How to Structure Your Guitar Practice for Ideal Results

How to Structure Your Guitar Practice for Ideal Results Suzy S. Struggling with your guitar practice? If youre not improving as much as you expected, poor practice habits might be to blame. Revamp your attitude and your routine with this advice from Clearwater, FL   teacher Jeremy R I’ll never forget the first time I saw it. I couldn’t believe what the tablature was saying. Here in my hands was the Steve Vai guitar workout. It was an amazing assortment of flying fingers and knuckle-breaking speed. I took it home and for hours attempted the same type of craziness that Vai pulls off so fluently. After about two weeks I was able to play half of the simplest of the exercises, but not very well. I persevered but after a month still wasn’t making very much progress. As I became increasingly frustrated, I stopped doing the Vai exercises and soon moved on to playing something else. What I failed to realize was that I wasn’t Steve Vai, accomplished guitar virtuoso. I was Jeremy, who had been playing guitar for two months. There was no way that I was going to be able to play like Vai in the one or two weeks that I would have liked. I tell you this story to illustrate the importance of having a regular and regimented practice routine. The goals and milestones will always change over time, and your focus may change as well. The formula for effective practice, however, has and always will be the same. It is a story of incremental progress and inspiration. I like to break my practice down into 30 minutes. Sometimes I might practice more, but never less than 30 minutes. Some teachers recommend practicing two or three times a week for 30 minutes. This is normal and good. Too much practice and you will risk burning out. Too little of a challenge and you’ll be bored with mindless scales until your next lesson. Heres a good breakdown of 30-minute practice session: The first 10 minutes: During my first ten minutes I review the things that I have been working toward. This is as much of a warm-up for me as it is keeping recent techniques in my memory and fresh on the fretboard. For instance, if I was working on bending strings last week, I play ten minutes of blues with string bends, etc. Second 10 Minutes: This is where the hard work comes in. I try to tackle something new. It doesn’t have to be technically difficult. Maybe it’s putting expression in a song and playing with conviction.   Music is so cool because it doesn’t have to be a blistering shred of notes that fly off the fretboard to be amazing! Third 10 Minutes: This is my favorite part. It’s doing something fun on my instrument. For example, I might turn on the radio and play along to whatever song is on. It’s an interesting challenge and its fun to learn songs that wouldn’t necessarily be my preference. Its important to remember to take a break after the half hour. If you want to keep playing, great but you do need a break.  Do this regimen three to four times per week for a month and you will make great strides in short time, because you’re working smarter and not harder. Now go forth and rock the world! Jeremy R. teaches bass guitar, guitar, singing, Broadway singing, music recording, music theory, songwriting, speaking voice, trumpet, acting, French horn and upright bass lessons to students in Clearwater, FL.  Find a teacher to book lessons today! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by blah blah photosblah blah blah

Exercising Safely with a Personal Trainer

Exercising Safely with a Personal Trainer Good Practices from Personal Trainers to Exercise Safely ChaptersHow Can You Work Out in the Best Possible Conditions?Your Relation with Your Personal TrainerYour Personal Trainer’s ResponsibilitiesOur Advice for Exercising SafelyThere are millions of people up and down the country who are working on their health and fitness in clubs or just for fun.If you're a professional athlete, you probably already get one on one training sessions and don't need to read this. In this article, we’re more concerned with with those whose personal fitness training takes place during their free time...Those doing sport for fun don’t often benefit from a fitness professional or certified personal trainer to ensure that they’re doing it right. This means that you run the risk of injuring yourself and hindering your progress towards your fitness goals. Even when you're in a group fitness class at a gym, you can't expect the instructor to keep their eye on your the whole time.You can avoid these types of annoyances and injuries by working with an accre dited personal fitness trainer who’ll know exactly how you should be exercising and will teach you safe training techniques. With the fitness industry booming, the gym isn't the only place you can do cardio or aerobic exercises, pilates, strength training, or just get fit. You can now do almost everything you can do at the gym at home (with the obvious exceptions like swimming and playing football or squash!).One of the most important aspects of a good coach is their enthusiasm (not to mention having a personal trainer certification). This enthusiasm for making people healthier is often why they decided to become a personal trainer. Your only worry will be how to match their enthusiasm towards your fitness training.Enjoyment is very important when working out and a personal trainer can help you enjoy every one of your personal training sessions and keep you motivated.In fact, personal trainers need to have a number of important qualities: they need to be able to communicate well, push you to your limits, motivate you, inspire you, be diplomatic, organised, and patient, as well as having an impeccable knowledge of human anatomy and nutrition.However, a coach’s most important quality is ensuring that you can exercise safely without injuring yourself. Most coaches with a personal training certification will conduct a fitness assessment during their free taster session so that they're aware of any preexisting conditions and how far they can push you without running the risk of injury.The German sports scientist Jürgen Weineck describes warming up as “All the measures taken to ensure an optimum state of psychological and physiological preparation for training or competition while at the same time playing an important role in injury prevention.”Generally speaking, it’s getting your heart and muscles ready.  Quality training is the best way to avoid injury and that's where a fitness instructor can help!Get informatoion about fitness classes near me here. C alumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPh ysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Work Out in the Best Possible Conditions?You should consider the exercises your coach recommends as a template to follow for the rest of your sporting life. This is one of the advantages of having a personalised fitness trainer. Even once you've stopped working with them, you can still enjoy the benefits.Their personal training qualifications attest their ability to keep you safe. If you don’t often exercise or do sports, a personal trainer can help you to learn as well as teaching you the right way to train safely.Your personal trainer will make sure that you're exercising safely. (Sour ce: Fancycrave)At the start of the training programme you decide upon with your personal trainer, you mightn’t immediately feel comfortable with the activities they have you doing as you've never done anything like them before in your life. However, after a few sessions with them you’ll be able to see the progress you’re making and you'll get used to them.Throughout the whole process, your personal trainer will teach you the best techniques for you to adopt in order to avoid injury while you’re exercising.Depending on the sport you’re training for, your personal trainer may have you practising in a variety of different places. You might be working out in gyms, health clubs, pools, running tracks or a football pitches, or in the comfort home.Each coach will have to carefully work out the best places for you to exercise in order to make the most progress and in order to ensure that you’re always exercising safely.As they get to know you better, your personal trainer will c ontinue to adapt their sessions to you. They’ll even work around your schedule and find the best times that work for you. When you take part in this kind of programme, you’ve decided to get involved as well as deciding to take your coach’s suggestions on board, too.You should always listen to your coach's suggestion since they are there to ensure that you’re exercising in the safest way possible.Your Relation with Your Personal TrainerOne of the advantages of having a personal fitness trainer is the interpersonal professional relationship you develop with them. If something doesn’t work for you, don’t hesitate to tell them and they’ll work out a way to make things better. If they can’t make things better, you’re well within your right to find another coach (depending on your agreement with them).Your personal trainer will also ensure that you have a friendly professional relationship with them. It’s very important to understand that no matter who you are, you’l l get no preferential treatment over any of your personal trainer’s other clients.Don’t ever try to get any preferential treatment from your personal fitness coach. They'll swiftly remind you that they’re a consummate professional.The aim is to work together to achieve your objectives while maintaining a professional relationship. This professional relationship ensures that your coach can always be looking out for your safety and well-being.Your personal trainer will put together a personalised programme for you. (Source: pixabay.com)A good coach is focused on your safety, well-being, protection, and improving you as effectively as possible.Each person is unique and has their own needs and body type. That’s why a personal trainer will concern themselves with these differences during a session. Their goal is to find the perfect balance between your physical and mental development while achieving your goals.The relationship between a personal trainer and their client is largel y based on trust. It is possible that during your sessions that your coach may be obliged to make physical contact with you in order to help you.  They will also be very clear and assure you that this is part of the coaching process.Every personal trainer will ensure that none of their actions are misunderstood and are in accordance with the good practices that were outlined in their coaching qualifications.Your Personal Trainer’s ResponsibilitiesYour personal trainer is responsible for helping you train in a safe environment. They must be able to assure you that there are no potential risks both in terms of the exercises you are doing and the area which you're exercising in.You should be given information on emergency exits and first aid for your own safety.If you decide to exercise in a room that isn’t designed for sporting activities, your personal trainer must take particular care when it comes to items such as radiators and windows in order to avoid injury. Your personal tr ainer should also ensure that the equipment you’re using has been checked and is in working condition.Make sure you're training correctly. (Source: Mali Maeder)Your coach may organise training sessions in places outside of where you usually train. In this case, your personal trainer should make sure that the location is clean, free of dog waste, class, and any other items that may cause injury.Before starting training, they need to ensure that the area is free of any potential risks.  They should also take the weather into consideration. This isn’t just because it isn’t as fun to train in the rain. In fact, some people prefer exercising in the rain. However, your personal trainer should ensure that adverse weather conditions won’t cause you to fall and injure yourself, for example. A nasty fall will very quickly break the trust you have with your personal trainer. They should always keep this in mind when they’re planning your sessions.Our Advice for Exercising SafelyHere are a few things to ensure your safety when exercising:Be safe when you're working out. Source: pixabay.com)Exercise in a safe environmentRespect your physical conditionEstablish a relationship of trustMake sure you’re well prepared for your workouts (warming up)Be aware of any potential environmental risks and dangersCommunicate as much as possibleRespect the safety rules of the places where you trainMake sure the equipment you’re using is in good conditionEvaluate your level to ensure that you’re carrying out the right exercisesCheck the weatherGet nutritional adviceIn theory, all good personal trainers will do all of the above for you in order to ensure that you can train in the best possible conditions. So don't be shy of trying out one of our Superprof trainers through a free first session - you will soon see that personal trainers are more affordable than you think anf give excellent results!Look for 'personal trainers near me' to see how you could transform your body.

Learning the Different Chinese Tones

Learning the Different Chinese Tones Learn the Chinese Tones Chapters What Are Tones? The Importance of Stress in Chinese Everything You Need to Know about the First Tone (??) Mandarin’s Second Tone (??) The Third Tone in Mandarin Chinese (??) The Fourth Tone (??) A Fifth Tone? (??) How Can You Master the Tones in Mandarin Chinese?There are lots of Brits who struggle to learn foreign languages. In fact, many of us “study” a language the whole time we’re at school and somehow manage to leave without ever being able to speak it.The Chinese language (and the Mandarin variety spoken principally in Beijing, in particular) has a reputation of being difficult to master.Learning Chinese Mandarin, which is principally spoken in mainland China and Taiwan (Republic of China), can seem impossible and the writing system is almost impossible to decipher if you've grown up using the Latin Alphabet. Chinese pronunciation isn't much easier, either!When you learn Chinese, you’ll quickly come across the concept of tones as you start to get to grips wit h some basic vocabulary and phrases.It's not uncommon for a gifted learner to give up private Chinese tutorials do so because of the seemingly insurmountable challenge of mastering the tones in Chinese.Something that started out as a minor annoyance can quickly into a massive thorn in your side. It’s better to avoid this kind of situation by getting to grips completely with this concept. You'll come across this almost immediately when you learn Mandarin so instead of shying away from this language learning challenge, why not embrace it and learn as much as you can during your Chinese lessons?Discover our tips for most effective Mandarin learning...   NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!D iscover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors What Are Tones?English, much like German and Dutch, is not a tonal language.  Mandarin, on the other hand, is. This means the same syllables in different contexts can be differentiated by using different pitches.Linguists traditionally identify 4 different tones in Chinese.  They can add a 4th dimension to Chinese languages which distinguish them from other languages by their use of pitch to change the meaning of syllables.Turn your vocal chords into a musical instrument and see how pitch can be used to distinguish the four tones in Mandarin.The different tones in Chinese are indicated by different accents when using the Pinyin writing system. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Thus, a syllable like “ma” (which is a common example used by Mandarin teachers) can have fo ur meanings depending on the tone used.  Tones in Chinese mean that several different phonetic interpretations of each character are possible.In comparison, with 9 tones in total, Cantonese has even more tones than Mandarin. This inevitably can lead to a huge number of misunderstandings for non-native speakers of the language.If you're struggling with written Chinese, don’t forget about the Chinese Pinyin system, either! The Importance of Stress in ChineseMastering tones in Chinese is essential if you want to speak well and make yourself understood.Intonation isn’t just used for expression emotions, after all. It’s used as an integral part of a sentence and should be considered as important to the meaning of a sentence as grammar is.  Imagine you want to be polite but instead say a swearword because your tone wasn’t right...With errors like this, it may be better to just focus on the tones and how Chinese is pronounced at the expense of learning the language.Of course, a beg inner isn’t expected to be able to decipher any given ideogram in their first year of Chinese classes. Instead, they can use Latin transcriptions of Chinese characters in order to better help them learn how to pronounce the words.  In this case, the tones are differentiated using different accents or “diacritics”.The best way to understand the importance of tones in Chinese is by looking at the Yuen Ren Chao’s Mandarin masterpiece, “The Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den”.  Throughout the poem, there is one syllable that keeps cropping up: shi.Without the use of tones, the text ends up completely incomprehensible when read aloud.  It should be added that this work was facilitated by calling the poet “Shi”, too.Also consider which variation of Chinese you should learn... Everything You Need to Know about the First Tone (??)The first tone in Chinese is arguably the simplest. It's a flat tone using a high pitch.  Logically, when written out in the Latin Alphabet, this to ne is indicated by a flat accent.  Let’s go back to the example we used before which will give us ma (mother) in the first tone.When studying a language, you should learn more about the culture and the cuisine! (Source: StockSnap)While this might seem easy, you need to pay attention: it can be very difficult to hold a note (given that your muscles tremble a little bit) and even harder when you have to hold a high note.Don’t worry about wavering in the beginning. If you remain calm and keep practising, you’ll get it!  The best way is to start with a quick “la” like a singer would do in their warm up exercises.Learn more about Chinese history, too! NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson fr ee!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Mandarin’s Second Tone (??)The second tone follows a rising curve: It starts low and gets increasingly higher.This uses an acute accent which points upwards just like the rising voice: má (to bother).It’s a bit like the intonation you use to answer the phone: “Hello?” The Third Tone in Mandarin Chinese (??)The third tone is probably the most unusual one for Europeans to pronounce.  You don’t follow a straight route but rather descend from a mid-level tone before rising upwards to an even higher pitch.That’s why this tone is indicated in the Latin Alphabet using a caron, an inverted circumflex accent.For example: ma (horse).In English, the accent would be a bit like pronouncing the word “what!?” as if you’ve been completely shocked by what you ’ve just heard.  As you can see, the third tone in Mandarin is probably one of the most complicated ones. It can sometimes seem completely impossible to say in certain sentences...Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules, too.Both the writing and pronunciation can be difficult for beginners. (Source: Bukejiuyao)If the third tone appears in a sentence followed by another third tone, the first of the two is actually pronounced like the second tone while both of them are still written as third tones.Generally speaking, when the third tone is followed by another tone (of any kind), it’s cut more so than it would be on its own and doesn’t rise as high.  This makes it easier to speak but harder for learners to distinguish it.Find out more about Chinese multilingualism...   The Fourth Tone (??)The last tone in Mandarin Chinese resembles the second tone but in reverse.  You start as high as possible (using the same pitch as the first tone) before steadily descending until y ou reach the same low point as the third tone.Unsurprisingly, this tone uses the grave accent (which points downwards) in the Latin alphabet: mà (to scold).  It’s a tone that can sound somewhat angry. You should pronounce it as if you were giving an order to somebody. A Fifth Tone? (??)Did you honestly think that we’d finished? Of course not!  While experts in Chinese generally agree that there are four tones in Chinese, there are lists where a fifth tone is added.  This is known as the neutral tone by specialists.It’s not as easy to hear as you might think. You’ll need a keen ear to be able to distinguish it.  This tone (or absence of tone, maybe?) is emphasised by an unchanging vowel: ma (an interrogative particle).Find out more about Chinese’s influence around Asia. How Can You Master the Tones in Mandarin Chinese?After reading about the complexities of tones in Chinese, you probably aren’t that interested in learning them any more!  However, you should grab the bull by the horns (or the dragon by the tail, perhaps?) and start practising. It’s not impossible, after all.Learning Mandarin Chinese isn't something you need to do alone! In fact, it’s very easy to get help from the comfort of your own home while sitting in front of your computer: You'll find absolutely tonnes of resources to learn Chinese online.Technology is great for those who’ve started to learn Chinese with a key goal in mind. You can listen to the language and find interactive and audiovisual resources to help you learn how to hear and use the different tones.Otherwise, you can always get Chinese tutorials from a qualified and experience private tutor. There are also plenty of academic establishments that are offering classes in Chinese either as night classes or as degrees in Chinese.When I settled on Chinese as my second language, I found a Superprof to give me Mandarin lessons!Private extracurricular organisations also offer group sessions and classes for younger studen ts wanting to learn Chinese since the demand for the language is increasing.A private tutor can adapt to the needs of their student. While nobody’s perfect, with just one student, an educator can focus on their strengths and weaknesses in order to ensure that they learn as much as possible during every hour spent with them.You could always travel to a country where they speak Chinese and work for either a Chinese or Western company. However, it can be expensive, complicated, and a long way to travel.If you’re not able to travel or attend classes, you could always do a correspondence course while looking for speaking activities on the Internet to boost your oral.Let us now shine a spotlight on learning Mandarin...  Are you looking for a Chinese tutor in the UK? Browse our catalogue of qualified tutors on Superprof.Chinese lessons LondonMandarin lessons LondonChinese classes Birmingham

A Day in the Life at University of California, Irvine

A Day in the Life at University of California, Irvine The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Wyatt is currently a junior at University of California, Irvine majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Los Angeles tutor specializing in AP English tutoring, Calculus tutoring, Essay Editing tutoring, and more. Check out his review of 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? Wyatt: I go the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and the campus is definitely very beautiful. It is centered around Aldrich Park, which is a large circular area roughly one mile in circumference with trees, open grass, and paths snaking through it. This makes it easy to get anywhere on campus; simply walk through the park and you'll reach basically anywhere in five minutes or less. The main options for transportation are commuting (which I do), living in on-campus dorms (and therefore needing no vehicle transportation), and living in slightly off-campus dorms. For the slightly off-campus dorms, and for anyone who needs to use them, there are shuttles that go from UCI to various housing areas to enable faster transportation. There are also bike racks on these shuttles so that you can ride your bike down to campus and then have the bus carry the bike back up when you aren't in a hurry to get to class. The downside to this is the shuttles are packed, and unless you have the schedule memorized, you can arrive at a bus stop right after a bus has left, and you have to wait for the next round. Personally, I have to deal with commuting and parking on campus very frequently, and I find that to be the one thing I like least about the campus. You have to pay a pretty hefty amount each month to get parking, but unless you actually live on campus, you cannot buy overnight p arking without paying $14.00 each night you do so. This makes studying all night with friends very costly, even though it is quite necessary sometimes. In sum, you do not need a car or bike, but having a bike is definitely nice for those times when you're out of sync with bus arrival, and having a car is great for exploring Irvine, as there are many great places to go if you just look around! VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Wyatt: The professors and TAs (teaching assistants) are very helpful in general when you go to their office hours and e-mail them. There has only been one professor that I've had so far that didn't respond to me within three to three hours via e-mail during the school week (of course, on the weekends it can take a little longer), and I am currently finishing my junior year here. Oftentimes, TAs are extremely crucial to your learning, and I've found that the people who think TAs and professors aren't available are really the ones who haven't taken the time to go meet them at their office hours or talk to them after class about their problems; most people are very shy in that regard. My advice, regardless of where you end up going for school, is to make sure you ask questions the second you don't understand something. The only dumb question is the one that isn't asked, and if you don't get it, there's a high probability your classmates don't either (unless you're consistently missing c lass). VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Wyatt: I have commuted for all three years, so I do not have a great deal of information on dorm life. However, rooms are shared generally between two to three people, and are rather small. Dining options are usually pretty good, since it is a buffet at most places, and the food has a lot of variety, including themed buffet bars like Mexican food day, Chinese food day, etc. However, some days their food of the day can be underwhelming, but their burgers are always really good! Dorms are located on either side of Aldrich Park, although between the complexes Middle Earth and Mesa, there is a trade-off. Mesa has much nicer dorm rooms, but is about five to ten minutes further from everything (except for the School of the Arts) than Middle Earth is. Middle Earth is close to most things, but the dorms are much smaller. However, each dorm has Resident Advisors, RAs, who keep you involved in various dorm activities and provide socialization options, so the dorms are very rich in that regard. 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? Wyatt: I am not exactly sure which majors are best represented/supported. I know there are many Biology majors, and many Engineering majors, but that could be simply because I basically live my life on the Engineering side of campus. I study Mechanical Engineering, as it is a field in great demand in society today, and there should be a good amount of jobs open when I graduate. I think there are many options open for people to get involved in extracurricular activities and learn more about new facets of their major, including ESC (Engineering Student Council) events, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) events, Engineering fairs, and many more activities, so in that sense I think the university cultivates great interest in my major, and supports it well. 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? Wyatt: It was very easy for me to make friends as a freshman. I looked at the club fair when I was a freshman, and immediately found ASME and VeVo (Vermillion Vocalists, an acapella group). Once I joined ASME and auditioned for VeVo and made it in, I made many friends, and also made friends with classmates in my major-specific classes, as we began to see each other every quarter for freshman year (and for the next two years). So making friends as a freshman is not difficult, it just requires you to go out and explore your options, and do what interests you. By doing that, you'll automatically find people who share hobbies with you, and that can be the beginning of a great friendship. Greek life can be either a big deal and a huge commitment or almost non-existent, depending on the people you hang out with and what you choose to do with your spare time. I personally am not affiliated with any fraternities, and so it does not impact my life at all. However, a friend of mine is in a fraternity and spends much of his free time planning and going to events for it. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Wyatt: I've heard many great things about it, and have been meaning to check it out, but I personally have not been to the Career Center. They do have a lot of information, though, and companies do recruit on campus at places like the Engineering fair. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Wyatt: The libraries are usually pretty empty in the early weeks of the quarter, but from weeks five through eight (midterms I and II) and week 10-finals week, the libraries can get very packed. You can always find space there, even if it is very packedyou just might not get to go to your favorite spot. There are many other random places on campus that have lounges, however, and some are quite comfy, quiet, and conducive to studying. I have a personal favorite place that I go to that has excellent wi-fi signal, free printing, long, luxurious sofas that I frequently nap on, and tables for working, but I seldom reveal where that is; I don't want it to get crowded! If you end up going to UCI, you'll have to explore to find it. 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? Wyatt: UCI is set in a very urbanized area, with downtown Irvine nearby, and many food options within a five to ten mile range of the campus, especially at the Irvine Spectrum, Diamond Jamboree, and The District (shopping centers). Here are a few suggestions for delicious food or a fun night that most people don't know about: -Mick's Karma Bar, about six to seven miles away. This place has burgers that are absolutely off the hook, amazing steak fries, and is set in the middle of a bunch of big business buildings, with a huge ring of palm trees encircling two half-circle pools of water, with neo-art benches situated on the outside. It is absolutely beautiful, and needless to say, it is a great place to take a date. My favorite is the fiery habanero burger with the strawberry-basil lemonade. -Cafe Rio, about ten to twelve miles away. A little bit further than Mick's, but this place is insane. Think of it like Chipotle, but with authentic Mexican food, even bigger portion sizes, and handmade real flour tortillas. Furthermore, they feature a delicious, creamy queso sauce that addicts every single person that I've had try it (including my lactose-intolerant girlfriend). -ImprovCity, less than five miles away. Located upstairs in Irvine Lanes, it's a little hard to find. However, for $10.00, you can have two hours of straight laughing, as these guys put together a great improv comedy show. Definitely merits a visit. These are just three places that stand out to me, but there are almost infinitely many to go to if you just drive down a major street like Jamboree and look at the places you pass. In sum, UCI is situated very nicely, due to its close proximity to many exciting, fun, or delicious establishments. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Wyatt: The student body is pretty huge, sitting at about 27,000 students. My class sizes really vary depending on what class it is. For a lot of Math and Physics classes, the classes were anywhere from 100-300 people. However, for Writing classes, I had 30 people in there, if that. Major-specific classes tend to be big as well, since everyone in that major has to take them, so an average Engineering class has about 300 students. This is good when you want to text or look up something on the internet or accidentally doze off, because its harder to be noticed, but this is bad for the same reason. I would advise, as I stated before, going to the professor's office hours to at least get some sort of facial recognition going (and to not sleep in classyou don't want to be the guy the professor notices and calls out in front of 300 people), so that you can possibly ask the professors for research advice/positions in the future. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Wyatt: While good experiences are definitely enjoyable and worthwhile, I find the most learning through my mistakes, and so here is the thing I most regret. The first quarter of my freshman year, I took entry-level physics (which everyone needs for general requirements). It was exceptionally easy, and without even studying, I aced the final and the class. To top this off, I had done well in all of my other classes that quarter, and so I grew complacent with Physics. The next quarter, I took Newtonian Mechanics. Still in an over-confident mindset from the past quarter's success, and unwilling to wake up in the morning at 6:00 or earlier in order to get to campus in time for my 8:00 a.m. class, I put the class on the back burners and missed many lectures. I scored a passable grade on the midterm, but still didn't realize I was making a huge mistake. Once the final came around, I tried to cram a bunch of end-of-quarter material, but was unable to do so, as Physics picks up in difficulty very quickly. I ended up doing very poorly on the final, receiving a D+ in the class (my first and only failing grade). I was absolutely livid (at myself) f or having done this. I spoke with my counselor, who said that a D+ in Physics was actually passing by the standards of the Physics department for that course, but I was obviously unsatisfied. I ended up retaking the course, actually trying this time, and got an A. From then on, I almost never missed class, and I take each class very seriously. The moral of this story is simply to not be lazy or complacent with any class, regardless of previous performance. Waking up for class at 8:00 is a real drag in college for some reason (it wasn't this painful in high school...), but it's just something that has to happen. Being there at every class is the only way to ensure that you can be as prepared as every other student in the class, and that you can therefore beat the curve. Check out Wyatts tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How MCAT Prep can Make a Difference in Your Score

How MCAT Prep can Make a Difference in Your Score 0SHARESShare MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is a tough exam and you definitely need online MCAT tutors to help you through. This is a very comprehensive test which analyses your knowledge in solving problems, principles of science, writing abilities and critical analysis. This test is now taken online. Under these circumstances your first mission is to find good but online MCAT tutors. They will sharpen your abilities in writing short analytical paragraphs. They will hone up your knowledge in biology and physics. They will interact with you daily to prepare you for the verbal reasoning session in the actual test. It should be clear to you at the outset that the MCAT is a tough exam and you need online MCAT tutors as much as you need your prep books. The core of your interaction will be constant practice in problem solving, subject knowledge, writing skills and verbal explanation. The online MCAT tutors will work with you at a convenient time and work diligently with you till you are so confident that you actually become eager to bell the MCAT. There is no doubt that MCAT prep will make a difference in your score. [starbox id=admin]

Finding Your Sound (of Music) as a Singer

Finding Your Sound (of Music) as a Singer Suzy S. Being a professional musician is a lifelong learning process. Even with years of experience, the best musicians seek out ways to improve at all times, such as by attending festivals and training programs. This summer, Philadelphia teacher Claire B. attended the AlpenKammerMusik Festival in Austria, exactly for this reason. Check out her story here Hi! I’m Claire and I teach voice lessons with TakeLessons. When new people ask me what I do and I say “I’m an opera singer” or “I sing classical music,” they nearly always ask, “Oh, where can I see you? Are you singing at the opera downtown?” That’s a tough question to answer. The thing is, even though I’m nearing 30 and have my Master’s degree, I’m not yet a full professional and I don’t have major singing jobs yet. Opera singers have to work their way up, and it’s a long haul. Most of us don’t have a fully developed voice until we are 32 or older, and that leaves us in limbo for a few years. Community theater, summer opera festivals, and training programs help us get experience as our voices settle and we perfect our singing. Working and studying in Europe is an option as well, since the audience is bigger for opera and there are more opportunities. I spent some time this August in Austria at an amazing chamber music festival and I wanted to share my experience with you. For two weeks, I spent about six to seven hours every day in rehearsal with other musicians and in solo practice, surrounded by the Austrian Alps. We were in Liesing, right next to the Tyrol (a.k.a. The Sound of Musics “The Hills are Alive” land!), and it was so small that they didn’t even have their own grocery store! The remoteness of the place let us really focus on our music assignments. Each morning, I’d get up early to go hike along the mountain road behind our rooms, and then have breakfast in the Gasthaus (guest-house, bed and breakfast). It was wonderful to be inspired every morning looking down on the valley and breathing in the morning mist. We used the Folk Music Academy building for our rehearsal space, and the hotel down the hill housed the performance area. I sang one piece by Ravel called Chansons madécasse (Madagascar songs) with piano, cello, and flute. It was so challenging, with tempo changes, random key shifts, and at times with me holding the piece together or singing totally alone. It’s not your usual classical piece with a full sound all the time, and it was such a good lesson on learning to trust your own ear while still keeping other totally sporadic parts in mind! We all came so far as a group in only 6 or 7 rehearsals. I also worked on song cycles by Schumann, Schubert, and a contemporary composer named Lori Laitman. The latter composer wrote a very moving piece using poetry by children in Theresienstadt, the model concentration camp in Czechoslovakia in World War II. There was a great emphasis on the text, and that set really helped me understand delivering a poem clearly and with meaning. Songs of any kind change when you mean every word. I wouldn’t trade my experience here for anything. I grew as a singer and performer, and I made great new friends as well as musical contacts on two continents! Hopefully all of us young professionals will benefit in the future from our time in Austria! Like this post? Join the TakeLessons community and receive exclusive updates, expert advice, tips and more!  Sign up for email updates here! Claire B. teaches singing, Broadway singing, performance, music theory, and opera voice lessons to students in Philadelphia, PA. She joined the TakeLessons team in October 2011, with her Bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters degree in Vocal Pedagogy and Teaching. Find out more about Claire, or visit TakeLessons to search for a teacher near you!

English Expressions and Idioms with Wind - English Lesson via Skype

English Expressions and Idioms with Wind - English Lesson via Skype Today lets talk about English homographs and in particular English expressions and idioms with Wind.There are over 160 homographs in the English language.One of them, for example, is Wind ['w?nd] (pronounced wih-nd) the wind is blowingandWind ['wa?nd]  (pronounced wy-nd) the road winds around the mountain.The same word the same spelling but with two distinct meanings and separate  pronunciations. Expressions and Idioms with Wind Here we take a closer look at some common expressions and idioms with Wind.THE WIND OF CHANGEthis means that something is happening after a long timeExample: The Government has been a centre part for several decades. However, the signs now are that a more right-wing party will take control. I can feel the wind of change.HE IS A BIT WINDYHe is not very confident and a bit weak. He will not take up the challenge.Example: He is afraid of heights. He will not climb that mountain, he is a bit windy.BLOWING IN THE WINDthere are rumours about that something will changeExample: People are talking about it. It is in the air, it is blowing in the wind.IT IS AN ILL WINDif something bad happens,normally theres something good for somebody elseWe can use this phrase when someone can benefit from anothers misfortune, thereby a positive outcome occurs. Good for some.Its an ill wind that blows nobody any good. the first use of this phrase was recorded in 1546.Example: I made lots of mistakes in my e xam but I learnt a lot by making those mistakes, its an ill wind.A STRAW IN THE WINDan incident, event, statement, etc that indicates how the future might developExample: Peoples reaction can be regarded as a straw in the wind. There are definitely some major changes ahead.TO WIND SOMEONE UP ['wa?nd]  We use this expression when we want to trick/fool someone. If we  know that a friend or colleague gets annoyed easily by something we wind him up.Example: It was only when we were leaving the club that we told him we were only winding him up.  WIND DOWN ['wa?nd]  to slow down or to begin to stop.Example: It is a holiday this weekend so people will begin to wind down their work on Friday.TO WIND THE CLOCK ['wa?nd]When the old clocks stopped working we had a special key we used to  wind the clock to get it to work again.Example: Wind the clock, please, were Gramdmas first words when we entered the house. English Expressions and Idioms with Wind Don't keep it to yourself, tell the world: English Expressions and Idioms with Wind GET THE WIND UPto become afraidExample: He got the wind up when he saw theye were after him.TAKE THE WIND OUT OF SOMEONES SAILSto put a sudden end to someones over-confidenceExample: One simple question took the wind out of his sails.GO LIKE THE WINDto move very fast and smoothly (a car, a fast athlete, etc)Example: If you would like to order a cake, please be quick as please be quick as they will go like the wind. 15 Common Collocations with Wind THE WIND BLOWSExample: A northerly wind blows from the north to the south.  THE WIND CHANGESExample: The wind suddenly changed direction and started to blow from the west.THE WIND GETS UPExample: When the winds get up, the kites come out.THE WIND DROPSExample: The wind dropped in the afternoon, and the weather became quite warm.THE WIND DIES DOWNExample: Gradually, the wind died down, and the clouds brightened.THE WIND WHISTLESExample: You could hear the wind whistles through through the small gaps in the door.TO CYCLE INTO THE WINDExample: Heading north is tricky, as youll have to cycle into the wind.TO SAIL INTO THE WINDExample: The ferry was 2 hours late, it was very difficult to sail into the wind.TO SHELTER FROM THE WINDExample: Im getting cold, lets shelter form the wind in that shop.STRONG WINDSExample: Airports are currently closed due to expected strong winds at midday.HIGH WINDSExample: High winds last night caused serious damage to our roof.AN ICY WINDExample: The icy wind cut right through me.BITTER WINDSExample: Their hands froze; bitter winds cut through their cotton clothes.  A LIGHT WINDExample: A light wind is the most favourable for fishing.A BREATH OF WINDExample: It absolutlely still. There wasnt a breath of wind. Collocations with Wind - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next:

Anaheim English Tutoring Four Points about Semicolons

Anaheim English Tutoring Four Points about Semicolons Tips From an Anaheim English Tutor: Semicolons Tips From an Anaheim English Tutor: Semicolons As a private Anaheim tutor, I often see the semicolon as an area of confusion and misunderstanding for my students; they have wild misconceptions of how it is supposed to be used and often believe it is something for only very advanced writing. Luckily, this confusion is not because the semicolon is a type of punctuation that is overly difficult to use; instead, it is because the semicolon is simply taught late and usually taught briefly. Semicolons are effective in many situations; they can connect thoughts in a more organic way, and they can avoid ambiguity in some sentences. Students in early years master punctuation like periods, exclamation points, and question marks; in later years learn to use commas, quotation marks, and apostrophes; and ultimately conclude with some education on semicolons, colons, and em dashes call TutorNerds today to book you private Anaheim English tutor. They are taught last, they are used least, and they are given lackluster, limited emphasis; but that is not to say that they should be taught last or that they aren’t useful and easy to learn. Now, semicolons may seem a little clunkier when they are used one after another in a single paragraph, but they can add some quality variety when used occasionally in your regular writing.   You can see some examples of how a semicolon can be used in sentences above.   Now let’s break down some key points to remember when using a semicolon to help you learn it.   This won’t be a thorough examination of the punctuation and grammar; instead, it will just help you know the main places you can use it and how to use it grammatically correct. Use it to combine two sentences. This is the most common use of the semicolon.   It is the main use in the first three sentences of this article and is also how the last sentence in the paragraph above uses it.   You can have transitions or conjunctions also to help connect the sentences, or you can just have the sentences be related by subject.   Use a semicolon when you could use a period and start the next sentence, but you want the two sentences to be more connected and show that they have similar significance. Check your grammar by replacing it with a period. If you are using the semicolon to combine two sentences (two independent clauses), then you should be able to replace it with a period and still have to complete sentences.   If you replace it with a period and suddenly it doesn’t make sense, then you used it incorrectly.   Both parts have to be full sentences on their own and not just phrases. Don’t capitalize the first word. Because it is used as a period, many students want to capitalize the first letter of the word following a semicolon.   Don’t do this.   It is still just one sentence, don’t add extra capitalization. Use it to clear up the confusion of too many commas. This is the less common use.   You can see it in action in the last two sentences of the first paragraph above.   If you have a “list of lists,” then the repetitive commas can be distracting or confusing to read.   For example: “The four teams each have specific colors on their uniforms: red, blue, and yellow, green and gold, black, brown, and orange, and magenta.”   This can be confusing or even ambiguous.   Use semicolons for the big list, and commas for the small ones inside: “The four teams each have specific colors on their uniforms: red, blue, and yellow; green and gold; black, brown, and orange; and magenta.”   You can use a semicolon in place of a comma in a compound sentence if you feel there are too many commas complicating the sentence, like in the last sentence of the first paragraph (this is an uncommon usage of the semicolon). The first three points will help you get through almost all of your semicolon usage grammatically correctly.   The fourth point is far less common but helpful to know in case you see it.   The best way to get better at using it is to practice; so start adding some semicolons to your writing to create beautiful, complex sentences! Michael C. is currently a private math, science, and standardized test tutor with TutorNerds in Irvine and Anaheim. All blog entries, except for guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.