Definition of Precipitation

Definition of PrecipitationPrescribed by the National Center for Water Research and Monitoring, precipitation definition is the study of precipitation and its affects on water supply, human health, agriculture, wildlife, water quality, urbanization, soil erosion, climate change, and ecology. Of all the terms describing precipitation, this word has the most effect on the world as a whole. It describes the weather cycle, and how it affects the environment we live in.The practice of defining the term precipitation is relatively new, though its existence has been recognized since the time of Hippocrates, well before the discovery of science and technology. In fact, a Greek physician wrote in about 160 BC, claiming that lightning itself was formed from the discharge of vapor and water vapor. Much of this, which is still taught today, is based on the idea that thunder occurs when a thunderstorm is started by heavy rain. Though not necessarily true, this notion has gained much credence thro ugh modern science and history. In the end, it is just the middle term for precipitation - and what matters most is the middle term.For a long time, scientists have debated the effects of precipitation. The big controversy has come over the classification of rainfall in terms of whether or not it falls as water, salt, or a combination of both. Some researchers claim that precipitation is different from liquid and vapor because liquid does not evaporate, while vapor does. Others maintain that the composition of the water and the atmosphere make all the difference.One of the reasons for the controversy is weather modification. Some scientists suggest that precipitation definition is misused to justify weather modification, such as lowering the elevation of mountain ranges and erasing the land surface for agricultural use. The Environmental Protection Agency, however, maintains that precipitation definition does not apply to precipitation, but only to atmospheric processes which cause clouds and the formation of precipitation. As such, a scientific study of the actual process of precipitation would not require precipitation definition. However, with the influence of the scientific and social literature, many scientists use the term precipitation definition to emphasize that the weather system is not governed solely by chance, but rather it is composed of several factors, such as atmospheric and climatic conditions.Despite the confusion and controversy, definition remains important for the information industry. At times, a mischaracterization of the precipitation phenomenon leads to lost profits, disruption of lives, and a diminution of environmental quality. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has defined the chemical components of precipitation, including minerals, ice crystals, dust, etc. The USGS defines some precipitation as steam, vapor, precipitation, and snow. Some dictionaries define precipitation as the action of vaporizing water vapor from the at mosphere or water droplets in the atmosphere.The methods of description of precipitation are now very accurate. In the past, scientists had to use alphabets or symbols to describe the chemical composition of precipitation. This was a large time consuming process, and this resulted in some scientists also trying to draw conclusions from the data they collected without knowing what chemicals were present. Other scientists feared that interpreting the data would be difficult, so they avoided using the term. With today's tools, there is no longer any need to use symbols or alphabets to describe the elements.Regardless of the method used to describe precipitation, this word is valuable to the world at large. Some say that the definition is too narrow, and that it may be better to use an umbrella definition, covering any aspect of precipitation. On the other hand, some scientists advocate giving a definition of the same weight as the actual process, to ensure that scientific studies are b ased on fact, not fiction.

What you look while choosing online tutoring services

What you look while choosing online tutoring services 0SHARESShare Well, many people are looking for online tutoring services these days. They are much more interested in sharpening their skills in an effective manner, in a much more affordable option available on internet. No matter, what subject they want at their tips. With online tutoring services, a few built in costs are required to attend at the learner’s home. The learners who choose for online tutors have big list of service providers. The pool of potential students, as anticipated, is many times larger irrespective of the place. Before you start finding the right tutoring service for you, you need to be very clear regarding your requirements. If you need some homework, help or supervision of informal studies then you could approach those college students who are skilled enough to provide you free online Tutoring service. Make sure, these tutors have ability to communicate and can teach you efficiently. They must have the caliber to encourage you to stay with the program for long. Maybe the tutors you have hired for your child have awe aspiring skills who could keep your child at the top of learning. [starbox id=admin]

Jazz Guitar

Jazz Guitar Why You Should Learn How to Play Jazz Guitar ChaptersThe History of JazzJazz Guitar SpecificsThe Particulars of Playing a Jazz GuitarPlaying Jazz GuitarTaking Jazz Guitar LessonsJazz music is often hailed as an original American art form.It was born of slavery, played on unconventional instruments such as washboards, earthen jugs and boxes. In its earliest incarnations, it consisted of call-and-response vocals, a pattern of communication common of slaves working in the fields.Today, we can still hear such homophonic melodies in Gospel music, where the soloist or vocal leader follows one melody and the chorus, a different â€" maybe slower one.When jazz music emerged in the late 19th century, no slave would be given or permitted to have a guitar; that instrument was a much later addition to the genre.Jazz music has gone through several incarnations since American slaves celebrated a good harvest by putting on a show in Congo Square in New Orleans.Your Superprof wants to take you to the American south, to a time when a new type of music was emerging; a musical style that would come to be associated with class and distinction.No need for a passport or packing a bag; this journey into the past is intellectual, not physical. 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 tutorsThe History of JazzMuch as the slaveowners tried to stamp it out, they could not dissuade their ‘property’ from upholding and expressing their spiritual beliefs, often in a language unknown.So it came to be tha t displaced west Africans, working in the fields of Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana would chant their way through work. And, if there was a cause for celebration â€" maybe the birth of a child or the end of the harvest, singing and dancing would be permitted. These days, many Gospel choirs have a guitar player to accompany them in song Image by Samuele Schirò from PixabayOne way that slave owners attempted to dissuade ‘secret’ communication in the slaves’ own language was to force them to speak English and make them attend church â€" not to worship their own deities but the Christian God.This mandate gave rise to Gospel music and its secular counterpoint, the Blues, both of which were a pleasing form of entertainment to white ears that permitted further musical exploration by the black population in America.Out of public squares in New Orleans, specifically Congo Square, those early jazz performers caught strains of French quadrilles being played. That led to to the incorporation of brass instruments into the unique brand of music.Later, a form of piano-dominant music called Ragtime, played in heavily black population further north made its way down south. Soon, this style of music too was incorporated into what would be a defining musical movement.It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the guitar would feature into any jazz music; the instrument’s warm tones simply couldn’t compete with the brassiness of the horns and the pounding of the piano.In 1923, the Gibson L5 acoustic archtop guitar found its home in jazz.Jazz guitarists like Eddie Lang were thrilled to finally have an instrument to play chords with greater complexity that wouldn’t jar with the warm bass notes, as the banjo did.The 1920s through the 30s became the Age of Jazz. It blended seamlessly with Swing and Big Band music and the guitar was an integral part of the rhythm section.The electric guitar had as yet not been invented; acoustically, the guitar still could not compete with the saxes and trumpets. Still, some Big Bands permitted short guitar solos; it was during those times that guitarists such as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian got their turn to shine.After the Second World War, jazz music reinvented itself. Gone were the big bands; say hello to intimate quartets and combos. Coincidentally, early forays into electric guitars meant that jazz guitarists could have their turn in the spotlight.As electric guitars continued to improve, so did the players of those instruments.In the hands of Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall, the jazz guitar explored a wider range of tones and moods; indeed, it is those three guitar players who established what is now known as jazz guitar playing. Jazz chords are a bit more intricate to play Image by Casey Budd from PixabayJazz Guitar SpecificsYou might intuit that one can play jazz licks on any guitar.While that may be true â€" you could even riff off a few notes on an amped-up Stratocaster, it takes a specific type of guitar to achieve that unique jazz sound.The guitar of choice for jazz guitarists is the full-depth, archtop guitar.Archtops are acoustic guitars with steel strings and a floating bridge. They boast a large soundbox â€" thanks in part to their arched tops and f-holes, such as those found on the violin.Archtops are electric guitars; they may have magnetic or piezoelectric pickups to transmit their sound. Players will often set their guitar’s amplifier to give their instrument a certain tone, depending on the piece being played.Reverb effects, built-in on guitar amplifiers, often feature in jazz guitar but it wasn’t until the jazz fusion era of the 70s that jazz guitarists started using pedal effects: wahs, c horus and overdrive pedals.There are other types of guitars that certain jazz players favour or that certain types of jazz call for, for instance, Latin jazz players would favour nylon strings while flat-top steel-stringed guitars have been used in ‘acoustic shredding’ by artists such as Al Di Meola and Larry Coryell.Did you know that jazz guitarists Lenny Breau and Howard Alden play seven-string guitars? This type of guitar is usually used to play metal music...rock guitarists prefer to use alternate tunings such as Drop-D.Jazz guitarists are no different in that respect; they usually use ‘regular’ tuning â€" not the same as standard tuning: regular tuning implies that all of the strings are tuned to an even interval.Another popular jazz tuning is called All Fourths: each string is set exactly a fourth apart. When playing a guitar thus-tuned, the fretboard feels easier to navigate, especially when improvising.Jazz music is full of improvised licks and unusual arpeggios. If you are the lead guitarist, you would likely prefer the All Fourths tuning method precisely so your fingers can move more nimbly across the frets.There are, of course, other tuning methods; some are as popular as All Fourths. You may want to try Major Third regular tuning, for instance, to see how that sounds and feels when you play. Early jazz musicians favoured this Gibson ES-175 Source: Wikipedia Credit: MyttoPlaying Jazz GuitarIt goes without saying that you have to have a fair measure of proficiency in playing the guitar to begin playing jazz guitar.And, once you do make the leap from guitarist to jazz guitarist, you should determine your playing style:Big Band Rhythm: a rhythm role, usually plays four strums per bar with some improvisation allowedthis type of playing is mostly gone from the music scene today.Small-Group Comping (short for accompanying): uses many inversions rather than standard voicingsChord-melody: the guitarist arranges the entire piece and plays melody, harmony and bass.Chords may be sparsely played; generally, a pick is usedUnaccompanied soloing: fingerstyle is emphasised but hybrid picking is also permitted‘Blowing’: also called single-note soloing, it involves maintaining the chord but picking an improvised noteChord soloing: involves improvising chords and melody simultaneously, usually on the upper-register strings.Clearly, these are but brief descriptions of complex styles of playing that call for some guitar instruction…Taking Jazz Guitar LessonsIf you have never played the guitar before, you would certainly need to learn guitar basics before you contemplate learning how to play jazz guitar.You have several options for learning how to play the guitar: you might choose online guitar lessons or, if you are what’s known as an autodidact â€" someone who can learn on their own, you might find a guitar instruction channel on YouTube to your liking.In spite of any ability you might have for learning on your own, we would really encourage you to seek out a guitar instructor.Such a teacher can show you the right way to play; give you pointers on how to take care of your instrument and yourself so that you don’t sustain any injury while playing â€" something that happens more often than you might think.Private guitar lessons can be costly… unless you learn the guitar with a Superprof guitar tutor.Superprof has hundreds of guitar teachers all around the UK, capable of teaching all types of guitar playing. Most are happy to give lessons online via webcam while others would prefer to work with you in the same room.You may certainly find guitar lessons in school, in a conservatory or through your local community centre but, if you were looking for personalised instruction, tailored to the guitarist you aspire to be, you couldn’t do better than Superprof!Now find out how you too can learn how to play flamenco guitar...

How Many Private Classes Must I Take To Learn Arabic

How Many Private Classes Must I Take To Learn Arabic How Many Arabic Lessons Are Required to Master This Semitic Language? ChaptersThe Reasons for Learning ArabicHow Long Does It Take to Learn Arabic?: Each Student Is DifferentHow to Learn Arabic Fast Depends on the Quality of Your TeacherThe volume of private lessons also depends on your ambitionsLearning a language is always expensive, and taking private lessons to learn to speak Arabic also costs quite a bit.It is a financial and personal investment as you will be spending part of you salary on Arabic classes, as well as dedicating part of your leisure time to the process.As a result, each student expects to receive rapid and significant results from their private teacher in return for the money spent.It's stupid, but it's like that: when you pay for something, you often expect a satisfactory return on your investment.You may be one of those wondering how long you will have to pay for private Arabic tuition to learn the Arabic alphabet, or to learn to read and write Arabic script.There is no miracle recipe. Learning Arabic - like any other discipline, linguistic or musical - responds to several factors:The motivation and the time devoted to itThe budget that is mobilizedThe cognitive dispositions of eachHere are our tips for finding out how many private lessons you will need to get a good level in Arabic.First and foremost, you need to know why you're going to get a private teacher before taking your first lesson.Learning the language of Ishmael nowadays has more and more benefits. Many possibilities open up to you personal, social and professional levels.Learning Arabic extends your geographical and professional mobilitySo why take private Arabic lessons?Because speaking Arabic literature makes it possible to have conversations with the populations in most of the Arabic-speaking countries without going into English.Speaking Arabic, the world's fifth most spoken language, and an official language in more than twenty countries, opens up professional opportunities (diplomacy, trade, tourism, advanced technologies, etc.).Speaking A rabic also makes it possible to become a teacher and give private lessons (on Superprof, for example), or teach in private or public schools.Knowledge of Egyptian Arabic - the most widely spoken Arabic dialect - helps us to understand Arabic language and culture.Learning modern standard Arabic, like any other dialects, stimulates your cognitive abilities and delays the onset of neurodegenerative pathologies.The study of Arabic exists at the university level and contributes to the development of the students' abilities of concentration, rigor and reflexive skills.Thus, extending one's linguistic skills from childhood improves one's academic performanceToday, Arabic represents and carries the legacy of the great civilizations of the Middle East.Knowing how to speak Arabic helps to understand history and to acquire a greater general knowledge.At the crossroads of civilizations (Europe, Asia, Africa), speaking Arabic can be seen as a strategic asset.Speaking Arabic can help new immigran ts to you country integrate into society if you can communicate with them in their native language.Arabic is the source of great philosophical, scientific and literary movements throughout history.If you are from a Muslim family, learning Arabic can represent being closer to an Islamic education that brings you closer to the culture of your ancestors and to share their stories.There are, therefore, many reasons for learning the Arabic language.The list is not exhaustive and it is possible to learn Arabic by different means:At school or in high school, in language schools, private lessons, online Arabic classes, talking to relatives of whom Arabic is the mother tongue, etc.Now that we know that it is good to learn this idiom shared by more than 270 million people in the Arab world, how many private courses should we take to speak it well?How Long Does It Take to Learn Arabic?: Each Student Is DifferentIt is difficult to quantify the volume of courses needed to learn to speak Arabic w ell. But it is well known, we are not all equally efficient in learning languages.For some, one or two years of courses will be enough, while for others it will take up to three or four years.It all depends on the age at which you start Arabic classes, the skills of each person, motivation, and what you do with your lessons: whether you work regularly or not, wether you practice in an Arabic speaking country, etc.If the student is highly motivated, they will learn faster and will require less Arabic lessons than another person.The Class Frequency Varies According to Each Person's Cognitive AbilitiesEveryone wants to make the most out of their Arabic language lessons. But some pupils learn faster than others, from the early days of kindergarten.Since we do not all have the same cognitive predispositions, some people will need more lessons than others in order to learn to speak Arabic with a good level.If you want to get an introduction to the Arabic language, one hour a week for your Arabic course London is the minimum required, if only to learn pronunciation, phonetics and some Arabic words.This is the minimum for anyone who wants to fully optimize their learning experience.The Arabic dialect is very complex and the process of assimilation can be long. First, learn the Arabic alphabet, pronunciation, and learn to read and write Arabic.The learner will have to learn Arabic grammar. Finally, assimilating Arabic words will be used to understand the reading of Arabic.For students who want an intensive program of Arabic private lessons to help pass high school tests, exams or job interviews, they will have to multiply their efforts and have more hours of language learning.The Frequency of Private Lessons Varies According to Your MotivationLike piano or guitar lessons, taking Arabic lessons requires an investment and an important workload.There are techniques and advice to work your Arabic between two courses and keep yourself motivated.It is important to regularly revise your private lessons during the week, from the beginning of the school year to the holidays.Better to do the exercises given by the teacher for half an hour a day or an hour every two days rather than the same day as the private class.Learning a language, such as Arabic, must always be above all a pleasure.As soon as it becomes a hassle, even if it has been a long day, then you have to stop because the courses are very likely to become inefficient in terms of progress made, and you would be wasting your time and money.So you have to be motivated, but you still have to find a good Arabic teacher ...How to Learn Arabic Fast Depends on the Quality of Your TeacherThe necessary number of language courses that will allow you to acquire a good level of Arabic to speak like an Egyptian or a Moroccan, will depend on your linguistic progress rate.As a result, this varies depending on the teacher you have.Having a good Arabic teacher will speed up the learning process.If they are a nati ve teacher, whose mother tongue is Arabic, they will be able to teach you modern standard Arabic as it is practiced in his country of origin.This can be considerably time saving compared to an American university student offering his services.Also, the method and pedagogy used by your Arabic tutor will strongly impact your learning pace and level. The price of Arabic classes also depends on the professor's experience.A good Arabic teacher is a teacher who meets their student's expectations and is someone who loves to convey, explain, and teach.Since the private lesson is a privileged moment where the tutor takes care of their learner and not of a whole group, it is important that the teacher is attentive to the needs of their pupil.Ask your teacher to have conversations in Arabic during the course. This should significantly boost your level of oral expression.Finally, assimilation may be slower if the teacher improperly teaches his private courses: if his level of knowledge of the A rabic language is low and he offers courses for adults, you may be disappointed.So the volume of language courses to be taught to learn how to speak Arabic also depends on the level of your teacher.But normally, he will have three to five years of practice, or more, than his or her pupil. This is the case on Superprof, where professors are all native or experienced, or both.The volume of private lessons also depends on your ambitionsIt is also according to your personal goals that you will set the schedule of your private Arabic language courses.  It is your ambitions that command the volume of Arabic lessons you will require from your teacher.In the end, the number of private lessons you order from your Arabic teacher also depends on your personal goals:If you have an Arabic exam to pass in the near future and you have to practice, intensive courses for five or six hours a week will probably help you.Choose the best teacher; a native or a graduate in Arabic language and literature. If you plan to become bilingual, you will need a lot of hours, perhaps intensive courses of three or four hours per week.If you're aiming for an intermediate level, good but no more, then maybe one hour a week will be enough.If you are learning Arabic just for your enjoyment and your general knowledge, but with no professional goal and becoming bilingual is the least of your worries, perhaps a one hour and thirty minutes class every two weeks will correspond to your needs.In order to improve your level in Arabic, you can also go abroad to take your private lessons in a language school.Go to Cairo in Egypt, Rabat, Morocco or Beirut in Lebanon to learn modern standard Arabic.The Sprachcaffe school offers a quality teaching team to teach Arabic to foreigners, to assimilate this dialect quickly and in a pleasant way.Last resort, leave for an Arabic-speaking country in the Maghreb for a stay of several months (Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, or wherever Arabic is the official language).You will then be in a linguistic and cultural immersion among Arabs. A great way to work on your vocabulary and pronunciation, and much quicker than private classes at home!Know that you can also learn Arabic online, if you have neither the means to subscribe to private lessons, nor to travel to Rabat, Cairo or Beirut.Whatever it is, studying even basic Arabic so that you have some phrases, expressions and Arabic verbs so that you have a conversational level will look great on your resumé. And if you want to study classical Arabic further to get a better understanding of the Quran, you will stand out even further.Have you determined your optimal course volume according to your linguistic objectives, and your preferred structure that will put you in contact with the best professors?Well then you just need to get started!

The Two Weak Spots in Career Planning - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / The Two Weak Spots in Career Planning - Introvert Whisperer The Two Weak Spots in Career Planning When it comes to Career Planning, most people don’t actually have a plan.   Planning your career must be one of those things like doing taxes only without government accountability, as it seems to be fairly common.   It’s also why I spend so much time nagging you to have one.   If I don’t, who will? If that sounds like you to any degree, I’d like to issue a challenge.   Instead of waiting to “shape things up” with your career plan for some flimsy reason: Start now. You can easily use this coming week and weekend to sit down and figure out what your next couple of steps need to be and how to get you where you want to go. This week is as good as any other because if you delay now, you’ll never get to it. There are two weak spots with any endeavor: Starting â€" more people than you’d realize talk a good game but never take the first couple of steps to get started. My philosophy on starting is to start right now.   I think if you delay it can cause you to lose focus and get distracted by other things.   To quote a friend: “Do this before your head hits the pillow tonight.” Finishing â€" In the knitting world there is the term “U.F.O.” It is an Unfinished Object.   There’s actually an acronym for not finishing things you start.   Oftentimes, we do get started but we don’t finish for various reasons.   Maybe we lose our inspiration or something comes up.   My tip for finishing is to plan to get sidetracked and build in some accountability.   The best accountability plan is to have someone keep you accountable but if that doesn’t work for you try putting reminders on your computer. Trust me, you’re not going to miss anything critical by taking the step of planning and the actions you have planned.   When you’re done, you’ll be more focused and actually have a destination to work toward. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

What to Ask Private Schools

What to Ask Private Schools No two kids are exactly alike. No two schools are, either. When looking at private schooloptions at any grade level, it's important that parents ask questions that help them identifythe key differences that will help determine what private school is best for their child. Knowing the right areas to ask questions about is an important step going into private school interviews and tours. As you dive into your exploration of private schools, keep these thoughts in mind: 1. What do you really want to know about this private school? This is different than what you think you should ask. You may feel that asking about test scores or admission rates is what's expected, but it will be most beneficial to everyone if you ask about the areas that truly matter to you. Dont shy away from tougher questions if theyre important to you, but also try not to delve too deeply into uncomfortable areas that put the admissions officer on the spot, such as those regarding your childs specific chances of getting into the school. 2. How is this private school uniquely positioned to help my child? Think about how your child learns and thrives, as well as his or her strengths and weaknesses, and focus your questions according to those needs. Is your son an excellent writer but struggles to work with others? You might want to ask about how the school promotes teamwork. Or, say your daughter has an interest in engineering or mathare there robotics teams or other extracurricular offerings that will boost her learning beyond the typical curriculum? Think about whether the schools overall mission fits the goals you and your child have. Goal Example Question To increase your child's socialization opportunities What kinds of group and teamwork opportunities do you provide? To expand your child's music education Are band, orchestra, and/or choir offered? What are the programs like? To prepare your child for college admissions How early doguidance counselors and teachersstart providingsupportforcollege applications? 3. Tell me more about As with a job interview, you want to go in with as much knowledge as you can glean from the schools website and other available references. This will help you ask better questions and prevent you from looking like you dont care, which is the impression youd likely give by asking for information you could have easily gotten online in five minutes of research. Identify something the school succeeds at that coincides with your goals, and then dig deeper to show your interest. 4. How does this private school keep up with emerging technology? Its no secret that edtech is growing rapidly. How are teachers at this school able to use technology in the classroom to enhance learning and introduce students to new skills? Do they utilize digital textbooks? What is the policy on student smartphone use? On a related note, how is the overall curriculum reviewed, and how often does it change? 5. Does this private school approach the arts from a global, multicultural perspective? Whether or not your child is artistically inclined, a broad education in music, art, theater and cultural differences is invaluable in a time of increasingly global higher education and professional opportunities. If your child does have a specific interest in an artistic area, find out how that can directly be supported by this school. Some areas you might want to inquire about include the following: band orchestra choir acting drawing/painting dance 6. What is the philosophy on athletics at this private school? Many private schools require all students to participate in athletics or some other form of physical education. The lessons in teamwork and health can be invaluable, but if this is an area where your child particularly excels or struggles, you may want to find out more about what his or her experience will be like. 7. How do teachers and administrators at this private school communicate with parents? Many private schools have sophisticated websites, blogs, or social media pages, but how are individual teachers communicating with parents about the classroom and their individual students? What systems are in place for emergency notifications? 8. What support does this private school offer forcollege applications and preparation? Rather than asking where most graduating students are accepted to college or what their test scores are, dig deeper to find out specifically how the schools guidance staff would eventually help your child through the college admissions process. It may seem far away, but it can never be too early to prepare. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

8 Items to Bring to Your Dorm Room

8 Items to Bring to Your Dorm Room With all the excitement of moving off to college, it is no surprise that items on your to-do list may get overlooked in the midst of the insanity. There are certain areas, however, where you really do not want this happen, such as buying and packing up specific items for your dorm room. The fact that dorms provide minimal space for students often leads to a lack of over-packing. This is certainly a good practice but at the same time, it is vital that you do not write off the thought that goes into packing completely. You may also want to check out this information on how to adjust to dorm lifeas well. You will be provided with a twin bed, a desk, and a closet/dresser combination of some sort. its the hundreds of extra things you have to think about. Decorative objects, practical objects, forms of entertainment; there is no stopping this train of thought. Save yourself major stress and time by first checking off some key items that you most definitely do not want to forget. Comfortable Form of Seating: Everybody knows to bring a futon and/or large plushy chair, but you should really put some extra time into this particular shopping effort. While you may just want to get the pre-college errands over with and settle for the same Target futon everyone else gets, its important to seriously get a feel for how comfortable this form of seating is. Keep in mind that this will be the only place for you to sit down and relax other than your bed, which may be lofted and inconvenient to get to at a moments notice. Youll be kicking yourself later if the only seating you own is awkward and uncomfortable. For instance, a giant bean bag chair may seem cool at first, but its lack of back support may bother you as time goes on. Avoid future frustration and just think about all aspects of this furniture beforehand. Here is some great tips tip help you fear not the dorm! Headphones: When you are in this kind of close quarters with a roommate, you are bound to need some peace every now and then. The two of you are not always going to be on the same schedule, meaning sometimes when theyll want nothing but to watch TV after a long day, youll have a huge paper due in the morning that youll need to stay up late working on. You wont always have the energy to change locale and head to the library, so a pair of headphones to drown out the noise might be just what you need. Dont always rely on the small, delicate headphones you probably use for your iPod. A larger and more powerful set might be more useful for this purpose. Desk Lamp: Going off of the point that you and your roommate will not always be on the same schedule, one of you might want to go to sleep early while the other is determined to stay up and get some homework done. This is where a small and flexible desk lamp comes in handy. Its easy to forget about since were used to having rooms to ourselves and turning the overhead lights on or off as we please, but this item is likely to be used fairly often in this sort of co-habitation. Multiple Power Strips: You can never have too many of these. First off, youll have no idea how many outlets will be engraved in the dorm walls nor will you be able to control where they are. They arent always placed conveniently amongst your furniture set-up, and there certainly arent always enough especially for both you and your roommate. Power strips will eliminate that annoyance and also give you the freedom to charge items like your computer and phone wherever you like, rather than being confined to one spot. This will also eliminate the need to choose between various electronics at one time. Shower Caddy: This item is more for your dorm life rather than your dorm room, but it is still just as important. Unless you are one of those lucky students who lands a dorm suite that includes a bathroom to share with a few other roommates, you will be forced to make a trip down the hall to the community bathroom every time you intend to take a shower. Having a caddy that is easy to transport and that has no problem holding all of your shower items in an organized fashion is so important. You certainly dont want showering to be a chore by having to reassemble your accessories every time; make the trip down the hall as little of an inconvenience as possible. TV and DVD Player: This shouldnt need much explanation and is most likely near the top of your list anyway but it is worth mentioning. Make sure you coordinate with your roommate about this beforehand so you dont end up with two televisions you dont have room for. Additionally, make sure it is a TV that will fit adequately and that works well. You dont want to be the one student on the dorm floor that can only watch their DVDs on their computer or after begging a neighbor to lend their TV and dorm space for a viewing. Mini Fridge and Microwave: These are additional items that you definitely want to make sure you communicate with your roommate about before move-in day. Although you wont be doing much cooking in your dorm, it is very comforting to have these contraptions around for storing sodas and heating up Easy Mac. You dont want to have to rely on the cafeteria and fast food take-out alone for your calorie intake. Plus, abnormal college schedules mean youll get hungry at the oddest of times, so having snacks on hand is a big reassurance. You may want to also check out this info on the anatomy of a college dorm roomto help you prepare yourself! Extra Shelving/Storage Crates: You never know when youre going to run out of room to store things, so it is the safe thing to do to have these units available. Most of these are easy to fold up and put away if not needed, so dont worry about them unnecessarily taking up space that exact problem is what you are going to avoid by having these items.

Creating Homework Stations for Kids with ADHD

Creating Homework Stations for Kids with ADHD Like it or not homework is about to become part of your childs daily routine when school starts back up in the fall. For kids with ADHD, getting into the habit of doing homework is never easy. Fortunately, parents can help make the adjustment a little less painful by having a homework station filled with supplies and ready to go by the first day of school. Creating a homework station that works for kids with ADHD means considering their unique organizational, motivational, and attention-related challenges when planning the location, the supplies, and the clutter control strategies. Location Kids who dont have ADHD may be able to sit down in any corner of the house or bedroom and get their homework completed without any problem. But, when a child has ADHD, its a different story. Where he or she does homework can have a big impact on how quickly and accurately he or she gets it done. Monitoring: Kids with ADHD need to be monitored during homework time. Without supervision, they are much more likely to procrastinate instead of getting started right away, and once they do get started they will lose focus more quickly. Monitoring and supervising your child doesnt mean sitting next to him or her during homework time, but it does mean being someplace where your child can see you and where you can check-in while he or she is working. Consistency: Every childs homework station is different, and kids with ADHD may have some unique preferences some may prefer to stand while they work, others may be most comfortable working on the floor instead of sitting at a desk. But all kids with ADHD should do their work in the exact same spot every day. They will quickly come to associate this homework spot with homework time, making it easier for them to transition quickly from play time to work time. Having a consistent homework spot also eliminates nightly time-wasting arguments or negotiations with kids about where they will be doing their homework. Supplies Making sure that every homework supply your child needs is readily available at his or her homework station is important for kids with ADHD. Why? Searching for supplies and sharpening pencils are two of the most popular (and most effective!) homework procrastination strategies! Wondering which supplies to include? Heres a list to get you started: Sharpened pencils (at least 5 well sharpened pencils) Pencil sharpener Eraser (one that works well) Colored pencils or crayons Paper (printer paper lined loose-leaf paper) Scissors Glue stick Ruler Timer (setting time limits and time goals will be an important part of the homework routine) Clock A place to hang their backpack near their homework station Access to a computer nearby A large hard surface as a work area A comfortable chair (based on your childs preferences) Clutter-Free Organization Clutter is a huge distraction for kids with ADHD, especially when they are doing homework. Maintaining a clutter-free homework area will help your child get started on homework quickly and stay on task. It will also make it much easier to notice when he or she is running low on supplies or has managed to misplace or break all his or her pencils (again!). via Simple Made Pretty via Apartment Therapy Create an organized supply system: All kids would benefit from an organized supply system, but for kids with ADHD organization is practically essential. Instead of using a single shoebox, supply bin, or drawer to store their supplies, use individual cups, bins or a divided tray. Label each compartment with the supplies that should be included. If your child doesnt have a dedicated desk and will be working at the kitchen table or on the floor with a lap desk, then use a supply caddy with labeled compartments that he or she can move to and from the homework location each day. Just remember to place only one type of supply in each compartment and use labels liberally. Create a clutter-clean up routine: The best way to manage clutter is to prevent it from building up in the first place. As part of your childs homework routine, have him or her put all his or her supplies away, throw out loose papers, and sharpen the pencils as soon as his or her homework is finished. This way the workspace will be well stocked and clutter-free the next time your child sits down to do homework. Having your childs homework station set up and ready to go by the start of the school year will help him or her transition more smoothly into a daily homework routine. Having clear expectations around homework and putting a homework when-then plan into place are also essential for homework success. In my next post Ill be talking about strategies for simple and effective homework plans you can start using right away. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.