR â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) March 4, 2016 Finding your method of studying Some may learn through visual pictures.   And may learn through metaphors and analogies. They learn through teaching to others. Some may like to quiz themselves. Find out which way suits your learning and make it your own. An Online Physics Tutor teaches you these methods in a private environment and thus helps you learn any difficult topic in the subject at your pace. Getting feedback for your learning Physics is a hard subject and you may forget what you learnt very easily. Get online resources for testing your knowledge in a topic through puzzles, questions, worksheets and quizzes and have an idea about your understanding of the topic. Read lots of books When you try a tough topic in Physics, try to read books that may bring some additional information about the topic. Might be you can get some illustrations and analogies that help learn the topic with more ease. An online Science tutor comes in handy in this scenario as he can show up a treasure of books for you and update your ideas about the topic. If you contact tutors of Tutor Pace, they will browse the related material together with you and help you learn the topic in-depth. How to #Supercharge Your Confidence with Online #Math Tutor? https://t.co/VQ45EFLxmk â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) March 3, 2016 Train your mind to do difficult topics You can train your mind to learn difficult topics through relaxation techniques. Taking short breaks during tough learning process is a relaxation technique to energize your mind. Assignment help in Physics-saves your time Many times, assignments in tough topics in Physics may cause worry to you as they can be beyond your capacity to solve. Physics assignment help from online tutors can be the best remedy for your struggle. Avail the help at the earliest to save time and score well in Physics assignments. Doing tough topics in Physics is a matter of practice through some smart strategies. Follow them to ace the subject.

Russian Culture at a Glance

Russian Culture at a Glance The Most Important Aspects of Russian Culture ChaptersThe 10 Most Famous Russian SongsFamous Russian Figures to KnowThe Best Russian SeriesWhat Are the Most Famous Russian Radio Stations?“The whole world recognizes Russia's cultural achievements. It is impossible to imagine the world culture without Russian culture, without our music and literature.” - Vladimir PutinWhen we talk about Russian culture, we also are referring to famous people like Chekhov and Tolstoy, as well Russian history, the Russian revolution, the Russian president, and the Orthodox Church. For example, an important part of Russian culture is the 11 national holidays such as International Women’s Day (????????????? ??????? ????, 8 March), Orthodox Christmas (????????? ????????, 7 January).In this article, we’re going to have a look at Russian culture, famous Russian songs, Russian celebrities and figures, Russian TV shows, Russian radio stations, what you need to know about Russian culture, and how this knowledge can help you study the Russian languag e.So are you ready?Let’s go! LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe 10 Most Famous Russian SongsWhat would a patriotic Russia be without its famous music?From Katioucha to Kalinka, here are the most famous Russian songs! It goes without saying that traditional Russian music has had an important influence on modern Russian popular culture. In fact, traditional Russian music covered plenty of topics, even war.Not all Russian music has a balalaika! (Source: falco)The song “Kalinka” is essential. It’s a metaphor for women’s natural beauty, something which made the song hugely popular. It was composed by Ivan Petrovich Larionov in 1860 and was performed by many, which eventually led to its folk music version.The song “Katioucha” is a traditional Soviet song, just like the song “Kombat”, the song created by Igor Matvienko in 1996. The same is true with “Farewell of Slavianka”, a patriotic Russian war that honours events from the First Baltic War (1912-1913).Russia hasn’t always been so serious, though. The “Trololo” song showed a more playful side to Russian culture. The iconic singer Eduard Khil showed the smiley side of the Russians with his non-lexical vocable version of “I Am Very Glad, as I'm Finally Returning Back Home”.There’s also “Podmoskovnye Vechera”, which was written by Mikhail Matusovsky in 1955 and became the theme tune for Radio Moscow, which h elped people hear the song regularly. It was performed by Vladimir Troshin and the words were changed following a request from the Minister of Education as it talked about Leningrad rather than Moscow.There are plenty of songs that were composed in Russia that were unexpected successes. The song “Dorogoï Dlinnoyu” is a traditional Russian gipsy folk song. It was translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian, Persian, and Hungarian and was famously covered by Paul McCartney and Dalida.Symbolism is never far away in Russian culture and the song “Alyosha” was composed in 1966 by Eduard Kolmanovsky. The song is about the Alyosha monument in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The monument honours the Soviet soldiers who died during the occupation of Bulgaria during the Second World War.Speaking of symbolic songs, there’s also the song “Rumka Vodki na Stole” (Glass of vodka on the table) which is both unusual and very cliché. Vodka is an essential part of Russian culture and the song d escribes it perfectly. It was written and performed by Grigory Leps and was a success in Russia, especially at the end of the soviet era.Finally, some songs like “Ostrov Nevezeniya” (The Island of Misfortune), a popular song that’s been performed by several groups.You can check here for a Russian language course London.Learning a Russian song can help you improve your Russian.Of course, when you want to learn about the civilisation itself, you should probably read a history book.Famous Russian Figures to KnowBy looking more closely at the history of Russia, you’ll see that the country isn’t as far from Europe as you might have first thought. For example, the Countess of Ségur and Alexander Pushkin were both born in Russia but spent a lot of time in France. The people who are famous in a given culture can tell us a lot about the culture of the country, especially Russia.As the world's largest country, Russia is home to a lot of people and a lot of famous people. (Source: s hbs)Let’s start with Russia’s imperial history, Ivan the Terrible, an important historical figure who started the Tsarism in Russia.Then there was Peter I (or Peter the Great), became the Tsar of Russia in 1682, then the Emperor of all the Russias in 1721.Catherine II, nicknamed “Catherine the Great” was Empress of all the Russias from 1762 and was part of the Romanov Dynasty.Finally, Nicholas II or “Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer” was the last Tsar in Russian history and reigned from 1894 to 1917 when the revolution began.Russia is the “Land of the Tsars”, after all.After the Tsars, Vladimir Lenin, a Marxist political theorist, led a revolution that brought communism to Russia and spelt the end of the Russian Empire and its monarchs. This was followed by Stalin’s dictatorship and the creation of gulags.Mikhail Gorbachev is also well known as he was the last president of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) before it collapsed in 1991. Gorbachev’s Pe restroika movement and his glasnost (openness) policy reform brought Russia closer to the West.Politically-speaking, Russia is a Federal Republic with a President who works at the Kremlin.There are plenty of famous Russians in the world of arts and literature:Alexander Pushkin, a poet.Nicolai Gogol, a dramatist.The Countess of Segur.Olga Khokhlova, a Russian ballerina.Rasputin, a Russian mystic.Andrei Sakharov, a physicist and human rights activist.Who are your favourite famous Russians?Find out more about famous Russian figures.The Best Russian SeriesWhether you want to improve your language skills or learn more about the history of the Russian Federation, there’s nothing better than watching famous Russian films or TV series.Russia has a lot of popular TV shows. (Source: Pexels)If you’re starting out with Russian, you could check out “???? ? ???????” (Masha and the Bear). There are three seasons of the show and a total of 75 episodes for you to help you learn everyday Russ ian vocabulary. Since it’s for kids, the language is at a more basic level.Those who like comedy will enjoy “???????” (Interns) which follows in the footsteps of Dr. House or Scrubs and is one of Russia’s biggest comedy shows.If you want to learn more about Russian literature, there’s the series “Dostoevskiy”, which provides a realistic portrayal of the life of the author. A great show to watch if you want to become bilingual in Russian.There’s also Fizruk, another Russian sitcom. This is the story of a man who was once the security director for Russian businessman who now finds himself working as a PE teacher in a Russian secondary school.See some recommended Russian lessons here.What Are the Most Famous Russian Radio Stations?Whether you want information or to listen to music, Russian radio is still one of the best ways to do it. It’s also a great way to learn more about Russian culture. There are international networks like RT or Sputnik Radio.There are plenty o f radio stations around Russia. (Source: Pexels) So which radio stations should you listen to?You won’t miss a beat by listening to local Russian radio, especially stations that only operate in certain towns or cities. These stations will help you get local news and information on local events.These kinds of stations include:Russkoie Radio, ??????? ?????, for learning juicy details about Russian stars, fashion, or the winners of the Golden Gramophone Awards (??????? ?????????).Moskva FM or Peter FM, which has an online platform that can be accessed anywhere in the world to find out what’s going on in Moscow or Saint Petersburg.Most Russian radio stations also broadcast in the Causcasus (Georgia, Armenia) and the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania).There are also international Russian radio stations such as:AvtoRadio, ?????????, a station that is 10% speech and 90% music.Radio Echo Moskva, ??? ??????, which broadcasts 24/7 covering a range of different topics.Radio Mayak, ????? ????, a station that’s been around since 1964 and offers music and talk shows.There are also entertainment stations, like Russkie Piesni, ??????? ????? or Anekdoty, ????????, a station hosting debates.Whether it’s music, cinema, history, or art, you now know a few places where you can find it.So would you like to visit Russia?It's a big country that covers stretches from Eastern Europe across Asia and has interesting politics, history and culture. Whether you're interested in visiting near the Caucasus, Siberia, or the larger cities bordering Europe, Russia is a fascinating place.Before discovering all this Russian culture, you might want to consider getting Russian private tutorials so that you have a better understanding of the language since language and culture are inextricably linked and it's hard to understand one without understanding the other. You can visit Superprof today and start your search.

Europes Refugee Crisis A Listening Exercise

Europes Refugee Crisis A Listening Exercise The refugee crisis in Europe seems to be getting more serious. As the European governments and the EU struggle with decisions there seem to be a lot of citizens that are willing to help. Here is a listening exercise that is inspiring and hopeful for such a depressing topic.Answer the questions below in comments and we will respond.What is the difference between what is happening in Macedonia compared to a normal refugee camp?Why was the first young man warned by the Taliban?How often does she go to the train-tracks where the refugees are waiting to board?Who does she say is sleeping on the streets?Why should he walk by the train tracks?Why do the refugees need the Serbian papers?How many refugees did she see before June?These are people not _____.Do the local people in Macedonia support the refugees?Does she think the refugees should be able to seek asylum in Europe?Tell me your thoughts on the refugee crisis in Europe. Has your country agreed to take in refugees?

What are Best Online Learning Tools

What are Best Online Learning Tools With such a wealth of online learning resources available, it can sometimes be difficult to find the right online tools to fit the needs of your child. We explore several ways to adopt modern educational tools into your kids study time at home. Hopefully you can apply some or all of these tools to your child's learning. Do let us know how your child responds! Best of luck! Online teaching resources These online teaching sites, most of which are free, are a great resource for extra support. These are a few of our favourites. Resource Centre A collection of free resources created by some of our great tutors here at Tutorfair. Browse by subject to find logic games, worksheets and exercises  to use at home.   BBC Bitesize A great website for resources that can be a supplement to in class learning. Engaging and friendly, BBC Bitesize can help children have a clearer understanding of complex areas.   Khan Academy A non-profit educational organisation aiming to 'accelerate learning for all students of all ages'.  The website has thousands of resources available for free, including short youtube lectures covering mainly Maths and Science topics.   S-cool If your child is struggling with their GCSE or A-levels, S-cool can give much needed exam support.  Browse by subject to find revision  topics explained in detail followed by a selection of multiple choice and exam style questions to practice. Edplace Edplace has a vision to supply parents with good quality educational support. By subscribing to the site for a small fee, parents get access to 1000s of interactive  tutorials by qualified teachers in Maths, Science and English. All these resource can be very effective learning tools for children. They are particularly helpful when used alongside a tutor or a parent who can keep the child on track. Online collaboration Most children would agree that working at home can be a lonely, and sometimes isolating experience. To keep children engaged with their studies, online collaboration tools, such as skype, can act as a forum for students to share ideas, ask questions, and help each other through more difficult questions. Explaining complex ideas to a peer can be a very useful exercise in consolidating your own knowledge. This process allows you to find the areas that you still need to work on. Research suggests, after all, that kids work more effectively when they are in a collaborative environment that engages them! Make your own Podcasts We all know that podcasts are great way to engage with a subject. An even better way is to create your very own podcasts! Instead of just writing about a subject,  encourage your child to be an active learner and create a podcast around a specific topic. Working together on a project will help them think more proactively about the subject matter. The other upside with this tool  is that your child can then listen to their recording on repeat, helping to reinforce what they have already learnt. Later on they can also use this as a helpful revision tool. Online Drawing tools Bring out their creative side and encourage your child to adopt a variety of different learning styles. Using resources that engage visual, auditory and kinaesthetic have the best results for students learning new material. One great tool for this is to use online drawing tools, such as Sketchpad to communicate ideas through drawings and diagrams. Helping your child to learn more creatively is fantastic way of making them more successful learners! Online Tuition Most parents find the biggest benefit to having an online tutor is the convenience. Online tuition is the easiest way to find the right tutor, with the best skill set to help your child with their particular needs. Many tutors find that their students are generally very  receptive to an online tutor as they have grown up in a digital age and respond well to this kind of technology. Using  Tutorfair you can browse by subject a range of experienced online tutors from online Maths tutors to  online English Tutors  and online Biology Tutors   to find the right tutor for you. These are just a few helpful suggestions to find the right online learning resources for your child. As always let us know how it goes!

Write On! 3 Cool Ways to Get Solid Foreign Language Writing Practice

Write On! 3 Cool Ways to Get Solid Foreign Language Writing Practice Write On! 3 Cool Ways to Get Solid Foreign Language Writing Practice Speaking gets most of the press, but writing is a major part of learning a language.The benefits of writing while learning are majorly neglected, too.While  writing, you have all the time in the world to think, correct yourself and polish your work.Its a great flip side to  the adrenaline of speaking!Not only that, but it’s one of the four major skills involved in becoming proficient in a language, along with speaking, reading  and listening.Writing does come with its own challenges. However, it’s super easy to get started learning.So, you wanna get started writing in your target language? Well, let me tell youâ€"there are plenty of exciting ways to do that! No need to limit yourself to classroom essays or textbook exercises, especially if those aren’t your cup of tea.Follow these tips, and soon youll be taking advantage of awesome online resources and interacting with native speakers in order to improve your writing skills! Write On! 3 Cool Ways to Get Solid Foreign Language Writing Practice1. Journaling  OnlineEver wish you could get your attempts at writing corrected by native speakers? Well, with sites like Lang-8 and italki, you can! Thanks to  amazingâ€"and freeâ€"resources like these, you don’t need a tutor or teacher in real life to correct your  compositions.Both of these sites allow you to write a journal entry  in your target language, but with a social media twist.Sign up, make an account and get to writing! Native speakers will correct your grammar and vocabulary mistakes. Turnaround is fast, even for less commonly spoken languages.If you want a professional eye, italki is the ideal platform to hire a paid tutor.How to Get the Most Out of JournalingLang-8 and italki are great resources in and of themselves, but we can make them even more effective for learning how to write clearly and correctly.Write ConsistentlyThis can mean very different things for different people, so don’t feel bad if your writing schedule looks different than some one else’s. For example, a busy person with a full-time job and kids might be able to write only a post or two on weekends. A student with a more flexible schedule might be able to write a post three times a week, or even every day.The key here is to be consistent.If you write on Saturday mornings, always write a post on Saturday morning. If you make the commitment to write every day, then stick with it. The consistency will pay off far more than binge writing every now and again.If remembering is an issue for you, try setting an alarm on your phone or computer to remind you to get those words in.You can also ask questions in the comments sections to  clarify any confusing points you may have in mind.Add Some VarietyAdditionally, you can get the most out of journaling by writing about a wide variety of topics and in a number of different styles. Changing it up forces you to learn and use new vocabulary and grammar. It also  keeps things interesting for you! For instance, you could write:Movie/book synopses or reviewsFriendly letters (you don’t have to actually send them!)Personal essaysShort storiesPoetryEach of these suggestions has different requirements for style, so  you’ll probably end up learning more than you bargained for. Try not to fall back on writing diary entries on your daily life too oftenâ€"those can be great, but they’re limiting in terms of style and content.Remember Those CorrectionsFinally, make sure to practice the  corrected words and phrases you get back with an SRS (Spaced Repetition System).  SRS is a great tool for remembering vocab and grammarâ€"it forces you to review concepts that you struggle with or that have faded into the background of your memory.For one, you can use the unique SRS built into FluentU by importing any bits of your writing that have been corrected online. Youll get to practice it using FluentU multimedia flashcards and interactive games, and youll even get to hear how those words, phrases or grammar patt erns are used by natives in authentic videos from within the program.Alternatively, you can try out a more conventional flashcard app like Anki  or you can write out your own cards by hand.  To get the most out of your corrections here, enter the whole corrected sentence (in the target language) on the front of the card and your English/native language translation on the back. That way, you’ll be reminded of the correct grammar and word usage over and over.2. Venture into the Wild World of ForumsYou thought forums were a thing of the early 2000s? Think again!In many circles, online forums are alive and wellâ€"and they’re a fantastic way to practice a new language. Find a forum focused on an interest of yours (a hobby, profession, game, sport, etc.) in your  target language and have at it!There are tons of forums on every subject imaginable. For example, check out this French video game forum or this  Spanish movie forum. You could even just participate in general question and an swer forumsâ€"here’s Japanese Yahoo Answers! Simply Google “name of your hobby + forum” in your target language to see what’s out there.Forums are great places to get started interacting with native speakers. The low-pressure atmosphere combined with people who share your interests makes for a relaxing yet motivating learning experience.You’ll be interacting with folks outside of the world of language learning, which makes for more interesting conversation than you would find when just sticking to learning circles. To everyone else on the forum, you’re just another person who shares the same interest.However, this comes with a caveatâ€"while you can ask for corrections, your fellow forum-goers may not be as enthusiastic about teaching the language. Just remember to be polite and  say you’re learning!How to Get the Most Out of ForumsKeep It SimpleAt first, depending on your level, youll want to start out posting short, simple responses. Lang-8 or italki are the places t o practice long, flowery language. Here, just try to write without making too many mistakesâ€"and this usually means sticking with what you know really well. As people respond and you get the hang of it, you’ll end up writing longer responses.Imitate!By copying how other people write, you’ll learn plenty of slang words and casual sentence structures. This ain’t how your textbook teaches writing! Look up new vocab and familiarize yourself with terms about the subject matter of the forum.Participate in ChatroomsAnother relic from the past, right? Again, a lot of places online still have chatrooms, and theyre often in the same online communities as these forums. Chatrooms are a wonderful way to see people talk in something close to real time. Participating in a chatroom is great for learning to think on your feet in preparation for speaking with natives.You can also download HelloTalk  on your device to get your own personal chat going with a native speaker.3. Get a PenpalPenpals bring with them even more benefits for learning to write. Find one on sites like Conversation Exchange where you can specify that you want to practice writing (email or snail mail) rather than live speaking.Penpals will correct you, just like the native speakers using other online resources, but it will be a much more personal interaction. On Lang-8 or italki  , your post will be corrected by whoever finds it first. With a penpal, you get to know one person over time, and theyll become familiar with the types of mistakes you’re prone to making.Once you get to know one another, you can comfortably ask questionsâ€"or ask for brutal honesty about your writing. And considering that this isn’t a social media experience, a good penpal will take the time to answer you!How to Get the Most Out of Your PenpalBe Discriminating in Your Penpal SearchWhen you’re beginning your penpal search, try to find someone who’s just as committed as you are, someone who wants to practice English (or another language you speak natively) and is serious about writing regularly. When you find someone with similar goals, make a schedule so you’re always exchanging letters and emails!Youll also have better luck in establishing a long-term friendship if you look for someone who shares something in common with you. Shared hobbies, profession, life stageâ€"these can all provide subject matter to write about!Write Letters in  Both LanguagesSince these interactions are generally set up as language exchanges, your penpal probably wants to practice English or another language you know well. This is fine! Simply write your letters twiceâ€"once in your target language, once in the language your partner wants to practice. Ask your partner to do the same. This way, you get corrections on every letter, rather than taking turns writing in different languages.Pick Your Penpal’s BrainFinally, use your new friend for detailed info on grammar. They’ll be more able to tell you what “sounds ri ght”â€"the kind of nuance that’s always elusive to the language learner! It’s this kind of detailed learning that’s difficult to do on a learning site  or casual forum, so take advantage of your penpal’s insider knowledge! And, of course, provide them with the same helpful details on the language they want to practice, too!There’s a way to practice writing for every personality, so settle down and write something in your target language.After all, the only way to improve is to practice!

Dear Nicole Arbour and Fat People

Dear Nicole Arbour and Fat People (image courtesy of www.zap2it.com) The criticism Arbour has received has also been thoughtful and in some cases funny. Notable YouTuber David So has made a response video titled “Dear Skinny People” satirizing Arbour’s own video and pointing out obvious problems with Arbour’s video. The controversy has been a mixed bag for Arbour herself. Some claims have come forward that she was fired from a potential movie deal after the director saw the video, but confirmation was lacking on sides. Time magazine has said that Arbour meant the video to be a deliberate overreaction and satire in and of itself, poking fun at obese people rather than outright shaming them. Interestingly enough in Time, they claimed Arbour had 159,000 subscribers, but as of the writing of this article the number was nearer to 209,000. Most people have criticized this response in a twofold way. Firstly, the suggestion that this is a joke, even on a comedy channel, seems a bit odd. The video is very deliberate and not actually very amusing. There seems to simply be shock value in this video, not satire. The difference is that satire seeks to change the problem to be mocked in the video, in this instance fat shaming. The problem with this video is that it has not fulfilled the role it set out to fill that of a social indicator of a larger problem using humor. The second concern raised is whether this is tactful enough to even be effective at getting a meaningful response. The video certainly has been a spark to talk about larger problems. The issue of obesity is not a new one by any stretch of the imagination. America has been getting fatter according to a study published by the Jama Network Journal. Every day we seem to have some reminder that we Americans are fat. Just look at how other nations see us. They imagine a rude white obese guy with a beer in one hand and an American flag in the other. Well then would it interest the world to know that the majority of American adults are not obese? According to the CDC, 35 percent of America is obese. That is a large group of Americans: 78.6 million people to be exact. It is, you will note however, not the majority of Americans. America’s popular image is therefore reflective of a minority of people and not an accurate representation of America. At the same time, that group of Americans that experience obesity are a large minority and as such this is not a small problem. It is, like most however, not a simple problem. America’s obesity epidemic is disproportionately focused in the Southern and Midwestern states with Mississippi and West Virginia receiving  the highest average BMI ratings by the CDC consistently. (image courtesy of the CDC) These states correspondingly have the lowest GDP consistently. This link between poverty and obesity is well established. So the idea that it is just laziness or lack of exercise that leads to obesity is not entirely true. The cause is more rooted in diet and socio-economic status since the latter directly affects the former. The interesting thing to note is the socio-economic status and diet link in this problem. College students are an increasingly at-risk group for obesity. According to work done by the Journal of American College Health, college students have lifestyle factors, like those of disparaged citizens in West Virginia and Mississippi that adversely affected their BMI. The students studied pointed to being worried about or obsessing over food as well as lack of physical exercise as possible causes. Although the rate of approximately 22 percent obese was not as high as in other parts of the U.S., it is troubling to note that fat deposits put onto one’s body in early adulthood become increasingly difficult to remove because of lifestyle changes. Most adults seeking a college education will lead largely sedentary lives, sitting down for extended periods. This leads to back pain, decreased productivity, and more weight gain. While Arbour has stirred up much controversy with her viral video, she has also done the amazing job of sparking a more profound discussion of how we treat the obese, how we respond to this epidemic, and how we ourselves can fight bad habits to promote our own health and wellbeing.