Preparing for Post-Secondary Education in Grade 12

HAPPY NEW 2016 YEAR !!!!!
Hey, sweeties! I wish you all the best in the new year. The new year is always a wonderful opportunity to start something new, forget the sorrow and sadness and plan for the future!
In this pre-NewYear blog post, I want to address the grade 12 preparation for university, because in 2016, the majority of us will continue our lives in a new, unfamiliar, although exiting atmosphere!!!
So, there is a number of things you can do being in grade 12 to prepare yourself for success in post-secondary studies. Here we go:

1. Develop Work Ethics
Grade 12 is the time period, when you must work vigorously on your personal, as well as academic skills, such as time management, critical thinking, inquiry,etc. Before entering a college/university you have to understand that it is very different and much stricter than high school, so certain skills just must exist in your arsenal. 

2. Visit Open Houses
That's kind of fundamental to visit your choices, not only because you have to enjoy the atmosphere and the mentality of the institution, but also because you have to use the opportunity to ask questions. Prepare a list of questions such as "What kind of textbooks am I going to be taught by?", "If there a standard or a curve grading system?", "how many people apply vs how many people get into MedSchool from my program?" etc. and ask them all during your visit. Make sure to ask professors, the guidance councillors and the upper-year students to get a full-on perspective.

3. Сonnect Online 
Find your university's and preferably, your program's Facebook/twitter/etc. account and follow it to see how the life progresses. Also, use that opportunity to actually message people and ask them how they like the program and the university. 

4. Get Textbooks and Read
You will have a few months before your post-sec starts to actually, academically prepare for your studies. As you've asked questions during your visit, you should know which textbooks your program uses and if you feel like it, get them (from the library, or for cheap on eBay, etc.) and skim through them to familiarise yourself with the material. It will totally help you. Even though you won't understand some things, they will all make sense when the lecturing starts. 

5. Know Yourself
It's a huge tip! You have to know yourself when it comes to studying. Again, visit your institution and find a place or two where you would concentrate the best. Also, make sure you know what type of learner you are and what time of the day is the most effective for you. Make sure you know which method will be the most efficient to keep you organized and motivated. 

As soon as you've gathered all of that information, you will be absolutely prepared for the uni. 
Here's a quote I like: "Prepare for the worst; Expect the best". 
Happy New Year!!!!

Memorizing Anatomy

Hey guys!
Finally, a legitimate academical blog post! By the way, I've updated my "I Applied" blog post with a few changes! http://makestudyingalifestyle.blogspot.ca/2015/11/university-applications-i-applied.html
Last year, a had a pleasure of talking a Pre-Kinesiology course at school, which contained Basic Anatomy and Physiology of major body systems, as well as a more detailed anatomy of a musculoskeletal system. Overall, I really enjoyed the course and even applied to the Kinesiology program at McMaster University.
When learning a lot of words in a day, you have to have certain studying techniques. In this post, I've outlined 8 methods of learning anatomy, which will hopefully help you as much as they helped me last year. Before we start, I should mention that the main tip for learning anatomy is PRACTICING.


1. Labelling
Basic! Labelling must be practiced. When you're labelling, you are memorising. As simple as that. Label the diagrams until perfect. If you're having trouble with memorising so much, here is the help:

2. Colouring
For all of you guys who are visual learners, a good exercise is to colour. When you colour, you take your time to kind of think about the area which you're colouring and memorize the name of it better.

3. Draw
That method, I find, is much more effective than colouring; and I'm not talking about professional drawing here. I'm talking about very abstract anatomical diagrams. Here is one of my examples:

Here, I drew an abstract diagram of a given anatomical picture. I fitted everything into a rectangle, which outlines the general location of the organs given. Then, I looked at their names (located at the back of the flashcard) and a labelled the diagram accordingly. 

4. Mnemonic Devices

That method of studying is huge. An advantage is that you get to condense information by a dozen of times. Here is what I did:

I looked at the names of the parts of the sacrum and condensed them onto the written above mnemonic device. Keep in mind that you can "square" the letters which repeat, but the key of this method is to know perfectly the pronunciation of all names.

5. Order
If you know that your teacher uses the same diagram over again, try to label them in a certain order (downwards/upwards) which will help you on the test.

6. Hard First
This is rather a tip than a method. You should memorize the hard names first. By saying hard, I mean long, non-associable, funny words. (Such as Sternocleidomastoid).

7. Association
Some organs (often muscles) are hard to memorize, although on the other hand, if you know the associated body parts, it will be much easier to remember.  For instance, radius is a bone located in the forearm area, near ulna. The way to memorize which one is which, is to remember that you take radial pulse near the thumb, what means that radius is the bone closer to the thumb.

You can also associate certain body parts with regular words if you take time to think of it. For example, the bone humerus, is similar to the word "humorous". 

8. Song/Story/Poem

If you are very creative, write a little song, or a story, or a poem about a body part. It will be much easier and fun to learn the words that way. If you are not super creative, though, I'm sure you can look up stuff like that created by other people, and see if it helps you remember. 

Good luck! 

What's in My Pencil Case

Hey, guys!
Today, I'd like to write the tiniest blog ever, which will only contain the contents of my pencil case in a picture. Without me explaining why is every single thing there very important, I'll just tell you that I need a lot of supplies (such as pencils, markers or tape etc) for my extracurriculars: Student Counselling and Peer Tutoring Club. However, I feel like explaining why the flashcards are there. If I'm learning a new term, I instantly make a flashcard with it to review it later, conveniently, before the test. Here it is:

Studying With Colour

Hey guys! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 
I'm so exited for the New upcoming Year and I have lots of plans and goals!

Today, I want to talk to you about highlighting. There are people who like using different colours of pens, but I personally prefer highlighting, and I'll justify my choice as you proceed!

First of all, I want to show you the way I do it, to inspire you (if I can) to try the same method. I'm aware that a lot of people only use 2-3 highlighters, whereas I use all 6 colours while studying.
Firstly, I think you should have a little legend bar (stick it onto the course overview or smth), which tells you which colour goes for which thing. Keep in mind that it will differ slightly for every subject, due to the types of information given. I'll show you how I do it for Physics:

So, here is why I prefer highlighting:

1. Easy to Organize

If you decide to create flashcards, a study guide, or any other study tool you like, the highlighted information would be easier to organise.

2. Easy to Revise

Highlighting takes a bit of time, especially if you have 6 colours. When you've taken down all your notes, you will go home, and highlight them later, processing the material for the 2nd time. The difference between using multi-coloured pens and highlighters, is that pens won't let you wait until you go home to write it all out, whereas the highlighters will, and the info will settle better in your memory.

3. Pleasure

I feel much happier studying a subject with colour. Physics and Math, for instance, are the subjects which require practice (what often means repetition) and if you are using highlighters to help you study your formulae, errors or general concepts, it will just add a little moment of happiness when you're opening your notebook.

Good luck!

Don't Let People Scare You

Hey sweeties! Its our winter break!!!
For those of you who are starting the new courses or trying to decide on which courses to take later, here is my advice: Don't let people scare you!

I knew I had to take only a few sciences (certainly not all maths and physics), but I did. And I'm successfully completing them.
I used to go around and ask my friends and non-friends which courses should I take, which course was hard, which teacher is better, etc.
There are 2 things wrong with that:
- this is incorrectly questioned
- everything is very relative

The reason why it is incorrectly question is because the opinions are personal and the information is going to be relative. If I want to get a legitimate advice on a course, I should go speak to the teachers, read an overview of the course and then, if I want to ask questions, I better ask people:
- what are the methods of teaching used by a certain professor?
- were you using a textbook a lot in class?
etc. This is, to understand the course and judge it for yourself. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with looking up the statistics for professors (if available), but even if the data is not encouraging, try taking a step back and look at the course as another milestone that you will achieve.

For example, I was really unsure with whether I should take Pre-Kinesiology, since it includes anatomy&physiology, exercise physiology and psychology etc.; in other words, heavy material...
I went on asking students around me and the majority was saying that the content is unbearable, that you have plenty of homework, etc.
I took it. It ended up being one of my highest grades. IT IS ALL RELATIVE.


When deciding on your next courses, please don't listen to bias opinions, rather collect legitimate information from correctly posed questions!

Good luck!

DYI Teacher Gift

Hey honeys.
One more DYI for you. I thought, this time, I would make a simple project that would make a perfect gift for your teacher. The gift was very inexpensive to make, although it is very unique and far more memorable than any other gift you would purchase. I'm going to show you step by step instructions, but you could totally change something up:

1. Here is what you will need:

- a jar
- note pads
- to/from cards
- washi tape
- a decorative bow (not shown)
- marker (not shown)
- scissors (not shown)

2. Wrap the washi tape around the circumference of the jar as many times you want:

 3. Take the note pads and write your messages. I came up with "10 Things You Taught Me" theme:

4. Roll each note and secure it with the washi tape. Make sure it fits the height of the jar: 

5. Place them all into the jar and arrange them the way you like:

6. Take a to/from card and write the theme of your message jar and who is it from:

7. Place the thread into the jar, so the message will be easily accessible:

8. Close the jar with its lid and stick a bow on top of your gift:

You're done!

Here is a short list of themes you could come up with for your gift jar:

1. 10 Best Moments in Class

2. Your Most Commonly Used words/gestures etc.

3. 10 Things i Know About You

4. 10 Things You Should Know About Me

5. 10 Reasons Why You Are the Best Teacher

etc.

Good Luck! 

DIY Binder Dividers + Admissions Update

Hey honeys!

First of all...a little new: I GOT ACCEPTED INTO WATERLOO HEALTH SCIENCES, CO-OP!!!! Amazing! It's not even conditional and its very early. I'm very very happy and motivated to continue earning outstanding grades and I'll continue being involved in the community and school work!

Today I wanted to try something new - a DYI. I'm not super crafty, but dividers is something you always need. I will share with you a step by step process outlining the creation of binder dividers. I was inspired by the dividers I recently got at Staples, so keep in mind, that you should totally go creative with your dividers in terms of the way of creating and decorating it!

This is what I was inspired by:

1. Prepare multiple hole-punched pieces of thick paper 

2. Create a table of contents. It might refer to different subjects, topics of units; whatever you'd like. In your table of contents, you should colour-code, like the original Staples dividers did

3. Draw a line with a little protrusion which you are going to cut 

4. Cut following the line

5. Colour in the protrusion and the corresponding side with the colour of your choice

6. Label the protrusion with a number/topic/unit/month/week etc. which best fits your table of contents

7. Repeat with different colours featuring whatever the table of contents covers

And now we're done. Here is what I wanted to add:

1. Since each divider looks overall kind of empty, it would be a good idea to either draw on it, write the course overview, summary of the topic etc.

2. Also, it would look much more professional if the entire thing would be typed, printed and then cut out, unless you are not like me and actually have some craft skills ;)

3. You may also want to laminate them if you feel like it, so they would be a bit more durable

The best of luck! 

Flashcard Studying

Hey, guys! I hope you are having a lovely pre-holiday season!

Today, I wanna address one of the very common studying methods - flashcards. Generally, flashcards are useful for certain things, such as vocabulary and diagrams, but actually, it can be used in some other ways as well. Here is everything I can suggest about flashcards:

1. Make Multiple Sets of Flashcards per Subject

As I said, they can be used to create diagrams and memorize vocabulary terms. Make sure you create these or any other possible sets for each of your subjects. This way your information will be very well organized while studying for a test or an exam.

2. Types of Things to Write on Flashcards:

- mind maps

- definitions
- equations
- question&answer
- colouring activity
- labelling activity

- timelines

3. Way of Writing

It should be short, clear, and in your own words. When you deal with the labelling or equations, or such, you don't have to think about the way you'd write it. However, if you are doing question/answer or definitions, make sure you you condense the information to a sentence or two, and rephrase it your own way. Rephrasing, by the way, is a wonderful study tool.

4. Little Techniques

- Often you may deal with lists of definitions that go under a certain topic; or you are doing labelling of a specific system. Since, let's say, diagrams is one set of my biology class flashcards, I should colour-code them, so that I won't be confused with the topic my diagrams go under. So, you either use the cards of different colours, or colour-code them yourself. There is a way to colour code that I prefer: colour the side of the flashcard, so that it would be recognisable as to which unit/topic it belongs to. Yellow ones, lets say are for the excretory system, and pink ones are for the circulatory:

- Highlight, or use different colours of pens to study from the flashcards. I would prefer highlight. Here is why: when you're making them, you develop and learn the information from the first time. When you study for a test, you learn it twice by highlighting whatever it is with a certain colour. Then, when it comes to the exam, you take a different colour of a highlighter and highlight everything left over to memorize. It dislike elimination of the info that you already know.
- You should try your best to make your cue cards aesthetically pleasing. This way, you'll enjoy the studying more :)

5. Being Organized: Accessories

- rings
- holders

- paperclips

6. Make Them Right Away

Some classes, like biology, might require a ridiculous amount of cue cards. But if you go home and do them after every class, it will only take you 10-15 minutes. You will be very thankful to yourself prior to the test, though, since all of your study tools will be prepared for use.

How to Ask a Question

Hey, guys! 

Today, I'd love to talk about how important it is to learn how to ask questions in the academic setting. Obviously, teachers are more accessible while you are at school, in comparison to their availability in the university/college, so you better know how to ask a specific, but a thorough question, which will fill in the gaps of your misunderstandings:

1. Make Sure you are Either Asking for a Favour of a Question

Often times, we say "I don't understand that" to the teacher. This is not a question. A more professional way to express that same idea is: "Could you explain this concept again, please"(favour) or to ask a specific question.

2. Figure Out What it is / Start From the Very Beginning

If you do not understand the material, you must figure out what exactly you're missing. Sometimes, something small can mess up your understanding of the entire concept. This is why it is crucial to start asking questions from the moment you understand that something is unclear. 

Also, if it is math/physics/other math-related subject, make sure to practice the problems you are uncomfortable with, to identify what's unclear on a more specific level.

3. Go Through the Material

In order to identify, which part of the information is confusing, go through that information again. It would be better if your will ask little questions to yourself while going through the material. 

4. Be Specific While Forming a Question

If you've identified the misunderstanding, come up with a question that will, you think, cover all of the answer. The question can be long, but let it not be confusing. 

In math-related subjects, it is very beneficial to ask for more examples, since it will help the teacher understand what is your problem. And then you could work together to solve it. 

5. What if I Don't Understand the ENTIRE THING?

Well, in this case, I suggest you start from the very beginning. Right after the problem arises, arrange a meeting with your teacher to discuss the material again. In the case of absolute misunderstanding, you won't get away with 1 question. During the meeting with your teacher, tell him/her that you are confused about the material and then ask "How/Where do I start?"; "What steps there are?"; "What should be my process of thinking?" etc. Ask something general, yet specific. 

Essay Writing

Good afternoon, sweeties.
I'm done with essays for the year, and according to my marks, I've done a good job mastering it. Today, I'd like to give you a few suggestions as to what to do with your essay to make sure it is professional. Consider doing an outline,a draft, and then the final copy, but here's what you have to follow:

1. Follow Structure

If you are given rubric, make sure you follow the structure of an essay the way your teacher wants it. Is it very strict on structure, or more/less free-flow? How many pages the teacher wants? What portion of an essay or criteria is graded the highest? 
Also, know your professor: learn if he/she wants you to have indents in the beginning of each paragraph, and learn if there's anything specific he/she likes/dislikes seeing in an essay. 

2. Quote as a Hook

The first sentence of an essay is called the hook. Its job is to intrigue the reader with the purpose of your essay. Even if your essay must be very formal, a very good idea would be to include a short, general quote outlining what your essay is about.

3. Formal, Persuasive Language with Proper Grammar

Obviously, no nouns in the formal essay. The persuasive language should exist though, clearly outlining your opinion.When using persuasion, avoid  words like "might, most likely, probably etc". These words are used if a person is unsure about his/her argument.You must be very confident when you are trying to convince the reader, as well as grammatically correct. Make sure you're not including any short forms, such as "there's" or "it's". 
If you like the transition words, such as "ultimately; additionally; similarly, etc", go ahead and use them. Don't overuse through, since they must not seem like the best thing in your essay! 

4. Short, but Thorough Sentences

If you are writing an essay, you have to imagine that you are trying to explain something to somebody. It has to be very clear. Each sentence you write has to be short, but thorough. Thus, it has to contain the answers to what, how and why.
Especially if you're writing a thesis, your sentence will be longer than usual, but it can't be run on. In thesis you start from a general idea and end with specific one outlining your arguments in a certain order. Your thesis also should contain the name of an author and the title of the book (most likely in italics) if you are working with some sort of creative piece. 

5. Quotes

You, obviously must try to tie a certain quote with your argument, but keep in mind that you can totally manipulate your quotes. You can either paraphrase them, or you could insert quote fragments into your point in order to explain your point better and to show that you actually know the text.  

6. Refer to Thesis and Explain in Analysis

When you're analysing your examples or quotes, you must refer them back to your thesis statement. This is done in order to show that the quote/example you chose actually represents what you're saying.
Using the quote fragments, analyse your quote very thoroughly. Potentially, think off some theories or just general life principles that fit the example to explain it better. If in class, for instance, you've learned a theory recently, try to see if the example somehow fits into its description.
Analysis should fundamentally answer questions such as what, how and why very thoroughly. 

6. Creative or Formal Title

Depending on the essay, make sure you satisfy the same format in your title. Your title shouldn't be long, although it must still contain the information on what you're writing about. 

6. Works Cited and MLA formatting 

The formatting, I figured, is huge in an essay. But, looking at it from a different perspective - it is easy marks. As long as you follow the MLA format and make a legitimate works cited page, you will keep a lot of those easy marks.

7. Reread and Edit

There's a lot to focus on while you're rereading. Not only you must check your formal writing techniques (no short forms, no nouns etc.), you also must go through the rubric and make sure you have everything it's asking for. Obviously, check spelling and grammar. 
If your professor or a tutor is willing to edit your essay, never lose that chance. You will learn a lot, as well as you will be pointed at your mistakes, what will make it easier to correct them. 
If it is not an option, I recommend waiting a day or two after you're done with your essay, and then going back and editing it. It will give you a fresh and objective look at your work!

University Applications: I Applied (Updated)

Hey, sweeties!

I've been waiting for this moment for the longest time!!!I applied!!! 
There were 7 program choices, and some of them included the choice of specialisation in a certain filed. Here, I'll list and explain all my choices in the order of priority.

1. McMaster: Health Sciences
The admission requirements are really tough in this program. I need to get a 90% academic average in grade 12 (which I have) as well as I need to submit 2 supplementary applications, which plays the main role in my successful admission.
This program will not only teach me sciences, but it also will teach medical ethics, medical history and include clinical experience. The program successfully prepares the medstudents-to-be to succeed on the MCAT as well as CASPER (medical ethics test) and on the interview(s).

2.Waterloo: Health Sciences, Co-op (Pre-Health Professions)
It would be wonderful to be exposed to the health care field. Waterloo has a gorgeous campus and offers co-op placements, which not only allow me to earn money, but also to gain priceless experience. Being in a health care setting, I will always stay motivated as to my career choice (Medicine) and collect valuable recommendation letter from my mentors.

3. McMaster: Kinesiology
I love Kinesiology, because it gives me the opportunity to study the human body on a bigger scale, rather than on the molecular only. Along with the basic sciences that I will take, I will also take courses such as human anatomy and physiology (with Med Students), Exercise Physiology, Health Psychology etc.. By taking courses which allow me to view the human body on a greater and a smaller scale, I will be much more motivated and prepared for med school. 

4. McMaster: Life Sciences: Biochemistry (BioMedical Research; Co-op) 
I would love to be enrolled in this program because it will provide an opportunity to work in the medical setting. Also, it undoubtably will prepare me for the MCAT, and maybe, provide clinical experience. Even though this program is based more on medical research, rather than all other medical aspects, it will teach me all fundamental skills about the program. As to the ethics and med-history, I'm sure I can take these courses as electives in my 3rd-4th year. 

5. Waterloo: Life Sciences, Co-op (Biochemistry)
Co-op is very valuable when studying sciences, since you get to see it applied. Also, practicing sciences will motivate me more to study my subjects because I get to see my progression in learning.  

6. UofT Mississauga: Life Science (Biology for Health Sciences)
In comparison to UofT St. George, the campus and audience is much smaller, although I still feel like I won't belong in this campus according to my feelings at the time I've been there. It is gorgeous and new, but I still feel like UofT will set really high standards and I won't be able to get to know any of my teachers until the last year. Also, there are no research facilities nor there are any hospitals around the campus, in contrast to McMaster and St. George campus.

 7. UofT St. George: Life Science (Human Biology: Health and Disease) 
UofT is just amazing for their program selection. For life sciences alone, there's way more than 15 programs to choose from. UofT is also located in the beautiful place, downtown Toronto, and it is surrounded by research centres and hospitals (for clinical exposure). The problem with UofT is an enormous amount of people per professor (2000:1) in the first year, which will cause issues in case I'll need clarification in a concept or I'll just want to get to know my professor. 


I still have time to change my priorities, but the program choice is definitely set in stone. 

Biology Study Tips

Hey guys!

I normally post general study tips, but today, and hopefully, from now on, I'll focus more on specific subjects. Today, we will start with Biology.
One of my courses now, is Biology. I'm thoroughly enjoying it and I have listed a few suggestions on how to earn a decent grade:

1. Vocabulary List

I highly suggest you start a vocabulary list from the beginning of the course. This way, you will have an easier time studying for your exam, and also, reviewing this material prior to a different course of biology.

2. Diagram List

Biology is really heavy with diagrams. Often, you are asked to recreate a diagram or explain it. In order to differentiate between them, have a diagram per flash card and its explanation on the back to quiz yourself later.

3. Flashcards

I personally don't like using flashcards for anything other than vocal and diagrams. But you could either write post-it notes or use flashcards for question and answer. Quizzing yourself will help you in the long run and will quickly determine what is it that you have to focus on the most.

4. Animations and Online Stimulations

If you are able to find a good animation or an online stimulation for the process you're learning, definitely use it. It will stimulate visual learning and I think, kinaesthetic learning as well. These types of learning styles will help you remember the information in the long run.
Try this website to help yourself: http://onlinelabs.in/biology

5. Textbooks

Textbooks are inevitably very useful in Biology. What it does, is that it creates an overall mental picture of a process because it is told in a paragraph manner. You should definitely highlight, write your own notes or use post its to reinforce information better in your brain.

Little Grade 12 Update

I have a termed schedule at my school. Each term is 10 weeks and we cover 2 courses. In my case it is English and Bio. 

So, today in my blogpost, I want to address major things I've learned this year. 

Bio: 

I've definitely learned new studying strategies. Bio is very content heavy and it's based on critical thinking a lot. The problem in Bio is that you have to remember everything from the smallest detail to the biggest concept. But that's doable. Very much so. 
I have definitely learned how to absorb, seems like unreal amounts of information. My brain, already, automatically filters the information and I've learned to think of the questions or the type of questions that might be asked on the quiz. 

English:
 
English really broke a lot of my barriers. I hate reading novels...and dislike writing essays. This term, I read 4 books, one on which was 370pg.(that's a huge amount of reading for me) and wrote about 10 essays; each one was being edited multiple times. 
Overall, I don't think I have ever spent so much time on a subject. 
Spending 4 days rewriting an essay for 3hrs-5hrs/day made me resistant. 
Not mad, not tired, but slightly annoyed and resistant. Resistant in the sense that I accept and do the amount of work I have to. 
English definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Critical Thinking Skills

Hey, guys!

Whatever we do or study, requires critical thinking. Every section on the test has it. It is covered by every subject. Critical thinking is the ability to apply the knowledge to the new and unknown scenarios.
A good example of a critical thinking strategy, would be the 1st step in the CPR: look around and make sure there's nothing to harm you. This example looks at the bigger picture. Fundamentally, if you want to provide help for others, you must keep yourself safe. So, you have learn how to think one step ahead. 
Today, I will share a few tips on how to improve your critical thinking so your intelligence level will increase too.

1. Look at the Bigger Picture

Whatever subject it is, it will require us to look at the questions from different perspectives. If it is math or science, make sure you remember the general rule or trend. If it is English, make sure you remember the history/authors biography/prologue and epilogue.

2. Look at the Smallest Picture

Here, it is important to look a little in depth for an answer. For math or science, make sure to look for the key words, symbols and exceptions. For humanities, also check for key words and work through or provide the evidence thoroughly.

3. Ask Questions

Asking questions will really improve your mark. It's a whole different story on how to properly ask questions. Fundamentally, if you are working on a paper or just in class trying to understand information, try to extend it. Ask WHY, WHEN, WHAT, WHERE and HOW. Don't forget to also ask "what if not...?" and "what's next?". These questions will reveal a lot of useful information.
Side note: in sciences, mostly, what I lose marks for, is the ignorance of this step. I never extend my thought completely, even though I know it. Don't lose easy marks!

4. Put Yourself on the Place of a Person/Character

That might sound weird. But, if you want to thoroughly understand what the other person is going through, imagine yourself being that person. That way, you won't be very judgemental and have a full picture of a situation.

5. Assume

Predictions are crucial for critical thinking. This is where you really think one step ahead. I'm not only talking about the scientific hypothesis but about the everyday life.
Example: I really enjoy sitting  in the subway. Now, I realise that other people like it too. And I will most likely give up the seat. But when I see some teenagers who keep sitting and not giving up their seat to the old lady or something, I get ridiculously mad. Then, I start to assume. Maybe, that teen is in pain. Maybe, there was a really difficult day...Maybe, something else...we never know.

6. Plan

It's simple here. Make sure that you've prepared multiple plans for a certain scenario. Ideally, 3 plans.
Plan anything you could. And I know that some sceptics might say "well, you never know...and plans never work out"... Yes, if they are planned incorrectly. Plan smart, and consider every obstacle you can only imagine. Then, you're set!

Communication/Interview Tips

Hey, honeys!

Today, I'd like to address a crucial topic - communication skills. We all communicate, and have our own habits, which might be favourable or unwanted. Keep in mind, that communication is not only verbal. There's also nonverbal communication, which is equally important.
Also, if we are high school or university students, we will be undergoing interviews, therefore I thought that it will be appropriate if I suggest you some interview tips as well.

1. Speak Clearly

Whether you are at an interview, or having a casual conversation with a person, they, fundamentally, have to hear and understand what you are saying.

2. Avoid "umm; aaah etc."

It is hard to avoid making these sounds, while looking for words during a conversation. But it's okay to remain silent if you don't have an answer. This will suggest to a person you are speaking to, that you are a type of person who doesn't say the first thing that comes up to your mind, and that will also emphasise that you are well skilled in communication.

3. Look into the Eyes

If you are talking to an individual, it would be best if you will be looking a person into the eyes. Don't  stare, though! If you are doing it right, a person (or an interviewer) will see that you are focused and friendly.

4. Greet

This is more of an interview tip.
So, if you are greeting a person, definitely look them in the eyes, not around the room or at your seat. Secondly, do the  handshake, and while doing it - introduce yourself(name, etc.) and mention that it is a pleasure to meet the interviewer. No doubt, that you should research your interviewer ahead of time to learn their name and something special about them. If you didn't get a chance to research, ask them their name while handshaking. Do not take a seat, until the interviewers say or/they are seated. This tactic, will right away prove that you are well-mannered and respectful.

5. Listen

Like on a test, you should always listen to your interlocutor's question or comment fully before responding. Not only, it is a sign of respect, but it also gives you chance to analyse a question or a comment and respond appropriately.
If you are going to an interview that you know will be very long, thorough and valuable, it is a good idea to bring a paper and a pen, to note some nuances from the asked questions. It will highlight your organisation skills.

6. Know Yourself

There are some things that you just have to know how to answer, such as "tell me about yourself; what was the worst period of your life; etc.". The answers to this types of questions must be completely memorised, although don't dare lying. The interviewer is just looking for a better fit for an organisation. If you are not going to be chosen based on the respond you give, that's even better for you, since you will not be struggling at this organisation.

7.  The Art of an Answer

There's an art to answering a question. When a question is asked, do not repeat in in an answer. Ex. Q: How do you feel about zoos? A: I feel about the zoos that..... You should go straight on to the core of your answer. Ex. A: The zoos are....;....;.....;, therefore I think, that......

8. What if You Don't Know how to Answer a Question?

If you don't know how to answer a question, don't panic. There is a few things you could do:
1) Clarify. Maybe, you didn't understand the question correctly. Clarify it with a person you are speaking to. This will suggest that you are a type of person, who pays attention to details and doesn't throw out whatever comes into the mind first.
2) Take your time to think about it. Literally, say "Could I get a minute to think about it, please?"
3) Say, that you don't know (but do not apologise, that's a sign of a weakness). This way, an interviewer will see, that you are an honest person. You can't possibly know an answer to all questions, so really, don't panic.

9. Research

Depending on the type of interview you go, research and practice all possible questions. It will definitely make you more comfortable and confident. This will highlight your preparation skills, which are always valuable.

10. On Your Way Out...

Definitely, thank an interviewer for an opportunity to get to know you. Of course, mention their name, and wish them a good day. This, will leave a positive last impression.

11. Smile

Smiling is very important to emphasise that you are
1) confident
2) happy to be there
Although, keep in mind, that if a question comes in a serious tone, make sure to behave accordingly.

12. The Card of Gratitude

Send an email, or a mail with the card of gratitude. Mention the names, and highlight any specific questions or moments during an interview.

13. Behave

This tip, is so fundamental that I didn't even want to include it. BUT...Here is something important:
1) Clean up you social media accounts, because they will most likely get checked
2) From the moment you enter the building, you are already being "interviewed". No phones, complains or emotions. Behave calmly and respectfully.

14. Dress ans Prepare Accordingly

A few weeks prior to your interview, enter the building and see what most people are wearing. Wear something similar, and maybe one "level" more professional. That way, the interviewers will see that you've done a good job researching their institution and you will feel much more comfortable.
Obviously, bring an umbrella just in case of the bad weather. And in general, bring everything you need (resume, application, etc.) in multiple copies, in case there will be more than 1 interviewer.

Importance of Grade 11

Good evening, guys!

Today, I’ll address a blog post to all grade 10s and 11s. Students in grade 11 often get a little bit de-motivated about school, whereas grade 10s get get more excited about becoming seniors. 

Here is why you guys should be exited for being in grade 11.

1. Subject Selection

For the first time in your educational path, you will be able to choose the majority of your subjects. Make smart choices!!! Take as many different subjects as you can, if you are unsure of what you will enjoy. Also, even if you know what you like, choose a subject or two in a little bit different direction, and maybe that field will lit up your interest too. 

I took only 6 grade 11 subjects, instead of 8, because I decided to take 8 in grade 12. That way I will have 2 more subjects to rely on, in case I do poorly on one or two of my 6 bests. 

If you think that it might interest you - that’s a good choice!

2. Importance of Marks

In grade 11 your marks become actually very important. This is because some universities offer an early admission, so if you do a little bit better than the other students, you could be offered a placement. 

Also, this year all courses are very material-heavy, so keep in mind, that this year you will develop new studying strategies. 

3. Extracurriculars

Get involved in the school community. You’ll learn new skills and get your personal statement ready for the post-sec. application process. You could also start up new clubs and get volunteer hours from it.

By the way, regarding the volunteer hours….do them outside of your school. Potentially, in your field of interest. This way, you will be a more successful applicant and you will make sure that you are going to the right area of study.

Read This if You Consider Yourself Busy

Hey, love

The school curriculum is fast-pased, and we quickly have to adjust to it. Often, we have some extracurriculars to deal with as well. So, we become, as we say, very busy. 

But, how busy are we, actually?

Let's say we are at school. We attend classes/lectures. We probably just sit there and take notes, or something. But we can do much more! When you're taking notes, simultaneously work through them, by highlighting or summarising them, for example. That will help you save some time before the test. Then, we have lunch, or a break. We are eating, chating with our friends, but we could have done a little piece of work at that moment.

Then, we commute home. It's either the public transport, or we get driven/drive home. We most likely listen to the music. Although, we could have done some other type of work. Listen to the audio book, or review the notes from the class....

We come home. We have dinner. Maybe, we have some extracurriculars. We chat with our friends, check out our social websites....and then, we realise that we have a ridiculous amount of work. And we, hopefully, start doing it. After every bit of work, we take our breaks.    When we work though, we unintentionally, occasionally disturb ourselves with something. Then, we end up falling asleep very late.We wake up tired. And we complain about how busy we are to our friends and family.

But are we?...

It all comes down to our productivity. If you want to evaluate how busy you actually are, create and strictly follow a to-do list for a week or so. Then, see if you are feeling any different.
You are obviously going to be more tired at first, but much more accomplished. In a few weeks, if you continue with that trend, the fatigue will slowly disappear.

Like Thomas Edison said: “Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence and honest purpose, as well as perspiration.Seeming to do, is not doing” 

By the way, if you'd really be busy, you wouldn't find the time, to read this blog post ;)

P.S. Don't stress over it too much, because every one of us has a way to go in terms of our efficiency. But we should make it better, and it will definitely increase our standard of living! 

How To Prepare for Post-Secondary Education While In Grades 11&12

Hey guys!

I thought it will be appropriate to write a post dedicated to the preparation for the post-secondary education. We all tend to forget that the time flies, and we don't pay attention to the application process coming up, or a subject selection...
Here, you'll find some academic and casual tips on how to get ready now!

1. Save

Save anything you could! But we are not only talking about the money, we are talking about materials. Save your notebooks/books/notes or whatever you used to study from. The first year of you post-secondary education will be mostly composed of your grade 11-12 material, so just in case you'll need to review - you have all the materials!

2. Buy

If there's a holiday coming up, or you just have too much extra money, buy something for the post-sec. This tip is fantastic if you are moving out from home, as you could get some home supplies! Even if you're living at home, think about something that you'd want touching, or just buy whatever you actually need (notebooks, cases, bags etc.)
You could also tell your siblings and friends to get you something for uni/college as a gift for a certain holiday!

3. Get Involved

Get involved at your school! This will not only make your life a bit more interesting, but you will: 
a) learn a bunch of new skills 
b) universities will be most likely to accept you!
For instance, I am a peer tutor at my school. I have a team of enthusiasts who have great marks, and they will be helping other students. My tutors will be getting a recommendation letter sent to the guidance office, some volunteer hours, and of course they will practice their leadership skills and review whatever material they are tutoring. 
You could be involved in anything you want, but if your school doesn't offer a particular club - then create it yourself! Even more advantages there!!!

4. Volunteer

If you already chose a field of interest, volunteer there - and see if you really like it! If you do, well then, you could mention it while applying to your programs; but if you don't - learn from that experience and change your educational path a bit! + you'll get volunteer hours of course!
Remember, that you are trying to aim from 40+ volunteer hours; not 40...
That's because you don't want to be viewed as a student who just wanted to "get it over with"

5. Get to Know Your Teachers

If you'll get to know your teachers while in a small classroom community, you will have an opportunity to:
a) practice that skill before post-sec
b) ask for a letter of recommendation
c) ask your teacher about his/her educational path and learn from it
Your teachers are there for you! 

6. Subject Selection

If you are in grade 10-11-12, you have to understand how important the subject selection is. Especially, if you haven't decided with a field of study.
First of all, figure out what you really don't like. How could you do that? By trying it out! In grade 11, take all courses possible! 
Then, if you are sure of what you really don't want to do, select the subjects from the other spectrum. And study that to the best of your abilities!
What I would personally suggest, is choosing a grade 12 math and at least one of the sciences (even if you are a humanitarian). This is because you will:
a) be more well-rounded
b) learn certain skills from the other subjects (math - paying attention to details)
c) have the prerequisites for other areas, in case you change your mind!


Good luck! 

Easy Essay Structure

Good morning, sweeties!

Today, I'd love to give you some tips on how to write essays. Whether that's a persuasive essay, opinionated essay, or a regular one, there are a few tips that a writer must follow. Firstly, I'll list the tips in the order of an essay structure, and then, I'll give you very general, overall tips. 

1. Introduction

Introduction Sentence

- Must be very general (no character names or plot revealed)
- Must contain the overall meaning of an essay

Thesis

- Must present all your arguments (chronological order, if applicable)
- There must be a paragraph per each argument
- 3+arguments must be created (In grade 12+, more than 3 paragraphs are very favourable)
- If there's more than 3 arguments, or if they are kind of long or complicated, write a sentence for each argument (thesis is not necessarily 1 sentence).
- Some specifics must be revealed in thesis (names, maybe, some plot, author's name and book's name etc.)

2. Body Paragraphs

- Each paragraph must be associated with one of the thesis sentences
- A paragraph must be 7-15 sentences + evidence
- Specific information must be revealed 
- Introduction sentence should strongly relate to thesis
- A detail about an argument must be presented (a little history of an argument, if applicable)
- There must be 2+ pieces of evidence per paragraph (quote, paraphrased quote, quote fragment, example etc.)
- Each piece of evidence has to be analysed 
- Concluding sentence must either smoothly lead to another argument or refer back to thesis
- Steps from 4-9 must be repeated for each paragraph

3. Conclusion

Restate Thesis

- Each argument made in thesis should be paraphrased
- No new arguments or conclusions must be present

Concluding Sentence

- Restate introduction

General Tips

- Prior to writing an essay, create an outline and include all brainstorming and details there
- Write formally, unless it is a special form of essay (No use of pronouns, avoid cliches, don't use short form etc.)
- Don't write long sentences for clarity purposes
- Use synonyms for very unacademic words and paraphrasing
- Cite properly (remember your format)
- Check grammar and spelling