English Learning Dictionary - Have Fun!

English Learning Dictionary - Have Fun!Learning to speak and write in English is not all about having an amazing vocabulary and learning new words. It is also about the proper and correct usage of the words and using them appropriately. With a good and thorough English learning dictionary at your disposal, you can easily pick up any word or phrase that you do not know and will surely find it in the guide to speech.Language teaching has become more than just a hobby in recent times. Many aspiring people now take up the study of the language seriously and spend hours on each day immersed in the study of the language. If you feel as if your own English speaking skill is incomplete, then check out an English learning dictionary.Vocabulary development is important. It helps us make our sentences and writing more effective and assists in the flow of the conversation. It helps to improve the ability to communicate, because it helps in shaping the message into a meaningful one.You will disco ver that a good dictionary will have thousands of new words to choose from. Some of these words are familiar to you, while others are totally new. There are a number of different dictionaries available online, but before you buy one, you must first determine what will work best for you.The good ones will include vocabulary lists, basic vocabulary lists, verb and adjective lists, and sentence translation. These will help you create a strong foundation on which to build your English speaking skills. You will also come across many other features which will further improve your language skills.If you have a computer with an internet connection, you may opt for an e-dictionary, which will offer much more than the usual English learning dictionary. There are many sites which offer a range of e-dictionaries, which are meant for English learners. However, you will need to do some comparison between the various models before choosing the one which suits your needs the best.Learning English c an be as easy as, learning a few words. A good English learning dictionary is a must-have.

How to prepare for a teacher job fair - without getting stressed out!

How to prepare for a teacher job fair - without getting stressed out! There are lots of ways to go about looking for that dream teaching job abroad - from applying for vacancies online to attending a teacher job fair. Whether you’re a newly-qualified teacher or a seasoned educator, a teacher job fair can do wonders for your job search - they’re a great way to gain exposure to a wide range of hiring schools all around the world and make personal connections with school heads. With so many of our awesome teachers bound for the Atlanta, Bangkok and New York job fairs over the next few months, we thought we’d quickly cover some of the main things you can do to prepare for the fairs and (hopefully) avoid any last-minute panic. To make the best impression possible and maximise your chance of landing a job from all the great opportunities on offer at the job fair, all Teach Away fair attendees should set aside time to take the following steps: Do your homework Step 1: Pinpoint some of the regions where you’d most like to teach in. Find out as much as you can on what it’s like to live and teach in each country in that particular region - everything from the typical salary and benefits packages and the travel opportunities it offers to the standard and cost of living. Step 2: Check out the different schools attending on the Teach Away fairs page and jot down a quick list of those that interest you most. It’s worth broadening your focus to schools in locations you might not have previously considered. Don’t be quick to overlook a great school if it appears to be in a region you’re not as interested in on first glance. As the saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover! While schools will be holding presentations at the fair, it’s still a good idea to research the hiring schools in advance, either on Teach Away or their school websites, to find out more about their history, mission, values and strategic goals. Take notes on the hiring schools you plan to target during the interview sign-up period, and bring your notes with you to review and refresh your memory on day one of the fair. That said, when do you arrive at the fair and see the full listing of vacancies on day one, you’ll greatly improve your chances of getting a job offer by focusing on the vacancies that most closely match your experience and subject expertise - rather than the school or country you’re most interested in. Get organized Not being prepared for the fair is a surefire recipe for failure. Ensure that your resume is scannable and easy to follow. Print off multiple copies to take with you (we recommend 20-30 copies) and bring a notepad and a pen to take notes throughout the fair. As you’re preparing, you should research some calming techniques to steady those nerves. And before you head to the fair, don’t forget to take Teach Away’s Culturally Responsive Teaching course. This 90-minute online course will not only teach you what you need to know in order to to better support students from a broad range of cultural backgrounds. It will also help you formulate more considered, insightful responses during your interviews, which will in turn help you market yourself as a culturally competent educator to potential hiring schools. Dress for success (and comfort!) Plan to bring appropriate interview attire - leave the t-shirt and sweatpants at home! It’s best to follow a more conservative business or business casual, dress code, such as a suit jacket with pants or a skirt. You may already have some professional clothing you can recycle for the fair. If not, consider either borrowing some interview appropriate clothing from a friend or colleague (or taking the opportunity for some retail therapy, which can be a great stress-relieving activity!) Some other pro tips for you when figuring what to wear to the fair include the following: Opt for lightweight clothing that won’t make you overheated and avoid fabrics that have a tendency to wrinkle. Steer clear of pants or skirts that are uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time. Darker fabrics can be a lifesaver (if you’re unlucky enough to spill something). Make sure your footwear is comfortable - you’ll probably be on your feet for several hours at a time! Nail your “elevator pitch” During the interview sign-up period (often jokingly referred to as speed dating for teachers), you’ll get a chance to meet with prospective employers and promote yourself, your strengths and your teaching experience to each of them for a few minutes at a time. Each fair attendee will have a finite amount of time to shine, so it’s well worth preparing a memorable, yet succinct, 60-second pitch about yourself. Your pitch should clearly state the skills and accomplishments you could bring to benefit this school as well as what makes you truly unique as an educator. You can even record your pitch on your phone. Play it back a few times and really listen to what you’re saying to ensure you’re sending the right message to hiring schools. The intention shouldn’t be to memorize your pitch word for word and risk sounding overly rehearsed or robotic. Instead, you want to be confident that you’ve covered the high-level points you want to drive home to prospective employers. As you’re fine-tuning your pitch, it’s also a good idea to go over it with an objective person (perhaps a former teaching colleague) for some constructive, honest feedback. Take this opportunity to practise how to greet and shake hands with interviewers, too! Get your portfolio ready Bring a well-organized, current teaching portfolio (preferably digital/online) with you to each interview. Your portfolio is an invaluable tool that you can use to your advantage during the interview to back up what you’re telling hiring schools about your teaching philosophy and style, as well as your classroom skills, experience and achievements to date. Familiarize yourself with each section so when you are in an interview and asked a question, you can quickly show them a tangible example to support your answers. We hope you found these fair preparation tips helpful! Anything we missed? Let us know in the comments below. We look forward to seeing you at the fairs soon!

4 Surprising Differences Between a Teacher and a Tutor

4 Surprising Differences Between a Teacher and a Tutor The profession of the tutor is the closest to the profession of a teacher. Both a teacher and a tutor are training their students, generously giving them their knowledge, skills, and education. However, these related professions have some important differences. The first difference is the fact that the teacher works with the whole class and the tutor usually works with one student, at least â€" with two or three. This is the main advantage of the tutoring. This is why students are looking for tutors, why teachers want their students to have tutors, why parents pay a lot of money for classes. Because of the individual approach to each child. Secondly, the teacher should have special education or at least be in the process of studying at the University. This education gives the right to be called a teacher. The tutor must not be a certified teacher. The main thing â€" that he/she is able to help the student to learn the subject. Thirdly, the teacher has the plan and even if not all of the students have learned the material, the teacher goes on. Moreover, the school assumes that the material that was studied before, guys know and remember. If the child misunderstood something, missed material due to illness, then thats his/her problem. The tutor cant ignore the gaps in student knowledge. He/she should be ready to explain old material. Therefore, both the teacher and the tutor are obliged to know the subject perfectly, navigate quickly, keep their knowledge into a coherent system. Unlike teachers, the tutor not only teaches, but he/she organizes a workplace, plans the schedule, that is simultaneously organized and executed their activities. It requires a wider range of knowledge and skills. Do you agree with those differences between teachers and Tutors, which I have described? And what do you see as the differences between these professions? Write your opinion in the comments. Use TutorZ.com to find a good tutor to  help you prepare for an upcoming tests and read this article to find out how to become a tutor on TutorZ.com! 4 Surprising Differences Between a Teacher and a Tutor The profession of the tutor is the closest to the profession of a teacher. Both a teacher and a tutor are training their students, generously giving them their knowledge, skills, and education. However, these related professions have some important differences. The first difference is the fact that the teacher works with the whole class and the tutor usually works with one student, at least â€" with two or three. This is the main advantage of the tutoring. This is why students are looking for tutors, why teachers want their students to have tutors, why parents pay a lot of money for classes. Because of the individual approach to each child. Secondly, the teacher should have special education or at least be in the process of studying at the University. This education gives the right to be called a teacher. The tutor must not be a certified teacher. The main thing â€" that he/she is able to help the student to learn the subject. Thirdly, the teacher has the plan and even if not all of the students have learned the material, the teacher goes on. Moreover, the school assumes that the material that was studied before, guys know and remember. If the child misunderstood something, missed material due to illness, then thats his/her problem. The tutor cant ignore the gaps in student knowledge. He/she should be ready to explain old material. Therefore, both the teacher and the tutor are obliged to know the subject perfectly, navigate quickly, keep their knowledge into a coherent system. Unlike teachers, the tutor not only teaches, but he/she organizes a workplace, plans the schedule, that is simultaneously organized and executed their activities. It requires a wider range of knowledge and skills. Do you agree with those differences between teachers and Tutors, which I have described? And what do you see as the differences between these professions? Write your opinion in the comments. Use TutorZ.com to find a good tutor to  help you prepare for an upcoming tests and read this article to find out how to become a tutor on TutorZ.com!

How to Ask for a Pay Raise

How to Ask for a Pay Raise Image via Isorepublic.com Do your research Before you ask your boss for a pay raise, do some research to learn what your job is worth. Look at a few job search websites to determine what other people in your field and your geographical area are being paid, and compare your salary to that. If your salaries are similar, then you are unlikely to receive the raise when you ask. However, if your salary is significantly lower than what others in a similar field, geographical area, and level of education are making, you have a strong case for why you should receive a raise. Take note of these specific numbers and pull them out when you discuss your salary with your boss. (Explaining to your boss that others in your field make 10% more than you do is much more convincing than simply asking for more money.) Doing your research can give you data that will help convince your boss to give you a raise. Specifically, research your company’s policy on raises Another good thing to do before you ask for a pay raise is to learn your company’s policy on pay raises. This information can be found in the company employee handbook. In some cases, the company will only give raises after an annual performance review. If that is the case for you, do not ask for a raise unless you have recently had your performance review and it returned positive. If you ask for a raise in the “off-season”, you are unlikely to get it, even if you are a fantastic employee. On the other hand, if your company does not do this, you can go ahead and ask for the raise. Figure out your company’s policy on pay raises before you ask for one. Consider your individual situation You should consider your unique, individual situation for ways to convince your boss to give you the raise. Specifically, you should consider things like: What have you accomplished for the company recently? What problems have you solved for the company? Have you had any additional responsibilities delegated to you since your last pay raise? How have you shown initiative lately? How many extra hours have you worked without overtime pay? If you have solved a major problem, saved the company lots of money, or have had additional responsibilities delegated to you, you have a strong case for why you should receive a pay raise. Take note of these things, and explain them to your boss when you ask them for a raise. Your individual situation might be convincing enough for them to give it to you. Rehearse what you will say Because asking for a raise is a nerve-wracking experience, you might forget what you wanted to say. To avoid this, rehearse what you will say. In your “speech”, include: Numbers that indicate others with a similar job, in the same geographical area, with the same skill level, are being paid more; thus, you should be paid more. Any recent, stellar accomplishments that indicate you deserve this raise. These factors will help convince your boss to give you the raise. Ask at the right time It is crucial to ask for a raise at the right time. Just as I mentioned before, if your company only gives raises annually, don’t ask for one when it’s not the time because you will be unlikely to get it. Similarly, if you know your company is going through financial trouble and if people have been fired recently, that is not the time for you to ask for a raise. In this case, you should wait a few months (until the company recovers) to ask for a raise. On the other hand, if things are going well for your company financially and they do not only give out annual raises, you can go ahead and ask for one. Asking for a raise at the right time can mean the difference between getting it or not! Set up a formal meeting with your boss Asking for a pay raise is a serious request, so you should have a serious discussion with your boss about it. When you ask your boss for a raise, it should be a distraction-free conversation. Do not casually ask them for a raise when you randomly catch them in the break room; that is not the place for a serious conversation. For this reason, you should make an appointment with your boss for this specific conversation. This will make sure they can focus only on you and your request during that window of time. Be prepared for rejection Unfortunately, there is always a chance your request will be rejected. You should prepare yourself for this possibility. If your pay raise request is rejected, be calm and professional. Thank your boss for his/her time, and ask if there is anything you can do to improve your job performance. Those tips might help you earn the raise next time. Of course, these tips do not guarantee you will receive the raise. But if you follow them, you can at least ask for the raise with confidence that you have a good chance of getting it.

Older Teachers being bullied out of Schools to save money - Tutor Hunt Blog

Older Teachers being bullied out of Schools to save money Older Teachers being bullied out of schools to save money Older Teachers being bullied out of schools to save moneySchoolsThe NASUWT teaching union have highlighted the growing occurrence of older teachers being `bullied out of schools.` A recent report has disclosed the fact that older teachers are put under far more scrutiny than their younger colleges. The reason for this shocking age discrimination seems to be older teachers generally costing more than their younger counterparts. If you have been in the profession for three or four decades, you will likely have accrued up a sizeable (and well earned) wage increase. NASUWT, which is an acronym The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, was founded in 1976, when the NAS and UWT merged. It works as a trade union for teachers throughout the UK, and is a TUC-affiliated body and a vital resource to anyone in the profession. Members of the union have initiated a campaign to stop age discrimination, voting to put a motion that will highlight the point at this year`s annual conference in Belfast. It might seem incredible that older teachers are being forced out of schools, but the general secretary Chris Keates has said that this sadly is indeed the case.` It appears that they are being put under greater scrutiny then their younger colleagues, with their lessons being observed more frequently, and any written work - planning and marking - being inspected with more assiduity than younger teachers`. Mr Keates went on to explain some of the methods used to coerce teachers out of the profession: `It could be by increasing lesson observations. It could be putting them on what are euphemistically called `support programmes`, which most teachers read as being the first stage of going into a capability procedure.` `They will tell us that these are anything but support programmes, and that they`re not designed to help them but to put them under pressure so they`ll leave.` `I remember one headteacher telling me she had actually stopped going to local meetings of headteachers because she was getting really concerned that the only discussion was people swapping anecdotes of what strategies they`d used to get rid of staff they didn`t want.` The motion put forth by NASUWT mentioned the increase in the retirement age of teachers, and also what is alarmingly known as the `work until you drop` culture. The document also pointed out how many teachers who are being effectively forced into early retirement will suffer `serious financial hardship`. The annual conference takes place in Belfast between the 19th and 21st April. I can only hope that the motion is made strongly, and sensibility prevails. What with the recruitment crisis, and a recent report published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) revealing that teachers do more unpaid overtime than any other workers, one wonders how much more the profession can be squeezed. I was a teacher myself for many years, and I`m appalled at these disclosures. Many teachers give their whole working life to the profession - what a way to treat them, as they approach retirement, to try to squeeze them out of the profession they have given so much to. As stated in the opening paragraph, the reason for these mercenary tactics are apparently financial. Of course we are still in the iron grip of austerity (and when will that ever end?), and cuts have to be made to all public sector jobs - this I can understand. What I cannot understand is why teachers who have wealth of knowledge and experience are being forced out of the profession. There is an old maxim, which goes something like `the teacher learns as much as the pupil.` It may sound a little cliché, but there is more than a grain of truth to this: a teacher will be learning and expanding their proficiency during every lesson. They will be developing themselves, learning new methods of teaching and understanding di fferent pupils` needs. There really is no substitute for a great teacher who has spent decades in the profession - they will have the experience and understanding that only comes after conducting hundreds of lessons. That these knowledgable teachers might be bullied out, in order to save money, is a sad state of affairs indeed. 11 months ago0Add a Comment

Statement of Purpose For Tutoring

Statement of Purpose For TutoringWriting a Statement of Purpose for Tutoring will prepare you for the field of tutoring and help you in communicating with your students. When writing this form, it is important to note that the first two paragraphs should be more important than the rest of the writing. You should include a great deal of information, but only to tell your students what you want them to know.Headings are very important in this form. Do not forget to use headings to separate statements. You can then put your own information after the headings. You may want to also include your services, or the fact that you work with a specific student, as a tip line for the students. It is an important aspect of your letter.You may also want to explain the different services you provide. Some examples of things that you can include in this section are the nature of your business, your qualifications, and the type of teaching style you will use. Each of these sections is important and yo u should state each of them. Do not overdo it, though.If you teach subjects that are related to a specific field, such as science, you may want to also mention these areas. You may need to go into detail about these areas, so do not forget to include this information.You may also want to make a list of the student's needs, and if you are tutoring in a private setting, you may want to describe the fees you charge, the types of work that you offer, and even how long it may take to tutor a student. Keep in mind that every student has their own individual needs, so there is no need to give a complete list of fees here.One thing you may want to consider is spelling and grammar errors. If you make a mistake, be sure to state this on your Statement of Purpose for Tutoring.If you are unable to write a statement of purpose for tutoring, you may find yourself in a dilemma. For many people, this form can take as long as two weeks to create. However, you may want to consider doing some research in order to write one.

Le Chatelier Principle Chemistry

Le Chatelier Principle ChemistryIn the field of contemporary physics, Le Chatelier principle is well known as one of the most important laws in the history of science. It has been used to explain how the law of gravity works.There are many mysteries related to Le Chatelier principle chemistry. One such mystery is the number of bonds that are formed by hydrogen atoms when they come in contact with a neutron. A bond occurs when two atoms combine with one another in such a way that their electrons are both lost, thus making the molecules to be bonded. This is the reason why every substance is categorized into two categories, one of which forms bonds and one of which does not.Le Chatelier principle chemistry is also commonly referred to as an attractive force. For every chemical substance, it explains the number of atoms or molecules, which are required to hold the other atom together, and hence the affinity between the two elements.Although Le Chatelier principle is a fundamental law in chemistry, there are many unanswered questions about it. These include the question how the bond formation is achieved and how the bond is broken. The answer is very simple: the bonding molecules are arranged in such a way that the probability of bonding is increased. According to Le Chatelier principle, if two elements have the same composition, but different surface areas, then the bonds formed will be less.An experiment conducted by Herschel in 1836 showed that Le Chatelier principle gives a close approximation to the description of the elements which have the same composition and are contained in the same area, but of a different color. The atoms that are ordered are arranged so that they will interconnect and form attractive or repulsive bonds. If the surface area of the atoms in the first group is less than the surface area of the atoms in the second group, then there will be a strong binding of the atoms which will cause the formation of stable bonds.Furthermore, Le Chatelie r principle is the basis for many other physical phenomena such as magnetism, the magnetic properties of atoms, the generation of sound and electric charges, and many more. All these phenomena are explained by Le Chatelier principle. It also explains the formation of many diseases such as cancer, angina and asthma.It is interesting to note that Le Chatelier principle is the foundation of our lives. It governs the speed at which particles move, the tendency of particles to be repelled and the attraction of particles to one another. To sum up, Le Chatelier principle chemistry is an explanatory mechanism, a law of nature which guides all chemical reactions in a fundamental way.

Solve Absolute Value Equations

Solve Absolute Value Equations Absolute value of any number whether its negative or positive represents only its positive version. Absolute value is actually the distance of the number from the center and is denoted by | |(modulus sign). Hence absolute value is never negative. Absolute value is the magnitude of the number not the sign. Absolute value equation contains the variables and numbers with the absolute value sign in it. Example 1: Solve for the variable x in the equation | x 2| = 4? Solution: Given is the equation |x 2| = 4. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: The absolute value gives two cases; x 2 = 4; x 2 = -4. Adding 2 on both sides of the given equation. (x 2) + 2 = 4 + 2; (x 2) + 2 = -4 + 2 This gives x = 6; x = -2. Hence the solution is x = 6 or -2. Example 2: Solve for the variable x in the equation | x 3| = 5? Solution: Given is the equation |x 3| = 5. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: The absolute value gives two cases; x 3 = 5; x 3 = -5. Adding 3 on both sides of the given equation. (x 3) + 3 = 5 + 3; (x 3) + 3 = -5 + 3. This gives x = 8; x = -2. Hence the solution is x = 8 or -2.

What is it Like to Attend Vanderbilt University

What is it Like to Attend Vanderbilt University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Emily is an Atlanta tutor and 2008 graduate of Vanderbilt University. She holds a degree in Classical Languages and currently tutors several subjects including SAT prep tutoring, ACT prep tutoring, Geometry tutoring, and Reading tutoring. See what she had to say about her time at Vanderbilt: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Emily: Vanderbilt is a walking campus in the southwest side of Nashville. All of main campus is walkable within ten minutes if you walk fast, fifteen if you dont, and the Peabody Campus is just adjacent and will add anywhere from an extra five to ten, depending on where youre going. The athletic stuff like student rec and stadium stuff is also just adjacent, so during undergrad for me it was walk, walk, walk! The campus is open, gorgeous, and park-like, but that open-ness also means that anyone could wander through at any point. Still, the lighting is pretty good and there is a security presence, so I always felt safe. The Hillsboro Village area is also easily walkable. There are buses for getting into Nashville or Green Hills areas, and I believe they are still free for student use. Its nice to have a car for getting out, but it definitely isnt necessary. Bikes are also nice to have in case you want to venture further afield into the city or surrounding areas (like nearby Belmont Un iversity), but again not necessary. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Emily: This may vary somewhat based on your area of study, but I found that all of my professors were happy to talk with me about any concern I ever had. They all have office hours, which means periods of time during the week when they are in their offices available to anyone who wants to walk in and talk to them, and I think the university has a set number of hours that is a minimum for them (I dont know what the minimum is because mostly all you have to do is approach them after class to get an idea of when you can go see them). I didnt have many TAs myself, but the few I did have were even more available than the professors, if that is possible. My fellow undergrads had similar feelings about their professors. The fact that the professors were so available, helpful, knowledgeable, and genuinely interested was one of my favorite things about this school. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Emily: The dorm life at Vandy has been changing in the last few years, moving toward a residential campus. I myself lived in dorms my entire undergraduate career and had a great experience with it. First year I had a roommate, and I did not in subsequent years as I lived in the Language dorm (McTyeire Hall) which is all single rooms, and included its own small dining hall, where we were expected to eat dinner on weeknights with our Language group. The people you eat with are kind of your family, so I formed that kind of bond with several of my hall mates. There are lots of dining options on campus, and the only problem I ever had with that was on Sunday nights when many of them were closed, limiting my options (I was pretty spoiled when it came to on-campus food). The new Commons residential area has a beautiful dining hall, and there are other small eateries all over campus with various themes and food choices, but you can use the meal plan at all of them. Theyre pretty good, tooIm not vegetarian or anything, but I did end up at the vege caf a lot, because their food was just great. By the time I left, there was a policy of missed meals on the meal plan rolling over into a sort of meal-money dollar amount, which could then be used at participating restaurants off campus. A lot of great places in the campus vicinity accepted this meal money, so I was using my Vandy card all over the place. As for socialization, there are definitely more opportunities to get involved in organizations and groups than there are hours in the day, and through those types of things you meet all sorts of people that like the same things you like. You also get to know them while participating in an activity that you enjoy, or something that helps others. On weekends, there are always events and shows and all kinds of things to take in. I really enjoyed hanging out with my friends in our respective dorm spaces; some dorms had reputations for being home to this or that type of people, so for example I found myself hanging out around the art and philosophy dorm because that was the type of people my friends were. Im sure that Greek life also provides a lot of opportunity for socialization, even though that was something I never really took part in. 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? Emily: I think Vanderbilt is pretty well known for its graduate/professional programs, like Law and especially the School of Medicine, given the huge hospital that is part of Vanderbilt campus. I studied Classical Languages, which just means I took Latin a lot. My department was pretty small, and while everyone is undergoing careful budgetary concerns right now, I never felt like we especially lacked for anything. A lot of my friends were Engineering students, but Vandy also gives a good emphasis to the importance of liberal arts education. 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? Emily: Greek life is fairly big at Vandy, but I never joined a sorority. I did have friends who were in sororities and fraternities, and friends who were not. Although around 50% of the undergrad population goes Greek, only the officers of each organization live in their respective fraternity or sorority house, so the Greek life participants are still integrated throughout campus living. Freshman dorms were good places for me to make friends, some of them just temporary to keep me sane and social as I began the more difficult task of figuring out who my real friends would be and what I was going to major in. We were all also required to take a freshman seminar during the first year; I ended up taking a cool English class which put me in touch with two of my best college friends. Many of my other best college friends I met through those people, actually, so freshman seminar is a good way to make connections to others who are new like you are. The rest of my long-term friendships came from my dorm life later on in my undergrad career. I think the best way to meet people and make friends in those early stages is just to get involved with stuff you like, because you will naturally end up doing that stuff alongside others who like it too. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Emily: The Career Center was really helpful for me when I began to freak out about the next step after Vandy. They helped me craft my resume and search for potential jobs, and sent me to job fairs. I still didnt know at the time what I really wanted to do, so I wasnt always able to take full advantage of the Career Centers offerings, but happily they do have an alumni help component which I still use online. Im not sure if reputable companies recruit on campus because I was so unsure of what I even wanted to do, but I do know that the Vanderbilt name is a pretty impressive one to have on the top of your transcripts, and companies probably sit up and pay attention when they see it. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Emily: There are several libraries around campus, and lots of study spaces in lots of buildings everywhere. Some of them are quiet, some are not, and most of them fill up pretty solidly during things like finals time. I personally always did my best work in my own room, but I did notice a lot of wonderful other spaces which I mentally noted as spaces I would like to study, if only I ever chose to do work somewhere other than my own desk. The main library, Central Library, has recently added a little caf on the terrace, and the first floor has a gorgeous reading room area. The stacks are narrow and a little dismal as a study space, but if what you need is to be squirreled away from the world in a dungeon-like space (never mind that youre on the upper floors there), then that is where you should (and I sometimes did) go. If you prefer big windows and lots of light, try the Biomedical library next to the hospital. I also remember doing group study sessions in the study rooms of the Engi neering library inside the Stevenson Center, so there are lots of options. 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? Emily: Nashville is a very cool city, and it has a lot to offer college students. As its nickname Music City would suggest, it definitely has lots of live music, and not just country either. The trick is finding out when and where, and then in getting there. Engaging as Nashville is, I learned more about what there was to see and do after I graduated than I did while I was in school there. Lots of students spend most of their time in what we refer to lovingly as the Vanderbilt Bubble which includes all of campus and then a few blocks radius all around it. That several-block radius does have its share of cool spaces, coffee shops, theatres, live music venues, etc. Downtown is just a little too far to be called easily bikeable, although it can be done, and driving downtown is annoying because you have to find parking, and it usually isnt free. As a student, I didnt have money to spend on much, so I didnt go downtown all that often. We did go to the symphony sometimes, though, because t hey had a special deal where students could get tickets for $10 in the hour before a show began. Other cultural opportunities probably run deals for students like this too. Those who are willing and able to explore what Nashville has to offer will be rewarded, but honestly as an undergrad I did not have quite the time or money to explore them fully. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Emily: Vanderbilt has about 6,800 undergrads, which to me felt just right, because I was always seeing new faces, but I never felt lost among the massive crowd. Class sizes were accordingly small (occasionally tiny), although larger general education classes can get bigger. I never had a class of more than 50 students, and had maybe two or three that were over 30; most of the classes I took were 30 students or less. Class size is also something that will depend a little bit on your area of study, though, and as you get further in to your major or specialty, the smaller it will tend to get-- in my junior and senior years I had several classes with seven or eight people (yay Latin and Greek!). VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Emily: I think my regret might be not taking more seminar classes than I did. Seminars are just courses limited to 16 people maximum, and are largely discussion based courses. I only took three of those. Looking back, they were some of my most interesting classroom experiences, quite different from my language and lecture classes. The ones I took were all to fulfill requirements, but they really broadened my educational experience. We used to have a requirement called Science in Society, which they do not have anymore, partly because were half convinced no one really knew what that was supposed to entail anyway. But it was the last requirement I had by senior year, so I ended up taking a seminar on the life and works of Leonardo da Vinci; it just so happened to be full of really interesting students and taught by one of the coolest professors on campus, Dr. Bess from the history department. Our final project for the class was really open-ended, as per the multi-talented Mr. da Vinci, and we could create almost anything we liked so long as we could explain the connection to the course material or readings. Some people wrote research papers, one student built their own musical instrument and played a song based on a mathematical formula, another person painted, I wrote a short story. The final drafts of all projects were due at or before trivia night, which we mistakenly thought that as a bunch of really smart academic and creative people, we would doubtlessly win. We did not win trivia, because trivia night actually requires you to know a lot more about sports and pop culture than it does about history (even trivia night in Hillsboro Village, right next to Vanderbilt); we did have a lot of fun trying. Check out Emilys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.