Working Out Your Level as a Guitarist

Working Out Your Level as a Guitarist Are You a Beginner, Intermediate, or an Advanced Guitarist? How do You Work Out Your Level? ChaptersBeginnerIntermediateWhat Is an Advanced Guitarist?“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” - Victor HugoIt's thought that around a fifth of musicians play the guitar.  However, it's difficult to determine how well each of them can play guitar since it's very difficult to quantify guitar technique.No matter how well a given guitarist plays, there are always techniques they can improve or new techniques that they can learn. In this article, we're going to attempts to give you a general guide to follow in order to gauge your level on the guitar.If you haven't had the opportunity to have your level gauged by a tutor or a teacher because you're teaching yourself rather than taking guitar lessons, you just need to follow our guide. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsBeginnerAnyone who learns how to play the guitar will have to start as a beginner. However, there's a huge difference between a beginner who's never picked up a guitar and somebody who's been playing for a few weeks. You'll be surprised at how much you learn how to play guitar after a month of practising or working with a guitar teacher.The first time you pick up a guitar, it's going to be tricky. (Source: Couleur)To help you work out what level you have on the guitar, be it the acoustic guitar, jazz guitar, or the electric guitar, here are some of the different types of beginners.Absolute BeginnerBefore y ou start taking the online guitar classes, private guitar tutorials, or teaching yourself how to play the guitar, you'll have to start as an absolute beginner.You'll have never touched a guitar in your life, you won't know how to hold a plectrum, tune a guitar, or even coordinate your left and right hands. Online guitar lessons mightn't be ideal when you've never taken a single guitar lesson in your life.You may remain at this level for a long time depending on your musical capabilities.  Some people remain absolute beginners for just a couple of weeks, especially if they have experience playing other musical instruments.  It all depends on how much effort you put in.Of course, that's not all.  Everybody's different when it comes to music. Some may already know how to read music or have a great ear for different notes. Others may require more time.As an absolute beginner, you learn how to make notes on the guitar, how to position your hands, and the right posture to adopt when you'r e playing. You'll notice very quickly just how much playing the guitar hurts your fingers when you first start playing.Don't worry, though, you'll get used to it. Even Steve Vai and Jimi Hendrix would have gone through this stage.BeginnerOnce you are no longer an absolute beginner who's never touched a guitar in their life, you'll have reached the stage of beginner.You'll have taken a few online classes, private tutorials, regular classes either in a group for on your own, or have spent some time teaching yourself. You'll be aware of some of the basic guitar techniques and know a few basic chords.You'll be able to play a few simple songs along to some music. While your timing mightn't be perfect and you still play a few wrong notes, you're getting there!You'll be aware of what you've got to do and where you need to go in order to master playing your instrument. You'll also know that you've got a long way to go.Play for a few friends and get feedback from them. (Source: Free-Photos)S easoned BeginnerThis is one of the more difficult levels to be at…This is when a lot of players start to plateau. When you first learn to play guitar, you'll make a lot of progress in a short amount of time, start strumming some basic chords, and learn to find notes on the neck.  This progression tends to make a guitar player overestimate their own abilities.The seasoned beginner isn't necessarily capable of any advanced techniques but they can play what they know quite well. They're able to play in time to music and have mastered all the basic chords.They'll be able to expand their repertoire by playing almost any basic song requested of them. They'll still be taking beginner guitar lessons and working on their rhythm, playing certain notes, and learning guitar basics.They may be able to even play and sing at the same time. At this point, you might even say they're good at the guitar. But they're not without fault.As a seasoned beginner, inconsistency is their biggest flaw.  This means that while they're quite good at playing the guitar and they have a decent level, they'll still make mistakes. It doesn't matter whether you play the guitar for five, 10, or 15 years, it won't guarantee that you'll exceed the level of a seasoned beginner.If you constantly play basic songs and chord progressions, you’ll always remain a seasoned a beginner. You need to be aware of your level and start looking to challenge yourself with more advanced techniques and more difficult songs.IntermediateNot everyone makes it to the intermediate stage. You aren’t guaranteed to reach this stage just by practising for a few years. It depends on how you practice during this time. Your guitar instructor won't always be there to help you learn guitar or to teach you new techniques.If you attend a weekly guitar class but don't touch your guitar for the rest of the week, you'll remain a beginner much longer than somebody who practises a little bit every day.Playing guitar in a band could help your guitar playing. (Source: Free-Photos)Lower IntermediateThe lower intermediate follows the seasoned beginner. You're starting to explore the entire neck of the guitar. You familiar with the different notes and a bit of music theory.  You play the songs you know well and you're familiar with concepts such as harmony.Your playing is more varied than that of a beginner and you integrate more complicated chords into your repertoire, which is broader than that of a beginner. You can comfortably sing whilst you play the guitar and you're even capable of basic solos and improvisation.Bit by bit, your ear is developing and you can play without needing to concentrate too hard. Playing the guitar is becoming more natural to you.However, you're still aware of everything that you still need to learn and you're not resting on your laurels. You keep working on your technique and have your sights set on  achieving a higher level of playing.Maybe composing and improvising will help you rea ch that level.Upper IntermediateAt this point, you're far from being a beginner. You'll have a great understanding of several guitar techniques, know your way around the neck, and have a good ear for music.You'll be able to harmonise in real time and reproduce most of what you hear on the guitar without needing sheet music of guitar tablature.Additionally, your timing will be far tighter than that of the beginner.Since you'll have a good understanding of music theory for guitarists and a number of scales, you'll be able to improvise and compose your own music with greater ease. Playing the guitar become second nature to you and you won't need to think too much about it when you do it.You'll have a solid technique which will make playing most songs quite simple. Additionally, you'll also be able to relax while you're playing and improvise.At this point, you probably want to join a band and start making and performing your own music to crowds.This is the point where a lot of guitarist s may stagnate.  When you reach this level of playing, you may still have never taken a single music theory lesson in your life. Now might be the ideal time to do just that. Otherwise, you run the risk of remaining an intermediate guitarist for the rest of your life.If you have been taking group classes for private tutorials, you can always ask your teacher about more advanced music theory or even moving to a new class. You may have reached the stage where your level is beyond that of what's being taught.Check out our tips for guitarists.What Is an Advanced Guitarist?Moving beyond an intermediate level is complicated.A lot of guitarists will never become as good as the greats. (Source: 691806)Your technique needs to be flawless, timing impeccable, and you need to have a sound knowledge and music theory and be able to apply it to your playing.You'll be able to use all the different techniques you've learnt throughout your years of studying how to play the guitar at any given time.You r improvisation is fluid and you can easily reproduce almost any music you hear. You can also play almost whatever you want, whenever you want, all without making any mistakes. You're playing will be so natural that you'll barely have to think about what you're doing.By this stage, you'll probably have a lot of experience performing on stage either as a soloist or part of a group.It'll all seem quite easy, even in front of the crown. Nobody can deny that you're a great guitarist.It's taken years of practice to get to this point. To get a such an advanced level, you've had to remain motivated, regularly practise, and almost constantly work on your guitar playing.That said, the journey isn't over. Anyone who's reached this level won't probably rest on their laurels. There's always something you can improve or integrate into your playing to become a better guitarist or a better musician.However, keep in mind that it's not your level that really counts.  It's the music that counts and h ow we share it and enjoy it.A simple riff can make an absolute tune. Look at how songs like Seven Nation Army and Smells Like Teen Spirit are relatively simple to play but were also huge successes.Music can be simple and effective.Isn't the main thing to just enjoy music and share it?

Online Maths Tutor Jobs

Online Maths Tutor Jobs Why have Some Maths Tutors Decided to give Teach Maths Online? ChaptersThe Advantages of Online Private Tuition:The Disadvantages of Webcam Private Tuition:Sceptics Are Quickly Convinced When It Comes To Online Maths TutoringThe Digitisation Of Private Tutorials Is Already HappeningHi I'm Anis. I'm  a French and Maths tutor. I've  got over 7 years of private and online tutoring experience  and before that, I was a maths and physics tutor mentoring students in some of Paris’ top high schools. Studying maths and providing private maths tutoring  is my real passion.Maths is a universal language, why teach it online and around the world? (Source: Superprof)In 2016 I tutored 8 students one on one over Skype (online) and their private mathematics courses  went really well. The students lived in different cities around Europe: London, Geneva, Paris, and Luxembourg, they all had different levels, were different ages, from starting secondary school to getting ready to be an undergrad at university.With 6 months of supplemental instruction, homework hel p, and  test prep, the students improved their exams' grades.In this article we're  going to show you the advantages and disadvantages of taking to your webcam and advising you on the best ways to provide online tutoring services.  as well as the technology that’ll help you create  a fantastic academic tutoring service and put your students on the path to academic success.Here's how you get into online maths tutoring online and how you can use it to  teach  maths effectively!Improve their communication skills:  Having tutorials online forces the student to better express their ideas (which also helps them better assimilate new concepts and gain study skills).Easier to share information:  The student and the teacher can keep all their files on their computer or another device, making the exchange of files really easy and practical.Flexibility:  Tutoring jobs over Skype can be easily scheduled around both the tutor’s and the student’s timetable. Furthermore, the tutorials can co ntinue even when the tutor or the tutee are elsewhere (on holiday or a trip, etc.). For example, last week, I offered my tutoring services from the comfort of my hotel room in Brussels while my student was in their holiday home in Geneva. Online tutorials get rid of a number of the common hurdles such as time, transport, and price, etc.The Disadvantages of Webcam Private Tuition:A bad internet connection and synchronisation issues:  This can sometimes happen. If your connection is bad or the sound is out of sync, the quality of your maths tutorials will suffer. In order to avoid this problem, I recommend checking the quality of their connection before the tutorials.Communication Problems:  Some students have difficulties when it comes communicating with a teacher over webcam. However, they normally become more and more comfortable with having their tutorials online and this stops being a problem after two or three sessions.Here are some tools which can help any tutor successfully be come a maths tutor.In fact, there are plenty of technological tools to simplify and improve your remote tutorials (over Skype). For example:Google Docs: a Google page that allows both the student and the tutor to see and edit documents in real time, which really aids communication. I can show a student the method and the solution to a problem using the advanced functionality of Microsoft Word, work through their homework as if I was really there thanks to Google Docs. In fact, you can also draw on google docs, using the platform like an interactive whiteboard or look over a student's assignment in real time.Geometry Programmes: this type of programme is really useful when it comes to showing students complex geometric maths problems or trigonometry. I recommend GeoGebra for solving a geometry problem or equation.Emails, WhatsApp: Messaging and email are the first things you should get when you become a tutor. The student can send the exercises and notes from their tutorials to their tutor and the tutor can quickly show a student how a problem can be solved by taking a photo of the solution directly to the student.Online Programmes: there are plenty of maths programmes online which allow students to draw complex curves, do algebra, or calculus. I often use these types of mathematical tools with my students in order to show them how to analyse a problem in terms of functions.Screen Sharing: In just a click, any tutor online can share their  screen with the learner. This is great for one on one tutoring and can help the tutor clarify any difficulties the student is having in some of the more difficult activities. Perfect for when providing academic tutoring for difficulties in maths.It's a lot easier to understand when you can see it, right?Sceptics Are Quickly Convinced When It Comes To Online Maths TutoringThe first student I  ever taught over Skype was getting ready to finish their studies at an international school in Geneva. He’d tried other in tutors at h is home and was very sceptical about online maths tutorials.The good news is that after a few months of tutorials he managed to go up two grades in maths. Never underestimate the power of testimonials! In fact, he recommended my  online tutoring services to all his friends.Finding a private maths tutor was an easy, simple, flexible, and quick way to get ahead in maths.A private tutor is great for helping students get a Maths' GCSE, for preparing students in a sixth form or a college get their A Levels, and also making students fall in love with maths.It’s easy to work out whether an educator on Superprof offers online one to one maths tutorials. You just have to have a look at the sidebar on the right of their advert and see whether it has the “webcam” logo.If you want to only find online tutorials, you just have to select “Via webcam” from the drop-down menu when searching for tutors.A modern way to teach maths using modern technology.The Digitisation Of Private Tutorials Is Already HappeningToday 23% of Superprof private tutors teach their tutorials online. The average maths tutor prices per hour for these online private tutorials is £19.As Anne, a Superprof user, echoes:“online tutorials are also an interesting solution for students who live in the country or abroad and are far away from most tutors. In fact, we concentrate better during virtual tutorials”.On behalf of the tutors, David highlighted the advantage of online tutorials:“It offers another way to be in contact with the students 24/7, 365 days a year”.The most frequently asked questions when it comes to online tutorials are about which payment tools to use. Once your free Skype and PayPal accounts are set up, you just have to take the plunge and start teaching your online tutorials with Superprof.This is how maths tutors see the future!  Discover the History of Maths tutoring over the centuries with our guide.Find tutoring jobs on Superprof. Whether you want to teach at home or start online tutoring jobs, we can help.

What are the Differences Between UK and US English

What are the Differences Between UK and US English American and British English Spelling Differences ChaptersWhy Has American English Changed?Noah Webster and the Push for Simple SpellingHow to Learn English Spelling: American vs BritishAs a learner of English as a foreign language, you’ll be faced with the decision between adopting British or American spelling in your English writing skills practice.There is no ‘right’ answer to this dilemma, but it is usually down to personal preference and your situation.For instance, if you are planning to get a job or take English courses in London and want to improve your English skills, you may find it useful to adopt British spelling. However, many non native English speakers choose to use US spelling as a default from the day they start to learn English, since it is the most prevalent in the English-language media.US English spelling is also simpler and more phonetic than UK spelling, so it is easier to become fluent in written English.This is because American spelling has been adapted to make it closer to the way words are pronounced in spoken English, so it is a clear winner for teachers of English courses, those studying English who are looking to improve their language skills.The differences are usually subtle, and only involve changing one letter, so many of them go unnoticed.Other changes are much more obvious, and involve changing a few letters or even using a completely different word.This can seem bizarre to speakers of British, Australian and South African English, who generally follow the same spelling and grammar rules as each other.However, differences between these two versions of English rarely cause confusion, and every native English speaker on each side of the Atlantic can enjoy each other’s TV and films as well as literature with ease.Are you looking for resources for learning English online?UKUSAPaediatricianPediatricianOestrogenEstrogenAnaemiaAnemiaIt’s not difficult to understand why these changes were made.Nevertheless, both British and American spelling is accepted in the world of sci ence.Another major difference concerns tenses, in particular, forming the past tense.For regular verbs, forming a past participle generally means adding the suffix ‘ed’.So ‘play’ becomes ‘play’, ‘stay’ becomes ‘stayed’, ‘talk’ becomes ‘talked’, and so on.It’s important to note the pronunciation of these past participles. Sometimes the ‘ed’ is pronounced as a ‘D’, and sometimes as a ‘T’.And this point is the reason for the next difference.When it comes to forming the past tense of ‘learn’ and ‘dream’, the Brits and Americans once again disagree, with the Brits choosing to, this time, spell phonetically as ‘learnt’ and ‘dreamt’, whereas the Americans use ‘learned’ and ‘dreamed’.Again, this causes little confusion and is really down to personal preference.However, it’s important to take into consideration the fact that the pronunciation differs slightly, too.For ‘learnt’ and ‘learned’, only the final letters di ffer in sound, however for ‘dreamt’ and ‘dreamed’, the difference is more noticeable, with the Brits pronouncing ‘drempt’ and the Americans saying ‘dreemd’ â€" which reflects their preferred spelling.Underground or Subway? ¦ source: Pixabay - PublicDomainPicturesAnother difference which, this time, affects an entire category of words, is how US English spells verbs ending in ‘ise’, choosing to replace the ‘S’ with a ‘Z’, making ‘ize’.Here are just a few examples of how this looks:UKUSCategoriseCategorizePrioritisePrioritizeOrganiseOrganizeSo, again, the actual difference is nothing major, but rather the scale of it is what is noticeable.It’s a similar story for words ending in ‘nce’ in UK spelling, where speakers of US English prefer to use an ‘S’ instead of a ‘C’.This change goes largely unnoticed. So much so, that British people sometimes ‘misspell’ certain words as their American counterparts.Take a look at the similarity:UKUSOff enceOffenseDefenceDefenseLicenceLicenseSometimes, however, the differences in UK and US spelling are not so subtle.For instance, where the Brits write a cheque, the Americans write a ‘check’.This change was obviously brought about to get rid of the ‘foreign’ and silent ‘u-e’ ending as well as making the spelling more phonetic.While the Americans categorize their colors and worry about canceling their theatre tickets, the Brits do it slightly differently.As a non native  speaker, it really doesn’t matter whether you choose to use UK or US spelling when you study English.However, we recommend that you choose one system and stick to it whilst your improve your vocabulary and work on your English speaking skills, listening skills, English conversation and English reading and listening comprehension so that your writing remains consistent.It's also a good idea to choose one English system in your language learning as each one favours its own English grammar rules, slang and idiomatic expressions and phrases.This approach is particularly useful if you want to learn English with a particular goal in mind.If you're an English learner hoping to achieve English fluency and teach English for the British Council, you'll need to focus on gaining the skills learn to confidently speak English to the level of a native British speaker.This means regular grammar exercises, English listening quizzes, learning to use new words in conversation, incorporating new nouns, adverbs, and adjectives into your sentences when practising speaking English, as well as getting used to how British English speakers pronounce their words and even practising tongue twisters!A good tip is to watch English TV and films from English speaking countries. By doing this, you can listen to English being spoken and see how the pronunciation matches the spelling and punctuation in the subtitles.All of this literacy and listening practise will see you achieve a high level of proficiency as you learn to speak English fluently, and is much more valuable than a dictionary when it comes to exams.Wherever you come from, and wherever your knowledge of English takes you, don't forget to enjoy it!

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Group Classwork

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Group Classwork Despite your best intentions and careful preparation, sometimes group assignments go haywire. Maybe your students dont work well together. Perhaps your efforts to foster collaboration dont always translate to student productivity. Here are a few common pitfalls of group classwork and tips to avoid these issues: Pitfall: Uneven workload. Theres no getting around it: some students put more work into group projects than others. You can avoid this problem by setting clear expectations upfront. Elementary students might do best with assigned roles, while older students should work from a group grading rubric that includes guidelines for sharing the duties. Try incorporating anonymous peer reviews into the project so students know theyll be assessed for their efforts (or lack thereof). Pitfall: Disorganization. Putting students together with different learning styles and ideas can cause a little chaos, making it hard for some to use class time wisely. You can greatly streamline group work by developing a timeline of milestones so that students know what they should do and by what date. If you prefer, give them the assignment details and have them get together to develop this schedule of deadlines on their own. Pitfall: Groupthink. Sometimes students in a group agree or keep quiet to avoid conflict. The problem with groupthink is that not everyone contributes or has the chance to put those critical thinking skills to work. To avoid this, talk with students about compromising and good listening. Consider holding periodic meetings with groups and inviting each student to share how the group came to its decisions. Mitigate the cons of group work with some proactive effort and your students will reap the gains. The best thing about group work, of course, is that it prepares students for the real world, where teaming up with others is a common occurrence. Set expectations and model good practices in your classroom and your students will benefit.

Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips

Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips The new school year is here! Start the year off right - develop a study schedule, organize your materials, and take a few moments to reflect on what you can do to make this year the best yet. Stay a step ahead Dont wait until you are behind to adjust your study skills. Starting the school year off the right way will provide you the opportunity to maximize your learning and stay ahead of your studies. Attend to your learning Good attendance is necessary for school success. Arrive at your classes early, make sure your materials are ready, and prepare for the days learning. Being ready beforethe school day and the individual class begins will help you acquire the most new knowledge. Review your study habits Think about your previous years study habits and determine what worked best for you. Talk to your teachers about any concerns you may have and how this years courses will impact your individual study habits. If you have laboratory based courses, such as chemistry, biology, or physics, seek additional time in the lab to review your learning with course materials on hand. Identify your strengths and weaknesses Understanding what your strongest academic areas are, and identifying the areas you struggle with the most, will help you plan your studying and maximize your learning. Huntington Learning Center can help. Each customized tutoring plan we create is based on the individual students strengths and weaknesses. Your tutoring plan will reflect your needs and is crafted based on your individual assessment data. Find What You Need Each student is different and what works best for you is personal. Some students choose to study in large chunks of time and others prefer to spread their studying out over time. You may study best at home in your bedroom but your friend may do better in a secluded corner of the public library. Determining your ideal conditions for studying will aid your preparation. Choose the perfect spot It is important to determine the perfect spot for you to study. All of these study tips will be irrelevant if your study location is insufficient. Where are you most comfortable? Which study spot has the least amount of distractions? Where do you complete your best work? Set a weekly schedule Take the time to create a master study schedule you can stick to each week. Be careful to schedule plenty of time around family, athletic, and extra-curricular activities. Consider building in extra time in case unforeseen circumstances or commitmen ts arise. Know when you need help If your school work is quickly becoming overwhelming and you are struggling to keep up it may be time to ask for help. The professional tutors with Huntington Learning Centers will administer assessments to determine your current strengths and weaknesses. Your progress will be carefully monitored to determine areas of continued need and the tutoring plan will be updated as you master new learning. Stay in Touch It is important to stay on top of both coursework and your individual performance. Knowing when you need additional support, and asking for help, is best done as soon as difficulties arise. If you wait too long to seek assistance you will likely be wasting precious study time. Review expectations Don't just read the syllabus and stick it in a folder. Your course expectations should be reviewed often to ensure you haven't missed any important dates or information. Compare the expectations periodically with your master calendar to make sure you haven't overlooked anything. Connect with others There may be other students in your class who are searching for a peer to connect with. Having another student in the class to study with, compare notes, and bounce ideas off of is a great way to stay connected with the academic work. Communicate with teachers and tutors Do your part to communicate with your teachers and tutors. When you are feeling confused ask for help. When something seems frustrating or overwhelming let them know. Utilize your teacher's office hours or review sessions and spend time during tutoring sessions to share your concerns or problems.

Who can be a Science tutor

Who can be a Science tutor Tutoring Science requires both practical and theoretical skills to ensure a lively and engaging tutorial style. More than any other subject, Science is as much about doing and seeing as it is about listening and understanding. Therefore those who can provide a high level of interaction will create a strong impression. It is for this reason that those people who come from careers with a high 'Applied Science' element are likely to make very good Science tutors. People who have worked as a laboratory assistant or researcher, an engineer or mechanic, will all have the necessary attributes to thrive in a tutorial environment. Of course, Science breaks down into a number of key areas and those who wish to tutor older students may come from a highly specialised background. For Biology, those with a background in botany, zoology or medicine can prove to make a successful crossover, while Physics tutors may benefit from a mechanical or technical background. In Chemistry, those with a background in the chemical industries, or combustion design will also have an advantage. If you are interested in tutoring Science, have a look at our section For Tutors. You'll find some handy hints on lesson planning as well as an overview of the things you need to take into consideration when advertising your services as a private tutor.

Lexie Language Challenge Week 2

Lexie Language Challenge Week 2 So Jim sat down with me today to check how my Language Challenge is going.  Below is our conversation about Week 2: Hows your Language Challenge Progress so far? Language Challenge Completed Sessions:  6 Language Challenge Sessions Remaining:  14 Session Schedule for Week 3:  3 So how are you feeling after week 2 of the Challenge? I feel that I am on the right track. Taking lessons absolute helps me to practice speaking French in an efficient way.  I feel learning a foreign language is a strange thing, even you stop to use this language for one week,  you really  feel that you start to fall behind, and you could not speak as well as before. Taking 3 sessions per week for me is not very easy because my job is really busy, and last week one of my French teacher was busy with his school stuff so he canceled one of the sessions.  There were a couple of days that I stopped taking lessons, but when I started back to taking it again I could feel that my French had regressed.  It really proves that I need to keep up with practicing more regularly in the future! Have you hit any problems or roadblocks with the Challenge?  How did you overcome them? Actually I bought two packages with two different teachers, and I have scheduled all packages lessons already, but last week the wifi at my place started to have problems.  One session went really badly and at the end I could not hear a word from the teacher although she could hear me clearly, that made me panic, because the Chinese New Year holiday is right around the corner and I have to take four sessions at home during the 7 day holiday.  Anyway I will try to figure it out.   I feel that whenever a teacher converses with me about general things in French, it went pretty well, but when we started to talk about specific topics by using certain grammars (le Subjonctif, le Conditionnel,etc), it always turned out to be really hard for me.  Anyway, I could tell you that back in November last year, the first time I started the lesson, I could only speak some words, now at least I could keep a conversation in French for at least 15 minutes, so no matter how frustrating it is sometime s, I will keep doing this because I know that I am progressing in this way. What has been the hardest thing about the Challenge? Ahhhhh..There is nothing hard about the challenge, the hard part is learning the language. Just need time to take lessons, but it is beneficial for myself, so it is good. Do you feel your French improving?  Are you satisfied with your progress so far? I feel my French improved a lot in the first week, but as I said, last week was pretty frustrating because I only took 2 lessons and I could feel I fell behind a little bit, and the bad Wifi situation. I hope I could keep on progressing like the first week in the coming next few weeks. Since with the community tutor we only talk about general stuff, so during the conversation I could feel my progression, and the teacher made the comment to me saying I was dealing with it really well.^_^ What advice do you have for our other italki Challengers? MmmmmI bet different people are in different tracks, and I hope everyone is doing well on what they need. I know it is easy to take 2-3 lessons per week at the beginning, but it will be hard to insist on it for one month and a half. But I believe some of them could already feel the progressing so just keep doing it. If you feel things are not going well, I suggest you to change a teacher. On italki one of the best things is that you could switch your teacher at anytime, try to find a teacher that you could get the most benefit from! Anything else youd like to add? I really wanna pray for a better Wifi connection at my place for the next coming weeks! Lexie Language Challenge Week 2 So Jim sat down with me today to check how my Language Challenge is going.  Below is our conversation about Week 2: Hows your Language Challenge Progress so far? Language Challenge Completed Sessions:  6 Language Challenge Sessions Remaining:  14 Session Schedule for Week 3:  3 So how are you feeling after week 2 of the Challenge? I feel that I am on the right track. Taking lessons absolute helps me to practice speaking French in an efficient way.  I feel learning a foreign language is a strange thing, even you stop to use this language for one week,  you really  feel that you start to fall behind, and you could not speak as well as before. Taking 3 sessions per week for me is not very easy because my job is really busy, and last week one of my French teacher was busy with his school stuff so he canceled one of the sessions.  There were a couple of days that I stopped taking lessons, but when I started back to taking it again I could feel that my French had regressed.  It really proves that I need to keep up with practicing more regularly in the future! Have you hit any problems or roadblocks with the Challenge?  How did you overcome them? Actually I bought two packages with two different teachers, and I have scheduled all packages lessons already, but last week the wifi at my place started to have problems.  One session went really badly and at the end I could not hear a word from the teacher although she could hear me clearly, that made me panic, because the Chinese New Year holiday is right around the corner and I have to take four sessions at home during the 7 day holiday.  Anyway I will try to figure it out.   I feel that whenever a teacher converses with me about general things in French, it went pretty well, but when we started to talk about specific topics by using certain grammars (le Subjonctif, le Conditionnel,etc), it always turned out to be really hard for me.  Anyway, I could tell you that back in November last year, the first time I started the lesson, I could only speak some words, now at least I could keep a conversation in French for at least 15 minutes, so no matter how frustrating it is sometime s, I will keep doing this because I know that I am progressing in this way. What has been the hardest thing about the Challenge? Ahhhhh..There is nothing hard about the challenge, the hard part is learning the language. Just need time to take lessons, but it is beneficial for myself, so it is good. Do you feel your French improving?  Are you satisfied with your progress so far? I feel my French improved a lot in the first week, but as I said, last week was pretty frustrating because I only took 2 lessons and I could feel I fell behind a little bit, and the bad Wifi situation. I hope I could keep on progressing like the first week in the coming next few weeks. Since with the community tutor we only talk about general stuff, so during the conversation I could feel my progression, and the teacher made the comment to me saying I was dealing with it really well.^_^ What advice do you have for our other italki Challengers? MmmmmI bet different people are in different tracks, and I hope everyone is doing well on what they need. I know it is easy to take 2-3 lessons per week at the beginning, but it will be hard to insist on it for one month and a half. But I believe some of them could already feel the progressing so just keep doing it. If you feel things are not going well, I suggest you to change a teacher. On italki one of the best things is that you could switch your teacher at anytime, try to find a teacher that you could get the most benefit from! Anything else youd like to add? I really wanna pray for a better Wifi connection at my place for the next coming weeks!

12 Best Ways to Relax in Your Apartment

12 Best Ways to Relax in Your Apartment pexels.com 1. A comfy spot in the sun A nice big couch or recliner near a window will be just what you need when youre feeling extra stressed. Its also the perfect way to begin a productive day. Having your coffee in front of a big picture window with some cute pillow decor is the absolute perfect Saturday morning. 2. Some nice patio furniture So when the weather is nice, you can enjoy the outdoors while checking your email and playing Candy Crush. Get some of those tiki torches to keep the bugs away and youre set for a nice, relaxing evening at home. 3. A dedicated work space Keeping your work all together will allow you to categorize your life and your to-do list. Invest in a nice desk with lots of storage space for pens, pencils, staplers, and sticky-notes. Youll appreciate that you have an area  specifically  for your work. 4. Theme/Calming colors Depending on who you are and what your personality is, youre attracted to different color schemes. If youre wanting an environment thats cool, calm, and collected, shoot for blues or yellows. If youre a loud person, with eccentric taste: reds and oranges will suit your style. But regardless, when you come home, youll want to relax in a space that suits you. Go with a theme that you know youll enjoy, day after day. 5. Rugs/Pictures/Wall decor Coming home to familiar faces and a shag rug can change the course of your entire day. Youll feel secure in a place where youre comfortable. Whether thats pictures of your dogs, your mom, or your best friend, framing those photos can make a world of difference. 6. Fans The temperature of your living space can be the difference between comfort and discomfort. Especially if you have roommates, youll want to at least have control over your individual room. If you have fans, youll be able to cool off without changing the temperature of the entire living space. Dont freeze out your roommates, just invest in some box fans from your local super center. 7. A recliner Having your favorite recliner to curl up in during your favorite Netflix show is the easiest way to relieve your stress after a long day. Nothing feels better than the comfort of your favorite recliner. 8. Aromatherapy The scent of your living space is one of the most important parts to relaxing. Some essential oils, or your favorite Febreze scent, can warm up a home and make it really feel homey. 9. The perfect bed When you come home and want to fall into bed, you have to make sure its the absolute  perfect  one. Get a comforter thats going to soothe you, a cotton blanket thats going to keep in just enough heat, and pillows that feel like clouds. Having the perfect bed is important for the health of your joints and back, and youll like sleeping in on Saturdays even more (if thats possible). 10. Light-blocking shades If you have a job that requires you to work weird hours, youll need some shades that block all the light from the sun. Itll allow you to  really  sleep in. So sure, think about how theyll look in your living space, but think about the impact theyll have on your sleeping. 11. A kitchen with storage and room for exquisite cooking Eating out is what we all turn to when we get stressed probably because its more convenient. But when one of the things thatll cure stress quicker than anything else is a home-cooked meal, you need a kitchen that you enjoy being in. If theres room for all your kitchen knick knacks, and an oven that heats a frozen pizza like a boss, youre more likely to spend time relaxing in your space. 12. Bedroom storage Clutter will cause anyone stress. One way to ensure your living space is stress-free and has the optimal relaxation conditions is to invest in some storage options for all your miscellaneous  stuff.  Without covering your entire bedroom in rolling carts with drawers, get creative! Store your out of season clothes under the bed. Get some tubs for closet storage. You can easily make your apartment the perfect place for relaxing if you think about what you need to reduce your own stress. I hope these tips helped a ton! Looking for an easy way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Renting furniture from CORT saves you time and money. See how easy it is to get great looking furniture without breaking the bank.