How To Learn English Online - Getting Your Education From The Comfort Of Your Home

How To Learn English Online - Getting Your Education From The Comfort Of Your HomeIs it possible to learn English online? You will find a variety of different resources available on the internet that can help you get your English learning online, but before you begin you will need to ensure that you have all of the right equipment and software to help you understand the language better.There are many people who enjoy getting their education online from online sources, but many of these people cannot speak English as a first language. Some of the problems that people encounter when learning English online include language barriers, language issues or simply problems with pronunciation. The good news is that you do not have to have all of these problems to get your education, because there are a variety of resources available to teach you how to read and write the language.When you have the right tools, it is possible to learn English in no time at all. If you take the time to study th e English language and its spelling, then you will not have any problems at all. Many people find it easier to study by themselves, but if you do not have the time to do this then it is also possible to purchase an English learning course. You can choose from one of the many different learning courses available on the internet, which will help you with your English study.Another option for learning online is to purchase software that can help you with your English study. There are a number of different types of software available for download, including flashcards, flash cards and vocabulary games. These software are a great way to help you with your studies, and you can even test out some of them by using them yourself.You can also find many online sources that can provide you with free materials as well. For example, there are a variety of magazines and newspapers that are available for online reading. In fact, you can even get a newsletter sent to you every day as long as you pay for your subscription.You can also use your favorite online source to send them articles and poems that you have written in English. This is a great way to practice your writing skills, and you can send them to them by email as well. If you are thinking about learning English online and want to get started in no time, then you should consider purchasing one of the free methods that are available on the internet.Remember that there are many different ways to learn English, and you should consider a method that works best for you. You will need to be patient with yourself, and you should remember that it is possible to learn the language without the help of a tutor. It is also possible to learn English without leaving your home, and you can even do it for free.Of course, there are many resources available on the internet that will help you learn English, but the first step to learning the language is to practice. Do not spend too much money on products and services that will only was te your time. You can learn English easily when you take the time to practice, and that is something that you can count on over again.

College Gym Etiquette To Know And Adhere To

College Gym Etiquette To Know And Adhere To pexels.com Stretch Often when you get to the gym, you do not even know where to get started. Instead of waffling away, not sure how to start or where to go, begin your workout and gym experience by stretching. You can stretch before you get to the gym if you want to, but you can always find a space in the gym to do some basic stretches before you begin your major workout. Doing your stretching at the gym can make the space feel more comfortable and get you used to it. You will have more time to get acclimated to the gym environment and feel less conspicuous there. But why is stretching an important part of the working out ritual? Live Strong explains why stretching is so important, saying: “By definition, stretching is movement of a joint or muscle to full extension by lengthening the tissues. The effects and benefits of stretching are numerous. They include everything from increased range of motion and enhanced workout effects to injury prevention and rehabilitation. Warming up and cooling down periods are essential to maximizing the results of your training, and stretching is a crucial element of that. The advantages of stretching go beyond the external rewards.” Other benefits of stretching include a wider range of motion, injury prevention, strength and flexibility training, improving technique, and injury prevention. It even helps improve or maintain posture and can increase stamina. Stretching has a whole host of benefits, so do not skip over this step at the gym! pexels.com Don’t Lurk One of the elements that can make a student feel uncomfortable at the gym are the dreaded gym lurkers. They make you feel like they are watching your every move, circling ever closer while waiting for you to finish on your machine so they can swoop in on it. Men’s Fitness describes a “Lurker” as such: “This personality type is a little unnerving at times. Usually located by an outer wall of the gym, the lurker simply slinks around the gym and stares at people. If you catch him in the act, they’ll nervously look away and try their hardest to fake a text message from their Walkman or iPod. The lurker rarely does any exercises at all, possibly due to the fact that they are shy by nature, and asking another person to show them how to do something is beyond bearable.” As noted by Men’s Fitness, Lurkers are often people who are not sure what they are doing. It can be very easy to become a lurker by accident when you are not sure what you should be doing or what etiquette to follow. Try and make a plan of action for when you get to the gym, so you have a path to follow and do not wander listlessly between the machines. Have a workout plan envisaged so that you can go and get what you need done, and then get out. Know how to do the moves on the machines so you do not have to surreptitiously watch other people using the machine. And if you are truly not sure what you should do to achieve the workout and results you want or cannot figure out how to use a machineâ€"ask the gym staff! This can also be intimidating, but that is what they are there for. It is their job to advise you on the best way to maximize your workout and your experience while at the gymâ€"it’s all about customer service!

Wise Ant Pet Care Tutoring

Wise Ant Pet Care TutoringIn the field of animal care, the field of animal training is known as the Veterinary Care Tutoring Program. It is an independent learning program offered by the American Association of Animal Trainers (AAAT). It is dedicated to improving the skills of veterinarians through experiential teaching.It is available for those seeking to specialize in different veterinary hospitals and for those that have recently graduated from vet school. Students can study either within a single veterinary training institution or over the Internet, and most of the courses are facilitated with a study guide that is mailed out to students.The study material used in the Wise Ant tutoring program includes various reading materials, videos, audio files, and online chat sessions. The information shared is not only academic. There are tools that will enable students to build a network of all of their friends and clients through Facebook and other social networking sites. This has been utilized by the program to help connect veterinarians to students in other areas.Students will be required to fill out forms that are designed to get them connected with a network of interested individuals. Students that do not have Facebook accounts can opt to join the program. The search for other individuals is made easier because the vets will also put their friends' phone numbers on each other's contact cards.Another way that the program helps connect vets and students is through online bulletin boards. Many animals in the hospital are getting into contact with potential students who are willing to take care of them. The professional photographers that use the program have posted all of their favorite patients on the bulletin boards.Students will be able to see pictures of the patients, their past history, and what their future looks like. Those that have taken classes at the hospital may also post pictures of the clinic or pictures of their work in the past. Teachers can even leave comments on the pictures.The veterinary care tutoring program is an excellent way to better yourself and take your career to the next level. As an online university, it is accessible to students all over the world. Online tutoring offers students much more than the classroom environment because it can offer them the chance to interact with others in similar fields.

How to Interpret Nuclear Symbols

How to Interpret Nuclear SymbolsIt's the most important thing you should learn about when it comes to chemistry is how to interpret nuclear symbols. They are really significant in chemistry and you should really know them well. In fact, knowing how to interpret these symbols can really help you in your future career.Actually, you can see a lot of representations in a single symbol. There are so many symbols in chemistry and you will never get to understand all of them because they all have their own meaning. The symbols that are most commonly used in chemistry are the units, atom, radical, carbonyl, hydroxyl, ketone, carboxylic acid, phosphorus, amide, and alone. The properties of a compound are usually determined by the symbol next to it. So, for example, one symbol of carbon for hydrogen is often abbreviated as C for hydrogen.Once you understand this, you can better understand how to interpret these symbols. For example, if a compound is composed of hydrogen and carbon, then the sy mbol C for hydrogen will mean that the compound is made up of two hydrogen atoms. If it is made up of hydrogen and oxygen, then the symbol for oxygen is an O for oxygen.It is also important to note that there are many other symbols that are not represented in this way. For example, the symbol for alcohol, which is a combination of an H and a C, is also known as the double bond. It is generally recognized as the symbol for ethyl.There are other symbols that do not have a clear meaning but that is still understood by the people that speak the language. Some of these are listed below. These are often called the pictorials, like the ones for alcohol, nitrogen, chloroform, ammonia, phenol, oxygen, alkali metal, and the radicals.Another one of the symbols for which you should be familiar is the symbol for hydrogen. You will find it in the top of the page on the right side of the page, next to a number. The symbol for hydrogen is sometimes also known as the hydrone.A good chemistry teacher will let you know that you need to understand all of these symbols. They can really help you with your career and can help you make the right decisions when it comes to different applications of chemistry.

SAT Preparation Three Key Elements For SAT Preparation

SAT Preparation Three Key Elements For SAT Preparation 0SHARESShare Here is the quick look at three key elements that generally college student should think about while preparing for SAT test. Become familiar with SAT test format It is very important step while you prepare for any test. You need to know the format of SAT test as it will give you direction for the preparation. Typically, SAT comprises of three sections-Math, Critical reading and writing. Each section has multiple choice questions with one essay question and required to be scored individually on a scale of 200 and 800. The test score is based on correctness of answers. Remember, it has negative marking. Access to variety of study resources The students aiming for SAT preparation requires to find out access to variety of resources right during their high school years. Find out access to free materials, SAT practice papers, question banks, online stuff. Check out local libraries and ex-students to find out variety of study resources. The students should also become familiar with online and private tutoring comparing their prices against the quality of preparation. Recognize the need for SAT test help The student should know their capabilities and apparently recognize the need for tutoring. This is required especially check out their capabilities to deal with Math section. The student should know their capabilities to face SAT problems. If they find them struggling with Math or English then does not hesitate to get SAT test help. The experience says that students who find struggling without any help till the time of taking SAT/ACT test remains under lot of stress. But students who recognize the need of these three basic elements well in advance can prepare for the test at very ease. [starbox id=admin]

What Are The Main Principles Of Pilates

What Are The Main Principles Of Pilates The 6 Pilates Principles ChaptersWhat Is Pilates?The History Of Pilates TrainingThe Benefits Of The Pilates Exercise ProgramWhat You Need To Get Started With Your Pilates WorkoutThe Principles Of The Pilates MethodEach of the Pilates classes that you attend; you will notice the Pilates instructor following a particular routine. Reminders to bring your awareness and concentration to better posture, improving flexibility, proper breathing and the focus on the mind-body connection.Pilates is a super exercise for your body, as superfoods are for your diet. There are just some things that make sense and give specific results and benefits. Pilate’s exercises are one of them, focused on strengthening and conditioning a balanced body with core strength, body awareness and coordination in your range of motion.This uniformity within Pilates is down to the guiding principles which coordinate how Pilates is taught and the outcomes for each class. These principles of Pilates are what give the workout such a robust feel ing when practising. Even if you change the Pilates class, you will still find that you gain the same quality of lesson. This is one of the reasons that Pilates continues to grow as one of the most popular forms of exercise even today. you want it to be thick enough to protect you from the floor and with a good resistant surface that will prevent you from slipping and sliding while doing your workout.If you have limited flexibility, it can be beneficial to buy a fitness band which can help to support you gently to complete the postures.If you are prone to having aches and pains having a cushion with you in practice can support while you complete variations of the exercises.The Principles Of The Pilates MethodPilates is built upon a foundation of structured principles, which is what gives it such a great robust reputation. As the exercise program that is overflowing with benefits, it is these principles which guide all practitioners through the postures and help them to secure consis tent results. No matter what their goals or reasons for practising Pilates. They will always be pleasantly surprised that they always get more than they wished for.The guiding principles of Pilates were created by Joseph Pilates in the first half of the twentieth century. He was a qualified fitness professional and had studied Eastern and Western fitness concepts. He then brought together the best of his findings along with his own ideas and experience, to create what it is that we know as Pilates today.Although these principles may appear to be a little abstract, when they are applied to your practice they ensure that you receive the maximum benefits possible from your practice.Google  yoga London  now.Pilates is a full body workout and exercise system that focuses on key core areas to create and promote wellness within the body and mind. Photo Source: Unsplash6 Pilate’s PrinciplesAlignment And PrecisionWhile practising Pilates, you will be continuously reminded and aware of the necessity for proper posture and precise placement of your body. To help you achieve this principle, Pilates is often done at a very slow pace. This supports you to get the position correct and also allows you to become more aware of your body. You will be able to connect the movements of your spine, pelvis and head in perfect alignment. While this principle has a focus on the physical, it also has benefits of improving your concentration and your connection to your mind.BreathingYour practice will be full of deep breathing exercises to help transport oxygen around your body which provided your muscle with the energy needed to maximise your practice. Proper breathing while you practice Pilates is essential to clean the body of stress and toxins and replace it with fresh, clean oxygen. Adding the breath to your practice will make your connection to your practice stronger and lower any stress that you may be feeling which may distract you from being aware in the class.ConcentrationIf you hope to master your alignment and postures, you must concentrate and remain present in your practice. While being precise, you must be aware of what it is you are doing and using this focus aim to stay connected with your movements. When you are fully aware of your Pilates workouts, you will increase your body awareness and gain mental strength.CentringThe powerhouse also known as the core is the central area from which all movements are taken. With this being the centre of the body it is the origin of power behind all postures. Developing your centre has many benefits including having better abs, a flatter stomach, even achieving a six pack is possible should that be what you desire. As you look within you, bring calm to your practice and power to your core.ControlThis principle is fundamental in your practice; this is the heart of awareness and mindfulness as brought into your practice. The method that Pilates uses to provide this full body workout says that you must be aware of what each part of your body is doing and you should be in control of what you want them to do next. No movement is accidental or lazily placed. This allows the correct form and gives you access to the maximum benefits of Pilates.FlowThe flow that runs through your Pilates practice is gentle, calming and full of a slow grace and precise movement. All of the postures are tied together by a strong fluid movement that makes conscious body awareness appear elegant and full of vitality. This principle is the string that ties all of the postures together and is the vibration that lifts the veil of basic movement and adds the essence of continuity and fluidity into your practice. It is within this beautiful of motion that the mind-body connection is strengthened and reconnected.I hope when you take your next Pilates class or attend your first class that you bare these principles in mind and integrate them into your active practice. This integration of the principles into the workout will guarantee that you will receive the maximum benefits the Pilates can provide.

The Disappearance Of Small Classes

The Disappearance Of Small Classes Most schools boast small, effective student to faculty ratios. Smaller classes give students more one-on-one time with faculty members, increasing the value of their education. But, the economic downturn is dramatically increasing the size of classes at all levels. Justin Snider, an undergraduate professor of writing at Columbia University, wrote a guest column in The Washington Post stating that schools can no longer afford small classes. Snider cited Californias 1996 decision to launch a state-wide, class-size reduction program that planned to reward districts and schools for capping classes in grades k-3 at 20 students. The measure is estimated to have cost the state at least $20 billion. California was not the only state to spend billions on decreasing class sizes. Funds were mostly irrelevant in the late 90s, only school improvements seemed to matter. States and districts could continually show small student improvement through these efforts. However, current students are beginning to pay the price for these hasty decisions. These efforts were based on the Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) project conducted in Tennessee. It compared low-income students achievement in classes of 13-17 students with similar students in classes of 22-25 students. This study showed miniscule academic achievements for low-income students in smaller classes. Politicians ran with this study, claiming that this could reduce the gap between low-income students and wealthy students. However, they could not mimic the exact circumstances of the Tennessee study. States most notably California went to desperate measures to decrease class sizes. The state hired nearly 21,000 teachers overnight, pulling teachers from wherever they could find them. California hired what they could get, and most of these teachers did not have the appropriate credentials. The number of uncertified teachers in the mid to late 90s dramatically increased from 1 in 50 to 1 in 7. Then, low-income students were much more likely to be taught by uncertified teachers than middle-class or affluent students were. Florida has experienced similar circumstances. It has spent an estimated $16 billion on class-size reduction since 2002. To continue this measure, Floridas taxpayers will have to pay an extra $353 million this year. Money is slowly fading from states budgets, and class sizes are beginning to slowly increase. Parents and administrators are still calling for smaller classes, but politicians are running out of options. Snider argues that teacher quality is much more important than class size. He states that class size can affect students learning at the extremes, but slight decreases of five students or so do not matter. Snider concludes his argument by stating that politicians need to invest more money in teacher quality than class size. Snider used Zeke Vanderhoek, the founder of The Equity Project Charter School in New York City, as an example. Vanderhoeks teachers are the highest paid public educators in the country, earning at least $125,000 per year. Vanderhoek is able to pay his teachers so well because he decided that it would be more beneficial for the students to have the best educators with 30-student class sizes instead of 20.

The History of Origami

The History of Origami The Complex Story Paper Folding ChaptersPaper: the Essential Ingredient of OrigamiOrigami: the Symbol of DisciplineOne Thousand Cranes for SadakoOrigami in EuropeOrigami Today‘Mary’ sat on a stool, a stack of glossy magazine pages beside her. Deftly, she manipulated each page until it was but a fraction of its original size.She went about her work swiftly and silently, only nodding a greeting as we arrived.Mary (‘my English name!’, she proudly boasts) lives in a small-ish Chinese city with her family. She and her paper crafts claim a prominent place in the household; as the senior household member, she takes her job of protecting and passing on traditional culture seriously.I just wondered why she was busily folding and refolding magazine pages.Later, around the dinner table, I got my answer. By each food bowl lay a paper bowl that Mary had folded  meant for table scraps: fish bones, peppers and slivers of ginger.There is some argument over whether the art of sculpting animals out of folded paper originated in China or in Japan but one thing is certain: the Japanese words for this practice are the ones that everyone knows.Come with us now as we explore how the Japanese learned to make paper, who the first origami artists were and why they practised their art.We’ll also look at how far origami has strayed from its iconic cranes and flowers. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsPaper: the Essential Ingredient of Origami With a generous supply of colored paper, you too could make the origami star your trademark! Image by Gao Vang from PixabayNo matter how you cut it, paper had to be invented before anyone could fold it.Our first step to tracing the origins of origami is discovering paper-making, an act often credited to a Chinese inventor and politician named Cai Lun.Rather than inventing it, he refined the paper-making process; archaeologists found samples of a cruder type of paper along the ancient Silk Road that predates Cai Lun’s by about 300 years.Nevertheless, the relative ease and low cost of producing these hemp-fibre sheets in the manner he established meant that paper could be widely used. Soon, other provinces were making paper using a variety of fibres.The paper-making craft spread throughout Asia. In Korea, artisans discovered how to make paper out of seaweed, rice straw and bamboo fibres.Paper took the Korean Peninsula by storm! Soon, everyone had a use for paper and some envisioned e ven more paper possibilities: in 1234, Koreans invented the first metal movable type machine.The Chinese invented the movable type some 200 years earlier but they used wooden blocks.We’re getting much further ahead of ourselves than we should... the question we need to answer should be: how did paper making get to Japan?A Korean Buddhist monk named Don-Cho demonstrated the practice of paper-making to the Japanese emperor sometime around 610 AD. Soon, Japanese craftsmen were using paper to make fans, parasols and even body armour.In homes, windows consisted of rice paper; even the walls were sometimes made of paper!And then, someone had the idea to craft a keepsake box out of paper. Coating it with varnish and lacquer made it both beautiful and durable; thus an entire industry was born.In spite of its functionality, origami today still symbolises very specific aspects of Asian culture. what a personal touch a gift in an origami box would be! Image by Letterblade from PixabayOrigami: the Symbol of DisciplineEarly in Japan’s history of paper, it was very expensive so its usage was restricted to religious purposes. For instance, a wedding might feature origami butterflies. Such designs still feature in weddings today.Unfortunately, it is not known exactly when origami became a staple of Japanese culture.It is widely thought that the Shogun, an ultra-disciplined military force that ruled Japan (off and on) from 1185 to 1868 used the art of folding to teach discipline, precision and patience.Here, we have to make a distinction between two different types of Japanese origami: ceremonial and recreational.The aforementioned discipline exercises the Shoguns used would fall under the header of recreational origami â€" believe it or not. As for ceremonial origami, besides being used in weddings, this type had a more official purpose.Those samurai warriors were known to exch ange gifts. The recipient who would receive such a parcel adorned by a noshi â€" a type of ceremonial origami with a strip of dried meat or fish folded into the paper would have been a fellow well thought of indeed!Records of such gifts prove that, by the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573), origami was firmly ingrained into Japanese culture.Do you know why origami is so important in Japanese culture? Hiroshima Peace Park.Every year, millions of paper cranes make their way there from around the world, expressing a global wish for peace.Would you like to learn how to make origami animals? The origami crane has come to symbolise peace and hope Image by Ulrike Mai from PixabayOrigami in EuropePaper made its way to Europe via East Asia somewhere around the 11th Century but, here again, it was not used frivolously until a few hundred years later.The first recorded instance of an origami boat in Europe was in a book published in 1490.The next, most obvious example of origami in Europe came in John Webster’s play, The Duchess of Malfi, published in 1623, wherein a character alludes to ‘a paper prison’ - what is known today as a water bomb.Before paper made its way to northern European kingdoms, royal courts enjoyed displays of napkin folding â€" a decorative type of folding done with napkins.Some designs were rather simple; a diagonal pocket or what was known as a bishop’s fold. Others were quite elaborate: fans and roses; a fleur-de-lys fold was quite popular in France.Ironically enough, napkins were ideal for decorative folding because they were square; unfortunat ely, they lacked the rigidity of origami paper and, because of their use, quickly lost their form.That is why napkin folding was only a passing fad. After the 18th Century, it fell out of fashion, possibly because porcelain took its place as decorative tableware.Nevertheless, the ground had been laid for folding things into decorative shapes; all the royal courts needed was the right material.The next, most significant advance in European origami was surely Friedrich Froebel’s Kindergarten Method of instruction.He maintained that learning should be a hands-on activity rather than a passive exercise and rote repetition.He devised a system of student engagement that incorporates something remarkably similar to the day’s popular practice of napkin folding, except using paper rather than cloth.A few years after his death in 1852, when Japan opened her borders, they imported Froebel's method of learning and, oddly enough, adopted his recommendations for how to make an origami: double -sided square paper and no cutting or trimming allowed.Prior to the Japanese incorporating the educational benefits of origami into their schools’ curriculum, their origami practice permitted cutting (kirigami) and glueing or sewing (kusudama).To this day, Froebel’s style of easy origami using a square piece of paper is standard practice in Japan; in fact, it has opened up new avenues of industry to support the Japanese art.Japanese paper, specifically Washi paper has been voted the hands-down best by paper folders around the world. And did you know that they are now producing fold paper with crease patterns already imprinted?So, whether you are just learning how to fold or you already have several origami models under your belt, you can rest assured your paper art will turn out finer the higher quality paper you use. Today, you can make an origami butterfly by folding a dollar bill! Image by jordandemuth from PixabayOrigami TodayThe Japanese word for folding paper is universally recognised even though it was thought to have originated from the German language.It’s not so far-fetched that the German word inspired the Japanese one; it was likely imported, along with the Kindergarten Movement, sometime around 1880.Sadly, other words incorporating the Japanese ‘ori’ or ‘gami’ have fallen by the wayside:orikata: literally 'folded shapes'. Compare to martial arts katas which also involve assuming a pose or 'shape'.orimono translates to 'folded thing' (you might recognise ‘mono’ from the Japanese word ‘kimono’; that word's literal translation is 'wearing thing'.tatamigami: tatami is a straw floor matting common in Japanese homes; these mats are smaller; something we might use as place mats on our tables.kirigami: to cut paperStill, origami, at its purest, is not a lost art! Would you l ike for someone to suggest a few origami projects or maybe show you how to fold a tessellation? Perhaps point you to a few origami books for kids or talk you through a simple origami?Today, fans of the folding technique can get their origami on at clubs throughout the UK: the British Origami Society, the Folding Society; even NetMums has an origami club.And, just when you thought folding origami was merely a paper craft... would you be surprised to know that origami has engineering applications? Indeed, if you are in that line of work, you most likely have a few constructions you could bring to the next meeting...From a small town in China to a farm in rural Minnesota where I learned 3D origami (folding pages of a periodical to make a tree), origami folding has proven to be timeless, universal craft.And to think, if that Chinese politician hadn’t figured out how to make a thinner, more durable sheet of paper...We've now determined that, although origami is not strictly Japanese, i t has firm roots in Japan. Now we just need to know why...

Should I Go To Brown University

Should I Go To Brown University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Jasmine is a Washington D.C. tutor specializing in Algebra tutoring, Biology tutoring, Literature tutoring, and much more. She graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a Bachelors degree in Human Biology Africana Studies. Check out her review of her alma mater: 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? Jasmine: Brown University has a very unique campus setting due to it literally being a college on a hill. Tucked away in Providence away from the downtown life, Brown sits up on a hill with a suburban feel to the campus. You will find no true separation between the campus and the residents of the town, which can sometimes lead to safety issues, but the Brown police are very vigilant and will provide rides to students concerned about walking around at night. Brown also offers a SafeWalk program and SafeRide, which provide assistance after dark until 2am. Public transportation provides a means for getting off the hill and traveling downtown, but this can also be achieved within a 15 minute walk. Having a car can sometimes be beneficial, but usually becomes more of a hassle and expense given the limited availability of parking spaces to upperclassmen and the high cost of renting a space in town. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jasmine: The professors, advisers, and TAs at Brown University are amazing. Many of the professors live on or near campus and thus are available more than professors who may commute at other colleges. Brown is very big on email correspondence and many professors will respond to an email within the hour, if not sooner. Advisers and teaching assistants follow the same communication pattern and go above and beyond to be helpful with classes. Having been a TA myself, I know that I maintained a very open policy with my students and would help them at any time of the day, no matter the subject. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jasmine: My experience with Brown University dorm life was a somewhat positive one. I lived in the same dorm for the first three years of college and moved to a nicer dorm senior year. Typically, I think the dorms at Brown are pretty comparable to those of other private colleges. Freshmen are given dorms that can range from a double to a triple and in rare instances of overcrowding, a quad. Many of the dorms have some type of heating control, which can come in handy during those cold winter months. Dorms are situated all over campus, with the freshman dorms being spread out in three main places of campus. However, given that Brown tries to provide housing for all undergraduates, there are upperclassmen dispersed in all freshman dorms. There are two main dining halls, which are both pretty substantial in options and quality. The VDub and Ratty, as students call them, offer the typical cafeteria style eating, with the VDub being a bit more restaurant-style and serving less students. Th e VDub is closed during certain hours of the day, which can be a pain when you are on that side of campus and dont want to walk to the Ratty, but once you get used to the hours, it becomes simple to navigate. Socializing at Brown is simple: just walk around. There are always people outside, even in the cold months, waiting to talk about any and everything. There are tons of clubs, teams, and events that provide means for meeting new students and getting out of your room. 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? Jasmine: Honestly, I think all of the programs of study are represented and supported well. Given that Brown doesnt have majors and has an open curriculum, there is a lot of support put into all concentrations, even the few that historically have only a handful of students to graduate. I did a double concentration in Africana Studies and Human Biology. I knew going into college that I would be studying some type of biology, so human biology was just an extension of that plan, but what really surprised me as a freshman was my very first Africana Studies class. I was in love with the department from the very first day and could not imagine not taking as many classes as I could. I felt at home in my Africana Studies classes, so it just made sense that I would finish a concentration in both of my passions. At first, I met some resistance to completing a double concentration in two very different areas of study, but much like finding the right shoe, I had to find the right adviser who und erstood my passions and how they could intersect in an independent study completing both concentrations. 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? Jasmine: I am an introverted person, so I think given that simple fact, it would have been hard for me to meet people and make friends at any college. In addition to my introversion, I was also very homesick my first year at Brown, so I didnt take advantage of all the opportunities to meet new people and make friends. However, I think my experience was not the norm. Many of the friends I have now made a lot of their friendships as a freshman and found it very simple to make new connections coming in. Greek life plays a role at Brown in limited quantities. There is a sorority/fraternity for everyone and not a lot of exclusionary practices. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Jasmine: I honestly never used the Career Center at Brown. I have friends who have used it and found it helpful when trying to fix their resumes and cover letters, but I cannot give an accurate description of something I have not used. As far as recruitment on campus, that is also something else that I am not sure of and would not want to speak on without a true experience. I can attest to the greatness of the Writing Center support service. The students who help out in the Writing Center are amazing and can help with any type of assignment, from science to literature, with great pointers and tips on becoming a better writer. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Jasmine: As I was leaving Brown, there were more and more study areas and lounges being built and renovated. One of the biggest renovations was done in Faunce Hall, which was remodeled and cleaned up to become an amazing student center and focal point of campus. Lounges are available in some dorms, but not all, and can range from being stuck as a multipurpose room to a nice room with couches and a TV. It all depends on where you are and if upperclassmen primarily live there. Given the sporadic nature of the students at Brown, many of the libraries, lounges, and study areas become crowded at random times of the day. Of course during finals, there isnt much room anywhere for studying, but most of the time there is space available, even if only for one person. 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? Jasmine: As I described before, Brown is a college on the hill. The downtown of Providence is down the hill, literally, from campus and can sometimes seem like a world away if you get caught in the Brown bubble effect. The more adventurous you are, the easier it is to find Brown as a somewhere in between college in terms of fun level, but if you are a student coming from a big city, you will quickly realize that Providence is a town trying to be a city. Most people stay on campus most days and will go downtown to catch a movie or go to the mall. There are a couple of colleges within walking distance from Brown, RISD and JWU, which can provide for a change of scenery and new people if the mood strikes. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jasmine: There are about 5,000 students in the undergraduate student body, with about 1,500 being freshmen. As Brown tries to admit more students, this number is obviously changing, but it generally provided small class sizes for upper-level courses and bigger class sizes for entry-level courses. This trend also depends on what area of study you are in and whether the class is offered only one semester per year and so on and so forth. The difference in area of study plays a huge role between the Humanities and Sciences. In my Africana courses, the biggest class was approximately 30 across all levels, whereas in my Science courses, the biggest class was approximately 300 in the entry-level courses. Given I went to a small private high school, I was not a fan of the bigger classes and did not like feeling like a number rather than a person, but in using TAs and discussion groups, it is sometimes easier to feel connected. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Jasmine: This is a hard question for me because I tend to think of many memorable experiences in reflecting on my Brown life. However, I think an experience I regret the most is not taking my Medical Anthropology class more seriously. I tried to coast through the class on the bare minimum because I was more focused on other classes and extra-curricular activities, and let a negative impression of the professor in the first week shade my view overall. I stopped attending class and just read the books to be able to speak in discussion; looking back on that experience, I wish I had put in more effort. I wish I had given the professor a second chance and tried to maintain my vivaciousness for learning. Check out Jasmines tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.