Feeling Inauthentic in Your Extraverted Workplace Adapt! Its Really Not So Bad - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Feeling Inauthentic in Your Extraverted Workplace Adapt! It’s Really Not So Bad - Introvert Whisperer Feeling Inauthentic in Your Extraverted Workplace? Adapt! It’s Really Not So Bad This is a counterpoint article. I recently read someone’s post that made me cringe for so many reasons I feel compelled to make my opinion known. The basic message was that they were ticked off because they were an Introvert and forced to adapt their behavior in the workplace. They felt they shouldn’t have to do this, but that everyone else should adapt to their personality. This isn’t a direct paraphrase, but it was the message. Here’s what’s wrong with this message: Being Ticked Off About Being an Introvert Nothing good can come from being ticked off about the hand nature has dealt you. There are whole ethnic groups out there who are given the shaft along with fat people, people with disabilities, women and the elderly. I have fought some type of bias my whole career, and today is no different. Oh well. Get over it and be the best version of you. Being a fantastic professional is the best way to wage a war against stupid people who discount you because of who you are. Their loss. You don’t make yourself feel better by harboring a bad attitude, and you’re doing nothing to convince the world to change their opinion. Life is inherently unfair, and our job is to maximize the assets we have while minimizing the lesser-valued qualities. Think of this like a photographer showing the best side of you in a picture. It’s still authentically who you are; it’s just the best side. Work with what you have and what you have is probably seriously great. You Must Adapt As Charles Darwin (the father of evolution theory) put it: “Adapting and changing is central to the human existence.” Said another way: “Change or die,” as coined by Dr. James Prochaska. Adapting wasn’t my idea it was an acknowledgement by a bunch of really brainy people (who are also Introverts). Were in a constant state of change and adaptation, even if we don’t know it. You don’t stay the same, and nothing else does, either.To think you shouldn’t adapt your way of doing things is perhaps one of the stupidest things I’ve heard in a long time. Of course you need to adapt. You adapt all the time. You don’t interact with a child the same way you do an adult. You don’t interact with management the same way you do a friend. We constantly adapt to people and situations to ensure our encounters go well. It doesn’t make us fake or inauthentic; it makes us warm and likeable. The people who are best at adapting to various situations at work are the ones who will be the most successful. It’s called Emotional Intelligence. It’s being able to “read” the people and the situation and then calling upon your soft skills to optimize the outcome for all involved. People who don’t adapt are difficult to work with and are seriously no fun to be around. Theyre rigid and frustrating because the world revolves around them (as far as they’re concerned) and how they want things done. To think you shouldn’t have to adapt because you’re an Introvert and that the world around you should adapt to your personality is self-centered at best and at its worst is simply crippling. The world is not going to adapt to you. Not only that, but that very thinking is counter-intuitive. You’re saying you shouldn’t have to adapt, but other people should adapt to you. Are you listening to what you’re saying? One big lesson I picked up while becoming a certified Myers-Briggs instructor was that personality type never changes, despite some people thinking that it does. What does change is how versatile a person becomes in accessing other personality characteristics over their lifetime in other words, adapting. If you’ve ever heard a person say they used to be “very Introverted” but now they’re “more Extraverted, means they picked up the skill of adapting driven by the situations they encountered. That is also true for the other three personality preferences as identified by Myers-Briggs. Be Smart in How You Adapt It turns out you don’t have to wait for enough experience in life and work to develop your skills for adapting. You can accelerate the development of those skills. It requires a recipe of: 1. Consciousness toward what you want to change, and 2. The specific behavior to change to If the dyspeptic person who said they were done adapting was so uncomfortable with the behaviors they were pursuing, they did it wrong. I have learned that, just like there are different learning styles, there are also different styles for how you do things. Life is not a “one-size-fits-all, which in this case means we don’t all have to do things the same way. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Most of the typical advice, especially for soft skills, is inherently oriented toward our more Extraverted culture and ways of doing things. If thats what you try to start doing, most likely you will feel uncomfortable and inauthentic, too. If the motto “just do it” worked, as an example, for Introverts doing networking, then we would all be rockstar networkers. We aren’t. If we Introverts could “just do it” with networking, we would already be doing it. Yes, there is an approach Introverts can use that takes into account our strengths and involves a slightly different process. You get the same result strengthened relationships. You just use a different route to get to the same destination. This is called adapting. In other words, being smart about how or what you adapt your behaviors to is first about defining what end result you’re looking to achieve, then using a process that will get that result you can feel comfortable doing. Keeping with the example of networking, if my goal is to expand and strengthen the circle of people I know, does that mean I have to go to multiple networking events per week and work the room? Absolutely not! I can use coffee dates to strengthen existing relationships (only one example of things I could do), and I can ask my friends to bring a friend I haven’t met, which will expand my networking circle. You see, as an Introvert, we do form relationships. We just prefer to form them in a small, intimate scale like this. Different route, same end results, and I didn’t have to creep myself out by working the room. Let me end this commentary by saying this: If you don’t like how your career is turning out, don’t be cranky about it change what you’re doing. Just know you can make changes that still work for you and can get you the result you want. And for Petes sake, don’t listen to crappy advice. Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer How have you adapted, or been challenged when you didnt adapt, in the workplace? Share your thoughts in the comments! Image: Flickr

Should I Go To Kansas State University

Should I Go To Kansas State University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Rachel is a Phoenix tutor and 2011 graduate of Kansas State University. She holds a Bachelors degree in Animal Science Biotechnology and tutors several subjects, including Environmental Science tutoring, Genetics tutoring, and Medicine tutoring. Check out what Rachel had to say about her time at Kansas State University: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or rural is the campus? Did you feel safe on campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Rachel: The Kansas State University campus is beautiful and safe! Obviously, I would not advise walking around at night alone, but the crime rate is relatively low. Manhattan, Kansas is a pretty small town. Depending on which side of campus your classes are/you live on, you can usually walk to your classes and Aggieville, where many of the shops and restaurants are. There are buses, but I am not certain of the details, since I never used them myself. I was able to walk most places and to drive to the few places that required it. A bike would be super useful in a town of Manhattans size. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Rachel:Although this is likely to be largely dependent on the college/department, I had wonderful experiences with all of my professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants at Kansas State University. I was in the College of Agriculture, and I had the most laid-back and down-to-earth teachers that I have ever met. I cannot think of a single time when I had to reach a faculty/staff member and had any difficulty in doing so. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Rachel:I actually did not live in the dorms. It is recommended but not required at Kansas State University. Although I would not change anything about my college experience, I do know that most of my friends loved living in the Kansas State University dorms. From what I have heard, the dining options are decent, but the dorm locations are prime. It is easy to get to and from most dorms to any other building on campus. There are many student activities available for dorm residents (and non-dorm residents), so socialization should not ever be an issue. 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? Rachel:I may be a bit biased because I was mostly exposed to the Science and Agriculture classes, but Kansas State University is known for its Engineering and Agriculture specialties. The College of Agriculture offers some really cool majors, such as Biotechnology (which I graduated with) and Bakery Science. The Biotechnology/Bioscience degree was just starting out when I was there, so the program was still developing, but everyone at Kansas State University was very supportive. I never had any problem finding resources to help me with anything at all at the school. 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? Rachel:Greek life at Kansas State University is prominent, but not huge. I had a lot of friends who were involved in it, but I chose not to be. I had no problem meeting people as a freshman! Kansas folk are generally pretty friendly, so striking up a conversation with someone in your class is easy. Since I did not live in the dorms, I did not have that platform for socialization. However, I think it would have been even easier for people in the dorms or those involved in Greek life to make some new friends. I would advise getting involved in many of the clubs that Kansas State University has to offer. Most colleges will host a few events in the beginning of the semester to showcase different clubs. The student union will also have some events to help students get involved too. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Rachel:I always had plenty of success working with the Career Center, although the College of Agriculture was my go-to resource for career advice, since they were usually able to answer my more personalized questions. Each college usually puts on a career fair too, which I found to be a great networking tool. Bramlage Coliseum also holds some interesting lectures throughout the semester, and those are great networking opportunities, as well. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Rachel:The study areas at Kansas State University had plenty of room and were frequently available. Kansas State University has one of the most incredible libraries (Hale Library) that I have ever seen... I always felt like I was studying in a castle when I was there. The student union was never too busy either. Again, I am not totally certain about the dorm lounges, but I have only heard positive things from my friends. 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? Rachel:If you love the big city feel, Kansas State University is not for you. However, for undergraduates, I thought it was a great size. The town is small enough to get around easily and to feel safe. All of the foliage around Manhattan is wonderful, and I spent a lot of time outdoors. Konza Prairie is a great place for Kansas State University students who like nature, as is the University Gardens. I was also involved in the recreational services, so I spent a lot of time at the Peters Recreation Complex. They have renovated it in recent years, and it is very nice. There are also outdoor areas like Tuttle Creek and Pillsbury Crossing you just have to research a bit. The student union also offers bowling and other fun activities. The food scene in Manhattan has grown a lot since I went there, and there are new restaurants popping up every year. The Aggieville area is fun and close to campus, but downtown Manhattan has some great places as well. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Rachel:There was a lot of variability in my class sizes, especially since I was in a rather esoteric major. My general education classes, such as Marketing and Economics, were rather large. However, I had several classes that had less than 20 people in them, so it varies with the class. I actually enjoyed the variety, as I felt like I had the best of both worlds. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Rachel:I cannot stress how much I enjoyed being part of the College of Agriculture, and it is honestly hard for me to choose just one memorable experience. I think one of my favorite Kansas State University experiences was my Senior Year Biotechnology class. There were only 12 people in the class, and the teacher was one of my favorites in the College of Agriculture. I learned so much in that course. Since the laboratory setting was so intimate, we got to take multiple field trips to visit different companies, and our teacher even stopped by Call Hall (you must try the vanilla cookie ice cream) to buy us ice cream a few times. Another one of my teachers dared me to fist-bump him instead of shaking his hand when I crossed the stage at graduation (which I, of course, did). Everyone was so laid back in the College of Agriculture. My one regret is not attending more of the college-specific events they offered fun rodeos and barbecues. Check out Rachels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

The Best Creative Writing Courses in the UK.

The Best Creative Writing Courses in the UK. The Best Places in the UK for Creative Writing Classes. ChaptersForget the Haters: Why You Should Take a Creative Writing Course.Find a Creative Writing Degree at a UK University.Or Find a Postgraduate Creative Writing Course.Enrol on a Short Creative Writing Program or Retreat.Courses in creative writing are one of the few types of educational courses that can really divide people. You’ll have heard many high-profile people say that they are something of a waste of time. Others legitimately resent this, suggesting instead that they provide an important space for budding writers to hone their craft.It doesn’t help that, in some cases, the former group have been teachers on creative writing programmes themselves.But, in any case, this snobbishness towards creative writing as a discipline to be taught is strange. Artists have gone to academies for centuries to learn how to paint. Dramatists and musicians also head to conservatoires across the world to develop their skills in their respective fields.These guys don’t seem to be looked d own upon by the professional musicians, actors, or painters. So why should those who want to learn how to write be given this unfair treatment?Well, indeed. And, regardless, we are very much convinced of the importance of creative writing classes. Because writing is not just about feeling inspiration and putting pen to paper. It is not the old Romantic vision of individual creativity and passion.No, writing is a skill that needs to be practised and worked at tirelessly. And if you want to join a creative writing course, you’ll need to be prepared for that.Here, we are going to show you some of the best places to study creative writing across the UK â€" at university level and in shorter, less academic contexts. The choice of which is yours to make. We hope you find it helpful â€" but remember that attending a creative writing course is not enough to turn you into the next James Joyce.Whilst you are here, you can check out your job prospects with a creative writing degree and see s ome tips to improve your creative writing. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1s t lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsForget the Haters: Why You Should Take a Creative Writing Course.So, no â€" creative writing courses are not a waste of time, no matter which famous writer has said it. If you want to be a writer, there are an awful lot of things that you will need to consider â€" many of which you will never have realised â€" and a creative writing class is a great place to make sure you have them all covered.Let’s talk about a couple of these things briefly. Meanwhile, you can check out our article, What is Creative Writing? Never stop writing.Ensuring Your Write.One of the most important opportunities that a creative writing class offers is the time and motivation to write. Whether they are screenwriting, writing poetry, or writing creative nonfiction, sometimes things get in the way that prevent creative writers from dedicating time to their work.This is particularly true of university degrees in creative writing â€" which obviously last much longer than the short courses. If you can commit three years full-time to your novel with a student loan to back you up, you’ll be laughing.Having Others Read It.But you might not be laughing so much when you have to pull your manuscript out of your bag and present it to your class. Too many can people harbour the belief that they’ll be the next Shakespeare when they have never shown anyone their work.Creative writing courses ensure that other people can give you constructive criticism on your work. As that’s the best way to make it better.Honing Your Writin g Skills.Like learning a musical instrument, writing requires skill and practice. This is not something that you can just pick up just like that.Whilst you can be self-taught as a writer as much as you can as a musician, there is no harm in putting in the hours â€" with professional support and writing exercises â€" to produce the best lines and narratives you can.Learning the Tricks of the Trade.There is so much more to being a professional writer than the writing process itself. You’ll need to know how to navigate the world of literary magazine, the trials of getting published, and the whole length of your writing career.Many creative writing courses teach you all this too, by the way. Find out more about creative writing courses!Find a Creative Writing Degree at a UK University.The strongest creative writing degrees tend not to be found in the most conventionally reputed academic institutions. But don’t let this put you off: some of the creative writing degrees in the UK are incredibly popular and incredibly well-regarded.Here are three options for you.Study Creative Writing at Lancaster University.According to the Complete University Guide, Lancaster University’s creative writing department is the best in the country. And, on its three-year joint honours programmes â€" in which creative writing can be combined with English literature, film, or fine art â€" you’ll have a fantastic opportunity to learn from some of the best creative writing teachers in the business.Take an Undergraduate Degree in Creative Writing at Newcastle University.Another very highly rated of the UK’s degree programs in creative writing is at Newcastle University. They too only offer creative writing degrees combined with English literature.Along with critical reading and writing, you’ll be working alongside professional writing practitioners and have the opportunity to work with poets like Paul Muldoon and novelists such as Andrea Levy. Check out creative writing courses!Do a Creative Writing Degree Online with the Open University.The Open University has always done higher education differently. This institution’s remote learning degree in creative writing is an online writing course â€" that allows people who want to work flexibly or remotely to gain the qualifications and education they want or need.On this course, you can work between forms â€" and you’ll be studying literature alongside too.Check out the features of creative writing!Or Find a Postgraduate Creative Writing Course.A great option for many budding writers is to complete an undergraduate degree in a more conventional academic subject and then continue to a Master’s or doctorate in creative writing subsequently.Like undergraduate degrees, this gives you the allocated time to commit to your work â€" and you’ll find that the postgrad courses are very rarely combined either.Do a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Manchester.A great place to do a creative writing masters is at the University of Manchester, one of the most popular destinations for a course of this kind in the UK.As part of the course, you will work with Manchester’s Centre for New Writing, which brings together established writers with you budding students. Of course, you can commit your time to poetry, fiction, screenwriting â€" or any other form of writing â€" as you see fit.Try the University of Aberdeen’s Master’s in Creative Writing.Available fulltime or part-time, the University of Aberdeen’s creative writing MLitt is a hugely popular postgraduate degree in Scotland.For this course, you’ll be required to submit writing samples as part of your application. And, to give you a sense of the sort of assessments these courses do, you’ll be required to submit a folio of coursework alongside an analytic essay at the end of your course.Commit to a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham.And then there’s the PhD in crea tive writing, which the majority of the aforementioned universities offer too.At Birmingham, the PhD is studied over three years (or six years, if part-time), and it can be done remotely. Throughout this period, you will need to produce a piece of creative work and analysis for your submission.Enrol on a Short Creative Writing Program or Retreat.Not everyone wants to go to university â€" and not everyone has all that time to spare. For those of you who fit into these boxes, shorter creative writing programmes, workshops, and retreats are available across the UK in all genres and forms of literary writing.From one-off events to week-long trips to the countryside, these can be great for everyone.Head to Scotland’s Creative Writing Centre, Moniack Mhor.One of the most romantic places to attend a creative writing course is near Beauly, near Inverness in Scotland.This is known as Moniack Mhor. Set in wonderful countryside, you can attend writing retreats all year round. They usually la st about five days. Creative writing is full of struggle - so keep it up!Or Find a Course at Arvon.Arvon claim to be the ‘home of creative writing’ in the UK â€" and they do have some stellar endorsements if you need persuading.They operate between Shropshire, Yorkshire, and Devon, and offer courses in poetry writing, screenwriting, playwriting, and much much more.Check Out the Faber Academy’s Many Creative Writing Programs â€" in Poetry, Fiction, or More.The Faber Academy in Bloomsbury, London have a winning method, having famous writers present their particular takes on specific writing skills.From researching fiction to creating characters, from editing your novel to reading, the Faber Academy has everything you need to become a better writer.

4 Ways Learning a Language Can Help Your Career

4 Ways Learning a Language Can Help Your Career Many high schools and colleges require students to study a foreign language. Beyond fulfilling this prerequisite for graduation, learning another language can boost your career prospects. This is increasingly important in todays global economy. As companies broaden their reach across continents, they are increasing communication and movement between offices around the world. At a more local level, companies are serving a diverse population. With nearly58 million Latino people in the United States for instance, Spanish is spoken more often and in more communities than ever before. This has led to more bilingual jobs. So how exactly can a foreign language help you in your job? Here are four ways learning a language can help your career: 1. Learning a language opens doors to new career opportunities A foreign language can expand your network. Not only are you able to speak with people from different backgrounds, youll also earn trust by demonstrating a deeper understanding of cultural norms and etiquette. This was certainly true for Chicago-based Varsity Tutors student Chris T. He began learning Mandarin Chinese to make himself more competitive at a company that conducts international logistics for ocean freights. While his Chinese colleagues knew fluent English, he noted that, Speaking to Chinese delegates in Chinese allowed me to be seen as more of a subject matter expert. Not only did I understand the logistics, but the culture as well. Speaking a foreign language can make you more appealing to international companies, qualify you for a wider range of jobs, and help you climb further up the ladder. What language will open most doors is dependent on the work you do. Mandarin Chinese and German are particularly helpful in fields like finance, while Spanish is useful in areas like sales, marketing, and healthcare. Thinking about what career you might like to pursue can help you decide which language to study. [RELATED: Why Should You Learn a Foreign Language?] 2. Learning a language improves crucial business skills Learning a language can be difficult. Challenging your brain sharpens various cognitive skills, many of which will help you be successful in your career. For instance, the process of language learningimproves decision making and increases perception. Memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary can improve your memory, and applying said rules can make you amore intuitive problem-solver. Speaking a foreign language can also increase your confidence at work. Denver-based Varsity Tutors student Rachael A. shared, Communicating with the people I work with in Spanish was great, but I never felt like I could be vulnerable and ask clarifying questions. Tutoring is allowing me to gain a higher fluency without embarrassment. 3. Learning a language sets you apart from other job applicants Foreign language enrollment isdecliningat U.S. universities and colleges, but the demand for bilingual workers hasmore than doubled in five years. Given this gap, having a foreign language on your resume can be a huge opportunity to help you stand out from other applicants. [RELATED: 4 Tactics for Landing Your Dream Job] 4. Learning a language may increase your salary Learning a foreign language may translate into anearnings boost due to differences in supply and demand. While the actual value will vary based on language and job function, its worth noting. Here at Varsity Tutors, business languages (Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese) grew four times faster than European and traditionally academic languages (Latin, French, German, and Italian) over the past year. One in three of non-English language tutoring sessions were completed by adult learners, suggesting some adults are now trying to get ahead in their careers. Want to get ahead early? If your school doesnt offer the language you think will propel your career forward, or you want to go a level deeper with your language learning, private tutoring can give you the edge you need to boost your career prospects. To learn more about language learning for professional development and to read our full report on the state of language learning in America,click here.

What You Can Learn from a Less-Than-Perfect Gig

What You Can Learn from a Less-Than-Perfect Gig Suzy S. No matter how much practice and preparation you put in, sometimes gigs or performances dont go as planned. But in the end, its all about what you gain from the experience. Read on for Los Angeles teacher John P.s story Every band encounters problems when they play shows. Sometimes it’s a few small things: a PA that isn’t loud enough, a crowd that isn’t into your music, malfunctioning gear, a tough time slot. Sometimes all those things can come together to cause a storm so perfect you just have to laugh and admire it. That’s what happened when my band The Quick And The Dead played our last show in Las Vegas. We started out with everything planned perfectly. We were going to stay with our friend Victor. The club had a new PA they’d just installed. Two of the guys were going to fly out from Los Angeles and meet us. We were well-rehearsed. What we found, however, was that things didn’t always go as planned. When we stopped for gas in the middle of the desert, Mike, the driver and drummer of our band, noticed the engine overheating. We ended up stranded at the next gas station for over two hours until AAA came. We were towed to the next available town, which was about twenty miles south. Even though we were pressed for time, we made the most of it as we waited.  We took a guitar and a hand drum from the truck and jammed in the parking lot. Just the three of us and the wide open Nevada sky. An iPhone captured the impromptu jam, which turned out pretty fun to listen to. As time continued to pass, we finally noticed the Avis car-rental place around the corner of the repair shop. We shook our heads and raced inside. We had twenty minutes until they closed and the only thing they had available was a huge Ford F-150 pickup truck. “We’ll take it.” We ran into a dollar store to see if there were any supplies we might need. My friend Jim and I found a cheap blue tarp for ten bucks and thought we should get it so no one would be able to see our gear. Then we hurried back to the shop, took all our gear from Mike’s Pathfinder and loaded the pickup. “We can still make the gig,” Mike said. “It’s only four o’clock.” An hour later the storm clouds blew in. The highway traffic crawled. Pitter. Pitter. Rain splattered the windshield. A mad dash on  Xxyyxx Road allowed us to secure the tarp as best we could. The sky turned pink and then purple. The light seemed fake, like a movie set. Soon thereafter the sky exploded in rain and lightning. The storm followed us all the way to Las Vegas. Crossing our fingers for our gear, we soldiered on. It took forever to get to Henderson. Our gear was untouched, which seemed miraculous. *** It was almost midnight when we arrived, two hours past our scheduled slot. There was still another band to wait through. By the time we dragged our gear in, the clock hovered near two in the morning.  Finally, we made our way on stage to play our set. The crowd. Hated us. From the first note, our brand of classic-inspired rock did not go over well. Neither did the horrendous feedback, the result of the owners having a new PA, which they did not know how to use, and just let us deal with on our own. A few songs in, Bryan, our other guitarist, suffered a mysteriously dead amp. The thing just cut out and would not turn back on. After unplugging and re-plugging it in, he finally got it to work. That was the least of our problems. We played low, but the feedback was non-stop. Even Neil Young would have been taken aback. Victor’s turn at fronting the band for a Rolling Stones song went over horribly. The people all had their backs to us by then, drinking at the bar, probably praying it would be over. Rarely have I ever wanted to get out of somewhere so quickly. But what I did was to change it around. We’d lost the crowd, so I focused in on my bandmates. We’ve known one another for years. Bryan and I traded solos, each trying to compliment the other. I shared the mic with Troy. I locked in with Mike. And then I looked down at my sunburst Les Paul, which has been with me all over the country, and has played shows in so many great moments, and smiled. We had earned a great story that night, one that we would be able to tell for years. No matter how much planning you do, there are sometimes things that will gather to just completely shut down a show. It happens, and the best thing to do is to just realize the next night things will be better. You can travel great distances and go through a lot, and it’s still an honor to play music, regardless of the outcome. Until we got back to the hotel room and realized we had three and a half hours to return our rental truck, a drive that usually would take four, but that’s a story for another time. You might also like Expert Audition Tips TakeLessons Exclusive! Jumpstarting Your Music Career: 5 Tips Nobody Talks About Avoiding 5 Common Rehearsal Mistakes John P. teaches bass guitar, guitar, music recording, songwriting, and acting lessons to students of all ages in Los Angeles, CA. He joined the TakeLessons team in October 2012, bringing several years of experience teaching, performing and touring with his bands. Learn more about John, or search for a teacher near you! Photo by Hans Gotun

How to Work With an AP Physics Tutor

How to Work With an AP Physics Tutor Improving Academic Performance One way to ensure that you get the most value from your education is to hire a guide, someone who can provide personal attention to facilitate your learning process. Given that AP Physics is one of the most challenging courses you can take in high school, and given that it is usually preparation for even more specialized studies, hiring a dedicated AP Physics tutor makes a lot of sense. The responsibility for getting the most out of your education, however, still belongs to you, the student. Here are some steps you should take to ensure that you are using your AP Physics tutor’s services wisely. Do Your Best On Your Own The most successful physicists and engineers have been the ones who are independent thinkers. Before dumping all the responsibility in your tutor’s lap, try your best to read and understand the material and work through the problems on your own. If you get stuck in one place, don’t stop there and throw up your hands in frustration; instead note the difficulty you are having and move on as best you can. Not only will this build the study skills that you will need to progress along your educational path, it is also cost effective. The time you spend with your AP Physics tutor should be spent on filling in the gaps in your understanding, not starting from scratch. Prepare Ahead Of Time When you sit down with your tutor isn’t the time to decide what you need help with. You should spend time before the tutoring session reviewing what you know and figuring out where the gaps are, so that you can focus on those specific areas that you need help with. Do you not know the formulas? Can you not figure out which ones to use? Be ready to bring your AP Physics tutor up to speed with where you are, so that he or she can help you get caught up with the current material. Ask Questions Receiving help from a tutor is not a passive activity. You should take advantage of the personal attention to ask questions and seek clarification of anything that you don’t have a solid understanding of. Make sure you understand what you are learning from both a computational and a conceptual perspective. Unlike a teacher, it is not a tutor’s role to spoon fed you the entire curriculum, but rather to respond to your specific needs and fill in the gaps in your understanding. Review What You Learn Once the session is over, briefly review the concepts that you have acquired, and make sure that you understand them when you don’t have the tutor to explain them to you. Part of being a good scientist or engineer is being confident of your results without external verification. Review them again before the next session and make sure that you still have them; if you don’t, see the previous step. Build the habit of rigorously convincing yourself that you have learned the material, and any actual test you take will come to seem like a piece of cake. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

Aircrash Survivor Stories Preparing For Your ICAO English Exams

Aircrash Survivor Stories Preparing For Your ICAO English Exams When we think about air crashes, we generally think of the worst case scenario â€" fatalities. However, there are also survivors of these traumatic and surreal events with vivid stories to tell and valuable lessons learned.The UK Guardian featured a series of interviews with survivors of air disasters in its newspaper in February 2009.  These interviews were  carried out by Ros Anderson and Charlotte Northedge .Let’s look at one of these stories and answer the questions that follow it.Interview with: Upton Rehnberg, 72Flight: United Airlines flight 232 Crash landing: Sioux City, Iowa Date: 19 July 1989Id changed on to flight 232 at the last minute in the hope of getting home from a business trip for my sons ninth birthday. I usually ask for a seat at the back, but 9A, a window seat by the left side emergency exit, had been one of the last available. If Id taken my usual seat, I would be dead.I was sitting in front of a flight attendant and, just over an hour into our journey, I le aned over to her and said quietly, The pilot is flying this plane in a very strange way. There had been a loud explosion, but an announcement had reassured us that we had lost only one engine and everything seemed to return to normal. The attendant said, softly, Hydraulics. I didnt know that everything on that plane worked off the hydraulic system, and it had lost all power.The flight attendants gave every appearance of business as usual. Then, 30 minutes after the explosion, they told us to adopt the brace position. They said we should be prepared for the worst.I still didnt think we were going to die. I assumed they would be able to get the aircraft down. It was quiet. I remember taking off my tie I dont know why. I put my reading glasses in my shirt pocket, tied my shoelaces and waited.I later learned that we hit the ground at 260mph; the normal landing speed is around 150. The right wing hit the ground first and started a fire. The plane slammed down, bounced up, came back down on to its nose and began to cartwheel.The noise and impact were incredible. I couldnt hold the brace position and I bounced upright with my arms over my head. A fireball of burning fuel came through the seal of the door next to my left knee and hit me in the face. It melted the front of my Dacron shirt, burned my chest and the gap between the tops of my socks and my trousers.The plane broke into five sections and each went in a different direction. We were thrown around viciously, and I was knocked unconscious. When I came round, I was hanging upside down from my seat belt. I undid it and walked across the ceiling of the cabin to the exit. There were cables hanging down, so I held them up, letting the people behind me get out. I was just aware of the need to keep people moving so they werent blocking each other.In a plane crash, people sit around waiting for direction, but being prepared can make all the difference. Now when I fly, I wear natural fibres. Often I wear a sweatshirt w ith a hood. A man in the burns unit with me was a flight engineer, and he told me that when airline personnel are passengers, theyre taught to cover their head with a blanket in an emergency landing. But there arent enough blankets for every passenger.Dressing in a way that covers up as much of your body as possible, counting the rows from your seat to the emergency exits, knowing how to open them and moving quickly can make all the difference. You are the person you have to look to to save your life.QuestionsWhat led Mr Rehnberg to think that something was wrong with the aircraft?When the passengers were warned they should prepare for the worst what was his reaction?How was he injured in the crash?What does he say makes all the difference in the aftermath of an air crash?What is his advice to future aircraft passengers?Did you find this blog helpful? Please share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Geeks on a Plane and BarCamp Shanghai

Geeks on a Plane and BarCamp Shanghai This past week has been a really interesting for the startup scene in Shanghai.   The big catalyst was the Geeks on a Plane tour organized by Dave McClure of the FoundersFund and George Godula of Web2Asia.   This trip brought a number of entrepreneurs, bloggers, and venture capitalists from the US and Europe to Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai to learn about the tech scene in Asia.   The Geeks on a Plane tour also led into two other events:   TEDx Shanghai and BarCamp Shanghai. Barcamp Shanghai was on Sunday, and about 120 people attended this un-conference for presentations and networking.   We even got a chance to do a short presentation about how we think connecting people over the internet is leading to major changes in language learning.   Many thanks to the organizers, which includes one of our team members (Toffler).   We had a great time and met a lot of interesting people. On Monday, the Geeks tour was present at TEDx Shanghai, where there was a full day of presentations (you can catch the videos here).   We managed to meet a few of the Geeks after the presentations and also at the Geeks and Glamour after party.   Here are just a few of the people we wanted to give a mention to: Dave McClure Mark Hendrickson Benjamin Joffe Dan Martell Dug Song Adriana Gasciogne Larry Chiang Marcus Nelson Overall it was a really exciting time to be in Shanghai and in the technology space.   Hopefully, it wont be another year before we see an event like this again! The italki team Geeks on a Plane and BarCamp Shanghai This past week has been a really interesting for the startup scene in Shanghai.   The big catalyst was the Geeks on a Plane tour organized by Dave McClure of the FoundersFund and George Godula of Web2Asia.   This trip brought a number of entrepreneurs, bloggers, and venture capitalists from the US and Europe to Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai to learn about the tech scene in Asia.   The Geeks on a Plane tour also led into two other events:   TEDx Shanghai and BarCamp Shanghai. Barcamp Shanghai was on Sunday, and about 120 people attended this un-conference for presentations and networking.   We even got a chance to do a short presentation about how we think connecting people over the internet is leading to major changes in language learning.   Many thanks to the organizers, which includes one of our team members (Toffler).   We had a great time and met a lot of interesting people. On Monday, the Geeks tour was present at TEDx Shanghai, where there was a full day of presentations (you can catch the videos here).   We managed to meet a few of the Geeks after the presentations and also at the Geeks and Glamour after party.   Here are just a few of the people we wanted to give a mention to: Dave McClure Mark Hendrickson Benjamin Joffe Dan Martell Dug Song Adriana Gasciogne Larry Chiang Marcus Nelson Overall it was a really exciting time to be in Shanghai and in the technology space.   Hopefully, it wont be another year before we see an event like this again! The italki team