So, Why is an Online OTS Chemistry Course Important?

So, Why is an Online OTS Chemistry Course Important?The OTS Chemistry course meets a number of different key objectives. Specifically, it addresses the quest for more practical knowledge in the science of chemistry. In an ideal world, this knowledge would certainly be more useful for students than simply doing research or performing experiments to understand the science of chemistry.In the process of demonstrating this skill, OTS takes on a broad spectrum of topics. Each topic is presented in an enjoyable and interesting way. In addition, the manner in which the topics are presented in the classroom makes them interesting to a large audience. Most importantly, it keeps students from getting bored and at the same time giving them a realistic opportunity to learn the subject.The actual syllabus of the course is designed to be educational and easy to understand. This way, students can appreciate the information without having to be bothered by too many details. Students will be able to understand concepts at a much deeper level when they are provided with an overview of the material through the syllabus. This is particularly useful in terms of comprehending abstract topics like redox reactions and the like.Since the OTS course is so highly-acclaimed, it is sometimes frustrating for a student to find out the course does not include that particular subject matter he or she is interested in. Fortunately, this is not the case. The online OTS course does provide a number of topics from the other disciplines of chemistry that are of much more interest to students. What this means is that even if a student is not very much interested in a particular area of the subject, they are assured of having a suitable topic that is related.By comparing to the traditional courses, the learning process in OTS is simple and straightforward. Students need not be held back by certain requirements like prerequisites. There is no need to struggle with mental blocks as every problem can be resolved in the course itself. In short, a student will be able to learn fast and efficiently at any time.The strength of the OTS course lies in its approach it takes to a number of different science disciplines. This makes it much more interesting to students and more open to them. Additionally, this makes the course easy to comprehend. It avoids a learning problem that traditional college level chemistry courses sometimes suffer from.It is also noteworthy that OTS encourages students to interact with each other. This encourages the students to build relationships that are more reliable and important in the long run.

A Day in the Life at New York University

A Day in the Life at New York University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Robert is a Dallas Fort Worth Tutor and 2008 graduate of New York University where he studied Music. Some of the subjects he specializes in are SAT Math tutoring, History tutoring, and Writing tutoring. See what he had to say about his time at NYU: 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? Robert: The campus is not at all like a traditional college campus. The majority of the university buildings are located around Washington Square Park, with some additional buildings located around Soho and Aster Place. The campus is very urban, but I always felt incredibly safe. NYU has their own bus system that runs all day and late night as well. The buses are free to all students andstop at every dorm. A car is definitely not needed and would honestly be a huge liability.A bike can be useful if you are into that sort of thing. During my time there, my main methods of transportation were walking, subways, and the NYU buses. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Robert: I found my professors to be very available, especially my department heads.Many have regular office hours where you can freely walk to for a quick chat.They were also all very quick and reliable at responding to emails. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Robert: Dorm life was a lot of fun.I think every dorm was CoEd, though there may have been a couple that were not. There are a couple dorms that are freshman only, and those are typically a little more active in organizing meetings, student activities, and also a little more strict on rules and regulations; all for the benefit of the students of course.Freshman year is the most crucial year for most students.Some are prone to losing control from being away from home for the first time, and NYC is not a good place to lose control.Many dorms have dining halls inside them, and most freshman sign up for meal plans since their dorms are not apartment style, and therefore do not have kitchens.Most upperclassman dorms are apartment-style though.All freshman dorms are relatively close to Washington Square, making it easy to get to class on time.Upperclassman dorms are typically further away, making it necessary to either take the NYU bus or subway.Most upperclassmen don't mind the extra comm ute since the dorms tend to get fancier the farther away from campus they are. 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? Robert: There are a lot of well-supported majors and programs at NYU since it has the benefit of being in New York City, where many of the top people in their fields chose to reside. I hear the Stern School of Business is one of the best in the nation, and the Tisch School of the Arts is very well regarded as well.As far as the Music program to which I was involved, I benefited from studying with some of the top musicians in the world, who were able to bring me into the New York Music scene.I was allowed to see the Broadway show, Wicked, for free from the orchestra pit while following the score. I was able to receive free, or cheep tickets to concerts at Lincoln Center, and perform around the city.The school did a great job of nurturing my musical talent and providing me with great opportunities.I chose to leave the city after the housing crisis to perform on cruise ships, but I always love returning the city. 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? Robert: I did not have too much difficulty making friends as a freshman. My first semester was the most awkward since I spent most of my time just trying to adapt to college life, but once I got settled in, I ended up making friends with some great students in my department. As far as I know, there is no Greek life scene at NYU.I don't think a frat house could afford to maintain New York real estate, and NYU isn't a huge sports school either.They have no football team and their basketball team is division 3.Those elements are hardly missed at all when you have the entire city at your fingertips though. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Robert: The Career Center was able to help set me up with on-campus work.I worked as a part of the stage crew at the main theater and eventually became stage crew manager by my senior year.Performances at the theater are frequent and the orchestra rehearsed there twice a week, so I was able to accumulate a good number of hours there with the option of doing more or less depending on my circumstances.As far as whether companies recruit though the Career Center or on campus, I have little knowledge.As a Music major, I did not seek any internships with fortune 500 companies. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Robert: The study areas are always occupied, but hardly ever saturated.Since most students use the internet now for most of their independent research, there is very little competition in the NYU library for space or for books. I'm not saying the place is dead, quite the contrary, but they have more than enough computers, books, and other resources to serve the student body.They are always available during the day, some close for late night, but there is always a spacious, quite place to study somewhere if you need it. 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? Robert: Where do I even begin? I could write a book about my experiences outside of school and on the town.I'll just say this.YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY! Enjoy it. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Robert: There is a very big student body and I really like that sort of thing. Lots of people means more opportunities to socialize, meet new people, and go more places.I have honestly been to classes that ranged from 200 people or more in one class, to classes where I was the only person there.I have never really been concerned with class size.You learn what you choose to learn, and if you are a slacker who's going to sit in the back of a 200 person class and fall asleep, you might have well have just stayed in bed.Most of my classes were about 20 students strong though which I felt was a good amount. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Robert: My best memory from college involving a class would actually have to be a performance I was part of with the NYU Symphony Orchestra.It is considered a class and I was registered for it so it counts.My favorite performance came in my sophomore year when we decided to play a concert in the brand new theater across the park for our end of semester fall concert.The program would include Beethoven's 9th symphony, and we would bring in all the singers from the vocal program to accompany us, and best of all, we would perform an Alan Menkan medley, arranged and orchestrated by some of our professors.Alan Menkan is a world-renowned composer and NYU graduate.You would know him best for his compositions for several Walt Disney movies from the 90s.He wrote the music for such greats as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Hercules, and Beauty and the Beast pretty much my favorite childhood movies.Not only did I have a great time performing his music, but I can now say that I have per formed a concert with him, have met him in person, and he was nice enough to sign some CDs for me as well as my trumpet part, all of which I have framed and displayed. Check out Roberts tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Learn Hindi Tools for Improving Hindi Conversation Skills

Learn Hindi Tools for Improving Hindi Conversation Skills 6 Tips for Improving Your Hindi Conversation ChaptersWhy Can’t I Speak Hindi?Practise Your Listening Skills in the Hindi LanguageLearn to Speak Hindi With Conversation PartnersImmerse Yourself in Hindi Language and CultureSo you’ve signed up for Hindi language courses, you’ve learned the Devanagari alphabet, practised your vocabulary, done all your grammar exercises, but your conversation is limited to the basic words and phrases covered in your beginners’ textbook?Despite all the time you have put aside to study Hindi verb declensions, you still aren’t able to communicate fluently?Here are some Superprof tips and tricks to improve your conversational Hindi. GiusyHindi Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnchalHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NehaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AkshayaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SuhaniHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutor s MedhaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PriyankaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaurabhHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Can’t I Speak Hindi?How is it that, even though you have been learning your vocabulary religiously, done all the written exercises to learn sentence structure and basic phrases, you still can’t get out more than simple greetings in spoken conversation?That is because you learn languages on several levels. They can be divided into:Written and oral comprehensionActive and passive vocabularyWritten versus Oral ComprehensionReading something - whether in the Hindi alphabet or transliteration - and hearing it are two different things. Unless you really have an excellent ear, there will always be a certain variation in what you hear when you read a vocabulary list and what you hear when the words are spoken by a native speaker.For one thing, someone with Hindi as his mother tongue will probably be speaking faster than you. When you read, you have all the time you need to consider the Hindi words and figure out their meaning. For another, he or she might be speaking a dialect that pronounces things slightly differently, whereas the words will always look the same when written down.Understanding each other and having a conversation in Hindi is essential for good international relations! Photo credit: UK in India on Visual huntActive versus Passive VocabularyThen there is the difference between passive and active vocabulary - the difference between understanding and speaking.It’s easier to understand something that is said because all you need to do is remember the vocabulary. Hopefully, your grammar lessons included enough examples of Hindi phrases that you can eventually automatically comprehend which word is the subject, object and verb.However, when you try to speak yourself, you not only have to find the right words but also:arrange them in the ri ght orderdecline the verb tenses,use the right gender,match adjectives in number and gender to the nouns, etc.This may come easily when faced with words on paper, but in front of a live person who is waiting for an answer, perhaps impatiently, whom you feel might be judging you, you often freeze up. Maybe you’re also afraid of getting it wrong and being misunderstood, of your pronunciation not being up to par.All this comes together to make having a conversation in the Hindi language more difficult than reading or writing. It’s also why it’s often easier to speak a language while drunk - while you still need to call forth the words from your passive vocabulary, you stop overthinking things and simply get the words out.But since we at Superprof cannot condone drunken language learning, here are some tips for improving your ear and improving your conversation.Practise Your Listening Skills in the Hindi LanguageThe first part of a conversation is understanding what people are tel ling you. This means improving your listening skills and learning to understand Hindi spoken as a native language.How to learn Hindi through audioOne way to get used to the tones and rhythms of the Hindi language is to listen to an audio recording.   It frees you from visual stimuli and lets you focus on the rise and fall of the language.This is a good solution for learning Hindi on the go. You can listen to audio files almost anywhere - on your daily commute, while out jogging, while doing grunt work or just before going to sleep. Just remember: safety first! You need to be able to hear your surroundings if you are outside or working.So what kind of audio files are good for practising your Hindi?listening to Hindi music.Tuning in to a Hindi online radio station or podcast.Downloading your favourite Hindi books as audiobooks.Learning Hindi in a classroom is the first step - immersing yourself in Hindi language and culture is the next! Photo credit: WorldLitToday on VisualhuntLearnin g Hindi through Hindi videoBut while listening to the Hindi language is good for learning the rhythm of Hindi, the best way to get used to Hindi conversation is to actually see someone speak - after all, the Indian culture is different from ours. There are going to be different visual cues and body language.For example, where we might nod to show we understand or to punctuate a sentence, in many parts of India they dip their head slightly to the side.Body language and facial expressions are as important a part of learning a new language as knowing your Hindi vocabulary by heart.For that, you need to see people speaking Hindi. And there are several ways to do that:Learn Hindi online with video blogs, tutorials and YouTube videos. They don’t have to be about learning Hindi, you can watch videos about anything that interests you.Watch Indian TV via satellite or online libraries.Watch Bollywood movies. Not only will you have fun and learn about the Indian culture, you will also practi ce your Hindi through listening to dialogue.Careful, though! Not every Indian video will be in Hindi - they could be in Nepali, Kannada, Gujarati, Tamil, Punjabi, Marathi or Bengali.Learn to Speak Hindi With Conversation PartnersBut though improving your listening skills is a good start, it’s not quite enough for your conversation skills. For that, you need the give-and-take of an actual conversation. This is the best way to learn Hindi expressionsBut how can you speak to a native speaker without going to India?The best way is to hook up with a language partner.Often, this takes the form of a language exchange. You find someone who speaks Hindi and who wants to learn to speak English, and you each spend some time talking exclusively in each language.There are various ways you can get in touch with a potential language partner.Finding the right Hindi language exchange partner is the first step to improving your Hindi conversation! Photo on Visualhunt.How to learn Hindi with live la nguage partnersA nice way to learn Hindi and make new friends is to meet up with a language partner in person. There are several websites that can pair you up with a native Hindi speaking course near you.Or you can see if your local university offers Hindi as a subject. If it does, you can go there and put up a notice on the message board if they have one, advertising for someone to speak Hindi with.You can also ask local Indian restaurants if you can put up a notice, or in shops that sell Indian products.Be certain that you first meet in a neutral location, such as a café. Ordering food is also a good way to break the ice!A good way to make sure you have something to talk about the first few meetings is to both read an article or book or watch the same Hindi movie and discuss it.Language partners onlineThere are a number of apps and websites that let you chat with people from various countries - whether you want to learn Portuguese, learn Korean, learn Arabic or learn Chinese. Mos tly, it’s written - so they are not necessarily ideal for practising speaking. However, this is a good intermediate solution for learning the give-and-take of conversation while still leaving you time to order your thoughts.A few apps and websites where people can post their interest in language chats are:Conversation ExchangeItalki  My Language ExchangeSome of them, though, offer written or face chats on-site (or in-app) such as:Open Language Exchange  Scrabbin  Tandem (app)HelloTalk (app)Another option is to get a private tutor in Hindi, either live or via Skype.Immerse Yourself in Hindi Language and CultureThe best possible way of learning a language, though, is through immersion. And that means going to India.When choosing where in India you want to live, be sure to choose someplace where Hindi is the main language. For while Hindi is the official language of India for many purposes, it is only one of many. Mostly it is spoken in northern India, in the following states:BiharCh hattisgarhDelhiHaryanaHimachal PradeshJharkhandMadhya PradeshRajasthanUttarakhandUttar PradeshThere are some other places, such as Mumbai, where Hindi is spoken, but there it is very much influenced by the Marathi language, so unless you have an internship at a Bollywood studio, you should stick to the areas above.It’s even better if you can take a language course at the same time to improve your knowledge of grammar rules and pronunciation.Take an immersion holidayThere are a number of companies that offer immersion holidays, or you can plan your own. The idea is not to stay in the tourist hotels, but somewhere you will be forced to interact with locals, going to the market, maybe even taking on a small job for a few weeks.This means that in that time you will be speaking nothing but Hindi, hearing nothing but Hindi and reading nothing but the Hindi script. The phrase: “Do you speak English?” is taboo on an immersion holiday!Immerse yourself in Indian culture by learning Hind i in India - during an immersion holiday. Photo credit: Claudio Nichele (@jihan65 on Twitter) on VisualHunt.comBecome an au-pair in IndiaIf you want to stay a bit longer, becoming an au-pair is a possibility.As an au-pair, you will live with a Hindi-speaking family and help around the house (au-pairs are often used as nannies, so getting on well with children is a plus!). In exchange, they will speak Hindi to you and you will live in India with free room and board.You will generally have a little bit of pocket money and some au-pair agencies will also offer Hindi language classes to help you with your possessive pronouns and subjunctive.Or why not try a private tutor to learn Hindi, and get support both in grammar and conversation!

How to Plan College Campus Visits

How to Plan College Campus Visits Probably one of the most critical steps of the college search, your campus visits need to be scheduled early on with plenty of time to spare. These visits are pivotal points in your decision-making process, as there is simply no better way to get a real handle on a campus than by spending some time on it. But with so much to do in the period of college application insanity, how can you possibly make sure each of these visits are scheduled appropriately and made use of in the best ways? Moreover, how do you know which campuses you need to visit? All of these questions that might be asked in a panic before quickly-approaching deadlines are more the reason to think about this important college search element well ahead of time. Dont leave yourself in a bind at the last minute; get these plans figured out now! A handful of steps are useful here: #1: Pick the schools From the very beginning, when you start compiling the list of colleges you like, put them into categories. There will be schools youre extremely excited about and genuinely want to see, there will be those that you like from what youve read about them but dont know much about first-hand, and there will be some that youve been told you should check out but have no idea what they have to offer. To take a little shortcut here, schools in all of these categories should be visited. Its up to you to identify which ones you see yourself definitely taking the time to apply to and then going from there. The point is, you have a lot to learn about each of these types of schools. The school that you love, the school that you know a little about, and the school you know nothing about, all have secrets to be uncovered and benefits from in-person experience to be had. #2: Determine application deadlines Every school has different requirements and guidance for deadlines, so make sure you get this step taken care of promptly. Youre going to want to adequately set up your visits around these important dates so you never feel pressured to rush through a tour or skip an informational interview. Additionally, spread these visits out as much as you can. Although this will sometimes be out of your control, do everything in your power to schedule them far apart from each other. You dont want two visits to blend in because they are so close together and then forget which campus had what. Or worse, you dont want to be so exhausted from the adjacent trips that you lose focus and dont pay strong enough attention to the colleges youre visiting. Try to give each of these visits their own span of time so you can take in and process their information separate from the others. Here are 4 tips to help you manage the college application process. #3: Call an admissions officer Visiting a campus blindly with no guidance as to what you should be doing or seeing is pointless; you must speak with an admissions representative before you make your trip. An integral part of their jobs is to prepare students for these visits, so make use of their valuable resources. Ask when scheduled tours are and sign up for one. Ask about possible over-night programs with current students and set one up if you are interested in learning about the college experience in that way. Ask about any other opportunities that you might not know about because that is what the admissions officers are ready to inform you of. They know all the ins and outs of campus visits and what you need to do to make the most of them. You might get to sit in on a class, get a free meal at the local dining hall, or a multitude of other interesting things that will help you feel acclimated to that colleges unique scene. You may also want to check out these tips on how to pre pare for a college visit. #4: Make a checklist In addition to the events youve signed up for and made note of from the admissions officer, jot down everything you personally want to accomplish and make sure the length of your trip accommodates all of it. More importantly, figure out if and how youre going to be able to accomplish those things. You dont want to waste a good amount of time on your visit wandering around aimlessly, looking for ways to accomplish your list item, especially if its something that it turns out cant be done. You must determine if these list items are even possible to accomplish before you go. Do you want to talk to a current student? Experience an evening at a local venue in the town? See an off-campus apartment? Tour the library? Many things will be taken care of through your campus tour, but many wont. Settle these things now. You may also want to check outthesetop questions to ask at a campus information session that you may not have thought of yet Now that youve taken in these steps, you should be ready to go. Get those visits planned and search away!

The Sumo Guide

The Sumo Guide Sumo and the Land of the Rising Sun ChaptersWhat is a Sumotori?Sumo Rules and RitualsThe Origins of SumoSumo Throughout HistoryJapanese culture is rich and varied. Those who travel to Japan can experience the customs, rituals, and delicious food.  In terms of Japanese culture, sumo is a martial art in which larger combatants wrestle as part of a sacred ritual. This is one of the most popular sports in Japan and for several centuries, its history was intertwined with that of Shintoism. If you go to Japan, you need to see what Japanese wrestling is really about!In this article, we’re looking at Japan’s ancestral sport, what it is, and where it fits in Japans rich and diverse culture. From the sumo wrestlers, known as a sumotori, to the ceremonies, you’ll learn about this popular discipline and the grand champions of it. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free !Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is a Sumotori?A sumotori needs to be large and capable of defeating their opponent in a gruelling fight. In Japan, the preferred term for a sumo wrestler is “rikishi”, which means “mister” and “strength”, showing their respect for the sacred combatant.Rikishi train from a young age in a heya, “stables” or “training quarters” where they also live. They’re used to eating food designed to gain weight. Most rikishi weight at least 22st but they can weigh as much as 34st, albeit while drastically reducing their life expectancy.Sumo wrestling is hugely popular in Japan. (Source: Wiki media Commons)The combatants fight barefoot in the dohyo (ring) wearing just a maetate-mitsu (codpiece) with a belt known as a mawashi. Each rikishi’s hair is styled in keeping with tradition and according to their rank. Furthermore, each rikishi has their shikona or ring name.There’s an established ranking for the rikishi from apprentice (uchi-deshi) to professionals (sekitori). However, there are ranks granted to great champions. The most important ranks are sekiwake, ozeki, and yokozuna, the grand champion.Here’s a list of some of the great yokozuna throughout history:Akashi Shiganosuke (1600-1649)Shiranui Dakuemon (1801-1854),Shiranui Kôemon (1825-1879)Jinmaku Kyûgorô (1829-1903)Kimenzan Tanigorô (1826-1871)Umegatani I Tôtarô (1845-1928)Tachiyama Mineemon (1877-1941)Tochigiyama Moriya (1892-1959)Tsunenohana Kan’ichi (1896-1960)Futabayama Sadaji (1912-1968)Tochinishiki Kiyotaka (1925-1990)Taihô Kôki (1940-2013)Wajima Hiroshi (1948-2018)Kitanoumi Toshimitsu (1953-2 015)Chiyonofuji Mitsugu (1955-2016)Takanohana Kôji (1972-)Asashôryû Akinori (1980-)Hakuhô Shô (1985-)Kisenosato Yutaka (1986-)Rikishi aren’t the most common type of athlete in Japan and there are only around 800 of them across all of Japan.Check out our article on Japanese weaponry.Sumo Rules and RitualsRikishi fight in the dohyo which represents the heavens and is 6m ². The match itself takes place in a 4m-diameter ring in the centre of the dohyo. There’s a ceiling hanging over the ring, making the arena a sanctuary and the match is dedicated to the gods. Sumo wrestling isn't just a sport, it's also a traditional ceremony and ritual. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Before starting the fight, there are several rituals for washing the rikishi’s body and spirit. They’ll rinse their mouths with water and clean their bodies with a paper towel. To protect them from injury, they’ll purify the ring with salt.To win, the rikishi needs to push their adversary out of the ring of onto the floor of the dohyo. Only a rikishi’s feet are allowed to touch the ground. They also lose if they touch the bags of straw surrounding the combat area.In sumo, you cannot throw punches or kick above the hips, strangle, or pull hair. You cannot grab the maetate-mitsu of your opponent either. They fight by striking their opponents with an open palm, grappling, or using their weight or their opponent’s weight against them.Here are a few important sumo terms:Basho: sumo tournament.Chiri-chozu: the ritual before a fight.Danpatsu-shiki: a farewell ceremony during which a rikishi’s hair is cut by their friends.Dohyo: the area of combat.Fusenpai: when a rikishi loses for not being present for the fight.Gaijin: a foreign rikishi, generally any combatant not born in Japan.Gunbai: a wooden fan used by the referee.Gyoji: the referee.Hanamichi: the paths to the dohyo that run from east to west.Heya: the organisation and training room for the rikishi.Hiiki: the supporters.Intai: a rikishi’s retirement.Jungyo: an exhibition match outside of sumo tournaments used to recruit new rikishi and show them to the public.Keiko: a rikishi’s training in the heya.Kimarite: one of 82 official sumo techniques.Kokugi: “national sport”, the term used to talk about sumo.Kokugikan: the main sumo stadium in Tokyo and home to the National Sumo Federation.Kyokai: the National Sumo Federation, also known as the Nihon Sumo Kyokai.Maetate-mitsu: the rikishi’s codpiece.Oshi-zumo: a combat style in which body weight is used to remove the opponent from the ring.Oze i: the grand champion after the yokuzuna and before the sekiwake.Rikishi: sumo wrestler.Sekiwake: the grand champion after the ozeki.Shingitai: the three principles of sumo, heart, body, and technique.Tachiai: the start of a match.Tsuppari: slapping the body or face with an open palm.Yokozuna: the grand champion. A title held until death.Yusho: the winner of a sumo tournament.Zensho-yusho: a tournament won without any defeats.There are 6 main sumo tournaments each year: 3 in Tokyo, 1 in Osaka, 1 in Nagoya, and 1 in Fukuoka. Each rikishi fights once per day for 15 days and the combatant with the best win/loss ratio is the champion. At the end of the tournament, the rikishi receives the emperor’s trophy.The Origins of SumoThe history of sumo is intertwined with Japanese history: the first mention of sumo wrestling can be found in the Kojiki, a chronicle of Japanese history dating back to 712. According to legend, a sumo match decided who controlled the Japanese islands. Sumo wrestling originated as a battle of the gods. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)The gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata fought on the Shimane beach. Outside of legend, it’s difficult to say exactly when sumo wrestling arose in Japan. It seems that sumo wrestling was used as an agricultural ritual to bring about a good harvest. There were no illegal blows and these fights were to the death.  In the Nihon Shoki, sumo was said to have begun between mortals around 23BCE. The first winner, Sukune, is said to be the father of sumo.Interested in Japanese culture?Find out more about geishas.Sumo Throughout HistoryDuring the Nara Period (8th century), sumo wrestling was introduced to the imperial court and an annual festival was organised. There were several festivals in the Imperial Palace of Emperor Shomu. Thus, sumo was no longer an agricultural ritual but a ritual for peace and prosperity. Sumo wrestling's history dates back over 1,500 years! (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Sumo became a martial art during the reign of Emperor Saga (9th century) and the warrior class practised the sport from the 12th century. Several great Japanese military chiefs were fans of sumo including Minamoto no Yoritomo and Nobunaga Oda.During the 17th century, the rikishi started becoming professionals and entertainers for the Japanese elite. This is also when the first rings surrounded by bags of straw. They started burying them during the 18th century.During the Edo Period, the great daimyos became the sponsors for sumos grand champions. In addition to a salary, the rikishi also earnt the title of samurai.Modern sumo wrestling was developed during the Edo Period: the Kanjin-zumo was used to raise funds for buildings, sanctuaries, repairing temples, bridges, and other public works.The official ranking system was also introduced during the Edo Period. Official organisations were formed and merged during the 20th century, leading to the modern Sumo Kyokai.Now you know a bit more about Japanese culture and the national sport. If you want to learn even more, consider reading our other articles on Japan or getting Japanese language lessons from a private tutor on Superprof!There are three distinct types of private tutorial on offer for Japanese students: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials. Each type is different in terms of learning styles and cost, so what may be right for one student may not be right for another.Face-to-face tutorials involve just a single student and tutor and will include a bespoke programme or course that's being taught to the student. You will be getting a tailored service which is very cost-effective!Online tutorials also involve one student with a tutor but the two aren't physically in the same place. Thanks to the internet, you can be taught Japanese online via webcam. With fewer travel costs and the ability to schedule more t utorials each week, the tutor doesn't need to charge as much for their tutorials.Group tutorials are more like the classes you would've had in school with one teacher and multiple students. With each student footing the bill, the cost per student per hour tends to be less than the other two types of tutorial.  Don't forget that a lot of tutors on Superprof offer the first hour of tuition for free, too!

Accounting principles

Accounting principles Financial accounting is a branch of accounting where businesses are required to keep their financial transactions. These transactions are recorded, summarized and presented in the form of statements called financial statement or financial report and income statement or a balance sheet. In United States, these documents can be prepared according to the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Financial reports are prepared for use by external customer like investor, banker and internal customers like company shareholders and employees. Topics covered: Accounting basics Accounting equation Accounting principles Income statement Balance sheet Bank reconciliation Bills Payable and accounts receivables According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a publicly traded company is required to file financial reports every quarter. The purpose of filing these documents is not to report the value of company but to provide sufficient informations to others to assess the value of company.

Simple Tips for Getting Ahead as an Introvert - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Simple Tips for Getting Ahead as an Introvert - Introvert Whisperer Simple Tips for Getting Ahead as an Introvert Between working your 9-5 job, running endless errands, and visiting family and friends, day-to-day life is exhausting. Finding the time and energy to work on your personal development can seem like a nearly impossible feat at times, and for introverts, these barriers to success are only heightened. That’s why I’ve come up with a few simple, proactive ways to help introverts get ahead without becoming burned out or defeated. Create a Concentrated Network of Impactful People You probably see it all the time, both online and in person. Your extroverted coworkers are constantly chatting and reaching out to people, wielding their skills in small talk and complimenting to create a large number of surface-level connections with others in your field. In their minds, it’s a simple formula: more connections = more opportunities. Although building and fostering your network is important for personal and professional growth, playing the numbers game is counterproductive. Remember: quantity is not always greater than quality. Properly managing a large network will cost you time and energy that could be devoted to more relevant pursuits. And networking poorly is worse than not doing it at all. That’s why you should forge connections that prioritize relevance and a genuine relationship, as this will yield opportunities that better align with your own personal interests and goals.   Look to the Future Instead of Reflecting on the Past Nearly every introvert knows the dread that comes after a social interaction. Did I say the right things?   Was the conversation boring?   Did I speak too much? Or not enough? Overcoming your self-doubt is one the best and most simple ways to get ahead. Not only will you become more confident in your decisions and interactions with others, but you’ll also end up saving time and operating more efficiently. To successfully let go of your doubt, practice looking toward the future by writing down large-scale goals for the year and smaller ones for the upcoming months, weeks, and days. By reflecting on your performance in previous years, you’ll also be able to acknowledge and let go of the things in your past that hold you back. Find Your Method of Communicatingâ€" And Excel at It Successfully conveying information in your workplace will be essential to moving upward. But becoming a better communicator as an introvert isn’t necessarily about improving your areas of weaknessâ€" a better angle to this challenge is to identify the different ways of communicating and determine the ways you are already successfully exchanging ideas with others. If you’re better at dealing with people in more intimate situations, ask to work on smaller teams at work or schedule 1-on-1 meetings with your higher-ups. Maybe you like keeping comprehensive, personal notes; take that skill and share relevant information with your team in the notes sections of documents and databases. Or, if you like to take time to think before you share, emailing should be your best friend. Realize whatever methods work best for you and use them to your advantage. Share Your Successes Although telling others about your accomplishments may feeling like you’re seeking attention, it’s often crucial to ensure you get the credit and praise you deserve. Bragging about your achievements or causing a scene is definitely not the way to approach sharing successes, but there’s no shame in highlighting something important that you’ve achieved. Your boss won’t be able to see the accomplishments of everyone they oversee; that’s why it’s important to make sure you get the spotlight when you deserve it. You may struggle with verbalizing your own successes or sharing them widely, so instead try CC’ing your management team on important correspondence, calling out the successes of your department as a whole, or sharing ideas in team meetings (while making sure you get credit for them).   Get Smarter with Your Money Here’s an undeniable fact when it comes to getting ahead: having money will open up time, resources, and opportunities that can give you the extra boost you need to advance in life. Thanks to the internet, there are plenty of ways to make money after your workday that have little or nothing to do with socializing or working with others. And when successful enough, these enjoyable side gigs can eventually become your primary source of income. If you don’t have time to pursue a side hustle, focus on places where you can cut down on spending and drive down monthly costs. Perform a personal financial audit by evaluating your income and expenses at least once a year to see areas of your spending that are unnecessary and could be reduced. Since debt is one of the main reasons why people aren’t able to get ahead, concentrate on finding opportunities to consolidate and save where you can. If you are someone with any amount of student debt, do your research and take advantage of student loan refinancing solutions. An even easier avenue would be to stop spending money on frivolous things like coffee every day and only using your credit card to purchase the essentials.   Give Yourself Some Downtime The main way you can avoid burnout, fatigue, and discouragement is by always keeping you and your needs in mind. For introverts especially, it’s important to give yourself time alone to reflect and recharge at the end of each day. From reviewing your week’s productivity to curling up with a great book, downtime helps you take a step back from your daily routine and figure out what the next step is for you. As counterintuitive as it might initially seem, be sure to budget time into your schedule that is specifically dedicated to resting and planning your next steps toward success. When you arrive at work the next day, this time of rest will give you the patience and stamina you need to survive and thrive in a world of extroverts.   AUTHOR ATTRIBUTION: Kathy Philipson is a content creator who enjoys writing on career and financial advice, especially for entrepreneurs and go-getters. When she isn’t writing, Kathy enjoys thumbing through her Instagram feed, attending to her two cats, and watching the Game Show Network. 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

How to Get Your Child Thinking About The Future

How to Get Your Child Thinking About The Future Not all children know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. And while its perfectly fine if your child doesnt talk about potential careers right now, it cant hurt to encourage him to start exploring possibilities. In high school, it becomes especially important to have these conversationsdont assume your child will discover the path for him without a little research along the way. Here are a few tips on how to get your child thinking about the futureboth college and career: Start asking questions. Ask your child more than just what subjects she enjoys most in school. How about jobs that sound intriguing or fun, or topics that pique her curiosity and make her want to learn more? If your child doesnt have ideas, help her brainstorm a bit. Go online together to check out possible careers that might blend your childs love of math and music. Talk about the pros and cons of working in different fields and jobs. Talk about college as a definite plan. You want to make sure your child goes to college? Talk about it like its not optional. That way, your child will believe that college is on the horizon and begin making plans to get there. This is also a good opportunity to impress upon your child the importance of working hard in school to get into a good college and prepare for the rigors of college academics. Visit colleges. If there is a college in your town or close by, take your child there for strolls or picnics, to sporting and theater events, or any opportunity to expose your child to the collegiate environment. Check out any camps or classes for children. Take your child to visit your alma mater if feasible, and point out your dorm and the buildings where you spent time learning and taking classes. Try lots of different things. You never know what activity or pastime will light your childs fire. Get your child involved with a nonprofit. Have him shadow family friends at their jobs. Go to music concerts, lectures and movies as a family. If your child has the chance to do something unique, encourage him to go for it. Get involved in extracurricular activities. Encourage your child to try out different clubs and activities in and outside of schooleven those that seem like a departure from his usual choices of pastime. Debate team, student government and the school newspaper are obvious career-relevant options, but your child might discover his passion as a peer tutor, in the choir or the recycling club, or working as a teachers aide. Take a strengths finder. College career centers are a great resource to help students explore their strengths, determine career-related interests, and find career choices. But there are all kinds of different strengths finders out there that will help your child understand herself and guide her in a direction even earlier. Do an online search to see what you find. Remember: you are your childs greatest influence and can help guide him toward promising college majors and career pathsor at least help him formulate ideas. Talk about college in your home. Make it sound exciting and worthwhile. Invite your child to try new things, delve into ideas, ask big questions and seek to find the answers. Start early, and by the time your child reaches high school, hell be eager to plot his future.

The Underestimated Power of Practice

The Underestimated Power of Practice Improving Academic Performance We have all come across genius, people who are exceptional, admirable, and undeniably perfect. Some have graced our history books and televisions many times over (Einstein, Mozart, Jordan), while others are our neighbors or friends who are just awesome at something - imagine that girl or boy wonder in your AP Physics or English class that seems to immediately understand absolutely everything the teacher says and ace every test. But we may be looking at them and ourselves the entirely wrong way. What if what it took to become an expert or a genius was a different kind of work (hard work done smartly) for many hours behind the scenes that we just don’t see? What if the only thing stopping us from being great is a misunderstanding of the nature of intelligence, talent, and performance? What if even in highly academic disciplines, it wasn’t IQ or natural ability that explained “genius?” There is an idea, a new but highly researched and supported idea, discussed in a variety of books on talent and intelligence, that it is not natural talent and ability, but a specific time of practice, that explains how people become experts and geniuses. There are two bestselling books on this topic that have greatly influenced this article: Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin and The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle Both sources strive to change the public’s view of world-class talents versus themselves. We’re not all that fundamentally different. Some of us just work really hard, in a really specific way, at improving our skills. We won’t go into the details in this article, but the research supporting these points shows that the right type of practice literally builds a substance in our brains that is positively correlated with being good at something, and which has been shown to increase over time with practice. This is revolutionary stuff. Let’s look at a few examples before we delve into the idea that genetics isn’t the only thing that plays into genius â€" especially when evaluating it in the context of standardized test taking and generally performing well in school. Skinny and much shorter than he is now, Michael Jordan didn’t make the varsity team his sophomore year of high school. Right before his junior year, he grew to NBA height and was quickly on his way to stardom. But what else happened in that year? Did he embark on a career filled with hours of dedicated practice, drills, and exercises? Definitely. But that’s not the only story. Perhaps inspired by not making that varsity team, he practiced in an incredibly focused way - striving to perfect his shooting form, improve his moves, and become more explosive. He didn’t just practice a lot, he practiced the right way. Michael Jordan once said, and I’m paraphrasing, if you take 1,000 shots with imperfect form, you’ll become very good at shooting the wrong way. He intuitively understood that the right type of practice involves focusing on getting the fundamentals exactly right, going slow, getting input from experts, identifying errors, understanding them, and fixing them immediately, and more. You’ve heard of Mozart, the creative genius that defined classical and romantic period music composition? We all have. What you may not have heard of is his early beginnings as a musician. He was born into a family well versed in music and was writing pieces with help from his parents at the tender age of 5. By the time he was in his teenage years, he was creating masterpieces. But, along the way, he composed some pretty average, or below average, pieces of music. To be creating works of “genius” in your teenage years is still extraordinary, of course. But when you take into account the fact that he had had daily instruction and practice in the art of composition from the day he could walk, it is a much different story than the miraculous pre-teen that writes world class music. Lady Gaga was denied countless times by record companies and agents before she landed her first radio debut. Award-winning actors struggle for years without any recognition. Steve Jobs’s first computer making venture was a disaster. Even consider your own high school valedictorian or AP Physics prodigy. These people may have genes which, if you could identify whatever genes lead to our best notion of intelligence, are set up well. But, that doesn’t really do anyone any good without lots of the right type of practice. But what made them great was practice, and practice done the most effective way. It’s a term called ‘deep practice’, hard work done in a focused and inspired manner that makes all the difference. That’s what Michael Jordan, Mozart, and Lady Gaga are doing when they practice. Take high school or college level math as an example. A student won’t gain much from doing every problem again and again and then reviewing the answers. The student must learn to do the problems correctly. If you actively embrace your mistakes, think about them, and learn from them you will get the most information and growth out of them in order to make positive progress. What does this mean, exactly? It means do a few problems. Stop. Check the answer. If you got something wrong, identify why. Try the problem again. Then move on. This is also true when preparing for standardized tests. ‘Deep practice’ will inevitably improve performance. Although it may seem easier said than done, it is possible with constant attention to observing mistakes and evaluating how they happened and how to fix them. The very worst thing you can do is ignore mistakes and call them “silly” â€" as we so often like to do - and forge onto the next math problem. The next time you’re sitting in AP Physics, Organic Chemistry, 18th Century Literature, or trying to improve your GMAT score, and you’re eyeing the gifted student in class with envy, realize that it probably took countless hours of focused practice and revision to get to where they are. It looks easy for him or her, but it probably isn’t. You don’t often see the blood, sweat, and tears that go into making a “genius.” But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist or that it didn’t happen. Chances are, with hours of ‘deep practice’, studying done the right way and with the right attitude, you can become just as brilliant as the valedictorian.